Each country has its own culinary signature: the USA is famous for its juicy burgers, Germany for Bavarian sausages, Italy for a variety of pizza and pasta. However, true gourmets know that in national cuisines there are also unusual dishes, popular mainly among local residents and conveying the true flavor.
Andrew Zimmern, TV presenter, food critic and food expert, travels around the world, tastes the weirdest dishes and talks about them in his author's show "Fancy Food with Andrew Zimmern". All seven seasons in each episode, Andrew travels to a new country, where he tries a wide variety of food, served in the best restaurants, street eateries, food trucks and markets. Andrew says he is looking for a "taste of life" and thus gets to know the history and culture of a particular region. For his contribution to the development of international gastronomy, Andrew was awarded the Effie Prize and became the winner of the James Beard Foundation Prize three times.
Travel Channel, the travel entertainment channel, and Andrew Zimmern, host of Food Fancy with Andrew Zimmern, open the door to a world of gastronomic adventure and share food traditions from around the world with you.
France
Traditional French cuisine dates back to the time of Louis XIII. The king himself loved to eat, so the chefs at the court created real edible masterpieces. Since that time, France has been famous for its wines, cheeses and seafood dishes: snails, oysters and mussels.
The French themselves cannot imagine their life without delicious snails in garlic sauce, mussels in white wine and, of course, frog legs. Despite the wide popularity of the latter, not everyone decides to try it. However, connoisseurs of exotic dishes claim that in reality the frog legs resemble … chicken with a slight river flavor.
One cannot but try the famous French onion soup. It is usually served in bread with lots of delicious processed cheese and, of course, onions. This dish is a true classic of French cuisine.
Roasted chestnuts are another popular and unusual delicacy. This dish can be bought almost everywhere: in restaurants in Paris, during an excursion to Versailles or on the Seine River. The unusual taste of roasted chestnuts cannot be described in words, it is absolutely unlike anything else and, having tasted this dish, it is difficult to forget it.
Croatia
Croatia is a country that is supposedly created for gastronomic tourism. Croats themselves say that when you are offered “a little snack,” it means that you will not leave the table hungry.
This is not to say that any specific types of food are popular in Croatia - fish, meat, sweets - the locals generally love to eat deliciously! For example, there is a popular dish called "kulen", which is a chopped pork sausage with lots of paprika and spices. It is because of the amount of paprika that the sausage acquires a pungent taste and a reddish tint. Kulen is so popular that in some regions of Croatia a holiday is even held in honor of him - the annual Kulenijada sausage festival.
Fans of fish dishes should definitely try the risotto with seafood and cuttlefish ink. Thanks to the latter, the dish acquires a black hue, which certainly looks original and exotic, and the risotto itself is so delicious that you definitely want to order another portion.
And finally, you should try the roasted rooster. This is a real festive dish that will delight you with its exquisite taste and wonderful aroma. The rooster is pre-marinated in wine and then fried with vegetables and mushrooms. It turns out not only delicious, but also satisfying.
Netherlands
Traditionally, Dutch cuisine is renowned for its simplicity - a variety of pies, potato dishes, sandwiches and meat stews. The proximity to the sea has had a significant impact on the culinary traditions of the Netherlands, so herring is considered another traditional dish. There are a huge number of recipes for this fish, subjected to different culinary methods. The Dutch themselves eat fresh herring without any clever tricks: the fish is cut into two halves, sprinkled with onions on top and sent whole into the mouth, holding by the tail. This dish, which is so close to our compatriots, is called "haring". Sometimes the herring is eaten like a hot dog - cut in half, put in a bun and sprinkled with onions. A more exotic but still popular panharing dish is fried herring. And although there are legends about how fried herring smells, it is definitely worth a try!
We must not forget that the Netherlands are on a par with France in terms of cheese production. Hard classic Dutch varieties - Edam, Gouda, Maasdam - will not leave you indifferent.
Israel
With its long and complex history, Israel is an incredible mix of different cultures and traditions. This ethnic fusion is reflected in gastronomy as well.
Everyone has heard more than once about the extremely popular dish - hummus. It is made from chickpeas and olive oil, garlic, onions, lemon juice and spices are also added. This dish can be either an appetizer or a side dish or main course.
Due to Arab influence, falafel is extremely popular in Israel. All the streets of Tel Aviv and Haifa are literally lined with tents and restaurants where you can taste it. Locals call falafel the "Israeli hamburger". A serving of this dish is served in pita with pickled vegetables, salad and tahini. Falafel balls, made from hummus seeds, sometimes from beans, are mixed with parsley and various spices. This dish is so delicious that some people eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner, especially since it is much healthier than classic street food and does not contain a lot of cholesterol.
There are many other must-try dishes in Israel: gefilte fish (stuffed fish), liver pate, forshmak (herring pate), matzebray (matzo dish), kugel (a dish with noodles and cracklings) and tsimes (dessert of vegetables with sugar). All these dishes reflect the versatility and diversity of Israel's culture, in which the Arab, Jewish and European worlds intertwine.
Guatemala
The traditional cuisine of Guatemala, like the cuisine of neighboring countries - Mexico, Honduras and El Salvador, has absorbed Indian and Spanish customs, which have mixed with each other. The most common ingredients are maize, beans, and rice in all sorts of combinations.
One of the most popular dishes is tamales. This is a variety of vegetables, wrapped in a banana leaf. At the very heart of such a roll, meat is always present.
Some areas of Guatemala have preserved the traditions of ancient Indian cuisine, which is characterized by the use of wild meat. For example, opossum meat is considered a delicious delicacy. It is cooked in all sorts of variations - with vegetables, with corn porridge - polenta and grilled. Most of the recipes for this dish date back to Mayan times, so if you want to truly experience the traditions of Guatemala, be sure to try it.
