Jamie Oliver is as much of a household name in the US as it is in the UK, the chef’s home country. He’s held numerous cooking shows, released over 30 cookbooks and opened even more restaurants. The Jamie Oliver Group owns more than 70 restaurants across 22 countries. In fact, he even has some floating eateries. We caught up with Jamie Oliver at a brunch hosted in his restaurant aboard Royal Caribbean’sSymphony of the Seas, Jamie’s Italian. The Tuscan-inspired dishes on the menu were outstanding, as was the sneak peek we got of the upcoming season of “Chef’s Table: Legends” on Netflix that features Jamie Oliver.
As a chef with many restaurants inspired by Italian cuisine, it’s clear he’s familiar with good pasta. But when asked about his top foodie travel reccs, Oliver’s answer wasn’t to go to the home of gelato and pizza, nor was it even in Europe at all. Tunisia is a country that stole his heart.
Related: Martha Stewart Impresses Fans With 'Stunning' Photos From 'Incredible' Adventure in Africa
“They're the second biggest consumers of pasta in the world. They've got hundreds of their own shapes,” Oliver says. This African country is right across the Mediterranean Sea from Sicily, so it makes sense why, according to Oliver, “Most of Sicilian cooking is influenced by the Arab Tunisian cooking, and vice versa.” He says the local produce, much of which is organic, is unmatched, and the veggie dishes will blow you away. Sampling the best of the food this country has to offer isn’t hard to do, either, as Oliver says, “Your dollar goes a long, long, long, long, long way.” Quality food, crystal blue waters, cheap prices, happy people and a good safety rating make Tunisia one of the chef’s favorite places.
Tunisia’s Unique Cuisine
Unsplash
Tunisian dishes feature lots of olive oil, tomatoes and spices. Tabil Ahammed is a Tunisian spice mixture of ground coriander, aniseed, garlic powder and chili powder. Turmeric, cinnamon, cloves, mint, cumin, allspice and rose are other common flavors. The national dish is koski, or couscous, which is technically a pasta in and of itself, but Tunisians eat a lot of other pastas, as well.
Related: 25 Soulful Recipes From the African Diaspora
While many flavors and ingredients typical in the region overlap with those of other African countries, Tunisian cuisine is generally less spicy than most. While the vegetable dishes Oliver mentions are flavorful enough on their own, Tunisian food also commonly has lamb, chicken or beef and lots of fish.
Tunisia has a rich history and influences from many ethnicities, making it a country like no other, with a stellar cuisine to match.
Related: 22 Unique Things To Do in Florence, Italy
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( The Surprising Foodie Destination Everyone Should Visit At Least Once, According to Jamie Oliver )
Also on site :
- ‘We don’t socialise’: Kirstie Allsopp and Phil Spencer get frank about their offscreen relationship
- Trump cuts tariffs on U.K. cars, steel and aluminum but keeps 10% base duty while Britain trims its taxes on 2,500 U.S. products
- ‘Shadow Force’ Review: Two Spies Get Dragged From the Cold in Middling Action Opus