#European Cuisine Menu

[eventcatering-paulbmundo]

Embark on a gastronomic adventure with our meticulously crafted European Cuisine Menu, where each dish tells a tale of culinary finesse. Indulge your senses in a symphony of flavors that traverse the rich landscapes of Europe, from the aromatic Provencal herbs of France to the bold spices of the Mediterranean. Our menu is a celebration of diversity, offering a fusion of traditional and contemporary European delights that will transport you to the heart of each region. Join us for an unparalleled dining experience that elevates the art of European cuisine to new heights. Immerse yourself in the allure of our culinary creations, where passion meets precision, and every bite is a celebration of European culinary excellence.

[fuckingrecipes]

How does one actually build a useful repository of recipes for different cuisines? Like, I have the Silver Spoon which is a pretty good cross section of Italian cooking. I know more than enough variations of the typical french mother sauces to get the principles without a need for a recipe. I know from various Euro cuisines particular flavors that pair well I could build a dish around (like, I could make a goat cheese and caramelized onion soup without the need of someone telling me a recipe). I don't have any such data sets for other cuisines, and you know the recipe website world is a hell scape.

Tried and true method is: Cook often, try new things, and save it if you like it.

Get a blank notebook (or a 3-ring binder) and collect recipes yourself as you try them. You can write recipes in by hand, or print them off & punch for the 3-ring binder.

Go to restaurants which serve food you want to explore, and take a picture of the food, record the name of it on the menu, and note some of the ingredients that you can identify in it.

If you live in a small town with not many places that serve 'foreign' food nearby, get off google. Use DuckDuckGo or Brave as a search engine. They have very few ads and the search algorithm prefers when you get to the point in your recipe blog, rather than dicking around with your life story.

Do a little tour on your world map. Focus on countries, search for food from that country, then search for specific kinds of food from that country. Search for things like "Authentic Turkish Stewed Chicken" "Traditional Brazillian Goat Recipe" "Hong Kong Street Food Recipe" "Collection of Taiwan Recipes" "25 amazing Korean dishes" "10 best Cajun Soul Food Recipes" "Dominican Republic Cuisine Recipes"

Go watch cooking tiktoks that aren't european-centric; go out of your way to find them.

Go down a list of spices and pick one you've never tried before. Look up where it's traditionally used, and try to find some dishes that use that spice!

Go to your Local Library and dig into their cookbook section. Every library has one! Look for cookbooks focused on cuisines you don't know yet, and try those recipes!

If you're cool spending money on this, go to Half Price Books or other book-reselling stores where you can find cook books at really low prices. Again, explore the cuisines you're not familiar with.

If you have grocery stores for other cultures near you, go into their grocery! Check out what spices have a shitload of different brands on display, and pick one at random. Seek out a recipe that uses that new spice you just bought.

And remember: Write that shit down!

You can always have a little guide at the front or back of your recipe collection that explains different spice blends, or explains key sauces, or anything else!

You can keep a little guide on how roasting spices changes them, and your experiments with that.

You can keep a list of bread recipes, or cooking hacks like how to make really good naan without a woodfire grill.

---

Personally, I'm forgetful. I forget sites exist, forget logins, and lose passwords all the time. I have about a hundred recipe collections across about as many websites, and I know where like, 3 of them are right now. Many of those websites have gone down, and my lists are lost forever.

The book of recipe & food-tips collection I've kept & used the longest - my Food Grimoire - is a physical item that I can misplace in my house but never truly lose. It can't have its server crash or website maintenance suddenly be abandoned and blip out of existence.

[mariacallous]

Offal, aka organ meats, are about to make a comeback. Yes, I predict that brains, livers, spleens, tongues and testicles will feature heavily on the menus of Israel’s (and the diaspora’s Jewish/Israeli-style) hottest eateries by this time next year — if they aren’t already. Why? Because young chefs are increasingly inspired by traditional Jewish dishes, driving a return-to-roots style of cooking. And these old-school classics are notably innard-heavy.

Offal is an oxymoron; it’s both a poor-person food, which is why it was so popular in the shtetl, and a celebratory food, eaten on Shabbat and festivals. Many Sephardic cultures consider it a delicacy. Read on and decide for yourself.

Let’s start with an old Ashkenazi classic: chopped liver. While for me, it will always be in style, many of my contemporaries don’t feel the same. Luckily, young Jewish chefs have already set their sights on it, and may well have the power to convert millennial diners. Take Anthony Rose’s recipe in “The Last Schmaltz,” which sears the livers, then deglazes the pan with arak before blending, serving the chopped liver with thyme-scented caramelized onions.

Another well-known offal dish is the Jerusalem mixed grill. Made with chicken giblets and lamb parts, and seasoned with onion, garlic, black pepper, cumin, turmeric and coriander, this classic street food is believed to have originated sometime between 1960-1970 at one of two (now feuding) restaurants in Jerusalem’s Machaneh Yehuda Market. While the Jerusalem grill is far younger than most Jewish offal dishes, it originated in a similar way: Butchers had a surplus of unwanted offal so they sold it off cheaply, then some savvy chefs turned the offal into a desirable dish. The mixed grill was one of the first offal dishes to receive multiple modern makeovers. At his restaurant Rovi, Yotam Ottolenghi adds baharat onions and pickles, while Michael Solomonov included a Jerusalem grill-Southern dirty rice hybrid in “Israeli Soul.“

Of course, this is not the first dish based around grilled offal; Tunisian Jews liked to throw a selection of lamb or veal innards onto the grill, which they called mechoui d’abats, and Baghdadi Jews sought a similar smokiness, which they achieved by cooking chicken livers on the tandoor.

Roman Jews preferred their offal battered and fried, rather than grilled. Few know that their famed carciofi alla giudia (deep-fried artichokes) was often served alongside fried sweetbreads, livers, and — most notably — brains. North Africa’s Sephardi communities loved their brains, too, commonly serving them in an omelet called a meguina or menina on festive occasions. Meir Adoni referenced this love in his brain fricassee — a North African-French fusion dish of veal brains inside a croissant with harissa and preserved lemon — at his New York restaurant Nur.

Offal was also commonly used to add a depth of flavor to a soup or stew. Yemenite Jews — one of the few communities who continue to cook traditional offal dishes — make a soup with bulls’ penis and cows’ udders, while Eastern European Jews, particularly of Polish descent, continue to add kishke  — a sausage made of stuffed beef intestine — to their weekly Shabbat cholent. A slow-cooked stew called akod is one of the better-known dishes of Tunisian Jewish cuisine, where tripe flavored with cumin, garlic, harissa and tomato paste is the star of the show. Moroccan Jews eat a similar dish on Passover, which ditches the tomato paste but adds liver, heart, and beef dumplings.

Admittedly, there are some offal-based dishes that may find it trickier to stage a comeback. Ptcha – an aspic that reached its height of popularity in shtetl-era Ashkenazi communities — is arguably top of the list. However, it’s not without hope; ptcha was actually born in Turkey in the 14th century as a peasant soup made with lamb’s feet, served hot. This, I’d wager, is a more palatable gateway (it’s basically bone broth) to the Eastern European version, which opts for calves’ feet and allows the soup to cool and set into a jelly, thanks to the gelatin in the hooves.

It only takes one dish to change your view of offal from weird and unappetizing to tasty and versatile. If livers, brains and tripe were good enough for our ancestors, not to mention famed chefs, who are we to turn up our noses? Happy eating!

[probablyasocialecologist]

When I try modernizing Palestinian cuisine, I am not trying to make it acceptable to people. When I think of a dish, I don’t ask myself: “Is this gonna please the Europeans or the Americans or the Chinese?” I try to create a dish that is respectful of the flavors, and that has an identity that is very much mine. For instance, I love working with freekeh and I know you hate it. Still in my set menu, I try to force down your throat some freekeh. You know I could make an effort when ì know you’re coming over for dinner and not cook it but if I happen to have a vegetable that works well with it, well I still cook freekeh, whether you like it or not!   Don’t forget, cooking is a magic act, a sacred moment. This is why I am in the kitchen. I was recently speaking to Paris-based Japanese writer, Ryoko Sekiguchi, and we came up with this concept of “cooking of light,” “la cuisine de lumière”) [”hikari no ryôri”] and she linked it to another concept that she came up with Japanese chef Shûichirô Kobori, namely “cooking of prayer,” “la cuisine de prière” [”inori no ryôri”]. Cooking is a sacred moment of intimacy and of creation, which requires respect.  We have such particularities in our kitchen, that we should be putting forward and that we should be protecting from all those coexistence and peace initiatives, which are not really about peace and coexistence. Peace is about justice. When sometimes people ask me: “Would you work with an Israeli chef?” I say: “My conditions if an Israeli chef wants to work with me are that she or he has to accept a Palestinian state with the 1967 borders, accept Jerusalem as the capital of two states, accept the right of return of Palestinians refugees. If there is a resolution that is just to our rights as Palestinians of course I will work with an Israeli chef.” But as long as there is no justice and equality there’s no way I could work with an Israeli chef.

[jasfhercallejo]

Siquijor Island has 23 wonderful dive sites, some right in front of Coco Grove Beach Resort. Tubod Marine Sanctuary also lies directly in front of the resort. They have three fully equipped restaurants serving traditional Filipino and European cuisine as well as fresh seafood.

From breakfast to dinner, you can indulge in their impressive menu of seafood, international cuisine, and signature dishes that are ingeniously incorporated with island influences (still thinking about their Grilled Mahi Mahi).

On weekends, they often have barbecue nights and live musical performances from the Siquijor Island Dance Company which just lights up the place and gets everyone on the dance floor, too! Of course, we did not miss the chance to watch their show!

During our buffet dinner, we were serenaded by the band performers. Honestly, we thought this was the highlight of the night, but it was really the extremely thrilling performance of the Siquijor Island Dance Company that left us in awe.

It was indeed a magical night with Siquijor Dance Company.

Just about when our trip to Siquijor is about to end, we are thinking when will be coming back. Haha. Siquijor is indeed a paradise for everyone to encounter at least once in their life.

[petermorwood]

Mushrooms in Cream Sauce...

...or Pilze in Sahnesoße.

This is for @killerblackberrypie, who went looking for the version on our "European Cusines" site and found the site gone.

@dduane had taken it down for maintenance, a new theme and to take some new photos, but while the site was down it web-provider went belly-up. These things happen.

"European Cuisines" Will Return - just not quite yet.

Our recipe was, ironically, one of the recipes slated for new pics, so while this text is from the site's offline backup (with a couple of tweaks from me, because why not?) photos are sourced from the web.

There are many, many other recipes online; they're mostly in German, but Google Translate handles Rezeptedeutch well enough. I've linked to a couple, which is only fair since I'm using their pix.

You'll also see the French word "champignons" in German recipes as often as German "Pilze"; I don't know whether this indicates a French origin for the recipe, or refers to a specific mushroom, or makes the dish sound more classy.

Here's one: Champignons in Sahnesauce mit Spätzle.

And here's ours...

*****

Pilze in Sahnesoße from European Cuisines.

Contrary to popular belief, Germany is not a vegetable-free zone.

In fact, unless you find yourself buried in some tiny backwater in the Black Forest or someplace similar, Germany is much kinder to both vegetable-lover and vegetarian than a lot of other places. It will be rare to find a menu that doesn't have at least a few vegetarian or at least mostly-vegetable options on it, often far more creative than you might expect.

But leaving aside for the moment the issue of vegetarianism per se, Germans really do like more vegetables than potatoes and cabbage, especially seasonal ones in their prime. Asparagus season, for instance, has its own name: Spargelzeit - "asparagus time".

And mushrooms (all right, not as true veggies, but at least as fungi) turn up as stars in many entreés, especially in dishes meant to be served in the autumn, "Pilzsaison", mushroom season, when the good little creatures are coming up all over in the woods and the supermarkets.

This recipe calls for the mushrooms to be sautéed with onions in bacon fat (the bacon is added later). The pan is then deglazed with white wine, and various spices are added, one of them being paprika, which instantly suggests that this recipe probably sneaked over the border from Austro-Hungary, possibly via the Czech Republic.

Finally the cream and bacon go in.

The result is substantial, surprisingly elegant, and yummy.

This is definitely a recipe for a high-end Hobbit menu: an entrée for anyone who doesn't want their mushrooms upstaged by overly large amounts of meat.

The bacon-fat and bacon CAN be left out completely, making the dish meat-free. Use more butter along with more mushrooms and a red pepper diced small, and add 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika.

*****

INGREDIENTS

NB, we work in metric so that's "correct"; Imperial is converted and "approximate", though it won't make much difference. Just don't combine them or your mushrooms might crash into Mars...

1 kg / 2 lb fresh mushrooms, domesticated or a mixture of wild types to taste

125g / 1/4 pound bacon, diced

60gr 1/4 cup butter or margarine

2 large onions, diced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon paprika

60ml / 1/4 cup (or more if needed to deglaze) white wine, preferably a medium or medium-dry one

A pinch of nutmeg

A pinch of mace

250ml / 1 cup heavy cream

The juice of half a medium-sized lemon, strained

2 sprigs of fresh parsley

METHOD

Clean the mushrooms with a soft brush or dry cloth. (Never wash mushrooms.) If they're big, cut them in half.

Fry the bacon in a wok or large pan until lightly browned. Remove the bacon from the pan and set it aside.

Add the butter to the pan drippings. Add the onions; sauté until lightly browned.

Add the mushrooms; cook them until they're tender, stirring often.

When they're tender, raise the heat slightly and stir in the wine, salt, pepper, paprika, nutmeg, and mace. Cover the pan and cook over low heat for 15 minutes.

Remove from the heat. Add the cooked bacon, cream and lemon juice. Reheat until just warm. Do NOT let this mixture boil!!!

Garnish with parsley and serve with noodles, dumplings, mashed potatoes, whole potatoes... And some crusty bread to chase the last of the sauce.

*****

Our original photo used Spätzle, as in the first pic. Ribbon tagliatelle works just fine as well, while here is Saure Pilz-Sahnesoße served alongside Bohemian Dumplings, a long bread dumpling boiled in water or stock then cut into thick slices.

From the same site, here's a simple potato treatment, Pilz-Sahnesoße mit Kartoffeln:

As far as we've been able to make out, the main difference between mushrooms in cream sauce as a main dish, and creamy mushroom sauce for use with something else, is the proportion of mushrooms to everything else, and often the size of pieces into which they're cut. Really small bits are one more ingredient, large generous chunks are much more front and centre.

Ours is definitely a main course, and though we haven't made it for a while, the memory of that last time still makes my Mind Palate go...

Soon. Soon...

[possibilistfanfiction]

I absolutely adore the chef/sommelier au and always find so much comfort in your writing. i have a few questions/prompts if you’re interested in any of these:

1) how did they meet? were they part of the same circles and crushing from afar until they finally had the chance to work together? or did they have a more classic meet cute?

2)Ava mentions that she knows Beatrice prefers to eat in the kitchen rather than the restaurant and I would be curious about any backstory behind how Ava came to learn this.

3) one of those foodie travel adventures where they eat their way through X city or cities

ok so this is no1 but has hints of the other two (which i love & will maybe write later!)

also i guess... this turned into platonic bea & lilith are in love. who knows lol

//

you've known beatrice for so long now, you really should've seen this coming.

for as annoying as she is, she's remarkably talented — something that had made you frustrated with her, and yourself, for years during culinary school. beatrice's food is true to who she is: wholly precise and quietly playful, elegant and creative, and really, really warm. thoughtful. surprisingly fun. you've always been able to tell: your technical skills are the best in the world, better than hers or anyone else you've ever met, and your palette is exquisite; you run a kitchen with quiet authority, and each dish comes out on time, exactly as it's supposed to. you are very good at your job. but beatrice makes food — elevated chinese and european fusion dishes, whatever she's most interested in at the moment — that makes you want to cry in its capacity to comfort. not that you would ever admit it, but you have stepped away to the bathroom on a handful of occasions to do just that.

she's more your sister than anything else — your little sister, you make sure to remind her — and so when chef superion had essentially ordered — encouragingly — beatrice into opening her own restaurant after five years of being chef de cuisine and, really, being the quiet driving force behind those three michelin stars, it hadn't even been a question to you that you would go with her. that you would help with the menu and everyday operations; the design and hours of operation; the sustainable sourcing for all of your dishes that she's always been so invested in. that part, while exhausting, had been fairly easy: mary and shannon, who own an urban farm, had been thrilled to partner, and you came up with a collaborative menu together. you were able to secure local seafood from a few suppliers, local ethical meat from your favorite butcher. camila, admittedly your favorite chef from superion's, young and absolutely kind, had agreed to come on and do pastry. you and beatrice had hired yasmine as your sous, trustworthy and smart.

you've been elbow-deep in planning — food, interior, front of house, all of it — for months. you're pretty sure beatrice works, like, twenty hours a day, and doesn't do anything but that. she eats takeout quickly in the kitchen, standing over a trashcan. every friday you barge into her condo and force her to eat greasy pizza and watch reality tv and share a joint. a year or so ago she had asked you to buzz her hair for her and you still do now, weekly, because she's neat and confident and loves efficiency and, according to many, many women unfortunately saying this to you directly whenever you drag her out for drinks, it's hot. she takes you to doctor's appointments and picks up your dry cleaning; she's the only person you let sharpen your knives for you, and the only person you'll share a bed with overnight if you're too drunk or stoned or tired to go home. she never says anything, never minds, just grumbles when her alarm goes off and grumbles sleepily in chinese while she makes herself an espresso.

and so, really, it's your fault. you should've known. you're not sure how you should've known, but you definitely should have.

'so,' you say, lowering yourself into the chair across from her immaculately neat desk in her office in the back, 'i think i found us a sommelier.'

your drinks menu is one of the last things you have to finalize, and beatrice has been so fucking picky about who to bring on to do so. cocktails hadn't been that hard; hans is competent and creative. but the wine pairings have been a pain in your ass: one sommelier was too old to have fresh, exciting ideas; one was a cis white man so beatrice automatically vetoed that, which, honestly, you didn't hate and definitely should've seen coming.

'and who is it?'

'ava silva,' you say, flick open your tablet to his profile: ava is young and renowned already, and has experience with local, natural wines and restaurants all over the world, especially europe, brazil, and east asia. she is, you realize later with a heartfelt deep annoyance, beautiful.

'ava silva,' beatrice repeats. she reads through ava's profile, her accomplishments and accolades and references. 'they worked with taian table.' beatrice hums. 'i've heard of them.'

'yeah.' you force yourself not to roll your eyes at her reluctance.

'ava is available to meet for a consult?'

'tomorrow, if you want. i can take care of the oyster tasting if that helps.'

she laughs, and you let yourself crack a smile. 'i don't even want to be a part of your oyster tasting, lilith.'

'just because i have fun —'

'sleeping with our supplier better not backfire on us, that's all i have to say.'

and maybe you should've realized right then, when beatrice's eyes lingered on ava's professional headshot on her website, on her impressive accolades. 'i am a consummate professional,' you tell beatrice.

she shakes her head, fondly, and leans back in her chair, runs a hand over her hair. 'fine,' she says, 'i'll take the meeting with ava.'

'great,' you say, relieved in the moment. 'what's the worst that can happen?'

/

very soon, unfortunately, you find out: beatrice is fucking insufferable. ava is even more insufferable, flirting with horrible humor and fond, relentless teasing. beatrice is, somehow, blushing and stumbling around like a schoolgirl, despite her attempts at being a serious, focused chef. she burns her hand on a pot, sets a towel on fire, and spills a red wine reduction all over her favorite apron the first time ava is coming to try a few dishes on the menu.

'jesus christ,' you say, maybe a little bit of a prayer, 'what the fuck, chef?'

beatrice groans. 'ava is... pretty.'

she says it reluctantly, like it's terrible to admit. ava is definitely annoying, but even you have eyes. 'yes, we all know after having to watch you fumble around during one meeting that you think ava is pretty.'

'and,' she says, a blush spreading across her cheeks and down her neck, 'he's smart, and funny, and has an amazing palette.'

'well, he better.' you deflate a little; it's disarming to see beatrice this nervous, especially when it has nothing to do with her food being reviewed or rated. 'listen, beatrice,' you say, trying your very hardest to be gentle, just this once, 'this menu is gorgeous. i came up with eighty percent of it —'

'— you did not —'

'— so i can assure you that ava will love it, and that we can pair wines that will be excellent. and don't tell anyone i said this, or i legitimately will kill you, but you're an... impressive person. you're a remarkable chef. ava would be a fool to not see that.'

beatrice lets out a big breath. 'okay.'

'plus, it's kind of fun to see you trip all over yourself because of a crush.'

'i'm going to go change now.'

'yes, because you spilled because of a crush.'

'see you later, lilith.'

'yeah, yeah,' you say. 'i'll make sure to overcook the egg noodles, just for you.'

/

it's your fault, for sure, because you said yes to doing the food at their wedding — to make it worse, excitedly. it's gorgeous and it's a huge pain in your ass because there's, like, every cool chef in the world there, and a ton of Wine People, and beatrice has been traveling with ava filming something, so you've been running the restaurant. but still, beatrice gives you a hug and ava, terribly, kisses your cheek. they're both beautiful, and their backyard is full of edible flowers and herbs and vines with wine grapes. at one point, beatrice snags you by the hand to dance with her, which you protest for posterity and eventually give up on, as you always would have anyway. as you always have.

'thank you,' she says, 'for this. it's the best meal i've ever eaten.'

'i'm certain that's not true.'

she shakes her head; she's tan and has more freckles than you've ever seen on her, stretching across her cheeks — they'd gotten to film in brazil, apparently, where ava is from. but here it is, really: the whole world, right there, and beatrice has chosen to love you. she's chosen to want you as her sister, and you have always chosen her back.

'i'm really glad you're happy.'

'thank you,' she says. 'i am so happy.'

you roll your eyes. 'i know. it's nauseating.'

'lil.'

'after all of this, i want two weeks off when you're back from your honeymoon.'

'done.'

'well, a positive outcome, at the very least.'

she laughs.

'it's my fault, anyway. if i had just found a less beautiful, boring, straight sommelier...'

'i'm going to go dance with my wife now,' she says. 'love you.'

'yeah, yeah.' you squeeze her hand, linger for a moment in how softly she says wife, just because it's gentle and sweet and you don't hate seeing her this happy. 'love you too.'

[endlingmusings]

[ A critically endangered European eel, photo credited to Kristen Steele. ]

“DNA testing has confirmed widespread – and probably illegal – international trading of critically endangered European eels.

A research team led by the University of Exeter carried out “DNA barcoding” on products including jellied eels and unagi, which is used in sushi and donburi.

With European eel populations at about 5-10% of their former levels, the EU has banned the import and export of European eels.

This has sparked a highly lucrative illegal trade – with media reports of a “multi-billion pound eel mafia”. In June 2022, European authorities announced the arrest of 49 people involved in a trafficking network that moved live eels in suitcases.

The researchers analysed 114 samples and combined their results with existing published research, finding European eels – and endangered American and Japanese eels – on sale in the UK, Continental Europe, North America and Asia.

“The growing popularity of Japanese cuisine worldwide has caused an increasing demand for freshwater eels,” said Dr Andrew Griffiths, from the University of Exeter.

“The complex lifecycle of these eels – which includes migrating from rivers to spawn in the sea – means they cannot be bred at large scale in captivity.

“So the illegal trade involves catching young eels in Europe, transporting them to East Asia and growing them on in fish farms.”

The new study tested eel-based foods in North America and Europe. About 40% of North American unagi samples they analysed contained European eel.”

- Excerpt from “DNA testing finds endangered eels on the menu” by Alex Morrison.

[rabbitcruiser]

Southern Food Heritage Day

Every year, Southern Food Heritage Day is celebrated on October 11. The Southern Food & Beverage Museum celebrates the culturally rich and delicious food of the Southern States in America. The cuisine deserves to be recognized and celebrated officially because it is a testament to American history and legacy. Southern food also represents the essence of America — the coming together of a variety of people from all over the world, each bringing with themselves their own ingredients and recipes to create a unique cuisine. Iced tea, pickled shrimps, and fried chicken are some of the most loved Southern foods throughout history. Along with the cuisine, the day also celebrates the racial and ethnic diversity in America.

History of Southern Food Heritage Day

Southern Food Heritage Day celebrates the best that Southern food and beverages have to offer. The South’s cuisine in America can be found in the historical regional culinary form of states generally south of the Mason-Dixon line dividing Pennsylvania and Delaware from Maryland, along the Ohio River, and extending west to southern Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. The most notable influences on Southern cuisine are African, English, Scottish, Irish, German, French and Native American.

The food of the American South displays a unique blend of cultures and culinary traditions. The Native Americans, Spanish, French, and British have contributed to the development of Southern food, with recipes and dishes from their own cultures. Food items such as squash, tomatoes, corn, as well as certain cooking practices such as deep pit barbecuing, were introduced by south-eastern Native American tribes such as the Caddo, Choctaw, and Seminole. Many foods derived from sugar, flour, milk, and eggs have European roots. Black-eyed peas, okra, rice, eggplant, sesame seed, sorghum, and melons, along with spices, are of African origin.

Southern food can be further divided into categories: ‘Soul food’ is heavily influenced by African cooking traditions that are full of greens and vegetables, rice, and nuts such as peanuts. Okra and collard greens are also considered Soul Food, along with thick stews. ‘Creole food’ has a French flair, while ‘Cajun cuisine’ reflects the culinary traditions of immigrants from Canada. ‘Lowcountry’ cuisine features a lot of seafood and rice, while the food of the Appalachians is mostly preserved meats and vegetables. Southern food is partial to corn, thanks to the Native American influence.

Southern Food Heritage Day timeline

1860

Southern Diet Expands

Following the emancipation from slavery, the Southern diet becomes versatile.

1916

The Great Migration

African Americans travel from rural communities in the South to large cities in the North and West — they carry their cuisine with them.

1940s

Southern Foods in Restaurants

Southern foods start appearing on restaurant menus and appeal to a diverse clientele.

1964

Soul Food

This term, describing everyday Southern food, first appears in print.

Southern Food Heritage Day FAQs

What is the difference between Southern food and soul food?

The difference between soul food and Southern food is rooted more in class than race, and what families were able to afford to put on the table. 

What is a typical Southern meal?

A traditional Southern meal is pan-fried chicken, field peas, greens, mashed potatoes, cornbread or corn pone, sweet tea, and a pie for dessert. 

Why is Southern food so unhealthy?

The Southern diet is commonly high in processed meats, which are high in salt and in nitrates, which are in turn linked to heart risk. The high sugar content of the diet may also lead to negative effects, like insulin resistance and inflammation.

How To Celebrate Southern Food Heritage Day

Organize a cook-off: Gather all your friends and organize a cook-off on Southern Food Heritage Day. Revive old recipes or add a twist to create something new.

Go out for a meal: Enjoy the best of Southern foods at your favorite Southern foods restaurant. Don’t forget to enjoy the classics like fried chicken, hush pies, and pies.

Set up a barbecue: Barbecues are an integral part of the Southern food heritage. It is also one of the most popular styles of cooking. Barbecue your favorite meats and vegetables, and serve them with sauces and seasonings.

5 Facts About Southern Foods That Will Blow Your Mind

Redeye gravy has a unique recipe: Redeye gravy is made with pan drippings and leftover coffee.

It is more calorie-dense: Southern fried chicken breast typically has more than 400 calories in an ounce.

Peanut butter is an essential: Half the annual crop of peanuts is used to make peanut butter.

Collard green has been around forever: It’s been a part of our diet for more than 2,000 years.

Black-eyed peas are also good luck charms: It is believed that black-eyed peas bring good luck on New Year’s Day.

Why We Love Southern Food Heritage Day

A day to indulge: You cannot celebrate Southern Food Heritage Day without enjoying a hearty meal of your favorite foods. This is truly a day of indulgence!

Try something new: The best thing about Southern food is that it has something for everyone. Use this day to try a new food item or the cuisine of Southern heritage. Who knows, you might just discover your next favorite dish!

It is historically significant: Southern foods have a rich cultural and historical significance. Learn more about the origins of your favorite foods on Southern Food Heritage Day.

Source

[maretinelli]

GREECE

Andrew Garfield X fem!reader

Summary: Where Y/n and Andrew spend their vacation in Greece hidden from the paparazzi since they are in a private relationship.

Words: 500+

Warnings: Age difference and lots of sticky cuteness.

Author: Well, after I posted the Sirius imagines here, I thought I'd share other stories I have for my Brazilian readers on my Wattpad. And with that, I already warn you that English is not my first language. I'm sorry if there are mistakes!!!

MASTERLIST

Y/n and Andrew had been dating for a year and in that time they still kept their relationship private. No paparazzi taking photos, crazy fans knowing and press asking questions. It was just them.

And that was great, despite being a little complicated when it came to going out or going on dates. But they had peace, privacy and protection so to speak.

Now, after a while, they faced their fear and decided to take their first trip as a couple. And the destination could not be other than beautiful Greece.

It was a destination that they both wanted to visit, so why not combine the useful with the pleasant?!

"Do you think someone can discover us here?" Y/n says as she and Andrew board a yacht to take a trip around the European sea.

"I don't think so. And if you find out, it doesn't matter. I have my girl by my side" Andrew says smiling at Y/n while putting his arm around the actress's shoulders.

Y/n smiles shyly and leans his head on the older man's shoulder.

The only fear Y/n had for fans when they found out was their age. Not that it was an alarming difference, but 10 years between the two would be enough to say a lot.

The couple enjoyed the first day touring the waters of Greece and when they returned to the hotel, they enjoyed the beautiful view from their room and something else in the middle of the night.

The couple enjoyed the first day touring the waters of Greece and when they returned to the hotel, they enjoyed the beautiful view from their room and something else in the middle of the night.

The next day was also wonderful, they took the opportunity to visit the city of Athens and discover more of the city's history from the inhabitants there. Thus, making a midday stop so they could taste the cuisine the country had to offer.

Their little eyes sparkled every where they went. Of course, they shined not only because of the beauty of the place, but because of being with their loved one by their side.

At the moment, Y/n and Andrew stopped at a cozy cafe that had a view of the sea. The establishment was located at the top of the city and gave an incredible view of all European water and the city's villages.

Y/n looked at Andrew while he was looking at the place's menu. He was wearing his sunglasses and a button-down shirt that screamed that he was a local tourist. Darker jeans and sneakers that matched his and Y/n's look.

"I know you're looking at me" he says as he lets out a laugh, making Y/n blush.

"It can't be helped. You look cute in that tourist shirt" Y/n twists his neck to the side as he looks away from his menu again.

"Tourist shirt?" Andrew asks amusedly and lets out a laugh.

"Yes. Notice the tourists who visit Los Angeles. They usually wear button-down shirts that match the place" Y/n says smiling and Andrew shakes his head laughing more.

It doesn't take long for the two to decide what they would eat and Andrew goes into the parking lot to get the food. Thus leaving Y/n at the table outside, while he looked at his cell phone and watched some current gossip.

She smiles when a photo appears that appears to be her and Andrew on one of the trips there in Greece. The page she posted apparently got quite excited about the rumors that made between her and Andrew and about the relationship they could be in. Which wasn't a lie.

"What makes you smile like that, sweet girl?"

Andrew looks at his girlfriend smiling tenderly and places the cappuccino and the piece of cake that Y/n had ordered in front of her. So he returned to his chair to taste the food he had ordered too.

"It seems that there are already rumors about us dating" Y/n smiles, as he turns the cell phone screen for Andrew to see.

He quickly reads what was written and smiles at the slightly blurry photo of the two of them.

"Are you worried about that?" He asks curiously.

Y/n shakes his head and turns off his cell phone screen to enjoy the moment.

"No way, I have you with me" She smiles and Andrew gets shy. "What about you? Worried?"

"Not at all, I have my sweet girl by my side" he says and now it's Y/n's turn to smile shyly.

[canadashotspots]

Moldova Restaurant

This restaurant offers authentic Eastern European cuisine, making it perfect for family celebrations and everyday meals. Guests note that the dishes taste like homemade food, reminiscent of what a grandmother might prepare, creating a cozy and comfortable atmosphere.

The menu features traditional Russian and Eastern European dishes such as schnitzel, shashlik, chebureki, chicken Kiev, and more. Standout items include the compote, chicken schnitzel, and lamb liver. Hot appetizers and traditional dishes like shashlik and cheese pie are also highly praised, although some comments mentioned a need for a bit more salt and freshness in the baked goods.

The staff is especially noted for their friendliness and attentiveness. Service is fast and professional, making every visit enjoyable. A unique feature of the restaurant is the option to bring your own alcohol for a small corkage fee, adding convenience for special occasions.

The atmosphere is relaxing and welcoming, making it a great place for gatherings with family and friends. Both Russian-speaking and other cultural guests appreciate the authenticity of the dishes and the warmth of the staff.

This restaurant is highly recommended for family events like baptisms and birthdays, as well as for those who want to enjoy traditional cuisine in a cozy setting. With its diverse menu and excellent service, this restaurant leaves a lasting impression and attracts loyal customers.

Menu or list of services:

Services and amenities:

Delivery

Food with you

Food in the institution

Name of institution:

Moldova Restaurant

Address:

5000 Dufferin St Unit #A1, North York, ON M3H 5T5

Contact information:

+14166654566

Category of establishments:

Restaurant

Web site:

[alexseanchai]

The fascination the novel [Dracula] holds is best exemplified by the mass production of Dracula apparel, Dracula-spun books, comics, movies, plays, and last but not least, Dracula food, which I will show, is, at best an English version of the real Transylvanian cuisine. The consumerist society produces and devours Dracula paraphernalia at the expense of East Central European peoples and their cultures.

.

If the “paprikahendl” with “mamaliga” is problematic as it raises doubts about Harker’s recollections of his trip, the famous stuffed eggplant is a true challenge and highlights Harker’s inability with languages. Impletata is in fact a mix of two, or even three Romanian words (none of which means eggplant): împletită, which is a type of braided bread; umplută, an adjective that means stuffed; and împănată, another adjective that means half-stuffed, or feathered, meaning that the inside of the “eggplant” (to keep with Harker’s menu) is not scooped out, but that the “eggplant” is sliced on the surface and other vegetables are inserted halfway. In fact, there are lots of recipes of vegetables and meats that can either be umplută or împănată, while only the bread is împletită.

—Cristina Artenie, in The Universal Vampire, Eds. Barbara Brodman and James E. Doan. Madison: Fairleigh Dickinson UP, 2013.45-56

(you need to be logged in to download, and it will nag you about paying for premium, but accounts are free)

[qzbranding]

Cognitive brand associations: National cuisines

This week's class and reading made me think about cognitive brand associations between national cuisines. In particular, (and perhaps prompted by the reading on wine), I wanted to discuss the notion that European cuisines are seen as "high-brow" and certain other cuisines as "low brow"/ cheaper.

Ratings obviously play a bit of a role in building prestige of a cuisine. Of the 144 restaurants that have earned 3 Michelin stars, 62% of them are in Europe, 9% in the USA with 29% in Asia. I distinctly remember being really excited to eat at a 3 star Michelin restaurant in Paris, and being fully okay with the very expensive bill that came after. And yet, when I went to a Michelin starred restaurant in Singapore, I found myself more critical of the food I was eating, judging it for its value-for-money ratio.

As someone who has grown up eating a lot of good, cheap, Asian food, I find myself torn between the expectation that Asian food be cheap and delicious and the aspiration for my culture to be represented in a premium way.

In his book The Ethnic Restauranteur, the author (Krishnendu Ray) hypothesizes that the "more capital or military power a nation wields and the richer its emigrants are, the more likely its cuisine will command high menu prices". In a way, our perception of a cuisine has been nudged by social proof, the cuisine we see immigrants eating and making cheaply, we have continued to perceive as low brow. Even long after those original waves of immigration have passed, our perception of the cuisine could lead us to color our perception of cultures and stereotypes, perpetuating the cycle.

France has cultivated such a strong brand that they have managed to make even the simple somehow seem luxurious. Eggs? Fold them a particular way, and all of a sudden, I'm happy to fork out $25 for a mushroom omelette.  French toast was a cooking method to extend the life of stale bread, and now, it is a fancy brunch entrée. And yet, I only want to pay $5 for a breakfast scallion pancake and $3 for a steamed red bean bun (my preferred Chinese breakfast foods). The raw ingredient costs of both the French and Chinese breakfast don't differ much, but the cognitive association we have with French food (and perhaps just French words) increases our willingness to pay.

Dumplings and ravioli are also another key example. Imagine if I only got 4 dumplings for $30, I would be outraged because I would be expecting at least 12 if not more. And yet, I an often happy to receive 4-6 ravioli for that same price.

This exercise has made me realize that I should myself be more critical about my default expectations for cuisines. I shouldn't always expect to be able to get a bargain on Chinese food; instead, I should be proud when I see more high-end Asian establishments. Cognitive brand associations are there, but I think they should also be able to be challenged and changed. And when it comes to food, the proof really should be in the pudding.

[dreamtigress]

Several Sentence Sunday...

I'm going to do something a little different today, since I am currently working on a story where Kaz takes Inej out for their first real date in public.

I've had a lot of fun researching various foods that I think would occur within a Suli and Ravkan restaurant. I've pulled from eastern European, Russian, Romani, and Middle Eastern foods, figuring the Suli have picked up a variety of cuisines in their travels, and perhaps each caravan has family recipes and specialties. So here's what I've worked up for Pelegrini's menu:

Suli & Ravkan cuisine as seen at Pelegrini: 

Skillet bread: A variety of unleavened bread is available, similar to naan, including plain, garlic stuffed, and almond and raisin.

Spiced tea: Somewhere along the lines of chai. (Inej’s favorite tea; Kaz declines, ordering Ravkan black tea instead.)

Djuveci: a curry-like fish stew. (Inej offers it up, but Kaz decides on the cabbage rolls instead.)

Sarma: stuffed cabbage leaves, filled with a mixture of ground meat and rice, mildly spiced. (Inej recommends these for Kaz as they will be milder.)

Tzatziki: thick yogurt sauce with garlic, chives, and dill. (Inej shows Kaz to dip the sarma and bread into it.)

Ajvar: red pepper sauce. (Also for dipping various foods into. Way too spicy for Kaz.)

Paprikas Csirke: chicken, onions,and potatoes in a medium spicy paprika curry sauce. (Inej orders this for herself, but lets Kaz sample some.)

Pirogo: a sweet noodle casserole dessert, with eggs, raisins, walnuts, cream and cottage cheese. (They share this for dessert.)

Pomdrakon: dragonbowl, a Ravkan dish created by lighting raisins on fire. (Kaz opts out of this one, says he’ll try it next time!)

Here's a few sentences from the story. (I love that we all seem to agree Kaz has a Kerch palate when it comes to spicy food...)

They munched mostly in silence for a while, until Inej insisted he at least try a bite of the garlic stuffed skillet bread with ajvar. There was just enough challenge in her tone that he felt obligated to rise to the occasion. Besides, Inej had described it as milder than her father’s version of the sauce. She dipped the bread, and held it up for him with a grin. The moment the sauce hit his tongue, three thoughts occurred in quick succession.

Oh fuck, that’s spicy!

How hot does her father make this?

I’m going to need more tea.

He didn’t cough, sputter, or spit out the bite. He did note his eyes start to water. His glass of iced tea was in hand before he’d even swallowed. Inej tried valiantly to stifle her giggle, but failed. “Okay, no more ajvar for you. Sorry about that.”

“I think…” He cleared his throat. “I think I’d believe that apology if you weren’t still laughing.”

“Have some more tzatziki, it will help more than the tea.”

I've added the info about Pelegrini to my Wiki, sampled here:

And in full here:

[andrewtverylegitimateblog]

Tampopo (1985)

You have a particular memory that is deeply attached to a specific food. We all do. For better or worse it brings us back there. Our relationship with food is numerous. Food is: culture, class, indulgence, erotic, danger, comfort, memory. Juzo Itami's Tampopo is a film about food. Not particularly a reflection on food but rather the ways in which individuals are reflected by the food they eat.

Tampopo predominantly tells the story of a down on her luck ramen shop owner of the same name struggling to maintain herself and her son after the passing of her husband. One day her unwanted suitor and his accompanying unwanted gang of lackeys are making themselves a nuisance whereupon our rugged but kind hero, Goro, rides in on his truck and then casts the goons out from her shop. This is the story that makes up most of Tampopo. It is not however the only story Tampopo tells. Throughout the film various small segments are interspersed throughout which expand on and explore Japan and it's food culture. This is among my favorite segments.

The Business Lunch

This segment follows a group of Japanese business men sitting down to a formal lunch together at an upscale French restaurant consisting of what appears to be a mixed group of high level executives, senior employees, and a junior employee at least half of their age which seems to be their whipping boy. As the waiter hands them their menus the executive and senior employees are taken aback, there is not a single word of Japanese on the entire page, not even a letter of katakana. Visible panic makes its way across their faces with one of them even falling victim to a twitch, only the junior employee seems to calmly but intently working his way through the menu. The oldest of the executives when first asked for his order claims he isn't very hungry and defers to another senior employee who orders the sole meuniere, consommé, and a Heineken (lightly grilled fish, broth, and beer). All the men after him place the same order, that is until the waiter arrives at the youngest employee. As he carefully reads the menu the most junior employee asks questions about every dish he intends to order and himself displays extensive and intimate knowledge of French cuisine and even the contemporary Parisian restaurant scene until finally deciding on the quenelles, escargot pastry, apple and walnut salad, all paired with Corton Charlemagne (a white wine). Each and every one of his superiors is left completely red in the face with embarrassment.

This scene puts on display and makes jest at so many of the common tropes of Japanese business. All business in this context is governed by appearance. European and by extension French cuisine serves as not something that these men necessarily want but feel inclined towards in order to maintain themselves as well informed and sophisticated. The silliest aspect of this is that the senior employee who sets down the order for the table and seems to have his order already memorized defaults on familiarity and orders a rough approximation of what one might presume he eats in his own time fairly frequently which is lightly grilled fish, a broth rich soup, and beer. The youngest employee at the table eschews the standard by placing on display his full skills as a gourmand as he orders, much to the chagrin of his senior who is so keenly aware of the embarrassment felt by himself and all the others at the table that he kicks his subordinate as he's ordering which in no ways deters him at all.

Food in this scene is remarked upon in the language of class and industrialism. French cuisine is not something that genuinely interests a majority of the business men present in this scene but rather functions as emblematic of a particular relationship between food and worldliness which they feel is a reflection of the makeup of their professional competence. I would like to try the quenelles.

I don't feel it's difficult to tell that this is one of my favorite films. I love Tampopo. There's so much I could say about nearly every part of this film and I didn't even discuss my favorite segment which was the Peking Duck Reverse Hustle. The only scenes which I skip over are the one in which the soft shell turtle is prepared and the pleasure of the shrimp. I love food. I love cooking. Throughout most of the break I've been struggling with a flu and have had little time to do much of what I hoped to. The day I decided to watch Tampopo with my roommate I was so set on cooking l I couldn't help myself. I decided on fried chicken sandwiches. I used a fairly simple recipe but made some general modifications according to my own tastes. In place of flour I used a mix of potato and corn starch because of how crispy my tonkatsu was with a similar mix and I added hot sauce to the dredge in order to add some kick. I didn't use enough oil so my chicken stuck quite a bit to the bottom and some pieces retained a few burnt marks and the oil darkened rather quickly. It was still quite good.

[eagle-eye007]

Suggest me some good restaurant in anna nagar?

Exploring Culinary Delights: A Guide to Anna Nagar's Best Restaurants

Anna Nagar, a bustling neighborhood in [City Name], is a haven for food enthusiasts seeking diverse and exquisite dining experiences. With a plethora of options to choose from, this guide is here to help you navigate the culinary landscape of Anna Nagar. Whether you're in the mood for traditional Indian flavors or international cuisine, Anna Nagar has something for every palate. Here are some standout restaurants you should consider visiting:

1. Flavours of India: Indulge in the rich tapestry of Indian cuisine at Flavours of India. This restaurant offers a variety of regional delicacies that capture the essence of India's diverse culinary heritage. From aromatic biryanis to flavorful curries, every dish is crafted with authentic spices and ingredients that transport you to different parts of the country.

2. Bella Italia Bistro: If you're craving Italian flavors, Bella Italia Bistro is the place to be. With its cozy ambiance and delectable pasta, wood-fired pizzas, and creamy tiramisu, this restaurant brings the essence of Italy to Anna Nagar. Each bite is a journey through the rustic streets of Rome or the charming cafes of Florence.

3. Spice Fusion: For those who enjoy fusion cuisine, Spice Fusion offers an exciting blend of flavors from around the world. Combining Indian spices with international ingredients, their innovative dishes create a harmonious symphony of tastes that surprise and delight your taste buds.

4. Thai Orchid Garden: Escape to the vibrant streets of Thailand at Thai Orchid Garden. This restaurant offers an authentic Thai dining experience with its aromatic curries, stir-fried delights, and refreshing tropical beverages. The intricate balance of sweet, sour, spicy, and salty flavors will transport you to the heart of Bangkok.

5. The Green Garden: For health-conscious diners or anyone craving fresh, wholesome meals, The Green Garden is a must-visit. With an emphasis on locally sourced, organic ingredients, their menu features salads, sandwiches, and creative plant-based dishes that are as nourishing as they are delicious.

6. The Seafood Cove: Seafood enthusiasts will find their haven at The Seafood Cove. With a focus on the catch of the day, this restaurant presents an array of seafood prepared with precision and creativity. From succulent grilled fish to tangy seafood curries, each dish celebrates the bounty of the ocean.

7. Café Parisienne: Transport yourself to a charming Parisian café right in the heart of Anna Nagar at Café Parisienne. With its quaint decor and a menu filled with croissants, quiches, and gourmet coffee, this spot is perfect for those seeking a touch of European elegance.

When exploring Anna Nagar's culinary scene, remember that each restaurant offers a unique experience that reflects the vision and creativity of its chefs. Be sure to check the latest reviews, operating hours, and any reservation requirements before visiting. Whichever restaurant you choose, Anna Nagar promises a delightful journey through flavors and cultures that will leave you craving for more.