European cuisine

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French bread

Italian pasta
European cuisine, or alternatively Western cuisine, is a generalised term collectively referring to
the cuisines of Europe[1] and other Western countries,[2]including (depending on the definition)
that of Russia,[2] as well as non-indigenouscuisines of Australasia, Latin America, North
America, Southern Africa, andOceania, which derive substantial influence from European
settlers in those regions. The term is used by East Asians to contrast with Asian styles of
cooking.[3] (This is analogous to Westerners' referring collectively to the cuisines of East Asian
countries as Asian cuisine.) When used by Westerners, the term may sometimes refer more
specifically to cuisine in Europe; in this context, a synonym isContinental cuisine, especially
in British English.

Grilled steak

Home fried potatoes

The cuisines of Western countries are diverse by themselves, although there are common
characteristics that distinguish Western cooking from cuisines of Asian countries[4] and others.
Compared with traditional cooking of Asian countries, for example, meat is more prominent and
substantial in serving-size.[5] Steak and cutletin particular are common dishes across the West.
Western cuisines also put substantial emphasis on grape wine and on sauces as condiments,
seasonings, or accompaniments (in part due to the difficulty of seasonings penetrating the often
larger pieces of meat used in Western cooking). Many dairy products are utilised in the cooking
process, except in nouvelle cuisine.[6] Wheat-flour bread has long been the most common source
of starch in this cuisine, along with pasta, dumplings andpastries, although the potato has become
a major starch plant in the diet of Europeans and their diaspora since the European colonisation
of the Americas.Maize is much less common in most European diets than it is in the Americas;
however corn meal (polenta or mmlig), is a major part of the cuisine of Italy and the Balkans.
Although flatbreads (especially with toppings such as pizza or tarte flambe), and rice are eaten
in Europe, they do not constitute an ever-present staple. Salads (cold dishes with uncooked or
cooked vegetables with sauce) are an integral part of European cuisine.
Formal European dinners are served in distinct courses. European presentation evolved
from service la franaise, or bringing multiple dishes to the table at once, into service la
russe, where dishes are presented sequentially. Usually, cold, hot and savoury, and sweet dishes
are served strictly separately in this order, as hors d'oeuvre (appetizer) or soup,
as entre and main course, and as dessert. Dishes that are both sweet and savoury were common
earlier in ancient Roman cuisine, but are today uncommon, with sweet dishes being served only
as dessert. A service where the guests are free to take food by themselves is termed a buffet, and
is usually restricted to parties or holidays. Nevertheless, guests are expected to follow the same
pattern.
Historically, European cuisine has been developed in the European royal and noble courts.
European nobility was usually arms-bearing and lived in separate manors in the countryside. The
knife was the primary eating implement (cutlery), and eating steaks and other foods that require

cutting followed. In contrast in the Sinosphere, the ruling class were the court officials, who had
their food cut ready to eat in the kitchen, to be eaten with chopsticks. The knife was supplanted
by the spoon for soups, while the fork was introduced later in the early modern period, ca. 16th
century. Today, eating dinner by hand (without cutlery) is no longer considered acceptable.
Contents
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1Central European cuisines
2Eastern European cuisines
3Northern European cuisines
4Southern European cuisines
5Western European cuisines
6See also
7References
8Further reading
Central European cuisines[edit]
See also: Central European cuisine
[7][8]
All of these countries have their specialities. Austria is famous for their Wiener Schnitzel - a
breaded veal cutlet served with gravy, the Czech Republic for their world renowned beers.
Germany for their world famous wursts, Hungary for their goulash. Slovakia is famous for their
gnocchi-like Halusky pasta. Slovenia for their German and Italian influenced cuisine, Poland for
their world famous Pierogis which are a cross between a Ravioli and an Empanada. Liechenstein
and German speaking Switzerland are famous for their Rsti and French speaking Switzerland
for their Raclettes.
Austrian cuisine
Czech cuisine
German cuisine
Hungarian cuisine
Polish cuisine

Liechtensteiner cuisine
Slovak cuisine
Slovenian cuisine
Swiss cuisine

Austrian Wiener Schnitzel

Slovenian ganci

Swiss rsti