Future kitchen – A universal kitchen

Number of countries in the world = 195 (Source:http://www.polgeonow.com/2011/04/how-many-countries-are-there-in-world.html)

Number of states say, in India = 29 + 07 union territories

(Source:http://www.go4quiz.com/955/list-of-indias-29-states-capitals-and-chief-ministers/)

Number of districts in India = 675

(Source:http://www.currentaffairsquiz.com/2013/01/total-number-of-districts-in-indian.html)

Number of villages in India = 638596

(Source:http://censusindia.gov.in/Census_Data_2001/Census_data_finder/A_Series/Number_of_Village.htm)

An Indian proverb states: "Every two miles the water doth change and every four miles the dialect." India has 1,653 dialects. There are about 14 officially spoken languages by a majority of the Indian people.

(Source: http://www.everyculture.com/wc/Germany-to-Jamaica/Indians.html)

Then, in the whole world that would make for an astounding number of spoken languages i.e. there are roughly 6,500 spoken languages today.

Well if that was too much, then would it be possible to guess from the number of kitchen recipes being relished by the people speaking a given dialect in a particular region, how many total recipes the entire world holds for us all to share with?

In the days of yore, special recipes had been restricted to particular region/s that boasted of its popularity on account of originality due to locally available resource ingredients and manpower to cook such lip smacking dishes. Anybody outside the region intending to experience the same need had to manage with the duplication of such learnt skills but if a realistic experience was must then one needed to travel to such region/s and relive such original relishing culinary experiences.

It is evident from history too that many such traveling expeditions prior to the industrial revolution period then got further boosted by traders wanting to trade in essential commodities that were either in excess/deficit in their own countries. It is believed that many a vegetable say the humble potato came to India and China during 17th Century. From Peru, USA the potato traveled to Europe and the British Raj brought potato to India may be in exchange for spices that were abundant in India. Today, onion and potato rule the Indian kitchen more than any other vegetable items. Thus, the surge in trading of essential commodities especially spices that boosted traveling spirits among the traders to reach into unknown destinations thereby discovering new lands and sea routes, re - mapped the world as we see it today. The travel to such destinations accomplished trading for both the host and the trader as during such ensuing exchange of hospitality, both parties partook the culinary skills of each other’s land.

However no doubt due to modern technology benefits, even today not just traders but even any other citizens of any country could navigate and travel the globe (albeit at their own expenses – not possible for the common man) to get a taste of the world’s best recipes and ingredients. Alas, such an advanced technology could burn holes in pockets for ordinary people. But another area of the same advanced technology has of late provided for such far away recipes at least in a limited sense by way of packaged ingredients, frozen foods, etc. through qualitative means. In India, we have many such packaged Chinese noodles, soups,..... Italian pizzas, pastas,.......quite a few such health conscious fast food items that could be prepared easily in very short time viz. cornflakes, oats,.......With such resource availability and guided instructions in every future kitchen, one could being at home learn to prepare and have healthy recipes from any part of the world. Even when far away from home, such packaged home food ingredients if available could make one feel comfortable to be at home away from home.

Therefore, amidst the nascent growth in renewable energy sources to fuel the future kitchen, decrease in contact hours and hence quality time spent among family members, high expectations on one’s job performance for job retention, etc. the kitchen of the future could be the ideal kitchen offering the much needed mind, body and soul equilibrium in a shrinking global village and rightfully be called the Future kitchen – A universal kitchen.        

Waiting to add one more feather in the cap? Then wait for the time to experience the recipes of the whole world in one’s own sweet home.

Would you share the same thought with me!!!!