Global Table Adventure

Monday Meal Review: Oman

August 13, 2012 By Sasha Martin 3 Comments

Curls of frankincense billow towards me. I breathe in slowly through my nose. The house submits to the sweet, deep darkness and I feel the urge to sleep. My body is ready to sink down anywhere - the couch, the bed, the kitchen floor - but, as Robert Frost would say "I have miles to go before I sleep." I drag the tip of my spoon along the soft white scoop and put the cold ice cream to my lips. I slip into a dream lit by exotic pine, orange, sandlewood and cream. There's ginger in there, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Asia, Monday Meal Review, Oman

Recipe: Rosewater Lemonade

August 12, 2012 By Sasha Martin 2 Comments

For some, the season of flip flops is over, now replaced by the steady clickety-clack of school shoes on polished linoleum. For others, school is nothing more than a faint memory, farther yet than the setting sun's shimmering rays upon which our dreams cling. Either way, Rosewater Lemonade will put a smile where you need it most. For the back-to-schoolers, this drink represents everything easy-breezy; a way to go global, even in the midst of lost backpacks, homework, and forgotten lunches. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Alcohol-Free, Asia, Cold, Gluten Free Adaptable, International Recipes, Oman, Potluck Friendly, Sasha's Favorite Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Recipe: Grilled Kofta with Zucchini Sauce (with poll)

August 10, 2012 By Sasha Martin 12 Comments

This week we dove into a summery garden spread from Oman. Kofta are grilled hand-formed sausages enjoyed in Oman and neighboring countries. In fact, versions of kofta are enjoyed as far east as India (although these are typically served in meatball form). These Omani kofta sizzle with earthy cumin, warm flutterings of cinnamon, and are rounded out by coriander seed, fresh parsley and cilantro. The sauce - entirely vegan, by the way - is loaded up with fresh zucchini, garlic, parlsey and such … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Asia, Fun Friday, Gluten Free Adaptable, Grilling, International Recipes, Meat, Miss Ava's Favorite Recipes, Oman, Sasha's Favorite Recipes, Vegetables/Pulses

Recipe: Frankincense Ice Cream

August 9, 2012 By Sasha Martin 19 Comments

I like a little mystery in the midst of routine. A drizzle of scented massage oil makes the evening fly by. A simple puff of incense fills every crevice of my home with glorious serenity. And of all possible aromas, Frankincense reigns supreme. Ever since I was a little girl, poised with wonder under the glittering Christmas tree, Frankincense has captivated me. My little brain could never quite grasp what on earth Frankincense was or why it was so special, but that didn't stop me from … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Asia, Christmas, Holidays, International Recipes, Miss Ava's Favorite Recipes, Oman, Sasha's Favorite Recipes, Sweets, Technique Thursday, Vegetarian

Menu: Oman (& Giveaway)

August 8, 2012 By Sasha Martin 66 Comments

I love a good surprise. Today our Omani menu is full of hidden, sneaky treats. The ice cream? Laced with frankincense oil. The lemonade? As good as a garden of roses bathed in summer love. And the kofta are juicy and fragrant, hiding cinnamon and cumin, lounging on a bed of zucchini tomato sauce with a slightly cooling, sneaky handful of mint. And then there's this kind of surprise: This represents a portion of packages that came in the mail from my mom yesterday. They are binders. These … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Asia, Menu Wednesday, Oman

About the food of Oman

August 7, 2012 By Sasha Martin 12 Comments

Pull up a chair, grab a steaming cup of Kahwa and a few dates. We're going to Oman, a boomerang shaped country on the edge of the Arabian pennisula. Kahwa is omani coffee, made with enough sugar for the biggest smile in your heart, a dusting of dreamy cardamom and brittle, sunset-colored strands of saffron. Sip by sip, let the heat soak into your pores as you dream your day away. If coffee isn't your preference, perhaps a cold glass of rosewater lemonade [Recipe], or a salty … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Asia, Oman, Travel Tuesday