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Here in America, we have plenty of “foreign food” to eat, right? We have Outback Steakhouse, China Palace, and Pizza Hut. Totally foreign, right there. However, I think it’s safe to say that the people of Australia, China, and Italy would believe that food to be foreign food, as well. Let’s take a look at what the cuisines of a few foreign countries are really like.

 

Note: Near the bottom of the article, you can find a few recipes that correspond to the countries listed.

 

Germany –

Spannferkel is one of the strangest German foods that you can possibly encounter. Spannferkel is a roasted baby pig, and is quite a delicacy in Germany.

Typical German meals vary from two to seven courses. Usually, there is an appetizer (Vorspeise), soup, (Suppe), a main course (Hauptspeise), and one or two side-dishes. After meals, there are deserts--which are called “Nachspeise”. And, of course, Germans drink beer, wine, or Sekt.

Germans also drink soft drinks, which have some odd names. “Radler” (translated as, “bike rider”), a light beer which is mixed with lemonade or apple juice, is only one of the many drinks that are widely-consumed in Germany.

 

Israel –

Many of the food items that we eat today originated in Israel. Bagels, for example, are a type of Israeli food--as are all kosher foods. Elinoar Moore, an Israeli woman, described Israeli food as follows: “Basically, one can divide Israeli cuisine [in]to two [categories]: Ashkenazic and Sephardic. Ashkenazic related to Jewish people (immigrants) from east and west Europe, and Sephardic relates to Jewish people from Middle East countries. The Sephardic food is full or aromatic spices and herbs, [and is] spicier and livelier in general than Ashkenazic cooking, which is sweeter. Nowadays, we have new Israeli cuisine[s] which combine the two [categories] with modern cooking. The style of Jewish cooking reflects the many places that Jews have lived throughout the centuries. Jewish cooking shows the influence of Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Spanish, German, and Eastern European styles of cooking, [and] some influence [from] the unique dietary Jewish Laws.”

Kosher means “fit to eat,” and its history spans thousands of years, back into the days of the Old Testament. Many Jews still follow these Kosher laws, and do not eat items which are not Kosher.

Now that you have a bit of history on Jewish foods, we will focus on one particular food item: Blintzes.

Blintzes are basically Jewish Crepes. A blintz is a thin pancake rolled around a certain filling. It almost looks like an egg roll. It can be a side dish, or even a main dish. They can be filled with sweetened cottage cheese, mashed potatoes, fruits, or anything else that you could possibly imagine, and are usually fried in oil, which makes them extra tasty.

 

USA –

Who doesn’t like a good cheeseburger? No one, obviously; and, from looking at the growing size of Americans (yes, I mean their weight), it is obvious that the contents of our cheeseburgers are becoming a growing problem (no pun intended). Listed below are some of the US’s most famous restaurants, and the numbers of calories in the burgers.

 

Calorie Table for Cheeseburgers

Please note: all fast food calorie values are approximate

Compliments of Anne Collins.

 

France –

I cannot think of a single person I know who has not gagged at the thought of eating snails. However, I cannot think of a single person I know who is French.

Escargot means “snail” in French. Contrary to popular belief, escargot is only eaten during celebrations. In France, two of the 116 breeds of edible snails are served--“petit-gris” being the most popular. Snails eat soil, decayed substances, and a variety of leaves. Because of this, the contents inside of their stomachs can sometimes be poisonous to humans--which is why they must go through a long process before they become edible.

To prepare escargot, the snails must be removed from their shells, gutted, cooked, and then placed back inside of their shells with butter or sauce. Usually, they are served on a plate with several other snails.

 

 

 

Japan –

Raw fish? Who ever thought of such a thing? Sushi is a growing cuisine, not only in Japan, where it originated, but all over the world. Some people think that sushi developed over the past ten years, but sushi has actually been around longer than most countries!

Originally, Sushi was made as follows:

- Raw fish is pressed between layers of salt

- The fish is weighted down with stones in order to press it as flat as possible

- After a few weeks, the stones are replaced with lighter ones

- A few months later, you will have fermented fish, all ready to serve.

This kind of sushi is the original sushi, called “narezushi,” and is made with freshwater carp.

Many, many centuries later, a man named Yohei decided to experiment a bit. He left out the salting and preservation process and created what we now know today as “sushi.” Obviously, his experiment was a huge hit!

Is sushi always made of raw fish? No! The Japanese definition of Sushi is as follows: “a Japanese dish consisting of thin slices of fresh raw fish or seaweed wrapped around a cake of cooked rice”. Raw fish (on its own) is actually called sashimi and is not viewed as sushi. Many other foods besides fish can be put in sushi, as well--such as vegetables, shellfish, meat, and even just rice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RECIPES

 

ISRAEL - Chocolate Passover Torte – perfect timing for the Passover!

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup sliced or slivered almonds, toasted
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 cup sugar, divided
• 3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 5 eggs, separated
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Warm Chocolate Sauce

• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons cocoa
• 1 teaspoon potato starch
• 3/4 cup evaporated milk
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

 

Directions

Heat oven to 375° F . Grease bottom of 9-inch springform pan; line bottom with foil. Place cooled almonds in bowl of food processor with 1 tablespoon sugar; process until finely ground.

In small saucepan, melt butter; cool slightly. Stir in cocoa; cool.

Beat egg yolks with 3/4 cup sugar in large bowl until pale yellow. Add chocolate mixture and salt; mix well. Stir in almonds.

Beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar, beating until stiff but not dry. Add about 1/4 beaten egg whites to chocolate mixture; stir until well blended. Gradually fold remaining egg whites into chocolate. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until set. Cool 10 minutes in pan on wire rack.

Unmold and carefully peel off foil from bottom. Cool completely. Serve with

Sauce: In small saucepan, stir together sugar, cocoa and potato starch. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Add butter; stir until melted. Cool slightly. Yield: About 1-1/3 cups sauce.

Garnish as desired.

This recipe from www.inmamaskitchen.com

 

GERMANY - Schweinsmedallions mit Sommermajoran (Boneless pork cutlets with fresh marjoram)
serves 4

This easy-to-make recipe is an adaptation of a Rhine country dish, updated for a reduced cholesterol diet. It is a beautifully color-contrasting meal if you serve it together with red stewed cabbage.

1 1/2 pounds boneless pork loin cutlets (cut no thicker than 1/3 of an inch)
1/4 cup golden raisins, soaked in white wine
1 large Golden Delicious apple, cored, peeled, quartered, sliced
1 large onion, trimmed, peeled, sliced
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1/3 cup mustard
leaves of 10 full grown stems of fresh marjoram (about 1 oz. or 1 cup of loosely packed leaves), rinsed, chopped
salt (to taste)
freshly ground white pepper (to taste)

On a cutting board, season cutlets on both sides with salt and pepper to taste (both optional). Evenly spread the mustard on only one side of the meat. In a large, covered non-stick pan, over medium heat, heat the oil and sauté onions until lightly golden and limp (about 5-10 minutes). Drain raisins (keep juice). To the translucent onions, add apple slices and raisins. Cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add cutlets, placing them first on the side without the mustard and making space for them by pushing the onions aside. Brown cutlets for about 5-10 minutes on each side. Drizzle the cutlets with raisin wine juice and sprinkle them with the marjoram. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover the pan, and cook the cutlets until they are done. No pink should be visible when you serve the meat. The internal temperature should be at 160-165 degrees F.

This recipe from http://www.sallys-place.com/food/ethnic_cusine/germany.htm

 

 

FRANCE – Pommes an Four or Oven Baked Apples

Ingredients

- 4 big sour apples
- 20 cl [7 fl oz] cider
- 10 gr [ 1/3 oz] (unsalted) butter
- 10 gr [ 1/3 oz] granulated sugar
- 4 pinches cinnamon
- the juice of half a lemon

 

Directions

1-Pre-heat oven to 200°C / 400°F.
2- Wash the apples and unscore them; lay them in an oven oval dish. Pour the cider and the lemon juice on them.
3- In their central wholes put a bit of butter, and a pinch of cinnamon.
4- Bake for 30 to 40 minutes; sprinkle the sugar on them.
5- Serve hot.

 

This recipe from http://www.ffcook.com/pages/rpomfour.htm

 

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Food Traditions of the Passover Food Around the World Mrs. Rathbun Veggie Rocks!