Ingredients of the Earth
Welcome to the section dedicated to ingredients and food products from around the world! Here you’ll find not only individual food items in the strict sense, but also culinary bases that, due to their widespread use, are often treated as ingredients themselves.
How this part of the site works
In most cases, ingredients are organized in a clear hierarchical structure and follow a single classification criterion. However, if you come across a more complex upper-level category (such as a biological family or genus), a list of the main products it includes will appear in parentheses, providing an immediate reference.
When a group of products cannot be described using a single criterion, as is the case with wines or cheeses, a more structured system is applied:
- In the introductory article for the product (e.g. wine), you’ll find a list of the relevant classification criteria (such as color, effervescence, etc.).
- In each article dedicated to a specific criterion (e.g. red wines), you’ll find all the products that meet that criterion, even if they also belong to other categories (for instance, Brunello di Montalcino is listed both under red wines and still wines).
- Each individual product article also includes a summary section listing all the criteria that the product meets.
Things to Note
1. Derived foods: Derived foods from animals, plants, algae, or multicellular fungi are listed at the end of the article on the original ingredient when the derived product is composed primarily of that ingredient. If the derived food is not mainly made from the original ingredient, it is instead placed in its own dedicated section. Some items have a dual placement for clarity—for example, wine can be found both at the end of the article on grapes and in the section on alcoholic beverages.
2. Geographic distribution: When precise data on distribution is lacking, we refer to broad regions, acknowledging that the ingredient may not be found in all areas listed. Where accurate data is available, we define an arbitrary but reasonable boundary, based on common sense, to distinguish between areas where the product is truly widespread and those where it is rare or absent.
3. Dual placement of certain food products: Some culinary bases can also be accessed through the section “Recipes of the Earth”. This dual listing was chosen for organizational clarity, so you can find these items either by starting from the ingredient itself, or by exploring the culinary traditions of a particular region.
4. Taxonomic classification approach: For animals, plants, multicellular fungi, and algae, a biological classification scheme based on taxonomy is followed rather than classical culinary criteria. This approach allows for a more comprehensive inclusion of products worldwide, which might be difficult to classify otherwise. Moreover, only edible groups are listed; for example, poisonous plants are excluded since they are irrelevant in this context.
5. Nutritionale facts tabels: This site uses a nutritional table based on the U.S. labeling system, which requires listing more nutrients by law than other systems. If a value is unavailable, an asterisk (*) is shown; please note that especially in recipes, values are approximate and may vary by product, always check the label on what you buy.
6. Nutritional facts tables placement: Nutritional facts tables are not included at every taxonomic level but appear arbitrarily where it is reasonable to present a table that represents all products taxonomically below that level. For example, it would not make sense to include a nutritional table at the level of Angiosperms, as this group contains very diverse items such as coconuts and lettuce, which have very different nutritional profiles.
Start Your Journey!
Now that you’ve read this introduction, you’re ready to dive into the world of culinary ingredients and basic preparations. Let your curiosity guide you through the essential building blocks of global traditions, one element at a time.
Your journey begins here: