That's it.

So this is the end of my experience of independent foods class. It has been a year and i have cooked many things. I am a much better cook than i was at the beginning. And now I am ready to go to college and cook for my children one day. The lamb was by far the best and the most expensive meal. The salmon was possibly my worst. I learned how to make a roux and how to julienne a carrot. Most of all I gained confidence, a confidence that when I leave I will not be limited to salad and sandwiches. So im glad i took this class. And now i don't have to cook for class anymore. yep. so that's all folks.

Greece: my meal

I made two courses for this final meal. Both recipes by Ina Garten, an Grecian.

The first course was an appetizer or a meze. This was Warm Goat Cheese in Phyllo. The phyllo had to be layered, with butter and bread crumbs between the layers. You had to move quickly before the dough dried out. Once there were four layers made, all you had to do was put goat cheese in the center, pull up the corners, and twist. Once they were cooked, they were ready to eat. And they were delicious. There was a side salad that accompanied the pastry, it was simple, just lettuce and a dressing made with dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, and olive oil (as well as some other minor things).

The second course was Lamb Kabobs and Couscous. The couscous was fairly easy to make, just a bit of a process. But once the couscous was in the pan, all you had to do was wait, then mix in the other ingredients. The lamb was marinated for several hours, then put on a skewer with red onion pieces and cherry tomatoes. The recipe called for grilling, but since it is late December, I figured I would broil them instead. The skewers had to occasionally be turned. They were delicious, amazingly wonderful.

Final Project: Greece

Located in the southern part of the Balkan peninsula, Greece is made of a mainland and several hundred islands. Continually adding more islands throughout the second half of the 19^th century and the early 20^th century, the country is constantly adding new culture while holding on to the centuries of history.

The geography of Greece is not only made up of islands. The mainland consists of mostly mountainous terrain and is surrounded on three sides by the Mediterranean, Aegean, and Ionian Seas, where the islands are located. The climate of Greece is Mediterranean, mild and wet winters, as well as hot, dry summers.

The history of Greece is lengthy and vibrant. Starting with the Stone Age hunters in prehistoric times, Greece is one of the oldest countries in the world. It started out as a group city states in about 500BC. There were not many historians in Ancient Greece, so most of the history comes from what modern historians can learn from the buildings and sculptures. Greece went from being a city state to being a country and was ruled by many different leaders. It stayed alive throughout the centuries, and in 1830 became its own country, separate of the Ottoman Empire. After this, Greece started acquiring islands after this, eventually attaining approximately 1,400 islands. The Greek government has swung between being a monarchy and a republic. Currently it is a parliamentary government.

Some attractions in Greece would be the ruins, such as the Parthenon and the Acropolis. Also, Greece was the site of the 2004 Olympic Games, so Olympic Stadium can be seen. There is a National Garden, which was laid out by Queen Amalia and was the only open park until recently.

In Greece, manufacturing is the number one income, over agriculture. Food, beverages and tobacco bring in 25% of the country’s income. Another 25% of the country’s income is metal and metal manufactures.

The people of Greece are a diverse group of people. One thing that bonds them is the fact that 98% of the population practices the Greek Orthodox religion. The population is 10.8 million, 93% of this number are Greek, there are many immigrants from the other countries in the Balkan Penninsula.

Greek food is known for being high quality and being rich in taste. There are some dishes that are common for the whole country, but other dishes are specific to certain region. Some common spices from Greece are basil, thyme and fennel. Some common vegetables are eggplant, potato, tomato, green pepper, green beans, okra and onion. Honey is a common ingredient; it is usually made from the nectar of fruit. Goat and sheep are more common as meat than beef and pork. Also cheese and olives are commonly used.

The meal starts with the meze, or appetizer. Small pies and fresh vegetables are commonly found in this course. They are usually accompanied by ouzo, a Greek alcohol. Next comes the salad, the Greek salad is most common, but there are other salads such as the Melitzanosalata which is an eggplant puree with garlic and olive oil. After that is the soup, then main dish. Lamb, potatoes, and lasagna are all commonly found in this course. Also, vegetarian dishes are common. Finally come the desserts. Baklava is the most common dessert, it is made of phyllo pastry, filled with nuts and “drenched in syrup” (Wikipedia).

I am making two dishes. The first is lamb kebabs with couscous. Lamb is a very common meat in Greece It is cubed lamb skewered onto kabob sticks. Kabobs are traditional to this part of the world. Couscous is a staple food in Greece. So this is a dish of very common and traditional foods wrapped into one entré. The second dish I am making is warm goat cheese in phyllo. As I stated before, cheese is a food traditional to Greece, especially goat cheese. Also phyllo is what makes baklava, it is a pastry that is used throughout Greek cooking. This dish is also a mix of common Greek foods put into one dish.

China

China is "home to one of the oldest civilizations", it also has the largest population in the world. It is a large country that has a ranging climate, from the ocean, to the mountains, to the plains, even subarctic conditions. China has been influenced by the Dynasties who have controlled it. Now, called the People's Republic of China, is a Communist country. Most Chinese are farmers of some kind. The cuisine developed in isolation, so it is unique. The cooks use many seasonings and spend more time prep-ing food to be cooked than cooking it. Not many utensils are used, although a wok comes handy, as well as a steamer. There are four main cooking methods: stir-frying, steaming, deep-frying, and simmering. Rice, noodles, wontons are common bread products. Vegetables are used more than meat. Main dishes use mostly chicken and duck. Soup is popular and so are desserts. Tea is also common. The Chinese eat 3 meals a day. Also, they use chop sticks.

The first dish was Pai-Fan. This was the easiest dish that I have had to make since taking foods class. You just put it in the pot, let it cook, and serve. And it is such a good companion to other dishes.

The second dish was Chinese Braised Chicken with Vegetables. This was easy enough to make, although the sesame oil spat back a bit, which stung. But, this dish was by far the biggest success since I have been in foods class. DELICIOUS!!!!

Africa

Africa, unlike the rest of these sections, is a continent. The countries are varied, but most of the continent is in development. Most of the countries are subtropical, meaning warm all year long. Tropical foods such as cacao and bananas are grown here. Africa is made up of 70% 'Native Blacks' and there are over 800 languages spoken. Over half of the population does not have the opportunity to attend school. The fact that Islam is a major language affects the cuisine. Africa does not have a typical cuisine, since it has so many different cultures. There are many types of fruits and veggies as well as breads, pastries and meat. African meals are served on low tables while the eater sits on the ground, knives and forks are not used, only spoons and fingers. There are hand washing rituals.

The first dish I made was African Curry. It was a bit hectic to make, it took some time and focus. But this dish was extremely appetizing. Once the sauce was made, the chicken had to simmer for a while, then the coconut milk was added and it was ready to go. The sauce was the high maintenance part. But like I said, it was really good! We ate it with rice.

The second dish was Ethiopian Party Punch. This was very easy to make, just dump all of it together, mix and drink. And it was gone before I could even have a second glass!

Italy

Italy is a popular vacation spot as well as it is known for it's history and cuture. Italy is rather small and consists of mainland and many islands. There are also many mountains and valleys. It has three distinct reasons: Northern Italy (the Alps and lakes), Central Italy (Grain, grapes and olives), Southern Italy (poorest in resources, Naples). The climate is also variable. Italy has been influenced by the Greek, Romans, and the Roman Catholic Church. Agriculture is vital to the economy of Italy and relaxing past times are common. Italian food is colorful and varied, yet simple. Cooks use many seasonings, as well as fresh fruits and vegetables. Pasta is a staple. Cheese is very important as well as ice cream, coffee and wine. Pizza is common in the south and soup is common in the North. Lamb and cheesecake are common in Central Italy. The meal starts with an appetizer, then soup, a main course with meat, ending with fruit and cheese.

The first thing I made was the Chicken Parmesan. Pounding the chicken was entertaining and dipping it to create the breading was a bit messy, but once in the pan to be broiled it was easy from there on out. This dish, though involved, was a success. It tasted good and was filling.

The second dish I made was the salad dressing. This was by far the easiest dish I have made all year. It took me a total of less than 2 minutes to make and was the perfect topping to a simple salad. (no picture due to no glass container)

Germany

Germany is in the center of Europe, though the border has changed many times. The country is a mix of plains and mountains (the alps). The climate is moderate. There are two types of German people, Northern (who are tall and fair complected) and Southern (short and dark complected). It is an industrial country and is also very agricultural. The country has never quite been unified. The cuisine is characterized by roasted meats, filling side dishes and baked goods, we like to eat a lot :). Meat is a staple ('meat n potatoes'). Also sausages and sauerkraut are common. Breads and cakes are common desserts. Beer is a common beverage.

The first dish I made was the potato pancakes. They were easy to make, just shred, mix and fry. They tasted ok, I ate mine with syrup. I could understand this being a staple, very filling.

The second dish I made was the Black Forest Cake. The cake was just a box cake, very simple, and then it was a layered cake, so in between the layers were cherries and whipped cream. It was not my favorite but it was ok.