Aug. 2, 2023
National dishes are celebrated in every major city around the world, such as paella in Paris, sushi in Sydney, and fish and chips in Frankfurt. While the quality may be good, nothing compares to enjoying a famous dish served in its country of origin. This is because a dining experience is about more than just the food itself - it's also about the atmosphere and cultural significance. Europe is particularly renowned for its diverse culinary offerings and rich cultural heritage.
Nowhere is the ability to create a culinary masterpiece from basic household ingredients more evident than in Italy. If you mix spaghetti, garlic, and oil outside of Italy, you get just that. But if you try this mix in Naples, you get Aglio e Olio – a dish of remarkable simplicity that offers incredible richness.How so? Try asking a Neapolitan chef and you’ll get a knowing glance and a gesture toward the heart.
In many countries, cheese is little more than an ingredient in a dish or a constituent part of a sandwich. Not so in France where Master Fromagerie can be seen in tunics adorned with medals, revered as they slice and serve their products. The pride in the process is unmistakable, reminding those feasting on the produce that the occasion is something truly special.
Like the Italians, the Greeks can take basic ingredients and create something otherworldly. Slice, dice, drizzle with oil and dust with herbs, it is all so obviously simple, yet maddeningly out of reach, The warm breeze, the hum of insects, even the tardy service all coalesce to generate dining experiences that are impossible to replicate. Lunch or dinner on a Greek terrace is something that stays with you forever.
Catalonians have unimaginably delightful food as a central part of their lives. Sit in a Catalonian tapas bar as the locals break out into song to celebrate the arrival of their culinary pleasures. It is the sort of appreciation that would raise eyebrows in Covent Garden – not so in Girona.
As our world becomes more homogenous, and internationalized, to the point that all cities offer all tastes, we must not lose sight of the fact that a regional dish is more than the ingredients and prowess of the chef. It is the nuances of the whole experience, the location, its people, sounds, smells, and habits that take the occasion to a whole new level. And this goes to the heart of sustainability, where we safeguard regional gastronomy from the threat of separation from its birthplace. You can enjoy a paella in Paris, but it won't taste like it does in Valencia!