European cuisine
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European cuisine, or alternatively Western cuisine, is a generalised term collectively referring to the cuisines of Europe[1] and other Western countries,[2] including (depending on the definition) that of Russia,[2] as well as non-indigenous cuisines of Australasia, the Americas, Southern Africa, and Oceania, which derive substantial influence from European settlers in those regions. The term is used by East Asians to contrast with Asian styles of cooking.[3] (This is analogous to Westerners' referring collectively to the cuisines of East Asian countries as Asian cuisine.) When used by Westerners, the term may sometimes refer more specifically to cuisine in Europe; in this context, a synonym is Continental cuisine, especially in British English.
The cuisines of Western countries are diverse by themselves, although there are common characteristics that distinguish Western cooking from cuisines of Asian countries[4] and others. Compared with traditional cooking of Asian countries, for example, meat is more prominent and substantial in serving-size.[5] Steak and cutlet in particular are common dishes across the West. Western cuisines also put substantial emphasis on grape wine and on sauces as condiments, seasonings, or accompaniments (in part due to the difficulty of seasonings penetrating the often larger pieces of meat used in Western cooking). Many dairy products are utilised in the cooking process, except in nouvelle cuisine.[6] Cheeses are produced in hundreds of different varieties, and fermented milk products are also available in a wide selection. Wheat-flour bread has long been the most common source of starch in this cuisine, along with pasta, dumplings and pastries, although the potato has become a major starch plant in the diet of Europeans and their diaspora since the European colonisation of the Americas, particularly in Northern Europe. Maize is much less common in most European diets than it is in the Americas; however corn meal (polenta or mămăligă), is a major part of the cuisine of Italy and the Balkans. Although flatbreads (especially with toppings such as pizza or tarte flambée), and rice are eaten in Europe, they do not constitute an ever-present staple. Salads (cold dishes with uncooked or cooked vegetables with sauce) are an integral part of European cuisine.
Formal European dinners are served in distinct courses. European presentation evolved from service à la française, or bringing multiple dishes to the table at once, into service à la russe, where dishes are presented sequentially. Usually, cold, hot and savoury, and sweet dishes are served strictly separately in this order, as hors d'oeuvre (appetizer) or soup, as entrée and main course, and as dessert. Dishes that are both sweet and savoury were common earlier in ancient Roman cuisine, but are today uncommon, with sweet dishes being served only as dessert. A service where the guests are free to take food by themselves is termed a buffet, and is usually restricted to parties or holidays. Nevertheless, guests are expected to follow the same pattern.
Historically, European cuisine has been developed in the European royal and noble courts. European nobility was usually arms-bearing and lived in separate manors in the countryside. The knife was the primary eating implement (cutlery), and eating steaks and other foods that require cutting followed. In contrast in the Sinosphere, the ruling class were the court officials, who had their food cut ready to eat in the kitchen, to be eaten with chopsticks. The knife was supplanted by the spoon for soups, while the fork was introduced later in the early modern period, ca. 16th century. Today, most dishes are intended to be eaten with cutlery and only a few finger foods can be eaten with the hands in polite company.
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Central European cuisines[edit]
All of these countries have their specialities.[7][8] Austria is famous for their Wiener Schnitzel - a breaded veal cutlet served with a slice of lemon, the Czech Republic for their world renowned beers. Germany for their world-famous wursts, Hungary for their goulash. Slovakia is famous for their gnocchi-like Halusky pasta. Slovenia for their German and Italian influenced cuisine, Poland for their world-famous Pierogis which are a cross between a Ravioli and an Empanada. Liechtenstein and German speaking Switzerland are famous for their Rösti and French speaking Switzerland for their Raclettes.
Austrian cuisine
Czech cuisine
German cuisine
Hungarian cuisine
Polish cuisine
Liechtensteiner cuisine
Slovak cuisine
Slovenian cuisine
Swiss cuisine
Austrian Wiener Schnitzel
German Black Forest cake
German Sauerbraten with potato dumplings
Hungarian gulyás
Polish pierogi
Slovakian Bryndzové halušky
Slovenian Prekmurska gibanica
Slovenian žganci
Swiss fondue
Eastern European cuisines[edit]
Albanian cuisine
Armenian cuisine
Azerbaijani cuisine
Belarusian cuisine
Bosnia and Herzegovina cuisine
Bulgarian cuisine
Croatian cuisine
Georgian cuisine
Kazakh cuisine
Macedonian cuisine
Moldovan cuisine
Montenegrin cuisine
Russian cuisine
Romanian cuisine
Ukrainian cuisine
Azerbaijani plov
Belarusian potato babka
Bosnian ćevapčići
Bulgarian Banitza
Bulgarian Yogurt (Kiselo mlyako)
Crimean Tatar chiburekki
Georgian chanakhi
Russian pirozhki
Russian Olivier salad
Serbian Djuveč
Ukrainian borscht
Ukrainian Chicken Kiev
Northern European cuisines[edit]
Danish cuisine
Estonian cuisine
Faroese cuisine
Finnish cuisine
Icelandic cuisine
Latvian cuisine
Lithuanian cuisine
Norwegian cuisine
Sami cuisine
Swedish cuisine
Estonian kama dessert
Finnish creamy salmon soup]
Lithuanian cepelinai
Norwegian fårikål
Southern European cuisines[edit]
Cypriot cuisine
Gibraltarian cuisine
Greek cuisine
Italian cuisine
Maltese cuisine
Portuguese cuisine
Sammarinese cuisine
Spanish cuisine
Western European cuisines[edit]
Belgian cuisine
British cuisine
Dutch cuisine
French cuisine
Irish cuisine
Luxembourgian cuisine
Monegasque cuisine
Occitan cuisine
Belgian carbonnade flamande
Belgian moules frites
Dutch Boerenkoolstamppot with rookworst
English Sunday roast
French fondue savoyarde
French magret
French quiche lorraine
Luxembourgian Quetschentaart
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Culinary Cultures of Europe: Identity, Diversity and Dialogue. Council of Europe.
- ^ a b "European Cuisine." Europeword.com. Accessed July 2011.
- ^ Leung Man-tao (12 February 2007), "Eating and Cultural Stereotypes", Eat and Travel Weekly, no. 312, p. 76. Hong Kong|publisher=Next Media Limited
- ^ Kwan Shuk-yan (1988). Selected Occidental Cookeries and Delicacies, p. 23. Hong Kong: Food Paradise Pub. Co.
- ^ Lin Ch'ing (1977). First Steps to European Cooking, p. 5. Hong Kong: Wan Li Pub. Co.
- ^ Kwan Shuk-yan, pg 26
- ^ [1][dead link]
- ^ "www.openspacesopenminds.nl - rr". www.openspacesopenminds.nl.
Further reading[edit]
- Albala, Ken (2003). Food in Early Modern Europe. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 0313319626. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
- R & R Publishing; (et al.) (2005). European Cuisine: The Best in European Food. Cpg Incorporated. ISBN 1740225279. Retrieved 6 June 2017.