Global Table Adventure | Monday Meal Review

Monday Meal Review: Marshall Islands

March 19, 2012 By Sasha Martin 23 Comments

Michelle and Alan join us to try the papaya.

THE SCENE Things are getting a bit hairy on this Adventure. I've tried not to mention it - to just carry on as if everything is ship-shape, flowing easily. Unfortunately, it's not. Somehow, over the last month or two, I find myself buried in an avalanche of unfortunate circumstances. I already told you about when I burned my hand, which thereby postponed the making of the Maltese cookies. But there's been more drama that I've shared here, if only because I thought it was all just a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Marshall Islands, Monday Meal Review, Oceania

Monday Meal Review: Malta

March 12, 2012 By Sasha Martin 10 Comments

THE SCENE: My Misadventures I slide the skillet of Froga out of the screaming hot oven. This is Malta's beloved mixture of angel hair pasta and eggs. Frittata. Beautiful. Puffy in the center and crisp on the edges. But my mind is elsewhere. I glance over at the counter. It is covered with small, brightly colored chocolate eggs, a giant bag of powdered sugar, fresh lemons and oranges, almond paste, and all my decorating tools. I cannot wait to make Malta's sweet Easter cookies. I … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Europe, Malta, Monday Meal Review

Monday Meal Review: Mali

March 5, 2012 By Sasha Martin 20 Comments

THE SCENE I drop the Maasa batter into the hot pan, wiping the tears from my cheeks. I want to be somewhere else, away from this terrible, no good day. It's been one of those days I sigh to the cat, Malky. Now, as the batter puffs up into a crispy, golden disc, my focus slowly shifts from my frustrations to the smells and sights in front of me. My mouth waters. My stomach does a summersault. I flip the Maasa and realize these pancake-donut treats were going to be … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Africa, Mali, Monday Meal Review

Monday Meal Review: Maldives

February 27, 2012 By Sasha Martin 9 Comments

THE SCENE I'm not sure words can really do this past week justice. So I'm going to give you a visual presentation of my mother's surprise birthday weekend in Florida, which just so happened to coincide with the week we ate sunny, tropical Maldives. First, of course, there was the surprise. And, boy, howdy. Mom sure was surprised. She knew she was flying in from Boston to visit her son Keith, but she had no idea her three other children would be there (including me), plus three … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Asia, Maldives, Monday Meal Review

Monday Meal Review: Malaysia

February 20, 2012 By Sasha Martin 4 Comments

THE SCENE Ava presses the back of the spoon on the rice, smashing it down into the banana leaf. She looks up at me and smiles. "Mmmm" "Looks good!" I say, watching her sneak a bite of the par-cooked rice before adding another spoonful to the cone. Later, when we eat dinner, Ava wolfs down three sticky rice towers - taking care to balance each one on end first. There are so many fun foods for kids in this great, big world. There's no reason to get stuck in a processed junk … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Asia, Malaysia, Monday Meal Review

Monday Meal Review: Malawi

February 13, 2012 By Sasha Martin 6 Comments

THE SCENE I look at the cooled, heart-shaped biscuits from Malawi. The electric, sunny color stuns me. But there is no time to dilly dally. I am late. Quickly, I tuck two of the hearts into a ziplock baggie and pour Ava into her oversized winter coat. The fur lining makes her look like a little lion. I roar at her as we jog to the car. She giggles. When I walk into the Global Garden classroom at Rosa Parks Elementary school twenty minutes later, a dozen 3rd and 4th graders look over. They … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Africa, Malawi, Monday Meal Review

Monday Meal Review: Madagascar

February 6, 2012 By Sasha Martin 7 Comments

THE SCENE I click through my email, waiting for the smoke. The burning. Before long, I'm elbows deep in an email from a woman who just started reading our blog. She asks "Do you ever not like the food of a particular country? Do you ever get tired of cooking food from other places?" I sit back, thinking... not because I don't know the answer, but to mull over - to savor - the hundreds of dishes we've eaten over the last two years (I started this blog in February 2010). So many wonderful … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Africa, Madagascar, Monday Meal Review

Monday Meal Review: Macedonia

January 30, 2012 By Sasha Martin 11 Comments

THE SCENE It took four batches of dough. Eight pizzas... I think. Honestly, I can't be sure. I lost count. There were many casualties. First, my fingers, from impatiently grabbing hot crust. Then the tip of my tongue, from greedily tasting the pizza too soon. And, of course, my clothes, the counters, and even the cat all groaned under a thick coating of flour. Even Ava was out of sorts on our first tasting, throwing an all out temper tantrum on the floor before begrudgingly sampling … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Europe, Macedonia, Monday Meal Review