European cuisine (also known as Continental cuisine) comprises the cuisines originating from the various countries of Europe.[1]
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The cuisines of European countries are diverse, although some common characteristics distinguish them from those of other regions.[2] Compared to traditional cooking of East Asia, meat holds a more prominent and substantial role in serving size.[3] Many dairy products are utilised in cooking.[4] There are hundreds of varieties of cheese and other fermented milk products. White wheat-flour bread has long been the prestige starch, but historically, most people ate bread, flatcakes, or porridge made from rye, spelt, barley, and oats.[5][6] Those better-off would also make pasta, dumplings and pastries. The potato has become a major starch plant in the diet of Europeans and their diaspora since the European colonisation of the Americas. Maize is much less common in most European diets than it is in the Americas; however, corn meal (polenta or mămăligă) is a major part of the cuisine of Italy and the Balkans. Although flatbreads (especially with toppings such as pizza or tarte flambée) and rice are eaten in Europe, they are only staple foods in limited areas, particularly in Southern Europe. Salads (cold dishes with uncooked or cooked vegetables, sometimes with a dressing) are an integral part of European cuisine.
Formal European dinners are served in distinct courses. European presentation evolved from service à la française, or bringing multiple dishes to the table at once, into service à la russe, where dishes are presented sequentially. Usually, cold, hot and savoury, and sweet dishes are served strictly separately in this order, as hors d'oeuvre (appetizer) or soup, as entrée and main course, and as dessert. Dishes that are both sweet and savoury were common earlier in Ancient Roman cuisine, but are today uncommon, with sweet dishes being served only as dessert. A service where the guests are free to take food by themselves is termed a buffet, and is usually restricted to parties or holidays. Nevertheless, guests are expected to follow the same pattern.
Historically, European cuisine has been developed in the European royal and noble courts. European nobility was usually arms-bearing and lived in separate manors in the countryside. The knife was the primary eating implement (cutlery), and eating steaks and other foods that require cutting followed. This contrasted with East Asian cuisine, where the ruling class were the court officials, who had their food prepared ready to eat in the kitchen, to be eaten with chopsticks. The knife was supplanted by the spoon for soups, while the fork was introduced later in the early modern period, ca. 16th century. Today, most dishes are intended to be eaten with cutlery and only a few finger foods can be eaten with the hands in polite company.
History
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Medieval
editIn medieval times, a person's diet varied depending on their social class. However cereal grains made up a lot of a medieval person's diet, regardless of social class. Bread was common to both classes; it was taken as a lunch for the working man, and thick slices of it were used as plates called trenchers.[7] People of the noble class had access to finely ground flours for their breads and other baked goods. Noblemen were allowed to hunt for deer, boar, rabbits, birds, and other animals, giving them access to fresh meat and fish for their meals.[8] Dishes for people of these classes were often heavily spiced.[9] Spices at that time were very expensive, and the more spices used in dishes, the more wealth the person needed to purchase such ingredients. Common spices used were cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, pepper, cumin, cloves, turmeric, anise, and saffron.[10] Other ingredients used in dishes for the nobility and clergy included sugar, almonds and dried fruits like raisins.[11] These imported ingredients would have been very expensive and nearly impossible for commoners to obtain. When banquets were held, the dishes served would be very spectacular: another way for the noblemen to show how rich they were. Sugar sculptures would be placed on the tables as decoration and to eat, and foods would be dyed vibrant colors with imported spices.[12]
The diet of a commoner would have been much simpler. Strict poaching laws prevented them from hunting, and if they did hunt and were caught, they could have parts of their limbs cut off or they could be killed.[13] Much of the commoners' food would have been preserved in some way, such as through pickling or by being salted.[14] Breads would have been made using rye or barley, and any vegetables would likely have been grown by the commoners themselves.[15] Peasants would have likely been able to keep cows, and so would have access to milk, which then allowed them to make butter or cheese.[16] When meat was eaten, it would have been beef, pork, or lamb. Commoners also ate a dish called pottage, a thick stew of vegetables, grains, and meat.[17]
Early modern era
editIn the early modern era, European cuisine saw an influx of new ingredients due to the Columbian Exchange, such as the potato, tomato, eggplant, chocolate, bell pepper, pumpkins, and other squash. Distilled spirits, along with tea, coffee, and chocolate were all popularized during this time. In the 1780s, the idea of the modern restaurant was introduced in Paris; the French Revolution accelerated its development, quickly spreading around Europe.
Central European cuisines
editAll of these countries have their specialities.[18] Among many such specialities, Austria is famous for Wiener schnitzel, a breaded veal cutlet served with a slice of lemon; the Czech Republic for world-renowned beers; Germany for world-famous wursts, Hungary for goulash. Slovakia is famous for gnocchi-like halušky pasta. Slovenia is known for German- and Italian-influenced cuisine, Poland for pierogis which are a cross between ravioli and empanada. Liechtenstein and German-speaking Switzerland are famous for Rösti and French-speaking Switzerland for fondue and raclettes.
- Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine
- Austrian cuisine
- Czech cuisine
- German cuisine
- Hungarian cuisine
- Liechtensteiner cuisine
- Polish cuisine
- Silesian cuisine
- Slovak cuisine
- Slovenian cuisine
- Swiss cuisine
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Austrian strudel
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Austrian Wiener Schnitzel
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Czech Smažený sýr
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Czech Svíčková
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German bratwurst
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German pretzel
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German Sauerbraten
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Hungarian goulash
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Hungarian hortobágyi palacsinta
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Liechtensteiner Rheintaler Ribelmais
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Polish bagel
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Polish bigos
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Polish pierogi
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Slovakian Bryndzové halušky
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Slovenian Ajdovi žganci
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Slovenian Carniolan sausage
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Swiss cordon bleu
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Swiss fondue
Eastern European cuisines
edit- Armenian cuisine
- Azerbaijani cuisine
- Belarusian cuisine
- Bulgarian cuisine
- Cossack cuisine
- Georgian cuisine
- Kazakh cuisine
- Moldovan cuisine
- Ossetian cuisine
- Romanian cuisine
- Russian cuisine
- Ukrainian cuisine
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Armenian khorovats
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Azerbaijani Gürzə
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Bashkir and Tatar Öçpoçmaq
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Belarusian potato babka
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Bulgarian banitsa
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Circassian Haliva
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Crimean Tatar chiburekki
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Georgian khachapuri
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Georgian satsivi
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Kazakh beshbarmak
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Moldovan Tochitură
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Romanian mămăligă
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Romanian pastrami
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Russian beef Stroganoff
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Russian pirozhki
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Russian pelmeni
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Ukrainian borscht
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Ukrainian pampushka
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Ukrainian paska
Northern European cuisines
edit- British cuisine
- Danish cuisine
- Estonian cuisine
- Finnish cuisine
- Icelandic cuisine
- Irish cuisine
- Latvian cuisine
- Lithuanian cuisine
- Livonian cuisine
- Norwegian cuisine
- Sami cuisine
- Swedish cuisine
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British bangers and mash
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British full breakfast
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British Sunday roast
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Danish Smørrebrød
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English fish and chips
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English trifle
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Estonian kama dessert
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Faroese tvøst og spik
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Finnish Lohikeitto
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Icelandic hákarl
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Irish bacon and cabbage
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Irish breakfast roll
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Jersey wonders
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Latvian speķrauši
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Lithuanian cepelinai
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Swedish gravlax
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Norwegian fårikål
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Norwegian lutefisk
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Sami Sautéed reindeer
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Scottish haggis
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Swedish cinnamon roll
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Swedish smörgåsbord
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Swedish surströmming
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Welsh cawl
Southern European cuisines
edit- Albanian cuisine
- Aromanian cuisine
- Bosnian cuisine
- Croatian cuisine
- Cypriot cuisine
- Gibraltarian cuisine
- Greek cuisine
- Italian cuisine
- Kosovar cuisine
- Macedonian cuisine
- Maltese cuisine
- Montenegrin cuisine
- Ottoman cuisine
- Portuguese cuisine
- Sammarinese cuisine
- Sephardic Jewish cuisine
- Serbian cuisine
- Spanish cuisine
- Turkish cuisine
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Albanian Tavë kosi
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Aromanian Metsovone
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Balearic ensaïmada
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Basque talo
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Bosnian ćevapi
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Canarian Papas arrugadas
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Catalan pa amb tomàquet
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Cretan Dakos
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Croatian Licitar
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Croatian Zagorski štrukli
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Cypriot Afelia
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Gibraltarian japonesa
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Greek gyros
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Greek spanakopita
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Greek souvlaki
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Italian gelato
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Italian polenta
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Italian ravioli
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Lombard risotto
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Macedonian selsko meso
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Macedonian Tavče gravče
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Madrilenian squid sandwich
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Maltese Stuffat tal-Fenek
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Montenegrin njeguški pršut
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Neapolitan pizza
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Portuguese bacalhau
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Portuguese Cozido à portuguesa
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Roman carbonara
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Sammarinese Bustrengo
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Sardinian casu martzu
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Serbian Pljeskavica
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Sicilian cannoli
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Spanish churro
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Spanish tapas
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Turkish baklava
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Turkish doner kebab
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Valencian paella
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Venetian carpaccio
Western European cuisines
edit- Belgian cuisine
- Dutch cuisine
- French cuisine
- Frisian cuisine
- Limburgian cuisine
- Luxembourgian cuisine
- Mennonite cuisine
- Monégasque cuisine
- Occitan cuisine
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Belgian moules-frites
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Belgian waffle
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Corsican fritelli
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Dutch coleslaw
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French croissant
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French pot-au-feu
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French quiche
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Limburger cheese
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Luxembourgian Judd mat Gaardebounen
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Monégasque Barbajuan
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Occitan aligot
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Culinary Cultures of Europe: Identity, Diversity and Dialogue. Council of Europe.
- ^ Kwan Shuk-yan (1988). Selected Occidental Cookeries and Delicacies, p. 23. Hong Kong: Food Paradise Pub. Co.
- ^ Lin Ch'ing (1977). First Steps to European Cooking, p. 5. Hong Kong: Wan Li Pub. Co.
- ^ Kwan Shuk-yan, pg 26
- ^ Alfio Cortonesi, "Self-sufficiency and the Market: Rural and Urban Diet in the Middle Ages", in Jean-Louis Flandrin, Massimo Montanari, Food: A Culinary History from Antiquity to the Present, 1999, ISBN 0231111541, p. 268ff
- ^ Michel Morineau, "Growing without Knowing Why: Production, Demographics, and Diet", in Jean-Louis Flandrin, Massimo Montanari, Food: A Culinary History from Antiquity to the Present, 1999, ISBN 0231111541, p. 380ff
- ^ "British Library". www.bl.uk. Archived from the original on 31 July 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
- ^ "Middle Ages Food and Diet". www.lordsandladies.org. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
- ^ "British Library". www.bl.uk. Archived from the original on 31 July 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
- ^ "Middle Ages Food and Diet". www.lordsandladies.org. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
- ^ "British Library". www.bl.uk. Archived from the original on 31 July 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
- ^ "British Library". www.bl.uk. Archived from the original on 31 July 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
- ^ "Middle Ages Food and Diet". www.lordsandladies.org. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
- ^ "British Library". www.bl.uk. Archived from the original on 31 July 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
- ^ "Middle Ages Food and Diet". www.lordsandladies.org. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
- ^ "Middle Ages Food and Diet". www.lordsandladies.org. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
- ^ "British Library". www.bl.uk. Archived from the original on 31 July 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
- ^ "Cuisine from Central Europe". Visit Europe. Archived from the original on 23 August 2012. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
Further reading
edit- Albala, Ken (2003). Food in Early Modern Europe. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 0313319626. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
- R & R Publishing (2005). European Cuisine: The Best in European Food. Cpg Incorporated. ISBN 1740225279. Retrieved 6 June 2017.