Every team has its own style of playing football, and every country also has its own way of looking at and tasting food. While we follow the goals, penalties and penalty kicks, consider a journey with us to the kitchens of the teams participating in the World Cup, to taste the stories behind each meal.
Today we start with the countries of the first three groups:
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Mexico…the land of “sacred corn”
Indigenous food in Mexico was based on corn, which held an almost sacred status, along with beans, squash, and chili peppers. With the 16th century, the Spanish conquistadors brought with them wheat, rice, barley, sugar cane, citrus fruits, garlic, onions, and dairy products, and all of this mixed to form what we know today as Mexican cuisine, which UNESCO registered in 2010 on the list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The most famous dish is the taco, which consists of tortilla chips made from corn dough, stuffed with meat, chicken, or fish, with vegetables and sauce.
“Mouli” sauce is also widely known, and includes a diverse mixture of hot peppers, spices, nuts, dark chocolate, and dried fruits. According to a popular story, nuns in a monastery were surprised by the bishop’s visit, so they gathered the ingredients they had to prepare this dish.
Another popular dish is tamales, which are corn dough stuffed with meat, beans or vegetables, wrapped in corn or banana leaves and steamed.
Brazil…the cuisine of a continent
Brazil cannot be reduced to one dish. The vast area has left its mark on the dishes, and the diversity of the Brazilian table reflects the mixing of the indigenous heritage with immigrants from Europe, Africa and Asia.
The most famous dish is feijoada, which is made from black beans cooked with pieces of meat, served with white rice, vegetables and farofa (roasted cassava flour). Brazil is also famous for its barbecue, or churrasco, where different types of meat are slowly grilled on skewers directly over charcoal.
Qatar…sea and desert on the same table
Traditional cuisine in Qatar was formed in an environment based on maritime trade, camel breeding, fishing, and pearl diving.
The most famous dish is “Majboos”, which consists of rice cooked with meat or chicken and a rich mixture of Gulf spices. There is also “thareed”, where the bread is immersed in meat and vegetable broth. And “Mashkhoul”, which is a mixture of white and yellow rice, vegetables and nuts with meat or chicken.
Due to its location on the Gulf, Qatar is distinguished by its seafood dishes, such as grouper fish grilled with Arabic spices or stuffed with rice.
Morocco.. the rhythm of spices
Moroccan cuisine blends Arab, Berber, Andalusian and Mediterranean heritage. His most famous dish is “couscous”, which is steamed semolina grains, served with meat and vegetables, or as a sweet dish with milk and sugar. UNESCO has listed it as a shared intangible heritage between Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Mauritania.
There is also the “Tajine”, which is an earthen pot with a conical lid that allows steam to rise, then condense and return to the food, cooking it slowly and retaining its juices. Among his most famous dishes are chicken tagine with lemon and olives, and lamb tagine with plums and cinnamon, and every region in Morocco has its favorite tagine.
Harmony and balance are a fundamental concept in Korean culture, manifested in “Ubangsik,” or the five traditional colors: blue, red, yellow, white, and black. Each color is associated with an element of nature: fire, water, wood, metal, and earth.
This concept appears in traditional dishes that contain these colors, and it is believed that humans obtain the energy of the universe through every meal, as food in Korean culture represents medicine and prevention of diseases.
This is clearly embodied in the bibimbap dish, which consists of rice with various vegetables such as spinach, carrots, mushrooms, bean sprouts, pieces of marinated meat with an egg, and a spoonful of gochujang sauce.
The table is not devoid of “kimchi”, which is fermented vegetables – often cabbage or radishes – that appeared historically as a way to preserve vegetables and avoid starvation during the harsh winter.
The preparation of kimchi is linked to a social ritual known as “kimjang,” where families and neighbors gather in the summer to prepare large quantities of kimchi sufficient for the winter. This ritual was included by UNESCO in 2013 as an intangible cultural heritage.
South Africa.. Migration classes on a plate
Cuisine in South Africa was formed from accumulated layers: indigenous cuisines, Dutch and British colonialism, and successive migrations.
One of the dishes indicative of this fusion is “bobuti”, which is a pie of minced meat cooked with apricots and raisins, added to a mixture of spices that reflect Indian influence, and covered with a layer of eggs and milk, in a dish that combines Asian, European and African culinary traditions.
Another popular dish is bunny chow, which is a hollowed out piece of bread stuffed with curry.
No talk about South Africa is complete without braai, an Afrikaans word meaning barbecue, where family and friends gather around blazing coals to cook meat and boerewors (local sausages seasoned with coriander, pepper and spices), then eat them with bap (corn porridge) and spicy chakalaka pickle.
Czechia…a kitchen made by the long winter
Czech cuisine was affected by the harsh winter, and was based on filling meals that provide the body with warmth and energy. It is based on grilled meat and sauces based on root vegetables, in addition to dumplings known as “knedliki”, which are made from wheat or potatoes and served with the meal.
One of the most famous national dishes is svečkova na smetanje, which consists of slow-cooked beef in a creamy sauce of carrots, celery, parsley root, onions and cream.
It is also famous for the dish “Vibro Knedlo Zello”, which combines grilled meat, “Knedliki” and sauerkraut, in addition to “Beef Goulash”, which is a thick stew of meat in a thick onion-based sauce seasoned with paprika.
Canada…a vast country with a potato dish
It is difficult to pinpoint a single “Canadian cuisine” in the traditional sense, as the modern country has been shaped by successive waves of immigration, along with indigenous traditions and the influence of geographic diversity.
The most popular dish is poutine, which consists of crispy french fries with cheese and brown gravy. Canadian cuisine is also famous for its maple syrup extracted from tree sap, in addition to the traditional bread known as bannock.
Dishes vary depending on the regions. The Atlantic coast is famous for its seafood, especially Nova Scotia’s lobster rolls, while Quebec is famous for its pea soup and smoked meats.
Switzerland…Europe’s trilingual cuisine
The most famous dish in Switzerland is “fondue”, in which a mixture of cheese is melted in white wine with garlic, and it appeared historically as a practical way to use cheese that dries during the winter.
There’s also “raclette,” where raclette cheese is melted and scraped over potatoes, onions and pickled cucumbers.
And let’s not forget the “rosti”, which are potato pancakes that are fried until they acquire a crispy golden color.
The fusion of Central European heritage and Ottoman cuisine is evident in traditional Bosnian dishes. One of the most famous is “chivapi”, which are small sticks of grilled meat served inside soft “summon” bread with onions.
Burek pies stuffed with meat or cheese are also widespread, and they are one of the most popular foods in the country. They arrived with the Ottomans in the 15th century.
There is also Bigova Chorba, a thick soup of chicken with okra and root vegetables braised in a clay pot, to which a mixture of cream, eggs and lemon juice is added to thicken and flavour.
Haiti…the flames of the Caribbean
Haitian cuisine is based on strong seasoning and the fusion of African and French flavours.
“Sup Jomo” or pumpkin soup is one of the most famous dishes. It is made from pumpkin, beef, and vegetables. It is a historical symbol of freedom, as it is associated with Independence Day, which falls on January 1.
The “Grio” dish is also famous, which is fried meat marinated in the “Ibis” mixture, which usually consists of green pepper, garlic, parsley and other ingredients that give it its distinctive character.
Scotland…the cruelty of nature on a plate
The harsh environment and scarcity of resources in Scotland appear in its traditional dishes, the most prominent of which is “haggis”, which is a mixture of chopped sheep intestines with oats and spices, cooked inside the sheep’s stomach so that no part of the animal is wasted.
Also famous is the “Cullen Skink” soup, which is made from smoked fish cooked in milk with potatoes and onions.
Despite the diversity and dissimilarity of these dishes, the World Cup brings them together around one table, around which everyone sits, and each team carries with it the taste of its country, as well as the colors of its shirt and the song of its anthem.
