“Bula” my dear friends. That’s Fijian for “Hello, live life fully.” And I really mean it. I hope you take risks – get the courage to talk to your cute neighbor, be brave enough to speak up when someone is in need, and spread love with every action. Make an effort to look past the superficial. In the wake of the sunami, which set Fiji on red alert this weekend, Fijians certainly were not worried about what brand shoes they were wearing (if they ever worried about this at all). They were cherishing each moment – each second – with family and loved ones. Yes, wake up each morning and say “Bula.” Your conviction will be contagious. And eat some Fijian food while you’re at it. You’ll be delighted by the variety … Fan-curry-tastic Because she was a former British colony, British-ruled Indians came to Fiji and spread a love for all things curry. My eyes almost fell out when I read that they happen to love curried corned beef (you know, what with St. …
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THE SCENE Popcorn. The final frontier. I traced my fingers along the counter tops, navigating between a giant red bowl and a small plastic bag filled with popcorn kernels. I stopped when I reached the spot the microwave was supposed to be. About this time last year, early one Saturday morning, I had a minor meltdown (in my baby blue bathrobe and fuzzy slippers, no less). I was bleary eyed. My head hurt. All I wanted in the whole, wide world was a giant mug of hot chai tea with milk. I walked into the kitchen and literally couldn’t see the counters for the appliances. Stuff was everywhere. I could almost feel all 3.75 walls of my tiny windowless kitchen closing in on me. I started crying. All thoughts of tea forgotten, I hastily unplugged the microwave, my bread machine, and coffee maker. I began taking them, one by one, to the curb. (If I know how to do anything, it is how to be impulsive and overtaken by emotion.) Mr Picky stumbled into the …
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Serves 2-4 I was a total lamb newb before starting Global Table Adventure – I simply had never cooked it. Sure, I grew up eating it with mint jelly (although the jelly always stayed on my plate, untouched), but the actual process of making a tasty meal out of lamb was a mystery to me. Thanks to our Adventure, it’s becoming rather second nature and this Ethiopian recipe might be my favorite lamb recipe thus far (barely edging out the Roast Lamb from Cyprus). Our recipe is adapted from Laura Kelley of Silk Road Gourmet, a most wonderful author and world traveler. Serve with Injera. Ingredients: 1/8 cup peanut oil 2 red onions, chopped 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated (about 1 1/2 tsp) 3 cloves garlic, crushed 2 tsp berberé 1 cup beef stock 1.2 lbs cubed lamb yogurt, to taste Method: Chop the onions (you can do a large dice or strips) and cook them until golden (10-15 min) over medium high, or until you can no longer stand how good the …
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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 most. Ingredients: 3 Tbsp vegetable oil 1/2 cup popcorn kernels salt Method: Popcorn needs to be made in a large pot, so there’s room for all the kernels to pop into white, fluffy snack goodness. It’s a lot like the heart – the bigger our hearts, the more room for all of 0ur emotions to … well… pop into white, fluffy bursts of life. With an open heart we experience so much more. Never let your heart run out of room. …
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If one must eat meat raw it is surely best done in this way, for the sauce gives the impression of being hot enough to cook the meat right on the tongue. – Laurens Van Der Post (as quoted in Ethiopia, Cultures of the World by Steven Gish, Winnie Thai, and Zawiah Latif) Van Der Post is talking about an Ethiopian raw beef dish called kitfo (kit-foh). The sauce is made almost entirely of berberé – the crazy, smoke alarm hot spice blend we made recently – as well as lemon juice and a buttery-good mixture of sautéed peppers, onions, ginger, garlic, and cardamom. And, of course, raw beef. Now, for the moment of truth… would you eat it? Why or why not? Photo: Diádoco
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Coffee is said to have originated in Ethiopia. Today Ethiopian coffee ceremonies are common after large meals, even at restaurants. Women will roast beans in front of the guests. Then she’ll grind the beans, perfuming the room, and brew them in a clay coffee pot, or jebena. The coffee is served in small cups called si’ni. Diners have their choice of salt or sugar. Traditionally, every guest is offered 3 cupfuls- the same grounds being brewed each time, making each consecutive cup weaker. My Rendition At best, I was ill-prepared to perform an Ethiopian coffee ceremony. #1, I live in Tulsa, Oklahoma. #2, I lack every single piece of traditional Ethiopian coffee-making equipment there could possibly be. In fact, the only proper element I have is a bag of green coffee beans. Tilda’s parents brought them all the way over from Ethiopia, known as the birthplace of coffee. At least the coffee was right. I got to work, putting my college nickname “MacGyver” to good use. What follows are the results of a free-spirited, improvisational coffee …
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One of my mom’s favorite expressions is “Did you get it straight from the horse’s mouth?” She likes to ask me this when I am at my most panicked, assumption-burdened self. While the image it conjures up isn’t exactly pretty, the saying gives me perspective when I need it most. If there was ever any doubt about the food of Ethiopia, I’m going to put it to rest right now. I cooked, I ate and I am here to tell you that the food of Ethiopia is intense, flavorful, and fit for any dinner party. You can say you got it straight from the horse’s mouth. Better yet, you can make some of the food from this menu and find out for yourself. Eating without utensils is quickly becoming a favorite hobby of mine. If the potential mess scares you, have no fear. Ava will be happy to give you a lesson. She’s a pro (although, technically, the left hand is never used for eating in Ethiopia. It’s called the unclean hand and I’ll leave …
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One of Miss Ava’s friends, Tilda, is from Ethiopia. While she’s not exactly talking yet (she turned one in December), her parents are talking and everything they’ve said about Ethiopia makes me hungry. They adopted Tilda last year and spent some time in the country getting to know the culture and, of course, the food. Here’s the summary: if you’re into spices, you’re in luck. They brought back bags of berberé seasoning – so much, in fact, that they didn’t think twice about giving me an entire cup of their precious stash. Almost everything is spiced with berberé seasoning [Recipe], especially the standard wat (stew) made from lamb [Recipe], chicken, lentils, or beans. Be sure to enjoy Wat with Injera [Recipe], teff pancakes that are used to scoop up the food instead of silverware. Now, for something that Tilda’s parents did not tell me – I got this little nugget from Andrew Zimmern. In his Ethiopian episode he shares that if you’re really lucky Ethiopians will offer you raw meat. Raw meat is a delicacy – the fresher …
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THE SCENE I walked back and forth, haunting the spot where the rhubarb was supposed to be. The sign read “Rhubarb – $6.99/lb” but the bin was empty, empty, empty. Not even a week ago a mountain of lipstick red rhubarb overflowed from the bins, the first pick of the season. The clerk confirmed my fears. There was no rhubarb – not here, not in the back, not in an upcoming shipment. He explained that he had to pull the rhubarb because it was starting to turn and they couldn’t sell it any more. I was in shock, not simply because it was now gone, but also because I couldn’t believe I had expected it to be there – like mathematical certainty, like the sun would shine, or the earth rotate. Ava was getting antsy. She squirmed around in the sportscar shopping cart, and struggled to reach a package of “booboos” (blueberries). I put the package in our cart and we took off – per the clerk’s suggestion – to the frozen fruit department. I …
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Serves 8 Is it a tart? a cake? a cheese cake? All of the above? Whatever you call it, this gingerbread love-fest is the perfect combination for a winter dessert buffet. Special thanks to Nami Nami who’s ricotta cheesecake recipe inspired our version. Nami is an Estonian blogger with a great collection of recipes, both from her home country and beyond. Cheers! Ingredients: 15 oz container whole milk ricotta 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp cardamom 3 large eggs 1/8 cup heavy cream 1/2 gingerbread dough (there will be scraps leftover to make decorative cookies to put on the top of the cake) Garnish: Lingonberry jam, to taste Method: Take a few minutes to build a snowman. If there are no snowmen to be made, sit outside and drink a cup of tea and think about building a snowman. Ok, now you’re ready to bake this Estonian treat. First, place a water bath in the oven (a large pan half full of hot water) and preheat it to 350F. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, …
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Makes 2 cups Get your next party jumping with Estonian Smoked herring dip, a nod to the great national fish of Estonia. No matter what the cooking method, Estonians typically serve herring with a sour cream and vinegar/lemon juice sauce. And now… for an unprecedented cooking tip from Mr Picky. First, he wants to know – how do you feel about sour cream? If you’re a little unsure, he suggests making the dip drier by using less of the sour cream mixture – perhaps as little as half. Who is this man? What has Global Table Adventure done to my food-hating husband? I’m in love, all over again. Ingredients: 7 oz smoked Herring 1/8 cup fresh lemon juice 1 cup sour cream 1 tsp chopped fresh dill, plus extra for garnish 1/8 cup chopped red onion, plus extra for garnish salt & pepper Method: Gather your ingredients… herring, sour cream, lemon, dill, red onion… yep, we’re definitely in northeast Europe. Hello, Estonia! In a medium bowl, combine sour cream, lemon juice,… … fresh dill… … …
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