Tag: Entertaining
The cultural melting pot of South African cuisine
South Africa regards itself as one of the cradles of mankind, a claim endorsed by the discovery of 117,000-year-old footprints just north of Cape Town. Referred to as the “Rainbow Nation,” it offers a unique diversity in its cuisine, rooted in the evolution of a rich culinary history based on its people surviving life in […]
Filipino food: A historical odyssey
The Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,000 islands east of Vietnam, boasts the longest discontinuous coastline in the world. Its topography features mountains, plains, coral reefs and a vast number of lakes, rivers, streams and springs, while its tropical climate includes rainy and dry seasons. With 100-plus ethnic groups, the gastronomy of this nation […]
Armenian cuisine’s complexity
Bordered by the Caucasus and other mountain ranges, Armenia, more or less a high plateau, enjoys fertile soil, a basically temperate climate — though punctuated by extremes — and stunning scenery with many lakes and rivers. Indeed, the country, land of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, can trace its existence from ancient times, as it […]
In Japanese cuisine, tradition prevails
One of the basic principles of Japanese cooking is to capitalize on the food of the seasons — seafood, vegetables and fruit at the peak of their flavours. Add to this Japan’s widely varying climates in each season and you get the famed Japanese cuisine. The archipelago of Japan extends from the northern cool, temperate […]
Cuba’s cuisine: tasty and diverse
Last winter, my husband and I flew to Cuba, the Caribbean’s largest country. Located on the northern margins of the region (not far from Southern Florida), the Republic of Cuba consists of one large and several small islands. Basically, half of the large island features flat lands or rolling hills while a more hilly and […]
Pakistani cuisine: curried by history
Technically speaking, Pakistan is a relatively young country. When India gained independence in 1947, after almost a century of British rule, it was partitioned in two and the sovereign state of Pakistan emerged, offering a homeland for Muslims of the subcontinent. However, the land area occupied by Pakistan can trace its roots back as far […]
UAE: From camel milk and dates to international cuisine
A recent adventure took me and my husband to the amazing United Arab Emirates (UAE). Located in the Middle East, it borders Saudi Arabia, Oman, the Gulf of Oman and the Persian/Arabian Gulf, and is at the centre of three of the world’s strategic regions, each with its own dynamic food culture — the Middle […]
Portuguese cuisine: a global mosaic
Those unfamiliar with Portuguese cuisine may understandably assume it is similar to that of Spain. And while many of the same ingredients are featured in both, Portugal’s robust cuisine includes distinctively different recipes and cooking techniques that reflect a broad spectrum of terrain and climates and diverse historical influences over the centuries. With two […]
Swiss cuisine: cheese, chocolate and beyond
Switzerland has existed for centuries as a small, compact, alpine country nestled amongst France, Germany, Austria and Italy. As Ambassador Ulrich Lehner notes: Originally Switzerland was a poor country of farmers who were employed as soldiers beyond their borders by foreign powers. The Vatican’s Swiss guard was one such force and remains the only one dating […]
Mongolia’s meaty cuisine – from marmot to mutton
Mongolia is a landlocked country in northern Asia, sandwiched between Russia to the north and China to the south. With a population of fewer than three million people, it is known for its severe continental climate and historic nomadic way of life. On a global level, Mongolian cuisine is rather obscure. For centuries, cattle, […]
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