Those of us who live in big cities are lucky to have access to food from all over the world: udon, khinkali, pappardelle, bouillabaisse, blancmange... Some of the names are so ambiguous that it's almost impossible to place an order without your waiter's guidance. And while flavours and textures vary from region to region, the basic ingredients of the dishes are very similar: grains, vegetables, eggs etc.