As humans, food is one of the few things that unites us, irrespective of our origins, cultures and religions. We all love food, we all need food and we all have food traditions passed down through generations.

In this blog post, we will take a culinary journey across cultures and investigate some of the most famous traditional foods and the stories behind their creation.

Mochi 🍡

Originating from Japan, Mochi is a glutinous rice cake filled with sweet fillings like anko (sweet red bean paste). It is prepared during the annual New Year holidays and other significant moments, festivals or milestones in Japan.

What’s interesting about Mochi is that it is notoriously challenging to make from scratch if you don’t know what you’re doing. It requires hours of preparation leading up to a dynamic pounding phase where multiple people hit the rice dough with large wooden hammers to transform it into a sticky and stretchy pastry.

In Japan, it is a custom to eat Mochi in a soup with various ingredients such as miso, vegetables, and meat or fish. This soup is called O-zoni.

A colorful display of mochi

Peking Duck 🦆

Peking duck is a Chinese dish that dates back to the early Ming Dynasty. It is a luxurious item on a menu that is typically served as a whole duck, and it is a delicacy that takes an entire day to prepare!

To prepare it, the chef air-dries the duck for several hours so it isn’t greasy when it roasts. Then, it’s slow-roasted in a wood fire oven until the skin is crispy and shiny. It’s served with thin rice pancakes, hoisin sauce, cucumber, scallions, and garlic paste.

Fun fact: Eating Peking Duck has a specific way to consume it. You need to put a pancake on your plate, place some duck, cucumber, and scallion on it with a little sauce. Then, wrap it all up and enjoy! 😋

A close-up of a roasted Peking Duck with the various condiments and pancakes beside it

Paella 🥘

Paella is one of the most famous traditional dishes of Spain that has become popular worldwide. It’s a stew-like dish made from a mix of seafood, meat, rice, and vegetables.

Although it originated in the region of Valencia on the east coast of Spain, each region creates its version. But, what’s interesting about paella is that the ingredients are essential. The rice, the type of pan, and the broth will make or break a paella.

Making paella is a real group effort. Traditionally it is prepared in a large round flat steel pan called a paellera and cooked over an open flame.

Fun fact: “Paella” refers to the pan it is cooked in, not the dish itself. In Valencian dialect, “Paella” refers to the pan, while the actual dish is known as “Arroz,” which means rice.

A large paella pan filled with cooked ingredients like prawns, peppers, and rice

Baklava 🇹🇷

Baklava is a Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dessert that consists of layers of flaky pastry with chopped nuts and honey syrup on top.

Each country has its recipe and version of this famous dessert, but it’s agreed that the dish requires patience and a lot of fine, precise work.

It is essential to get the balance of sweet and savory right. Fun fact: Baklava’s origin isn’t Turkish, despite it being one of Turkey’s best-known sweets.

A plate of baklava with finely chopped pistachios and syrupy layers of pastry

Conclusion 🍴

Exploring the history behind traditional dishes across cultures was an exciting journey. It reminds us that food is more than just nourishment. It’s an expression of history, tradition, labor, and the love that goes into creating it.

From mochi to paella and baklava to Peking duck, let’s celebrate and appreciate the diverse culinary world we live in.

A collage of all the dishes mentioned in the blog post