Eat your way around the world
It took Micronesia to get me excited about a smoothie. Don't get me wrong - I love smoothies. After a while, though, they all taste the same. Until now. This smoothie blushes, straight from the easy, breezy islands. Why? Because out of the soft, sweet flavor of papaya and pineapple comes the daring zip of fresh lime juice. Adding lime juice to a smoothie may sound strange, but Micronesians know - this is like adding a hint of key lime pie to your drink. A bit of soprano … [Read more...]
There should be a rule. Whenever the weather is sunny and fine, when it is hot enough to swim in the deep seas - you should absolutely swim. Even if you forgot your bathing suit. Likewise, if you are ever offered horchata - the famous Mexican summertime sipper - consider yourself lucky and drink, drink, drink. The freedom of swimming, no matter what - that's what I taste in this drink. This is a summer's worth of happy - chilled and served with a straw. You'll taste almond and rice milk. … [Read more...]
Do you have a steady hand? Can you pour tea from several feet up without shaking, spilling, or missing entirely? If so, give me a call. We're going to need you. We've got some frothy tea to make. It's going to be fun. In fact, quite possibly the most fun I've had on this Adventure to eat the world is when we try new teas. The effort is minimal, yet the flavor impact is huge. Today is no exception. Not only did we buckle up to try the super sweet "Morroccan-style" green mint tea … [Read more...]
Most days I drink three cups of tea. Sometimes more. Every day, at about the same time, I'm ready for my evening cup of deliciousness. Usually the sun has dipped below the horizon, lending a hazy glow to the darkening sky, and I desire little more than to sneak under a soft throw on the couch. With every sip I slip away. This is when I unwind. This is when I daydream. Even if I drink the same tea all day long, this cup tastes different. This cup is therapy. During these calm … [Read more...]
I almost can't believe how easy it is to chat with people from around the world now a days - to get to know each other - to learn from each other - to celebrate each other. To raise a glass to each other. Sometimes I get recipe ideas from books. Sometimes readers email me recipes. But today's recipe for "Lomi Lomi" comes from an altogether different place. And it sparkles like the ocean on a sunny day. Last week I knew nothing about this poolside sipper. In fact, had I not begun a … [Read more...]
I can't believe I'm going to do this, but here we are: I'm going to show you how to burn rice. It's for a perfectly good cause: a cool, refreshing glass of ranovola, or burnt rice tea. This toasty-tasting drink is popular in Madagascar, where the bottom of the rice pot is reserved to flavor the local river water. It's super easy to do, as long as you don't burn the rice too fast. You have to do it just right. Ahem. Start with a cup of cooked rice spread on the bottom of a … [Read more...]
The holidays are over. We stuffed our wrapping paper back into the closet and swept the confetti into the trash, right on top of the party hats that say 2012. The cookies and the friendly buffets of family favorites are long since gone, replaced by soulless detoxes and way-too-skinny drinks. I know some of us are even thinking about spring - scanning the frozen ground, vainly hoping to see some stray spot of green, willing a warm gust of air to come our way, instead of a moveable wall of … [Read more...]
Friends, it's time. Let's have a tea party. Cabin fever is setting in. Bring out your favorite dishes and your fancy hats. Shake things up. Wear those shoes you never wear and paint your fingernails red, red, red. Or, if you'd rather, we can do it in our PJ's, fuzzy slippers and robes.* As for what we'll drink? I haven't been this excited about a new tea since I had my first "London Fog" which, for the uninitiated, is Earl Grey tea made with half steamed milk. (It literally … [Read more...]
