Lees are natural by-products of autolysis, the self-destruction of yeast cells by enzymes formed from fermentation. They are sediments from a liquor during aging. These sediments are found in all wine brands, including B&G wine, the oldest and most common brand in France.
Lees contact is becoming increasingly popular in modern winemaking. Even French wine is made by using lees. That, therefore, means it is not a harmful substance. Lees contact is where the newly fermented drink is left in contact with the lees. This can take place at various contact points of the winemaking process. It can occur in large tanks used for fermentation or even in bottles.
The sediments formed from sedimentation have no harmful health effects. They are of two kinds. Gross lees is a mixture of dead yeast, grape skins, seed stems and tartrates. On the other hand, fine lees are mostly made of dead yeast cells that continuously settle on the bottom of a fermentation vessel.
Gross lees usually fall at the bottom of a bottle when left undisturbed and are usually filtered out. Fine lees usually settle at a slower rate. They are more commonly left in drink than gross lees, although some producers prefer filtering them out too.
As the yeast cells start to break down during autolysis, they release tiny amounts of sugars and amino acids. The presence of these compounds is sensed during wine tasting as a textural weightiness in the drink. White and sparkling brands aged on the lees are usually described as richer and have flavour complexity.
Besides the added textural creaminess, the release of fatty acids generated from the breakdown of the yeast cell wall adds to the aromas. Good aromas can be a major factor that can contribute to attracting more customers to consume the drink.
Sparkling brand aged for a long time on the lees will have increased flavours of sweet, nutty aromas. White brand will also have increased yeast-like flavours that are similar to that of sparkling brand.
Roles of lees in wine production
Lees has no negative health effect on human beings. Therefore, drinks are aged using lees for the following reasons.
Increase aromas in wine
Sweet aromas can contribute to many consumers taking a certain brand of the drink. It helps increase the aromas of different tastes depending on the type aged.
It makes the wine creamier
Aging with lees makes drinks add more textural weight, and there does not become more liquid. This makes it more enjoyable for consumers.
Add the complexity of flavor
Lees add tastes that are sweet but not common when used in aging. Most consumers prefer unique tastes and, therefore, will help attract more of them.
How long are wines aged on Lees?
The duration of aging on lees varies depending on the brand. The duration of aging on lees independently influences the aroma composition of traditional sparkling brand. Aging is not a short-time process. It is a common practice for most brands of the drink.
Today, many other white brands, even aromatic , spend between three to six months on the lees. This is to enhance the structure, mouthfeel and complexity of the drink.
After about 14 months on the lees, the drink develops toasty, biscuit and bready aromas known as autolytic aromas.
Lees is a very important product as it helps increase sales for every company that uses it in aging. The majority of companies use it. If you have no idea of how important the product is, you can search more about it, especially for a company looking to use it in their production.
French wines dates back to the 6th century BC. The wine is produced in large quantities with over 7-8 billion bottles sold annually. The winemakers are throughout France. The regions they are date back to the winemaking time of the Romans. With such a long history in winemaking, France is among the largest producer of wines in the world. They compete with countries like Spain, Italy, and America. The wines are sold in different parts of the world. Most of the wines are modest. Veuve du Vernay is a French wine brand in the United States. Veuve du Vernay is an example of how the wines are produced. The carbonation is trapped when secondary fermentation takes place. The result is a wine that is full of fresh aromas and flavours.
There are two concepts winemakers use while in their Winehouse. These concepts are what produce good French wines. The first one is the notion of terroir. It employs the style of winemaking based on the grapes grown in a specific geographical area. The grapes grown in that area are used to make wines. It is as simple as that. The other concept is called Appellation d’origine controlee (AOC). It is a system that rules the grape varieties and winemaking practices which are allowed for classification in a geographical region. The geographical regions, include villages and vineyards. The system explains why France has grape varieties like Pinot noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, and Chardonnay. The grape varieties are planted in different parts of the world. With the winemaking processes used when this system is in place, it has been adopted by many wine-producing countries in the world. The French wine industry is now in competition with other worldwide wine industries. It has led to a decline in French wine consumption domestically and internationally.
In France, all types of wine are produced. The styles produced are red, rose, white, sparkling, and fortified. There are wine cases in France that are a mixture of between one and twelve bottles of different styles of wines. It makes the production of wines in France range from cheap, simple, and expensive wines. Most of the world’s famous wines are made this way. The wine styles in France have a regional identity rather than a national identity. It is due to the different grape varieties, production methods, and classification systems. There are wine styles meant for immediate consumption, while others are to be consumed after long periods. The wines have something in common. It is evident in different parts of the world. Most wine styles are accompanied by food even when taking a simple meal. There are wine styles meant for the bar.
In past, France had the largest consumption of its wine. In the last 50 years, there has been a decline. Most winemakers are dependent on the sale of their wines in foreign markets. Today there is a decline in French wines even in the foreign markets, particularly in European markets like Portugal, Spain, and Italy. The decline resulted in a wine glut labelled the wine lake. The wine industry has now been included in the industrial alcohol industry. To lure more people to purchase wines, the winemakers are trying to mix different French wines to come up with a premium wine that will open up the market. The wine produced has now improved in quality and taste. French wines are still considered among the best in the world.
Since it is the holiday season, most families are coming together and spending time reminiscing about the whole year. To ensure that the time is memorable, people seek places that will double, or even triple the fun and what greater way is there than good and amazing drinks in and around Paris? Read on to learn some cool places to visit in and around Paris.
Where else to be than the best Paris bar restaurant? It is among the most famous addresses in Paris. Furthermore, this place has the best stainless steel kitchen and top-of-the-line chefs. Besides, they offer different types of cuisines for anyone with a keen eye on style and glamour. On the other hand, why waste a good meal without any form of wine present? Get natural wines at the fairest prices ever.
Thinking of relaxing at your place and letting the drinks come to you? Then a Bedford bar takes care of it all. It allows you to enjoy parties, family gatherings and even weddings. All these happen in the open with all the amenities available. A Bedford is a walking bar that adds some glamour in events. The simplicity makes it possible to enjoy your time with a minimum fee. They get their famous name as they use ford tracks to ensure good service delivery. For more information, click here.
While taking a walk along the streets of Paris, you can feel hungry and need to take a morning meal. Be sure that at Strada Cafe you will find a good Paris club sandwich experience. This Paris bar also enjoys many positive online reviews. Making it worth taking a visit and have a taste of their best foods. Besides, many people like to take a cup of cappuccino and some eggs. To maintain your tradition in the morning, then just by a stroll away, it waits for you.
What will it mean to you to visit Paris with no interest with the cuisines they offer. Brasserie in Paris is delicious. Be rest assured that the dream is to get fantastic meals within a perfect price range. You can sort all your lunches and dinner at this place and be sure to get no disappointments and regrets.
Paris is a city that attracts most tourists from all over the world. It is commonly known as the love city. Yes, it is true that this place will get to you with the first sight you take on it. However, from the above-listed places, you are sure to the full experience Paris have to offer and enjoy yourself although a trip with the family.
By travelling to new locations, you get to meet people and try new things. The challenge, however, is being able to find a restaurant that serves your best meal. Suppose you have never used the internet to find the shops you can buy important items, then here is how you can do it.
Before you start looking for the best eatery on the internet, you must know what you are looking for. This is because there are all sorts of restaurants, and if you are not careful, you will end up in the wrong place. Ask yourself what a good hotel must have to impress you. That way, even as you surf the net, you will always know when you are on the right track. Each time you search the internet, what matters most of the keyword. This is the word or phrase that you use to enhance the accuracy of search results. That said after you have understood what you are looking for, create a short phrase to guide you through. Your keyword should briefly and accurately describe the sort of hotel that you want to eat from.
Once you begin searching the internet for results, there is a good chance you are going to be bombarded with results, some of which you won’t like. To ensure that you make the best choice, you want to create a list of your findings. The list should only contain the details of the restaurants that provide the types of services you are interested in. Understandably, you only want to go to a hotel that happens to be the best. Since you have a long list, sit down, and consider your priorities. Maybe you need a restaurant that is located close to a water body or one that hosts live concerts on weekends. This is a hard part of searching for a good hotel, but the work will be a lot easier for you once you are left with a maximum of five eateries to consider visiting.
Some people search for restaurants because they only want to eat good food. But others want top-quality accommodation during a vacation. Think about it. If you are only going to eat, then there is no point crafting a complex finical plan. If you want a place where you are going to spend the rest of the holiday, then a proper financial plan is not something you can do without. Now that you have a shortlist and that there is a financial plan in place, you can easily pick one best hotel. Note that there are many other factors that will impact the decision you make. For instance, the amount of space and amenities available and the security level in that particular neighbourhood. Therefore, you’ve got to take your time and make your decision without being influenced by only one thing you find important. You need to consider all aspects of your stay so that you don’t mess things up.
When searching for a good hotel, be sure to check their terms and conditions. Otherwise, if you use the tips above, you will certainly find one exciting place to eat and spend peaceful nights. But you must always know your budget and stick to it no matter what.
Summer holidays are fast approaching and all we want is a little freshness and colour on our plates! So get to your forks! Let’s go on a gastronomic trip to Greece.
Greek cuisine is part of the Mediterranean diet and as such, it is recognized worldwide for its nutritional virtues. It is based on sharing, friendliness and hospitality, typical values of the peoples of the Mediterranean basin. Greek cuisine is therefore a generous, colourful cuisine, full of juicy and tasty vegetables, aromatic herbs, often seasoned with excellent olive oil (an attribute of Turkish gastronomy that reveals the influence of Ottoman domination) and a drizzle of lemon juice. From Athens to Thessaloniki via Mykonos, let’s discover together 10 essential dishes of Greek gastronomy.
The Mezedes are the unquestionable symbol of the sharing and conviviality typical of Greek cuisine and the Mediterranean diet in general. These small appetizers with their authentic flavours, which work a little like Spanish tapas, can be enjoyed as a starter or become a single dish but they should always be shared in good company, often with a glass of ouzo, an aniseed-flavoured aperitif that can be eaten well chilled. The Greek mezedes are almost endless, here are some of them to taste absolutely!
The Greek salad is the essential starter of the country’s cuisine that can be found on every table. Of an absolute freshness it is known, appreciated and consumed all over the world. But in Greece, its flavour is unique because the ingredients are necessarily tastier: tomatoes and peppers bursting with sunshine, feta cheese eaten directly at the source, black olives with a perfect roundness, almost sensual, onion and cucumber fresh and juicy, and aromatic herbs incredibly fragrant! Once the dish is finished by all the guests, don’t forget to make “papara”, in other words, to sauce the dish lightly.
Mmmmmmhh the tzaziki and the human race, a great love story! No need to make introductions, it can be eaten as an appetizer but it also accompanies most traditional dishes. Nested in the heart of a piece of pita just out of the oven, it is a real treat.
A spinach and feta puff pastry is a perfect dish for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. In addition to being delicious, this kind of pie is also very practical to eat and to carry, it will quickly become your best companion on the beach or on a boat, lost in the middle of the sea.
Summer is the best time to visit Greece if you want to taste its little wonders while they are still fresh. The rest of the year you will find them canned but still succulent. Enjoy them cold, or hot if they are fresh.
It is surely the most famous Greek dish in the world, a tasty gratin of minced meat and eggplant, drizzled with tomato sauce and béchamel sauce.
These meat skewers (beef, pork or chicken) can be served on a plate or in a pita, accompanied by vegetables, tzaziki and even fries, for a complete meal on the go.
The famous Greek sandwich that can be found all over Greece and the islands. The price-quality ratio is unbeatable, the price, like that of souvlâki, generally hovers around 2€ for an explosion of flavours in the mouth and a well-filled belly.
And now let’s talk desserts. The Ottoman influence in Greece is probably most strongly felt in the kitchen. The baklava and a whole host of other oriental pastries, present and appreciated in the countries, are the most gourmet proof of this.
A crunchy envelope with a warm, melt-in-your-mouth core! Loukoumades are small round fritters, traditionally made with honey and cinnamon. It is said that they were originally offered to the winners of the Olympic Games in Ancient Greece.
The retsina also dates back to Ancient Greece. It is a white (sometimes rosé) wine, to which pine resin is added during the fermentation process. The resin is removed just before bottling, but leaves an incomparable trace of taste.
Turkish cuisine is a synthesis of Armenian, Jewish, Kurdish, Circassian, Arabic, Russian, Balkan and Greek influences. A tour of Turkey allows us to draw up a Prévert-style inventory of the culinary specificities of each region.
Whether at the market, in the homes of locals or in the various types of restaurants, the smells, colours and varieties of spices used in traditional cuisine are omnipresent.
On the Aegean coast, the zeytinyağlı, dishes prepared in olive oil are in the spotlight and tasted as starters. Fish also have a place of choice as well as the various herbs harvested in the hinterland and used to compose salads and dishes with original flavours.
Raki, a traditional aniseed-based alcohol, usually accompanies these delicacies.
On the Mediterranean coast, the products of fishing are offered to your taste buds but are also mixed with various regional kebap dishes such as Adana.
In Central Anatolia, Turkey’s breadbasket, the specialities are mainly composed of cereal products used as side dishes but also to make pasta with various fillings with cheese, meat or vegetables such as börek and pide but also mantı, species of ravioli often stuffed with meat and topped with a yoghurt and garlic sauce.
Lamb meat is also used in the preparation of delicious dishes such as tandır or fırın kebabı which offer a fondant due to prolonged cooking, often several hours.
Vegetables also produced in abundance in this region allow the production of çorba (soups) and dishes with special tastes.
The region of Gaziantep is one of the three most famous in terms of Turkish gastronomy. Whether it is meze, these small cold or lime dishes served in abundance, or the infinite varieties of kebap and meat dishes often spiced up, it is a symphony of flavours that is proposed here for the greatest pleasure of the amateurs.
The meal will always end with a pistachio-based dessert or with a künefe, a speciality made from a paste of angel hair and cheese baked in the oven.
In the south-west, on the border with Syria, there are two other gastronomic meccas, Hatay and Mardin. The influences here come from the nearby neighbour but also from the importance of the Syriac community with regard to Mardin. This is an opportunity to discover unique and refined dishes.
In Eastern Turkey, a high altitude region with harsh winters, the dishes are often made with flour but also with cheese and dairy products.
On the way back to the Black Sea, we discover the different varieties of fried food and fish served in different ways but also vegetable-based dishes such as cabbage or cheese specialities which make them consistent dishes for these regions where working outdoors requires a rich diet.
On the road to Istanbul, another gastronomic stop is Bursa, home of the iskender kebap, thin strips of meat served with yoghurt and drizzled with boiling butter and spiced with chilli.
The places of restoration are various and varied, going from the lokanta offering an assortment of dishes like at home to the meyhane, the famous taverns where musicians also come to entertain you while passing by the fish restaurants or the köfteci, each one will find its account there according to its desires and its purse.
From any part of the country, çay – tea – originating from the region of Rize in the eastern Black Sea, is served throughout the day.
Turkish coffee is also part of the country’s culture and, after tasting it, you may be able to discover your future thanks to the talents of a falcı, the coffee pomace reader.
Here in the UK we have neither the most reliable weather in Europe nor the prestigious gastronomic reputation of our French, Italian or Spanish cousins, but we certainly know that food doesn’t have to be complicated, expensive or served with avocado to be of the highest quality. When you’re in London, you’ll quickly notice how easy it is to embark on a culinary journey around the world, simply by walking the streets of the city.
However, once you arrive in the huge multicultural capital, the menu will change somewhat – and that’s not a bad thing at all. Along the way, discover must-try dishes and become an expert in traditional British cuisine in no time at all. Now, can you pass me a scone, please?
This dish is a must for the British summer (every three days). Whether you’re a lover of our aquatic friends or you grin at the sight of fish, we English prepare this dish in a way that will make your mouth water. All we have to do is simply fry the catch of the day in batter and accompany it with a huge pile of coarsely cut chips.
Then it’s up to you to cover them with salt and vinegar or drown them under a layer of ketchup and then find the nearest beach to go and eat them.
If you are visiting the south of England, the sunniest part of the country, it is your duty to taste the cream tea. For this world-renowned ritual, a steaming pot of brown tea accompanies two huge scones, each lovingly filled with jam and heavy cream.
Make sure you have your phone handy – these beautiful and tasty creations will bring your Instagram senses to the boil.
Falafels may not be traditionally British, but we have really welcomed them into our flourishing gastronomic culture as if they were our own. Enjoy them with a salad, stuffed in rolls or warmed in flatbread. These lightly spiced chickpea purée dumplings from the Middle East are delicious (and very healthy) no matter how you choose to eat them.
Accompany these happy meatballs with a layer of hummus and get ready to make everyone around you mouth water.
A hearty Cornish pasty never fails to satisfy a hungry stomach. Beef, potatoes, onion and rutabaga are wrapped in a thick envelope of shortcrust pastry before cooking. For variety, try the lamb, spicy and even vegetarian versions. This meal also favours the practical aspect. There’s no need for cutlery, since the hot filling is contained in a pastry envelope.
Just visit a local bakery, you’ll thank me later.
Some might find me biased, as I would eat crumbles every day (even for breakfast), but the humble apple crumble is THE greatest gift the UK has to offer to the taste buds of this world. Sweet apples, cooked with a crumbly layer of flour, sugar and butter, become a dish of contrasting textures – the dessert of kings.
If it is served with ice cream, demand (or politely ask) that it be accompanied by hot custard instead, as it traditionally should be.
If you are travelling in the northern half of the country, you can swap the “fish and chips” for a slightly different combination: French fries with sauce. Yes, apparently, gravy, which is more often served at a roast dinner, is actually quite delicious with French fries. If almost everyone in the north of England likes them, it must be worth trying – especially if the sauce comes from a freshly baked meat pie…
On a gastronomic tour of the UK, only the truly brave should venture further north. Scotland is truly a beautiful country, but its national dish is certainly not suitable for some discerning palates. Haggis is a traditional sausage made from the stomach, liver, lungs and heart of sheep. This interesting mixture, similar to pudding, is then seasoned, mixed with onions and oat flakes, and enclosed in the sheep’s stomach (or an artificial casing).
Thanks to its hazelnut-like flavour (believe it or not), it is said to be particularly delicious. The recipe is old – one would expect something more pleasant for our times – and it is still very popular, especially when served with mashed potatoes and rutabaga.
We often have a first non positive impression on English food. We all remember the bright green peas on our school trip! I’m going to show you that despite the preconceived ideas we can eat well in London!
Here is the great classic of British cuisine! Originally it was a fast food dish. Things have changed a lot since fish and chips is no longer considered a popular dish. Special attention is paid to the choice of fish (cabillot, place, haddock), the quality of the oil and the cooking process. It is most often accompanied by peas and chips.
The Poppies and Rock & Sole Plaice restaurants are renowned for the quality of their fish and chips.
The fishcake is a mixture of fish and potato, covered with breadcrumbs and cooked in oil. They come in the form of balls.
The roast lamb is a roast lamb accompanied by potatoes, small vegetables and a mint sauce! Although surprising, it goes very well together.
Roast gamin is a roast ham that is eaten hot, accompanied by mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables.
Is a savoury pie with a puff pastry that is filled with beef, kidneys, onions and a thick brown sauce.
This dish, which resembles a stew, is mainly eaten in winter. Stew is made with lamb or beef and is accompanied by carrots, turnips and parsnips. The seasoning may vary depending on the region.
Cheshire, often called Chester in French, is the oldest English cheese. This cow’s milk cheese, with its dense and crumbly texture, comes in three varieties: white Cheshire, red (which owes its colouring to amatto, a tropical fruit) and blue, with its natural mould, which is rarer and much appreciated.
The great originality of this cow’s milk cheese lies in the presence of sage leaves which green its paste.
Only made in the counties of Leicester, Nottingham and Derby, Silton is a cow’s milk cheese with a creamy texture. There is the rarer but easily recognisable blue and white Silton, with blueberry or cranberry berries in the paste.
The apple pie is an apple pie baked in their juices underneath the dough.
“Pudding” means dessert, but when it comes to Christmas Pudding, it’s a kind of fruit cake with ginger or prunes. It is eaten hot and most often with custard.
This typically English dessert is a fruit juice mixed with gelatine that has the consistency of a flan. Jelly is very popular with young English people. It can be made very easily at home and can also be found in supermarkets.
Scones are butter rolls, served hot with fresh cream and jam. Cut them in half and spread them, it’s a de-li-ce !
Travelling is also (and perhaps even more importantly) about discovering traditions and opening up to new cultures. Tasting the local cuisine is therefore an integral part of the trip!
If you look back in your memories, we bet you’ll find the taste of a delicious pasta dish eaten in Italy, a fresh salad in Greece or a shrimp curry savoured on a beach in Thailand…
And to make your mouth water and inspire you for your next vacation, GO Voyages now offers you a tour of the most renowned destinations for their cuisine. Morocco, India, Japan, Spain… Follow us on a gastronomic world tour!
Moroccan cuisine is the very reflection of its history and of the different populations that have lived on its lands. It comes from an ancestral know-how that is transmitted from generation to generation by word and deed. Its particularity is that it is not fixed in recipe books.
Thanks to its microclimate, Morocco offers quality products. Moroccan cuisine is made up of inexpensive products that express all their value in subtle blends to give choice dishes. Raw or cooked salads, cold vegetable purées, sweet and savoury dishes with meat and fish, seasoned with cinnamon, saffron, ginger or coriander, orange blossom and honey pastries, usually served with mint tea, can be found in many fragrant and colourful recipes.
Street or gastronomic cuisine, it is of great interest to Michelin-starred chefs from all countries. But it is street cuisine that tourists like. Marrakech is the number 1 gastronomic destination in the TripAdvisor ranking.
Although Peruvian cuisine is little known in France, Peru has been twice named best gastronomic destination in the world by WTA (the most prestigious award in the tourism industry worldwide), in 2012 and 2013. The country is in the midst of modernization. Young people from very modest backgrounds are now studying to become cooks, and often prefer cooking to football! Peruvian cuisine is opening up more and more to new flavours. It is totally innovative and very modern.
Influenced by an eventful history that dates back to before the Inca civilization, Peruvian cuisine is very rich. It is said to be the one with the most dishes in the world. Ceviche is of course the emblematic specialty of Peru, but it is not the only one: Examples include aji de gallina (poultry with chilli pepper), lomo saltado (sautéed beef), chupe de camarones (hearty shrimp soup), empanadas (small stuffed slippers found in many Latin American countries), alpaca preparations, cuy (the local guinea pig) stew, stuffed chili, colourful salads, seafood rice, pollo a la brasa, 13 spice or Peruvian tripe with turmeric. And for desserts, alfajores, fruit puddings, sweet potato fritters and good ice cream.
Japanese cuisine, reputed to be healthy, balanced and dietetic, blends philosophy and traditions. The typical Japanese family meal is always composed of a soup to whet the appetite, rice and three side dishes (vegetables and fish generally, meat especially for festive meals). This is the triangle rule. There is no order to eat, but all dishes must be finished at the same time.
Sushi, maki and rice dishes are the best known, but the most emblematic speciality of Japanese gastronomic culture is ramen. It is a fine noodle served in a hot broth with salt, soy sauce, miso, and in which pork, seafood, vegetables, egg, onions, beef, etc. are added. Of course, as with many traditional Japanese dishes, seaweed, mushrooms and spices are also added.
Korean cuisine is known for its great variety and undeniable quality. It is a tasty cuisine… And very spicy! Koreans like to say that their beautiful skin is the result of their eating habits: healthy, low-calorie and “relatively spicy” food that makes you sweat and therefore helps exfoliation!
Kimchi, made from fermented Chinese cabbage and marinated with chilli, has been declared a “national treasure”. It accompanies all meals.
Many dishes are also made with broth, rice, and noodles, but what differentiates it from Chinese and Japanese cuisine is the meat! The Korean barbecue is very famous and very convivial! You can grill your own meat and vegetables on the grill in the middle of the table while chatting with family and friends.
At the restaurant, don’t hesitate to ask for NOT spicy dishes if you have a sensitive palate.
As in France and India, cooking is a refined and very ancient art. Indian gastronomy is extremely rich. It is characterized by the subtlety of its mixtures, its warm colours and its delicacy. The diversity of ingredients and spices makes it extremely tasty. Crushed in a mortar, the spices indeed sublimate each dish: red pepper, ginger, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, turmeric, saffron, coriander, will make your taste buds waltz…
As a large part of the Indian population is vegetarian, Indian cuisine is one of the richest in the world in vegetable and dried fruit dishes. Each region has its own cooking technique and spicy seasonings: aloo gobi, Indian-style vegetable curry, red lentil dhal, bhaji onions, parathas, tandoori chicken, date halwa.
Another country that draws the richness of its gastronomy from its history. Many civilizations that passed through Spain have indeed influenced its cuisine. In particular, the Phoenicians left many recipes for sauces, the Greeks introduced the flavour of olive oil and the Romans, Carthaginians and Jews integrated their own ingredients into Spanish dishes. But it was the Moors who left their mark on Spanish gastronomy for several centuries. In particular, they brought fruits and nuts which they combined with meat or fish, but also rice and spices: saffron, cinnamon and nutmeg, and the famous gazpacho.
The discovery of the Americas also greatly influenced gastronomy, thanks to the products brought back from these faraway lands: tomatoes, vanilla, chocolate, peas, potatoes.
One cannot envisage a stay in Spain without thinking of discovering its cuisine! Starting with churros in the morning for breakfast, accompanied by a thick hot chocolate. It will also be necessary to put oneself “on Spanish time”. Lunch between 2 and 4 pm, dinner between 9 and 11 pm. Spaniards like to stay at the table for several hours if the subject of conversation interests them, which is why tapas are also popular.
Cretan cuisine has been known for many years for its positive effects on life expectancy. Cretans generally eat twice as much fruit as other Europeans, a quarter less meat and more legumes. What sets it apart from other cuisines is that it does not try to mix flavours. It is basic, not very spicy, fine and healthy. So it would be wrong to deprive ourselves of it!
Cretan cuisine has ancient roots that go back to the Minoan civilization, that is to say more than 3000 years, and has survived many colonizing influences (Romans, Byzantine, Venetian and Turkish Empire). Universally recognized for its benefits, olive oil is of course the great star of Cretan cuisine. A slice of wholemeal bread freshly toasted in the oven, generously drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with oregano and salt makes a delicious Cretan snack.
Fruit is also very important on the island: Crete produces large quantities of oranges, tangerines, melons, pears, figs, grapes, peaches and apricots, but also more exotic fruits such as bananas, avocados and kiwis, as well as the famous Cretan grapes known as Soultanina.
Among some of the typical dishes, you can taste snails (cochli) as a mezze, boiled in salt water or fried and then slowly simmered in vinegar and seasoned with rosemary. Dakos” is probably the national Cretan dish. It is a barley rusk softened in water and soaked in oil and tomato. It is very digestible and extremely tasty. Also taste the kouneli stifado, simmered with small onions, fried or roasted and served with baked potatoes.
Lebanese gastronomy a memorable epicurean experience. Extremely varied, freshly colored, delicate, it is one of the richest in the world. It uses a lot of fruits and vegetables, dairy products (yogurt, cheese) and cereals (wheat, rice). Meat (lamb and sometimes also mutton) also plays an important role. But it is above all the mezzes (tabbouleh, fattouche, hummus, moutabal, labneh, falafel, moussaka…) that are the big stars, especially among the visitors.
On the table, there is always a large tray of vegetables to be chewed (salad, cabbage, turnips, radishes, leeks, carrots, square-stemmed mint). During the meal, or at the end, it is common to smoke the hookah (the water pipe) whose smoke, soft and fragrant, embalms the restaurant. Tobacco is often flavoured with honey and fruit.
Meals are copious and it is often when the guests are full that the main course(s) arrive. To “make room”, there is nothing like a good Lebanese coffee, black and intense, or a white coffee, a transparent drink with orange blossom added.
Welcome to the paradise of gastronomy! Italian gastronomy has its roots in the Roman Empire. Today, it plays a leading role in the world’s culinary art. It is one of the most popular cuisines in the world. Simmered with love, it holds an important place in the lives of Italians who love to eat. The Italian-style meal is truly a work of art.
From minestrone to carpaccio, from osso bucco to tiramisu, antipasti made with pasta, tomatoes, eggplant and seafood, everything is good and fresh. Tomatoes, anchovies, fresh pasta, arborio rice and olive oil are an indispensable base for Italian cuisine, but it is the fresh vegetables and aromatic herbs that really characterise it.
There is pasta of course: long, short, filled, twisted… with eggs, saffron, buckwheat, chilli, spinach, beetroot juice, tomato, mushrooms… Spaghetti, cannelloni, tagliatelle, tonnarelli, fettuccine, linguine, gnocchi, tortellini, but also..: Milanese escalope, Milanese osso buco, Florentine beef rib, and Bolognese sauces, carbonara… Not to mention cold cuts, salami, pancetta, bresaola, Prosciutto crudo, Coppa. Parma and San Daniel hams are the most famous hams among connoisseurs!
Extremely rich, Mexican cuisine blends indigenous flavours with European, African and Caribbean influences received at the heart of its history. Products of indigenous origin such as corn, beans, avocado, tomato and chili are often cooked with foods from elsewhere, especially meat, dairy products and certain spices. An important aspect of local culture and traditions, traditional Mexican cuisine was inscribed on UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage list in 2010.
Although Mexican cuisine is now very regionalized due to local conditions, you will find the great classics all over the country: tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas, tostadas, tamales, chilaquiles, not to mention the delicious pan dulce and pastel de tres leches.
Those who know us personally, they also know our love for food and desire to always try everything. So that’s what we did, once again, in Thailand. Here are more details about our culinary trip to Thailand.
Several people have asked us, following our Facebook or Instagram pictures, to show them local food. So I take my courage in both hands and I go for it. When I arrived in Thailand, I said to myself: “I must find a Pad Thai and show it to you.” What a surprise! Pad Thai is a food that people eat only once or twice a year. Some of the reasons given are that it takes a long time to prepare, it takes too many ingredients and it lacks “Soul” or among other words, it’s rather bland. So I took a cooking class with the locals to go and understand a bit more deeply what Thai food was.
The teacher of our class, Oat (not Mr. Quaker), was super nice and had several answers. We prepared Tom Yum Shrimp Soup, Pad Thai, green curry and sticky mango rice that day. There were 5 people in our group: a Korean mother and her daughter, a Chilean couple and lost in the middle of it all, there was a bald guy, who was doing there?
After a visit to the market to get the ingredients, we prepared the following dishes, before tasting them.
First meal, Tom Yum shrimp soup, followed by Pad Thai. Next, a green curry with white rice. Then a nice, succulent sticky rice with mango.
It was once again, like our experience of cooking in Morocco, happiness in candy! I will certainly repeat the experience in our next country.
Now you will be frustrated after me because I didn’t give you any recipes…. Make no mistake my friends, I’ll give you one in a few moments:
NB: Tom Yum soup is composed of 3 main ingredients as shown in the picture below. Without these 3 ingredients, it is not a Tom Yum soup.
There are the quantities now for two people:
– 1 leaf of sweet basil or Thai basil.
– 4 sheets of kefir broken with the hands
– 1 small sliced French shallot
– 1 chilli or 1/2 chopped chilli (Gen vote for half a chilli, she thinks it’s enough)
– 1 tbsp. Galanga in chunks
– 1 stick of lemongrass in large pieces
– 1/4 of a block of tofu
– a handful of mushrooms (shiitake or oyster in small pieces – brunoise)
– 2 tbsp. soy sauce
– 1 1/2 cups of water
– The juice of 1/4 lime
– 4 to 6 shrimps or fish of your choice or half a cubed chicken breast …
– Replace soy sauce with fish sauce.
– Put all the ingredients in the casserole, except the lime, and let it boil to reduce by half. This will give you a concentrate, or commonly known as broth.
– Add water to make 2 portions of soup and the juice of a quarter of a lime.
– Taste and add soy sauce to taste if you wish!
Wishing you a great day. Let us know via comments if you would like us to repeat this experience.