Using Your Kitchen to Revisit Faraway Places

It would be nice to wake up and head to Italy for an authentic pizza. While most people can’t do this often, that doesn’t mean you can’t have that experience in your kitchen. The following are a few tips to help you create meals from faraway places.

The Right Cookware

Some foods require specific kitchen tools and cookware. You must find out what those are so that you can cook the meals you want to make. For example, if you’re going to have authentic Mexican hot cocoa, then you’re going to have to invest in a “molinillo,” which is a whisk used to make this drink. It’s a fun tool to have and use. Sometimes, you need more than just a tool; maybe you’ll need something like an authentic wok to make a stir-fry dish. Lastly, since the oils released in so-called ceramic cookware could interfere with the authentic flavor profiles of exotic dishes, avoid pots and pans claimed to be made from ceramic. More times than not, the cookware is made from low-quality metals coated in so-gel.

Authentic Recipes

The next thing you have to work on is finding suitable recipes. If you want something authentic, it’s essential to look for original recipes rather than the Westernized version of the recipe. To do this, you may have to invest in original recipe books, or you may have to search for recipes in the country of origin, such as Italy or Morocco. This means you will need to translate the recipes if you don’t know the language. On top of that, you’re going to have to learn to convert milliliters since the metric system is used in recipes outside the United States.

Music is Vital

The next thing you want to worry about is music. The right music can put you in a good mood and make you feel like you’ve traveled to these places you fell in love with. You’ll probably want to do some research and find songs you love even if you don’t understand the language. You’ll want to create an extensive list of music from each region you fell in love with. Preparing, cooking, and ultimately eating a meal takes a long time, so make sure you have enough music to create the environment you want. These touches should help you feel like you’ve been transported to your favorite places without traveling there.

Exotic Ingredients

People find substitutes for traditional ingredients all the time. They do this because it’s hard to find authentic ingredients at times. Even if it’s challenging, make sure you get the ingredients you need. If it’s dried ingredients or canned ingredients, then you probably can order these online. You may have to have them imported, but it can be done. If you need fresh ingredients, then you’re going to have to go online and look for grocery stores or markets near you that sell these types of ingredients. A regular grocery store may have a section for exotic ingredients, but it’s better if you find a grocery store that only sells foreign foods. You might have to travel far to get to the ethnic grocery store nearest to you, but it’ll be worth it.

Decorations

Don’t overlook decorations. If you want to feel like your kitchen is somewhere else, then be sure to decorate it with traditional trinkets. You might also want to leave some of the traditional cookware you bought. Exotic types of cookware can serve as decorations because they’ll remind you and everyone else of some faraway place. You may need to see some pictures of how people in other regions decorate their kitchen so that you get an idea of what you’ll want to do to yours. It might take some time to get this part done right, but you’ll be so happy that you did.

If you’re able to follow this guide, you’ll be able to bring faraway places into your kitchen and home. You’ll fall in love with this process because it requires creativity, and it’s just fun.