Global Table Adventure

Recipe: Pumpkin Olad’yi

November 2, 2012 By Sasha Martin 10 Comments

Sometimes it's hard being a mom. Take this week, for example. People I don't even know have been throwing candy at my daughter from giant parade floats. They call it Halloween, but I call it "the reason why my daughter is still awake an hour and a half past her bedtime, thrashing around like a junkie in withdrawal." You see, I don't let Ava eat all her candy in one sitting. She gets a couple of pieces at snack time for a few days in a row. That's it. Any candy that remains gets donated to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Breakfast, Europe, International Recipes, Miss Ava's Favorite Recipes, Mr. Picky's Favorite Recipes, Russia, Sasha's Favorite Recipes, Vegetarian

Recipe: Romanian Easter Bread | Pasca

October 28, 2012 By Sasha Martin 13 Comments

In my dream Romanian house I am surrounded by tall, sunny windows overlooking cobblestone streets and green, leggy hills. As I sit in a velvet window seat, I nibble copious amounts of Pasca, a traditional sweet bread enjoyed on Easter morning. The bread is filled with sweet cheese (think something like cheesecake) and sometimes raisins. Between bites, I sip a cup of steaming, hot tea. The nearby oven radiates gentle heat that drifts through the house and takes the chill out of the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Breads, Breakfast, Europe, International Recipes, Potluck Friendly, Romania, Sweets

Recipe: West African Toasted Baguette Sandwich with Spinach Scrambled Eggs

July 19, 2012 By Sasha Martin 14 Comments

If you're going to serve an egg sandwich, you best do it up right. Layer hot, scrambled eggs in a crusty, toasty baguette and wrap 'em up. Make sure there's something green in there to keep you strong and healthy. Tie it with a bow. Simply put: turn breakfast into a present for your belly. I learned this trick from Niger. When I dug around for traditional recipes I kept stumbling upon the same thing: eggs sandwiches sold by street vendors. Simple. Comforting. Filling. This is the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Africa, Breakfast, International Recipes, Miss Ava's Favorite Recipes, Mr. Picky's Favorite Recipes, Niger, Sandwiches/Wraps/Packets, Sasha's Favorite Recipes, Vegetarian

Recipe: Dutch Sprinkles n’ Bread | Hagelslag (w/ poll)

June 29, 2012 By Sasha Martin 15 Comments

If you often crave a dougnut but wish it could come without the bellyache, come with me to the Netherlands for breakfast. The quickest way there is with hagelslag, or a "hailstorm" of sprinkles, on buttered bread (no need to toast it). While it sounds incredibly unhealthy, dutch sprinkles are high quality treats and there's even guidelines for what can be called hagelslag. Most are at least 35% cocoa with 100% cocoa butter (this means there are no weird fillers, like vegetable oil, as … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Breads, Breakfast, Europe, Fun Friday, International Recipes, Miss Ava's Favorite Recipes, Mr. Picky's Favorite Recipes, Netherlands, Potluck Friendly, Sasha's Favorite Recipes, Sweets, Vegetarian

Recipe: Burmese Coconut Chicken Noodle Soup (ohn-no-khao-swe)

June 3, 2012 By Sasha Martin 12 Comments

Oh, yes. Even on the hottest day in steamy, tropical Myanmar, you'll find gaping bowls heaped with noodles, chicken, and silky coconut curry. It doesn't matter if you're sick. It doesn't matter if your skin is tacky with salty sweat. "Ohn no khao swe" is what's for dinner. . You can call it Coconut Chicken Noodle Soup, if you'd like. To a local, this curry topped with egg and a garden of garnishes is breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It's as easy to find in rambling shacks as it is in roadside … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Asia, Breakfast, International Recipes, Myanmar (Burma), Pasta, Potluck Friendly, Poultry, Sasha's Favorite Recipes, Soups

Recipe: Moroccan Honey Buttered Semolina “Crater” Pancakes | Beghrir

May 18, 2012 By Sasha Martin 7 Comments

Oh, goodness. Where do I even begin? Do you see that honey dripping off the edge of the crater cakes? Each drop is perfumed with the haunting aroma of orange blossom water and butter. Hello. I mean, really. I'm pretty sure I can just pack up and go home now. My job is done. Talk about good-glorious-eats! But, for those few who aren't yet sure if this Moroccan treat - officially called Beghrir - is right for their breakfast table, let me continue. These semolina pancakes aren't … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Africa, Breakfast, Fun Friday, International Recipes, Miss Ava's Favorite Recipes, Morocco, Mr. Picky's Favorite Recipes, Random Carbs & Grains, Sasha's Favorite Recipes, Vegetarian

Recipe: Noodle-Town Eggs, a.k.a. Vermicelli Frittata (Froga tat-Tarja)

March 11, 2012 By Sasha Martin 2 Comments

Some days are for feeling grown up. Responsible. Full of lists and the determination to check them off. Other days are for bubbles, silly string, and dancing with your shoes off. And eating Maltese Froga. Froga is the adorable lovechild of omelets and angel hair pasta. Yes, pasta in your eggs. Eggs in your pasta. It's like the noodles are doing a squiggly dance in your breakfast. This is major happy food. Where has it been all my life? In Malta (and nearby Sicily), you can find … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Breakfast, Europe, International Recipes, Malta, Pasta, Potluck Friendly, Sasha's Favorite Recipes, Vegetarian

Recipe: Mali’s Gluten-free “Pancake Doughnuts” (Maasa)

March 1, 2012 By Sasha Martin 17 Comments

Sometimes waking up to pancakes just isn't enough. Sometimes I want to travel to Africa all in a single morning - all the way to Timbuktu - and be home in time to take my daughter to the park. And then I want a doughnut. Is that too much to ask? I think not. Enter our hero - today's recipe for the eager stovetop traveler - Maasa. Maasa is a special gift for our gluten-free stovetop travelers. (Hi, there. I hope you are hungry!) Every once in a while I happen upon a recipe that is … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Africa, Breads, Breakfast, Gluten Free Adaptable, International Recipes, Mali, Technique Thursday