Eat your way around the world
I find that Mr. Not-as-Picky, Keith - even with all his progress on the adventure - can still be rather fussy about food that looks soft and mushy. Especially if he has to eat it with his fingers. If you ask me, some of the best food is soft and mushy - mashed potatoes being the prime example. So I'll you what I told him. Papa, a stiff white porridge from Lesotho, is not that unusual. Especially if you eat grits for a living, which - apparently - many people do, here in the … [Read more...]
If you've been to the grocery store lately you've seen it. Mounds and mounds of pumpkins. They're bright fire orange, forest green, haystack yellow, cloud white, and even sorceress gray. Some are bumpy and some are flat out gnarly. They're all saying hello, strutting their stuff, hoping you'll take them home. Every year I take a few more home than the year before. I can't help it. I like the teeny weeny ones best. The kind Ava can practically palm in her small 2 year-old hand. I also like to … [Read more...]
Serves 6 Generosity. When people give it freely you feel loved. Taken care of. Your spirit smiles from the inside out. Your day is instantly better. It's one of the most splendid qualities a person can have. In Jordan, as in many of the region's countries, generosity to strangers is an honored mealtime practice. In times of plenty, the best part of the meal goes to the stranger. Even in poverty the last crumb goes to the hungry stranger. Today we explore Mujaddara - a splendid … [Read more...]
Serves 2-4 Ah, the glories of simple love. Simple food. Simple summertime breakfasts in Hungary. My mom has been making palacsinta under the guise of crêpes for decades. Despite being half Hungarian, she even calls them crêpes -I suppose because it's easier to say. Still, like any good Hungarian, she's made an art of rolling them up with fruit, yogurt, and nuts. Today - in her honor - we make the simplest preparation of all: smeared with apricot jam, sprinkled with crushed walnuts and … [Read more...]
Serves 2-4 I never thought the day would come. I never thought I would conquer the mighty yucca. This tuber has made sweat, cry, and is quite possibly be the reason why I blacked out and went crashing to the floor one night after eating way too many Bâton de Manioc - out cold for a good thirty seconds. To be fair, the next day the doctor blamed dehydration. Regardless, given my terrible past with this tuber, I have a deep need to remedy my track record, this time with yucca fries. Who can mess … [Read more...]
Serves 6 Stressed out? Time for a Caribbean Oil Down - and I don't mean massage. This heavy duty dish is made by stewing cassava or bread fruit in coconut milk and curry. The result is a thick, indulgent stew worthy of any party. Our version is vegan, but pork bits are typical. With such rich ingredients, Oil Down seems more suited to a ski slope than a beach party, but, still, Grenadians eat this dish in their bathing suits. Brave, brave people. Oil Down is so rich that you may be able to … [Read more...]
Serves 2-4 You could glaze a hub cap and I'd eat it. The key is to make the glazed item tantalizingly sweet - leave a little mystery. I'm not into savory foods swimming in syrup. This Finnish recipe shows lovely restraint, striking a delicate balance. In fact, shortly after I took my first bite I decided to make this recipe as often as possible for the rest of my life. Rutabagas come from around northern Central Europe. Maple syrup and butter give the root the most addictive flavor and it … [Read more...]
Makes 4 quarts Stovetop popcorn is a must have if you're looking to replicate an Ethiopian coffee ceremony. Sure, you could pop a bag in the microwave in less than three minutes, but... well... sometimes it's more fun realizing how much you can do without special gadgets and gizmos. As far as who had more fun with this - me, Mr. Picky, or Miss Ava - it might have been me. I spent most of the time squealing while I waited for the first few to explode... I mean... pop. Also? I ate the … [Read more...]
