An Overview On The Most Popular International Cuisines (Part 2)

Thai Cuisine

Thai food, like most Asian food, leans more on the spicy side but is not particularly hot.  Most people take to an instant liking to Thai food because it is pleasantly herbed and with just the right balance of hot, spicy, sour and bitter notes.  Lemongrass, coriander and lime juice are the dominant herbs.  A typical Thai meal almost always comes with rice.  Common food items include shrimp paste, fish sauce and noodles.

Japanese Cuisine

The emphasis of Japanese cuisine is on the seasonality of food, making use of nothing but the freshest ingredients.  Much care is also put on the presentation, which is described as clean, lean and light. Japanese chefs are known for undergoing the strictest of training. The city of Tokyo has even more top-ranked restaurants than the city of Paris. Japanese cuisine is also very healthy as the foods are low-fat and high-fiber.  It is a common sight to see white sticky rice, noodle soup, seafood, tofu and other soybean-derived food items and seasonings in a standard Japanese meal.

Spanish Cuisine

Because of Spanish expeditions and conquests, Spanish cuisine has both influenced the cookery of many countries and has, in turn, been influenced by the cuisine of other countries.  The confluence of influences makes Spanish cuisine very rich and diverse.  Purist Spanish food, however, can best be described as seafood-obsessed, obviously due to its being a coastal country.  Paella, a seafood and rice dish, is an iconic example.  The Spaniards are also known for their many fruit-and-wine cocktails called sangria.

Greek Cuisine

Greek cuisine shares characteristics with the cookery of Mediterranean countries such as Italy and Spain.  Much emphasis is stressed on the use of olive oil, considered the healthiest oil on earth.  Greek herbs are also used liberally and include oregano, garlic, onion, mint, dill, thyme, bay and laurel.  Greek desserts also make much use of the sweet herbs, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves.  The Greeks love to dine in a casual as opposed to a refined manner.  Festive, relaxed and in the company of family and friends, Greek dining is homely yet no less tasty.

Lebanese Cuisine

Lebanese cuisine is fast becoming popular today because of the full, robust and earthy flavors.  It is generally based on starches, vegetables and herbs.  Animal fat is used sparingly, and typically limited only to poultry, lamb or goat.  Vegetables are usually eaten raw in the form of herbed salads or pickles.  A Lebanese meal especially looks colorful because of the variety of raw or pickled vegetables.  It is a common practice in Lebanon to serve guest with no less than thirty small side dishes of an astounding variety of colors, textures and flavors.