Tell me
what you eat and i´ll tell what you are. My mother always told me that it´s important to eat healthy cause it´s the fuel for your body. Around the world you can find loads of exciting traditional meals. In Norway f.ex we have two specialities called Fish eggs and Lie fish. And one thing I learned early in my childhood was how to prepare a fish. In Japan they eat a fish called Fugu, which is one of the most poisonous meal in the world. My favorite meal would probably be bacalao which is a spanish cuisine. Around in Southampton you can also find people from many different cultures, and St. Marys is one of them.
Meal is a book about food and traditional meals around the world. My journey through this subject has been hard because it´s such a broad subject to work from. But after a while i finally ended on traditional meals. The reason why, I have always loved food from all parts of the world and in your nutrition i think it´s important to try and eat loads of different food, that´s how i been raised. And after moving to England i thought it was hard to adapt to the english traditional meals, cause i´m used to the norwegian.
In todays society i feel that the old traditional meals are starting to faint away, probably because people travel more around the world and constantly bring new meals into their country. So alot of the meals I eat in Norway I could also find in England. in this book I want to try and look up traditional meals, and talk to the pepole that eat it. I also think it´s interesting that people from other parts of the world can eat lizzards which is is normal fore them, while i can eat things that other people would find disgusting.
My meal
Monday Omelette
Wednesday Vegetable Soup
Tuesday Wok
Thursday Tomato Soup
Saturday Steak and Vegetables
Friday Fish pai
Sunday
Salmon Wraps
My mother
"Let´s have some cinnamon on the fish” or “ Some orange juice on the snitzels” Heard in the kitchen. Like experimenting with loads of different food.
Favourite spices cinnamon, nutmeg, garlic, ginger
and chili. Think it´s really important to eat around the dinner table as a family. Dinner is the most important meal of the day. In her childhood they always ate soup before dinner and desserts on Sundays.
Tomatoes and oregano
make it Italian; wine and tarragon make it French.
Sour cream makes it Russian; lemon and cinnamon make it Greek. Soy sauce makes it Chinese; garlic makes it good.
Sweden Norway The norwegian meal is based largely on the raw materials readily available in Norway and it´s mountains, wilderness and coast. It differs in many respects from it´s continental counerparts with a stronger focus on game and fish. Modern Norwegian meal, although still strongly influenced by its traditional background, now bears the marks of globalization and Americanization: pastas, pizzas and the like are as common as meatballs and cod as staple foods, and urban restuarants sport the same selection one would expect to find in any Western European City. Traditional meal in Norway is Fårikål also called Mutton stew: Very simple preparation: Cabbage and mutton is layered in a big pot along with black pepper, salt (and in some recipes, wheat flour to thicken the sauce), covered with water and simmered until the meat is very tender. Potatoes on the side. Lutefisk also called lyed fish: is a modern preparation made of stockfish (dried cod or klippfisk) that has been steeped in lye. It was prepared this way because refrigeration was nonexistent and they needed a way to preserve the fish for longer periods. Traditional meal around Christmas time.
Due to Swedens large north-south expanse there have always been regional differences in the Swedish meal. Historically, in the far north, meats such as reindeer, and other (semi-) game dishes were eaten, some of which have their roots in the sami culture, while fresh vegetables have played a larger role in the South. Many traditional dishes employ simple, contrasting flavours, such as the traditional dish of meatballs and gravy with tart, pungent lingonberry jam (slightly similar taste to cranberry sauce).
China The chineese food have become increasingly popular in many parts of the world. From Asia to the americas, Australia, Western Europe and Southern Africa. The history of the Chineese cuisine stretches back for many centuries and produced both change from period to period and variety in what could be called traditional Chineese food, leading Chineese to pride themselves on eating a wide range of foods. Major traditions include Anhui, Cantonese, Fujian, Hunan, Jiangsu, Shandong, Szechuan and Zhejiang cuisines. The three main criteria for good Chineese food are: colour, aroma and taste.
Mexico
Russia Soups have always played an important role in the Russian meal. The traditional staple of soups such as borscht, Shchi, Ukha, Rassolnik, Solyanka, Botvinya, Okroshka, and Tyurys was enlarged in the 18th to 20th centuries by both european and central Asian staples like clear soups, pureed soups, stews and many others. Russian soups can be divided into at least seven large groups. * Chilled soups based on kvass, such as tyurya, okroshka, and botvinya.
* Light soups and stews based on water and vegetables, such as swekolnik.
* Noodle soups with meat, mushrooms, or milk.
* Soups based on cabbage, most prominently Schi. * Thick soups based on meat broth, with a saltysour base like rassolnik and solyanka. * Fish soups such as Ukha.
* Grain- and vegetable-based soups.
Mexican cuisine is a style of food which is primarily a fusion of indigenous Mesoamerican cooking with European, especially Spanish, cooking developed after the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire. The basic staples remain native corn, beans and chili peppers but the spanish introduced a large number of other foods, the most important of which were meat from domesticated animals (beef, pork, chicken, goat and sheep), dairy products (especially cheese) and various herbs and spices. In most of Mexico, much of food, especially in rural areas, is still consumed in the home with the most traditional Mexican cooking is still done domestically, based on local ingridients. Cooking for family is considered to be woman´s work, including cooking for celebrations. Traditionally girls have been considered ready to marry when they can cook and cooking is considered a main talent for housewives. The main meal of the day in Mexico is the “comida” which is eaten between 2 and 5pm. It begins with soup, often chicken broth with pasta or a dry soup which is pasta or rice flavored with onions, garlic and vegetables. The main course is a meat served in a cooked sauce with salsa on the side, accompanied with beans and tortillas and often with a fruit drink. In the evening, it is common to eat leftovers from the comida or sweet bread accompanies by coffe or chocklate.
Lutefisk (Norwegian) is a traditional dish of the Nordic
needed. Eventually, the lutefisk is ready to be cooked.
fish) or dried salted whitefish (klippfisk) and lye. It is
water and must therefore be cooked carefully so that it
countries. It is made from aged Stockfish (air-dried Whitegelatinous in texture, and has an extremely strong, pungent odor. Its name literally means “lye fish.”
The first treatment is to soak the stockfish in cold water for five to six days (with the water changed daily). The
saturated stockfish is then soaked in an unchanged solution of cold water and lye for an additional two days. The fish swells during this soaking, and its
protein content decreases by more than 50 percent
producing a jelly-like consistency. When this treatment is finished, the fish (saturated with lye) has a ph value of 11–12 and is therefore caustic. To make the fish
edible, a final treatment of yet another four to six days of soaking in cold water (also changed daily) is
After the preparation, the lutefisk is saturated with
does not fall into pieces. To create a firm consistency in lutefisk, it is common to spread a layer of salt over the fish half an hour before it is cooked. This will
“release” some of the water in the fish meat. The salt
must be rinsed off before cooking.Lutefisk is usually
served with a variety of side dishes, including, but not
limited to bacon, green peas, green pea stew, potatoes, lefse, gravy, mashed rutabaga, white sauce, melted or
clarified butter, syrup, goat cheese, or “old” cheese. Side dishes vary greatly from family-to-family and region-to-region, and can be a source of jovial
contention when eaters of different “traditions” of lutefisk dine together.
How to prepare a fish:
1. Wash the fish, put it on a
4. Cut over the head from underneath.
2. Use a sharp knife, cut up the abdomen.
5. After cutting, tear off the head by using your hands. Finish!
chopping board.
3. Afterwards, take all the organs out from the fish.
Tomato Knife
Chefs Knife
Santoku Knife
Bread Knife
Grapefruit Knife
Paring Knife
e
Fish Knife
Cleaver
Slicer Knife
Softcheese Knife
Fugu is the Japanese word for pufferfish and is one
of the most poisonus foods in the world. Therefore, it must be carefully prepared to remove toxic parts and to avoid contaminating the meat. The restaurant preparation of fugu is strictly controlled by law in Japan and several other countries, and only chefs who have qualified through rigorous training are allowed to deal with the fish. Domestic preparation occasionally leads to accidental death. Fugu is served as sashimi and chirinabe. Some consider the liver the tastiest part but it is also the most poisonous, and serving this organ in restaurants was banned in Japan in 1984. Fugu has become one of the most celebrated and notorious dishes in Japanese cuisine. The inhabitants of Japan have eaten fugu for centuries. Fugu bones have been found in several shell mounds, called kaizuka, from the jomon period that date back more than 2,300 years. The torafugu, or tiger blowfish, is the most prestigious edible species and the most poisonous. The Ministry of health Labour and welfare of Japan provides a list that shows which species’ body parts can be consumed.
Since 1958 fugu chefs must also earn a license to prepare and sell fugu to the public. This involves a two- or three-year apprenticeship. The licensing examination process consists of a written test,a fish-identification test, and a practical test, preparing and eating the fish. Only about 35 percent of the applicants pass. Small miscalculations result in failure or, in rare cases, death. Consumers believe that this training process makes it safer to eat fugu in restaurants or markets. Also, commercially available fugu is sometimes grown in environments in which it grows to be less toxic. Tetrodotoxin (TTX) is a potent neurotoxin that shuts down electrical signaling in nerves by binding to the pores of Sodium channel proteins in nerve cell membranes. Tetrodotoxin is not affected by cooking. It does not cross the blood brain-barrier, leaving the victim fully conscious while paralyzing the muscles. In animal studies with mice, 8 ug tetrodotoxin per kg body weight killed 50% of the mice. The pufferfish itself is not susceptible to the poison because of a mutation in the protein sequence of its cells’ sodium channel.
1. What was the most difficult part by being a waiter? The most difficult part of my job was dealing with complaints in a busy environment,
working unsociable hours and trying t manage multiple guests at the same time.
2. What would you do if a customer sent a meal back? If a customer sent back a meal I would first enquire what the problem was and ask how they would like me to solve the issue. This could be
anything from asking them if they would like the same meal again but cooked differently or if they would like
6.How did you handle situations where a customer didn´t like his meal?
(I told them to put some Ketchup on it) If a customer was unhappy with their meal I would apologise and ask what the problem was and if they would like it cooked differently or would like something else instead. Mainly because people like certain areas of food such as steak and vegetables cooked very particular ways and their opinion can vary from the chefs.
7.Would you prefer to eat a good meal at a restaurant or cook it yourself?
3. What is your favorite meal?
That’s hard...I think restaurants can have great environments and be a lot more relaxing but I like the pride of buying everything and making something from scratch that makes it more personal.
mash potato and vegetables.
8. What´s a traditional meal to you?
an alternative if it is not what they expected.
My favourite meal would probably be Fish Pie with
4. How did you handle customer complaints? If a customer was to complain
I
would ask them what they are unhappy about, whether
it be the service or the food and also ask them how their meal and experience in the venue could be improved. I would make it a priority to sort out the problem so they
could carry on with their meal as soon as possible. If the
customer was really unhappy with their meal may also be discounted or items may be removed from the bill.
5. What did you think about your customers table manners? The majority of
customers have good table manners.
A traditional meal to me is something that is usually home made and has been around for a very long time and is particular to a specific country. For me it would be things like, sausage and mash, beef hot pot, sunday roast as these are all classic dishes.
9. Why did you want to work as a waiter? (For the tips, haha) I wanted to work as a waiter to be more confident meeting new and different types of people and learn how to work in a team and a busy environment.
Interview of: Damon Harryman
Went to St. Marys to see if I could find people from different countries and cultures. And try to talk to them about their food.
Kuldap from India: Think that everyone should pray minimum half an hour every day before dinner. Bisachi which is a festival is the most important
holiday in the year, mainly because of all the food and
the people that come together. Traditional meal is Ruthi which he eat twice a day everyday with vegetable and
meat. Specific ingredients that he use in his food is alot of spices, some of them are chili powder and Kuman seeds.
Kaardio from Iraq:Eat loads of different
dishes in one meal. When they have people over they can cook up to 7 different meals to say welcome to eachother. They start with eating soup before the dinner, and
afterwards they have fruit and tea as desserts. The most important holiday for him is Christmas. In his culture they also use the food to bring their family and friends
together. And it is important to share. His traditional meal is Dolma, Kofta and Koba.
Sissi from China: Eat three times a day, her food contains loads of vegetables, meat and chicken. The most important holiday for her is in May, October
and Band Holiday. Her traditional meal is Roast duck
chineese style and Roast pork. In her family they use the food to bring everyone together, but she doesn´t feel
that the food says anything about her identity. Special ingredients that she use in her food is alot of vegetables.
References: Text Traditional meals, Lutefisk and Fugu:
www.wikipedia.com
Illustration: Frida Tveiten