The Menu a.k.a. An Introduction to My Project

I have had this idea for a while now to dive into one culture of food for at least a month, such as only Japanese or Mexican or Scandinavian! And by dive in, I really mean it. My grocery list will be almost exclusively as a native family would shop. To fully experience the cuisine, I will try to imitate breakfast, lunch, and snacks, as well as dinner meals, though I may need to have some alternates based on availability and possible disdain of food choice by my family. (They do have rather adventurous palettes, though, so I think they'll be game.)

Since I also have three children under 5 and nanny part-time for three children under 5, I run a sort of home school preschool to keep things sane and safe! This project will merge with my teaching plans. There will be geography lessons, cultural music (and perhaps dance if my husband will oblige - rhythm have I none!), basic greetings, typical dress, and of course, cooking, all on a preschool level anyway.

My reasons?

1. My family could really learn about different people groups and the food they enjoy - and hopefully some of their techniques and inspirations as well. Knowledge breaks down many barriers.

2. It'd be more economical this way verses cooking a different region of food each night. I'll be able to buy more of certain ingredients, and I'll be able to make from scratch some of the core sauces or condiments of that culture. This will taste better and be cheaper.

3. I've always been curious about the health impacts of different ethnic foods, especially after skimming through a book on my shelf, 30 Secrets of the World's Healthiest Cuisines. I plan to keep track of my family's health during each segment, and I also plan to keep track of their preferences toward or against certain foods.

4, I love to cook and people generally like (and sometimes rave!) about it. (Thank you!) But I honestly have only had my own experience and my few recipe books as teachers. Since I can neither afford the money or the time right now to attend a culinary institute, I truly hope the books I read and the youtube videos I watch and any advice from the few of you I think will read this will be my teachers. I hope to emerge from this actually understanding things like samosa, sopapillas, pate, saffron, la choucroute, sukiyaki, tagine, etc., and find out some answers to questions like, "Are the French really the best cooks? Why does Crete have the lowest rate of heart disease? What do they eat in Siberia? Is the U.S.D.A. food pyramid really accurate?

Regions/countries that are on my list:
Indian, Japanese, Scandinavian, Middle Eastern, Italian, French, Mexican, South American (I'll have to research how this continent will best divide), Balkan, South African, Thai.
This project could have no end! But it must have a beginning, and so I am beginning with Middle Eastern Cooking. I will begin my notes on that in a new post! :) I don't know how long each region will take, but I'm currently assuming it will be about a month to cook the main and most popular dishes and learn a few key things for each place. Perhaps it will take more like 3 months... we shall see.

Feel free to teach me anything you have learned or steer me toward a book or website or blog. I'm ready to absorb the flavors I've been missing out on, and embrace the ones I've come to love!