Global Table Adventure

Recipe: Chilled Buckwheat Noodle Salad with Feta & Cracked Black Pepper

May 13, 2012 By Sasha Martin 1 Comment

It only seems natural that we eat something black during our week at the Black Mountain (a.k.a Montenegro). But here's the thing - nothing in life is black and white. There are all sorts of shades of gray (that's where the beauty is - somewhere in the muddled middle). So, in the spirit of variety, we're adding a few shades of gray to our pasta. We've got black pepper, white feta, and charcoal grey buckwheat noodles with a bit of sparkle from pools of golden olive oil. This is simple as … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Europe, Gluten Free Adaptable, Miss Ava's Favorite Recipes, Montenegro, Pasta, Potluck Friendly, Recipes, Sasha's Favorite Recipes, Vegetarian

Recipe: Chickpea Crepes (Socca)

April 27, 2012 By Sasha Martin 6 Comments

I am ready for a day-dreamy sort of day. One where I walk along the pier and smell the salty, ocean air... On this easy-breezy day I'll nibble bits of crispy socca - an olive oil and chickpea based crêpe popular along the riviera. On this day I do not stumble. I do not stain my shirt. Nothing I say sounds silly and I'm free of heartache. Yes, there are days when a crêpe can do this for you... ...especially if enjoyed in glitzy Monaco, with diamonds on the soles of your … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Breads, Europe, Fun Friday, Gluten Free Adaptable, Monaco, Random Carbs & Grains, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Recipe: Mamaliga (Dense Cornmeal “Bread”)

April 22, 2012 By Sasha Martin 1 Comment

I've done it standing in front of my refrigerator at midnight. I've done it at 8:30 in the morning, right after eating a complete breakfast. I've even done it in celebration of eating all my veggies. I fill my belly with bowlfuls of carbs - pasta, bread, potatoes, or rice - it really doesn't matter. Simply put: I'm carb crazy. Enter Mamaliga, Moldova's favorite side dish (and Romania's, too). Carb-tastic. This thick, dense polenta is made with corn meal (the coarser the better), water, and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Breads, Europe, Gluten Free Adaptable, Moldova, Potluck Friendly, Random Carbs & Grains, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Recipe: Mauritian Chili Poppers (Gateaux Piments) (w/ poll)

March 30, 2012 By Sasha Martin 6 Comments

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...]

Filed Under: Africa, Finger Food, Gluten Free Adaptable, Mauritius, Mr. Picky's Favorite Recipes, Potluck Friendly, Random Carbs & Grains, Recipes, Sasha's Favorite Recipes, Vegan, Vegetables/Pulses, Vegetarian

Recipe: Rainy Day Couscous

March 22, 2012 By Sasha Martin 18 Comments

I've been putting off making couscous. I don't mean the boxed, nearly instant kind - I make that fairly often. What I'm tackling today is delicate, fluffy steamed couscous. The kind you buy in the bulk bin. The kind that fluffs up like a dream. According to Clifford A. Wright, steaming the tiny pearls twice, sometimes three times, is the "only" way to make proper couscous. Color me intrigued. While we've cooked many countries that enjoy couscous (Libya and Algeria for example), I put off … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Africa, Mauritania, Pasta, Random Carbs & Grains, Recipes, Sasha's Favorite Recipes, Technique Thursday, Vegan, Vegetarian

Recipe: Sweet Potatoes & Fried Bananas (with poll)

March 16, 2012 By Sasha Martin 12 Comments

The thing about eating our way around the world is that it makes me realize how very similar we all are. I don't mean the little things. I mean at our core. We all want to be happy. We all want love. We all get tired and we all get silly. I've even come to learn that we eat mostly the same foods, just in different combinations. Take today's recipe, for example... I've spent most of my life eating bananas in cereal and sweet potatoes with butter and chives. But today ... today we're … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fun Friday, Gluten Free Adaptable, Marshall Islands, Oceania, Potatoes, Potluck Friendly, Recipes, Sasha's Favorite Recipes, Vegan, Vegetables/Pulses, 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, Malta, Pasta, Potluck Friendly, Recipes, 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, Mali, Recipes, Technique Thursday