Chinese food has experienced four or five thousand years of development history. It is composed of imperial court cuisine, official cuisine and local cuisines, with local cuisine as the main body. Its superb cooking skills and rich cultural connotations are world-class.
China has a vast territory, and different natural conditions, people's living habits and economic and cultural development have formed different local flavors in terms of food cooking and dishes. The two major flavors, North and South, began to appear in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, and fully formed in the Tang and Song Dynasties. At the beginning of Qing Dynasty, Shandong cuisine (including the cuisines in northern areas such as Beijing and Tianjin), Jiangsu cuisine (including the cuisines in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui), Guangdong cuisine (including the cuisines in Fujian, Taiwan, Chaozhou and Qionglai) and Sichuan cuisine (including the cuisines in Hunan, Hubei, Guizhou and Yunnan) have become the most influential local cuisines in China, which is later called "Four".
"Qing barnyard grass banknotes" describes the diet situation in the late Qing Dynasty, saying: "The differences in eating habits in different places are due to the practice. Then northerners are fond of onions and garlic, Yunnan, Guizhou, Hunan and Sichuan are fond of spicy products, Cantonese are fond of light food, and Sioux are fond of sugar. " It also analyzes the characteristics of cuisines in various places in detail: "Suzhou people's diet-especially fat, cooking methods are all mixed with five flavors, but more sugar and five spices." "The diet of Fujian and Guangdong people-the food is rich in seafood, the meal must be accompanied by soup, and the Cantonese people are fond of living things, and they don't want to make progress." "Hunan and Hubei people's diet-like spicy food, although they eat before the abbot, before the fault is full, there is no pepper and mustard, and there are many soups." "Northerners eat onions and garlic, but also produce in the north to win ..." And so on, and so on. Although the quotation is not enough to explain the whole picture of the cuisine, we can see the characteristics of the four major cuisines in China.
With the further development of the catering industry, some local cuisines became more and more unique and formed their own factions. In this way, in the late Qing Dynasty, Zhejiang, Fujian, Hunan and Huizhou local cuisines became the "eight major cuisines", and then Beijing and Shanghai were added, which was called the "ten major cuisines". Despite the proliferation and development of cuisines, people are still used to using "four major cuisines" and "eight major cuisines" to represent tens of thousands of local flavor dishes in China. There are thousands of famous local flavor dishes, which are exquisite in materials selection, elaborate in production, diverse in variety and flavor, and pay attention to the coordination and unity of color, fragrance, taste, shape and utensils, and enjoy a high reputation in the world. Most of these famous dishes have their own development history, which not only embodies exquisite traditional skills, but also has all kinds of beautiful and touching legends or allusions, and has become an important part of Chinese food culture.
2. Introduction of French cuisine
Among the three great cuisines in the world, French cuisine occupies a place. French cuisine is characterized by the use of fresh seasonal materials, coupled with the chef's personal unique conditioning, to complete a unique artistic delicacy, which is unparalleled in vision, smell, taste, touch and sympathy, and requires more refined overall performance in food quality, service level and dining atmosphere.
In China, French cuisine represents exquisite, romantic, elegant and expensive French cuisine, which is really valuable. A meal may reach about 7,000 yuan for one person, and the price depends entirely on the types of dishes. Because French cuisine attaches great importance to the freshness and quality of raw materials, most French restaurants in China use the way of eating by air, attracting many gourmets and causing the high price of French cuisine.
French cuisine is characterized by its rich juice, and eating French cuisine must have exquisite tableware and picturesque dishes to satisfy the vision; The fragrant wine meets the sense of smell; The delicious taste of the entrance satisfies the taste; Wine glasses and knives and forks are staggered in a quiet and serene space, which is the highest enjoyment of touch and taste. This attitude of combining the five senses has developed a deep and dedicated taste.
In recent years, French cuisine has been constantly improving, and the classical dishes in the past have been pushed to the so-called NouvelleCuisine, and they are used together. The modulation method pays attention to the coordination of flavor, naturalness, skill, decoration and color. Due to the different geographical location, French cuisine is popular in animal husbandry in northern France, which contains many regional dishes. All kinds of cream and cheese make people's forefinger move. The south is rich in olives, seafood, garlic, fruits and vegetables and spices.
BURGUNDY burgundy region
There are a large number of red and white wines, snails, chicken and mustard sauce. The famous dishes are COQAUVIN, BOEUFALABOURGUIGNONNE and ESCARGOTBOURGUGNONNE.
NORMANDY Normandy region
There are a lot of seafood, butter, whipped cream and apples. The more famous dish is NORMANDYSEAFOODSTEWED seafood. In addition, adding apples to many dishes has become the biggest feature of this area.
CLSACE Kansas area
The most famous foie gras in France is produced in this area. The more famous dishes are QUICHELORRAINE and CHOUCROUTE with sauerkraut.
PROVENCE Pfanzi region
Because of its proximity to the Mediterranean and Italy, its dishes are more Italian. A large amount of olive oil, garlic, tomatoes, fish and various spices are often used in the cooking and manufacturing process of dishes. Well-known dishes are BOUILLABAISSE and SAUTEEDFROGLEGPROVENCE, etc.
French cuisine prefers BEEF, VEAL, LAMB, POULTRY, SEAFOOD, VEGETABLE, ESCARGOT, TRUFFLE, GOOSELIVER and caviar. In terms of ingredients, a lot of wine, butter, whipped cream and various spices are used; When cooking, the heat plays a very important role. For example, beef and mutton are usually cooked until six or seven minutes are cooked. Seafood should be cooked properly, but not over-cooked, especially in the production of Sauce, which takes a lot of effort. It uses a wide range of materials, whether it is Stock, wine, fresh cream, butter or various spices, fruits, etc., and it is very flexible.
France is one of the proud producing areas of wine, champagne and brandy in the world, so the French are very particular about the collocation and use of wine in catering. For example, drink a light taste wine before meals; When eating salads, soups and seafood, drink white wine or bogui wine; Drink red wine when eating meat; And drink a little brandy or sweet wine after meals. In addition, champagne is often used in celebrations, such as getting married, having children and celebrating.
French Cheese is also very famous, and there are many kinds. According to the types, there are five categories: fresh and hard, semi-hard, hard, blue mold and smoked; Usually, bread, dried fruits (such as walnuts, etc.) and grapes are accompanied with cheese. In addition, French cuisine pays great attention to the use of tableware, whether it is knives, forks, plates or wine glasses, because these can set off the noble temperament of French cuisine.
In recent years, due to the impact of economic recession and the change of young people's eating habits, the overall price and standard of traditional expensive and exquisite Gastronomie have been declining. Fewer and fewer French people are willing to pay astronomical prices just for a meal. Michelin and Gaultmillau, two authoritative French food reviews, have advocated a new food culture with good quality and low price since years ago. Many restaurants that were unattainable in the past have tried to cut prices sharply to attract more diners.
3. German cuisine
The characteristics of a country's cuisine are always related to its national character. For example, it is said that Chinese people are romantic, so French cuisine is also flowery and colorful; Japanese people are rigid and introspective, and because of their small territory, Japanese food is exquisite, small in quantity, light and tasteless. The German people, on the other hand, seem to have a natural rationalism spirit in their blood. Their dishes, like the Germans' personality, pay attention to economy, practicality and material benefits, and they don't like ostentation and extravagance so much, but they don't lose their external beauty.
Evolution is a good thing or a bad thing. One thing is certain, that is, Germans are not a particularly talented people with food, and they will not be too hot to make dishes extremely complicated and innovative. Unlike their neighbors, the French, who may have to eat dinner all night, would definitely think that they are crazy if they were Germans. Therefore, basically, German cuisine has absorbed the characteristics of dishes from other European countries, simplified them, or changed them according to their own tastes, and gradually developed. It is economical, large in quantity, and has a little western-style simplicity. Moreover, German food is a kind of western food which is close to the taste of China population. Germany consumes the largest amount of pork in European countries, which is similar to China. The famous Bavarian roast pork elbow and knee in German food are acceptable to everyone in China who has never eaten any western food.
Like other western foods, a complete German meal also includes soup, starter, main course and dessert, but most Germans will never eat it from the first course slowly, and generally call it a main course and soup. Of course, beer is indispensable. To describe Germans in a harsh way, as long as there is beer to drink, it doesn't matter what they eat. The restaurant is not very big, and the decoration is simple and simple, which is also like the German temper. Many paintings and knickknacks are THORSTEN's idea. Outside the window is the hanging garden of the hotel, and a large area of green is pouring in, which is natural. Everywhere reveals the breath of Germany, practical, the pursuit of beauty, but not luxurious, not too much.
4. Italian food
Someone asked which country is the mother of western food. I think most people would say it's France. Now I solemnly tell you that the mother of western food is Italian food! The Italian nation is a nation of gourmets. They have a long history in food. Like their art, fashion and cars, they always like to elaborate. Italian food is elegant and noble, and it is thick and simple, paying attention to the original flavor. Italian cuisine is very rich, with thousands of dishes. Apart from the well-known pizza and spaghetti, its seafood and desserts are well-known. Italian food with a long history has had a profound influence on the catering in Europe and America, and many factions including French food and American food have been exhibited, so it is known as the "mother of western food".
Italy is located in the Apennine Peninsula in southern Europe, with a population of more than 76 million, and most of them believe in Catholicism. Since the construction of Rome in 753 BC, the Roman Empire has developed advanced ancient Roman civilization on the basis of absorbing the essence of ancient Greek civilization, thus becoming the political, economic and cultural center of Europe at that time. Princes and nobles, led by Florence, have demonstrated their strength and power by researching and developing cooking skills and having exquisite chefs, which is regarded as honor and glory. Therefore, at that time, ordinary people thought that as long as they could become masters of cooking, they would have the opportunity to be in the aristocratic circle, and even the whole country was filled with the fun of research and development of cooking skills, which pushed the development of catering industry to its peak, thus laying a sacred position as the "mother of western food" and affecting most parts of Europe, and was known as the "ancestor of continental cooking".
Italians have contributed a lot to western food culture. In A.D. 1533, when Princess Catherine Di Medici of Italy married Crown Prince Henry II of France, she took 30 chefs to introduce new food and cooking methods to France. The French combined the culinary advantages of the two countries and gradually carried them forward, creating the most famous representative of western food today-"French cuisine". Secondly, the Italians invented the fork for dinner, which set a new annotation for the culture on the dining table.
Italian cooking is famous for its exquisite dishes in the world, which is different from French cooking and has its own style and characteristics:
Dishes pay attention to the original flavor and the use of heat.
Italian dishes pay the most attention to the essence and true colors of raw materials, and the finished products strive to maintain the original flavor. In the cooking process, I like to use garlic, onion, tomato sauce and cheese very much, and pay attention to making sauces. Cooking methods are mostly fried, fried, roasted, braised in red and braised in red. Usually, the main ingredients are wrapped or marinated, fried or roasted, and then cooked together with the ingredients, so that the taste of the dishes is extremely excellent and a layered multiple taste is created. Italian cuisine is very particular about the heat. Many dishes are required to be cooked in six or seven degrees, while others are required to be tender and bloody, such as Roman fried chicken and Angus tender steak. Rice, noodles and macaroni require a certain hardness.
Ingeniously use the natural flavor of ingredients to cook delicious food.
When cooking Italian food, olive oil, black olives, dry white cheese, spices, tomatoes and Marsala wine are always indispensable. These six ingredients are the soul of Italian cuisine, and they also represent the abundant and fully utilized edible raw materials in Italy, so Italian cuisine can be called "authentic and traditional" without parallel. The most commonly used vegetables are tomatoes, cabbages, carrots, asparagus, lettuce, potatoes and so on. Rice is widely used as a side dish, with meat, oysters, squid, frogs, mushrooms and so on. Italians are very particular about the production and processing of meat, such as Drybeef, Parmaham, salami, Bologna sausage, leg, etc. These cold meat products are very suitable for appetizers and wine, and are world-renowned.
Cooking with rice flour has a variety of patterns and rich tastes.
Italians are good at making noodles and rice products, and almost every meal must be cooked, and the varieties are diverse and the flavors are different. The famous ones are spaghetti, pizza and so on. Spaghetti with different shapes and colors is inclined to let the sauce enter the noodle tube, while striped powder keeps the sauce on the surface of the noodles, and the color represents the addition of different nutrients to the noodles. In the process of making noodles, red noodles are mixed with red sweet pepper or sweet pepper root, yellow noodles are mixed with crocus or pumpkin, and green noodles are mixed with spinach. Black noodles are the most visually impactful, using cuttlefish ink, and all colors come from natural ingredients, not pigments. The taste of noodles is dominated by three basic sauces, namely tomato-based sauce, fresh cream-based sauce and olive oil-based sauce. These sauces can also be paired with seafood, beef, vegetables, or simply with spices to change into different flavors.
Regional differences create local cuisine.
There are four major Italian cuisines due to the differences in climate and terroir between north and south. Northern Italian Cuisine: The main ingredients of pasta are flour and eggs, especially lasagna and lasagna. In addition, the north is rich in medium-long rice, which is suitable for cooking Italian multi-spindle rice and Milan-style Lisuo multi-spindle rice. I like to cook food with butter. Chinese and Italian cuisines: represented by Dosnica and Lazio, the specialty products are Dosnica beef, artichokes and pachauliano cheese. South Italian Cuisine: Specialty products include hazelnut, mozzarella cheese, bergamot oil and Bonito. The main ingredients of pasta are hard wheat flour, salt and water, including macaroni, spaghetti and wheel flour, etc. They prefer to cook food with olive oil and are good at using herbs, spices and seafood. Island cuisine: represented by Silesia, deeply influenced by Arabia, the food style is different from other parts of Italy, and seafood, vegetables and all kinds of pasta are still the main products, and the specialty is salted dried roe and blood citrus.
The taste of Italian food is very particular. Generally, the first course is to eat, such as soup or pasta, risotto rice, corn cake and pizza. The main course includes seafood plate and meat plate. In Italian meals, seafood is cooked in a variety of ways than meat. The traditional menu will keep the side dishes. Popular side dishes include fried mushrooms with coriander, tomato and cheese salad, etc., while modern main dishes will be accompanied by more vegetables and starchy foods to balance nutrition, and there is no need to choose another dish. The famous main dishes are: Stuffed cuttlefish, fried cowboy meat slices with herbs and roasted beef tenderloin with mushroom red wine sauce, etc. Then there are salads, desserts or cheese. Italian desserts are dazzling, including cakes, ice cream and wine-flavored fruits. The more famous Italian cheese cakes, Sicilian tricolor ice cream and Tiramisu, etc. After enjoying the dessert, the waiter will push the cheese cart. Cheese is a very common food in Italy. There are about 400 kinds of cheese, which can be eaten with vegetables or red wine. Common Italian cheeses are BeiPaese, Fonfina, Provolone and so on. After eating, you can drink a cup of espresso or foamed coffee to help digestion, preferably with a little almond cookies. Italian food is relatively heavy, so in order to avoid waste, you can choose one dish for each dish.
Italians generally like fat, spicy, sweet and sour taste, pay attention to the thick, fragrant and rotten dishes, and pay attention to the collocation of dishes and wine Generally, fish and white meat (calf, chicken, etc.) are served with white wine, and meat dishes are served with red wine or pink wine. Paste, porridge and so on depend on their sauces to determine the wine. The sauces of fish and shellfish are matched with white wine. If there is meat, red wine or pink wine is used. Italians don't like to eat minced meat and fat pork, and only white bread is used for bread.
Introduce several Italian specialty dishes
Italian cuisine, which originated in the Roman Empire, is the [mother of western food] for generations, and even French cuisine is sheltered by it to achieve today's scale. Some experts say that it is the most oriental western food (China's pasta was introduced to Italy in the 8th century).
To taste Italian food, first browse the orthodox Italian menu, which is usually divided into appetizer (appetizer), first course (soup, macaroni), second course (meat, seafood) and dessert, and sometimes vegetable options are subdivided, but most appetizers or first courses will be accompanied by vegetables, so it is not necessary.
The whole set meal is to choose the same appetizer, the first and second courses, and then choose a dessert. If your appetite is limited, you can choose one of the appetizers or the first course, or omit the dessert. But remember, Italy is known as [the second hometown of travelers], and there is no need to tie one's hands and feet when eating Italian food. A group of people are lively, generous and happy, and have an atmosphere.
The trouble is, Italy is like Mecca for food. Every place has its own specialties and flavors, and local restaurants can only choose key dishes. But basically, they still have their own ownership. For example, Yibei is rich in agriculture and livestock industry because of its proximity to France, Aoshan Mountain and its taste is warm and fragrant, and it is known for its troublesome baked goods.
Yinan cuisine is rich in seafood and vegetables, with obvious Mediterranean style in color cooking, heavy spices, simple techniques and original flavor. The central part of Italy has the advantages of both, especially the variety of vegetables and spices bred from volcanic soil, which has derived many historical delicacies with rich taste.
Want to further explore the original flavor, the following are Italian specialties:
Sliced veal: veal special in Milan, boiled with celery, onion, bay leaf and other spices and white wine until soft, cooled, sliced and topped with mayonnaise sauce made of squid and fish paste (both representative Italian species).
Fresh meat plate: named after a famous Venetian, it is traditionally eaten with raw beef slices, garlic-flavored olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice and cheese. The alternative version uses sashimi.
Italian wonton soup: like small wonton pasta. Inner Yan is mainly ground meat, cheese, ham, vegetables, etc. This way of eating is to cook it into broth.
Salad: lettuce, zucchini, sweet pepper, octopus, soft-shelled turtle, pine nuts, cauliflower, etc., which are abundant in Italy. To make salad, you only need to add extra-grade olive oil, wine vinegar, salt, pepper and lemon juice.
Authentic pasta: There are hundreds of kinds of pasta, and the most authentic one is the round and slender one. In the north, it is mixed with tomato and ground meat (authentic foie gras and bacon), while in the middle, it is mixed with cream and egg sauce, with cheese and bacon, and then with egg yolk. In the ancient taste, it is made of pine nuts, basil, garlic, olive oil and salt pepper.
Italian fried rice: eat noodles in southern Italy and rice in northern Italy. This loose round rice is cooked with seafood, mushrooms, green beans, cheese, etc. Let it cool and eat.
Dough: It is very similar to [taro]. It is made by mixing cooked potato, pumpkin and rye with flour, and then molding it into small pieces. The eating method is similar to pasta.
Milan calf shank: Milan specialty, calf shank is cut into rings and stewed with white wine, tomato and spices for a long time. Bone marrow is its essence.
Ham and cheese steak: Ham, cheese and beef are all Italian specialties. The key point is to eat them immediately after frying, without adding other sauces, and at most, add some olive oil to make the meat more smooth and tender.
Stewed tripe with white beans in red: Italian people eat viscera (except intestines) and stew tripe with special white beans and tomatoes, which is a famous dish in central China.
Roasted quail with vegetables and roasted lamb chops with spices: the former is a seasonal dish cooked only in summer hunting, while the latter is a new favorite of local diners. It is characterized by being marinated with various spices for a long time, then stewed and roasted, and it is fresh, fragrant and tender without sauce.
Perch in tomato sauce: Italian people eat fish mostly by stewing, and then drenched with various sauces, while other seafood is simply fried, locally roasted or boiled, all of which are original.
Tiramishu: Take long finger-shaped biscuits and soak them in coffee juice and milk, then beat them into sauce with coffee juice, cheese, chocolate, whipped cream, etc., and stack them into seven layers in the form of one layer of biscuits and one layer of sauce, and eat them after refrigeration.