Climate, geography and history, these are the factors which define English cuisine. History includes relationships with other European countries and the introduction of new ingredients specifically from places like India, China and North America. Geography and climate greatly influence nature, as it provides every available resource for key ingredients. Consequently, traditional foods bear ancient origins. Some of which are bread, cheese, roasted meats, pies and fish. Customary dishes like fish and chips and bangers and mash are products which relatively speak of English tradition and ways.

As years pass, previous images of blandness or need for condiments to ensure palatability of English food began to change. The stodgy image is soon replaced by quality as many European restaurants cater to many satisfied guests. Another additional factor was the popularity of certain celebrity chefs thereby creating awareness with regards to English cuisine.

Sunday roast is considered a culinary pride. The Sunday dinner is a traditional meal which features roast potatoes, accompanying a roasted joint of meat either chicken, beef or lamb together with assorted vegetables.

Fish and chips are another popular dish. It is traditionally served with peas, having salt and malt vinegar as condiments. These are so popular that many restaurants and shops sell these to both locals and tourists.

The full English breakfast otherwise known as ‘cooked or fried breakfast’ is famous as well. Contents vary and consist of a number of foods like bacon, baked beans, grilled tomatoes, fried mushrooms, sausages, eggs and some other ingredients. Generally, these are more elaborate as compared to domestic breakfast and are served in cafes.

English sausages are made from fresh meats and are considered distinctive. They are rarely dried, smoked or strongly flavored. The most common bases are pork and beef yet gourmet varieties tend to use meat of venison or wild boar. Famous regional varieties include Lincolnshire and Cumberland. It has also been said that hundreds of sausage varieties can be found in the market.

Pies also form part of the English cuisine. Meat pies are normally made with fillings of chicken and mushroom, even steak and kidney. Pork pies are said to be eaten cold while open pies or flans are served with fillings of seasonal fruits. The Cornish pastry is a well-loved dish, and is shaped like that of a calzone. Other famous pies include Fisherman’s pie, Cottage pie and Shepherd’s.

Methods of food preservation include salting, pickling and smoking. These are very prevalent methods among Northern European countries. The Britons, in particular, are known for making hams and bacon as well as pickled vegetables while the Scottish particularly loves smoked fish like salmon.

English cooking has with it Asian influences referring to condiments like tomato sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Malt vinegar and mustard are also typical condiments used.

Ingredients utilized in English cuisine:

Grains:

Oats, wheat

Fruits:

Apples, Peaches, Oranges, Bananas, Lemons

Vegetables:

Asparagus, Cucumber, Celery, Peas, Carrot, Potato, Broccoli, Radish, Turnip, Tomato, Onion, Parsnip, Cabbage, Mushroom

Herbs and Spices:

Coriander, Rosemary, Cayenne pepper, Curry, Cinnamon, Saffron, Mace, Nutmeg

Meat:

Beef, Pork, Lamb, Mutton

Dairy:

Cheese, Butter, Cream

Seafood:

Sole, Haddock, Cod (great choice for fish and chips), Plaice, Hake, Halibut, Mullet, Herring, Mackerel, Eel, Oysters, Lobsters

It has been said that English cuisine is one controversial topic among food enthusiasts and chefs. Interestingly, this cuisine once studied, will reveal a number of enticing and wonderful dishes much to the delight of equally interesting diners. Furthermore, it only shows that to know this cuisine means having the seemingly perfect understanding for both its food and history.

Authentic English Recipes

Rhubarb and Raspberry Jam Roly-Poly with Vanilla Custard Sauce

Filling:

* 1/2 pound fresh rhubarb, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices (about 2 cups)

* 1/2 cup sugar

* 1 tablespoon water

* 1/2 cup raspberry jam

Dough:

* 2 cups all purpose flour

* 2 tablespoons sugar

* 2 teaspoons baking powder

* 1/2 teaspoon salt

* 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) frozen unsalted butter

* 2/3 cup (or more) ice water

* 1 tablespoon whipping cream beaten with 1 tablespoon sugar (for glaze)

* Vanilla Custard Sauce

Preparation

For filling:

Combine rhubarb, sugar, and 1 tablespoon water in medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Cover; cook until rhubarb softens to thick pulp, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Mix in jam; cool. do ahead Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover; chill.

For dough:

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into large bowl. Using large holes on box grater, grate frozen butter into bowl; stir to blend. Cover and freeze at least 15 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep frozen.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Add 2/3 cup ice water to flour mixture, tossing until soft dough forms, adding more ice water by tablespoonfuls if dough is stiff. Transfer to lightly floured surface; knead gently 5 or 6 turns (butter should remain in firm pieces). Roll out dough to 12×9-inch rectangle. Spread 6 tablespoons filling over dough, leaving 1-inch plain border on all sides. Starting at 1 long side, roll up jelly-roll style; seal seam. Place seam side down on prepared sheet. Seal ends. Brush glaze over pastry.

Bake pastry until golden (jam may leak out), about 30 minutes. Cool pastry briefly.

Cut roly-poly crosswise into 6 to 8 rounds. Serve warm with Vanilla Custard Sauce and remaining filling.

Note: For measurement conversions visit this page.

Summer Pudding with Blueberries and Raspberries

Ingredients

* 1 unsliced rectangular loaf of brioche or good-quality firm white bread such as Pullman (1 pound), crusts discarded

* 4 cups blueberries (1 pound)

* 5 cups raspberries (18 ounces)

* 1 cup sugar

* 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

* Equipment: a deep 2 1/2-quart bowl (preferably 8 inches in diameter across top and 3 inches across bottom); a platter with a lip

* Accompaniment: lemon verbena ice cream

Preparation

Cut bread into 14 (1/2-inch-thick) slices. Cut out a 3-inch round from 1 slice and put in bottom of bowl. Line side of bowl with 10 slices, overlapping them slightly.

Bring berries, sugar, and lemon juice to a boil in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat, then simmer, stirring occasionally, until berries collapse and release their juices, about 8 minutes. Spoon fruit into a sieve set over a bowl and let drain 15 minutes. Spoon drained fruit into bread-lined bowl (reserve juices) and cover completely with remaining bread, cutting bread to fit.

Pour juices evenly over bread, making sure all bread is saturated. Cover pudding directly with a piece of wax paper and place a 7-inch plate, upside down, on top of paper. Put a 1- to 1 1/2-pound weight (such as a large can) on plate and chill at least 8 hours.

Remove weight, plate, and wax paper and invert platter over bowl, then invert bowl onto platter. Carefully unmold.

Note: For measurement conversions visit this page.

Image Credit Flickr.com

Image & Recipe Credit: Epicurious

Image & Recipe Credit: Epicurious

Canadian cuisine is often identified with foods like fiddlehead and maple syrup. In the course of time, many have started to associate such cuisine with variety due to dramatic changes and new approaches introduced both by food enthusiasts and Canadian chefs.

True enough, Canadian cooking has transformed and re developed into something new. It has gained popularity since many diners started to appreciate the value of food and wines in the market. Gradually, many have realized that creation of good dishes is no impossible feat given the availability of resources in Canada. It is also appropriate to note that as of the present, many chefs would adopt traditional cooking, incorporate it with new elements and come up with an entirely new method in preparing dishes.

Another known reason for the cuisine’s progress was the influx of immigrants in the country. The differences in race or ethnicity, the presence of people coming from various places have added to the continual development and re awakening of Canadian cuisine. A number of these people or immigrants would make use of available ingredients, and then adopt their own way of cooking in preparing their meals. As a result, a new concept has already been made.

Canadian cuisine differs by region. Traditional cooking of English Canada is very much associated with British and American cuisine while the traditional cuisine of French Canada pertains to its affinity with French cuisine. The bases for both include fresh produce, seasonal ingredients and even preserves. The cuisine also includes baked, prepared and gathered foods and locals often refer to their cooking as something home-made.

Since modern Canadian cooking normally represents diversity in terms of origin, most home cooks have utilized new ingredients and gave desirable twists into what is known as traditional favorites. There are also a number of ingredients that are considered as uniquely Canadian. Some of them are the wild blueberries, fiddlehead ferns and greens, mussels, bison, salmon, wild rice and locally produced wines and cheeses.

These typical ingredients also comprise the best foods describing Canadian cuisine namely:

Modern Canadian beans and toasts- baked beans served with toasted bread

Ginger beef- deep fried beef with sweet ginger sauce

Back bacon- also known in the US as Canadian bacon

Haddocks and chips- as commonly found in Canadian stands and restaurants

Montreal smoked meat sandwich- as served with coleslaw, a half of pickle and potato chips

Poutine- a Quebec specialty made of fries topped with cheese curds and gravy

Toutins- a kind of fried bread from Newfoundland

Aside from the aforementioned specialties, Canadians have been accustomed to using other known ingredients like the following:

Meat:

Venison, Seal, Partridge are some of the meats eaten by Canadians in relation to their interest in wild game and hunting. Bears and Beavers are not that popular to many except to hunters and indigenous people.

Seafood:

Lobster, Salmon particularly Sockeye, Atlantic Cod, Winnipeg Gold Eye, Mussels, Pickerel (Canadian name for Walleye), Halibut

Berries and fruits:

Strawberries, Cranberries, Blueberries, Apples, Apricots

Nuts:

Pecans, Almonds, Pistachios

It is important to determine that recipes pertaining to Canadian cuisine also make use of ingredients aside from the above given lists. And though defining this cuisine leads us to tradition and existence of many cultures, it showed that these changes are deemed favorable in enriching knowledge and giving old Canadian flavors new dimensions.

Authentic Canadian Recipe

Salmon Waldorf Salad

Ingredients

* 1/2 cup light mayonnaise

* 1 tablespoon lemon juice

* 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

* 2 (7 ounce) cans red salmon, drained and mashed

* 3 stalks celery, diced finely

* 1 large apple, chopped finely

* 1/3 cup chopped walnuts

* 4 large lettuce leaves

Directions

1. Mix all the ingredients except the lettuce leaves.

2. To serve, place lettuce leaf on plate and fill with 1/4 of the salmon mixture.

Note: For measurement conversions visit this page.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Roll-Ups

Ingredients

* 1 loaf sliced bread, crusts removed

* 8 ounces cream cheese, softened

* 1 egg yolk

* 3/4 cup powdered sugar

* 1 cup sugar

* 2 teaspoons cinnamon

* 3/4 cup melted butter

Directions

1. Flatten bread with a rolling pin.

2. Mix cream cheese, egg yolk, and powdered sugar.

3. Combine sugar and cinnamon; set aside.

4. Spread 1 T cheese mixture on each slice bread.

5. Roll up.

6. Dip in melted butter, then in cinnamon sugar.

7. Place on ungreased baking sheet.

8. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes, or until golden.

Note: For measurement conversions visit this page

Image & Recipe Credit: Closet Cooking & Recipezaar

Image & Recipe Credit: find.myrecipes & Recipezaar

Image Credit Flickr.com

Traditional Japanese cuisine has gained popularity for two obvious reasons- presentation and taste. Like other countries, Japan also takes pride in their rich culture and heritage and one means of transcending such greatness is through food itself.

Japan’s past and history is a factor which truly shaped not only its tradition but appreciation of its native food sources. Japanese cuisine boasts of the finest and freshest ingredients and adopts techniques which the residents and locals inherited through the years. For its people, food is synonymous with art. It represents their kind of thinking and displays the kind of skill most appropriate in making each dish.

The cuisine progressed over the years as a result of many changes. These transitions have affected the manner in which food is treated as well as the inclusion of ingredients and methods of cooking. In time’s passing, the Japanese cuisine becomes an art showcasing both quality and even seasonality.

The Japanese cuisine normally combines staple foods with soups and dishes made from meat, fish or vegetables. Dishes also make use of soy sauce and fermented soybean paste known as ‘miso’, for additional flavoring.

There are quite a number of staple foods associated with this cuisine. In essence, these foods hold prime importance and cannot be missed if you are yearning for that traditional Japanese meal.

Below, you can see a list of ingredients typically found and used in this type of cuisine:

Rice is one staple that goes well with soups and other dishes. These are short grains characterized as sticky when cooked.

Noodles are another essential part of this cuisine and typically an alternative to rice. Noodles also come in variations namely soba, udon and ramen.

Flour is another known ingredient used in making breads also called as pan. Considerably non-traditional, breads are staples aside from noodles and rice.

Seafood such as tuna, salmon, shrimps and mackerel are some of the ingredients used. Other Japanese dishes also make use of roe, seaweed, crabs and shellfish.

Soy products also form an integral part in this cuisine. This list includes soy sauce, tofu and miso.

Vegetables namely scallions, mushrooms, cucumbers, eggplants, carrots, asparagus, squash, snow peas, bamboo shoots and radishes are just some of the plant-based ingredients used in this cuisine.

Fruits like melons, avocados and apples are also used in several dishes.

Eggs and poultry particularly chicken are said to be regularly used as compared to meat. This has something to do with restrictions once imposed in Japan due to religion and belief.

From the heights of its known mountains up to its turquoise waters, this country reveals a haven of resources. And with the masterful hands of its people comes food and art served in one plate.

Authentic Japanese Recipe

Broiled Tofu with Miso (Tofu Dengaku)

Ingredients:

1 (14-to 16-ounces) block firm tofu, drained

1/3 cup red (dark) miso (preferably Japanese; see Shopping List, page 104)

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons sake, dry Sherry, or dry white wine

1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted

Equipment: 12 two-pronged wooden picks or 24 (2 1/2-to 31/2-inch) straight wooden picks

Preparation:

Pat tofu dry with paper towels, then wrap in fresh paper towels and put in a microwave-safe dish (see cooks’ note, below). Microwave at high power 30 seconds. Pour off any liquid and wrap tofu in fresh paper towels. Microwave 1 or 2 more times for 30 seconds each time, pouring off any liquid, until tofu feels firmer.

Preheat broiler.

Stir together miso, sugar, and sake in a small saucepan. (If miso mixture is very thick, stir in 1 tablespoon water.) Cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until bubbling, glossy, and the consistency of ketchup, 1 to 3 minutes.

Cut tofu in half horizontally and arrange, cut sides up, on a cutting board. Cut each half into 6 squares (pieces might not be perfectly square).

Arrange tofu on a foil-lined broiler pan, cut sides up, and broil about 2 inches from heat until a crust just forms, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from oven and spread crusted side of each square with about 3/4 teaspoon miso mixture. Broil until tops are just bubbling and starting to color, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Skewer each square with 1 two-pronged pick or 2 parallel straight picks. Sprinkle with seeds.

Sake Sea Bass in Parchment

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sake

1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon grated peeled ginger

1 teaspoon sugar

6 (6-ounces) pieces skinless sea bass fillet (about 1 inch thick), any bones removed

1/2 cup sliced scallions

Equipment: 6 (12-to 15-inch) squares of parchment paper or foil; kitchen string

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400°F with a baking sheet on bottom rack.

Stir together sake, soy sauce, ginger, and sugar in a bowl.

If fish fillets are more than 4 inches long, fold ends under. Put a fish fillet in center of each parchment square and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt (total). Working with 1 portion at a time, sprinkle fish with some of scallions and spoon some of sake mixture over top (hold up 2 corners of parchment to prevent liquid from running off). Gather sides of parchment up over fish to form a pouch, leaving no openings, and tie tightly with string.

Bake on hot baking sheet until fish is just cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes.

Serve with steamed white rice.

Note: For Measurement conversions visit this page.

Image and Recipe Credit: Epicurious

It has been said that Dutch cuisine is greatly influenced by Netherland’s history and its agriculture thus leaving an impression of limited diversity when it comes to food. It is common knowledge that its rich vegetation provides fresh vegetables leading to lesser meat consumption.

Simplicity is the key in Dutch cuisine. In fact, a traditional dinner is normally comprised of potatoes, meat and vegetables, with the former pan fried and latter boiled. Options are usually beef or pork chops and vegetable choices often include broccoli or green beans.