Introduction to Western cuisine

A generalized term collectively referring to the cuisines of Europe and other

western countries

Cuisines include: Europe, parts of Russia, non-indigenous cuisines of North

America, Oceania, Latin America

Attributes of western Cuisines

 Big serving of meat

 Specific methods of preparing and serving the different cuts of meat
 Use of diary products in the cooking process expect for nouvelle cooking
 Wheat flour bread is the most common source of starch a long with
pasta, dumplings and pastries
 Although potatoes have been a major starch plant in the European diet
 Emphasis on sauces as condiments seasoning and accompaniments

Western cuisine timeline:

10,000BC- Almonds, agriculture, bread, beer, soup

9,000BC- Sheep domestication

7,000Bc- Pig domestication

6,500BC- Cattle domestication

6,000 BC- Wine, maize, tortillas, spelt grain, date palm, broccoli

5,000 BC- Olives, olive oil, cucumbers, squash, chili peppers, potatoes, milk,
yogurt

3,000BC- Butter, palm oil, barley, peas, carrots, onions, garlic

1st Century AD- Bible era foods, ancient Rome, fried chicken, rice puddling,
flan, cheesecake

Other Notable events:

4000BC- yeast bread, pitta and focaccia

1st Century-French toast, truffles

13th Century- hamburgers, ravioli, lasagna, waffles, couscous

1597- Potato salad.

Classification of western Cuisine:

American

 May be called North American Cuisine or Cuisine of the United States

 Had a rich and diverse cooking style for an equally diverse amount of
ingredients
 With European colonization the style of cookery changed vastly as well as
cooking styles and modern cook books
 Influx has created a rich diversity and a unique regional character

Latin America:

 Refers to typical foods, beverage, and cooking styles

 A very diverse area of land that holds various cuisines that vary from
nation to nation

Caribbean:

 A fusion of Africa, Amerindian, British, Spanish, French, Dutch, Indian,

Chinese and America
 Common flavors throughout the region include cinnamon, ginger, and
nutmeg seafood and rice are the common mainstays of Caribbean

Mediterranean:

 Cuisine is characterized by its flexibility, its range of ingredients and its

many regional variations
 The terrain has tended to favor the raising of goat and sheep
 Fish dishes are also common and also sea foods
 Olive oil prominent through Portugal, Greece, Croatia, Turkey, Italy,
Spain and other Mediterranean nations
 Barbeque or grilled meats, pita bread, hummus, and falafel are very
popular
Western Cuisine and the Filipino Palate:

 Pre-Hispanic Influence – trade routes from neighboring countries that

were under the western influence ( Arabs, Indians)
 Spanish influence
 Almost 400 years under the Spanish crown
 Sautéing garlic tomatoes and onion in olive oil
 Use of vinegar and spices to preserve food
 Bake products and desserts like pan-desal, leche flan, and
ensaymada
 Dishes for special occasion like pocher, estofado paella,
caldereta, and adobo

Common Western Cuisine Equipment:

Steam-jacket kettle –often used in the preparation of large quantities of soup,

stocks, gravies, and sauces

Salamanders- ideal for grilling of steaks and fish, Enable flash heating and
browning of dishes prior to serving

Griddle- a flat metal , used over open flame or on a stove to cook many foods
including, flat breads

Rotisserie- an oven or broiler equipped with a rotating spit on which meat

cooks as it turns

Food processors- a kitchen used to facilitate various repetitive tasks in the

process of preparation of food

Common Western Cuisine cooking methods:

 Blanching
 Deep Frying
 Poaching
 Grilling
 Boiling
 Baking
 Steaming
 Roasting
 Simmering
The food Sequence of Food Preparation:

 Bread and butter- prepare first the butter from chiller made by the
piping bag, be sure the bread is toasted
 Appetizer-supposed to be cold until it served , if it is supposed to be
warm maintain the food warm until the food is served
 Soup- most soup is served hot maintain the soup warm until it is served,
but some soup is supposed to be cold maintain the cool effect until the
soup is served
 Salad- serve the ingredients safe, clean and fresh, salad dressing should
be put on a separate dish
 Entrée/ Main dish-when serving entrée be sure that you have following
the plate: meat side dish sauce garnish starch, Always maintain the dish
warm, Be sure that the meat was cook just like what customer want like
rare, well-done, medium
 Dessert
 Beverage( coffee or tea)

Table setting Guide:

1. Avoid cluttering up your table

2. Utensils should approximately be about half inch away from the plate or
each other they should also be lined up evenly from bottoms
3. Dinner plates should be placed approximately 2 inches from the table’s
edge
4. Knives should be placed with their cutting edge toward the dinner plate,
Expect the butter knife which must be laid on a side plate
5. When using candle as the sole source of light they must be placed
symmetrically upon the table and their flames should not be at eye level
6. Napkins are commonly placed on the plate, to the left of the forks or
inside of a dinking glass