You might think this is just another amusing article. And to be honest - it both is and is not. On the one hand, it is, because we all know what most of us are like in the kitchen, we drop the frying pans, we put too much salt, we forget that we’ve put something in the oven, and it reminds us with a "pleasant" smell.
But on the other hand, why shouldn’t we feel like at the Mirazur at home!? Anyways, in the gourmet restaurants, we are sometimes “fed up” by all of the snobbery - we have a mini heart attack every time we make a mess or laugh a little ... sometimes even snorting.
We'll share with you 4 tips on how to make your home feel like a gourmet restaurant. Like one of those fancy places around the world.
Gourmet restaurant in Paris
Paris is such a cliché. The city of love, of lights, of art - at one point we all want to have a window with a view of the Eiffel Tower and say “Bonjour”. Yeah, what a cliché! But such a good one…
The atmosphere of Paris
Remember, this is the city of love, lights and art. And that's exactly what you need to focus on.
Make sure it is romantic and cozy, the French love decorating with flowers - so put some in your home, dim the lights, and enjoy some nice chansons in the background.
French cuisine
You can rely on restaurants that deliver, but you can also prepare something yourself. If you choose the latter, read on…
In France, in the early 18th century, the so-called haute cuisine emerged, which laid the foundations for modern French cuisine. With it, the first French cookbook appeared, and the recipes in it changed the cooking style of the Middle Ages to new techniques aimed at preparing lighter dishes.
At the beginning of the 20th century, haute cuisine became France’s national cuisine and its modernization required the creation of garnishes only supplementing the taste and aroma of the dish, not concealing it like the heavy sauces of the past.
Now Nouvelle cuisine is trendyin France. It was popularized in the 1960s and has several new principles. First, cooking should not be complex. Cooking time for fish, seafood, game, veal and vegetables is reduced in order to preserve their natural taste. The freshest ingredients and products are used, and the menus become short and concise. Strong meat marinades and thick flour sauces are abandoned in favor of fresh spices, high quality butter, lemon juice and vinegar.
In modern French cuisine, food is not strongly seasoned. Chefs use only spices such as salt and pepper (surprise, huh?), mustard, garlic, basil, rosemary, and thyme.
In a few words: your meal should be light, not too complicated, emphasize on fresh products and spices, do not use heavy and thick sauces, and add garnishes that only enhance the aroma and taste of the dish.
Food presentation in France
Nouvelle cuisine is not only a cooking style but a way to present food. It follows the same line - it must be clean and minimalistic. The ingredients must be clearly distinguishable.
You can choose a clean white or black plate and place the dish in the middle, leaving plenty of room for it to “breathe”.
Drinks in France
The French believe that there is a suitable wine for each dish. It is probably no coincidence that France's greatest culinary achievements happen in the areas where the greatest vineyards are.
In addition to wine in France, aperitifs (light alcoholic drinks) are popular, which are drunk before food is served to increase appetite. And digestives (high-proof drinks) which are served after the meal.
Wine is a MUST. So, do not skip it from your French dinner.
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Gourmet restaurant in Tokyo
Tokyo is the city with the most Michelin-starred restaurants. That's why it bears the nickname "The city of gastronomy". Perhaps if we try their magnificent cuisine, we will finally find out what that “umami” taste actually is.
The atmosphere of Tokyo
The charm of Tokyo is in the many people, the noise and the colorful streets. There is a ramen restaurant called Kodawari Tsukiji in Paris, it is one of Parisians favorite places for Asian food. The reason is the atmosphere - it recreates the former Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo with all its puddles, buckets, fish bags, staff with aprons and rubber boots, and the soundtrack is a noise from the streets of the Japanese capital with all its buzz..
Not that we're telling you to turn your kitchen into a fish market, not at all, please! Just know that in order to recreate Tokyo you have to be bold, weird, colorful, and a soundtrack from the busy city streets is not at all a bad idea.
The cuisine of Japan
Since Japanese cuisine is so different compared to ours, we often find it quite difficult to prepare some of it. Fortunately, there is a wide selection of restaurants that deliver to your home that can help .
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If you still want to prepare your own Japanese meal, here are the basics. It is called washoku and is mainly based on rice, miso soup, vegetables, seafood and noodles as a substitute for rice. There is a strong emphasis on seasonal products. Red meat, dairy products and fats (except for frying) are avoided. Most of the dishes are quite salty.
Usually two types of dishes are combined: gohan, i.e. rice and one or more okazu (main courses). A miso soup can be additionally served as well.
Seafood is usually grilled or served almost raw. In other cases, like vegetables, it is fried in tempura.
Focus on the preparation of these three dishes: white rice, grilled seafood and miso soup.
Food presentation in Japan
Traditional Japanese cuisine refuses the contact between different foods in one dish, so they are served separately. The rice is served in a small bowl called chawan. The rest of the dishes are served in their own small plates, sara, or bowls, hachi.
The meal is usually eaten on small wooden tables on a tatami. We are sure you can improvise with this.
Emphasize on serving everything in separate small containers.
Drinks in Japan
The most popular beverage in Japan is green tea. It is served with almost every dish. There are many different types , one of them is matcha, which is also used in the Japanese tea ceremony.
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Other alcoholic beverages include beer, wine, whiskey, and traditional sake made from fermented rice.
Green tea may seem like a good breakfast-only option, but try serving it with your Japanese style dinner or lunch as well.
Gourmet restaurant in Rome
Italy is everyone's big love. Un amore grande, Grande come il mondo. And even the biggest fitness fan can't resist Italian food. Come on - pasta, pizza - you just can't say no.
The atmosphere of Rome
Rome's restaurants are quaint and colorful, much like the French ones, and very cozy. For some reason, the Italians like the red gingham tablecloths a lot, so we couldn't imagine a table without one.
If you have a terrace, you can eat there - don't worry, many of Rome's restaurants are also quite small.
Italian cuisine
Italian cuisine is one of the most popular and “plagiarized” in the world. It is famous for its simple cooking - with just two or three ingredients. Chefs pay attention to the quality of the products, not so much how they are prepared.
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It is of the utmost importance that the products are fresh and locally sourced. Various types of pasta are used: penne, pasta, spaghetti, linguines, fusilli, lasagna, and others. They are all made by the so-called durum wheat, which gives them a yellowish tinge. The pasta is cooked al dente - without getting too soft.
Traditional Italian menus consist of 4 or 5 courses, their purpose is to be long in order to spend more time with the family. They are: aperitivo (a low-alcoholic beverage), antipasto (bruschetta and cheese), primo (first warm dish, usually pasta, risotto or soup), secondo (second dish, most often the main one - being either meat or fish with potatoes), contorno (garnish or salad), formaggio e frutta (fruit and cheese as a first dessert), dolce (gelato or cake such as tiramisu), caffè and digestive (usually liqueur ).
For a quick Italian lunch, eat pasta in the company of a glass of wine and a dessert with a cup of espresso.
Serving food in Italy
While there is no strictly specific way of serving food in Italy, wooden boards are often used to serve appetizers, bruschetta, pizza. You could also try.
Drinks in Italy
The most popular drink in Italy is coffee, and this does not surprise us at all! Italian coffee is usually either espresso or ristretto - both short and strong.
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Of course, wine is a perfect complement to any dish. Italy is the largest producer and consumer of wine.
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We hope we’ve succeeded to take you on a tasty journey around the world even for a while. And don’t forget, it is on us, how we will feel at home. :)