California
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Say California cuisine and for many the response is a blank stare of wonder. What first may seem a bit elusive to those unable to pinpoint the cuisine of this region, California style cooking is actually a very sensible reflection of this part of the country.

Born out of a desire to showcase the region's vast agriculture, the cuisine is said to have been introduced in the seventies by Alice Waters, of Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkeley. Other high profile chefs, including Wolfgang Puck of the Spago restaurants and Jeremiah Tower of Stars (who once worked with Waters), have built upon this introduction and made this style of cuisine world famous. No longer lagging behind top French chefs, purportedly the best in the world, California is now considered to hold its own among the global cooking elite.

At its core California cuisine is a combination of multiple cultural influences, combined to encourage a healthy, on-the-go lifestyle. With a flair for beautiful presentation and freshness, this style of cooking pleasingly touches all the senses.
California Cuisine Emphasizes Locally Grown Food

California has a unique agriculture compared to the rest of the United States. With plenty of sunshine and moderately high temperatures, the region produces many things not found in other parts of the country. These unique crops are at the heart of California cuisine. Some of the foods to look for in this type of cooking include:

    * avocados
    * artichokes
    * almonds
    * citrus fruits, especially oranges and lemons
    * kiwi
    * figs
    * seafood
    * mushrooms
    * olives

Reflecting a Busy Lifestyle

Californians are known for an on-the-go lifestyle. The cuisine is an obvious reflection of this. Focused on creating something delicious, but doing it quickly, many times recipes require only assembly and no cooking at all, as the ingredients are raw. Mostly true of fruits and vegetables, fish also are presented uncooked. Sushi is a fine example of this.If any cooking is done, it's often in a method that requires little time. Think steamed or blanched rather than stewed vegetables. Or grilling vs. the use of a Dutch oven. The subtle desire is to create foods with speed in mind so that folks can get on with the rest of their day.
A Focus on Health

Home to Hollywood and multiple world renowned beaches, it makes sense that part of California culture tends toward looking and feeling good. People want to look their best on film or in their suits while sunbathing! The culture at-large is heavy on fitness and positive lifestyle.

The quick cooking methods mentioned above lend themselves to low fat cooking and healthier cuisine. In addition to the agricultural focus, there are other examples of food choice that speak to the health conscious. Butter, for instance, is often replaced with olive oil in California cuisine. Pasta and rice replace the more filling national staples of corn and potatoes. Sauces are more likely to be of a wine reduction than varieties loaded with cream and cheese. Fish and seafood are more common that beef or poultry.
Drawing from Many Cultures

Perhaps the reason the style of California cuisine can be difficult to describe is because of its many cultural influences. Obviously bordering Mexico, the heritage of this culture can be found in dishes using cilantro, avocado and hot peppers. Spanish colonial settlers brought citrus fruits, olives and grapes for making wine. Chinese and Japanese immigrants brought an interest in rice, fish and fresh produce. There is not a single dominant culture represented in California style cooking; instead is it a combination of many.

Cooking in a manner that combines multiple ethnic styles is called fusion. The innovative nature of these multi-cultural dishes is often daring and unusual. Though adding mangoes to salsa or sesame oil and cilantro to grilled lamb may not be the traditional fare of Mexico or Japan, these sorts of culinary combinations are the essence of California creativity. They are at its core, the epitome and definition of California cuisine.

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