Celebrate | Global Table Adventure

Menu: Tanzania

“The roaring lion kills no game” Tanzanian Proverb In honor of this all-too true saying from Tanzania, we’re going all veggie this week. Truth is, I’ve been doing my fair share of ‘roaring’, which leaves me with a deficit of time for anything but quick (but fun!) dishes. Veggies fit the bill rather perfectly. In fact, our menu feels like a bulletin from Smokey the Bear, but without fires… and lots of veggies… “Thanks to Tanzania, you, too, can prevent veggie boredom!” Whether you’re tossing corn and peas in your mashed potatoes, or stirring peanut butter and coconut milk into your leafy greens, Tanzania definitely steps up with fresh ideas for your weeknight side dishes. All recipes and the meal review will be posted throughout the week. Greens with veggies & Peanuts | Kisamvu [Recipe] This vegan treat is inspired straight from the heart of Tanzania; enjoy spinach cooked with carrot, onion, pepper, and a creamy, tantalizing blend of peanut butter and coconut milk. Mashed Potatoes with Veggies | Irio [Recipe] Turn boring mashed potatoes …

Menu: Tajikistan

This week’s theme is community and reunion. We spent the last ten days visiting my family, some of whom I haven’t seen in nearly three years. Tajik food is often enjoyed from one giant platter, so the timing was perfect. I made three giant platters of plov, and all 18 of us came together around them (The bonus? Only three dishes to wash!) Lamb Plov [Recipe] Plov is popular throughout Western Asia, and for good reason. This is rice cooked with carrots, turnips, a half ton of onion, and bits of lamb. Bits of raisin and dried apricot add delightful sweetness. While it sounds ultra simple, plov is surprisingly flavorful and perfect for a large gathering. Yogurt Non [Recipe] Tajik folk love this highly ornate flat bread made with yogurt and some wheat flour… it makes a great dinnertime staple and would go with nearly any dish.

Menu: Taiwan

This week, while we’re visiting family in Boston and New Jersey, I’m sharing one simple celebration recipe with you… afterall, what is visiting family, if not a celebration! It’s been more than a year since I’ve seen any family on my side (where does the time go?!)… the last time was when we cooked Maldives. Since one treat doesn’t feel like nearly enough to represent an entire country, I thought I’d flash back to an old favorite from an earlier Global Table. As I mentioned on Tuesday, the Taiwanese love Sushi, which we made when we cooked Japan. I thought we’d all benefit from a reminder on how to make the rice and the rolls. Especially with temperatures already hitting the nineties, there’s nothing better than cool meals. All recipes and the meal review will be available throughout the week. Veggie Sushi with Sushi Rice [Recipe] Learn how to make a beautiful roll at home (perfect for a small, interactive dinner party) AND see pictures of Ava from a couple of years ago (awww) when …

Menu: Syria

“If your friend is honey, don’t lick him all.” Syrian Proverb If I’m going to be honest, I’d have to say I’m not exactly sure what this proverb means (or, more to the point, I’m not sure I should be visualizing my friends as honey bears). My theory: the proverb is not literal (so few are), but it does teach that good things should not be taken advantage of. Lest we lick them all up. But what a vivid picture the Syrians paint to teach this message. The food is just as vivid. There are bright punches of garlic (an entire head in our lentil recipe), an entire bunch of cilantro, and as many sour cherries as a girl can stand. So let’s get vivid. All recipes and the meal review will be posted throughout the week. Syrian Lentils [Recipe] An addicting (and vegan) blend of lentils, swiss chard, and entire head of garlic. Dont’ forget the lemon juice, pomegranate syrup and cilantro. A big punch of flavor for very little effort. Lamb kebabs with Sour …

Menu: Switzerland

“Who doesn’t honor the Rappen isn’t worth the Franken” Swiss Proverb I’m not one to pass up a penny on the ground. If I were in Switzerland, I suppose I’d pick up a Rappen with the same thrifty care as any penny on our soil (Rappen are like Swiss Pennies). Apparently, I’m not alone. Enough Swiss people feel the same way, that they came up with the proverb at the top of this post: “Who doesn’t honor the Rappen isn’t worth the Franken” (100 Rappen make up a Franken). But this proverb isn’t really about money. This is about the seemingly unimportant details of our lives that we overlook in the hustle and bustle of day to day living. But these little details ARE important. So much so, that the Swiss tell us, if we don’t take the time to care for the small things in life, we aren’t worth the big. So what ‘Rappen’ have you been ignoring lately? Is it time to pick it up and give it some attention? And while we’re …

Menu: Sweden

“Att våga är att tappa fotfästet en stund, att inte våga är att förlora sig själv.” “To dare is to lose your foothold for a moment, to not dare is to lose yourself.” (Strom, 1981)* Oh, this week. This beautiful week of Swedish cooking. As with all the “big hitter” countries, I entered this week with trepidation. It wasn’t because of the entree. I knew I’d make Swedish meatballs from the moment I began this Adventure. No, the main reason I was a bundle of nerves had everything to do with a cake. A cake! I really wanted to make a Swedish Princess Cake, but I feared I’d screw it up. I asked you all on our Facebook Page, and so many of you voted that you wanted to see the real deal. Thank you for motivating me to go for it… for encouraging me to dare. The recipes and meal review will be posted throughout the week. Swedish Meatballs [Recipe] Beautiful, tiny meatballs made with pork and beef, seasoned with a grated onion, cream, and …

Menu: Swaziland

There’s an old Swazi saying that goes: “A man who prides himself on his ancestry is like the potato plant, the best part of which is underground.” Do you agree? Do we need to know our ancestors?* And are they the best part of who we are? Once upon a time, we got our recipes from our ancestors. Grandma’s cornbread. Uncle’s avocado salad. Today we can find just about anything online, but the best recipes come from someone … from the long line of way back when. They’ve been tested and tried, adapted and improved upon. This week’s recipes are inspired by the Swazi people (and beyond that, too, these are staple ingredients and recipes popular throughout most of Southern Africa). The ingredients are nod to fresh produce and the transition between winter and spring, which, like the alarm clock, keeps resetting (It’s 42F, right now, after an 80F weekend). The cornbread, as you’ll learn when the recipe posts, has undergone many changes over the years, to reach its straightforward, delicious self. Sometimes I dream about living on a farm …

Menu: Suriname

Don’t be confused. Though this menu looks and feels quite Asian, these dishes represent Suriname as well as any other. We have everything from the traditional plantain fritters so beloved in South America, to Asian-inspired cabbage salad and even an addictive lemongrass slushie. Coconut milk is the common thread in the drink and the salad – the result being sweet for the drink, spicy for the salad dressing. All recipes and the meal review will be posted throughout the week. Mixed Vegetable Salad with Coconut Dressing | Goedangan [Recipe] Hello, spring! Enjoy this bright and fresh salad of cabbage, green beans, eggs, mung bean sprouts… all dressed up in a coconut yougurt dressing. Battered Plantains with Peanut Sauce | Bakabana [Recipe] Indulge in Surinamese comfort food: deep fried plantains. Serve ’em up with either powdered sugar or peanut sauce. (Vegan) Lemongrass Dawet Slushie [Recipe] You’ll be pretty in pink while you sip this lemongrass, coconut milk slushie (or mix things up and serve the mix on the rocks). (Vegan) P.S. Random Tidbit about Suriname: rumor has it, any …

Menu: South Sudan

“A man without money goes fast through the market.” South Sudanese Proverb This week we’re digging into a menu that shows off South Sudan’s love of peanuts, sorghum, and spinach. These three staples can be found in many forms throughout the tropical country, although we’ve used them in traditional recipes that will be accessible to most home cooks. And while we’re talking about spinach, can we talk about spring for a second? What on earth is happening? No, really. Tulsa is all kinds of crazy. I keep heading outside to plant my tomatoes and Mother Nature’s like “Just kidding. It’s still winter.”* At this rate, the farmer’s market will be my only hope for awesome produce. All recipes and the meal review will be posted throughout the week. Sudanese Tomato Salad [Recipe] Fresh tomatoes, green onion, and parsley, tossed with a spicy peanut lime dressing. Vegan. Peanut Stew with Beef & Spinach | Combo [Recipe] A hearty mixture of browned beef, spinach, and peanut sauce. This one will comfort even the bristliest of folk, on the …

Menu: North Sudan

“Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fatted ox where there is hatred.” Sudanese Proverb I’m taking this proverb to heart. This week happens to be a simple week. We’re breathing easy with vegetables, grain, and tea. We’re making room for love in a busy, busy time. The end result? This is a quick menu, something that can be made on a weeknight… without stress or strain. Thankfully, North Sudan accommodated us easily (and I felt guilt-free about going so simple since we’ve made so many of her other favorite recipes during other Global Tables (for a list of them see our post from yesterday… you can click through to the recipes and try them whenever you like). All recipes and the meal review will be available throughout the week. Cucumber Salad | Salatet Zabady bil Ajur [Recipe] An easy, refreshing blend of cucumber, yogurt, and crushed garlic. Goraasa [Recipe] Soft, doughy flatbread leaved with baking powder. (vegan) Cinnamon Tea [Recipe] Find out why the Tea Ladies of Sudan call this their best-seller. P.S. I’m curious.. Do …

Fun Easter Recipes from Around the World

I always know when it’s Easter. My daughter is surrounded by a sea of plastic eggs. Jelly beans and skittles show up in the oddest places. But sometimes I want something a little less commercial. A little more homemade. And a whole lot delicious. Here are my three favorite Easter recipes from our Global Table Adventure… they are perfect for a fun afternoon of baking with your family, or go fancy and make them for brunch. 1. Easter Cookies, a.k.a. Figolla from Malta [Recipe] These lemon zest infused sugar cookies are stuffed with a marzipan filling, then iced. I love these so much, I even made them for a friend’s wedding. They are such a conversation starter, and it’s nifty they come from a tiny island in the Mediterranean (can we all just shut our eyes for a moment and just… go? 2. Romanian Easter Bread, a.k.a. Pasca [Recipe] Take everything you love about brioche and combine it with cheesecake. In spirit, anyway. This Romanian bread is gorgeous and would make excellent Easter Brunch (just …

Menu: Sri Lanka

“When the dogs bark at the moon, the moon is not brought down because of it. “ Sri Lankan Proverb I love this proverb. Sometimes we forget how much we shine, because of the “barking” all around us. Sometimes we listen to that barking, rather than listen to the truth of our own reality. The fact is: a little barking can’t bring you and me down, no more than it can bring the moon down. Remember that, friends… you are beautiful. Keep on shining. The noise can’t drown you out. And while you’re shining, try this beautiful, vegan Sri Lankan feast. All recipes and the meal review will be posted throughout the week. Quick White Dal Curry [Recipe] Masoor Dal with garlic, onion, turmeric, pandan (aka rampe), curry leaf, and a splash of coconut milk. Sri Lankan Yellow Rice | Kaha Bath [Recipe] The most haunting combination of rice, coconut milk, pandan, curry leaf, and turmeric. If I could eat this every day of my life, I’d be one happy girl. Coconut Roti [Recipe] You’re just three ingredients …