Eat your way around the world
THE SCENE: Photography Teaches I step up onto the soft seat cushion and bend my head under the low ceiling. Time to snap some pictures. I hold my breath, teetering over the banana tart, willing myself not to fall. That's when Keith pops in the room (he's home to help care for our sick, feverish daughter) and snaps a picture of me (see above). As I swivel my head to see what he's doing I almost fall over, right onto the lattice work grid. But before I can turn my head, he's … [Read more...]
If there is one recipe that reflects the Mauritian potluck of global flavors, this is it. Rougaille. Let's take a walk through the flavors of this unusual sauce - I have a feeling you just might make friends. First, imagine a simple, homemade tomato sauce. The deep red goodness smells sweet and fresh. This sauce can be found in homes all across the world. Tomatoes, onion, garlic. Standard fare. Until you take a bite. Then you realize, this is more complex than you could have ever known. This … [Read more...]
If you have a hankering for a munchin', come with me via "stove top travel" to Mauritius. While there, we'll cozy up, picnic-style, with a basket of Gateaux Piments. These crisp, crunchy poppers are quite a bit like falafel and I got to try them thanks to you, dear readers, since they won your vote on our Facebook Fan Page as the split pea recipe you'd most like me to try. (Thank you!) What I find most exciting about these chili poppers is their intense, fresh flavor. Each bite reveals … [Read more...]
Don't let the startling geometry fool you. Today's Banana Tart is for those who like mellow desserts. Big bites of health. An entire banana tree in the belly, topped off with delicate lattice goodness. I know. It's craziness. You can thank the dreamy island of Mauritius, way out in the Indian Ocean, for teaching me this ingenious way to use up ripe bananas. The ingredient list is so simple and pure, I almost can't believe it. Bananas, barely a smattering of brown sugar, a pinch of salt, … [Read more...]
"When you visit a town and have not visited the market, you have not really visited the town" So goes the saying in Mauritius, according to local Renee. This old saying means that by immersing ourselves in the food culture of a place, we arrive at the heart and soul of the town. I totally agree and I would add that when we visit a country via stove top travel, we get glimpses of that soul, even from half a world away. Although we cannot fly to Mauritius today to visit the market, we are … [Read more...]
Just when you feel isolated, remote, and alone - like no one can possibly understand the way you are feeling, geography comes to the rescue. Way out in the Indian ocean lives Mauritius - an African country even more remote than Madagascar and totally teeny, tiny. If you study this "dot" amidst the crashing waves, you'll find crags and cliffs, turquoise water and rusty rainbow soil. For all her solitude, she is so beautiful. So intricate. How can we feel alone when this exists? It's like … [Read more...]
