SWEETS

                                           M&M's

The candy shells, each of which has the letter "m" printed in lower case on one side, surround a variety of fillings, including:

• milk chocolate
• dark chocolate
•  crisped rice
•  mint chocolate
• peanuts
• almonds
• orange chocolate
• coconut
•  pretzel
•  wild cherry
•  peanut butter

 M&M's originated in the United States in 1941 as a cheaper alternative to Smarties, and are now sold in over 100 countries. They are produced in different colors, some of which have changed over the years. The difference between the different colored M&Ms is the dye added to the outer coating.

Ever since the 1990's the Blue M&M campaign, M&M's introduced computer animated "spokescandies" in their television commercials.

• The cynical and sardonic "Red" (originally voiced by Jon Lovitz, thereafter Billy West), who is the mascot for milk chocolate M&M's
• The happy and gullible "Yellow" (originally John Goodman, thereafter J.K. Simmons), who is the mascot for peanut M&M's.
• The "cool one", Blue (originally Phil Hartman, thereafter Robb Pruitt) for almond
•  The seductive Green (Cree Summer) for peanut butter, mint, and dark chocolate (Green is the only female M&M's mascot)
• The slightly neurotic Orange (Eric Kirchberger) for other types of M&M's in general, who was initially not named after his color (for a time when he was introduced, he was known as Crispy due to his being a mascot for the Crispy M&M's, which debuted around the same time.)
• Although brown M&Ms have been around since the beginning of the candy, no brown M&M "spokescandy" was included.

SWEETS

Jelly beans

• Are a hard candy shell and have a gummy interior.
• The earliest known appearance of the jelly bean was during the American Civil War when William Schrafft of Boston promoted sending the candy to soldiers in the Union Army.
• It was not until 1930 that jelly beans became an easter candy, presumably from their resemblance to Easter eggs.

Sweets

Gum

Chewing gum is a type of gum traditionally made of chicle, a natural latex product, or synthetic rubber known as polyisobutylene, which is a non-vulcanisable form of the butyl rubber used for inner tubes or to line tubeless tires. For reasons of economy and quality, many modern chewing gums use rubber instead of chicle. Chicle is nonetheless still the base of choice for some regional markets, such as in Japan.

• FUN FACT= The United States military has regularly supplied soldiers with chewing gum since World War I because it helped both to improve the soldiers' concentration and to relieve stress.

Sweets

Tootsie Rolls

In 1896, Leo Hirshfield, and Australian Immigrant to the United States, started a candy businnes. He wanted to make a candy based on chocolate that wouldn't melt and would be an economical artificial alternative to traditional chocolates.

He named this candy after his daughter's nickname Clara "tootsie" hirshfield.Later on he created the Tootsie Pop, this became popular in the Depression era, because of its low price. Also during World war II, Tootsie Rolls became a standard part of American soldiers' field rations due to the hardiness of the candy under a variety of environmnental conditions.

Lollipop

The lollipop was first named by George Smith, owner of a confectionery business called the Bradley Smith Company. George Smith named the stick candy after his favorite race horse Lolly Pop. It was created around the 1920's, by Samuel Born a Russian immigrant who invented a lollipop making machine. In 1916, San Francisco gave the ingenious candy maker the keys to the city for inventing the Born Sucker Machine. The machine mechanically inserted sticks into lollipops.

Recipe:

This recipe of making lollipops will take you around 20 minutes tops. I've used this recipe ever since I was 6 years old, I hope you enjoy it.

Lollipops are an old-fashioned sugar candy favorite. You can vary the colors or flavors to suit your tastes. Make sure you have an accurate candy thermometer for this recipe!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup light corn syrup
• ¼ cup water
• ¾ tsp extract of your choice (vanilla, mint, cinnamon, coconut, etc)
• Food coloring (optional)
• Lollipop molds and sticks

Preparation:

1. Prepare your molds by spraying them with nonstick cooking spray and inserting lollipop sticks into the molds.
2. Combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Insert the candy thermometer and stir until sugar dissolves.
3. Allow to boil, without stirring, until candy reaches 295 degrees (hard-crack stage).
4. Once the candy reaches 295, remove it from heat. Stir in the extract of your choice, and, if desired, food coloring.
5. Spoon the candy into the mold cavities, making sure to cover the back of the stick.
6. Allow to cool completely and remove once hardened.

Sweets

Everyone loves sweets specially me! I'm a sweets addict, I love eating chocolate and candy whenever I can, any kind of candy, from all over the world will put a smile on my face. I think that learning about candies all over the world can help us realize that we all have something in common; everyone loves sweets. Every chocolate bar, candy wrapper, or lollipop stick, takes time and dedication. Learning about every country's sweets will be very      delicious!

Asia

Sushi

• Spicy tempura Rolls

Recipe:

• Ingredients

• 6 sheets nori
• 3 cups sumeshi
• 12 pieces tempura shrimp
• 1 large avocado
• 1 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 tsp miso
• 1 tsp red pepper powder

• Cooking Directions

1. Cook sushi rice
2. Bake tempura shrimp as directed on the package.
3. Cut tails off the tempura shrimp.
4. Cut the avocado in half, discarding the pit.
5. Cut off the hard skin and discard.
6. Slice the avocado into thin sticks.
7. Mix the mayonnaise, miso and red pepper powder.
8. Roll the sushi, using 2 pieces of tempura shrimp, a few slices of avocado, and red pepper mayonnaise as your fillings.

Asia

Sushi- I don't even know where to start, sushi is my favorite food, I would eat it every day for the rest of my life! The mixture of all kinds of sead food inside a roll of rice and seaweed. On the weekends I enjoy making sushi for lunch or dinner. There are many types of sushi, starting with the simple crab and avocato, and for some sushi addicts there are some spicy shrimp ones.

• California Rolls.

• Recipe:

1. for sushi rice
   4 Cup cold water 
   3 1/3 Cup Japanese short grained rice
2. for vinegar mixture
   1/3 Cup rice vinegar
   5 Tbs sugar
   2 Tbs + 1 tsp kosher salt (half if you use regular salt)
3. for roll
   1 package of good quality unseasoned sheet nori
   1 avocado cut into strips and sprinkled with lemon juice
   1/4 lbs. lump crab meat
   tobiko (flying fish roe) or toasted sesame seeds
4. equipment
   a fan + helper OR an electric fan
   hangiri (very wide flat bowl)
   shamoji (rice paddle)
   makisu (bamboo sushi mat)
   plastic wrap

Asia

                                                                 
The traditions of Asian foods are really influencial, and their traditions are reflected on their foods, and they are very health concious because they eat veggies and raw meat such as sushi. Asian food has flavors from all over the world from spicy to sweet.

Europe

Traditional food from Egypt

Ful mudammas- "fava bean," is often eaten for breakfast. Is a kind of dried fava bean stew, is considered the Egyptian national dish. I researched on this dish and found a very detailed recipe that I tried my self and it tasted delicious!
 Makes 10 servings
Preparation Time: 2 days in all

3 pounds small dried fava beans (about 6 cups), picked over and soaked in water to cover 24 hours 1 large onion, chopped 2 large ripe tomatoes, chopped

3/4 cup dried red lentils, picked over and rinsed 2 1/2 quarts cold water Salt to taste

1. Drain the fava beans. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the fava beans, and boil them until they are soft enough to have their peels removed, about 10 to 15 minutes. Drain, then remove the peel by gently squeezing each bean so the skin pops off or by using a paring knife.
2. Place the peeled fava beans in a stewpot with the onion, tomatoes, and lentils and cover with the water. Bring to a gentle boil, skim the top of foam and reduce the heat to very low or place on a heat diffuser. Cover and cook for 12 hours. Don't lift the cover at all during the entire cooking time, otherwise the beans will discolor.
3. The cooked fava beans can be eaten whole, slightly mashed, or completely mashed. Season with salt. Serve with extra virgin olive oil, corn oil, melted butter, samna (clarified butter), tomato sauce, garlic sauce, basturma (sun-dried spice-rubbed beef fillet available in Middle Eastern markets), fried eggs, hard-boiled eggs, freshly squeezed lime juice, or béchamel sauce.

Europe

Traditional Food from Portugal

My best friend is from Portugal and evertime I go to his house his dad makes us Bacalhau (cod fish). Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. of salt cod ( most times found in little wooden boxes)
• 5 to 6 large potatoes
• 2 large onions, sliced
• 1 green peppers, sliced into slivers
• 3 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
• 4 cloves of garlic
• black olives, those sliced ones are real good
• black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons of parsley, chopped fine if fresh
• 1 tablespoon of vinegar or the juice of one lemon 
• Just a side note here that you might want to add either a 1/2 cup of red or white wine.

Preparation:

1. Soak cod fish overnight. Boil the cod fish the next day in unsalted water for 15 min.
2. Flake fish and set aside. Boil potatoes, slice and set aside.
3. Slice onion, peppers, crush garlic and sauté in olive oil. In large casserole add a layer as follows, potatoes, then fish, sliced hard-eggs, onion, peppers, garlic.
4. Sprinkle olives and parsley.
5. Pour olive oil over the entire casserole.
6. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for a 1/2 hour in a 3 qt. casserole dish.
7. Good appetite! Enjoy!

Europe

Traditional food from Spain

Paella-typical Spanish dish and is traditionally cooked in a "paellera" (a round flat pan with two handles)which is then put on the table. It is normally made using seafood but can also be made with chicken or rabbit. Paellas are one of my favorite dish because of the mixture of flavors. The seafood paella is the best one in my opinion, because I'm a seafood fanatic.Here is my mom's special Paella recipe:

It makes 8 servings
Ingredients:

• 3  cups  water
• 1  cup  dry white wine
• 1  teaspoon  saffron threads
• 2  (8-ounce) bottles clam juice
• Herb Blend:
• 1  cup  chopped fresh parsley
• 1/3  cup  fresh lemon juice
• 1  tablespoon  olive oil
• 1  teaspoon  dried tarragon
• 2  large garlic cloves, minced
• Paella:
• 1  pound  monk fish or other firm white fish fillets
• 16  unpeeled jumbo shrimp (about 1 pound)
• 1  tablespoon  olive oil
• 2  cups  finely chopped onion
• 1  cup  finely chopped red bell pepper
• 1  cup  canned diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1  teaspoon  sweet paprika
• 1/2  teaspoon  crushed red pepper
• 3  garlic cloves, minced
• 3  cups  uncooked Arborio rice or other short-grain rice
• 1  cup  frozen green peas
• 16  little neck clams
• 1  (7-ounce) jar sliced pimento, drained
• 2  tablespoons  fresh lemon juice

Preparation: ( takes time to prepare but it will be worth it at the end)

1. combine the first 4 ingredients in a saucepan.
2. Bring to a simmer (do not boil).
3. Keep warm over low heat.
4. To prepare herb blend, combine parsley and next 4 ingredients; set aside.
5. To prepare paella, trim connective tissue from monk fish; cut into 1-inch pieces.
6. Peel shrimp, leaving tails intact. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large paella pan or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish and shrimp; saute 1 minute (the seafood mixture will not be cooked through).
7. Remove seafood mixture from pan, and keep warm.
8. Add onion and bell pepper to pan, and saute 5 minutes.
9. Add the tomatoes, paprika, crushed red pepper, and 3 garlic cloves; cook 5 minutes.
10. Add rice, and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in broth, herb blend, and peas.
11. Bring to a low boil, and cook 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
12. Add clams to pan, nestling them into rice mixture.
13. Cook 5 minutes or until shells open; discard any unopened shells.
14. Stir in the seafood mixture, and arrange shrimp, heads down, in rice mixture.
15. Arrange pimento slices spoke like on top of rice mixture; cook 5 minutes.
16. Sprinkle with lemon juice.(at your own taste) 
17. Remove from heat; cover with a towel and let stand 10 minutes.
18. Buen Provecho! ( good appetite) Enjoy this delicious Spanish dish!

Europe

Traditional Foods from Italy

Pizza-is an oven-baked, flat, disc-shaped bread typically topped with a tomato sauce, cheese (usually mozzarella) and various toppings depending on the culture. I love homemade pizza because its not grease, and because its made from fresh ingredients. Pizzas can be served with diferent kinds of toppings, depending on the consumer.

Europe

Europe which is considered probably the most fascinating, unique and admirable continent in our beloved world, is more than filled with the most savory, and scrumptious foods known to man kind.This elegant, and exclusive cuisine is based on nothing but the great ancient greece and rome giving it the perfect magnitude of variety and originality.

South America

Traditional food of Bolivia

Pacumutu-a speciality of Santa Cruz. The pacumutu is a long skewer of tender meat that will make you forget the ones you’ve had any restaurant! And also it can be served with anything such as french-fries or sliced tomatoes.

South America

Traditional food from Chile

Pastel de choclo-  is a traditional peruvian and chilean plate made of fresh ground corn (choclo) with basil. It is traditionally served in a paila (earthenware bowl). Commonly mixed in with the choclo is ground beef, chicken, black olives, onions and/or slices of hard boiled eggs.

South America

Traditional Foods from Ecuador

 Llapingacho  is a famous dish in Ecuador. They are potato patties or thick pancakes stuffed with cheese and cooked on a hot griddle until crispy brown.This dish forms part of Ecuador's culture. It is popular not only in Ecuador's Highlands but also in the coast and eastern provinces. It is common to see llapingachos on griddles next to fried eggs, a popular accompaniment, or offered with fried platanos or peanut sauce.

South America

Traditional Foods From Brazil

Picanha is a cut of beef that is in some countries considered to be the best because of its marked flavor.It can be grilled, or roasted. It is usualy cut in slices before cooking, the best way to cook a Picanha is just by puting rock salt on it, not too, depending on how much salt you like. Although it is not completely certain, many Brazilian chefs agree that the picanha cut originated in Rio Grande do Sul, the southernmost state of Brazil, famous for its churrasco. Personaly this is my favorite cut of meat,accompanied with rice and salad.

South America

                                             Traditional Food of Colombia

Bandeja Paisa- abundant amount of food of different ingredients, this is why this dish can't be serve in plate, and its served in a platter or tray. The bandeja paisa was influenced by many cultures that inhabitated colombia throughout the centuries, such as the Spaniards and Africans.

South America

South America is a land full of intense flavors and traditions. The cuisine of this continent varies from one country to the other, but they all have in common a love for traditional recipes which are passed from generation to generation.

                                 Traditional foods in Venezuela

Arepa- The arepa is a flat corn patty, which can be baked, grilled, or fried. It was created by the Timoto-cuicas, an indian tribe in Venezuela. The arepa can be topped or filled with meat, cheese, chicken, egg, ham..etc.