Global and Regional Cuisines

About

So What is Foodspheres?

According to the Oxford Dictionary a sphere is: “An area of activity, interest, or expertise; a section of society or an aspect of life distinguished and unified by a particular characteristic.” Also included as a possible definition is the earth as a sphere or a globe. Take these two interpretations together and you can start getting a bit of an idea of what the site is about. Here at Foodspheres I seek to learn and write about flavors, dishes, and foodways from around the globe. I will also compare and contrast methods of cooking and sharing food, all in an attempt to showcase the multiple ways in which food is expressed in different regions of the world. This global overview is meant to introduce basic notions of cuisines and related cooking techniques so that visitors of the site can learn and experiment in their own kitchens. Also to be included are some reflections about geographic regions and colonial histories and their impacts regional cuisines over time.

Focus in the early going is on cooking, recipes, ingredients, and some background of a given regional cuisine. As the blog progresses I hope to integrate different content and start a conversation with visitors of the site, chefs, and food experts who have interesting stories and diverse knowledge around food and our food system.

Please Note!!

I am not an expert on the cuisines that I will be writing about and trying out in the kitchen. I also understand that many may be sensitive to the ways in which I describe their native cuisines and dishes. That said, I will do my very best to conduct research and learn from people indigenous to a region in a way which best represents the cooking styles. Nation-states do not define culture, border-lines do not define territories: It is important that visitors of this site understand that I am doing my best to avoid over-generalizing cuisines and traditions. Despite this challenge, I will do my best to respect regional, linguistic, and cultural differences. If I miss something…that’s where you come in and teach me more about the different types of foods from your world(s).