I felt since we around getting close to the holidays I would focus on some of the foods that are considered traditional around the world. I thought ham, turkey, dressing and all the normal things that are served around the holidays,was the same everywhere. That is now the case though. For instants, in German on Christmas they have liver dumpling soup, followed by a "Bratl" (pork roast). In the middle of the last century the Wiener Schnitzel became a favorite. Cabbage, red and white and Sauerkraut also became a part of the tradition. That is a bit different from what we are uses to. Let's take a look a some other places that are just as different.
ARGENTINA
There are two traditional Christmas dinners that are enjoyed by the people of Argentina. Some of the natives typically prepare Ninos Envuettas – three inch squares of steak, filled with meat, spices, hard-boiled egg and onions, which are rolled before cooking. Others celebrate by preparing roast peacock, garnished with some of its own vibrant feathers. These entrees are then surrounded by a variety of regional side dishes.
BRAZIL
In Brazil, the Christmas meal is quite a feast, offering large quantities of food, such as a wide variety of dishes which include fresh vegetables (including Couve a Mineira – kale, highly seasoned with garlic) and luscious fruits. Accompanying these are bowls of zesty, colorful rice and platters filled with ham and Ceia de Natal – Brazilian Christmas turkey.
CZECH REPUBLIC
Carp is the main course for Christmas dinner in the Czech Republic. To introduce the meal, fish soup is served, as well as a variety of salads. As a complement to the fish, sides which include potatoes, eggs and luscious vegetable dishes are served, and the meal is topped off with Christmas cake, heavily peppered with raisins and almonds. Rather than enjoying their feast on Christmas day, folks in the Czech Republic share their traditional holiday meal on Christmas Eve.
DENMARK
The Danish prepare a feast of succulent goose, filled with prunes and apples and draped with a luscious lingonberry sauce. This is served with roasted brown potatoes and colorful red cabbage. Preceding the entrée is rice pudding, containing a single whole almond – the lucky recipient of the almond wins a special treat at the end of the meal, often consisting of a marzipan. Like the Czechs, the folks in Denmark enjoy their holiday feast on Christmas Eve.
EGYPT
Those who celebrate Christmas in Egypt share their holiday meal well after midnight on Christmas Eve. Traditional fare consists of soup, boiled meat and rice, and is topped off by Kahk – biscuits which are sweet to the taste and decorated with a cross. The eating of Kahk, too, encompasses a separate tradition which reflects the eating of similar biscuits by the Moslems on Eid el Fitr.
ICELAND
As in Denmark, the people of Iceland include a tasty rice pudding with their Christmas meal, filled with raisins and a single almond. The main course consists of smoked mutton and leaf-bread (Laufabraud) – a slim, deep-fried wheat bread that’s decorated with elaborate patterning. In lieu of the smoked mutton, some families feast on Rock Ptarmigan – a small winter grouse found in Iceland – which has a wonderfully gamy taste and can be fairly difficult to acquire.
ITALY
Italians celebrate the holiday with two wonderful feasts – one on Christmas Eve, the other on Christmas Day. The meal on December 24th brings a variety of seafood dishes, lentils, pasta, numerous salads and – quite often – Capitone (roast eel). Christmas Day brings the second feast, consisting of platters of regionalized Italian appetizers (salami, olives, spiced meats, etc.) and soup. For the main course, there are typically several varieties of pasta, including lasagna and tortellini, among an assortment of other shapes; and numerous meat and vegetable dishes, as well as salad. The three traditional desserts that are present at most holiday feasts are panforte (gingerbread), torrone (nougat candy) and panettone (fruitcake).
PERU
Peruvians celebrate the Christmas holiday with a feast of roast turkey, tamales and numerous types of salad. The traditional dessert is fruitcake, as in some other countries. Up until this point, folks celebrate quite heartily from the beginning of the season, and enjoy food from a plentiful number of vendors selling regional favorites through the marketplaces. The Peruvian feast isn’t given the same emphasis as the Christmas meal is in other areas of the world.
POLAND
The Wigilia – traditional Polish Christmas dinner – begins with the breaking of a thin wafer (the Oplatek) by the head of the house, and is followed by a variety of dishes that are inherent to the region, as well as the more basic staples that can be found in most areas of Poland. These items include beet soup, sauerkraut and dumplings, noodles with poppy seeds, a variety of fish recipes and prune dumplings. Desserts are also abundant, and include strudel, fruit compote and a type of porridge made of grains, raisins, honey and nuts (known as Kutya).
SWEDEN
While the feasting begins on December 13th, along with the festivities, it reaches a crescendo on Christmas Eve, with a huge Christmas smorgasbord. The holiday fare consists of jellied pigs’ feet, Lutfisk (cod in cream sauce), ham and porridge. Included in the yuletide celebration is the traditional Doppa I Grytan (meaning, “dipping in the kettle”), in which those who are gathered dip small hunks of dark bread in the juices of meats, such as pork, corned beef and sausage.
ZIMBABWE
Large feasts are enjoyed for the Christmas meal in Zimbabwe, and are typically prepared by a number of the women in a particular part of the community – or those who are members of a specific church. Traditional fare may include roast ox, bread with jam and porridge that’s made with cornmeal. An alternative to the roast ox is goat, although some families partake of both types of meat during the holiday meal. Beverages traditionally include cups of sugared tea.
While the methods of celebration differ from country to country during the holidays, most employ a tradition which includes gathering with friends and relatives to break bread. In the spirit of the season, they enjoy a sumptuous Christmas feast containing foods that have their traditions firmly rooted within generations of family members. Which is what it's all about, "FAMILY".
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Cultural Foods
I want to focus today on some cultural foods. Some cultures eat foods that others would never think to eat. Like in the black culture you will find that they enjoy chitlins, hog maws, (stomach)
pig feet, or pig ears. I say they because I don't care for these foods myself, anyhow this is because in colonial times, hogs were slaughtered in December and these parts were giving to the slaves. Until emancipation, African-American food choices were restricted by the dictates of their owners, because of the West African tradition of cooking all edible parts of plants and animals, these foods helped the slaves survive in the United States. I have tried all of these things at one time or another and didn't care for any of them. I take that back I have never tried chitlins, the smell alone was enough for me to pass on them. If you didn't know chitlins are the large intestines of a pig. So I am sure you can imagine why they smell so bad.
Mexican Americans eat something similar called menudo but these intestines come from a cow. They also eat cow tongue. It is suppose to be pretty good, but I have never had it myself, don't plan on it either. Mexican cuisine is known for its intense and varied flavors, colorful decoration, and variety of spices. Mexican culture and food is one of the richest in the world, both with respect to diverse and appealing tastes and textures; and in terms of proteins, vitamins, and minerals. Though not a verified claim, some people consider Mexican cuisine to be the second most varied and vast in the world (after Chinese cuisine).
Most of today's Mexican food is based on pre-Hispanic traditions, including the Aztecs and Maya, combined with culinary trends introduced by Spanish colonists.
Mexican food varies by region, because of local climate and geography and ethnic differences among the indigenous inhabitants and because these different populations were influenced by the Spaniards in varying degrees.
A distinction must be made between truly authentic Mexican food, and "Tex Mex" (Texan-Mexican) cuisines. Mexican cuisine combines with the cuisine of the southwest United States (which itself has a number of Mexican influences) to form Cal-Mex and Tex-Mex cuisine. Another style of cuisine that is commonly mistaken for Mexican food is New Mexican
I could go on and on about the different food eaten by people from other cultures, because there are so many different cultures in the world and so much history behind each. I love that we live in such a diversed world and have access to so much cuisine. I said "I love steak and could eat it everyday if I could",but even steak and potatoes gets old after time
pig feet, or pig ears. I say they because I don't care for these foods myself, anyhow this is because in colonial times, hogs were slaughtered in December and these parts were giving to the slaves. Until emancipation, African-American food choices were restricted by the dictates of their owners, because of the West African tradition of cooking all edible parts of plants and animals, these foods helped the slaves survive in the United States. I have tried all of these things at one time or another and didn't care for any of them. I take that back I have never tried chitlins, the smell alone was enough for me to pass on them. If you didn't know chitlins are the large intestines of a pig. So I am sure you can imagine why they smell so bad.
Mexican Americans eat something similar called menudo but these intestines come from a cow. They also eat cow tongue. It is suppose to be pretty good, but I have never had it myself, don't plan on it either. Mexican cuisine is known for its intense and varied flavors, colorful decoration, and variety of spices. Mexican culture and food is one of the richest in the world, both with respect to diverse and appealing tastes and textures; and in terms of proteins, vitamins, and minerals. Though not a verified claim, some people consider Mexican cuisine to be the second most varied and vast in the world (after Chinese cuisine).
Most of today's Mexican food is based on pre-Hispanic traditions, including the Aztecs and Maya, combined with culinary trends introduced by Spanish colonists.
Mexican food varies by region, because of local climate and geography and ethnic differences among the indigenous inhabitants and because these different populations were influenced by the Spaniards in varying degrees.
A distinction must be made between truly authentic Mexican food, and "Tex Mex" (Texan-Mexican) cuisines. Mexican cuisine combines with the cuisine of the southwest United States (which itself has a number of Mexican influences) to form Cal-Mex and Tex-Mex cuisine. Another style of cuisine that is commonly mistaken for Mexican food is New Mexican
I could go on and on about the different food eaten by people from other cultures, because there are so many different cultures in the world and so much history behind each. I love that we live in such a diversed world and have access to so much cuisine. I said "I love steak and could eat it everyday if I could",but even steak and potatoes gets old after time
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Food Preparation
While some food can be eaten without preparation, many foods undergo some form of preparation for reasons of safety, palatability, or flavor. At the simplest level this may involve washing, cutting, trimming or adding other foods or ingredients, such as spices. It may also involve mixing, heating or cooling, pressure cooking, fermentation, or combination with other food. Most food preparation takes place in a kitchen. The preparation of animal-based food will usually involve slaughter, evisceration, hanging, portioning and rendering.
I want to focus a minute on steaks. I am a big steak eater. I would eat it everyday if I could afford it. There are many different kinds of steak. You have the ribeye; which is my favorite, the sirloin, strip, or new york strip is what most know it as. You have the big boy porterhouse and the filet. There are a few other but these are the ones that are well known and most popular. Have you ever wondered where that great steak you had at whatever restaurant you prefer to dine at came from? Well let me give you a little history lesson and insight on where that steak came from.
Since 1910, the first year that statistics were compiled, Americans have been eating an average of 60 pounds of beef yearly. About 36 million cattle were inspected in 1997 alone by USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service. This translates into 64 pounds of beef per person in 1997. In calls to the Hotline, beef is the third food category (behind turkey and chicken) callers most ask about. The following information answers many of their questions.What is Beef?The domestication of cattle for food dates to about 6500 B.C. in the Middle East. Cattle were not native to America, but brought to the New World on ships by European colonists. Americans weren't big eaters of fresh beef until about 1870, due to the enormous growth of the cattle industry in the West. The introduction of cattle cars and refrigerated cars on the railroad facilitated distribution of the beef."Beef" is meat from full-grown cattle about 2 years old. A live steer weighs about 1,000 pounds and yields about 450 pounds of edible meat. There are at least 50 breeds of beef cattle, but fewer than 10 make up most cattle produced. Some major breeds are Angus, Hereford, Charolais, and Brahman."Baby beef" and "calf" are 2 interchangeable terms used to describe young cattle weighing about 700 pounds that have been raised mainly on milk and grass. The meat cuts from baby beef are smaller; the meat is light red and contains less fat than beef. The fat may have a yellow tint due to the vitamin A in grass."Veal" is meat from a calf which weighs about 150 pounds. Those that are mainly milk-fed usually are less than 3 months old. The difference between "veal" and "calf" is based on the color of their meat, which is determined almost entirely by diet. Veal is pale pink and contains more cholesterol than beef.NOTE: This information is about whole muscle beef and variety beef. See "Focus on Ground Beef" for information about hamburger and ground beef.How are Cattle Raised?All cattle start out eating grass; three-fourths of them are "finished" (grown to maturity) in feedlots where they are fed specially formulated feed based on corn or other grains.Can Hormones & Antibiotics Be Used in Cattle Raising?Antibiotics may be given to prevent or treat disease in cattle. A "withdrawal" period is required from the time antibiotics are administered until it is legal to slaughter the animal. This is so residues can exit the animal's system. FSIS randomly samples cattle at slaughter and tests for residues. Data from this Monitoring Plan have shown a very low percentage of residue violations. Not all antibiotics are approved for use in all classes of cattle. However, if there is a demonstrated therapeutic need, a veterinarian may prescribe an antibiotic that is approved in other classes for an animal in a non-approved class. In this case, no detectable residues of this drug may be present in the edible tissues of the animal at slaughter. Hormones may be used to promote efficient growth. Estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone (three natural hormones), and zeranol and trenbolone acetate (two synthetic hormones) may be used as an implant on the animal's ear. The hormone is time released, and is effective for 90 to 120 days. In addition, melengesterol acetate, which can be used to suppress estrus, or improve weight gain and feed efficiency, is approved for use as a feed additive. Not all combinations of hormones are approved for use in all classes of cattle. Hormones are approved for specific classes of animals only, and cannot be used in non-approved classes.How is Beef Inspected?Inspection is mandatory; grading is voluntary, and a plant pays to have its meat graded. USDA-graded beef sold at the retail level is Prime, Choice, and Select. Lower grades (Standard, Commercial, Utility, Cutter, and Canner) are mainly ground or used in processed meat products. Retail stores may use other terms which must be different from USDA grades.USDA Prime beef (about two percent of graded beef) has more fat marbling, so it is the most tender and flavorful. However, it is higher in fat content. Most of the graded beef sold in supermarkets is USDA Choice or USDA Select. The protein, vitamin, and mineral content of beef are similar regardless of the grade.How Is Ungraded Beef Different?All beef is inspected for wholesomeness. The overall quality of ungraded beef may be higher or lower than most government grades found in retail markets.What is Marbling?Marbling is white flecks of fat within the meat muscle. The greater amount of marbling in beef, the higher the grade because marbling makes beef more tender, flavorful, and juicy.Retail Cuts of Fresh BeefThere are four basic major (primal) cuts into which beef is separated: chuck, loin, rib, and round. It is recommended that packages of fresh beef purchased in the supermarket be labeled with the primal cut as well as the product, such as "chuck roast" or "round steak." This helps consumers know what type of heat is best for cooking the product. Generally, chuck and round are less tender and require moist heat such as braising; loin and rib can be cooked by dry heat methods such as broiling or grilling.Unfortunately, names for various cuts can vary regionally in stores, causing confusion over the choice of cooking method. For example, a boneless top loin steak is variously called: strip steak, Kansas City Steak, N.Y. strip steak, hotel cut strip steak, ambassador steak, or club sirloin steak.
I want to focus a minute on steaks. I am a big steak eater. I would eat it everyday if I could afford it. There are many different kinds of steak. You have the ribeye; which is my favorite, the sirloin, strip, or new york strip is what most know it as. You have the big boy porterhouse and the filet. There are a few other but these are the ones that are well known and most popular. Have you ever wondered where that great steak you had at whatever restaurant you prefer to dine at came from? Well let me give you a little history lesson and insight on where that steak came from.
Since 1910, the first year that statistics were compiled, Americans have been eating an average of 60 pounds of beef yearly. About 36 million cattle were inspected in 1997 alone by USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service. This translates into 64 pounds of beef per person in 1997. In calls to the Hotline, beef is the third food category (behind turkey and chicken) callers most ask about. The following information answers many of their questions.What is Beef?The domestication of cattle for food dates to about 6500 B.C. in the Middle East. Cattle were not native to America, but brought to the New World on ships by European colonists. Americans weren't big eaters of fresh beef until about 1870, due to the enormous growth of the cattle industry in the West. The introduction of cattle cars and refrigerated cars on the railroad facilitated distribution of the beef."Beef" is meat from full-grown cattle about 2 years old. A live steer weighs about 1,000 pounds and yields about 450 pounds of edible meat. There are at least 50 breeds of beef cattle, but fewer than 10 make up most cattle produced. Some major breeds are Angus, Hereford, Charolais, and Brahman."Baby beef" and "calf" are 2 interchangeable terms used to describe young cattle weighing about 700 pounds that have been raised mainly on milk and grass. The meat cuts from baby beef are smaller; the meat is light red and contains less fat than beef. The fat may have a yellow tint due to the vitamin A in grass."Veal" is meat from a calf which weighs about 150 pounds. Those that are mainly milk-fed usually are less than 3 months old. The difference between "veal" and "calf" is based on the color of their meat, which is determined almost entirely by diet. Veal is pale pink and contains more cholesterol than beef.NOTE: This information is about whole muscle beef and variety beef. See "Focus on Ground Beef" for information about hamburger and ground beef.How are Cattle Raised?All cattle start out eating grass; three-fourths of them are "finished" (grown to maturity) in feedlots where they are fed specially formulated feed based on corn or other grains.Can Hormones & Antibiotics Be Used in Cattle Raising?Antibiotics may be given to prevent or treat disease in cattle. A "withdrawal" period is required from the time antibiotics are administered until it is legal to slaughter the animal. This is so residues can exit the animal's system. FSIS randomly samples cattle at slaughter and tests for residues. Data from this Monitoring Plan have shown a very low percentage of residue violations. Not all antibiotics are approved for use in all classes of cattle. However, if there is a demonstrated therapeutic need, a veterinarian may prescribe an antibiotic that is approved in other classes for an animal in a non-approved class. In this case, no detectable residues of this drug may be present in the edible tissues of the animal at slaughter. Hormones may be used to promote efficient growth. Estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone (three natural hormones), and zeranol and trenbolone acetate (two synthetic hormones) may be used as an implant on the animal's ear. The hormone is time released, and is effective for 90 to 120 days. In addition, melengesterol acetate, which can be used to suppress estrus, or improve weight gain and feed efficiency, is approved for use as a feed additive. Not all combinations of hormones are approved for use in all classes of cattle. Hormones are approved for specific classes of animals only, and cannot be used in non-approved classes.How is Beef Inspected?Inspection is mandatory; grading is voluntary, and a plant pays to have its meat graded. USDA-graded beef sold at the retail level is Prime, Choice, and Select. Lower grades (Standard, Commercial, Utility, Cutter, and Canner) are mainly ground or used in processed meat products. Retail stores may use other terms which must be different from USDA grades.USDA Prime beef (about two percent of graded beef) has more fat marbling, so it is the most tender and flavorful. However, it is higher in fat content. Most of the graded beef sold in supermarkets is USDA Choice or USDA Select. The protein, vitamin, and mineral content of beef are similar regardless of the grade.How Is Ungraded Beef Different?All beef is inspected for wholesomeness. The overall quality of ungraded beef may be higher or lower than most government grades found in retail markets.What is Marbling?Marbling is white flecks of fat within the meat muscle. The greater amount of marbling in beef, the higher the grade because marbling makes beef more tender, flavorful, and juicy.Retail Cuts of Fresh BeefThere are four basic major (primal) cuts into which beef is separated: chuck, loin, rib, and round. It is recommended that packages of fresh beef purchased in the supermarket be labeled with the primal cut as well as the product, such as "chuck roast" or "round steak." This helps consumers know what type of heat is best for cooking the product. Generally, chuck and round are less tender and require moist heat such as braising; loin and rib can be cooked by dry heat methods such as broiling or grilling.Unfortunately, names for various cuts can vary regionally in stores, causing confusion over the choice of cooking method. For example, a boneless top loin steak is variously called: strip steak, Kansas City Steak, N.Y. strip steak, hotel cut strip steak, ambassador steak, or club sirloin steak.
Monday, September 3, 2007
Intro to my blog
There is a wide world of different types of foods out there,which I will be exploring on this page. We will be looking at everything from the origin of some dishes, to where food preparation became an art. I hope by the end of this course, I will have given you an insight to why I enjoy the culinary arts and knowledge of some interesting cooking techniques.
I have been cooking for many years now. Cooking is something I have come to enjoy. I see it as an escape from the chaos of everyday life. When I am in that kitchen I am in control. Don't get me wrong, things don't always come out as perfect as I would like but I do eventually get it there. I also see food as a way to bring joy and happiness in peoples lives. When you go to a restaurant or a cookout it is normally a pretty happy atmosphere and I am all for that.
These are just a couple of reasons I enjoy the art of cooking. I will go more in depth as the semester rolls along. I will also cover many more things related to this field. I hope you enjoy what I bring to this blog, however If you have any questions or comments please feel free to ask. I will do my best to respond to them.
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