Final answer:
Fusion cuisine is influenced by factors such as the availability and cost of ingredients, cultural identity and traditions, and the similarities in how cultures create balanced diets with regionally available foods.
Step-by-step explanation:
Several factors affect fusion cuisine, which is the blending of culinary traditions from different cultures to create innovative and sometimes novel dishes. One of the primary factors is the availability and cost of ingredients, which has influenced diets and culinary practices throughout history. For instance, the availability of certain spices and foods has led to the expansion of empires and even conflicts, like the price of tea contributing to the American Revolution.
Cultural identity and traditions play a significant role in fusion cuisine as well. With food being a central part of cultural identity, the integration of different cuisines often takes place when communities share and adapt foods to new circumstances, leading to the creation of fusion dishes. Urban areas are typically more prone to culinary changes and adaptation, compared to rural areas were traditional cuisine changes more slowly.
Another factor that affects fusion cuisine is how similar balanced diets are achieved with regionally available foods across different cultures. For example, despite regional differences, cultures have developed balanced meals combining grains and legumes, as seen in the consumption of lentils with flat bread in India and beans with tortillas in Mexico.