Unit 3 · Where Everyone Goes
How geography shapes what people eat.
Food depends on climate, soil, water, trade routes, religion, migration, wealth, and history. Rice grows well in wet regions. Wheat grows in drier temperate regions. Spices traveled through trade routes. Geography is on your plate.
Mediterranean food uses olive oil, wheat, grapes, tomatoes, seafood, herbs, and cheese. Italy is famous for pasta and pizza. France is famous for bread, cheese, pastry, and fine dining. Spain is famous for tapas, paella, seafood, and regional dishes.
Mexico gave the world corn, chocolate, tomatoes, chilies, and many famous dishes. Peru is famous for potatoes, ceviche, Andean food, Amazon ingredients, and one of the world's most interesting food scenes.
Japan is known for sushi, ramen, rice, seafood, and careful presentation. Thailand is famous for balancing sweet, sour, salty, spicy, and fresh flavors. India has huge regional variety, with spices, breads, rice, lentils, and vegetarian traditions.
Some cities become food capitals because people, money, migration, markets, and restaurants concentrate there. Tokyo, Paris, Lima, Bangkok, Istanbul, Mexico City, New York, Singapore, and Naples are all famous for food in different ways.
Pizza, sushi, tacos, curry, noodles, burgers, and coffee all traveled far from where they began. Migration and trade spread food ideas around the world. Sometimes the "local" food in one country originally came from somewhere else.
Answer all ten, then see your stars. You can retake it as many times as you like.
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