Summer has arrived and we have a great desire to travel … let’s do it through the kitchen, experimenting with recipes from all over the world and filling the house with scents that make you dream of distant and still unexplored places!

Lokum | TURKEY

It is a gelatin based on starch and sugar (originally they were honey and molasses) flavored with different flavors (the most famous are rose water, orange, berries, cinnamon, dates or mint), with inside chopped nuts such as chopped almonds, pistachios or peanuts. In addition, with an initially conservative purpose, the delicious flavored jelly is covered with a layer of powdered sugar or coconut flour.

The dessert is considered one of the oldest in the world and its origin, in fact, is not very clear: there are several legends that accompany it, and that create a fascinating aura of mystery around it.

One of them tells that in ancient times there was a Sultan who believed that the only way to win a woman’s heart was … through the stomach. Kept among the precious stones of his treasure, in fact, he concealed recipes from numerous exotic places, with which he fascinated his wives. Once, dazzled by the shocking beauty of a woman, in order to win her over, he ordered his cooks to create a sensational dessert. Eager to please their sultan, the cooks set to work and after numerous attempts they brought incredible dessert out of the royal kitchens. Through the union of sugar syrup with resin, dried fruit and aromas extracted from the most delicious fruits, Lokum was born.

Guinness Irish stew | IRELAND

Guinness Stew comes from the traditional dish known as Irish Stew is one of the most sought after recipes in Irish cuisine. The contribution of the philanthropist Arthur Guinness, who became famous in Dublin and in the world for having created the famous brand of stout beer that bears his name, is decisive, the dish is considered a classic to be enjoyed on St. Patrick’s Day or for Sunday lunch.

Okonomiyaki |JAPAN

Okonomi, “what you want”, yaki, “grilled”. Two simple words to enclose the concept behind the famous “Osaka pizza”.
A sort of omelette made with cabbage flakes (kyabezu), flour and eggs, with the addition of ingredients to taste and cooked on a hot plate. Also contending for the paternity of okonomiyaki is the city of Hiroshima, which claims the creation of a snack for children with the available ingredients brought by humanitarian aid following the catastrophe of the atomic bomb.

Bouillabaisse | FRANCE

Bouillabaisse is a fish soup typical of the city of Marseille able to conquer the palate of all visitors to Provence.

The etymology of this word has a very specific meaning linked to the procedure with which the soup is prepared. In fact, the term derives from the combination of the Occitan words that indicate the boiling of the ingredients over a low heat.

Nowadays Bouillabaisse is a very expensive dish but, in ancient times, it was a recipe widely used by fishermen who, having nothing but the leftovers of unsold fish, boiled the “gifts of the sea” and then enjoyed them accompanied with bread. There is also a legend dedicated to the origin of the Bouillabaisse: the soup was created by Venus to induce the lover Vulcan to new amorous feats.

Pelmeni | RUSSIA

Pelmeni is a traditional dish of Russian folk cuisine. The word pelmeni literally means “bread for ears”. It is a filling of mixed meats wrapped in a thin sheet of flour and eggs. Originally, pelmeni were made by the women of the family, frozen and transported by hunters on winter expeditions. When the hunters camped for the night, they melted snow on the cooking fires and boiled some pelmeni for their nightly meals. The closure of the meat inside the sheet of pasta and freezing – perhaps burying them under the snow – allowed the preservation and above all that the smell of the meat itself was not perceived by the dangerous animals of the steppe.

Clam Chowder | UNITED STATES

Born in the ports, on the coasts and on the whalers, the various American Chowders actually used what the sailors had on hand: fish, shells, salted pork and biscuits, which were preserved in the sea for a long time. Boston Clam Chowder was originally made on a Friday, a lean day, and is still a served dish on weekend menus throughout New England today.

also check: The top 5 of the best restaurants under the stars