Global Table Adventure | Celebrations

Recipe: Moroccan Lamb Tagine with Sweet Honey Figs

May 17, 2012 By Sasha Martin 2 Comments

Today I'm taking you to a special place where family and friends gather around the dinner table with happy hearts. Silverware is optional, but bread is not. Settle into this sacred space, where tagine of lamb meets chestnuts, figs, cinnamon, honey, and orange blossom water. Pause for a moment to celebrate this crazy wonderful combination, to feel the hot air blow through your hair, then dig in and scoop up the glory with a handful of bread. When you're done, cozy up to an evening of conversation … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Africa, Gluten Free Adaptable, Meat, Miss Ava's Favorite Recipes, Morocco, Mr. Picky's Favorite Recipes, Potluck Friendly, Recipes, Sasha's Favorite Recipes, Technique Thursday

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: Balkan Burger (with poll)

May 11, 2012 By Sasha Martin 8 Comments

You don't have to know how to pronounce it to enjoy eating it. Pljeskavica. If this long, meandering string of letters makes you stutter, just clap your hands, because that's what Pljeskavica means - the sound of hands clapping as the "Balkan burger" patties are formed. And this is not just a big word. This is big food. This is the original "super-size." Not only are the patties large enough to cover a small plate, they contain as many as 6 cuts of meat from three different animals. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Europe, Fun Friday, Grilling, Meat, Montenegro, Mr. Picky's Favorite Recipes, Recipes, Sandwiches/Wraps/Packets

Recipe: Ajvar, Roasted Pepper Spread

May 10, 2012 By Sasha Martin 11 Comments

Some days I dream about reinventing myself - pulling myself up, out of the ordinary into the wildly wonderful. On these ornery-sorts-of-days, I imagine myself strutting around in a bold color I've never worn before, like mustard yellow. On really good days I actually make these dreams happen. I become a mustard-wearing queen. Other days I just end up wearing mustard. Literally. That's the way life goes: sometimes change works, sometimes it doesn't. The fun is in the trying. Are you willing … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Dips, Europe, Gluten Free Adaptable, Grilling, Montenegro, Mr. Picky's Favorite Recipes, Potluck Friendly, Recipes, Sasha's Favorite Recipes, Sauces & Dressings, Technique Thursday, Vegan, Vegetarian

Recipe: Mongolian Carrot Salad (w/ Poll)

May 4, 2012 By Sasha Martin 13 Comments

In Mongolia, the seemingly endless parade of meat, meat, and more meat, is only occasionally interrupted by vegetables. And, even then, relief doesn't come with a garden salad, but rather some combination of root vegetables. This is because there really isn't a whole lot of good farmland in the giant, cold, central Asian country - only the hardiest specimens make it. In the big city, versions of this simple carrot salad can be found, either dressed in a vinaigrette (as I have done) or in a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Asia, Fun Friday, Gluten Free Adaptable, Miss Ava's Favorite Recipes, Mongolia, Potluck Friendly, Recipes, Salads, Sasha's Favorite Recipes, Vegan, Vegetables/Pulses, Vegetarian

Recipe: Cognac n’ Herb Tapenade

April 29, 2012 By Sasha Martin 4 Comments

Introducing the black diamond of Monaco: Tapenade. She glitters in the night. She belies the briny bite of the absolutely fabulous. But here's the thing. She's also, not so secretly, rustic. This dip and crostini topper has its origins in the grassy hills of Provence. Love for this treat spills over into Monaco and parts of Italy. While many people pulverize their blend to a paste (with a mortar and pestle or even a food processor), I prefer a rustic, coarse mixture. I like seeing the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Dips, Europe, Gluten Free Adaptable, Monaco, Potluck Friendly, Recipes, Sasha's Favorite Recipes, Vegetables/Pulses

Recipe: Candied Cantaloupe & Cherry Almond Tart (Galapian)

April 26, 2012 By Sasha Martin 4 Comments

. Very rarely does a dessert glisten as brilliantly as the Galapian. She's like unlike anything I've ever tasted before - slices of candied cantaloupe enrobed with a light almond cake, studded with brilliant maraschino cherry drops and glazed with lavender honey. . This movie star of a dessert was invented in 1994 by Alain Bouchard in Apt, a region of France near to Monaco. While a relatively new invention, it has all the glitz and glamour that is so enjoyed by the Monégasque. . While … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Europe, Fruit, Monaco, Mr. Picky's Favorite Recipes, Potluck Friendly, Recipes, Sasha's Favorite Recipes, Technique Thursday, Valentine's Day, 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