“There is no love sincerer than the love of food” – George Bernard Shaw
Most people in the world are apt to agree. While everyone craves rustic, home-cooked food, some dishes have transcended national and even regional boundaries to become global favorites. Countries and populations have adapted some of these dishes beyond recognition and yet they remain the best-loved. MapsofWorld brings you the top 10 most relished foods from across the globe.
Pasta
Originally from: Italy
According to an Oxfam survey from 2014, pasta tops the list of favorite foods from across the globe. The numerous pasta varieties available and in use across the world are matched by the numerous sauces and ingredients chefs come up with in cooking pasta. While spaghetti and meatballs seem to be a common favorite, different pastas are cooked with pesto, carbonara, florentine, and a variety of other sauces. To make your pasta healthy, do add a lot of vegetables and lean meat and cut down on the fats.
Chocolate
Originally from: Mexico
While the Oxfam survey ranks chocolate 17th among the favorite foods of the world, the dark cocoa rich chocolate seems to be the world’s favorite comfort food according to a number of opinion polls. Kids certainly seem to love chocolate in any form – as bars, in cakes and desserts, and as even the quintessential hot chocolate. Chocolates are also some of the most popular holiday gifts. Chocoholics across the world, however, seem to be worried over the fact that a worldwide shortage of cocoa by 2020 could make it an expensive commodity.
Ice Cream
Originally from: Global
In 2014, the U.S.A consumed ice cream worth about USD 8 billion. One of the most popular dessert items found anywhere in the world, ice cream comes in an incredible range of flavors and textures. Despite being high on sugar and calorie content, the world’s fondness for ice cream does not seem to wane. Be it the fried ice cream of Philadelphia state fairs, the gelatos of Italy, or even the ubiquitous ice cream sundaes, this food seems to have found its way to the hearts of people the world over.
Burger
Originally from: U.S.A/Germany
While both the U.S. and Germany battled it out for the original hamburger, the food has become a global sensation now. No one knows what the original recipe for a beef burger or hamburger might have been but the spices and patty recipes are now as varied as the people that consume them. The higher the calorie, the more the cheese and fillings, the better the burger gets. From food trucks, to fast food joints to high-end restaurants, burgers are everywhere. The Heart Attack Grill in Las Vegas (Nevada, USA) lists a Quadraple Bypass Burger weighing about two pounds in its menu; it seems eating it is a sure way to end up with a heart attack.
Pizza
Originally from: Italy
Originally invented by Italians, pizza now takes a place among the top 10 favorite foods eaten across the globe. Though regional variations, choice of crust or oven make it a dish with innumerable varieties, the simple Neapolitan pizza with a topping of tomatoes, cheese, and olive oil is still considered an international favorite. The precise recipe of the Neapolitan pizza is protected but chefs across the world have not tried fusing local ingredients and flavors with the time-tested wheat flour dough and wood fired oven combination. About 17 percent of all restaurants in the U.S. are pizzerias.
Sushi
Originally from: Japan
Sushi, as we now know it, has been Japan’s favorite food since the early 1300s. While it is in the past couple of decades that the world seems to have taken notice, Sushi has quickly gained popularity the world over. Typically Sushi consists of cooked, vinegared rice topped with fish, meat, seaweed, vegetables, or other condiments and served with soya and other sauces. Sushi has become extremely popular and regional variations such as California rolls have overtaken original Japanese flavors.
Kebab
Originally from: Iran
A Middle Eastern favorite, kebab is typically a dish made of ground meat and spices grilled on open ovens with the help of skewers. While the traditional favorite meat for kebabs is lamb, chefs across the world prefer to use beef, pork, fish, cottage cheese, and even vegetables these days. Kebabs make a low calorie, high fiber dish unless butter or fat is added to it or to the breads they are served with. In modern times, kebabs and dips are treated as favorite entrees.
Fish and Chips
Originally from: U.K.
Fish and chips, once the staple lunch of the working class of England, is now an international favorite. Cod or haddock makes for the best bet when it comes to battered and fried fish. This is served on a platter of deep fried potato chips with a side of mushy peas, sauces or dips. It is believed that in the U.K. alone, some 250 million fish and chip meals are sold annually. Originally sold by street-side vendors in newspapers, fish and chips now feature in some high-end restaurants across the globe.
Curry
Originally from: India
A spicy dish, originally from India, curry is now an international favorite. Curry popularly refers to the spicy, herb sauce that is used to serve meat, chicken or vegetables in Indian restaurants across the globe. In India, however, the ingredients and the cooking methods of curry dishes vary greatly. Though the original recipes are high fiber, low calorie dishes, most restaurants tend to go overboard in their use of butter and cream. In 1997, Chicken Tikka Masala was reported to be Britain’s favorite curry dish and was ordered by 11 million diners in the country, while by 2011, Jalfrezi took on the No. 1 rank. Curry still remains, what Chef Gordon Ramsay calls, Britain’s national obsession.
Steak
Originally from: U.S.
A steak usually refers to a beef steak but different forms of meat such as pork, ground meat, and fish are served as steaks in different countries. Steaks are seasoned and grilled, traditionally over charcoal and wood fires and are served as a whole meal. Historically, steaks are among the earliest cooked foods known to mankind and their popularity remains undiminished. Americans are for their steak obsession with the beef industry being made up of over 1 million businesses nationwide.
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