Global Table Adventure

Recipe: Vanilla Bean n’ Tropical Fruit (w/ poll)

February 3, 2012 By Sasha Martin 7 Comments

Vanilla beans might as well be jewels. The insides are full of teeny, tiny black caviar - the likes of which I can't help but want all over my ice cream and baked goods... I even like to dab vanilla extract on my wrists when baking. Suffice it to say, I'm a fan. Now, imagine yourself in a country like Madagascar, where there are enough vanilla beans to pave the streets. There, thanks to such quantity, the people use vanilla bean caviar much more whimsically than I can ($8 per bean, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Africa, Finger Food, Fruit, Fun Friday, Gluten Free Adaptable, Madagascar, Miss Ava's Favorite Recipes, Potluck Friendly, Recipes, Sasha's Favorite Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Recipe: Burnt Rice Tea (Ranovola) w/ poll

February 2, 2012 By Sasha Martin 5 Comments

I can't believe I'm going to do this, but here we are: I'm going to show you how to burn rice. It's for a perfectly good cause: a cool, refreshing glass of ranovola, or burnt rice tea. This toasty-tasting drink is popular in Madagascar, where the bottom of the rice pot is reserved to flavor the local river water. It's super easy to do, as long as you don't burn the rice too fast. You have to do it just right. Ahem. Start with a cup of cooked rice spread on the bottom of a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Africa, Alcohol-Free, Cold, Madagascar, Recipes, Rice, Technique Thursday

Menu: Madagascar

February 1, 2012 By Sasha Martin 6 Comments

Today I sit at the dining table, the door open and a breeze coming it. Its 70 degrees. I shut my eyes and imagine I'm sitting on a beach in Madagascar - overlooking the wide, blue ocean. The last weeks have been busy. I did four interviews in half as many days, including one with Parenting Magazine. I spoke on KRMG all about the Chinese New Year. Today and tomorrow I will be speaking at Rosa Parks Elementary School about bringing the world together around a Global Table. On Friday I'll be … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Africa, Madagascar, Menu Wednesday

About the food of Madagascar

January 31, 2012 By Sasha Martin 5 Comments

A lake at Sambava, Madagascar. Photo by WRI Staff.

Watching Andrew Zimmern's Bizzare Foods episode on Madagascar, I was amazed by some of the shocking foods he ate. On this island nation roughly the size of Texas, you can find everything on the dinner platter from bugs to - get ready for it - circumcision ceremony remnants. Ahem. I'm not going to clarify that one. (Remember, I'm here to bring us together over simple foods, not shocking foods, so we won't be going down any of those roads. I will say, however, if you get a chance and are … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Africa, Madagascar, Travel Tuesday

Monday Meal Review: Libya

January 2, 2012 By Sasha Martin 9 Comments

THE SCENE: I take off Ava's fuzzy hat and coat, give her a kiss and off she goes - into her classroom. As I turn to leave, her teacher calls after me. "What are you cooking today?" "Libya!" I exclaim, perhaps a bit to excitedly, "I'm trying their version of shortbread. They put a whole clove in them!" "Sounds great!" she smiles, and gets right back to work, helping the kids with the day's craft project. I pause for a moment to watch them work, admiring how carefully their little … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Africa, Libya, Monday Meal Review

Recipe: Whipped Ghee Shortbread Cookies (Ghraiba)

January 1, 2012 By Sasha Martin 3 Comments

Every day should be special. A day to use fancy napkins. A day to nibble cookies with tea. A day to smile more than you did the entire year before. This cookie is for such a day. Say hello to the ghraiba, or Libya's answer to crispy, buttery shortbread. They aren't super sweet, but they have a tender crumb, perfect for teatime. Two things make these cookies unique. First, they are made with ghee, a.k.a. cooked, clarified butter. Second, they are studded with whole cloves, which can be eaten … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Africa, Christmas, Libya, Potluck Friendly, Recipes, Sweets

Recipe: Stuffed and Fried Potato Wedges (Mbatan Batata)

December 29, 2011 By Sasha Martin 4 Comments

The New Year is all about possibility, hope, health, and doing things better. That's why I'll be deep frying as the ball drops. But I'm not deep-frying just anything. This isn't the state fair (where everything from butter to kool-aid makes it into the bubbling oil). I'm in the real world. This is a Libyan dish - one that combines the best of everything - delicate potato wedges, stuffed with wonderfully spiced meat loaded up with fresh parsley, crunchy breadcrumbs and a whole lot of yum. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Africa, Finger Food, Libya, Meat, Mr. Picky's Favorite Recipes, Potatoes, Recipes, Sasha's Favorite Recipes, Technique Thursday

Menu: Libya

December 28, 2011 By Sasha Martin 4 Comments

If I can pick food up with my fingers, I will. It just... tastes better. And forget double dipping... everyone needs their own dipping bowls in my house because theirs is not safe with me. I'm a triple dipper. Heck, I'm a quadruple dipper. This week, because holiday entertaining is still going strong, and because I'm in the mood for a good dippable snack, I chose finger foods. I found that Libya has some of the best around and - as you can see by Ava's expression - … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Africa, Libya, Menu Wednesday