Generally speaking, French, Italian and Chinese cuisines are mentioned the most when it comes to favorite foods. What makes the food from these countries a favorite, how did the kitchen originate and what are typical dishes?
The French kitchen
French cuisine, now equivalent to “haute cuisine”, uses refined techniques and is often very complex. French cuisine is best known for its wine and cheese, but also fatty products such as foie gras.
Origin
French cuisine has its origins in the Middle Ages. It consisted of banquets for the aristocrats, but mostly hand-eaten. At that time, people ate a lot with salt, spices and honey. One of the first recipe books was written by Guillaume Tirel, aka Taillevent (Le Viandier), who was one of the most famous chefs of the time. In the time of Napoleon, a shift took place towards more spices and more creamy ingredients, which is still characteristic today.
During the Old Regime, Paris was the center of culture and economy, bringing skilled cooks here and creating the refinement of French food. A distinction could be made between those who worked with raw ingredients (butcher, fishermen) and those who worked with processed food (bakers, poulterers).
Haute cuisine was mainly created in the 17th century by the chef La Varenne, who made the first real cookbook. It contained more light meals, in contrast to what was used and created in the Middle Ages. However, it was mainly during the Revolution that French cuisine expanded, with the pièces montèes from Marie-Antoine Carême (pastry and sugar additives). Carême was the person who led to a lot of refinement with all kinds of sauces (espagnole, velouté and béchamel).
It was Escoffier who modernized “haute cuisine” as we know it today. A distinction was made between five “stations” in the kitchen: whisk manger (cold dishes), entremettier (starch and vegetables), rotisseur (roasted, grilled and fried), saucier (sauces and soups), and pâtissier (pastry and dessert) ). The menu and structure of meals has been simplified.
Portuguese influences were also added to the kitchen in the 60s. At that time the Nieuwe Keuken (Nouvelle Cuisine) was also created. New characteristics were the reduction of complicated cooking, more preservation of natural flavors (eg by steaming), more fresh ingredients, more short menus, less strong marinade, less strong sauces, more regional dishes than “haute cuisine”, new techniques, more attention to diet and new combinations.
Well-known chefs
- Guilliaume Tirel
- François Piere de la Varenne
- Marie-Antoine Carême
- Georges Auguste Escoffier (e.g. pêche Melba and crêpes Suzette)
- Paul Bocuse
National dishes
- Bisque (crustacean soup such as lobster, shrimp and crab);
- Foie gras (duck or goose liver);
- Baguette (long French bread, often with meals);
- Pot au feu (stew of vegetables and meat);
- Crème brulée (dessert of custard and caramelized sugar)
Typical ingredients
- Haricots verts
- Pomme de terre
- Blé
- Carotte
- Poireau
- Navet
- Eggplant
- Zucchini
- Echalotte
The Italian kitchen
Italian cuisine is one of the oldest cuisines in the world, dating back to the 4th century BC. Italian cuisine as we know it today can be traced back to the discovery of the New World, with potatoes, tomatoes, corn and peppers.
Origin
Italian cuisine already existed in the 4th century BC, with influences from the ancient Greeks and Romans, as well as from the Jews. It is a very diverse cuisine with different influences from different regions in Italy. Above all, it is very simple with often only four to eight ingredients. It’s more about the quality of food than the preparation, as is the case in French cuisine. However, comparable to French cuisine, wine and cheese are of great importance, but nowadays also coffee (especially espresso).
The first true Italian cuisine originated in Sicily during the ninth century. Arabs introduced spinach, almonds and rice, and later spaghetti came. However, this was especially true for the south, in the north were the influence of the Germans and Romans.
Italian cuisine can be divided into: antipasto (starter), primo (pasta or rice meal), secondo (meat), dolce (dessert). In Italy there are about 400 different cheeses, such as the Parmigianino Reggiano, as well as 300 different sauces. In 1570 Scappi wrote a book for the royal family with more than 1000 recipes, less concentrated on game and more on the “lesser” parts of meat, such as the tongue, head and shoulder.
In the early 18th century, cookbooks were written less for professional chefs and more for the housewife. More emphasis was placed on eating simpler meals, because refined meals are said to be bad for the digestive system. There was also a lot of attention for local products and pasta, rice and gnocchi.
Modern cuisine was heavily influenced by Pellegrino Artusi’s book (The Science of Cooking and the Art of Eating Well).
Well-known chefs
- Maestro Martino
- Antonio Nebbia
- Pellegrino Artusi
- Antonio Carluccio
- Gino D’Acampo
- Giorgio Locatelli
National dishes
- Pitina (smoked meat balls)
- Gnocchi (pasta or “dumplings”)
- Risotto (creamy rice dish, with meat, fish or vegetables)
- Pasta with pesto sauce
- Bolognese sauce (meat based sauce)
- Pasta alla carbonara (pasta with eggs, cheese, ham and black pepper)
- Pizza (e.g. Neapolitan)
- Tiramisu (biscuits in coffee, with egg yolks and mascarpone, often with liquor or cocoa)
- Cassata (cake with nuts, raisins, ricotta, liquor and sugared fruit)
Typical ingredients
- Tomatoes
- Pasta (tips for pasta, see here)
- Lots of fruit, vegetables, sauces, meat
- Pesto
- Olive oil
- Peppers
- Garlic
Chinese cuisine
Chinese cuisine is above all easy, cheap, but also very tasty. Much of the food is easy to eat, without a knife and fork (these are seen as weapons). Often it consists of a bowl of rice and some other dishes that are shared by everyone. Some dishes consist of meat that is viewed strangely by Western countries, such as dog.
Origin
A lot of change and variation can be seen in Chinese cuisine. This is also because the country is so large and has many different climates, which in turn involves different cooking techniques and ingredients. There was also a strong association between food and medication and food for good health.
China has always remained very close to itself, although ingredients have been taken over from other countries (although they might not notice), such as sesame seeds, onions and coriander.
The meals can be divided into the Eight Culinary Traditions of China:
- Hui: Anhui (less seafood, more herbs and vegetables, bamboo and mushrooms);
- Yue (Cantonese): Guangdong (savory meals or dim sum);
- Min: Fujian (mushrooms, bamboo, many cutting techniques, often served in soup;
- Xiang: Hunan (hot, spicy flavor, fresh aroma, and deep colors);
- Su: Jiangsu (duck, unique taste and style);
- Lu: Shandong (variety of cooking techniques and seafood);
- Chuan: Sichuan rough flavors, lots of garlic and chili peppers, peanuts, sesame and ginger);
- Zhe: Zhejiang (fresh, smooth taste, not very strong smell).
Well-known chefs
- Peter Chang
- Chen Kenichi
- Yi Yin
- Willin Low
- Cecilia Chiang
National dishes
- Hong Shao Shi Zi Tou (meat balls with cabbage)
- Dim sum (small snacks / packets of food served in steamer baskets)
- Peking Duck
- Pickled vegetables (vegetables in salt / brine)
- Baobing (shaved ice with syrup)
- Mooncake (cake, often with salted duck egg yolk)
- Mantou (steamed bread)
Typical ingredients
- Rice
- Noodles
- Soybeans
- Bok choy
- Chinese cabbage
- On Choy
- Dumplings