Global Table Adventure

Recipe: Russian Potato Salad | Olivier Salad

November 1, 2012 By Sasha Martin 11 Comments

Winter doesn't just bite in Russia. It eats you alive. In the far east of this great nation, temperatures can actually drop to -95F. In the west, things are nearly so dire - winter might only drop to -22F (!), with occasional warm spurts in past years reaching 50F. 50F isn't so bad. But the rest? Yikes. By the time New Year's Eve comes, Russians are ready to break up the monotony with a blast of soul-warming comfort food. Major. Everyone tells me New Year's Eve in Russia wouldn't … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Europe, Gluten Free Adaptable, International Recipes, Meat, New Year's, Potatoes, Potluck Friendly, Russia, Salads, Technique Thursday

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: Romanian Stuffed Cabbage Leaves (Sarmale)

October 25, 2012 By Sasha Martin 6 Comments

Cabbage patch kids always seemed creepy to me when I was little. What kind of baby grows out of a cabbage? Could you still eat the cabbage once you harvested the baby? This doll raised lots of questions. Not to say this stopped me from wanting a cabbage patch doll more than Rainbow Brite leggings, because I did. The urge was major. Now that I am a couple (few) decades older, I know exactly what was going on - mostly because it's starting to happen with Ava. I wanted those dolls because all … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Europe, International Recipes, Meat, Mr. Picky's Favorite Recipes, Potluck Friendly, Rice, Romania, Sandwiches/Wraps/Packets, Sasha's Favorite Recipes, Vegetables/Pulses

Recipe: Cumin Seed Potatoes | Batata b’kamun

October 19, 2012 By Sasha Martin 6 Comments

When I look up at the turmeric-colored leaves that dangle in our now somewhat skeletal trees, I know I need a change. I crave something warm, comforting and full of spice. But I need it to happen quick, so I can run back outside, lay on my back, and watch those leaves shimmy and shake on their way down to the ground. Unless, I can find a compromise. A quick recipe I can bring on a picnic. One that can stand up to a chilly autumn afternoon and a toddler who recently got a big girl … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Asia, Fun Friday, Gluten Free Adaptable, International Recipes, Miss Ava's Favorite Recipes, Mr. Picky's Favorite Recipes, Potatoes, Potluck Friendly, Qatar, Sasha's Favorite Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Recipe: Stuffed Grape Leaves | Warak Enab

October 18, 2012 By Sasha Martin 12 Comments

Time and time again I've failed to entice Ava with stuffed grape leaves. I tried back when we cooked Armenia, when the grape leaves were laced with an intoxicating blend of cinnamon, allspice and currants and she was an innocent, unquestioning 8-month old. Let's just say she wasn't ready - neither for the somewhat chewy outer "skin," nor the mystery of what was inside. Little kids like to know what mom is feeding them. Not one to give up easily, I spent the last 3 years casually pushing them … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Asia, Finger Food, Gluten Free Adaptable, International Recipes, Potluck Friendly, Qatar, Rice, Sandwiches/Wraps/Packets, Sasha's Favorite Recipes, Vegan, Vegetables/Pulses, Vegetarian

Recipe: Kale, Potato & Chorizo Soup | Caldo Verde

October 12, 2012 By Sasha Martin 8 Comments

Under the glimmering night skies of Portugal, lines of people snake through the streets, waiting for steaming hot bowls of Caldo Verde. This is the nightclub crowd. The night shift crowd. And the I-can't-sleep-again-because-I'm-thinking-of-him crowd. I was once a part of this group, wearing high heels until they ached. I was much too young to be out so late at night, but there was nothing like sizzling, steaming European street food to keep the evening's excitement alive, even at four in … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Europe, Fun Friday, International Recipes, Meat, Portugal, Potatoes, Soups

Recipe: Chorizo Rolls | Pão com Chouriço

October 11, 2012 By Sasha Martin 6 Comments

There are three ways to avoid the awkward party phenomenon. 1. You can get to the party early enough to snag a good seat on the couch. 2. You can bring a friend (it's a well documented fact that, if you have a friend at your side, you'll have someone to talk to when you don't feel like dancing, someone to laugh with when you do feel like dancing, and someone to make sure you don't do anything silly during the twilight zone part of the party). 3. Then there's these rolls. Oh boy. Show … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Breads, Carbs, Europe, International Recipes, Meat, Miss Ava's Favorite Recipes, Mr. Picky's Favorite Recipes, Portugal, Potluck Friendly, Sasha's Favorite Recipes

Recipe: Cheese & Potato Pierogi

October 3, 2012 By Sasha Martin 33 Comments

At any given moment I'm an arm's reach from my cellphone. It's not just a phone, it's a laptop, a GPS, and - when my daughter tells it "I love you" - a female voice replies with almost lifelike bashfulness "You are sweet." Frankly, I'm frightened. That's why, when I receive mail - real mail, bundled up in cardboard and clear packing tape - I get so excited. Cardboard boxes don't talk back. The postage stamp doesn't double as a GPS when I'm fifteen minutes late for a show. It simply sits … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Europe, International Recipes, Mr. Picky's Favorite Recipes, Pasta, Poland, Potluck Friendly, Sasha's Favorite Recipes, Vegetarian