97

Over the last (almost) two years we’ve eaten meals from 97 countries* of the world. That means we’ve eaten just about half the world.

Deep breath. Smile. Yum.

We’re on our way.

12

In addition, I’ve met more than a dozen people exactly when I needed them to help me cook their countries. And when I say exactly, I mean in the week or days leading up to the country in question.

Some straight-up knocked on my door, some were my checkout girls at Whole Foods, others were random mommies at library story times, while still others reached out via email.**

Meeting someone who could help me with my recipes exactly when I needed them once is cool. Twice is a little creepy. More than a dozen times? Totally and completely epic.

What does it all mean?

The stars have aligned. I am on the right path.

Correction: we’re on the right path.

And I officially have goosebumps.

367

I’ve cooked a total of 367 recipes (what!?) from around the world.

I about pass out when I read that number.

Three hundred and sixty seven recipes. It’s true.

That works out to our family trying a new recipe every other day for almost two years straight.

Actually, for the math lovers out there, a new recipe every 1.8 days.

Recipes from remote and popular corners of the world. Recipes which, for the most part, I’d never seen before.

Recipes you can browse through, for free, right here on Global Table Adventure.

That’s almost two years straight of you, beautiful readers, learning, learning, learning.

Cooking, cooking, cooking.

Eating, eating, eating.

It’s a ton of trips to refill to my spice jars.

It’s a novel’s worth of teaching Miss Ava and Mr Picky that food is an Adventure, not an attack.

Oh, it is a flurry of making new friends.

Of laughing and crying.

Of burning my hands and using blenders in the laundry room (don’t, don’t, don’t wake the baby).

6,840,507,000 

There’s a lot of people in the world.

Mr Google-bot tells me 6,840,507,000 , to be exact.

I’m happy to report that, during this first half of the Adventure, a nice chunk of our world family stopped by the Global Table to celebrate the cultures of the world.

Yes, my friends, you are in good company.

There are a lot more open minds in the world than cynics would like to believe.

And, if I do say so, we make up a grand group, the lot of us, all hungry for peace.

Best of all, the word is spreading, thanks to you and your enthusiasm.

Thank you. You keep me going.

13

We’ve reached that magical baker’s dozen when it comes to interviews; our Global Table Adventure has now been featured on TV, Radio, newspaper, and online media. This includes Martha Stewart’s web site Whole Living and an upcoming interview with Rick Steves, on his internationally acclaimed show Travel with Rick Steves (which will air on NPR). Additionally, I was a keynote speaker at the Global Education Conference, with over 10,000 members.

I never imagined I’d be able to touch so many people with our message of peace through understanding other cultures.

I am so. Very. Thankful.

1

With each meal I’ve realized more and more how not alone I am in my idealistic dream of world peace.

We are a growing movement of people, all hungering for more – all looking for the thread that ties us together. And many of us have found it, here, with food.

 

The evolution of Global Table Adventure
since February 2010:

1. Baby Ava became Miss Ava

 

Ava has grown from a baby to a full-fledged toddler (with all the qualifications that go with the job).

It makes me cry every time I realize how far she’s come, from a little baby without teeth, gumming small bits of our meals, to a full on toddler who gives us that look, daring us to make her eat something unusual.

Where did my little baby go?

And she’s even bigger now!

2. Mr Picky became …?

Keith has tried everything from Global Table Adventure. Even the kimchi, which I think, next to the babenda, was his biggest challenge.

The watermelon lemonade, however, was not a challenge.

As time ticks by, he becomes more and more involved – curious, interested. Plus he makes killer videos.

I’m thinking, with your approval, that we need to change his nickname. So, if you have a moment, please weigh in on his future for the next two years of this Adventure:

 

3. My own evolution

I am no longer scared of grinding my own spices…

…wrapping food in banana leaves…

or eating cake with beer in it. (Hello, my pretty)

I now know how to roll sushi,

make homemade chai,

and eat basically-raw-beef. And, for the record, so does Miss Ava.

And, oh goodness me, I have  learned how to take a decent photo. Behold the misery of my early photography.

Versus this…

Yes, I’m still learning … but boy, howdy. Practice sure does help.

I can’t wait to see where we’ll be in another couple of years, when this Adventure wraps up.

We’ll get there, little by little.

After all, I believe it when Flylady says, “you can do this one BabyStep at a time.”

So, that’s it for now.

Happy halfway mark.

Thank you for sharing in the Adventure.

Thank you for believing in the dream.

Thank you for being hungry for peace.

Much love to you and yours.

xo Sasha

 

NOTES:

*Wondering why this is a bit early? We ate Lebanon last week and, even though I haven’t posted it yet, I just can’t wait to celebrate with you.

**Here’s the full list, as I can remember it right now… They include the mommy from Austria, whole foods checkout girl, yann, dillards lady, the priest from Kenya, the Wesleyan alumni from the Ivory Coast, the pastry chef from the CIA, Karen Coates, Laura Kelley, Dan and Audrey from uncornered market, the Italian recipe instructor, the Israeli cook in Tulsa, Nick, Ruby, and Tara. And that’s just the beginning.