Global Table Adventure

Monday Meal Review: Peru

September 24, 2012 By Sasha Martin 3 Comments

THE SCENE Ava's on to us. When we pull up to the dining table on Thursday nights she knows. It's Global Table Adventure night. In fact, she strung together these words for the first time this week: ""Gwobal" Table Adventure ("can I go there, mama?"). When a three year-old child knows that she is expected to try an unusual meal every week, one of three things can happen. 1. She can go for it wholeheartedly. 2. She can eat with normal interest/disinterest, depending on the day. 3. She can … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Monday Meal Review, Peru, South America

Recipe: Peruvian Tiramisu

September 23, 2012 By Sasha Martin 6 Comments

Yes. Peruvian Tiramisu. It's real and it's happening right now. This is tiramisu exactly as you know it with the addition of one magical ingredient from Peru: lucuma fruit. To me, the brilliant gold flesh of lucuma tastes like a combination of caramel, sweet potato and pumpkin. With a bit of banana leaf undertones. I'm not sure how it came to be that there is a fruit which tastes like caramel, but I'm smitten. I mean, really. This is the perfect dessert to serve with falling leaves, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fruit, International Recipes, Peru, Potluck Friendly, Sasha's Favorite Recipes, South America, Sweets, Vegetarian

Recipe: Chifa Beef Stirfy | Lomo Saltado

September 21, 2012 By Sasha Martin 2 Comments

Remember the girls who could do Double Dutch jump rope? I loved them. I loved them because I was never coordinated enough to do what they could do. Every day I watched their hair fly, their feet pump like pistons, and ropes slice through the air. Today, I'm not even sure if I can jump regular rope, let alone Double Dutch. It's been a long, long time since I've been on a playground for my own pleasure. But if there's one thing I can do, it's eat double carbs. In this case, I might as well … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fun Friday, International Recipes, Meat, Peru, Sasha's Favorite Recipes, South America

Recipe: Ginger & Rocoto Ceviche

September 19, 2012 By Sasha Martin 5 Comments

Last week I spoke with "Kelly," a short, black-haired Peruvian restaurateur whose father had a thing for Western names (he also named one of her brother's Kennedy - and, as she admitted with downcast eyes, another brother "Hitler"). If that wasn't enough to blow my mind, she added in her thick, rolling accent that halibut ceviche is the "Dunkin' Donuts" of Peru. I asked her twice to repeat herself. Each time her smile grew bigger and her words clearer. Ceviche is the Dunkin Donuts of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: International Recipes, Peru, Potluck Friendly, Sasha's Favorite Recipes, Seafood, South America, Technique Thursday

Menu: Peru (with $150 Giveaway)

September 19, 2012 By Sasha Martin 24 Comments

There's a Peruvian proverb that reads... "Gold, when beaten, shines." This simply means it takes a little elbow grease to make even gold look good. As with most things in life, the more effort we put in, the better things go. I've been trying to teach this important lesson to Ava, especially when the going gets tough. Not everything is as instantaneous as twitter or as fun as facebook. Incidentally, I've been using this proverb as I prepare to deliver a speech tonight in front of 350 people at … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Menu Wednesday, Peru, South America

About the food of Peru

September 18, 2012 By Sasha Martin 7 Comments

The dream was born in seventh grade geography class; I had to feel the sunrise in Machu Picchu. One photo of that misty, lush mountain topped with ancient Inca ruins was all I needed. I was in love. Sure, there were snow capped mountains, modern cities, sashaying rivers, and lush, green jungles to explore... but I wanted to teleport straight into the incredible mountain city that'd been mysteriously abandoned so many years ago. All these years later and I still haven't reached … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Peru, South America, Travel Tuesday