EUROPEAN FOOD(CUISINE)
Travel is all about exploring nature, connecting with history and experiencing new cultures. Oh, who are we kidding? It's really about the food ! Food and culture are very closely related to each other.
Food culture includes traditions, dishes, and ingredients. The food culture in Europe differs from country to country, but there are common characteristics that distinguish European cuisines from, for example, Asian. The biggest source of starch in the kitchen is wheat flour, as well as dumplings of various kinds, pasta, and pastries. Most countries in Europe use sauces and spices as condiments and accessories.
Eating and drinking across Europe is at least as exciting as sightseeing there. But while all European countries offer some fine dishes, not all are created equal.
To make choosing the right European destination for a culinary trip easier, we decided to rank the food in all of the European Union nations. Our list is based on lots of time spent traveling the continent, sampling the local cuisine throughout.
Of course, these results are subjective. Agree? Disagree? We'd love to hear what you think.
If you’ve fantasized about eating your way through Europe, you are not alone. From rich stews and dumplings in the Balkans, to seafood in the Mediterranean, to (of course) savory cheeses throughout, the continent is a foodie’s dream.
European cuisine
#Nordic cuisine
The Finnish cuisine is reminiscent of the German, Swedish and Russian cuisines. The food culture in Norway is based primarily on the raw materials available. Because of this, Nordic food culture looks slightly different from its neighboring countries as the country focuses a lot on fish. The Norwegians drink a lot of coffee and a yearly average Norwegian consumes about 160 liters.
The traditional Nordic food is seasonal due to our climate. It can be about using mushrooms and berries in the fall and more meat in the winter. Norway, Sweden, and Finland are very elongated countries and even the regional differences can be very large. In the north, more wild meat is eaten than in the southern parts, where you eat more beef and pork instead. Chicken is also popular. When it comes to the younger population, there is a trend towards more junk food. It is often heard that awareness of our health is growing and many new approaches are being used today than it has been in the past.
#Eastern Europe
Ukrainian cuisine is influenced by countries such as Turkey, Germany, and Poland. The country is well known for its hospitality as well as its variety of bread recipes. The food is cooked in large quantities so that it will suffice for everyone. Pork meat, fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, herbs, and berries are often used.
Some Ukrainian dishes are sunflower, brisket, dumplings, donuts, sausages, etc. Austrian cuisine is influenced by countries such as Hungary, Italy, Germany, and various Balkan countries. Many dishes consist of meat and potatoes.
Eastern European cuisine corresponds to many different food cultures which are strongly influenced by the climate. However, there are similarities in some regions. Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia are an example of countries that have a lot in common when it comes to food culture. In Ukrainian cuisine, however, you are a little more influenced by countries such as Turkey and Poland. What is in common for Eastern European cuisine is that a lot of pork, vegetables, mushrooms, herbs and carries the problem in cooking. In Russia, the meat of beef, pork, sheep, bird, and the game is common and is often served with noodles, vegetables, or food made from cereals. Meat pies are also popular. In other Eastern European countries, such as Albania, many dishes are variations on the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern foods. Meat pies are also common here.
#Mediterranean cuisine
In Mediterranean cuisine you use a lot of fresh ingredients such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, sheep, potatoes, etc. This culture is made up of countries such as Italy, Greece, Spain, Turkey, Portugal, Turkey, and others.
In these countries, a lot of olive oil and vegetables are used in cooking. Some dishes typical of Mediterranean cuisine are pasta, lamb, moussaka, fruit soups, serrano ham, pesto, vegetable gratin, pilaf, couscous, paella, and tzatziki. Many times you use garlic, olives, sun-ripened tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, goat cheese, and sheep’s cheese. Most dishes are both tasty and full.
In Mediterranean cuisine, it is common with fish, vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, and potatoes and it has often been pointed out as a very healthy food culture.
The food contains a lot of olive oil and vegetables, and this, together with the fact that the dishes contain a lot of antioxidants, make the food so useful. Vegetables that are commonly used are olives, garlic, and tomatoes. This is preferably in a salad together with balsamic vinegar and sheep cheese or goat cheese.
In Mediterranean cuisine, lamb is much more common than in other European cuisines. Greek cuisine is often associated with olive oil, herbs and beans, peas and lentils, and of course with tzatziki. In the Greek kitchen, fresh ingredients are used and at their disposal. You have a rich selection of raw materials grown in Greece. In principle, all Greek dishes use olive oil, which also comes from local raw material, olives. Dipping a little crispy bread in olive oil is also a popular snack so olive oil is used for more than just cooking. Locally grown vegetables and fruits that you have available are tomatoes, onions, garlic, cherries, apricots, spinach, and peas. In Greece, not so much meat is eaten, but more seafood is on the table.
Top 10 ranked European food
1.Croatia Black Risotto:
This Croatian dish is highly spectacular and very uncommon.
As black colored food is very rare in nature, this adds a curious idea to try it.
It surely looks strange, but it definitely has an exquisite flavour which will delight your taste buds.
Black cuttlefish, squid or calamari risotto is a dish which you will see on all menus along the Dalmatian coastline from Istria to Dubrovnik.
2.Greece Gyros:
Gyro or Gyros is one of the most popular Greek street food dishes. It can include any of the following meats such as pork, beef, chicken, or lamb. However, all of these have the same characteristics of the vertical rotisserie cooking.
The chef will then slice the meat into thin cuts. Later, he serves it on a soft pita bread stuffed with sauces like tzatziki and vegetables which includes tomatoes, onions, lettuce, and cucumbers.
This Greek food has many varieties across the world. In particular, Greek immigrants set up such snack shops within their communities. USA and Australia have many diners to try these dishes. However, the authentic types are waiting for you in either Greece or cyprus.
3.Hungary Goulash:
Interesting facts about the Hungarian goulash! Once it was the shepherds food, as its names stands for (the hungarian goulash is the shepherd in other word). The name is from the Árpád-era (from the 10th to the 13th century).
the food itself is made later. From the second half of the 18th century, through the villager cuisine became the goulash common food. In the beginning, the goulash in every Hungarian household is eaten and offered, but after a few years, in the reform era (the first half of the 19th century) the goulash was on every restaurant’s menu.
4.Spain Paella:
Spain’s rich and varied culinary tradition is well recognized around the world. Tapas, of course, is the most popular in Spanish cuisine.
In addition, Paella, a recipe with origins in Valencia is another treat. Paella takes its name from the wide, shallow traditional pan used to cook the dish on an open fire. It is a colorful mixture of saffron-flavored rice with various meats.
5.Switzerland Fondue:
Fondue, originates from the French word “fondre” meaning “to melt”. It originated in the 18th century in Switzerland as a means for farm families to extend their limited resources throughout the winter season.
Fondue is a dish that refers to warming cheese, oil or chocolate in a specially designed container over a flame. Later, various foods are dipped into the melted contents of the pot. Fondue can be savoury or sweet. Additionally, the Swiss enjoy it as a starter, main or a dessert.
6.Italy Tiramisù:
This is one of Italy’s most popular desserts. Its name originates from the phrase tirami sù, which quite literally means, “a pick me up”.
This dessert consists of coffee-soaked ladyfingers layered with mascarpone cream, a whipped mixture of eggs and sugar. Moreover, all of them are flavoured with cocoa.
Therefore, you just need 6 ingredients and 10 minutes to prepare this amazing Italian dessert. Totally worth every minute.
7.Portugal Pastel de nata:
Patel de nata is a traditional Portuguese egg tart pastry with crispy crust dusted with cinnamon. Markedly, for the best result, the filling should not be too sweet nor have any other flavouring added to it.
The ultimate way of enjoying this pastry the Portuguese way is to have it with a cup of coffee. Additionally, one particular bakery has kept the secret of preparing the perfect dessert for centuries....
Pastel de Belem has been delighting its customers since 1873 with their Pastel. Rumors say that the family chefs never travel on the same plane together to avoid risking losing the “unwritten secret recipe”. The next time you’re in lisbon, you might consider paying them a visit to check if it’s worth all this hassle. A wild guess, it surely does !
9.Belgium Belgian Waffle:
Who doesn’t enjoy indulging in a waffle after a meal, let alone, a truly Belgian Waffle. This is the best dessert that you can have in Belgium.
Crispy from the outside and soft and warm from inside. Nevertheless, the best part is adding the hot melted chocolate. Moreover, it can be served with whatever your heart desires. Fruit such as strawberries and bananas are the most common with whipped cream crowning them.
10. Scotland Haggis:
Haggis, is the national dish of Scotland. It is a variety of pudding with ingredients that may surprise many people.
The constituents are actually the internal organs of a sheep. Chiefly, they are the heart, lungs and liver. Henceforth, it needs a true carnivore to try this dish.
Chefs usually mince the ingredients and thoroughly mix them together. Later, mutton and sometimes beef comes in as a flavour booster to the mix. Moreover, oatmeal is typically present to hold the mixture together.
Food industry of Europe
The EU food and drink industry is facing a decrease in competitiveness. In response, the European Commission leads policy measures through a High Level Forum, works to combat unfair trade practices, monitors European food prices and funds competitiveness studies.
Forum for a Better food functioning
In 2010 the Commission established a High Level Forum for a Better Functioning Food Supply Chain, to foster an EU-wide debate on food-related issues and support policy initiatives for an efficient food supply chain. The Forum undertook a holistic approach, including representatives of all stages of production and national authorities.
During its first mandate (2010-2014) the Forum issued a set of recommendations to policy makers and private stakeholders. Due to the high level of interest by stakeholders, the Forum's mandate was renewed in June 2015, for another 4 years. All EU countries are now represented in the Forum, as well as food stakeholders (through their EU-level organisations) and civil society organisations linked to food. In preparation for the first meeting of the Forum, to take place in the second half of 2016, 2 preparatory Sherpa meetings (aiding in the production of the Forum’s final report) have taken place to discuss the future Work Programme of the Forum.
The European food prices Monitoring tool
The European Food Prices Monitoring Tool is a Commission initiative to increase transparency in the food supply chain. It provides data on price developments in the different stages of the food supply chain via price indices. The tool is meant to encourage competition throughout the agrofood supply chain and to improve its resilience to price volatility.
Competitiveness studies
The Commission initiates and publishes studies to help formulate policies to encourage the competitiveness of the EU food and drink sector and the functioning of the chain. These studies have analysed the strengths and weaknesses of the sector and have shown the need to address certain issues on competitiveness facing the industry.
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