Besides the essentiality of the food, and keeping our energy levels full, special dishes are a blessing to our soul. For many people is important how the food looks, and most importantly the taste of it since eating has turned into enjoyment rather than taking up the nutrients.
Every population has a different cuisine, and we use that as a category of dishes that we want to try next. For example, when going to an Italian restaurant, you don’t always go for pizza, since other things can be explored.
In general, European cuisine as a whole is different from the food outside that area. We have made this article to show you what makes European cuisine unique. This should help in motivating you to try out different dishes, or maybe get inspired and explore the various meals when visiting Europe next time.
Various plants and food sources
These regions are great agricultural locations so there are a lot of fruits and vegetables that are being produced. This is a factor of high importance since the dishes are enriched with many natural products that give flavor.
For example, you can rarely find a dish that has no garlic in it. In addition, tomatoes and peppers, as well as onions are just as common in European cuisine.
Since Europe has a lot of mountains, people are collecting shrooms and other goods from there. Many spices are wildly growing on the mountains. That is why European cuisine is almost completely organic.
A big use of meat
It is hard to imagine a dish without any meat in it. Europeans are one of the largest meat consumers, and they have developed different ways of preparation over the years. These dishes are now specialties that are attracting tourists to try something unusual.
In Eastern Europe, pork is the main meat that is being produced, and it can be noticed in various dishes. However, there is no meat from any source that is being missed. In Serbia, smoked meat products are one of the best.
On the other hand, in Italy, the delicatessen products are most popular, with thinly sliced meats such as prosciutto. Germany has been notorious for their wursts, or sausages that have the best quality meat, and an unbelievable taste.
Besides red meat, European cuisine is filled with fish and other seafood products. Northern countries have many fish dishes, as well as beef and pork options. The Mediterranean culinary world is something that you must try in your life.
Mix of cultures
The uniqueness of European cuisine comes mostly because of the mix of cultures. On a small continent, there are various nationalities with different cultures. Besides that, chefs learned recipes from across the continents and incorporated them well into various dishes.
In history, there were occupations from the stronger countries, so the cultures were being mixed. For example, the Balkan kitchen is filled with Turkish dishes because of the five centuries of occupation.
Cheese as a fundamental part of the cuisine
There are different types of cheese as a unique food product produced in Europe. Their quality cannot be matched anywhere in the world, so they serve as a recognizable European product.
France is the country that makes various cheese types. As a country with a lot of annual tourists, many people can enjoy the cheese tryout experience. You are being served various types of cheese, and with a combination of great wine, the experience cannot be matched.
Authentic feta is another product that you need to try in your life. It serves a big part of the Mediterranean kitchen, and it enriches various dishes and salads. Although you can find this product in a store near you, it is never the same as the original. For that reason, you should place Greece on the top priority list of places you need to visit.
Use of carbohydrates
Although carbs are an important constituent of every meal, in Europe it is being used in a different way than usual. While Asians use rice as their main source, in Europe flour and pastry are being used in almost every dish.
Take for example, the old-fashioned spoonbread. It is quite a unique European dish, so check out spoonbreadbistro.com to see how it’s prepared.
In Eastern Europe, you can notice how bread is eaten with every meal. In addition, they have many recipes where flour is the main ingredient. Starting from pitas, to pierogi, flour is even added to stews as a thickening agent combined with paprika powder.
Italy is already known for its recipes, and we all know their main ingredients. Both pizzas and pasta are made with the use of wheat grains. In addition, French recipes also use flour as the basic ingredient, as that can be seen in their most famous dishes, such as crepes or baguettes.
Using smoke
In preparation for some recipes, European people are burning plants or woods to create a special scent. This is being used for beverage preparation. However, smoke is usually being used in meat preparation. As we have mentioned above, in easter Europe, but in Serbia, especially meat is being aged using smoke to create one of the most delicious things you can try.
There are a lot of festivals there where people are showing their work, so you can try their products and buy them if you like them.
Love of alcoholic beverages
You cannot visit Europe without noticing how everyone is enjoying their glass of alcoholic beverage. In addition, you should not leave the country that you have visited without trying some of their best drinks.
Wine production is a tradition in many European countries. You can see grape fields across the whole continent. However, it is mostly being produced in Spain, France, or Italy. Their quality is on the level where even if you buy the cheapest option, it still tastes better than some of the expensive wines in other places of the world.
Beer is one of the most popular beverages and it’s the most consumed product in Europe. Every country produces its beer, and they are all proud of it thinking it is better than the others. However, Germany, the Czech, and Netherlands, as well as Belgium are the biggest producers.
Lastly, we have the hard drinks that are being enjoyed both in Europe, and other places of the world as well. We can begin with whiskey, and Ireland is the country that produces the best beverage, even worldwide. However, eastern Europeans are famous for their vodka production, as well as the plum brandy that originates in the Balkans.
Whenever you are visiting a European country, make sure you try out its cuisine, as well as its beverages, because you can hardly find the same thing somewhere else.
