Cultural diversity is never as delicious as when it arrives on the dinner table. With premier culinary schools in every cultural tradition under the sun, there's no reason why you can't bring the world's flavors home. The following four traditions are as accessible as they are tasty. Fasten your seatbelts!
ASIA
Aromatic Journey through Thailand
The essence of Thai cuisine is its delicate balance of four fundamental flavors: hot (spicy), sour, salty, and sweet. Coconut milk, curry paste, fish sauce, Kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass, ginger, soy sauce, and fragrant Jasmine rice contribute the distinct flavors characteristic of a Thai meal.
Thailand is a crossroads for culinary traditions, combining, as one chef puts it, "the bite of Szechuan Chinese, the tropical flavor of Malaysian, the creamy coconut sauces of southern Indian, and the aromatic spices of Arabian food."
Thai cooking classes can introduce you to the delicious meeting point of these traditions. You'll learn how to get the spiciness just right, bring out subtle sweet flavors, create your own curry paste by pounding spices with a mortar and pestle, and even how to carve fruit for a traditional Thai presentation.
- Thai Dishes
- Tom Yam Gung soup
- Green Mango Salad
- Pad Thai
- Penaeng Red Curry
- Jasmine Rice
- Cha Yen (Thai Iced Tea)
- Sticky Rice & Mango
AFRICA
A Slow-Cooked Feast in Morocco
North African, Persian, Mediterranean, and Jewish traditions come together in the fragrant cuisine of Morocco. Moroccan cuisine is anchored by the slow-cooked tagine, prepared in a clay pot and served alongside couscous. Time is the chief ingredient in many Moroccan specialties, along with spices such as cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, saffron, anise, and saffron. Honey and fruit (pomegranate, citrus, dates) flavor savory dishes, Persian-style.
"Moroccan cooking is not quick-quick-quick," Moroccan chef Paula Wolfert warns culinary school students. But a crockpot or slow cooker presents a less time-intensive alternative to the clay pots and open fire of traditional Morocco. And for those who can't make it to the souk, live and nut oils, dates, and exotic spices are increasingly available at the local supermarket.
In a Moroccan culinary arts course, you can expect to learn how to slow-cook tagines, harira (a lentil, chickpea, and bean soup), and aromatic lamb roasts. You'll discover the secret of fluffy couscous, and experience the honey-drenched world of Moroccan pastries.
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Moroccan Menu
- Harira Soup
- Spicy Potato Tagine
- Mourouzia Roasted Lamb
- Golden Couscous
- Green Tea with Mint
- Honey Cakes
AMERICAS
Sunday Asado in Argentina
The Argentine menu is a hybrid of Spanish, Italian, and indigenous influences, tied together by one common element: beef. Argentines reportedly consume 100kg of beef per capita every year.
A good percentage of that arrives at the table barbecued. The 'asado' is an elaborate weekend ritual that involves grilling nearly every part of the beef in a specific order, beginning with chorizo (pork sausage), rinones (kidneys), and mollejas (sweetbreads), and culminating, several cuts of beef later, in the matambre (flank steak).
If you're clutching your heart just reading this, you may be relieved to know that Argentine beef is grass-fed, and therefore has ten percent less cholesterol and a third less fat than the standard U.S. cut. And that you can buy such high-quality beef in the States as well. To learn how to barbecue it right, check into an Argentine cooking class. As one impassioned Argentine asador tells his students: "To speak of the asado is to speak of a science and of the elemental secrets with which, in front of the fire, we pay tribute to our national identity."
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Argentine Asado
- Chorizo
- Rinones (kidney)
- Mollejas (sweetbreads)
- Chinchulin (chitterlings)
- Lomo and other steaks
- Chimichurri
- Malbec wine
- Dulce de Leche
EUROPE
Dining al Fresco in Tuscany
Spaghetti and tomato sauce, right? Actually there's much more to Italian cooking. A Tuscan meal, for example, is likely to feature beans, a pork roast, vegetables, and fresh herbs picked from the garden. Olive oil and white truffles lend subtle flavor. Set the table outside, and you may as well be eating al fresco at a Tuscan villa.
As Frances Mayes observed in her recipe book/memoir Under the Tuscan Sun, Italian food is a way of life. "Tuscany is a place where the pace of life still allows people to live gently and well." Tuscan food means time to linger in the garden, chat with shopkeepers, and celebrate the season's bounty.
You don't need to live in Italy to capture the spirit of its cuisine. Cooking schools take you through the Italian art of coaxing subtle flavors from fresh ingredients. Tuscan culinary instructor Sandra Lotti begins her cooking class: "We Italians don't like to cover flavors. We build layers of flavor, starting with the soffrito." Tuscan classes focus on the whole picture, including how to shop for ingredients and find seasonal produce.
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Tuscan Menu
- Fresh Herb Crostini
- Wild Mushroom Soup
- Prosciutto with Melon
- Artichoke Ravioli
- Wild Boar Stew
- Chianti
- Tiramisu
From the four corners of the world to your home kitchen, culinary schools deliver the secrets of global cuisine. Log on, light the burners, and discover new taste sensations from distant shores.