Blog Post #3 Italy

In Italian traditional cooking, there is one type of food that is omnipresent. In nearly every meal, if not part of the main course, it is part of the side dish. Pasta! A simple food to make, yet nearly every Italian loves it. It has been around for almost 1000 years, and has been implemented in nearly every traditional Italian dish. Pasta is made of flour, egg, salt, and water. As you can clearly see, there is nothing complicated about the ingredients. This made it easy to produce for poor Italian families, and the food has been popular ever since. Because pasta is so easy to make, there is not any worries of it running out soon. Over the years, pasta has become a large economy, as there are high demands for fresh pasta, as well as dried pasta. Regardless, there is no doubt that pasta, along with the wide variety of sauces and dishes that it accompanies, will be a staple of Italian cuisine for a long time in the future. 

Healthy or Nah?

Blog Post #4

by Kayla Zeleny

April 21, 2015

From my earlier blogs, I mentioned that the food in the Slovenian cuisine consisted heavily of meats and starches. From this information, one might assume that consuming these types of food all of the time is unhealthy and may cause obesity among the people living in this society. However, there is a difference in how the food is prepared than how we prepare our food in America. When it comes to meat, Slovenian people feed their animals normally, adding no chemicals to the food consumed by these animals. This makes their meat safer to eat. the fruits and vegetables also differ from ours. There are no pestisides sprayed on crops and no chemicals added to make them last longer. Although the people in Slovenia may have to grocery shop a lot more often than we do to keep fresh food, it is we worth it to prepare a health and delicious meal. Overall, the food in Slovenia is healthier and more organic than the food in America. However, the desserts that are cooked for celebrations may contain a lot of sugar. With the Slovenian society getting a little more hectic with work and school, people have developed unhealthy eating habits such as skipping breakfast or having a late lunch. Fast food places such as McDonald's attracts people who are in a rush and need to grab a quick bite. With an obesity rate at 18.3% in 2012, it is still lower than the U.S., which is 28.6%. Similarly, there is an increase of obesity in both the U.S. and Slovenia. The famous saying, "you are what you eat" is very true. If you eat junk, you will not feel well. However if you eat healthy, you will tend to live a healthier lifestyle.

Blog Post #2 Italy

Italians love their food. Ask natives, and ask Italians you may find here in America. (I am proudly an Italian). We love our food, not only because it tastes delicious, but because there are countless memories associated with it. A personal example is of a special pasta sauce my family makes every Christmas. In order to get all of the ingredients needed, we drive down to Chicago, to Little Italy, and my grandma comes and speaks Italian to all of the store owners. She grew up here, and coming back makes her think of the delicious food her mom cooked for her. Now, my mom, taught by her, now cooks the same great food for me and my sister. Eventually my sister will learn the recipe, and she will pass it down. Food plays a huge role in the culture of Italy. It gives people, often family, but not always, a chance to come together, get away from the busy world, laugh and talk, and enjoy a great meal. Ironically, one of the largest feasts in Italian culture is Christmas. Family members gather, and cook food for everyone.As you can see below, Italian families are usually large, and very loud. Family is important in the Italian culture, but food with your family is a much bigger part. The picture below was from the website: (http://www.writeonnewjersey.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Italian-American-Family-Easter-Dinner.bmp)

Blog Post #1 Italy

In Italy, lunch is the main meal of the day. Called il pranzo, it is often more than just one course, it often consists of an appetizer, a first course, the main course, and then dessert after. Italian cuisine is usually supplemented by seafood, because of the geographic location of the country. It is not uncommon to find Italian dishes that include fish, octopus, and even sea urchins. Pizza is a known favorite of Italy, and it gained its popularity after, Queen Margherita of Italy tried it, and immediately fell in love with it. She ordered her chef to make it for her, with the colors of the Italian flag. The crust was white, the paste red, and the basil green. Below is a picture of the Italian coast. I included this picture because it shoeshows how living by the ocean has affected the food culture of Italy. In the picture, you can not only see the gorgeous ocean view, but if you look carefully you can see many boats dotting the ocean. They are fishing for food, and most likely for local, family owned fisheries. This way, local chefs can always have the most fresh supplies, in order to make the best food possible. Because a majority of Italy is surrounded by water, seafood has played a major role in implementing itself into the staple of native Italians' diets. The picture is from this website: (http://khongthe.com/wallpapers/nature/beautiful-italian-coastal-town-222698.jpg)

The French Diet ~Blog Post #4~ April 20, 2015 by Sarah Koesser

Just as most developed countries, France has a wide arrange of foods that appeal to meat lovers, vegetarians, sweets cravers, and flavor adventurists! Just as us Americans are known for our bottomless buffets, the French are known for their lingering meals that include several courses. The French’s day consists of three meals; breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Breakfast in France is light and is paired with a drink, usually coffee, being just as important as the food. During lunchtime you can find the French either sitting down and enjoying a full course meal with a glass of wine or grabbing a quick sandwich from a street vendor. Dinners can depend on the week and how big your lunch was, Dinners may be simple or longer and feature more courses. In the 1960s a movement called “Nouvelle Cuisine” was introduced as a different and new approach to French cuisine. Nouvelle cuisine consisted of lighter and more delicate dishes that had an emphasis on looks and presentation. Chefs who practiced Nouvelle cuisine went shopping to the market every morning and looked for the very best products. These chefs never used and preservatives, deep-frozen food, or any other products that were not completely fresh. Less food was served and to make up for the lack of quantity the chefs served higher quality foods. While researching my topic I found several sources talking about how French diets and how their secrets can affect your health and happiness in a positive way. I read about how the French eat mindfully and that mindful eating helps with digestion and pleasure while also reduces calorie intake, stress hormones, and weight gain. Another tip I picked up was that just as the French you must know and accept the price of quality food and to also buy from your local market. By purchasing from local marketers just as the French do you get to enjoy unprocessed, nutrient dense, fresh foods. You also support local and seasonal food which is vital to the nation’s health. The French’s take on diet is not exactly the same as us Americans because instead of eliminating food the French learn to appreciate it more.

Southern American Post #4

Southern American diets are not considered healthy in any sense on the word. Due to the high intake of carbohydrates and grease in the Souths food, occupants are more susceptible to obesity and heart disease than the rest of the United States.   Some foods that are very unhealthy in the Southern Americans diet is hush puppies. Hush puppies are balls of corn meal baked together and fried. As of today no one has found an alternative to hush puppies. The explanation to that is that hush puppies are freaking delicious. While the rest of the United States is going towards are more slim diet, us southerners are still eating our fried chicken, catfish, and hush puppies. Even though these foods aren't great for you physical health, you cant beat the food when it comes to that bump in the road or the hill you got to get over. The food gives you comfort and confidence to do as you please.  

Southern American Post #3

Meat is a very large part of a southern American's diet. The meat primarily ate by southerns is pork, beef, and chicken.  These meats can be easily prepared into many dishes or skillfully crafted into others. One southern staple that applies to all three meats is the classic barbecue.  Barbecue has very different tastes and textures as you go state to state. A major reason why southern Americans eat so much meat is because in the early days of the United States and the Thirteen Colonies the south was the main provider of cattle, hogs, and chicken to the northern colonies.

http://www.southernsoulbbq.com/cateringmenu.html

http://j.theadsnet.com/j5GWWHfEoV502pJ9a8qzJm3JsGFhtbsicvnsfyr81WYr6pEuUrXUYwCl32IMrIJeH%2BjHXgfYz14P09scToFsFgPdMUdzxD9LcsY7