Your online resource

for all things culinary


Home

Search this Site

All Recipe Sections Special Sections Culinary Information Pages Kitchenware Pages Growing Herbs & Veg Directories Online Shop
Printing / Abbreviations Subscribe to Newsletter/Feedback Links Pages Media Resources Private Privacy/Disclaimer Advertise on this Site

Missing an Ingredient?  www.UKFoodOnline.co.uk

  Tunisia

 

Cooking by Country - March 2006

 

Scroll down for Recipes

 

Go to:-   Tunisian Featured Ingredient   |  Tunisia Speciality Dish  | Cooking by Country Main Page

 

 

Situated in North Africa, Tunisia is one of the Maghreb countries, the others being Algeria, Libya and Morocco. It has land borders with Algeria and Libya and a long 1,148km coastline on the Mediterranean.

The climate ranges from temperate rainy winters to very hot dry summers but although the interior is stony desert, the southern costal areas are very fertile as are some northern areas which also boast many forests, although these areas are not widely populated.

 Most of her agriculture takes place in the southern costal regions. There are also low mountains in the north-west.

 

 

Ancient times and Influences

 

Tunisian cooking today is a mixture of desert nomad , Arab, early Greek, Turkish, Spanish, and French culinary traditions. The original Tunisians were Berbers, and today they make up around 60% of the population. Archaeological evidence shows that 10,000 years ago these peoples were hunter gatherers who mainly lived in caves.

The introduction of metals from Sicily c 2000 B.C. was possibly the first major influence on the cuisine, especially that of the nomadic tribes whose cooking was limited by the pots and pans which they could carry with them. Although it’s obvious that cooking styles began to take shape at this time, it was the Phoenician maritime traders who had the next important effect on the native Berbers when they settled the costal regions c1100 B.C., not least of which was their imparted knowledge of advanced agricultural methods.

Another major influence came by way the Romans in AD 146 when they conquered Carthage and who continued to rule North Africa until they were ousted by Germanic tribesmen from Europe in the fifth century. During this time many Roman veterans settled in the area and the growing  of grain and later olive oil for export to Rome and her deployed forces, became a major factor in the economic base of the region.

Over the centuries Arab, Turkish, Moorish, Spanish and French influences appear in Tunisian culinary  techniques and recipes which have combined to create a vibrant and spicy national cuisine which differs to that of her neighbouring countries.  Of the latter, special mention should be made of the Spanish influence, in particular their introduction of New World produce such as chillies and sweet peppers to the region which is now so prevalent in the cuisine plus the development of egg based cookery.

 

 

Current Day Cuisine

 

Not surprisingly, with the long coastline the abundance of freshly caught seafood and fish features heavily in the Tunisian diet. Wheat, in the form of Couscous is a staple and vegetables such as chillies, tomatoes, peppers, aubergine and pumpkins are widely used. Meat in Tunisia such as lamb, veal and goat have a particular flavour due to their grazing on aromatic plants such as thyme and rosemary and the use of spices and herbs prevails throughout the cuisine.

Tunisians have their own version of mezze, a group of vibrant tasting salads collectively called kemia. These are anything from bowls of nuts and olives to spiced octopus or squid, or salads and vegetables either flavoured with chillies and other spices, lemon juice and olive oil or pickled.

A typical meal would begin with a soup followed by a main course which could be anything from roast meats, poultry and of course fish or stewed dishes often accompanied by couscous. Fresh fruits and pastries often end the meal.
 

 

Click here fore lots of Tunisian Recipes

 

 

 

 

Recipes4us.co.uk is not a medical site. All recipes are published for your convenience and are both suitable and tasty enough to be eaten by anyone without  food  allergies,  as  part of a normal diet. We  advise you to consult

a qualified doctor before starting any special diet.

 

If you suffer from and food allergies, always check the ingredients on the label  of commercially prepared products.

 

Sorry, unfortunately no correspondence can  be entered into regarding medical matters.

Find UK Holiday Cottages


Click here to sign up to our FREE Monthly

Newsletter for recent site updates &  food articles

Culinary Videos

New Section !

Concise, quality " how to" culinary videos featuring preparation & techniques. No  downloads  required.

Find Cookery Courses

Choose from over 30 cuisines in 30 countries from single lessons to complete vacations

Online learning for Everyone

Whilst this is not meant to be a site about calorie counting,  we are confident that there is something for everyone and we are constantly adding new recipes and other cooking related material such as growing herbs and vegetables, culinary terms, ingredient analysis, UK Online Food shopping directory plus, we think, the best conversion charts on the net.

For ease of reference,  below are direct links to most  sections on this site.
 

Soups & Starters            Soups        Fish        Other      Vegetarian        Gluten Free

 

Main Courses         Barbecues  and  Picnics       Beef  and Veal       Casseroles Fish and Shellfish      Lamb     Offal    Pasta, Rice and Pulses      Pork and Bacon    Poultry & Game    Salads      Stews      Vegetarian

Side Dishes             Dips and  Dressings      Jams,  Pickles  and  Preserves     Marinades      Pasta and  Rice        Side Salads      Salsas and Relishes        Sauces    Savoury  Sauces      Sweet  Sauces       Stuffings            Vegetables

 

Desserts, Puddings      Cold Desserts     Hot Puddings                Cakes & Bakes        Cakes, Breads, Biscuits (Cookies), Pastry  and Pastries

 

International           Cooking by Country      Chinese       Indian                  Special Diets       Dairy Free    Gluten Free     Vegan        Egg  Free

 

Other Recipe Sections    Cooking with Alcohol    Edible Flowers    Food in Film   Ingredients   Meals in Minutes   Party Food and Cocktails      Slow Food      Smoothies Section      Special days & Holidays      Sports Recipes   Summer Recipes   Weekday Menus      What's in Season

 

Reference Pages        5 - A -Day Portions    Cooking Holidays & Schools    Conversion Charts     Directories       Farmers Markets     Food Celebration Days     Growing Veg    Growing Herbs    Guide to Kitchenware      Holidays    Ingredients      Online Shop     Preserving Fresh Produce    Special days     UK Food Shopping Directory     What's in Season 

   

Search     About Recipes4us     Links     Contact Us     Advertise/Sponsor       Disclaimer/Private Privacy     Media Resources

 

Google

This Web Site was designed and created by Recipes4us.co.uk. Copyright © 2000-2008 [Recipes4us] All rights reserved.

Clipart © 1999 (2000) www.arttoday.com  Some Photos ©  www.fotolia.co.uk