Foods from many countries

Press, 26 December 1984, Page 12

Foods from many countries

The type of food produced in various parts of the world does not differ greatly, but there are plenty of variations in the way in which it is cooked. Generally, similar types of animals are killed for food in many countries, and apart from some local variations, vegetables and grain crops are similar. It is when these foods reach the kitchen that the differences occur. No-one could mistake the difference between a Chinese meal of sweet and sour pork accompanied by vegetable chop suey and a Kiwi roast of pork with roast and boiled vegetables. But the same ingredients went into both meals, give or take a few flavourings added to the Chinese concoction. Methods of preparing food have become traditional in all corners of the globe. Today, many people like to try the cooking from another part of the world, and national restaurants cater for this. But for their normal everyday meals they usually stick to the tried and true methods which they have grown up with and are familiar with. In large countries, cooking methods can vary quite considerably between different regions. This is because people in one isolated area might have had little contact with outsiders, and independent cooking methods evolved. Table manners and dining, customs differ markedly from one country to another. In Japan it is considered polite to make a slurping noise when drinking soup. Indians eat with their fingers — both these customs are quite different from what we are used to in New Zealand. Chinese cooking Rice is associated with Chinese foods, and spaghetti with Italian food. However, these did not originate in their present homelands — noodles, or spaghetti, were

taken to Italy from China (by Marco Polo), and rice went from Italy to China. Chinese cooking is famous and popular world-wide. Some of the unusual ingredients used originated in times when food was scarce. With the large population of China, and the food shortages which sometimes occurred, the people experimented cooking with things such as dogs, cats, rats and even birds’ nests.

Bird’snest soup is still a Chinese delicacy, but today ingredients are adapted from more conventional food sources. A traditional Chinese meal begins with titbits, such as spare ribs and egg rolls. Several courses follow, with diners helping themselves (with chopsticks) from serving dishes in the middle of the table. Meals in Egypt Egyptians enjoy their . food. They start the day with a large breakfast, then before lunch have snacks of dates and figs, and drinks. The main meal of the day is lunch. A variety of foods are placed in the centre of the table and these may include chicken, lamb, duck, macaroni, salad, pickles and soup. A delicacy to promote the appetite is boiled eggplant, split in halves and served in the shell flavoured with garlic, cumin, hot pepper and lemon juice. Best steaks Argentina is sometimes considered to have the best steak in the world. This type of meat is very popular, and is served with vegetables and potatoes cooked in many ways. When invited out to dinner in an Argentinian home, guests first receive hors d’oeuvres, or nibbles, consisting of salami, cheese and olives.

The main meal may start with soup, especially in cold weather. Salad is usually eaten with the main course, and dessert is usually fresh fruit. Dinner in Finland Men sit on one side of the table and women on the other at a dinner in Finland.

The food eaten in Finland would seem familiar to visitors from New Zealand, except for the raw fish and fruit soup. A dinner might consist of salad with cucumber, tomato, lettuce, cheese, hard bread and butter, meat, fish, potatoes, carrots and other vegetables. The fruit soup sometimes served for dessert is made

from raisins or prunes and can be eaten hot or cold. Japanese sake The national drink, sake (rice wine) is served hot before dinner in Japan. Diners sit on the floor at a low table. Sticky rice accompanies most meals and soup is also very common. Soup is drunk from the bowl — there are no spoons. Japanese pickles are served with the main meal. These freshen the mouth and are good at the end of the meal. Very hot tea is also served continuously throughout the meal, which may end with a dessert of cakes. French cooking France is a country famed for its food and wine.

Different types of wine accompany each course of a French dinner, and children drink this as well as the adults. Dinner starts with soup followed by pate (a type of meat paste) which is eaten with bread and butter. The main course is meat or fish and vegetables, with bread if desired. Dessert may be fresh or cooked fruit, or delicious pastry dishes. In France, the signal that you have finished eating is to cross the knife and fork, with the fork’s prongs face down. Some of the famous delicacies of France, such as snails and frogs’ legs, were originally eaten when food was scarce. They became speciality dishes in the same way that bird’snest soup did in China.