All posts filed under: Food Culture by Country

About the Food of the Bahamas

Remember this part of Forrest Gump? Well, in the Bahamas, seafood comes any (and every) which way you want it. The most popular seafood treats are the giant, snail-like conch, crayfish, shrimp, and the clawless spiny lobster. Take conch, for example. Typical food shacks keep live conch on hand, cleaning them for each order. Most menus offer boiled conch, crack conch (deep-fried), grilled conch, and steamed conch. Some customers eat the sweet mollusk raw while others prefer it cooked. The creamy white flesh can be tossed with fresh lime juice, laid on a salad, layered in a sandwich, made into a grilled patty for a burger, or floated in a brothy soup. And in case you were hankering for fish for breakfast, you’re in business. Locals eat seafood for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Bubba Gump would be impressed. Not a fish person? There are plenty of other great foods from the Bahamas, many of which are also loved in the US south. Grits and johnnycakes are popular side dishes. Another side dish, Peas n’ Rice is …

About the food of Azerbaijan: Happy Novruz!

I’ve been digging in the dirt lately, planting tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and peas. This is not the first year I’ve gardened, but this is the first year my seedlings survived long enough to be planted in the ground. Last year, out of 48 seedlings, only one lived long enough to eat from. Parsley. The rest died because I planted my seeds too early and was forced to wait to put them in the ground. Without adequate sunlight the seedlings became gaunt and gave up the fight long before they hit 2 inches. This year I became neurotically obsessed with the weather. I waited patiently to plant my seeds until just a month before all danger of frost passed. Things are looking good; I just put the seedlings in the ground. They’re thick and hardy; I’m hopeful for this year’s harvest, although I remain at the mercy of mother nature. Experiencing firsthand how temperamental and fragile vegetable gardening can be gives me an understanding of why so many cultures mark the changing seasons with festivals and …

About Austrian Food: land of ‘sausage-gobblers’?

“What did you call me?” “Sausage-gobbler!” “Why, I oughtta!!!” “No, no! It’s a compliment in Austria!” Austrians appreciate good, meaty, fried, stick-to-your-ribs-after-a-day-of-hiking-or-skiing food, followed by so-decadent-they-should-be-illegal pastries and desserts. True, modern Austrians trend towards eating a more healthy, low-fat diet. However, traditional Austrian diners are affectionately referred to as Wurstfressers (sausage-gobblers). Wurstfressers are Austrians who enjoy so much of the country’s high-fat meaty, fried foods that they get huge pot-bellies. Austrians typically eat a prodigious amount of delicious but rather unhealthy fare, rich with meats, cheeses, potatoes, and dumplings, which makes the Austrian dinner table a delight but which also contributes to a high national incidence of heart disease and other diet-related health problems. Source: Austria, Alan Allport The most popular meat dishes in Austria include weiner schnitzel (breaded and fried pork or veal), Backhendl (fried chicken), Zwiebelrostbraten (roast beef smothered in fried onions), and Tafelspitz (boiled beef in horshradish). Meat is usually served with potatoes or dumplings. Popular vegetables include cabbage and sauerkraut. Bacon, referred to as “speck,” is used in many dishes as a salty/spicy element. …

About Australian Food and Tucker

Let’s play a little game. Imagine the United States. Cut out about 20% of the land. Now, say goodbye to 93% of the population. Everyone vanishes except the people of New York State. That’s Australia. A massive country with very few people. *** 1. Australia is one of the world’s greatest melting pots. Around 1/3 of this great nation is sand and wind. A literal melting pot, the scorching desert pushes almost 90% of the population to urban centers like Sidney and Melbourne where they frequent cafes, markets, and pubs. And who are these Australians? Nearly 25% of Australia’s population was born in the U.K., Italy, China, Vietnam, North Africa, or the Middle East (Countries of the World, Kate Turner). When so many diverse cultures mix in urban settings, looking for great food, the result is fusion. 2. Traditional Bush Tucker comes from the Outback Bush Tucker is food that can be found while living off the land, in the sizzling hot Outback. Not many Australians eat off the land any more (most of them are in …

About Armenian Food: where friendships are… salty?

Sayings stab the truth right in the eye – with just a few simple words they gracefully reveal local culture. For example, when an Armenian is in the company of good friends they say “We have bread and salt among us.” Why? Bread is an Armenian staple. The most popular flatbread is lavash, while the most popular leavened bread is Pideh. Comparing friendship to bread shows how both are basic sustenance to Armenians. Salt is an essential part of all diets because it is required for basic body function. “Without sodium, which the body cannot manufacture, the body would be unable to transport nutrients or oxygen, transmit nerve impulses, or move muscles, including the heart.” – Kurlansky, Salt On top of this, getting sea salt was historically challenging in landlocked Armenia. Thus, comparing a friendship to salt is a high honor in Armenia. Ok. Let’s talk Armenian food. Armenians are known for lush markets filled with endless supplies of dried fruits, vegetables, olives, nuts, spices, and meats (check out the wonderful photos at Uncornered Market). Traditional meals include a healthy balance of fruit, vegetables, and meats, however tourists often don’t stray beyond the popular meat …

About the food of Argentina – Beef, it’s what’s from Argentina

My mom tells me I didn’t like meat when I was a baby. My little chubby fingers pushed past the pot roast to get to the potatoes. To this day, I’ll almost always pick a black bean burger (or turkey burger) over a regular, beef burger. In fact, we eat vegetarian most nights. Well, here we are in Argentina. Land of Beef. Think Americans like their moo? Check this out… the average Argentinian consumes 2-4 servings of beef per meal, making their per capita beef consumption double America’s. (Source) brb… … Sorry, I had to go get some of my husband’s blood pressure medicine. My heart hurts. Let’s move on. Despite their obsession with red meat, Argentinians eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and grains. In fact they grow a healthy supply of wheat, corn, potatoes, and grapes. These staples make their way into many popular dishes and Argentina is known for great wine. (For those that do not consume alcohol, you might enjoy the popular tea, Mate, drunk throughout Argentina.) While they may be using local crops in their cooking, many Argentinian …

About the food of Antigua & Barbuda: 3 Caribbean Islands?

Call me a sucker, but I like to root for the underdog. This week her name is Redonda. That’s right. The microstate “Antigua and Barbuda” is actually made up of three islands: Antigua, Barbuda, and Redonda. The combined population is nearly 86,000, with Redonda contributing zero. I guess this is why Redonda gets left out of the name. Since I feel bad for Redonda I spent an inordinate amount of time looking up information on her. First fact: Redonda is about 500 hundred acres large. That’s less than a square mile. Here’s a picture: As you can see, the island is totally uninhabitable. The steep cliffs and total lack of freshwater make that a done deal. But… can’t you just see the Little Prince vacationing here with his rose? What I find incredibly funny is that Redonda, population zero, is under dispute by at least four kings who claim the island as their own. The story is summarized in Wikipedia for anyone who is interested in the silly details. I guess I am not the only one who wished more for Redonda. With some regret, I will …

About Angolan Food: most like it hot!

In 1992 I moved to Paris. I brought my love of brownies with me. There was just one problem. No one sold or made brownies (there were amazing croissants everywhere, yes – but brownies, no). I was only 13 years old and I was homesick. By 1995 I went to extreme measures to get my hands on some brownies. I asked any American within shouting distance for a recipe. In a strange turn of events an Irish priest handed me a recipe scribbled on a scrap of paper. I’m not sure who told him about my plight but I was thrilled! I immediately got to work. I made brownies by the boatload. I brought them to school parties, friends’ houses, picnics, and so on. So what does this have to do with Angola? Food habits follow people, migrating from country to country. Even as years and miles add up, cultures remain linked through food habits. Angola was a Portuguese colony for 300 years. 300 years! If I could infiltrate Parisian suburbs with brownies in 3 years, you better believe that the Portuguese significantly impacted Angolan food in 300. …

About the Food of Andorra: Andorra, the explorer

Giant evergreen shrubs make the best hideouts. Their tallest branches form umbrellas as they sweep down to the ground. When I was a little girl I used to push my way through the prickly needles until I reached the open area in the middle. I could play for hours without being seen. I loved my secret hideout. Andorra is a lot like the giant evergreen shrubs. Tucked away in the middle of the mountains between France and Spain, Andorra survived for centuries without being noticed or impacted by her neighbors. In fact, she just got her first university in 1997. Andorra is only 175 square miles (To give you some reference, that’s 30% of Tulsa county… or 37% of New York City). Population: about 84,000. Despite her small size, Andorra is perfect for explorers. The tiny country boasts more than 60 lakes and 65 mountain peaks. Can you imagine all of that in a place 37% the size than NYC?! Incredible. Understandably, favorite pastimes include hiking and skiing. The country’s foods are a product of the geography. Here are several points regarding Andorran cuisine: For most of the country’s …

About Algerian Food: Sand, ho! Algeria

Look left. Sand. Look right. More sand. Yep, you guessed correctly. There’s a whole lot of desert in Algeria. In fact, 80% of Algeria is covered by the Sahara Desert, forcing most of the population to live to the north, along the Mediterranean coast (source). The surplus of sand must have inspired the national dish: couscous (couscous is also the national dish of Morocco and Tunisia). Couscous is a very fine pasta shaped just like, well, grains of sand. A warm bed of couscous is the perfect base for intensely flavored dishes. Cayenne pepper, saffron, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves all make appearances in traditional Algerian cuisine. Algerian cusine comes from the proverbial “melting pot.” Olives, oranges, and figs are popular mediterranean components. Turkish Delight and other sweets are the mark of the Ottomans. Baguettes remain a staple due to the lasting French influence in Algeria. PS. In the spirit of authenticity, we’re eating with our right hand this week! Wash up 🙂

About Albanian Food – Single in Albania

“A pinch of this, a dash of that.”

That’s how I cook.

This is not, however, how Albanians cook.

About Afghan Food (and we’re off!)

Dining under duvets I keep a cold house in the winter. Icicle nose cold. Sure, the frigid air makes me irritable, but usually throwing on another sweater solves that problem. Unless I am getting out of the shower, in which case I just have to grit my teeth and dry off quickly. Well, imagine my delight when I uncovered this gem of a fact about Afghan culture: In the depth of winter food is eaten around the sandali, the traditional form of Afghan heating. A sandali consists of a low table covered with a large duvet called a liaf which is also big enough to cover the legs of the occupants, sitting on their cushions or mattresses and supported by large pillows called balesht or poshty. Under the table is a charcoal brazier called a manqal. The charcoal has to be thoroughly burned previously and covered with ashes. (Afghan Food and Cookery, Helen Saberi) What a cozy atmosphere! A few items of cultural significance Saberi tells us that guests are given the honor of sitting at the head of the table (when there is a table …