Italian Food Safari Maeve O'meara

Sahteyn” is a word you will often hear in a Lebanese home – loosely translated it means “twice your health” – a form of welcome to join a family and share delicious food. And this is some of the most exquisite food in the world. Lebanese cuisine is generous and abundant. The reason is the age-old tradition of hospitality which exists – your host will never believe you don’t have just a bit more room for something utterly delicious that’s been prepared with love.

The vibrant, intensely colourful world of Indian food in Australia found an ever increasing fan base when Australians began to travel through India during the 1960s and 70s. Each region of India has its own style of cooking and distinct flavours – North is known for Tandoori and Korma dishes, South is famous for hot and spicy foods, the East specialises in chilli curries, the West uses coconut and seafood and the Central part of India is a blend of all.

The French have elevated food into an art form …nowhere else on earth is so much attention paid to what people are going to eat and how they eat it. The reason is steeped in history - the fostering of the royal court, the subsequent revolution, the discipline of the apprentice system, the quality of ingredients and creativity of the chefs, and simply, the love of good food.

Pakistani cuisine is the lesser known food of the sub-continent and is rich in tradition, full of marvelous and diverse dishes. Pakistan was created in 1947 when India was partitioned and has a predominantly Muslim population. Although Pakistan is relatively new, the cuisine has developed many more years and incorporates elements from its neighbours - India, Afghanistan and Iran. The varied regions also means there are a whole range of different foods - from the fertile valleys and the sea of Sindh province; to pastoral Baluchistan, from neighbouring Iran; to the Punjab with its five rivers and the rugged North West Frontier, home of the chappli kebab.

Tells the story of Italian food arriving in the United States and how your favorite red sauce recipes evolved into American staples.