Global Table Adventure

Menu: Guyana

June 8, 2011 By Sasha Martin 9 Comments

I like to live in the moment. Fly free. Laugh. Dance. Cry. Do you ever find yourself doing something fun, like chatting with a friend, instead of the work you're supposed to be doing? I do. I love it. I look forward to it. And why not? I get to have fun and then proceed to do my work twice as fast. When I'm talking to my friend, I don't worry about the work. It'll be there. It's time will come. No, I'd rather live in the moment. It's sweet bliss. As long as I meet my deadlines, no harm … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Guyana, Menu Wednesday, South America

About the food of Guyana

June 7, 2011 By Sasha Martin 5 Comments

Welcome to Guyana - where you can eat a plate of curry [Recipe] with a side of chow mein [Recipe]. What a combination. What a melting pot. What time do we eat? Oh, and did I mention Guyana is in South America? Yep. This rugged country plates up food from halfway across the world thanks to the influence of British colonizers. Take a stroll down her sandy shores - deep tan like crushed graham crackers - or climb the plateaus in the west; either way you'll quickly learn why Guyana is called the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Guyana, South America, Travel Tuesday

Monday Meal Review: Guinea and Guinea-Bissau

June 6, 2011 By Sasha Martin 11 Comments

THE SCENE: I cut into the yucca root, first trimming the ends, then cracking it down the middle. Instead of revealing creamy white flesh, the yucca was speckled and streaked with brown. Rotten. I grabbed the peeler and stripped off the thick skin, exposing even more bruised flesh. Why I peeled that rotten yucca, I cannot tell you, but when I was done, I dutifully cut it into thick sticks and placed them in a pretty pile. I then pushed the pile straight into the trash. Darn yucca. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Africa, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Monday Meal Review

Recipe: Jollof (West African Rice with Veggies)

June 5, 2011 By Sasha Martin 9 Comments

Serves 6-8 Listen, friends. I thought Jollof sounded weird. Scary. Difficult. It's not. This is rice with veggies. And spices. Sometimes meat, but not here. Not today. All over West Africa people enjoy Jollof. They make it with whatever they have on hand and more often that not it does not include meat. This recipe is flexible. It's usually spicy. And it always has some version of tomato sauce/paste in it. The rest is a fun improvisational dance. So, go on - boogie, boogie through that bottom … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Africa, Gluten Free Adaptable, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, International Recipes, Potluck Friendly, Rice, Sasha's Favorite Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Recipe: Yucca Fries

June 5, 2011 By Sasha Martin 6 Comments

Serves 2-4 I never thought the day would come. I never thought I would conquer the mighty yucca. This tuber has made sweat, cry, and is quite possibly be the reason why I blacked out and went crashing to the floor one night after eating way too many Bâton de Manioc - out cold for a good thirty seconds. To be fair, the next day the doctor blamed dehydration. Regardless, given my terrible past with this tuber, I have a deep need to remedy my track record, this time with yucca fries. Who can mess … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Africa, Finger Food, Gluten Free Adaptable, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, International Recipes, Random Carbs & Grains, Sasha's Favorite Recipes, Vegan, Vegetables/Pulses, Vegetarian Tagged With: cassava, manioc, yuca

Recipe: Portuguese Cinnamon Cookies (Raivas)

June 5, 2011 By Sasha Martin 4 Comments

Makes 16 When I ask for a cookie, I expect to get a sugary, crispy, heart-racing cookie. Something that makes me thirst for milk. But that's not always what happens. Take raivas, for example. These cinnamon loaded Portuguese cookies are subdued. Doughy. Bready. Dry. But don't be fooled. The texture isn't a mistake. They are made specifically for dunking. Dipping. Sogging-up coffee, hot cocoa or tea. So why are we making Portuguese cookies this week, when we're cooking West Africa? Simple. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Africa, Guinea-Bissau, International Recipes, Potluck Friendly, Sweets, Vegetarian

What to do with the rest of the goat? Find your beat in West Africa (w/ poll)

June 3, 2011 By Sasha Martin 4 Comments

Want to get up and dance? Shake a little soul onto the dance floor? Come, let's find the beat, West African-style... with the Djembe, the drum of choice. Use it or lose it: The top of the drum is spread tightly with goat skin. Loads of goat meat is consumed in West Africa, often wrapped in banana leaves [recipe] or stewed, so making a djembe with the skin is a fantastic way to use the whole animal, not just the meat. As my mom always said, "waste not, want not." Say what? The goats … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Africa, Fun Friday, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau Tagged With: djbobimbe, jembe, jenbe, jimbay, jymbe, sanbanyi, yembe

Recipe: Papaya Chutney

June 2, 2011 By Sasha Martin 10 Comments

Fills about 2 mason jars - 1 for you & 1 for a friend Have you seen the papayas at the market lately? They're gorgeous. Sweet. Giant. Exotic. Plus they're fun to pronounce: pa-pa-ya. Gotta love anything that ends with an affirmative. Since papayas are beloved in Guinea and Guinea Bissau, I really wanted to make papaya jam for you today. Unfortunately, jam making all but requires a chemistry major. I'm too footloose for that, so I made chutney. The cool thing about chutney is that it's … [Read more...]