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What Is Street Food?
Fresh food, cooked in the open and served from hip-looking food trucks and street food stalls.The street food revolution is in full swing and is now a big part of our food culture.
But many may be thinking, “What is Street Food?” Well, street food is simply the practice of cooking and serving any type of fresh food, drink or dessert from a converted food truck, food cart, or food stall for immediate consumption.
However, there is a bit more to it so in this article I will give you a rundown of what is street food, some fun facts, different types of street food and why it has become so popular.
History of street food
The practice of cooking food on the street has gone back thousands of years and pretty much all cultures have done it at one time or another. From the ancient Greeks and Romans, where you could buy chickpea soup to Cairo and Turkey in the 1500s where people ate kebabs brought from food vendors at the side of the road.
Fast forward to the nineteenth-century street food vendors can be found in Transylvania selling fried meats and french fries in Paris. However, in modern history, it is South-East Asian, partially Thailand, that most people associate street food with and it is easy to see why.
Street food in Thailand is embedded in the culture and is absolutely everywhere. Whole generations of family members from small children to grandparents can be seen on food stalls cooking fresh prawn pad thai, seafood omelette or mango sticky rice. And that are just a few dishes among the hundreds you can find from food vendors all across Thailand.
What is street food today?
It is this street food culture in South-East Asian that arguably had the biggest influence on the street food scene we now see today in the west, in countries like the US & UK especially.
Street food has been gaining popularity over recent years and street eating can now be found at food markets, food and music festivals, warehouses, office complexes and food hall’s within retail outlets – basically anywhere you can think of that is a large open area.
But like many practices, we take from other cultures with tend to take it to the next level in the West. Yes sure it is still about the tasty and interesting foods on offer, but it is also about the presentation and how it’s sold.
Street food is now a very hip affair with food vendors serving their food from all sorts of creative mediums. You will see anything from grilled cheese sandwiches being sold from a converted horse box; gourmet burgers served from an old Citroen H van; to very large food trucks selling tacos that have been kitted out with all the mods and cons, you would expect from a restaurant (and sometimes just as expensive).
Councils and local authorities are also realizing that street food is a cheap way to regenerate local communities. High streets and retail, in general, is seeing a marked decline and many bricks and mortar shops are struggling to keep their head above water. Food markets are therefore a viable alternative.
Popular types of street food
Pretty much any type of food or drink you can think of that can be prepared in a kitchen or at home is sold on the streets by food vendors from all around the world. In Southeast Asia, you tend to get mainly local and regional dishes like pad Thai or mango sticky rice. However, in the UK and US, the story is very different and there is much more variety on offer.
Some popular street foods include:
Jerk chicken
Curries
Burgers & hot dogs
Ice cream rolls
Sushi
Tacos
Ice cream rolls
Wood-fired pizza
Juice bar
Crepes
Pad Thai
Wraps
Bao buns
Coffee
Kebabs
Paella
Cocktails
Churros
Donuts
Falafels
Ice cream
Pies & pasties