Q.1. Explain in detail the characteristics of Italian cuisine. What are the various types of Pasta used in Italian cooking? (five types with description) Characteristics of Italian cuisine = Coffee, specifically espresso is served after meals. ® Italian meals are accompanied by wine. Olive oil is a major cooking medium: itis also used asa flavoring agent. Starch based products like Pasta, pizza and breads are the major source of carbohydrates. italian cuisine is characterized not only by its typical ingredients and the way they are used in each meal, but also by the way dishes are served and the environment in which they are eaten. Italian cuisine is unique and very special, and when it is properly done, it can transport those who enjoy it to Florence, Sicily, Venice, Tuscany. An Italian entree dish which would usually be of smaller size than the next ones. This dish could consist on pasta, meat or fish, and in the two last cases sometimes are cold dishes. After the first course, a typical Italian dinner would indicate a second or main course. A main course is usually based on meat, fish or vegetable, depending on which ingredients consisted the dishes served before. Atypical Italian meal would be closed with a desert and a coffee. The desert would usually consist on a cake, pastries, fruits or a fruit salad. After this, an Italian cuisine mandatory element is a cup of espresso or coffee. It is also important to mention that an Italian meal would most of the times be accompanied with wine, chosen according to the kind of meal and the elements in which its preparation is based. Various types of Pasta There are two major classifications: pasta Fresca (fresh) and pasta secca (dried). From here, there are more than 400 unique types of pasta: sheets, strips, long strands, cylinders, unique shapes, flavors, and many other local varieties. There are more names for pasta than the mind can retain, yet all are made from the same basic ingredients — 100% durum wheat and water with a specific percentage of acidity and humidity under Italian law. Varying from the basics, light flavors and colors can be added to pasta with egg yolk, spinach, tomato paste, chocolate, and even squid ink. Each of these pastas creates its own unique dining experience when properly served. Rotini - The word is derived from Italian word which means ‘small wheels’. These pastas are spiral types and are tightly winded. Originally, they are 2 edged spirals but sometimes, they also come in 3- edged varieties. This pasta is suitable for olive oil or tomato sauces as they stick to the corkscrews. Fusilli - This pasta is very similar to rotini, and therefore many consider them to be the same. However, there is a small difference. Rotini pasta is actually made from flat pasta which is twisted later. However, Fusilli pasta is made by already twisted strand of pasta. Like Rotini, it is also not hollow and therefore is not able to retain sauce much, rather it soaks up the sauce which gives a good flavor. Vermicelli- The word vermicelli means little worms. This pasta is thinner in comparison to spaghetti. These are round typed strands. Asians make it with semolina. In India, a variety of recipes makes use of this pasta and is known as seviyan. This long and slender pasta is cooked in differ ways around the word. Ravioli - This is dumpling pasta which means that it has a filling inside it. This is one of the traditional pastas. The word Ravioli refers to ‘turnip’. It can be prepared with veg or non-veg filling according to the taste. Generally, the casing is square in shape and 3x3 cm. Ravioli stuffed with cheese is very popular. ‘Spaghetti - This is the most common round rod shaped pasta. The word spaghetti means little wwines. Larger versions of these pastas are known as spaghettoni, whereas smaller versions are known as spaghettini. This pasta tastes wonderful with meat and tomato sauce.Q.2. Discuss about the popularity of French cuisine around the world. Indicate and explain special ingredients used in French cooking. French cuisine sounds fancy, conjuring up images of anniversary date nights, expense-account feasts. French cooking may seem sophisticated, but it’s not rocket science. “It’s ultimately about creating a harmonious dish that elevates the quality of the main ingredient. For example, different regions in France may treat chicken differently—Burgundy makes coq au vin, the Basque region makes Chicken Basque. There's a lot of tradition involved in all of it. It's about building flavors. "The French do that so well; they can really layer flavors.” In the soup-, stew-, and sauce-heavy cuisine, dishes often start with a base of mirepoix, a combination of diced celery, onions, carrots, and garlic. And it’s no secret that French chefs cook with wine every now and again—but it’s never just sloshed Into a dish, Is often added Into a hot pan to reduce so that the concentrated flavor of the wine comes through. When browned meats are added, the layers of flavor intensify. Finishing the dish with fresh herbs adds that final punch. The typical meal includes three courses—a simple starter (soup is a popular option), a main dish (this could be as basic as a quick chicken recipe), and then cheese and fruit for dessert. In French Cuisine some Essential ingredient are used. Some Essential ingredients are Butter French butter is often slightly fermented for an extra depth of flavour. It is essential to many of the traditional sauces, to sauté, for pastry, for baking and of course to spread on crusty French bread, ijon mustard »n mustard is a pale yellow in colour with a creamy, smooth consistency and mild flavour. mustard is used in sauces, rubbed on roasts and whisked in the classic vinaigrette dressing. Fleur du Sel The first white crystals in the salt formation process which began more than 2,700 years ago most famously in the Guérande peninsula in Brittany. Cheese France produces the greatest number of cheeses in the world, as well as many of the finest, and it is. almost always enjoyed at the end of a meal. The cheese trolley is often regarded as a mark of a restaurant's quality. You should begin with the mildest in flavour and work your way to the strongest. French cheeses include: White and red mould (washed rind) - brie de meaux, camembert, livarot and munster Chevre - cabécou, pouligny saint pierre, crottin de chavignol Blue vein - Roquefort, fourme d'ambert - Hard cheese - gruyere, beaufort Medium-firm ~ saint-nectaire, morbier, cantal Truffle A finely veined tuber formed in a magical underground exchange by the bonding of its filaments with the roots of certain types of trees, most traditionally oak. Season, climate, soil conditions and an element of great mystery surround the cultivation process, making the truffle a highly prized and expensive ingredient.Garlic Akey ingredient in the loved Provengal aioli ~ a garlic mayonnaise. Brown onions Brown onions are a key ingredient for many dishes including the famous French onion soup. Look for firm onions with shiny papery skin. Shallot Shallot (eschallots) have a cluster of small bulbs with a more delicate and less pungent flavour than, other onions, Champignon de Paris Button mushrooms used raw in salads and classic dishes, such as boeuf bourguignon, Turnip Believed to have first been cultivated in 2000 BC, turnips are picked young when small and sweet at the beginning of summer. The French love them puréed, pan-fried, steamed or classically paired with duck in canard aux navets or lamb navarin. Celeriac Avariety of celery which is grown for its taproot rather than its stem and leaves. Peeled and then cut in julienne, it is the main ingredient in the classic French remoulade, but can also be cooked and mashed, baked or used in stews and soups. Herbs Common herbs in French cooking are flat-leaf parsley, chives, thyme, bay leaves and chervil. Charcuterie A collective term meaning “cooked meat” such as rillettes, terrines, paté, confit and saucisson. Bread French bread is made in a myriad of styles and shapes, but most well known is the iconic baguette, 2 long stick-shaped loaf with a thin golden crust and light interior.