When done badly, fusion food can be an unpleasant experiencing, tarnishing the memory of treasured culinary traditions and leaving a bad taste in your mouth. However, when done well, fusion food demonstrates the importance of bringing together seemingly contrasting ideas to create something new.
If you’re looking for the best foods that look to bridge cultural divides, here are some of the finest treats that fusion food has to offer.
Crossing the English Channel
The English Channel may only be around 20 miles wide at its shortest point, but that doesn’t mean that England and France aren’t without their fair share of differences. When it comes to food there are a lot of contrasts, but also quite a few similarities.
This Earl Grey Crème Brûlée combines the rich, creamy decadence of that most famous of French desserts with the subtle smokiness of the much-loved English drink. The perfect fusion food to remind neighboring countries of their common ground.
An Asian-Inspired Cheesecake
The cheesecake is said to have originated in Greece thousands of years ago, but its modern iteration is most commonly associated with the east coast of the United States of America. However, inventive purveyors of this delicious after-dinner treat have created cheesecake flavors that go beyond the usual fare.
Singapore-based www.catandthefiddle.com produce a wide range of different options, but their most alluring are surely the one flavored with the Mao Shan Wang Durian. This fruit, best known for having a pungent aroma but a wonderfully unique taste, is popular all over Southeast Asia. This cheesecake brings together east and west to make a delicious dessert like no other.
A Burger, But Not As You Know It
What do you get when you combine American fast-food with an Asian staple? The Ramen Burger, of course.
Replacing the bun with crispy fried noodles, Chef Keizo Shimamoto has created a burger that pays homage to the time he spent studying in Japan. The burger itself is a mixture of 75% beef to 25% fat and is accompanied by some shoyu sauce, rocket leave, and salad onions.
The burger is available at the Smorgasburg food market in Brooklyn, New York, but make sure you get there early as you don’t want them to be sold out by the time you arrive.
A Twist on a Classic
Indian and British food has a long shared history – after all, Chicken Tikka Masala has often been declared Britain’s favourite dish.
Now, a Michelin-starred chef is looking to bring these two distinct styles together at his new establishment. Atul Kochhar’s Hawkyns restaurant will serve traditional British dishes, like fish and chips, but with an Indian twist. The restaurant includes tempting fusion food ideas like chicken tikka pie and tamarind duck, and will champion local produce as well as exotic flavours.
If you’re looking to expand your culinary horizons, then fusion food provides the perfect opportunity. Rather than representing a clash of styles, the best dishes subtly meld two or more ideas that you wouldn’t necessarily think would work together, but combine to create an innovative flavour sensation.
