FoodsoftheWorld

　　1.ChineseFood

　　Chinesefoodvariesbyregion.InnorthernChina,Mongolianinfluencesareevidentespeciallyintheuseofthefirepot.Riceisnotgrowninthenorth,sonoodles,soybeansandbreadsareusedmoreoften.Inthemountainousregionstothewest,spicyfoodsaremoreprevalent.TheseformsareSzechuanandHunan.Inthesouth,Cantonesestylesprevail.Freshfruitandseafoodarepopular.SteamedriceisanimportantpartofChinesefood.

　　TheChinesebelievethatfoodcanaffectone'shealth.Eatingtheproperfoodcanhelppreventdiseaseaswellasheal.InCantonesecooking,itisimportantthatyinandyangfoodsandcookingmethodsareusedinbalance.Bytakingintoconsiderationfactorssuchastheindividual'sage,digestivesystem,absorbingpower,andmetabolism,optimalhealthisachieved.Foodsalsosymbolizedifferentthings.Forexample,clamsrepresentwealthandprosperity.

　　2..GermanFood

　　Schmierkuchen

　　SchmierkuchenisaGerman-Bohemiancottagecheesecake.Usingsugar,flour,shortening,andyeast,apiecrustiscreatedandallowedtorise.Thedoughisthenrolledflatandplacedinsideapieplate,againbeinglefttorise.Whenthecrustisdoubleinsize,amixtureofcottagecheeseandbutterisplacedinthecrustandagarnishoffruitissmearedontop.Mostoftenthefruitofchoiceisprunesthathavebeenpitted,mashed,andsweetenedtotaste.Thecheesecakeisthenbakeduntilitisgoldenbrownandservedwithmanysummermeals.

　　Sauerkraut

　　Adishknownas"sourcabbage"probablydoesnotsoundappetizing,butmanyGermansandGerman-Americansfinditratherenjoyable.Tomakesauerkraut,onethinlyshredscabbagewhichisthenmixedwithsaltandplacedintoalargecontainer(barrelswereusedoriginally).Thecontaineriscoveredwithcheeseclothormuslin,thenwithaheavylidtoensurethatthecabbageisnotexposedtotheair.Thecabbageshouldbelefttofermentinitsownjuicesfor3to6weeks,althoughbrinemayneedtobeaddedifitisstartingtodryout.

　　Afterithasfermentedforseveralweeks,thesauerkrautisthenreadytobeeaten.Itissimmeredonthestoveandisoftenpreparedwithsausageorporkandaccompaniedbydumplings.

　　3..IndianFood

　　SpicesareanimportantpartofcookinginIndia.Commonspicesareturmeric,cardamon,ginger,coriander,nutmegandpoppyseed,whichareblendedtogether.VegetabledishesaremorecommoninIndiathaninEurope.PartofthereasonforthisistheinfluenceofHinduism.Hindusaretraditionallyvegetarian.MuslimshaveinfluencedthemeatdishesofIndia.Typicalmeatsare"Mughlaifood,kabobs,richKormas(curries)andnargisikoftas(meat-balls),thebiryani(alayeredriceandmeatpreparation),roganjosh,andpreparationsfromtheclayovenortandoorliketandoorirotisandandoorichicken"2

　　DifferencesexistbetweenthesouthandnorthpartsofIndia.Vegetabledishesaremorecommoninthesouth,andriceisthestaplefood.Inthenorth,riceisoftensubstitutedbybreads.

　　4..JapaneseFood

　　Japanesefoodemphasizespure,cleanflavors,andspicesareusedrarely.DuetoinfluencesfromBuddhism,mealsaremadeupoffoodswithfivedifferentcolorsandflavors.Thefiveflavorsincludedaresweet,spicy,salty,bitterandsour.Thefivecolorsincludedareyellow,black,white,green,andred.Mealsarealsomeanttobalance