Eat your way around the world
I've said it before, but this time I mean it. I'm never buying catfish again. Ever. Not in a million, billion years. Store-bought catfish has to be the fishiest, funkiest, stinkiest fish on this planet - which should be a crime because I know catfish is perfectly capable of being sweet and tender. You see, my father-in-law, Rick, catches catfish from deep within the lakes of Oklahoma. Before the water has a chance to drip down the fish's fins, he fillets, salts, and bags them. … [Read more...]
Makes 8 mini Peanut Butter Croissants Peanut butter rolled up into a steamy hot croissant - the ultimate snack, perfect with breakfast, lunch or dinner. While you are welcome to use homemade croissant dough, I had to take a short cut - it was one of those weeks. We'll call this fast food for the home cook. I guess you could say that my super-cook is giving way to super-mom. There was a time when I made my very own croissants from scratch. And I'll surely do it again, once Ava gets a … [Read more...]
Makes 3/4 cup Mild heat with a nutty blast, this West African inspired peanut sauce is straightforward. This recipe lacks the bright flavor acquired from a splash of vinegar you might find in Asian peanut sauces. Vegetarian/vegan Ingredients: 1/2 cup peanut butter (natural, not sweet) 1 Tbsp tomato paste 3/4 cup water pinch of cayenne pepper red palm oil Method: Heat oil over medium. Add a pinch of cayenne pepper. You can always add more at the end, if you can handle … [Read more...]
Serves 4 Corn with plantains is a common pairing in West Africa. Add a little heat with your favorite hot pepper, or use regular bell peppers. Our version is vegetarian/vegan. Ingredients: 1 tsp red palm oil 1 lb fresh or frozen corn 2 yellow plantains 1 chili pepper (I used a poblano from my garden that turned red), diced 1/2 cup water Method: Heat up a little oil in a medium pot. Chop up a couple of plantains... ... and add them with the corn. If you're … [Read more...]
Serves 3 Fried fish is a common food around the world. At its best this dish is crispy with a moist, flaky interior. The secret to great fried fish is to preheat the oil completely before adding the fish. Also, dredging the fish in a little flour ensures a golden, crispy surface. You can use any fish, just watch the thickness - thin pieces will cook up in a flash. Ingredients: 3 fish fillets (we used catfish) 1/4 cup flour 1 tsp pepper 1 tsp salt Method: In a large plate, … [Read more...]
Happy Saturday! This BBC video is all about eating bush meat in Cameroon - hunting and cooking it. Hunting for food is common around the world, even today - despite supermarkets and other conveniences. Enjoy! httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOe_4lTRhU0 … [Read more...]
Cameroon's name derives from the Portuguese word for shrimp. Speaking of shrimp... When Ava was a newborn we called her shrimp and the basket she napped in we called her "shrimp basket." She is the sweetest thing I've ever laid eyes on. I could just eat her up. Nom nom. We propped our little shrimp up by 5 gazillion blankets and one boppy (never unattended, mind you). Pretty cozy for a shrimp basket. Yawn. ZZZzzz. She did a lot of that those first weeks. That's … [Read more...]
A puckering combination of tart and sweet, the frozen Daiquiri blends ripe fruit, rum, and fresh lime juice with a mountain of shaved ice. This slushy sip of paradise makes it five o'clock everywhere. It's true. I've tested it myself. The original daiquiri from the early 1900's was nothing so complicated - a plain, stout mixture of sugar and lime juice poured over (or shaken with) ice. Over the years, the drink gained popularity and traveled around the world from Cuba to Cameroon. Today … [Read more...]
