Thursday, April 3, 2014

Top 10 Countries For Foodies

10 China

chinese-food

Over a third of this world’s population eats the immensely popular Chinese cuisine. Chinese fast food restaurants have mushroomed all over the world, though most of them serve acceptable dishes. If you were to visit China to experience the food directly, you’ll find that everything from cockroaches, to snakes, to endangered species of animals is used in Chinese cuisine.


  


9 Italy

Food_Italian

Italy, the home of pasta, pizza, antipasti and sausages; many foodie aficionados swear by this country’s cuisine. The Italian cuisine follows a four-course meal structure, starting with antipasti, which comprises of thin slices of crisp bread eaten with a variety of sauces, meats and vegetables. This is followed by the main dish which can be either rice or pasta, followed by the second course which is usually meat, followed by the dessert.

8 France

france food

France is all about fancy wines, cheese and baguettes. French bread is very popular and so are French soups and other French cuisine started evolving around the Middle Ages. With their usual flair and elegance, the French people have elevated their cuisine to ‘haute cuisine’; any banquet worth its name in European circles will employ French dishes to be fashionable. French cuisine matches different wines with dishes, a practice that’s been adopted by other cuisines.

7 Mexico

mexican-food

Mexican cuisine came about when the food preferences of the Spanish conquistadores married those of the Native American Indians, the Mayans, Aztecs and others and French cuisine. Mexican food promises you every possible flavor; spicy, sour, sweet. The notable thing about Mexican food is that it adapts to roadside stalls and to great halls beautifully. Scan the menu for dishes made out of insects, worms, spider monkey, iguana and rattlesnake before you order!

6 Morocco

Food in Morocco

All the variety, taste, uniqueness and mystery of the Middle East are encapsulated within the Moroccan cuisine. Moroccan foods reflect Mediterranean tastes and are generally healthy. Moroccans use khus khus and homemade flat breads as their carbohydrate base, and cook various tagines, or thick stews with which to eat them. These stews are cooked in tagine pots, which are narrow at the bottom and broad at the top.

5 Greece

Greece_Greek-cuisine

Greek cuisine is largely influenced by Italian and Turkish cuisine. You’ll find an abundant use of olive oil and fresh Mediterranean herbs such as dried mint, oregano and parsley. Most of the dishes you find at restaurants are not cooked at home, because Greeks prefer eating out a lot. Greek fast food comprises of thick, flat Greek bread, on which onions, parsley and lemon juice are poured over a freshly cooked kebab.

4 Spain

FOods-in-spain

Spain is all about passionate living and passionate eating. A variety of foods are prepared in Spain, exhibiting the simplest to the most complex flavors. Spain uses rice as a base for its main dishes, usually marrying rice with vegetables, meat, seafood and spices. The Spanish paella is world famous for its flavorful combination of rice and other ingredients. Spanish cuisine does use a lot of oil, probably more than other Central and Western European cuisines.

3 Japan

japan food

The mention of Japanese cuisine instantly brings delicately prepared and presented sushi, with its gourmet wasabi sauce to mind. Japan does not mix too many flavors and spices, preferring to enjoy the gourmand pleasures of simple food, prepared simply. The Japanese cuisine is famous for using seasonal and fresh products of the best quality. Tofu, white rice, noodles, soybeans, and raw fish play prominent roles in Japanese cuisine.

2 Thailand

thailand cuisine

Thai people marry fresh veggies, fruits and meat together in a variety of creatively presented dishes. So you’ll find fresh salads made of fruit, veggies and meat all cut to the same shape and size, differentiated only by their taste and looks. The salad might be presented in a carved pumpkin shell, coconut shell, or a very aesthetically prepared platter. Fresh herbs, lemon grass, lime juice, tamarind, and fresh coriander are used liberally in Thai food. Fish sauces, noodles and shrimp paste are included in many dishes.

1 India

indian food

Indian cuisine has crossed all geographical lines and now you’ll find even South Indian restaurants in the US. Previously, people outside of India were only familiar with Punjabi cooking, but now there are specialty Rajasthani, Kashmiri and Keralite restaurants as well. Indian cuisine is probably the most diverse cuisine in the world, with every region of India having its own unique dishes and methods of preparation. Indian cuisines are usually very spicy.