A favorite parlor game of mine is having everyone name their top ten cuisines of the world. This is sure to get more than the gastric juices flowing and can provoke some surprisingly heated discussions.
It helps to be with a group of people who are passionate about food, in which case everyone wants to justify their responses and wax rhapsodic about some favorite meal. To really force the action, I also like to require a second list – of just the top five. What could be controversial about that, you might wonder? Oh man. Getting a serious foodie to prioritize only five cuisines can create some major arguments, even some personal angst. Try it sometime.
By cuisines, I mean by nationality. Italian. Thai. That sort of thing. But these days, as our palates get more sophisticated, it probably makes sense to get more specific. I’ve never tried it this way but it could be interesting. Northern Italian, instead of just Italian. Or even from the Veneto, if we’re going to really go for it (I do love a good seafood risotto).
Anyway, here is my list, with some explanations/justifications below. Like I said, it’s tough to do this, if you really love a lot of different types of food. And I do.
Top Ten Cuisines in the World
- French
- Italian
- Thai
- Vietnamese
- Indian
- Mexican
- Mediterranean/Middle Eastern
- Japanese
- Peruvian
- Moroccan
(1) French. This seems almost cliché (pardon the linguistic pun). But really, what else? I probably cook more Italian but if I think about great meals I’ve had, or want to plan a menu for dinner guests, I’m probably thinking French before anything else. And if it inspired Julia Child and Alice Waters to do what they’ve done, who am I to argue otherwise? Just because the French have haute cuisine doesn’t mean this stuff has to be fancy. There’s nothing simpler than a hunk of baguette and cheese, but that’s my go-to snack at home if I’m feeling a bit peckish. And because for me food necessarily means food and wine, the French have that category locked up as well. A dry rosé on a warm summer evening with a salade Niçoise? Heaven.
(2) Italian. This is always a close second for me. Like I said, I probably cook more Italian – pasta of course being a mainstay – but why dwell on its runner-up status? The simple fact is, Italians know how to live. And since so much of life revolves around meals, our indebtedness to La Cucina Italiana is enormous. When it comes to true comfort food (think spaghetti all’amatriciana with a nice glass of Montepulciano), Italian food rules the roost.
(3) Thai. Seems obvious but you’d be surprised how infrequently it makes people’s top five. You don’t need to go to Thailand to taste the real thing but it helps. The American version has been de-fanged somewhat for our more delicate sensibilities. I can’t take it as spicy as I used to, but there’s something about the Thai use of the whole spectrum of hot, sweet, bitter and sour, together with all those wonderful ingredients, that is unique in creating eating pleasure. I remember once eating a spicy beef salad on the overnight train from Bangkok to Chang Mai that was so hot I thought my mouth would disintegrate. But try as I might, and with perspiration literally pouring off my face, I couldn’t stop eating it – it was too delicious. Some people drink wine with Thai food but for me beer tastes better. Plus it helps quench the fire.
(4) Vietnamese. Once I get on the subject of Thai food, then Vietnamese isn’t far behind. I’ve never been to Vietnam but I really want to go. I’ve heard the scenery is gorgeous, I like the people and the food is amazing. The French influence certainly helps but it’s something else – a passion for complexity while using basic ingredients. I wouldn’t attempt to cook Vietnamese food myself, even though I imagine it isn’t that hard to master. But as anyone who has ever had an honest bowl of pho can tell you – it doesn’t get much better than that.
(5) Indian. I spent a lot of time in England growing up and Indian food was our take-out of choice. I mean, who wanted bland battered fish and soggy chips when you could get Rogan Josh and Chicken Tandoori? Indians rightly prize their cuisine as one of the world’s greats so it earns itself a place in my top 5. I think what also helps make Indian food so interesting is the blending of cultures and ingredients. It can be rice-based (biryani) or wheat-based (nan). Meat-based or vegetarian. But that complex palate of spices is a constant.
(6) Mexican. A classically misunderstood cuisine. Bastardized by Taco Bell and countless other imitators. The real thing is complex, soul-satisfying and unique. Every once in a while I get a Mexican food craving that can’t be satisfied by anything else. It can be fancy – think mole sauces – but it doesn’t have to be. Enchiladas verdes, frijoles and guacamole – the ultimate comfort food. It doesn’t hurt that Mexican beer is so good. Make mine a Negra Modelo.
(7) Mediterranean/Middle Eastern. I know – this is a blatant cheat. I suppose I could pick Lebanese or Greek or Turkish but the common elements remain the same. Olive oil, feta cheese, hummus, pita bread, falafel, lemon, etc. Persian food is a particular wonderful variant, with the use of saffron and pomegranate. And the desserts, incorporating dates, honey, nuts and phyllo dough, will satisfy any sweet tooth. It completely guilds the lily that a Mediterranean diet is so good for us, as medical studies now show. As if we didn’t know?
(8) Japanese. I would probably rank this higher, but I find parts of Japanese cuisine close to unappetizing, such as the breakfasts. I mean, I’m not a big fan of tofu in general, and combining that with broiled fish and seaweed first thing in the morning? No thanks. That said, what I do like about Japanese food is wonderful. Sushi alone is a major contribution to world cuisine and the variety of rice and noodle dishes is amazing. A personal favorite is unagi donburi – grilled eel in a savory sauce over vegetables and rice. It’s no wonder the Japanese live so long – there is something unique to their cuisine that leaves one, after a meal, feeling both satisfied and clean. There is little more appetizing on a rainy day than a bowl of miso soup.
(9) Peruvian. Here’s one you didn’t expect, I’m guessing. And maybe aren’t that familiar with. But once you get to know it, you’ll become a fan. Like a lot of great cuisines, this is an amalgam of cultures, in this case New World (Incan) and Old World (Spanish), with a little Asian thrown in for good measure. The signature dish is ceviche. Other Latin cuisines have their own variants of this raw fish marinade, but (in my humble opinion) nothing compares to the Peruvian version, which incorporates the unusual corn and potato species indigenous to Peru, as well as aji, a particularly piquant type of chili pepper. And even before the meal begins, Peru offers us one of the all-time great cocktails: Pisco Sour, which is somewhat reminiscent of a margarita but much better, utilizing Pisco, a South American grape liquor.
(10) Moroccan. There is, admittedly, some overlap with Mediterranean cuisine here. But there is also enough separation that I felt this deserved its own place on the list. Use of cumin and cinnamon, two of my favorite spices, predominate. Standout dishes include tagine, the wonderful couscous-based stews, harira, a lentil, tomato and lemon-flavored soup, and b’stiyya, a shredded chicken pie made with cinnamon-flavored phyllo that is as revelation of contrasting flavors. It doesn’t hurt that a Moroccan meal feels so festive. You eat it with your hands, communal style, and in restaurants the meal is often accompanied by a belly dancer. By the time the mint tea arrives, sweetened with honey, everyone is in a very good mood.
Okay, so what did I miss? Well, obviously Chinese. This may seem like an egregious sin, but I have a simple answer: I don’t eat that much Chinese food any more. Not that I don’t like it and appreciate its incredible diversity – I do. But if the choice is between Chinese and, let’s say, Vietnamese or Japanese, which are you going to choose? Let’s be honest – the latter two combine the best features of Chinese cuisine (rice, noodles) and push them beyond the realm of the ordinary.
But that’s part of the fun – arguing about what should be on the list. Of course nobody is right or wrong. And as long as we all can enjoy a good meal, we’re all winners.