Turkish Cuisine

On June 28th 2016, the nation of Turkey met a tragic moment in its history. Please keep the people of Istanbul in your thoughts. For the tragedy of the incident in Istanbul, I dedicate this post for Turkey and the Turkish people. Stay Strong! Guclu Kal!

Turkey is very interesting in its history and geography. Turkey has been part of many early empires of history including the Persian Empire and the Ottoman Empire. It is located in a place that serves to be the gateway to Asia and Europe. Turkey is literally the bridge of both worlds, the best of both worlds! The cuisine of Turkey thus has been immensely influenced throughout history and influenced others too. Turkey has so much delicious food that we might not know of like Kofta or foods we might know like Kebab. Whether we know it or not, Turkey has so much food for us to explore so without further adieu, Mei Wei Café brings you on another Rendezvous and this time we will discover:



                          Turkish Cuisine!

The ancient and beautiful city of Istanbul

Meze, an appetizer serving before main meals. Yes these are all just appetizers... I'm moving to Turkey now

The bridge between Asia and Europe has shaped the cuisine in many ways

History and Geography:

The history of the Turkish cuisine is very significant as it carries on the tradition and cuisine of the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Empire was a very large and influential dynasty that ruled much of Eastern Europe and Central Asia for ages. For a long time, it was one of the richest nations in this world. This lavish nation bordered by many cultures of course experienced tremendous wealth in cuisine marking some of the most defined dishes like dolma, a grape leaf wrapped dish. Geographically speaking, Turkey's cuisine varies from region to region. For instance, West Turkey has more olive trees thus dishes use more olive oil. Geographically, Turkey is located in the best spot to have a very unique cuisine, borrowing cuisines from Europe and Asia. The Turkish cuisine is very similar and influences the cuisine of Greece, the Middle East, Central Asia, Jewish cuisine, the Balkans, and Europe. Wherever there are ethnic Turks, there will be a Turkish related cuisine. This includes Iran and even China! When it comes to food, Turkey is very open minded and uses many ideas and ingredients. The Silk Road reaching India and China also ran through Turkey thus the exchange of ideas and foods existed very early. So due to these factors, Turkey has some of the most appealing and unique cuisines.

Olives are an important essence of Mediterranean cuisine, including Turkey.

The Ottoman Empire had luxurious feasts and dishes. Luckily, a lot of this tradition served into Turkish cuisine.

 

 

Structure:

Breakfast:
The Turkish cuisine could be expressed just through breakfast. Breakfast is perhaps the most important meal in Turkey and it is done massively. Breakfast or "before coffee" is amazing in Turkey! It includes so many things like nuts, cheese, yogurt, soups, meats, bread, and so much more! It is not uncommon for breakfast to resemble a feast in Turkey! This is especially true if you are having menemen, a Turkish specialty that is a huge festive platter for breakfast. This meal commonly includes scrambled eggs, tomatoes, green peppers, Beyaz Peynir (brined goat cheese), and many different breads like simit (Turkish bagel) and pogaca (Turkish focaccia). Another great pairing with Turkish breakfast is of course the famous Turkish tea and Turkish coffee, each usually brewed stronger than more western versions. The Turkish breakfast represents Turkish cuisine very well, beautiful, delicious, and extravagant.

Menemen, an extravagant breakfast that is fit for a Sultan!

Meze:
Speaking of extravagant, the Turkish lavishness does not stop at breakfast. Before the main dish of a meal, the Turkish commonly have meze an appetizer portion that is also very festive and superb. Meze could be anything, like regional specialties including cheese, olive, dolma (filling wrapped in grape leaves), hummus, salads, meats, seafood, and so much more! Just looking at this "appetizer" platter is enough to satisfy anyone.

Meze is a great way to open the meal and show off the regional specialties.

Ingredients:

As explained earlier, Turkey has a diverse pool of ingredients with ingredients tracing to China and the New World (the Americas). Turkey is very balanced when it comes to meats, vegetables, and fruits, as it is used in all dishes.

Meats and Seafood:
Meats and seafood are some of the most special part of Turkish cuisine, as everyone knows what a kebab or doner is. The main meat consumed in Turkey is lamb, and lamb from this region is REALLY good. Turkey also uses chicken, and beef. Turkey is a Muslim majority nation so pork is omitted. Being a nation with many contacts with the sea, Turkish cuisine also includes a lot of seafood, particularly sardines, anchovies, mussels, and squid (Kalamar). Did you know that tartar sauce for fried seafood is from Turkey? These meats of course are traditionally grilled like you see in doner vendors, but they can also be stewed, fried, and cooked in casseroles. To show how great the influence of Turkish meat is, kebab, lamb shanks, kofta (Turkish meatballs), and shish kebabs (skewered meats) are all Turkish dishes.

Turkish shish kebab

Shwarma, doner, gyro, kebab, whatever you want to call it, this form of Turkish/Mediterranean BBQ is famous all over the world. 

Doner is a dish that is very common in Turkey and now at every street vendor in the world!

 

 

Starches and Carbs:
Turkey has its fair share of grains and rice. With influence from Asia, Turkey enjoys rice dishes like pilaf as seen in many Middle Eastern cuisines, and many breads like in Europe. These breads and pastries come in many forms from bagels to flatbreads. The meat of Turkish food is often very heavy and the sauce is very creamy, thus the rice and bread is a great way to balance out the flavor.

Middle Eastern pilaf  is very common throughout Turkey.

Fruits and Vegetables:
Fruits and vegetables are another very important part of Turkish cuisine as it usually accompanies a lot of Turkish dishes. Yes, fruits are commonly served alongside meats. Some very essential vegetables in Turkey are green peppers, onions, garlic, lentils, tomatoes, and olives. A lot of essential fruits are dates, pomegranate, figs, apples, plums, grapes, pears, and apricots. It is not uncommon to see both fruits and vegetables served alongside dishes and meats or cooked into these dishes.

Dairy Products:
A lot of the dressing and sauces used in Turkish and other Mediterranean dishes are very creamy with a huge dairy presence. Yogurt is good here as it is said to have originated around this region. It is more lean and have a low fat content. Dairy is a huge part of the local diet and yogurt and other dairy products vary across different regions of Turkey. Cheese is usually goat and sheep cheese as sheep and goats are abundant and the preferred livestock. There are too many special cheeses to name but one of the most famous is Beyaz Peynir which is brined sheep cheese that is like feta cheese.

The famous Turkish Beyaz Peynir

Yogurts and yogurt based sauces are very commonly used by locals in Turkey.

Specialties:

There are a lot of special factors that define the Turkish cuisine that cannot be entirely named in this post, but here are some things that set it apart from similar and neighboring cuisines. As compared to Greeks (which Turkish cuisine is often compared to), Turkish cuisine uses more nuts like peanuts and pistachios. It also uses a lot of spices and seasonings when compared to similar cuisines. Olive oil, cumin, allspice, parsley, thyme, black pepper, and paprika are very common in many dishes. One very special dish from Turkey and the surrounding area are dolmas, a dish with filling that could be cooked vegetables or ground meat and other spices wrapped in grape leaves then cooked again. It is a very unique and iconic dish in Turkey. Another great part of the Turkish cuisine is how Westernized fast food is not as widespread in Turkey as is elsewhere. The Turkish people overall prefer home cooked meals than fast food. This is very important as the Ottoman and Turkish tradition can be preserved through the homemade cooking you would often encounter in Turkey.

Spices like these are very common in cities like Istanbul and makes the Turkish cuisine pack a powerful punch.

Dolmas are grape wrapped treats unique to this region.

Desserts:

Ok, so we discussed how important and extravagant breakfast and appetizer is to the Turkish cuisine, the final crucial part of this cuisine is the beautiful, fancy, and historical DESSERT! Turkish desserts is unlike any you will ever have, placing its roots as one of Europe's best and earliest producers of sweets. This again has to do with the geography and history of the Ottoman Empire with easy access to sugar and fruits. Also the Ottomans were unbelievably wealthy, and the Sultans loved to have huge feasts and desserts. Some very important desserts are lokums, better known as Turkish delights which has chopped dates, pistachios, walnuts, hazelnuts, and sugar all mixed in syrup or honey. This is a very tasty candy and one of the earliest and ongoing sweets from Europe. Baklava is a dessert made of layers of filo (thin pastries), nuts, and honey. This is one of my favorite Eastern European desserts as it is so sweet and chewy with bits of honey and nuts in every delightful bite. The list of Turkish desserts goes onwards, including Lokma (Fried dough covered in honey), Sutlac (Rice pudding with cinnamon), and Tavukgogsu (White chicken and milk pudding. I know sounds weird but its just like rice pudding). Desserts in Turkey could also be very famous with tourists, like Pondurma which is an ice cream cone sold in most large cities in Turkey. In Istanbul, it is common to see street vendors sell this ice cream while performing comedy and amusing antics to the buyer. Besides the fun, the ice cream is also unique in taste as it is stretchy and thicker than other ice creams. In conclusion Turkey has a deep history and tradition of sweets, pastries, and desserts with a lot of influence in Europe and the world. These desserts are traditionally lavish and to this day it is still very important to culture and extravagant in appearance. Even marzipan is said to be from Turkey!

Baklava is a dessert from the Mediterranean area with each nation having its own specialty. It is common to see pistachio used in Turkish baklava.

Lokum or Turkish delights are definitely a must try for sweet lovers! It is very sweet and chewy full of flavor and fruits!

Closing Thoughts:


Wow what a journey! Turkey is a historically and culturally rich nation that has influenced the world. One of the greatest things by the Turkish people is the wonderful cuisine. If you guys have not yet been familiar with Turkish food, I hope this teaches you something and inspires you to try some local Turkish food! From the flavorfully spiced meat to the beautifully and luxurious breakfast and desserts, Turkish cuisine is something we should all be familiar with. Lets all support Istanbul and Turkey by learning about the country, culture, and cuisine, and of course eating some of their amazing food! There are of course more to cover about Turkish food as I am sure to not have completely covered all there is to know about Turkish cuisine so contact me for questions, concerns, and suggestions on the next Rendezvous. Thanks for dining in Mei Wei Café and I will see you guys next time!

Güçlü Kal Turkey!

Contact me at
Meiweicafe@gmail.com

10 foods from Europe you must try!

So as you guys know, I love soccer/football! And at this date the UEFA Euro 2016 Cup has reached the quarter finals with the top 8 teams advancing to face each other in hopes of winning the trophy and bringing glory to their nation. To honor the hard work and fight these countries have shown us, I will show support by giving a delicious dish you must try from different countries in the UEFA 2016 top 8 and some honorable mentions. Welcome to Mei Wei Café and this is top 10 dishes you must try in Europe!

10. England: English Breakfast

The first honorable mention goes to England. Gotta include England for the  respect of the nation and the team. Lately England has been in the spotlight of world news with #brexit leaving Europe and the English national team also leaving the Euro. Well it could have been worse. England is... notorious for its cuisine, but one kind of food and meal you cannot miss out on is English Breakfast. Being popularized in the Victorian era, English Breakfast has been popular throughout the United Kingdom and is now one of the most famous breakfast foods in Europe. This meal consists of meat (bacon, sausage), beans, tomatoes, eggs, fried bread or toast, and sometimes even potatoes, English pudding, and kidneys. With so much variety you will always have a full stomach and full satisfaction.

9. Spain: Paella

Ah Spain... An honor to include this honorable mention. After being upsetted by Italy, at least Spain still has some of the most amazing foods. The Spanish cuisine is massive, and definedby  several influences throughout history. One of the most amazing dishes is the national dish of the city of Valencia, paella. Paella means pan and it is exactly what it stands for, a gourmet pan of Spanish rice seasoned and influenced by the Middle East and the Mediterranean topped and infused with so many ingredients. Some popular ingredients could be rabbit and seafood! Including shrimp, squid, and lobster! A bite of paella is like a fusion of Mediterranean and exotic deliciousness with a kick of paprika and saffron. Delicioso!


8. Poland: Pierogi

Alright! Now on to the nations that made it to the top 8 of the Euro! Poland is the first team to qualify and they fought powerfully, if they fought as powerful as the yummy pierogi, then Poland would win the Euro! Yes pierogi is a specialty from East Europe with each country having their own variations. The pierogi we as Americans think of are usually Polish. In Poland, pierogis are initially a peasant food due to how cheap it is to buy and make the dish, but eventually the popularity reached the tables of the nobility and soon became a stable of Polish cuisine making the national dish of Poland. Many fillings could be inside these dumplings, including meat, potatoes, cheese, mushroom, sauerkraut, and even fruits and jam for dessert! Pierogis are awesome and a must try, they are like the European version of Chinese dumplings.



7. Wales: Welsh Rarebit

Gareth Bale! Goal!!! Ok back to the topic. Wales is a nation that is rich in culture and tradition but not much people know about this small country. Being so secretive, the world is missing out on some unique and great dishes, including the famous Welsh Rarebit. This dish literally means Welsh rabbit but its weird since there is no rabbit in this dish... It is like gourmet grilled cheese, fondue on bread. Its cheap to make and very appetizing, what's not to like? The cheese is sharp cheddar spiced with mustard and beer topped on some English bread. Perfect to fill you up and it doesn't even have meat!



6. Portugal: Francesinha

Francesinha, a dish as majestic and beautiful like the Lisbon beaches and Cristiano Ronaldo. Francesinha is considered to be the croque monsieur of Portugal. It is made of ham, sausage, cheese, on delicious Portuguese bread. The crucial factor of this dish is the cheese. It is very important and melted with beer, tomato sauce giving it the color and rich and delicious taste. A tip of eating this dish? Eat this with fries!



5. France: Galettes.

Shout out to the host nation and a personal favorite country of mine, France! As I always stress, French cuisine is so immersive and massive its impossible to express the flavor and influence of French cuisine. Of the selection of French dishes, one that shouts "mei wei" is the oh so delicious, galette. This dish is AMAZING. It is the savory version of the crepe from the Brittany region of France where sometimes it is eaten more than bread! Galettes are a thin pancake made from buckwheat (a local specialty) topped with fillings such as emmental cheese, ham, and eggs. But really, the possibility of toppings could be anything! It is so crispy.. and warm with heavenly taste of the cheese, the yolk of the egg, and the meat. The only thing that could make this better is a pairing with some Breton cider! Now you are dining like a Brittany local! I may be bias, but galettes are some of the most diverse and delicious foods out there and it is waiting to be eaten by you! Bon Apetit!



4. Germany: Spaetzle

Was konnen Sie empfeheln? Spaetzle! This delicate pasta made from egg noodles derived from south Germany literally means "little sparrows". The specialty of this dish is how the chewy egg noodle soaks up all the flavors of other ingredients so this dish could come in so many delicious and diverse forms! Popular ingredients and seasonings to cook with spaetzle are curry, different meats, cheese, and herbs. The mixing of these ingredients and the pasta creates a savory chewy bite of a delicious dish representative of the German cuisine!



3. Belgium: Moule Frites

French fries are not American nor are they French, they are Belgian. Also Belgium consumes 30 tons of mussels every year! What better idea than to mix the popular frites (fries) and moules (mussels) into the national dish? Moule Frites are super popular in Belgium and France and a personal favorite meal of mine. This specialty is easy to make due to easy availability of mussels and cheap potatoes. The potatoes are fried crispy golden and usually thicker than American fries and is dipped in ketchup, mustard, and even mayonnaise. The fresh mussels are good eaten plain and steamed but is popularly cooked with white wine, butter, lemon-mustard, beer, garlic, and cream. Eat the mussels and fries together and my God you will dance to the delicious melody of flavor like you would dance to Belgian superstar Stromae's hit song, Moule Frites.




2. Italy: Pasta Col Pesto

Italia, another cuisine giant with an enormous amount of food culture. I assure you choosing one dish was not an easy task. Pasta Col Pesto is a dish with a lot of history yet not known outside of Italy, so this is a pasta you might not know but is a must try! This dish from Genoa Italy has history reaching back to the Roman times. Pesto means "crush" and it is a sauce used by crushing literally everything! Now pesto is popularly crushed with basil, garlic, olive oil, pine nuts, and parsley. This creates a green tint that serves as a coat for the pasta packed with strong flavor. This is an unique dish, but it is a must try to get into real authentic Italian cuisine.




1. Iceland: Pylsur

Two things: Iceland has been a beast, tanking top tier teams in Europe upsetting many and becoming an underdog rising to stardom. Jolly well done! And... Icelandic food is infamous in ways that I will explain in a future post. But that is not to say you should not try Icelandic food! It is a beautiful culture with a deep history and of course with so much food to explore. One of the most popular foods with the locals and more "Western friendly" are pylsurs or Icelandic hot dogs. This isn't your typical ballpark wiener, this hot dog really packs a punch and will surprise you like the Icelandic national team. The major difference is that these hot dogs are made of lamb, and not just lamb, but Icelandic lamb that is organic and grass fed. The lamb and other meats creates a very powerful flavor that really brings out all the flavor of the hot dog. There are also various condiments that give these hot dogs a snap including ketchup, pylsusinnep (brown mustard), and remoulade (mayonnaise and caper mustard). These local cheap eats have been so popular that they have attracted Metallica and even Bill Clinton! So my tip, be brave and try new things!



So that is 10 foods you must try from Europe based off of the top teams in the Euro 2016 tournament. Each country has so many foods that are mouthwatering delicious yet not known to the vast public. Here are some recommendations for you all as I hoped to have taught you guys something or at least inspired you guys to go out and try new dishes. This is Mei Wei Café, thanks for joining me for a Top 10 and I will see all of you guys next time for another Top 10. Eat on and enjoy the rest of the Euro!

Croissant

                Dish of the Day: Croissant

Salut! As of now the UEFA European Cup is ongoing in France! Soccer (football) is a huge cultural phenomenon and a joy to have when a major tournament comes around. Being a soccer fan and a supporter of Les Bleus, (The French National Team) I will dedicate a post in respect of the beautiful game and out of love for the beautiful nation of France. Speaking of beautiful, today we will talk about a dish as classic and beautiful as French food gets. A food that is crafted so perfectly that it has been praised and sought out for generations. Today on Dish of the Day we will be talking about the perfection known as the French croissant.

The treasure of France, it is almost a mystery why a croissant in France is better than anywhere else in the world!

Breakfast? Eat it. Lunchtime? Eat it. Dinner? Eat it. Snack? Eat it. Partied so hard its 3:30 am and you're hungover? Eat at least two.

Croissant:

Here's a fact, 32 million croissants are consumed in France everyday. That is 736,000,000,000 calories. Yes that is true because this flaky pastry is made of dough and butter. So you may wonder, why are French people so fit? That is actually a question no one can answer called the French Paradox. Regardless of the bread, butter, cheese, and wine consumed by the French, they will somehow always remain fit. I wish I was French. Croissants are European pastries in the category called Viennoiserie which is known for flaky and rolled pastries. These pastries are sweetened and often known as the bridge between bread and pastries. Croissants are a masterpiece that cannot be explained entirely without tasting an authentic French croissants. Yes a real croissant is NOTHING like the ones from grocery stores. It is a perfect way to start your day, and even ending your day.

History:

The origin of the croissant is shrouded in mystery with so many tales linking to this pastry. It can be understood why so many places want to claim this pastry, but it can be concluded that croissants trace their origins to Paris, Austria, or Budapest. One story was Marie Antoinette popularizing this pastry. Since marrying into royalty Antoinette was forced to leave everything she loved back in Austria. She had a hard time in Versailles, and did not partake in many events often thinking of home. One thing she does is have a crescent shaped pastry every morning. This was the only thing that felt like home for her. Through this, she popularized this pastry and was known as croissant. Another popular theory is that August Zang, an Austrian, opened up an Austrian bakery in Paris which specialized in a crescent shaped pastry called kipfel. It was so popular that the locals adapted it into their staple foods and named it after the crescent shape, croissant. Before it was popularized and called a croissant, it was called a kipfel from Austria/Hungary. It is said that kipfels are made during the 17th Century when the Ottoman were trying to invaded Europe. A local baker discovered the secret passage and foiled the plot. To celebrate, the baker made pastries shaped liked the crescents of the Ottoman flag. And then the rest is history!

Kipfels are more crescent shaped and are the first croissant. 

Taste:

Imagine, you are in Paris sitting in a little cafe right by the busy Champs D'Lysee. In front of you is the monumental Arc De Triomphe and in hindsight is the breathtaking Eiffel Tower. The waitress came by with a cup of Cafe Creme and a croissant. "Bon Appetit!" With the croissant in your hand, you take a bite. Light flaky crisp with a soft pillow of buttery dough inside. Your first impression is to take another bite. You take a dip of the crescent pastry into the coffee and Mon Dieu! The taste of a croissant is sweet and even somewhat savory. The best croissant has the perfect ratio of crisp and softness. This pastry melts in your mouth and melts your heart into heaven. This is something I would cross the ocean over and over again to taste. Its so light and fluffy, I can eat a dozen! Enjoy this with a cup of coffee and have yourself a nice Parisian breakfast. When in France, do as the locals do, live life and eat croissants.

Coffee and Croissants, classic, simple, and must have!

Walk into a boulangerie and astound yourself with some of the best sights and smells!

To eat a croissant, many options are possible. Most people like it plain, others like it with coffee, and some like it with condiments. Butter, jam, and nutella are all very good with croissants. There are now savory options of croissants like Croissant Jambon Fromage. Croissant with ham and cheese have been a popular savory variation of croissant.

Croissants are good with anything! Especially butter and jam.

Croissant Jambon Fromage, croissant with ham and cheese.

Influence and Variations:

We all know that croissants are very popular and influential as we associate it immediately with French food, but it really does have a great impact on pastries around the world. There are many nations adopting the croissant and having their own unique variations of it. Since its popularity, croissants do not only take shape as a crescent. There are now so many shapes! Including those that look like horns or ones that are more straight. There are also many variations topped with sugar or stuffed with filling like jam and custard. France itself has a lot of variations of the croissant, like Pain aux Raisins and of course the Pain au Chocolat. Yes, the pain au chocolat is the most popular variation of croissant that is shorter and filled with chocolat! My first meal in France was a pain au chocolat and immediately I fell in love with the country. Imagine the goodness of the croissant with dripping chocolate inside, what's not to like?!

Pain aux Raisins, croissant with raisins.

The best variation, pain au chocolat!

Look at that chocolate in that center... Mon Dieu! Please take me back to France.

Other European nations also have their own twists on the classic croissant. Besides Austria and Hungary, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Portugal, Poland and Italy also have interesting variations. Germans like it glazed or with marzipan, the Swiss likes them a little lighter, Italians have brioche, which is softer and sometimes with fillings, Polish has variations with nuts and almonds, and the Portuguese like it with filling, sugar, and their croissants look quite different. Outside of Europe, the croissant has made itself into the cuisines of other nations like the United States, Argentina, and Japan. Americans love to make the croissant into a sandwich adding cheese, ham, egg, and you name it! The famous Dominique Anseld in New York City has also created a cronut, a fusion of the croissant and the doughnut. Argentinians have it very regularly with breakfast and coffee, and the Japanese have developed their own version of pain au chocolat making it into a horn shaped pastry called a Cornett. So overall, croissants are the pride of France but it has made its way into the kitchen and mouths all around the world.

American sandwich with croissant, bacon, lettuce, and tomato.

Some variations are filled with jam and topped with sugar.

Japan has their own version of the pain au chocolat, the Chocolate Cornett!

Portuguese croissants that look much different than its French counterpart

The Cronut! Innovative and delicious.

Closing thoughts:

I love soccer, I love France, I love croissants. Hoping that the power of the croissants can bring the French team to glory! Croissants are a delicious part of the French cuisine and a perfect way to start your morning. If you have only been accustomed to grocery store mass produced croissants, then you are missing out on something so beautiful it will completely reinvent your mind about French bakery. As always, feel free to contact me with questions, comments, and ideas on the next Dish of the Day! Hopefully you guys learned something today or at least drooled a bit. I'm now gonna take a hike from America to France to taste one of the best pastries in the world. See you guys next time. Au Revoir, Allez Les Bleus!

Contact me at:

Meiweicafe@gmail.com

French Cuisine

Magnifique, Formidable, Tres Bien, Gourmet. What do you think of when you imagine French Cuisine? It is too much to describe right?! France does many things right in this world, and one of those things is of course cuisine. Being the Food capital of the world, France offers some of the most extravagant dishes and delicious flavors. French cuisine truly is indescribable and can only be truly explained by taste, and the moment of joy afterwards. Hello, welcome to Mei Wei Cafe's Rendezvous where we will be talking about a particular cuisine in this world. This time we will explore the depths of classic and haute cuisine, the one and only,


                             French Cuisine!

Having a bad day? France's Macaroon are delicate pastries that will sweeten you right up.

Quiche Lorraine, A delicious savory pie eaten anytime and anywhere! Hot or cold! 

Coq Au Vin, a classic French dish that dates back to even Julius Cesar's time!

Introduction:

There are many cuisines in this world that are iconic institutions. French cuisine is more than just iconic, it is an empire. That said, it is a monumental task to cover all there is to know about French cuisine, so there will be various other posts for more specific details. So this post will solely cover general French cuisine. French cuisine is massive and one of the most impressive in the world. The styles, dishes, and flavors in French cuisine varies from region to region each with its unique twist. No matter how different each region is, every French dish will serve to impress. Whether its presentation or flavor, the devotion behind each dish shows us how influential French cooking is in Europe and the rest of the world.

One of the beauties of French cuisine is you cannot explain it. Every dish can be so different. You have dishes like this Steak Tartar 

To this elegant Duck Confit. The two dishes look so different yet are all delicious.

History:

French cuisine has been around for a while, and was known to be ahead of its time for most of history. Even during the middle ages, the French were known to dine on elegant swans and exotics peacocks. This was used with a lot of the spices they had then, including rue, hyssop, cinnamon, nutmeg and other seasonings. It is ironic as most of these spices are not considered French today and rarely used. French cuisine was fantastic for its time, but a miracle happened in Europe. The Renaissance marked the height of Italian art, culture, and of course cuisine. During this time period the Italians were known as the best in Europe. With flavors so innovative and supreme that people across Europe and even Asia sought Italian chefs. France was no different, Catherine de Medici was an Italian lady married into French royalty. With her, she brought personal Florentine chefs and carved the cuisine culture of France. Proper dining, fine etiquette, eating from luxurious china and silverware, and the accompaniment of wine were all introduced. And up until the French Revolution, the rest was history. Up until now, the French has had too many important chefs and masters to re-innovate flavors and sauces, like bechamel sauce, that define this cuisine. France has gone through a lot of tough times in history. And usually this complication would cause changes in culture and henceforth changes in cuisine. Every time a revolution or an ordeal happens, France must redefine its cuisine. So that is why the French Cuisine is so vast with endless dishes and flavors.

Bechamel Sauce, a staple in French sauces, was created by Marie-Antoine Careme after the French revolution and the fall of the guilds. This ordeal forced chefs like Careme to reinvent French cuisine. 

Ratatouille is just an example on how much the Italians have influenced French cuisine.  

 Culture:

France is a nation redefined by its cuisine and cuisine culture. When you are in France you can just tell how big of an impact food has on this beautiful country. Every corner in France has a bistro or cafe serving some of the most authentic and innovative foods and drinks. Seriously, just Paris alone has 40,000 restaurants! Living in America and China we have this preconception that we are the masters of restaurants. We the customers can come in to a restaurant and order anything depending on what we want. When I visited France the biggest culture shock was the customer was not the boss! When we stepped foot into a restaurant we can tell that the chefs were the boss. They HIGHLY recommend what they should serve you and they determine whatever the hours of operations are. Most restaurants are closed from 2:00pm to 6:00pm! But this is a good thing because we can tell that the French are very passionate and caring when it comes to cooking. They are the experts. During early history, France has used a guild system to distribute food and define its cuisine culture. Many guilds throughout large cities would employ various chefs of different skills, like pasty chefs, sauce chefs, poultry chefs, caters, and many more to work to invent food. This was sometimes directly controlled by the French royalty! So the training and ingredients were all covered. When the New World was discovered, so was the New World of new ingredients. France was introduced to many foods from the Americas like potato, squash, tomato, and various beans.

Intense organization and training of chefs and reinventing the cuisine has been done by the French for years.

For the French everything must be fresh! A reason why restaurants close so early is for the chefs to go shopping for fresh ingredients for the dinner shift.

France is now a melting pot society seeing various flocks of immigrants throughout the world at various times in history. This has also led to the reinvention of French cuisine by incorporating the cuisine of the immigrants. The Chinese, Vietnamese, Indian, Middle Eastern, and a lot of African flavors have been infused into French food. France was also a major player in colonization. Through this, they could explore new lands for new resources and different cooking styles and ingredients to their cuisine. Whether it is French fusion or directly adapting a new dish, the French are very popular of adding more varieties to its large buffet of a cuisine. Dishes like the Vietnamese Banh Mi is directly influenced by the French and a fusion between Vietnamese and French flavors. Food is love, food is life. To the French cuisine means everything, more than just passion. French cuisine can make up an entire culture itself.

Falalfel is a popular sandwich in the Mediterranean area but popularized in France by the immigrants. Like a lot of the foods in France, locals love to explore different cuisines and adding a French touch.

Banh Mi is a Vietnamese sandwich that uses French baguette, pate and Vietnamese meat and vegetables. A fusion that plays a crucial role in both French and Vietnamese cuisine. 

Structure:

The typical French meal consists of 3 courses. An entree or hors d'oeuvre (appetizer) which is served first to open the meal. These could be anything from soup, foie gras, or any small dishes to open our palate. Then the main course, the plat principal would be served next. This is what we came for, the MVP of the meal. These could be any delicious French dish like Steak Frites or Pot au Feu and then finally we have a palate cleanser which could be dessert or fromage (cheese). What is a more delightful way to finish a gourmet meal than to match it with the world's best desserts? Creme Brulee, Crepe, or Profiterole are all beautifully crafted French desserts that taste even better than how it looks! Fromage (cheese) is another way to finish the meal. If processed American cheeses are all that you are used to, be sure to try French cheese before you judge!

Entrees and hors d'oeuvres are served before the main dish like these tartines. And yes! Entrees are appetizers in French cuisine

L'entercote is a very popular plat principal with French locals. It is a delicious and juicy steak topped with world famous green sauce to draw out the flavor of the meat. And of course traditionally served with a heap of fries! 

Profiteroles. Look at it. Imagine how good it tastes. In reality, it probably taste twice as good.

There are also two very important elements to french meals, salad and bread. Salad is usually served after the plat principal and before the dessert or fromage. This is to prepare us for the dessert! French bread is notorious and goes perfect with every French dish. Baguettes a long French bread is usually served with the plat principal. French bread is massive! That deserves an entire posts to itself. For now all you need to know that France has a wide variety of bread, they are all delicious and to die for. I love French bread. I am willing to cross 7 seas and 5 hells to get a taste of authentic French baguette.

The French baguette. Nothing can be more stereotypical or delicious than this loaf of heaven.

Fromage, cheese, is also another big element of French cuisine that deserves its own post too. France has some of the best cheese of the world! An average French person consumes 53 lb (25 kg) of cheese every year!

Cuisines:

France has many types of cuisines, cooking styles that is developed throughout history. Today we will cover 3 of these cuisines.

National Cuisine:
This is as generic as French food gets as the National Cuisine is all kinds of food and dishes served on the national level. Yes, this is a style that has a dish served everywhere across France regardless of region. So if you are ever dying to get some French Onion Soup you know that this will be available across all of France. A lot of breads and pastries are in this National category because of the popularity and demand across the nation. So in conclusion, these are dishes and foods that has earned its right to shine across the national as staple foods across the land. Dishes like this include the baguette, croissants, French Onion Soup, Pot au Feu, Eclair, and macaroons. Basically every typical French food you can think is probably on this list.

Pot au Feu, or pot of fire, is a classic traditional dish around for ages. A lot of French people will tell you how much their friends and families gather around the dinner table to enjoy this dish. Its kind of like the French version of  Hot Pot!

French Onion Soup is a classic must have in France. Its so savor, sweet, cheesy, aromatic that the authentic version is really one of a kind.

Haute Cuisine:

Okay I know sometimes we have stereotypes about French food being very high class, overly fancy, and super expensive for a small portion!! This is exactly what Haute Cuisine is. Developed in the 17th century by master chefs such as Marie-Antoine Careme, this style of cooking focuses on grandiose. The grandness of each dish and bringing the ingredient and flavor to its highest potential. This is usually a small portion of very high quality ingredients and the most meticulous and skillful way to prepare. This is a complex and high class cuisine. It itself is a form of luxury served in the best restaurants and the most luxurious hotels. Overall this style of cuisine is very fine, careful, supreme, gourmet. Nothing else compares in the level of preparation and the over the top presentation.

Every chef and every restaurant has their own special Haute dish. 

Haute Cuisine uses some of the best and rarest ingredients like cavier and truffles.

Nouvelle Cuisine:

Nouvelle cuisine, (new cuisine) is like the son of Haute cuisine. This fine class cuisine was invented in the 1960-70's during a time the world saw a huge revolution in food. Nouvelle cuisine is similar to Haute cuisine in its elegance and luxury status but has also very different approaches. Nouvelle cuisine focuses more on freshness, lightness, and natural in color, taste, and texture. It also focuses on even brighter presentation based on modern Japanese cuisine. This delicate cuisine tries to start a new cuisine and break away from its classic traditional cuisine like Haute cuisine. This is to show how France is making a break from its past and looking forward to the future. It is more conscious of the needs of the people as Nouvelle cuisine emphasizes on the healthiness of its cooking method and ingredients using more natural sauces and flavors unlike Haute cuisine which can have a lot of heavy sauces and ingredients high in fat. Overall France has two cuisine styles that are art forms. The traditional and classic Haute, and the modern and innovative Nouvelle.

The presentation of Nouvelle cuisine is very Japanese influenced 

As you can see, Nouvelle cuisine focuses on a more light and natural presentation and preparation of its food.

Final Thoughts:

France is a nation that loves to eat and cook. They are masters of culinary arts earning them the nickname, the capital of food. There are so many more cuisines, dishes and styles to cover and more will come soon. France is a nation constantly reinventing its cuisine throughout history and through this they have created one of the most complex and intriguing cuisines. Everything however, is delicious. And before you cast any ideas, I highly encourage you to have an open mind and try new French foods. You never know how delicious a new dish can taste like or how good a familiar dish can be like with a French twist. What is your favorite French dish? Did I have anything that I failed to clarify? Please contact me with questions and comments regarding this post and future posts. Salut, I hope you had a great experience today at Mei Wei Cafe and I hope to see you soon. Bon Appetit! 

To please you guys here are more pictures of French food to drool over... You're Welcome!

Croque Monsieur, a classic French sandwich that we can have anywhere and anyime!

When in France make sure you eat pastries! Opera, Paris Brest, Religieuse, and Tarte aux Framboise are all must haves!

Fondue is and meat fondue is also a unique way to dine in on a classic French cooking method

Wherever you go, freshness is key!

I know I know! I did not mention Croissants. I promise their will be a segment dedicated to French pastries.

There are so many things to cover in French cuisine. Cafe and cafe culture is also very apparent and grand in France. Very traditional and trending!

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meiweicafe@gmail.com