Food in Europe
The European is not the oldest culture in the world, nor has Europe probably been the place where men cooked their food for the first time. But Europe’s innate curiosity, adventurous spirit, and ability to assimilate other ingredients have made European cuisines tremendously diverse and very sophisticated.
European countries were fighting each other for the good part of two thousand years, at least since Greek and Roman civilizations saw the light, until the creation of the European Community; where all their still strong voices can be heard and European countries can disagree in harmony. It is no surprising that each one have developed a strong tendency to cook things their own way.
Many of the European nations were world powers in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth century, when the spectrum of available foods widened enormously. After all, it was Europe’s hunger for spices the driving force behind all explorations and the fuse igniting the events that shaped the world into what it is today.
European flags
From the culinary point of view, French cuisine is the base of Western cuisine and the one to set standards during many years. Though pasta is a Chinese concoction, it was the Italian cuisine the one to get it into everyone’s menu. Apart of being the most innovative country in today's food world, Spain opened the door through which many ingredients -think tomatoes, potatoes, vanilla, chocolate or peppers, particularly chili peppers- came into all kitchens. We could talk for days about British cuisine, or their lack of it.
Gastronomy is taken seriously in Europe. Food being always an important matter, is elevated to gourmet status. Let’s sniff around, from borscht to colcannon, with gravad lax and spanakopita on the side, before give into the one pastime that Europeans hold so dear: eating.
Is British food truly that bad? Find out food traditions, the way of living and eating and the best of today’s British food.
Food in Belgium offers an insight into Belgian cuisine, restaurants, and food shoping.
It is more than food in France, where cooking and eating a well prepared meal is an important part of the culture.
Food in Greece is an overwhelming subject. When writing about Greece it is traditional to start with the ancient days of Homer and his heroes, quickly jump through the vast periods of Roman and Turkish occupation, then concentrate on the current offerings in the tourist centres.
Foods in Italy is a brief description of popular foods in Italy; just to know what to expect if you travel there or to be able to plan your own Italian meal.
Food in Spain is a quick glance to Spain, the new food wonderland, and what is behind the feast of color and taste food has become in the Spanish table.
Swiss food reflects the country's love of nature and their clever use of regional, seasonal ingredients.
Some Irish recipes added: soda bread, Irish stew and Irishd bread pudding.
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