10 Tunisian Wines and Dishes You Should Know
-
Loading... - alexander thodore
- 04 Oct 2022
- 78 Views
- 0 Like
- 0 Comment
Tunisian cuisine is a diverse blend of flavors representative of the country’s past and central location in Northern Africa. While the cuisine varies across regions, Tunisian food usually combines French and African flavors with a spicy kick. Rooted by the country's staple food, couscous, Tunisian dishes often feature fresh seafood or hearty lamb depending on local availability. A melting pot of cultures, Tunisia doesn't just feature local food. Rather, foodies can savor all types of international cuisine in the country’s larger cities.
And then there's Tunisia's secret culinary superpower: wine. Though the country's Mediterranean climate and rich soil makes it an ideal location for wine production, it's often overlooked as a wine hotspot. But Tunisia deserves respect for its rich wine history and modern cultivation of numerous grape varietals. Tunisians first began producing wine over 2,000 years ago, but Arab control in the eighth century nearly eliminated the practice. French colonization brought winemaking back to Tunisia in the late 1800s.
The country’s wine production continues to have a heavy French influence, with reds and rosés dominating the scene. But local influence is long-lasting, too—today, most of Tunisia’s wine cultivation occurs in the country’s northern peninsula, Cap Bon, carrying on the legacy of the famous Phoenician agronomist Mago, who wrote the earliest instruction manuals on wine cultivation from Carthage around 100 B.C.
Whether you choose to indulge in a traditional Tunisian dish or raise a glass (or both), Tunisia is bursting with flavor and adventure. Here are ten favorite foods and wines to try:
Dishes
Couscous
Couscous is the centerpiece of traditional Tunisian cuisine. This staple food, which is derived from semolina, is popular across Northern African and is present on nearly every dinner table in Tunisia. A versatile, fluffy delight, couscous is prepared in endless ways across the country. In coastal regions, cooks prefer to serve it with fish, while interior regions opt for lamb and dried fruit. A local favorite, Sfax Couscous, is named for Tunisia’s second largest city, which is filled with fresh, abundant seafood.
Brik
Briks are a staple delight across Tunisia and can be found in little shops throughout the country. Similar to a samosa, a brik is made from wrapping delicate pastry dough around a variety of filling options, including potatoes, eggs, or tuna. The flavorful packets are then fried to golden perfection in grapeseed oil. These tasty, triangle-shaped finger foods are best served piping hot with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Read More…
