Top 13 Traditional European Foods

Top 13 Traditional European Foods As anybody who has ever read Eat, Pray, Love will know, a trip to Europe is all about the food. And it's no wonder either. Home to 746 million people, Europe is made up of 44 countries, each with its own distinct cuisine. 1. Escargot, France It is the pinnacle of all things French, the beloved escargot, also known as edible snails. Whilst an appetizer of snails might not sound all that appealing, we urge you not to knock it until you try it. Land snails are cooked in garlic and parsley butter, among other seasonings, before being returned to their shell for serving. They are considered to be a delicacy in France so can be quite expensive but this doesn't stop the locals. It is estimated that the French eat 40,000 metric tons of snails every year. 2. Fish and Chips, England For a quintessentially English lunch, head to the seaside and grab a portion of fish and chips. Although the weather is likely to be cooler than in other coastal areas in Europe, Britain has some beautiful beaches and there is nowhere better to sample this adored dish. 3. Herring, Netherlands Arguably the most well-known Dutch delicacy is raw herring. As a seafaring country, it comes as no surprise that fish forms an integral part of people's diets, however, the fact that this fish is consumed raw, or cured to be exact, usually raises a few eyebrows. 4. Gyros, Greece Gyros or gyro, is arguably Greece's most famous dish. It is usually made from pork or chicken which is cooked on a rotisserie and served alongside onion, tomato, french fries and tzatziki sauce. It is commonly sold as street food where the meat and salad will be served in pita bread. If you buy gyros at a restaurant, it may be presented on a platter. 5. Cheese Fondue, Switzerland Some text goes here Have you been to Switzerland yet? Switzerland is the home of the glorious cheese fondue, a cheese lover's dream. The word fondue originates from the French word fondre which means to melt. Cheese fondue is believed to have first appeared in Switzerland during the 18th century as a way for farm families to make their supplies last through the colder months. If you're headed to Switzerland during winter, don't miss the opportunity to sample the warming effects of this wonderful European food. 6. Paella, Spain Choosing a famous dish from Spain can be hard as there is just so much choice. Tortilla Española, Gazpacho and Patatas Bravas are just a few of the standout names. However, none of these generates quite the international adoration as paella does. 7. Pizza, Italy I highly doubt I need to explain what pizza is but just in case. This is a type of round flatbread dough, covered with tomato sauce and sprinkled in mozzarella cheese. Different toppings are then added according to taste. Although pizza is a popular food all over the world, no one makes it quite like the Italians. 8. Currywurst, Germany Some text goes here did you even go to Germany if you didn't sample currywurst? This simple yet tasty fast food is a must try for visitors to the country, especially after a heavy night on the town. The dish essentially combines two of the finest ingredients to grace the serif, chips and sausage. And to top it off? A delicious curry flavoured ketchup. 9. Waffles, Belgium That's enough waffling about sausages, let's move on to Belgium. There are two main types of waffles from Belgium, the Brussels Waffle and the Liège Waffle. The Brussels Waffle is usually rectangular and comes with sweet toppings, whereas the Liège Waffle is usually oval and made with a brioche type dough. 10. Haggis, Scotland If you ask people to think of Scottish food, haggis is usually the first to come to mind. This savoury pudding containing sheep offal is mashed together, before being stuffed into the animal's stomach. Will admit, it sounds pretty gross but haggis is actually pretty tasty. 11. Goulash, Hungary Goulash is one of Hungary's national dishes and it doubles up as the ultimate choice when it comes to warming comfort food. This meat stew is packed full of vegetables and flavour, most characterised by its heavy paprika seasoning. It is a very old dish and it is believed that it can be traced back to the 9th century where it would have been eaten by Hungarian shepherds. During this time, the meat would have been dried in the sun and the stew wouldn't have included paprika. This spice was added later after its introduction in the 16th century. 12. Pastel de Nata, Portugal Here is one for those of you with a sweet tooth, Portugal's famous egg custard tart. Served fresh from the oven with a dusting of cinnamon or icing sugar, these tasty treats are popular in both Portugal and former Portuguese colonies such as Brazil. 13. Pierogi, Poland Pierogi is a kind of dumpling dish which is commonly eaten in Poland and other parts of Eastern Europe. They are made by wrapping dough around either savoury or sweet fillings and then frying. Common fillings used in Poland include chicken, potato, cheese, buckwheat and sauerkraut. If you've ever been to Nepal, you may think that pierogi resemble the famous Asian street food, momos.