Brittin_FoodAndCulture

7/27/2019 Brittin_FoodAndCulture

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Dr. Helen C. Brittin

Professor Emeritus

Nutrition, Hospitality, & Retailing

The Food and Culture Around the World Handbook

The Food and Culture Around the World Handbook (367 pages, soft cover) is a brief reader

reference. It profiles the food and culture of each of the 195 countries in the world.


2/35


3/35

TL NTIC

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~ ~ o r ~ R A S

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4/35

THE FOOD AND CULTURE ROUND

THE WORLD

H NDBOOK

Helen C Brittin

Professor Emeritus

Texas Tech University Lubbock

D TE

DUE

Prentice

Hall

Boston

o

lumbus Indianapolis New York San Francisco Upper Saddle iver

msterdam Cape Town Dubai London Madrid Milan Munich Pari s Montrea l Toronto

Delhi Mexi

co

City Sao Paul o Sydney Hong Kong Seoul Singapore Taipei Tok

yo


5/35

Editor

in

Chief:

Ve

rnon Anthony

Acquisi tions Editor: W

illi

am Lawrensen

Editorial Assistant: Lara Dimmick

Director

of

Marketing:

David Gese

ll

Senior Marketing Coordinator: Alicia W

oz

niak

Campaign Marketing Manager: Leigh

nn

Sims

Curriculum Marketing Manager: Thomas Hayward

Marketing Assistant:

Le

s Roberts

Senior Managing Editor: Alexa nd rina Benedicto Wolf

Project Manager: Wanda Rockwe ll

Senior

Operations

Supervisor: Pat Tonneman

Creative Director: Jayne Conte

Cover Art: iStockphoto

Full-Service Project Management: Integra Software Services,

Ltd

.

Composition

: Integra Software Services , Ltd.

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Text Font: 9.5/

11

Garamond

Credits and acknow ledgments borrowed from other so

ur

ces and reproduced, with permission, in this tex tboo k

appear on ap prop riate page within text.

Copyright 2011

Pearson

Education Inc.

publishing

as Prentic e Hall

Upper

Saddle River NewJersey

7458. Al l rights rese

rv

ed. Manu

fa

ctured in the United States of America. This publica tion protected by Copy

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ght,

and perm ission should be obtained from the publisher prio r to any prohibited reproduction, storage in a retrieval

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Ma ny of the designations by manufacturers and se ller to distinguish the ir products are

cl

a

im

ed as trademarks. Where

hose designa tions

app

ear

in

this b

oo

k, and the pub

li

sher was aware

of

a trademark claim, the designations have

been printed in i

ni ti

al caps o r a

ll

caps.

i

rary of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Brittin, Helen C.

The Food and culture around the

wo

rld handboo k/ Helen C. Brittin.

p

cm.

Includes bib liographical references and index.

ISBN-1

3:

978-0-13-507481-7 a lk. paper)

ISBN-10: 0-1 3-507481-9 a lk. paper)

1. Diet andboo k

s

manuals, etc.

3. Cookery andboo ks, manual

s

etc.

TX353.B6985 2

011

394.1


6/35

PREF CE

Culture, a pattern

or

design for living, allows individuals in social groups to live together in relative

harmony through shared values, beliefs,

and

practices. The variety

of

social groups in the world

and

diversity

of

the environmental contexts in which they live lead to great intergroup variation in val

ues, beliefs, and practices that arise in an attempt to meet the basic

needs

of existence, including

food and nutrition. Similarly, individuals have

many

different life experiences that contribute to

intragroup variation in the degree of adherence to norms in their culture. Members of a society often

have different interpretations of the same situation because of factors such as age, income, educa

tion level,

and

religion.

Food

and

nutrition profeSSionals, as well as persons from all walks of life , need quick access

to information to interact effectively with individuals from different cultural groups. This is espe

cially important

now

in the United States because recent population changes have resulted in

an

increasingly culturally diverse society. This pocket guide is a resource containing basic cultural

and

geographic information

about

cultural groups throughout the world. t

is intended

to provide a

snapshot

of

the cultural diversity that exists and that

we

must understand to fulfill

our

dual roles as

citizens and providers

of

competent education

and

care, including food service. The author encour

ages the

reader

to use the book as

an

introduction to the diversity

of

factors that affect values,

beliefs, and practices related to food and nutrition. The reader can use the

book

as an initial step

ping stone to multicultural competence in providing food and nutrition education

and

care to a cul

turally diverse population

and

to gain a better understanding

of

ones self

The

purpose of

this guide is to help focus attention on the potential variations a culturally di

verse client

or

student may,

or

may not, exhibit.

ne

needs to

be

aware

of

the cultural factors such

as ava ilability of food , income,

and

religion which might influence a person s food practices and

preferences in order to address them in nutrition assessment, education,

and

care. The facts must

not

be

converted into stereotypes by the user. Use this guide to start increaSing your awareness

and

understanding

of

potential similarities

and

differences.

Then

build on this information with an indi

vidualized cultural assessment.

This

book

is

also

about

food

of

countries throughout the world . Included

is

information

on

influences on food, usual foods listed in food groups, seasonings, typical dishes, national dish

if

there

is one

, special occasion foods , beverages , meals

and

service, and street food and snacks. This

information

is

included for each

co

u

ntlY

if

it is

available . The information

on

food is designed to

be

used with the information

on

culture in this book.

The

book is

designed to

be

a convenient, brief reader and reference

on

food

and

culture

of

all

the countries of the world. As of mid-2009, there are 195 nations in the world. The book profiles the

culture and food of the 195 countries, in alphabetical order. Certain regions and territories that are

not

independent

nations can be found in the entIy for the governing nation. The book will be use

ful to people who are already interested in food

and

it may spark an interest in food of

people

throughout the wo rld to others who read it


7/35

THE UTHOR

Helen C. Brittin, PhD , RD

LD

, FADA CFCS , Professor Emeritus of Food and Nutrition at Texas Tech

University, created the course on cultural aspects of food at Texas Tech University and taught thou-

sands

of

students

in

the

course. She is a Registered Dietitian, Licensed Dietitian, Fellow

of the

American Dietetic Association, and is Celtified n Family and Consumer Sciences. n active researcher,

she has

more

than 100 presentations

and

publications, including a classic textbook. Her research is

on meat,

sensory

evaluation, wine, iron

in

food,

and

cultural aspects of food. Active in teaching ,

research, and service , she has served as President of the Texas Dietetic Association and received

university, state, and national awards including the Texas Dietetic Association 2000 Distinguished

Dietitian Award. She was recognized by Florida State University with a Centennial Award n 2005. In

addition to degrees from Florida State University and Texas Tech University,

she

has taken graduate

courses in cultural aspects of food at New York University and Washington State University. She also

did a Mini

Development

Leave at the University of California, Davis. Dr. Brittin has

served

as a

Professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and Middle East Technical University

n

Ankara ,

Turkey. She has served as the International Federation for

Home

Economics Research Committee

chairperson

and

was

instrumental in increasing research presentations at IFHE World Congresses.

She has traveled to numerous countries throughollt the

world

in her research, teaching,

and

service.

Dr.

Brittin s avid and longtime interest in

people and

their food has culminated in this book.


8/35

CKNOWLEDGMENT

The following sources were especially helpful in the preparation of this manuscript nd deserve

special recognition for their contributions. These sources are cited for demographic economic nd

geographical data.

Time lmanac 2009 Chicago IL Encyclopedia Britannica Inc. 2009.

The World lmanac and Book ofFacts 2009 Pleasantville NY World Almanac Books 2009.


9/35

ONTENTS

ountries

Afghanistan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Albania . .

. . .

.3

Algeria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

.5

Andorra . . . . . . . . . .6

Angola . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Antigua and Barbuda . . . . . . . . . . . . .

.9

Argentina . . . . . . . . 10

Armenia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Australia .

. . . . . . .

14

Austria .

.

. .

.

. .

. . . .

16

Azerbaijan .

. .

. .

. .

18

B

Bahamas, The . . . .

. .

. 20

Bahrain .

. . . . . . . . .

. .

. . .

21

Bangladesh . .

.

. . .

. .

23

Barbados .

. . . . .

.

. . .

. .24

Bela

rus .

. .

.

.

. .

26

Belgium .

. . . . .

.

.

.

. .

.

27

Belize .

. .

.

.

.

29

Benin . . .

.

.

. . . . . . . . .30

Bhutan .

.

. .

.

.

.32

Bolivia .

.

. .

.

.

.

.33

Bosn ia and He rzegovina . . . . . . . . .

.35

Botswana .

. . . . . .

.37

Brazil . . . . .

.

. . . . . . . .38

Brunei . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40

Bulgaria . . . . . . . . . .42

Burkina Faso . . . . . . . . . . .44

Burma see Myanmar . .

. .

. . . .45

Burundi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

c

Cambodia . . .

. . . . . . . .47

Came

roon .

. . . . . .

.4

9

Canada . . . . . . . .

. .

. . . . .

.50


10/35

X ontents

Cape Verde . ..

. . .52

Central African Republic .54

Chad . .. .. . . . . . .55

Chile . . . . . . . .. .57

China . . .. . .59

Colombia .

..

. .

.62

Comoros . . .. .. .

. . 64

Congo

formerly

Zaire) 5

Congo Republic 7

Costa Rica

..

. . . .

.. ..

. . 68

Cote D ivoire

..

. .

70

Croatia .

..

..

. .

. .

1

Cuba .

. . .

.73

Cyprus . .

..

..

.

. . .. ..

. .

. . ..

75

Czech Republic . .

77

D

Denmark 79

Djibouti .

..

. .

81

Dominica . .

.. .. ..

. . 82

Dominican Republic .

. . .

.. 83

E

East Timor see Timor-Leste)

.. .. . . ..

.

..

86

Ecuador . . . . .. .. . . . . . . .. 86

Egypt .

.. ..

87

I Salvador . . . .. .. . . .

. . .. . .. .89

Equatorial Guinea . . . .

. .91

Eritrea . .. . . 3

Estonia .. . . . .. .. . . .. . 94

Ethiopia .. . . . .. .. .. .95

F

Fiji .

. .. .

.98

Finland . . . .

..

. . . .. . .

..

. . 99

France .

..

. ..

..

. . 101

G

Gabon

..

. .

..

.. . ..

..

. .105

Gambia,The

..

. . .

106

Georg

a

.

..

.

.

..

.

108

Germany

..

.

..

..

. .

..

..

..

.. . . .

..

110

Ghana . . .

.

..

. .. .. 112

Greece .. .

..

. .

..

.

.. ..

. .

..

.114


11/35

ontents

Grenada . 116

Guatemala . . 118

Guinea . . . . 120

Guinea-Bissau . . . .

121

Guyana . . . 123

H

Haiti . . . . . 125

Honduras . . . .126

Hungary . . . . .

. . .128

Iceland . . . . . . . .

. .131

India . . 132

Indonesia . . .

136

Iran . . . .

. . . 138

Iraq .

140

Ireland . . . . . . . 142

Israel . . . . . .

. 144

Italy . . .

.

147

Ivory Coast see Cote D ivoire) . . .

. 150

J

Jamaica . . .

. .

.

.

.

151

Japan . . . . . . . . .

152

Jordan . . .

. 155

K

Kazakhstan . . . . .158

Kenya . . . .159

Kiribati . . . . . . . 161

Korea, North .

. . .163

Korea, South . 165

Kosovo . . . . 167

Kuwait . . . . 169

Kyrgyzstan . . . .170

L

Laos

. .

.

.

. 173

Latvia . . . . . . . 174

Lebanon . . . . . 176

Lesotho . . . .

. . . . . . .178

Liberia . .

.179

Libya . . . . . . . 180

Liechtenstein . . .

.

. . . .182


12/35

x

ontents

Lithuania . .

. . .

183

Luxembourg . . . . . 185

M

Macedonia 187

Madagascar . 188

Malawi .

.

.

.

190

Malaysia .

191

Maldives . . . 193

Mali . . . 194

Malta . . .

. .

196

Marshallisiands . . . . . . 197

Mauritania . . . . . . . . . . . .199

Mauritius . . . . . 200

Mexico . . . . 201

Micronesia .

.

.

.

.

.204

Moldova .

205

Monaco . .

.

.

. . .

207

Mongolia . .

. .

208

Montenegro .

. .210

Morocco .

.

.

211

Mozambique .

.

. . . .

.214

Myanmar (formerly Burma) .

.

.

215

N

Namibia . . . .218

Nauru .

.

. . . .219

Nepal . . . . . . . . . .

221

Netherlands . . . . . . . . 223

New Zealand .

. . . . .225

Nicaragua . .227

Niger . . . 228

Nigeria . . . . . . .230

Norway . . . . 231

o

Oman .

. . .

. . .

.234

p

Pakistan . . . . .

.

. . .

. .236

Palau .

. . . . . 238

Panama . . . . . . .

.

. .

. .

23 9

Papua New Guinea . . . . . .

241

Paraguay .

. . . .

243


13/35

ontents

Peru .244

Philippines . . . .. . . . 246

Poland .. . . . 248

Portugal ..

250

Q

Qatar

..

.

..

.

..

.

.

.

253

R

Romania

..

.

..

. .

..

. . .255

Russia

..

. . . 257

Rwanda .

. . ..

..

.

..

. . .259

s

Saint Kitts and Nevis . . . .262

Saint Lucia ..

..

.

..

263

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines .

. . . ..264

Samoa

formerly

Western Samoa .266

San

Marino .

..

.. .

.

.. ..

.267

Sao Tome and Principe . .

.

..

.. . . . . . . .

..

.

..

. .269

Saudi Arabia

..

. 270

Senegal

.

.. .272

Serbia .. . . ..

..

..

. .

..

.

.. ..

.

.274

Seychelles . .. ..

.

. ..

.

. .

..

276

Sierra Leone .

..

..

. .. . .. . . .277

Singapore .. .

..

.

..

. . . .

.279

Slovakia . .. . 281

Slovenia . .. ..

..

.

..

..282

Solomon Islands . . . . .. .. . .. 284

Somalia .. . . .. . . . . .. .286

South Africa . .. . .. . . . ..287

Spain .. . .. .

289

Sri Lanka . .. .. .. .. . . . . . .. .292

Sudan . . . . . .

..

.. .. ..

..

.294

Suriname . .. .. . . .. .. .. . .. . . ..296

Swaziland .

..

.

..

.

..

.

.. ..

. 297

Sweden

..

.

.

..

299

Switzerland . . .

.. 301

Syria . . .. .

.

.. . .

. . .

..

.303

T

Taiwan ..

. ..

..

. .305

Tajikistan .

..

..

..

.. .. . . . .

.. . .307

Tanzania ..

. .

. . . . .

..

..

.308


14/35

xiv ontents

Thailand . . .

.310

Timor-Leste

East

Timor .

..

.

.

312

Togo .

..

.

.314

Tonga .

.

.

.

.. . .

. .315

Trinidad and Tobago .

..

.

.. .. ..

.

.

.317

Tunisia .

319

Turkey . . .

. . .

.. . .

.

. .

. .320

Turkmenistan . .

..

.

.323

Tuvalu

. .

. . . . . . .

.. ..

. .324

u

Uganda .

.

.

. .

. . . . .

326

Ukraine .

. .

.

.

. .327

United Arab Emirates .

.

. .329

United Kingdom .

. .

.. ..

.

. . ..

.

..

. . .331

United States .336

Uruguay .

.

. . .. . .

.

. . ..

. .343

Uzbekistan .. .

..

.

.. ..

. . . . .

.

..

.

. . ..

.

..

. .344

v

Vanuatu .

. .. .

.

. .

..

. . .

347

Vatican City .

..

. .

..

.

. . . . . 348

Venezuela . . .

..

.

..

. .

350

Vietnam .

. .. .

.. ..

. .

..

. .. . . .

. . . . . .352

w

Western Samoa

see

Samoa .

.

. .

. .

.353

y

yemen . . . .

..

.

.. .. ..

. . ..

..

.

354

Yugoslavia

see

Serbia and Montenegro .

. . .355

z

Zaire

see

Congo .

..

.

.

. . .

.

356

Zambia .

.

. . .

.

..

.

356

Zimbabwe . . .

.. ..

..

.. ..

..

.

..

357

Bibliography

. .

.

.. . .

. .

.

. . . .

. . . . .. 360

Regional Index . .

.

. . . . . .

. .

.

. .

. .

.

. .

. . . .

.

366


15/35

DEFINITIONS

Literacy rates

nd popul tion

figures are

supplied by

the International Data Base,

U S

Census

Bureau.

ational population and health

figures are mid-2008 estimates. Percentage

of urb n

population is for mid-2005.

literacy

rates given generally measure the percent

of

population

of

adults ages

15 or

over able to

re d

nd

write simple statements

on

everyday life,

not

the smaller)

percent able to read nd write to carry out effectively activities in the community.

Life

expectancy

is at birth for persons

born

in 2008. GDP gross domestic product, figures are 2007 estimates; figures

are

b sed

on purchasing power p rity calculations, which involve use

of

international dollar price

weights applied to quantities

of

goods

nd

services produced.

IllY rate

is the estimated

number

of

adults,

ged

15-49, living with N in 2007, divided by the total popu lation

ged

15-49.

griculture

livestock is listed in order

of

decreasing numbers of animals in 2007.


16/35

FGH NIST N

Islamic Republic o fghanistan

Geography Afghanistan is in southern ASia, bordering Pakistan, Iran , Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan,

and Tajikistan. Approximately the size of Texas, it is mostly mountainous or desert, with a dry climate

and extreme temperatures.

Major

Languages

Dari (Afghan Persian)

Pashto (a

ll

are official)

Six additi

on

al local languages

Population

density

per sq. mi 131

Literacy

rate

28.1

Life

expectancy 44 male; 44.4 female

Per

capita

GDP

1 ,000

Labor

force

in

agriculture 80

Ethnic Groups

Major

Religions

Pashn

m

42 Islam (official)

Tajik

27

Sunni Muslim

80

Hazara

9

Shi'a Muslim 19

Uzbek 9

Other

1

Oth

er

13

Urban 22.9

Infant

mortality

rate per 1,000 live births

154.7

HlVrate

NA

Unemployment rate 8.5

Arable

land

12

Agriculture wheat, rice, grapes,

opium poppy,

fruits , nuts,

sheep

, chickens, goats, camels , cattle

Natural resources

natural gas , oil, coal, copper, salt, gemstones (especially lapis lazuli) , fish

Industries

textiles, soap, furniture,

shoes

History Afghanistan occupied a favored invasion route from antiquity until the 18th century

when a unified kin

gdom

was established. In 1973 it became a republic. Soviet troops

were

in

Afghanistan from 1978

until

1988, when

an

UN-mediated agreement provided for Soviet

withdrawal a

nd

a neutral Afghan state. Afg

han

rebels achieved power in 1992; the Taliban,

an

insurgent Islamic radical faction , gained

contro

l in 1996. The United States and the UN

demanded

the Taliban hand over for trial

Osama

bin

Laden

, a wea lthy Islamic radical believed to be

involved in

the

bombing of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania on Aug. 7, 1998.

On

Aug. 20,

1998, U.S. cruise missiles

struck

a

terrorist training

comp l

ex

in Afghanistan,

believed

to be

financed by

bin

Laden,

she

ltered by

the

Taliban. Bin Laden was also

the

primary

suspect

for

the Sept. 11 , 2001 , terrorist attack on New York's World Trade Center towers and

the Pentagon.

In late 2001 a U.S.-l

ed coa

liti

on

invad

ed

Afghanistan and overthrew the Taliban

government.

In

2004 a

new

co

nstituti

on

was

ratified,

and

a U.S.-led

coa

liti

on and

NATO

pea

c

ekeeping

force

were in Afghanistan to

combat

remnants of the Taliban

and

Al-Qaeda. Since 2004 violence has

increased. Islamic suicide bombers and Taliban insurgents ,

operating

from across

the

border in

Pakistan , in

creased

their activities such as bombing

and kidnapping

in 2007-2008,

and

U.

S.

air

strikes intensified. In 2007 a

record poppy crop accounted

for almost a third

of the

c

ountry s

GDP

and

93

of the world

's op ium . In 2008

international donors

pledged increased

aid

for

reconstruction and to

comba

t drugs, poverty, and violence.


17/35

2 The Food and Culture around the World Handbook - Afghanistan

Influences on food

Afghanistan was a crossroads on the ancient Silk Road that linked

West and played an important role in the exchange of foods and knowledge. The invadin

of Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, the Moghul Babur, the Persian Nader Shah, and t

with their Indian

troops

in the 19th century brought other influences.

The

cuisine

Afghanistan's diverse

ethn

ic groups and its neighbors . Most

of

the people are Muslims, wh

consume

pork

or alcoho l. Afghanistan grows wheat, rice, fmit,

and

nuts, and raises livesto

provide

some

fish . Main foods are

bread

, rice, daily products, lamb,

and

tea .

Bread

and

cereals

Wheat, rice, corn; bread, pastry,

noodles

, rice dishes. Breads, usu

wheat

flour, are nan (leavened and

baked

in a tandoor,

or

clay oven) and chapati unleav

circles cooked

on a griddle).

Meat poultry

fish

La

mb

and mutton, goat, chicken, beef,

water

buffalo, camel, eggs, g

e

.g., trout).

Dairy

products

Yogurt (mast), cheese (panir) such as white cheese,

qymaq

(clotted cre

tionally made from

water

buffalo milk). Yogurt

is

used extensively in cooking and

is

st

make crea my chaka , which is sometimes dried and

made

into balls which

harden

(quroot)

Fats and oils

Oil, fat from fat-tailed sheep dumba).

Legumes

Split peas.

Vegetables

Potatoes, leeks, spinac

h.

Fruit

Grapes, melons, raisins. Afghan melons and grapes are famous .

Nuts and seeds

Pistachios, almonds, walnuts, pine nuts, fenugreek seeds, sesame seeds, b

Seasonings

Cardamom, fenugreek seeds, saffron, rosewater-flavored symp.

Dishes Pastry and nood le dishes . Pilaf, long-grain rice cook

ed

first in oil and then with

that grains remain separate a

nd

usually with lamb or vegetables. Chalau , the basic boi

long-grain

ri

ce, usually accompanied by meat or vegetable stews (korma) or burani (vegeta

yogurt). Boiled or stea m

ed

short-grain sticky rice ba ta) served with stew or vegetabl

kebabs, usually chunks of meat on a skewer roasted or grilled; fat from fat-tailed sheep

with kebabs to provide more juiciness and

fl

avor. Chappli kebab (sandal kebab), name

sandal-like shape , the hot specia lty of Jalalabad. Shami, or lola, kebabs, made with grou

potatoes, sp lit peas , and fried in oil. Jaleb i, deep-fried batter soaked in symp, served

during winter. Dopyasa, lamb boiled with fat from fat-tailed sh

ee

p.

Sweets Sugar, symp. Fmit. Milk-based puddings (e.g., firni, made with rice or corn flou

rice dishes such as shola (short-grain sticky

ri

ce cooked with other ingredients until soft a

Halva (confec

ti

on of grain or vegetab les, fruit , and sesame seeds). Baklava (pastry

of

laye

filo dough, nuts, and soaked in syrup ). Elephant ear- shaped pastry (goash-e-feel). The

ab rayshum (silk) kebab, egg prepared to form threads that are rolled up to look like ke

sp rinkl

ed

with syr

up

and ground pistachios. Sweets are luxuries.

Special occasion sweets

Dried fruit and nut

comp

ote (haft mewa), traditional f

or

the N

festival on the first day

of

sp rin

g.

Shola-e-za rd (saffron- a

nd

rosewate r-flavor

ed

sweet rice

mourning and thanksgiving;

it

is given to the p

oo

r, neig

hb

ors, and relatives, and is ser

sharbat-e- rih

an

(sherbet with basil seeds).

everages

Tea (chaO, black a

nd

green , often

fla

vored with card

amom

and served with

alm

onds

(noq ).

Special occasion tea

Afg han tea (qymaq ch

aO

made with green tea, adding bicarbonat

so that the tea becomes

red

, ad ding milk resulting in a purple pink tea , and topping wi

(clotted cream).

Tea houses

(chaikhana) These provide tea from a samovar and often mea ls and acconu

for trave lers.


18/35

The Food and Culture around the World Handbook - Albania

Meals and

service

Nan (bread) with qymaq (clotted cream) is often eaten for breakfast. Bread is

eaten with tea and at all meals and is used to scoop food.

Street food and

snacks

Available from street vendors (tahang wala) for snacks or lunch: fried

pastries

such

as boulanee (s tuffed with leek and sambosa (stuffed with egg, cheese,

meat,

vegetable,

or mashed potato

); and

pakor

a (batter-fried vegetables, fish ,

or

cheese). Nuts. White

cheese

with raisins (kismish panir) , a spring snack.

LB NI

Republic of lbania

Geography

Albania

is

in

southea

stern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, Montenegro, Kosovo,

Macedonia ,

and

Greece. It is mostly (70%)

mount

ainous, with a

wes

tern coastal plain where most

peopl

e live.

Major Languages

Albanian (offici

al)

Greek

Population density

per

sq. mi

342.2

Literacy rate

99%

Life

expectancy 75.1

male;

80.7

fema le

Per capita GDP

6,300

Labor force in agriculture

58%

Ethnic Groups Major Religions

Albanian

Greek

Other

95%

Muslim Su nni 51%)

3%

Albanian Orthodox

2%

Roman

Cat

ho

li

c

Urban

44.8%

Infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births

19.3

H1Vrate

NA

Unemployment

rate

14.0%

Arable land

20%

70%

20%

10%

Agriculture

alfalfa , wheat, corn,

potato

es, vegetables, fruits , sugar beets, chickens, shee p,

goa

ts,

ca

ttl

e, pigs

Natural resources oil , natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, co pper, iron ore, nickel, timber,

hydropower,

fi

sh

Industries food processing, tex

til

es and clothing, lumber

History

Ancient Illyria was conquered by Romans, then by Slavs, and by Turks in the 15th centuly.

Independent Albania was proclain1ed in 1912; a rep ublic was formed in 1920. Albania was invaded by

Italy in 1939. It was allied with the USS

R from 1944 to 1960 and then with China until 1978. Some

liberalization bega n, including measures in 1990 providing for freedom to travel abroad. In 1992 the

first noncommunist president since World War

II

was elected. The co

ll

apse

of

fraudulent investment

schemes in 1997 led to armed rebellion and anarchy; the

UN

auth

or

ized a force to restore order. In

1999 Albania was an outpost for

NATO

troops in Kosovo

an

d took in Kosovo refugees, its fellow

ethnic Albanians. In 2008 Albania sign

ed

protocols for

NATO

membership. Neig

hb

oring Kosovo, a

provin

ce of Se

rbia with more than 90% Albanian p

op

ulation, declared indepe

nd

ence.

Influences on

food Albania is one

of the sma

ller

Balkan

countries.

Influences include

its

co

nqu

erors, the Romans, Slavs,

and

Turks, religion, neighboring co

unt

ries,

and ot

h

er

foreign rule .

Until the Turkish occupa

ti

on in the 15th century, Albanians we re Ch

ri

stians, Eastern

Orthodox

in the

south and

Roman

Ca

tholic in the north. By the 19th century Islam

became

the

predominant

religion.

Unlike Christians, Muslims do not

ea

t pork. Albanian cookelY

evo

lved as a r

es

ult of Islam ization and

the influen

ce of

Turkish food practices, except in the traditiona

ll

y Orthodox

so

uth , where food

remained Greco-Mediterranean , and the coastal zone, where Italian influence is strong. Food tradi

tions are strong in the older generation a

nd

in the v

ill

ages

populated

by Albanians in the former

Yugoslavia (in Kosovo, Montenegro, and in Tetovo, Macedonia), whose isolation from Albania has


19/35

4 The Food and Culture around the

Wo

rld Handbook -

Alb

ania

strengthened tradition. Traditional food habits a re weakening due to womens emanci pa

ti

on

breakdown of the ex tende d family. Turkish influen

ce

is reflected in mezze,

ri

ce, pilaf, and T

coffee a

nd

sweets; Greek in fe ta cheese; and Italian in tomato sauce. Albanias la

nd

produce

vegetables, fmit , sugar beets, and lives tock; its seacoast prov id es

fi

sh . Staple f

oo

ds are bread

at mos t meals), pasta, cheese, and yogurt.

Bread and cereals

Whea t, corn , rice; whea t bread including the standard dark, heavy, a

nd

so

ur loaf, leavened bread, and

fl

at breads such as pita (thin circle with ho llow center, a p

and lavash (a large c

ri

sp

bread), cornm

ea

l

br

ea

d, rice dishes, wh

ea

t

fl

o

ur

pastry, turnovers, pas

dum plings, whea t kernels bulgur).

Meat poultry

f tsh

La mb and mutton , chicken , goa t, beef,

po

rk, fish, eggs.

airy products Milk (cow, sh

eep,

goat), cream, yogurt (kos), ch

eese

(usually from goat o

milk, e.g., white ch

eese

sim ilar to feta a

nd

a hard , tangy

ewe

s milk ch

eese

sinli1ar to ch

ed

da

kashkaval).

Fats

and oils O

li

ve oil, butter, sesame o il, vegeta ble o ils, rend ered lamb fat.

Legumes

Ch

ic

kpeas, fava beans.

Vegetables

Potatoes, o

li

ves, cab

bage

,

eggp

lant, onions, tomatoes, cuc

umb

ers, peppers,

rooms; pickles.

Fruit

Grapes , lemons, apricots, che rries, figs, dates, melons, pomegranates, pea rs, plums;

pr

e

Nuts and

seeds Wa lnu ts , a lmonds, haze lnuts, pea

nu

ts, p ine nuts, p istachios,

popp

y

sunflow e r seeds,

sesame seeds.

Nuts,

es

pecia lly wa lnuts, are use d in many savo ry and

dishes.

Seasonings

O nions, mint , pa rsley, d ill , ga rli

C

peppe r, anise , cardamom, ci n

na

mon, o r

le mon juice.

National appetizers

Ka ne

ll

on i a

ll

a toskana pa ncakes stuffed with minced vea l and with

finish), a regular restaurant antipasto appetizer). Byrne me

dj

athe, a small

tri

angular

pastl

with whi te cheese and eggs .

ishes

Rice p il

af

(rice sauteed in butter or o

il

in which onions have bee n brow ned, then stea

si

mme

red with water o r broth). Kofta (meatba

ll

s,

fr

ied

or

skewered and grilled). Shish kebab

pieces

skewe

r

ed

and g

rill

ed). Du

mp

lings f

ill

ed

with mea

t.

Baked pasta, l

amb

or goat, a nd to

Baked macaroni, ground meat, cheese, tomato, and sauce. Pastitsio (bechamel sauce). Grape

bage leaves stuffed with rice or meat (dolma). Mo ussaka (baked minced lamb, eggplant,

on

io

tomato sauce) , a Ba lkan specialty. Tabouli, salad of onions, parsley, mint, bulgur, and fresh veg

Sweets

Ho ney , sugar, syrup . Fresh frui

t.

Frui t compo te . Baklava (filo dough laye red with

in

g, baked , soaked in fl avored syrup, often cut in diamond shape). Halvah (sweet paste mad

grain and crushed sesame seeds).

B

ev

erages

Coffee, tea , fr ui t juice , yogur t d rinks, beer, w ine, brandy, anise-

fl

avo r

ed

a

incl uding ouzo and the Turkish spec ialty rak i (alcoho lic beverages are prohi bited for Musl

are consumed

in

the Ba lkans) , o rme (beverage made from fe r

men

ted cabbage), Turkish-style

(strong, thick,

sweet

, often with cardamom).

Meals

The poorest

peop

le eat cornmea l br

ead

, cheese, and yogurt , with l

amb

or mutton

affo r

dab

le. For wealthier people, three meals a day with a mid aftern

oo

n snack are typica l. Br

bread with cheese, o lives, or jam and coffee or tea. Main mea l (usuall y at midday): mezze with o

raki,

per

haps

soup

andl or p ilaf, meat dish with salad of raw veget

ab

les, yogUl t or cheese, and

Me

zze (appetizers)

Sa

lads such as liptao (feta cheese w ith be ll

peppe

r,

de

li meats, sardines, an

boi led egg) and tarator (

soupy

salad of yogurt, cucu

mbe

rs, ga

rl

ic,

and

o live oi

l)

, pickles , f

seafood,

ome

lets, spit-roasted lamb or entra ils, and baked variety meats; usually widl raki, ouzo, o

Midafter

noon

sna

ck

Turkish-style coffee or tea and pastries , nuts, or fresh fruit.


20/35

The Food and Culture around the World Handbook - Alge

ri

a

ALGERIA

People s Democratic Republic

of

Algeria

Geography Algeria is in northern Africa, bordering the Mediterra

ne

an Sea and extending into the

Sahara Desert. More than th

ree

times the s

iz

e

of

Texas,

Algeri

a is mos

tl

y desert.

The

Saha

ra

r

eg

ion

comprises 85% of the land, with major mineral resources, and almost completely uninhabited. Fertile

plains 50 to 100 mil

es

wide, with a

mod

erate climate a

nd ad

e

qu

ate rain , are along

the coas t.

Mountains

run

east to

west

a

nd

encl

os

e a dry plat

ea

u .

Major Languages

Ethnic Groups Major Religions

Ara

bi

c (o

ffi

cia

l

Fr

ench

Be

rb

er

Tam az

ig

ht

(na

ti

ona

l

Population

density per

sq. mi 36.7

literacy

rate 75.4%

Life

expectancy

72.

1

ma

l

e; 75.5

fe

mal

e

Per

capita GDP 6,500

Labor

force

in agriculture 14%

Al

ger

ia

n

Ar

ab

59%

Islam (

offi

cia l

Berber

26%

Sunni Mus

lim

Bedo

uin Ar

ab

15%

O

th

er

Urban 63.3%

Infant

mortality

rate

per 1 000 live births 288

mv rate 0.1%

Unemployement

rate 12.3%

Arable land 3

99%

1%

Agriculture

wheat, potatoes , ba

rl

ey , oats, grapes, oli

ves

, citrus, fruits, chickens, shee p ,

goa

ts ,

cattle, pigs

Natural resources

o il , natural gas, iron ore, ph

os

phates, uranium, lead, zinc, fish

Industries

o il , gas, light industries, mining, petrochemical, e l

ec

trical, food processing

History

Earliest kn

ow

n inhabi tants we re ancestors of Berbers, fo llowed by Phoe nicians ,

Romans, Vandals, and Arabs. Turkey ruled the land from 1518 to 1830. Fran

ce

ruled here from

1830 to 1962 w hen independ ence came and 1 million Europeans lef

t.

Alge

ri

a was socia list

from 1963 to 1965 and then a militalY co up

ove

rthrew the gove

rnm

ent.

Th

e co untlY entered a

majo r r

ecess

io n a

ft

er

wo

rld o

il

prices

plummete

d in the 1980s.

Fund

amenta

li

st Islamic for

ces

gained pow e r in 1991, and a bloo dy civ il wa r ensued to 1999 . Alge

ri

a remains in essence a

milita ry dictators

hip

. Bombings by radica l Islamists and Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb occurred

from 2006 to 2008.

Influences

on

food

Influences are from the Roman

s,

Arab

s,

Turks, Spain, Italy, and

es

p

ec

ia

ll

y

France. Fran

ce co

ntro

ll

ed Al

ge ri

a for more than 130 years, leaving influences including French

br

ea

d (the baguette, a long, thin, crusty loaf) and desserts such as e

cl

airs,

bo

th n

ow comm

on in

cities, a

nd

vineya rds and winemaking. Alge

ri

a, Mor

occo

, and Tunisia occupy the north

wes

t

co

rner

of

Africa

know

n in

Ar

abic as Maghreb (the

wes

t) . They have similar cuisine a

nd

have influ

ence

d

Fran

ce

by

ex

porting foods such as couscou

s,

mergu

ez

sausage (made from

beef

to comply w ith

Islamic dietary l

aw

a

nd

spi

ce

d with red hot chili pe

pp

ers) , a

nd

Arab-s tyle pastri

es

. Also,

so

me

restaurants in Pa

ri

s a

nd

other c

iti

es se

rv

e Alge

ri

an food . North African c

ui

sine has much in com

mo

n

with Arabic f

oo

d

of

the

Mi

ddle East,

but

it has distinctions

du

e in

pa

rt to Berber,

Bedo

uin , a

nd

French influences. In

Al

ge

ri

a, Arab c

ui

sine predominates although nomads cons

um

e

Bedo

uin f

oo

d:

mainly da iry

produ

cts

mil

k,

cl

ari

fi

ed butter, and yogurt) from camels, sheep , and goats, thin unleav

ened wh

ea

t br

ea

d,

bo il

ed mutton on

ri

ce , sma

ll

game, locusts, dates, a

nd

co

ff

ee. Much of Algeria is

d

ese rt

, whi ch limits its cuisine co mp ared to that of its ne ighbo rs on either si

de

, Tu nisia and

Morocco. Alge

ri

a has sma

ll

numbers o f nomads and se

ttl

emen

ts

at some oases, but most i

nh

abi tants

liv

e on the fertile coastal strip , the Tell ,

betwee

n the Med iterranean on the north a

nd

the plat

ea

u at

the beg inning of the Atlas Mo untains on the

so

uth. Pork

or

alcohol cons

um

ption is prohibited for

Muslims.


21/35

6 The Food and Culture around the World Handbook - Andorra

Bread and

cereals

Wheat, barley, oats; kesra (round Arab

br

ead baked

in

clay ovens in the

tryside), French bread in the cities, couscous (ma

de

from crushed grain, usually semolina

mixed with water to make a

dou

gh that is pressed into tiny pellets a

nd

dried).

Meat poultry

ilsh

Lamb and mutton,

beef

, chicken, eggs, goat,

pork

, fish; merguez sausa

airy

products Yogurt, cheese, cream.

Fats and

oils

Olive o

il,

butter, vegetable oil, s

heep s

ta

il

fat,

rendered

lamb fat.

Legumes Chick peas (garbanzos), fava (broad) beans, black beans,

na

vy

be

ans , red beans,

peanuts.

Vegetables

Potatoes, olives, eggpla

nt

, tomatoes, cucumbers, ok ra, green beans, greens,

peppers, carrots.

Fruit

Grapes, citrus fruits especia

ll

y lemons, dates, figs , ap ri

co

ts,

melon

, pom

eg

ranate ,

prunes , raisins.

Nuts and seeds Alm

onds,

cashews,

hazelnuts

, pine

nut

s, pistachios, wa

lnut

s, poppy

sesame seeds.

Seasonings Salt, black pepper, l

emo

n juice, vinegar, onions, garlic,

herb

s (mi

nt

, parsley

coriander, marjoram), cinnamon, chilie pepper, cumin, cloves, ginger, saffron, nutmeg, allspice,

(chili

pepper

and garlic paste), orange blossom water, rosewater. Food is hig

hl

y seasoned.

ishe

s Steamed couscous

topped

with st

ewed

meat or chicken, vegetables,

and

spicy hot

the usual main dish. La

mb

, usually grilled or stewed. Tagine (meat, poultry,

fi

sh, vegetable,

stew). Sferia (simmered

ch

i

cken

,

ch

ickpeas , o

ni

ons, and cinnamon, topped with egg yolk

juice sauce a

nd

parsley), served with cheese croquettes flavored with orange blossom wat

cinnamon. Lahm lhalou (brai

sed

lamb with cinn

amo

n, almo

nds,

sugar, orange blossom

wa

t

prunes), often sel

ved

before or after chicken couscous.

Main festive dish

Mechoui, a whole

spi

t-roasted l

am

b

basted

with

butter

and spice

dwellers

of

t

en

cut a lamb into halves or quarters a

nd

roast th

em

over charcoal-filled braziers

Sweets Honey, sugar. Fresh fruit and nut

s.

Couscous with dates a

nd

cinnamon. Pastries: b

ecla

ir

s. Makroud el louse (cookie made

of

gro

und

almonds, grat

ed

lemon peel, su

gar,

eggs, a

nd

blossom water)'

Beverages Tea with sugar and mint, coffee, fruit juice, yogurt drinks, wine.

Mezze Sma

ll

b

it

s (e.g., o

li

ves, vegetables, cheese, sma

ll

kebabs) eaten as snacks while d

and talking.

NDORR

Principality

of

ndorra

Geography Andorra is in southwestern Europe in the Pyl'enees Moun ta ins on the French-S

border. Most

of

the land is high mountains with narrow va lleys.

Major

Languages thnic Groups

Major

Religio

Catalan

(o ffi

cial)

Spanish

43

Roman Catho lic

Fr

ench

Andorran

33

Oth

er

Christian

Castilian

PoItuguese

11

None

Portuguese French

7

Other

Ot

h

er

6


22/35

The Food and Culture around the World Handbook - Angola

Population density

per sq

. mi

457.3

literacy

rate

100%

life expectancy

80.3 male; 86.1 female

Per capita GDP

38,800,

Labor force

in

agriculture

0.3%

Urban

90.3

Infant mortality rate

per

1,000 live births

3.7

lfiVrate NA

Unemployment rate NA

Arable land 2

Agriculture

tobacco, hay , potatoes, grapes, rye, wheat, barley, oats, vegetables, sheep, cattle,

goats

Natural resources

hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead

Industries

tourism, cattle, timber, banking, tobacco, furniture

History

Charlemagne recovered the region from the Muslims in 803. Andorra was a co-principality,

witll joint sovereignty by France and the bishop

of

Urgel, from 1278 to 1993. Ending a feudal system

in place for 715 years, Andorrans adopted a parliamentary government in 1993. The traditional econ

omy was based on sheep-raising. Tourism has been important since the 1950s and

is

the economic

mainstay, especially skiing. In 2007 no snow until mid-March reduced the number of visitors. Andorra

is a free port and an active trade center.

Influences

on food Spain, France, and Portugal are tlle main influences

on

food practices in Andorra.

Bread

and cereals

Rye,

wheat

, barley, oats, corn; breads, pastas, porridge, rice dishes.

Meat,

poultry

fish

Lamb,

beef and

veal, goat, pork, chicken, fish, eggs; dried salt cod.

Dairy products

Milk, cream, cheese cow, sheep, goat).

Fats and oils

Butter, olive oil, lard, vegetable oil.

Legumes

Chickpeas, fava beans, kidney beans, lentils, white beans.

Vegetables

Potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage, cucumber, green beans, lettuce, mushrooms , olives,

peas, peppers.

Fruit

Grapes, apples, bananas, grapefmit, lemons, pears , oranges, raisins.

Nuts

and

seeds

Almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts.

Seasonings

Onion, garlic, black pepper, parsley, pimento, lemon juice, capers, cinnamon, cloves,

nutmeg,

oregano

, rosemary, saffron, sage, vanilla, chocolate.

Sweets

Honey, sugar.

Beverages

Coffee, wine.

ANGOLA

Republic of Angola

Geography Angola is in

southern

Africa, bordering the Atlantic

Ocean

for more than 1,000 miles

(1 ,609 km). Most of the land is a plateau , elevat ion 3,000 to 5,000 feet, rising from a narrow coastal

strip.

The

land is mostly desert or savanna. There

is

a temperate highland area

and

a tropical

rainforest.

Major

Languages

thnic Groups

Major

Religions

Portuguese (official) Ovimbundu

37%

Indigenous beliefs

47%

Bantu

Kimbundu

25

% Roman Catholic

38%

Other

Afric

an

languages

Bakon

go

13

Protestant

15%

Other 25%


23/35

8 The Food and Culture around the World Handbook - Angola

Population density

per

sq.

mi. 26

Literacy rate 67.4%

Life expectancy 37

mal

e;

38

.9 female

Per capita GDP 5,600

Labor force

n

agriculture

85

Urban

54


per

1 000 live births 1

mv rate 2.1

Unemployment rate 70%

Arable land 3

Agriculture cassava, corn , sweet potatoes , bananas, sugarcane, coffee, chickens, cattle

pigs, sheep

Natural

resources

oil,

diamonds

, iron ore,

fi

sh ,

phosphates

,

copper,

felds

par

, gold,

b

uranium

Industries oil, mining, cement, metal products, fish

and

food

pro

cessing

History

Bantu-speaking tribes penetrated the region during the first millennium

CE

and dom

it by

1500. Portuguese came in 1583 and, with the

Bakongo kingdom

in the north, deve

lo

slave trade . Major colonization

began

in the 20th centUlY

when

400,000

Portuguese

imm

A guerrilla

war

from 1961 to 1975

ended

when Portugal

granted independence.

A 30-year c

between

rebel group s and the

government

lasted until 2002. Angola c

hanged

from a social

to a de

mo

cracy in 1992.

Th

e second larg

es

t

produc

er

of crude

oil in Africa

south of

the

Angola in 2007 became the 12th full member of OPEC and , a lrea

dy

China's chief supplier

o

o il , began negotiations with

Ru

ssia.

Influences

on

food

Bantu

herders

and

the Portugu

ese

influe

nc

ed Angola's food . Ang

se

ttl

ed about 1,500 yea rs ago by Bantu herders from the north who lived mainly on dairy p

grain pastes, a

nd

wild green vegetables. The Portuguese came in the

ea rl

y 16th

ce

ntury an

lished foods stops on routes to the Spice Islands. Portuguese tr

ade and

co lonization infl

Angola 's c

ui

sine. The Portuguese brought pigs, chickens , sa lt cod, o

li

ves, coffee, tea , an

From America they introduced corn , tomatoes, potatoes, sweet potatoes, chilies, swee t peppe

cassava; Brazilian influen

ce

is strong. From the east via Mozambique, another Portuguese

they brought o ranges, lemons, spices,

ri

ce,

beans

, and probably bananas, sugar, and tropica

Portuguese influence remains; exampl

es

include the use of fish a

nd

sa lt cod, Portugue se

goat, and sweet dishes containing eggs. Goober, peanut 's nickname, co m

es

from the Angola

for the leg

um

e, nguba.

Bread

and

cereals Corn, wheat, rice, gra in pastes; Portuguese-style bread , rolls, cassa

porridge (funge).

Meat poultry

fish

Chicken, eggs, be ef, goat, pork, la

mb

, mutton, fish , sa lt cod,

prawns

,

clams. Blood of a slaugh tered animal is used as an ingred ient or in a sauce or dress ing .

Dairy products Milk (cow, goa t), cream, cheese .

Fats

and

oils

Palm o

il

, o

liv

e o

il

, sesame o

il

, butter, pork fat, lard.

Legumes Peanuts, beans,

cowpeas

.

Vegetables

Cassava,

swee

t pota toes, gr

ee

n leafy vegetab les, tomatoes, potatoes, okra,

pu

on ions, ch

ili

es,

swee

t pe

pp

ers, o

li

ves.

Fruit

Bananas,

coco

nut , oranges , lemons, limes, pineapple, papaya, strawbe

rries

.

Nuts and

seeds

Sesame seeds, caraway seeds.

Seasonings

Sa lt,

garlic, chilies, cloves, cinnamon, coria

nd

er, saffron.

Dishes

Espa rrega

dos

de bacalao (sa

lt

cod, cassava leaves, swee t

peppers

, guinea pepp

palm or sesame o

il

), A

so

up of cuttlefi

sh

with limes, ground sesame, olive o

il

, and tab

il

(

mL'(ture usually

of

coria

nd

e r, caraway seeds, garlic, a

nd

red

peppers .

Rice simmered with

Shrimp fritters. Prawns browned with on ions in butter and olive o

il

, simmered in coco

n

tomatoes, chopped red chilies, black pepp er, a

nd

g inge r; wine a

dd ed;

poured over p

coco

nut

m

ea

t, parsley, a

nd

lettuce; and se rved with rice. Goa t m

ea

t stewed with garlic, chil


24/35

The Food and

Cu

lture arou

nd

the World Handbook - Antigua And Barbuda

cloves. Assola de mais cooked dried beans mixed with fresh corn fried in pork fat). Hot pot

(simmered

meat

and chicken pieces, sweet and

white

potatoes , carrots, cabbage, beans). Fried or

grilled pork served with ye llow rice (rice browned in olive oil and

cooked

with saffron in

stock

made of

pig blood).

Possible national dish Mu amba chicken (cut-up chicken cooked with palm oil, garlic, onion, hot

red peppers

, okra, pumpkin,

and sweet

potato leaves).

Sweets

Sugarcane,

brown

sugar, sugar,

puddings

, candies,

swee

t dishes containing eggs s

uch

as

yellow

coconut pudding made

with

sugar

, water, grated

coconut

,

egg

yolks, cloves, cinnamon).

Beverages Coffee, tea ,

wine

(port, Madeira) .

NTIGU ND B RBUD

Geography Th

ese two islands

li

e in the eastern Caribbean Sea. Antigua, the larger isla

nd

, is hilly and

well

woo

ded. Barbuda

is l

at, with a large lagoon in the west. The pleasant climate fosters tourism.

Major

Languages

English

(of

ci

al)

Local dia lects

Population density per

sq.

mi 494.6

Literacy rate 85.8%

Life

expectancy 72.3 male ; 76.3 femal e

Per capita

GDP

18,300

Labor force n agriculture 7%

thnic Groups

Major

Religions

Black

Mixed

White

Ot

her

91%

Anglican

4% Seve

nth -D

ay

Adventist

2%

Pe

nt

ecostal

3

Moravian

Roman

Cat

hol c

Ot

her

Urban 30.7%

Infant mortality rate per

1,000

live births 17.5

IllVrate NA

Unemployment rate 8.4%

Arable

land 18%

Agriculture cotton, tropical fruits , vegetables, ch ickens, goats, sheep, ca ttle, pigs

Natural resource fish

Industries

tourism, con

stru

c

ti

on,

li

ght manufacturing

26%

12%

11%

11

%

10%

30%

History

Columbus landed on Antigua

in

1493.

The British colonized Antigua in

1632

and

Ba

rbuda

in

1678.

They

in1p

olted African slaves to grow tobacco and sugarcan

e;

the slaves were emancipated in

1834.

Antigua and Barbuda gained independence

in

198

1.

The land was hit hard by a hurricane

in 1995.

Si

nce

1995

abo

ut

3,000

refugees

flee

ing volcanic eruptions on Montserrat have settl

ed

in Antigua. Crime

in

2007-2008

impact

ed

touris

m.

Influences on food

The indi

ge

nous peo p les,

Ca

rib

and

Arawak Indians, mostly

disappeared

fo

ll

owing

the Spanish

conq

ues

t.

The

traces

of

informati

on

abo

ut their food practices indicate they

ate

fi

sh, seafood, and one-pot

so

ups or stews . Spain a

nd

Britain influenced the food customs. For

exa mple, the Spanish brought ca

ttl

e, pigs, and rice, and British influen

ce

reflects in sa

lt

fish g

und

y

(spread), biscuit

s,

a

nd

tea. Slaves from A

fri

ca and indentured l

abo

rers, especially from India , al

so

influenced food on these islands.

As

examples, African influ

ence

includes the use

of

ok ra, and

Asian Indian influen

ce

includes the use of spices in dishes such as pepper pot.

Bread

and

cereals

Corn , rice , wh

eat

; fried cornmeal breads, rice dishes, wheat flour breads, cas

sava bread (grated,

sq

ueezed, and dried cassava, fried on a griddle), biscuits

or

bread made with

cassava and wh

eat

l our.


25/35

10 The Food and Culture around the World Handbook - Argentina

Meat poultry fish

Chicken, goat, lamb, beef, pork, fish a

nd

seafood (salt cod, snapper,

crabs), eggs.

airy products

Cow s milk (fresh, condensed, evaporated) , cr

ea

m, aged cheese.

Fats

and oils Butter, lard , coconut oil, o live o il , vegetable o il .

Legumes

Kidney bean

s,

red beans, black-eyed peas, chickpeas (garbanzo beans), pigeon p

Vegetables

Cassava, cuc

umber

s, yams, malanga (taro-like plant with corms and gree n l

swee

t potatoes, plantains, avocados, gree n leaves (cassava, malanga),

squ

ash , pumpkin ,

fruit, tomatoes, o

kr

a, chili pe

pp

ers,

swee

t pe

pp

ers, onion

s.

Cassava

co nt

ains hydrocyan

toxic in large am

ou

nts; the acid must

be

l

eac

hed out and the tuber

cooke

d before it can

b

safel

y.

Fruit

Papaya , guavas, so

ur

sops (h

ave

a

co

tton-like

co

nsistency), oranges, mangoes , m

pineapple, bananas, coconut, limes, cash

ew

apples, akee l

oo

ks similar to a peach but has seg

sec

ti

ons with shiny black

see

ds pa

rtl

y s

urro

unded by a

fle

shy seed coat, the only edible par

parts

co

ntain t

ox

ins, hyp

og

lycins).

Nuts

and seeds

Almonds, cash

ew nut

s, annatto

see

d

s.

Seasonings Sa

lt, black pe

pp

e r, chilies, onion , garli

c,

annatto , a

ll

spice (pime

nt

o) , ci

nn

coconut, cocoa, rum .

ishes Ca ll

al

oo

(so

up

of green leaves cooked with okra, seasonings, and sometimes c

milk and bits of salt m

eat

or cod). Pepper pot (a meat stew

co

ntaining bo

il

ed juice of cassa

highly seasoned with

pe

ppe r). Ceviche (raw fish marinated in

li

me

ju

ice with o

li

ve oil and

Stuff

ed

crab. Codfish cakes . Bo iled or fried akee or p la

nt

ains. Fri

ed

cassava

or

plantain

Cornmea l a

nd

okra cake. Bo iled rice . Rice cooked with peas or

bea

n

s.

Cuc

um

be r salad.

and mango jam (made with papaya , mango , sugar, a

nd

lime juice).

Sweets

Sugarcane, molasses, sugar, fresh fruit, cornmeal pudding, baked bananas

fl

ambeed w

Beverages

Coffee often with mil

k,

tea , ic

ed

tea with lime, fruit

ju

ices, soft drinks, milk, coco

rum.

Meals

Breakfas t: coffee with milk and bread. Lunch: rice and beans or starchy vegetable a

cod. Dinner: like lunch plus meat, vegetab les , m ilk, and dessert when ava ilab le.

Snacks

Fresh

fr

uit, sweeten

ed

fruit

ju

ice poured over crush

ed

ice, coffee with milk.

RGENTIN

rgentine

Republic

Geograph

y

Argentina occup ies most

of

southe rn South America and is its second largest

in area and in populatio

n.

The land is a plain rising from the At lantic Ocean to the An des

Aconcagua (22,834

ft

)

is

the highest peak in the West

ern Hem

isp here. The north is swamp

central region, the Pampas, is fe rtile l

and

used for agricult

ur

e and grazin

g;

it su

ppor

ts mos

popul

atio

n.

Pata

go

nia, in the south , is cool, a

ri

d steppes.

Major

Languages Ethnic Groups Major Religions

Spanish

offi

cial)

Wh ite (mostly Spanish

97

Roman Catho licism

Itali

an

and Itali

an

descent)

(official)

En

g

lish

Other (mostly Mestizo,

3

Roman Ca tho

li

c

German

a

nd Am

erindian)

Protestant

Fr

ench

Jew

i

sh

Other


26/35

Population density per sq. mi 38 .3

Literacy

rate 97.6

Life

expectancy 73 .1 male; 79.8 female

Per

capita

GDP 13,300

Labor force in agriculture 1

The Food and

Cu

lture around the World Handbook - Argentina

Urban 91.4

Infant

mortality

rate

per 1 000 live

births 11.8

mvra te

0.5%

Unemployment

rate

12.1

%

Arable land 10%

Agriculture

alfalfa, soybeans, corn, sugarcane,

wheat

, sunflower seeds, lemons, grapes, chickens,

cattle,

sheep

horses, goats, pigs

Natural resources

lead, zinc, tin, copper, iron ore, manganese, oil, urani

um

, fish

Industries

food processing, vehicles,

consumer

durables, textiles, chemicals

History

Nomadic Indians

roamed

the

Pampas when

Spaniards arrived in 1515. Most

Indians

were

killed by the late 19th

century

. Argentina won independence in 1816. After 1880 Italian,

German , and Spanish immigration

spurred

modernization. General Juan

Peron was

president from

1946 to 1955,

ex iled

from 1955 to 1973, reelected preSident,

and died

10 months later. He was

succeeded by

his wife Isabel, the first woman head

of

state in the Western Hemisphere. Military

control and

fighting occurred

from

1976

to

1983

when democratic rule returned.

Political

problems and

a recession fo

llowed

with an

economic

crisis in 2001.

The

eco

nomy

has b

ee

n

rebounding.

After strong economic growth in 2004- 2005,

Argentina

repaid its

debt

to

the

International MonetaIY Fund in 2006. In 2007 the first woman was directly el

ec

ted president.

The

economy

grew, but inflation

in

creased at a faster rate.

Influences

on

food

The rolling grassland on each side

of

the River Plata in central Argentina and

Uruguay

is

the world's richest agricultural terrain. It was the home

of

nomadic Indians and

was

untilled and unexp loited before the Spanish conquest. Argentina, Latin America's second largest

country, includes the Pampas with agriculture and cattle- and sheep-grazing, the Andes Mountains

whose foothills support vineyards, and the rugged Patagonia with many

sheep.

Mutton, the

meat of

Patagonia ,

was

once supplemented by the

guanaco

(llama). Cattle were important for hides, and

jerky was eaten. Now Argentina l

eads

the world in beef co

nsumption

per capita. The Atlantic shore

provides abundant fish and

seafood

. Argentina 's food reflects influences of the Indians, Spanish ,

Germans, and Italians. The Spanish brought cattle, and their influence is also reflected in sweet milk

co nf

ect

i

ons

. Italians

brought

pasta.

German

influence

is

evident

in

the

c

harcut

e

ri

e

industr

y

of

Buenos Aires.

Bread and cereals Corn, wheat; co rnmeal bread, grits, homin

y,

wheat bread, pastries , pasta

(spaghetti) , pizza.

Meat

poultry

fish

Beef, lamb and mutton , chicken, eggs, goat, pork, fish

and

seafood, turkey;

sausage.

Beef is

the foundation

of

the diet. Chicken and turkeys are esteemed.

Dairy products

Milk, cream, cheese.

Fats and oils

Butter, olive o

,

corn

oil.

Legumes Soybeans, p

ean

ut

s,

beans.

Vegetables

P

ump

kin, squash, spinach, carrots, tomatoes, o

li

ves , o

ni

ons , red ch ili peppers, pimen

tos, parsley, cabbage; squash cut into strips

and

dried (Chichocade zapa

ll

o), a winter staple.

Fruit

Lemons , grapes , strawberries , peaches, rais

ins,

quince.

Nuts and seeds

Almond

s,

sunfl

ow e

r seeds, pumpkin seeds.

Seasonings

Ch

ili

, onions, cinnamon, salt, black pepper, garlic, oregano.

Condiment

Chimichurri (corn oil , vinegar, onions, garlic, parsley, oregano, sa

lt

, black

pepper

a

nd

chili

or

pimentos), a traditional sauce for g

rill

ed and roasted meats.

Dishes

Boiled

corn

grits porridge. Boiled

corn

hominy served with

cabbage

a

nd

sausage. Fried

corncakes (humitas)

made

from a coa rse puree

of

unripe

corn

kernels, milk, eggs, and cheese; the

mixture

wrapped

in co rn husks

and

st

ea

med like tamales

is

humitas en chal

a.

Beef usually gr

ill

ed


27/35

12

The Food and Culture around the World Handbook - Armenia

or

roasted (asado) on the open fire;

cooked con

cuero (with the hide

on)

it is juicier. Grilled

Offal dishes:

tongue cooked

with

almond

sauce, tripe, and sausages; grilled sweetbrea

most famous,

puchero

(boiled

dinner

of calfs

head, chicken, sausage,

and beef

with gree

Meat trimmings

cooked and

served as cold cuts (fiambres). Empanada, a crescent-shape

turnover filled with spiced

chopped

meat

and

vegetables. Stews

made

from tougher cuts

and

vegetables

such

as

pumpkin and corn or

fruit. Carbonada criolla (stew

of beef

chunk

pumpkin, squash,

and

peaches

cooked

in a

pumpkin

shell). Locro

soup

/ stew

of

meat wit

or corn

and

squash).

Boiled

or baked

pasta

(spaghetti, lasagna, ravioli)

and sauce

, a

favorite in many homes.

National dish

Matambre (

hunger

killer), flank

or

rib steak rolled

around

spinach, who

boiled eggs, carrots,

and

onions, tied with a string, and

poached

in broth

or baked

; served

ho

as

an

appetizer.

Sweets Sugarcane , sugar, soft fudge

or

a

sauce

on bread or pudding (dulce de leche)

cakes, quince pie .

Beverages

Coffee, tea, milk, yerba mate (tea made from leaves of holly family planO, sof

beer, wine.

Restaurant/grill

Parrilla, a restaurant specializing in grilled beef or a grill to hold meat ov

of coals.

Street food and snacks

Empanada (spicy meat/ vegetable turnover) , a common street foo

with small snacks , often served in the afternoon.

RMENI

Republic

of rmenia

Geography

Armenia is in

southwestern

Asia, in the southern Caucasus ,

bordering

Georgia ,

and

Azerbaijan. The smallest of the former Soviet republics,

it

is a land of rugge

tains

and

extinct volcanoes.

Major

Languages

thnic Groups

Major

Religion

Armenian o cial)

Yez idi

Russian

Population density per

sq

mi. 270.7

Literacy rate

99.5%

Armenian

Russian

Yezidi

Kurd)

Life expectancy 68.8

mal

e; 76.5

fe

mal

e

Per capita GDP $4,900

Labor force

in

agriculture 45.2%

98% Armenian

Onhodox

2%

Other

Christian

1%

Other

Urban 64.1%

Infant mortality

rate

per 1 000 live births

HIV rate 0.1%

Unemployment rate 7.4%

Arable land 17%

Agriculture

potatoes, grapes, wheat, tomatoes , vegetables, c

hi

cke ns, sheep , cattle, pigs,

Natural

resources

gold, co

pper

, molybdenum, zinc, bauxite,

fish

Industries

diamond processing, machine tools

and

machines, electric motors, tires, knitw

History Tradition ho ld s that Armenia was settled by a descendant

of

Noah in the Lake Van

where

Noah's ark l

anded

after the flood. Ancient Armenia extended into parts

of

the presen

and Iran. Armenia lost its independence to Rome in the 2nd centLlIY

E and

was later

co

successively by Persia, Byzantium, Islam, Mongols, Turks, Persians again, a

nd

Russia.

became a Soviet republic in 1921. In 1988 an earthquake killed approximately 55,000 peo

ruined several cities

and

tow n

s.

Armenia

declared

its

indep

endence in 1990 and

bec


28/35

The Food a

nd

Culture around the World Handbook - Armenia

independent state when the

USSR disbanded

in 1991. About a fifth of the population left the coun

try beg inning in 1993 because of

an

energy crisis . Economic growth has increased in recent years.

In 2007 the first section of pipeline that provid

es

Iranian natural gas to Armenia

was

inaugurated.

Conflict

over

Nago

rno-Karabakh, an Azerbaijan encl

ave

with a majority population of e thnic

Armenians continues between mostly Christian Armenia and mostly Muslim neighboring Azerbaijan .

Influences on food Armenians became Christians

at

the beg inning of

the

4th century a

nd

sin

ce

then

have

maintained their

church

and

re lated food c

ustom

s, such as Lenten f

oo

ds.

Over

the ce nturies Armenians have ke pt

their

c

ultur

e int

ac

t and influenced o th e rs, a lthough

Armenian cuisine ha s been

influen

ce d by neighboring

Greeks,

Turks , Persians, Syrians, a

nd

other Arabs.

Armenians

trave led aro

und

the

Caucasus

more than

the

other nationalities and

were the

ma

in co

mmercial

trader

s. Many Armenia

ns

emigrated to the U

nited

States

and

have

been successful in the fo od industry, w ith spec ia lty sho

ps

, de licat

esse

ns, res

taurant

s, and

bakeries.

Main foods Bread, lamb ,

yogL1l1

, cheese,

eggp

lant.

Bread and

cereals

Wheat, corn, rice; bread of differ

ent

flo

ur

s

w

heat, potato, corn) combined for

different flavors , flatbread round , some

topp

ed witl1 sesa

me

seeds), lavash thin crisp bread), pastries,

rice dishes.

Meat

poultry

fish

Chicken, la

mb

,

beef

, pork, goat, fish L

ake

Sevan is famous for trout) , eggs;

sausage.

Dairy products Cow,

sheep,

goa t) Yogurt

mahd

zoon), che ese b lue ch

eese

, feta ch

eese,

kashkaval). Yogurt and cheese are served at most m

ea

ls a

nd

are used in cooking. Cheese is often

fl

avored with herbs or spices .

Fats and oils

Olive o

il

, l

amb

fat kyu rdyuk from fat-tailed sheep, used in cooking), butter including

from sheep .

Legumes Lentil

s

beans, chickpeas .

Vegetables Potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, cucumbe rs , red peppers, cabbage, ok ra sq uash, onions,

ga rli c o lives ; pickles.

Fruit Grapes , raisins, apricots,

prunes,

damsons small oval plums), lemons, ap ples, quinces,

pomegranates. Armenia

is

not

ed

fo r

ap

ri

cot

s.

Fruits are

com

m

on and

are

ea

ten fresh a

nd

used in

so

up s and stews .

Nuts

and seeds

Pine nuts , pistachios , walnuts, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds.

Seasonings

Onions , ga rlic, peppers, lemon juice, a llspice, basi l, cumin, fenugreek , rosemaIY,

mint, rosewater. Herbs are used in salads and cheeses . Spice use is moderate. There is a general

liking for sweet and sour.

Dishes

Sa lads of cucumbers tomatoes, and lem

ons

. Us ual so up s: tomato, egg, and lemon; yogurt

with onion o r ga rlic and herbs; yogurt and cuc umbe r The favorite so up , bozbash

made

from fatty

breast of lamb plus fruit and vegetables). An unusual so up , shoushin bozbash meat, quince,

app

le,

and mint).

Bu

lgur cra cked w heat) stea med

and

served like rice. Rice plov p ilaf) . Kofta mea tballs

made from a sm

oo

th paste of a mea t and sp icy ingredients,

cooked

by

va

ri

ous

methods) . Trout

poached

; marinat

ed

with r

ed

p

ep

per

s;

or stuffed with fruits such as prunes, da m

so

ns,

or

apricots

and baked. Shashlyk grilled l

amb

kebabs). Luhjuman pizza

made

with lamb, vegetables, and feta

cheese). Keshkeg lamb or chicken st

ew

conta ining whole-wheat kernels).

Sweets

Honey, suga

r.

Fruit. Honey- or rosewate r-flavor

ed

desserts and pastries suc h as paklava, or

baklava thin layers of dough with nuts and syrup). Armenian khalva toasted

wa

lnu t halves with

boiled milk and sugar coating).

Beverages Coff

ee

, tea, tahn dilut

ed

yogu rt with mint), wine, brandy, ani se

-fl

avored aperitif raki.

Armenians are

wo

rld-accla

im ed

vintners and frequently

consume wine and brandy made

from

va rious fruits.


29/35

4 The Food and Culture around the World Handbook - Australia

Dinner

Mezze

a

ppetizers) with raki, followed by

soup, salad

often

with

main course,

de

ssert,

be

verage .

Mezze Cheese,

egg

plant, chickpea dip, toasted pumpkin seeds or pistachios, boeregs (pas

thin l

aye

rs of do

ugh with savory

filling

of meat or cheese), dolma

stuffed

grape

l

basturma/ pastourma (a pungent spiced meat with fenugreek), sausages, lavash. The mezze t

(snacks with drinking) is important.

AUSTRALIA

Commonwealth of

ustralia

Geography Australia,

the

island continent, is between

the

South Pacific Ocean

and

the

Ocean . Australia with the isla

nd

state Tasmania off the southeastern coast is approximately

of the United States excluding Alaska and Hawaii. The

western

half of Australia is a desert p

Mountain ranges run along the east coas

t.

The

Great Barrier Reef lies along the northeast coa

north

east has heavy rainfall. Most of the cities

and population

are along the coast. Austra

many plant and animal species not found elsew

here

, including kangaroos, koalas, platypus

goes, Tasmanian devils, wombats,

and

barking

and

frilled lizards.

ajor

Languages

Eng

sh (offici

al)

Chinese

It

a

an

Other

Population density per sq.

mi. 7.1

Literacy

rate

93.4%

Life expectancy

79.2

male

; 84 female

Per capita

GDP 36 ,3

00

Labor

force

n agriculture

3.6

thnic Groups

ajor

Religio

White 92

Roman

Catholic

Asian 7%

An

g

lic

an

Abor

ig

in

al and other 1 Other Christian

Other

None

Urban

88.2


per 1,000 live births 4

IfiVrate 0.2

Unemployment rate

4.3

Arable land

6%

Agriculture wheat

, grapes, barley, sugarcane, cotton, fruit , veg etables,

sheep

, chickens

pigs , goats

Natural resources bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, gold, other minerals, diamonds, natural gas,

Industries mining , woo l, beef,

indu

strial and

transportation

equipment , foo d proc

chemicals, stee l

History The first inh

ab

it

ants

, the aborigines, migrated here

at

leas t 40,000 yea rs ag

Southeast Asia . In 1770 Ca pta in James Cook ex plored the east coast when a variety of tribes

ited

the

continent. In 1788 settlers (mostly convicts, so ldiers, and

gove

rnment officials)

b

arrive. Britain claim ed the entire continent by 1830. In 1901 the Commonwea lth was proc

The

50,000 aborigines and 150,000 part abo rigines are mostly detribalized, but there are

preserves in the Northern TerritolY; they remain economically disadvantaged. Australia's agri

mining,

and

industria lization are developed. Australia is the leading

producer

of wool

and

a

exporter of mea t, wo o l,

and

wheat. Sydney hosted the 2000 Summer Olympics . Australian

fought in U.S.-led military operations in Afghanistan

(2001)

and Ir

aq (2003).

In

2007

a

decad

e

serva tive government ended. In

2008

withdrawa l of combat troops in Ir

aq

began

and

the

ec

remained strong.

Australian External Territories Norfo lk Isla

nd

, Coral Sea Islands, Territory

of

Ashmo

Cartier Islands ,

Heard

Isla

nd an

d McDonald Islands , Cocos Islands, Christmas Isla

nd

, Au

Antarctic Territory.


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The Food and Culture around the World Handbook - Australia

Influences on food

The aborigines were hunter-gatherers and subsisted on foods called bush

tucker, including kangaroo, wombat, emu, duck, fish, shrimp, snakes, lizards, witchetty grubs, and

wild plants such as yams, onions, wattle seeds, and

quandong

(a peach-like fruit). Foods were

cooked

over

a fire , in the ashes, or boiled. The first white settlers (mostly convicts) arrived in 1788

from Britain

and

lived on imported food . After Britain gained control of the entire continent in 1830,

many people immigrated voluntarily and

accepted

indigenous food such as kangaroo. During the

19th century meat was cooked

on

sticks over

an

open fire and damper

bread

made with baking

soda and tartaric acid because yeast was difficu lt to obtain) was cooked in ashes. The diet of meat,

damper, and tea resul

ted

from the abundance of meat and reflected convict rations: flour, meat, tea,

and sugar. Australian meat production and consumption were

among

the highest in the world; meat

was eaten three times a day. Vegetables including tomatoes were

grown

in

home

gardens. Thrift

and

economy were

important,

and

physical labor demanded substantial meals of

meat

stews.

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