UN of food: China (plus win books!)

We all think we know what Chinese food is but the truth is that it’s incredibly diverse. The most common style of Chinese cuisine in the West is Cantonese but China is an enormous country and even within the majority Han population, there is vast regional variation in the cuisine. When you take into account [...]

The UN of food: Japanese at Abeno

Restaurant review for Abeno, Japanese okonomoyaki restaurant in London. So you think you know Japanese food? You’re familiar with sushi and sashimi, maybe even tempura and teriyaki beef? Well what about okonomoyaki? This is my new favourite Japanese food and the place to go in London is Abeno in Bloomsbury. It’s usually not too busy [...]

United Nations of food: Lebanon, Syria and Iraq

My mission to eat food from every member of the United Nations takes me to the Middle East Lebanon Australia took a lot of Lebanese refugees in the 1980s and one of the most enduring influences has been on Australia’s food. Lebanese food is a staple in Australia and as I grew up there, I’ve [...]

UN of food: Mexican at Taqueria

Everyone is familiar with Mexican food in some guise but usually what we get in the English speaking world and Europe is actually Tex-Mex – an Americanised version of Mexican food. I’m told that nachos, for example, is not traditional in Mexico, that the burritos are usually smaller and skimpier on the fillings, and that [...]

United Nations of food: New Zealand

When you think of New Zealand and food, pizza does not automatically spring to mind. The great Kiwi culinary exports are lamb, cheese and butter, kumera (sweet potato), and of course, kiwi fruit. (They also claim to have invented pavlova but so do the Aussies and I’m not willing to enter into that debate). Yet, [...]

United Nations of food: Ghana

I’ve been working in Farringdon this week so I popped up to Exmouth Market to sample some food from the street market. I had various choices, including Italian sausages and Breton pancakes, but I was most struck by Spinach & Agushi, the Ghanaian food stall. It’s obviously quite popular because, as well as having to [...]

The United Nations of food

Inspired by my friend Alex, I have decided to embark on a mission to eat food from all 192 members of the United Nations. It could take me years and it might be hard to find cuisine from some of the more obscure states but I won’t be defeated! From guinea pig in Peru to [...]