Central Asia
The food in Asia is as diverse as the countries and people within the massive continent. Like many other cultures, it’s not only the food in Asia that is unique but also the relationship that people have with the food and the culture that revolves around it. Because it is such a large continent, it’s impossible to define the entire area as having one type of food or a few chosen styles. The continent can however, be divided into separate regions with each region having the same type of food. There could never be an exhaustive list of the types of dining in Asia as there are many small villages and towns throughout the region each with their own distinct cuisine.
Central Asia, which has regions such as Afghanistan and Kazakhstan, are known for being very big meat eaters. Pork, beef, and chicken are often used and unlike other areas of Asia, the food here is not generally very spicy and is always served in large portions, with lots of grains and starches used to make these meals some of the heartiest fare there is. In East Asia, with areas such as China, Japan, and North and South Korea, rice is an obvious staple with common variations being found in fried rice with different vegetables, seafood, meat, and eggs. In other areas, there are even more variations such as fruit dried rice. The people of Eastern Asia always use chopsticks to eat their food and tourists shouldn’t be surprised if they ask for a fork and don’t receive one. They’re simply considered unnecessary and there are also never any knives placed on the table.
Many visitors to the Middle East are surprised to learn that the cuisine here is not that much different than what you would find in places such as Greece and Turkey. Kebabs, flat breads, and gyros are very popular. Visitors are also often surprised to learn that Greek cooking is much more similar to Iranian than it is Italian. Southeast Asia, which contains regions such as Cambodia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam also use rice as their main staple however noodles are also often used in place of rice. Fruit is very popular in Southeast Asia and mangoes are especially common. Tourists like to try the durian fruit, because of its rotten smell but pleasant taste. There are many street vendors in Southeast Asia but it’s recommended that visitors beware of them because they can often charge tourists high prices.
Dining in Russia is an experience all unto itself! It is here that people can find food from the peasants that once occupied the land including hearty stews, potato salad, fish, and game. Because rye, barley, wheat and millet are grown here, bread is very common and provides the base for many foods including pancakes, cereals, and beer. Some of the local specialties that should be tasted when