2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
The royal finesse of French cuisine
An essential part of French cuisine, designed to impress tourists, is based on recipes and menus preserved by the former royal courts.
Apart from the abundance and taste qualities, the court cuisine is also characterized by the use of alcohol in the making of the dishes, which enriches the tastes and aromas.
Both weaker and stronger alcohol is used. Red wine is for meat dishes; white - for fish; wine is also used for sauces, broths, marinades. Cognac is typical for the flambé - the dish is flooded and ignited, and the dish served in flames is an impressive attraction.
Apparently, the royal courts have a tradition of eating as a ritual with a sequence of numerous dishes: aperitif, soup, appetizer, non-main course, then main course, then something fried and another light dish, dessert, coffee. The practice is to serve small portions and not to eat everything, but rather to try different dishes. The dishes themselves are served beautifully shaped.
Of course, French cuisine is not just "Royal". There are also numerous regional dishes with specifics of products and preparation, as well as established in the country "weekday" menus. In general, it is characteristic that it is not cooked greasy, the French cuisine is relatively dietary.
Many spices are used in French cuisine. Among the traditional are parsley, tarragon, mint, basil, nutmeg, thyme, bay leaf.
There are also established combinations of spices, such as "garni". This bouquet includes garden savory, parsley and bay leaf. Cream soups are traditional for France, seasoned with cheese, and fish soups are also popular.
It is typical for the meat that there are 6 degrees of heat treatment - from barely roasted, through having blood, when cut, to "overcooked" / for us - normally roasted /, which is not very popular among the French.
The garnishes are varied - potatoes, peas, onions, green beans, tomatoes, cabbage, eggplant and more.
Italian cuisine - a centuries-old mix of cooking traditions
Each national cuisine is a curious experience for foreign tourists. However, there are cuisines - such as Italian - that have become popular around the world and their dishes are offered everywhere as specialties.
Characteristic of Italian cuisine is the variety - a national dish can have several established options. An emblematic example is the pizza: Neapolitan, Sicilian / at least two types /, Roman, from Palermo.
They differ in ingredients, method of preparation, even in shape - thin, multilayered, round, rectangular, puffy, flat. This regional specificity has geographical and historical reasons. 80% of the country are mountains, there are vast plains like Padanska, most areas have access to the sea.
These features determine the types of livelihood, and hence - the cuisine. In addition, there have been many invasions here and over the centuries in cooking in different parts there has been Greek influence, and Arab, and Spanish, and Austrian, and French. To this palette should be added the "culinary revolution" in the 16th century, when corn, potatoes and tomatoes entered the continent.
It is significant here that today in Southern Italy, for example, 80% of cooking recipes are with tomatoes - fresh, canned, dried. They are also used as sauces for all kinds of dishes - soups, stews, pasta, pizza, meat dishes.
Against this background, the use of many spices is an Italian tradition. A century after the New Age, a book of recipes was published, containing many spices, which are still used today, and various combinations are made.
In general, meat dishes are characterized by garlic, rosemary, dill, ground black pepper; pizzas go with basil, parsley, oregano; pasta - with celery, thyme, etc. In general, in modern Italian cuisine, many vegetables are used - both in salads and side dishes, and in cooking.
In the end, Italy has established itself with pizzas, pasta, fish dishes, beef, rabbit, lamb, pork, venison, various sausages, risotto, numerous sauces.
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