Cooking Cuisines From Different Cultures Can Be Educational And Fun

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My husband, daughters and I really enjoy eating meals made up of dishes from cultures that are different from our own. Doing so is a palate-pleasing experience and also inspires us to pause for a moment to think and talk about the people who are credited with creating or perfecting various dishes.

My girls will sometimes ask if they can help me as I’m cooking. This provides the perfect opportunity for me to toss out such questions as “How long ago do you think this recipe was created?” or “Why do these herbs and spices work so well with the other ingredients in the dish?” Because I’ve always encouraged them to be inquisitive, it wouldn’t be uncommon for them to leave the kitchen when we’re finished to try to find the answers to the questions I asked them. I guess I’m turning them into foodies, as well as people who enjoy learning more about the world in which we live.

Since I enjoy cooking so much, I’ve even dreamed of someday hosting a monthly lunch or dinner during which I would serve food inspired by a particular country or culture and invite a group of relatives and friends into our home (which would be decorated to reflect the meal’s country or region of origin) to enjoy it with our family. I haven’t been able to make that happen yet, but I look forward to the day I can send out that first invitation.

Until then, I will keep collecting and experimenting with various recipes from different cuisines so I’ll be ready for the big kick off party. In fact, it may be time to pick up a few more cookbooks since I feel as though I’m pretty familiar with the ones my daughters and I already have. I recently came across the following books on Amazon and may just have to add a couple of them to my collection. I encourage you to check them out if you and your children like to cook and have been hoping to expand your recipe repertoire or learn about cuisines from other cultures. (As an Amazon Associate, I will earn income if you click on any of the below links and make a qualifying purchase.)

COOKBOOKS FOR PARENTS

Provisions: The Roots of Caribbean Cooking–150 Vegetarian Recipes

Easy Japanese Cooking for Everyone: 50 of the Best Japanese Recipes with Simple Directions

Italian Cookbook: Traditional Italian Recipes Made Easy

The Food and Cooking of Mexico: A Vibrant Cuisine: The Traditions, Ingredients and Over 150 Recipes

COOKBOOKS FOR KIDS

The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs

Baking for Kids Cookbook: Hands on Baking Recipes for Children

The Healthy Teen Cookbook: Around the World In 80 Fantastic Recipes

Kid Chef Junior: My First Kids Cookbook

Food Fight!: A Mouthwatering History of Who Ate What and Why Through the Ages

BONUS BOOK SUGGESTIONS

You may also want to check out some of the titles in The Connecting Cultures Through Family and Food series which have discussion questions, research projects and other resources that would be of interest to young people and their parents. There are 10 books in the series, each of which focuses on a different cuisine, such as Native American, African, and Greek foods.