Latest Posts

Menu: Saint Kitts and Nevis (with $150 Giveaway)

This week I flew from 80 degrees and sunny in Tulsa, to 35 degrees and windy in New York City. I wandered through a snowstorm in Manhattan, purchased a silk hat made in Tibet for $6,  and slept 50% less than normal.  I spent the week introducing myself to publishers all week: “Hello, I’m Sasha Martin. Let me tell you about a little dream of mine  …”

After all that excitement (I can’t wait to tell you more), it was wonderful to end the week at my dear friend, Marina’s apartment in Brooklyn and eat this incredible meal typical in Saint Kitts & Nevis. Everything about it is soothing, comforting and… well, there’s rum glazed coconut bread pudding… need I say more?

P.S. That Killer Bees recipe? Marina found that one and she did an aces job.

All recipes and meal review will be available by Monday morning.

Peas n’ Rice [Recipe]
 A hearty combination of rice, pigeon peas, peppers, onion, celery and thyme. (Psst – this would be perfect with the coconut crust fish from our Nauru Global Table.)

Rum Glazed Coconut Bread Pudding [Recipe]
Made with hot butter, rum, brown sugar, coconut milk, raisins, and … well, bread. This is the bees knees

Killer Bee Cocktail [Recipe]
Speaking of bees…  watch out, friends. This drink is the most alluring combination of passion fruit, honey, and a tingle of black pepper and fresh, grated nutmeg.

WEEKLY GIVEAWAY

UPDATE: Congratualtions to Christina B., whose My Global Table pinboard is filled with just so many yummies! Email me by November 26, 2012 to claim your prize. 

TO ENTER: 

Follow these 3 easy steps for creating your dream “My Global Table” Pinboard… and be sure to link to your Pinboard at the bottom of this post. That’s it!

Note: You must be a member of Pinterest.com to enter, and you must be following Global Table Adventure’s Pinterest pages . If you do not have a Pinterest account, you can sign up for one here . Please link to your pinboard in the comments below.

BONUS: You must create the Pinboard to be entered, but for extra entries, comment here how you’d spend the $150, share the contest on Twitter and on Facebook.

Easy peasy!

This contest launched August 22, 2012 and ends November 18, 2012 at Midnight.

A special word…

I’m proud to have Saffron Road as a partner, supporting our Adventure to eat the world. I love that we share similar values… just read what they have to say about the food they make:

We know that great food begins at the farm, so we source our ingredients from only the finest producers available. It’s no coincidence that we buy from small sustainably run family farms. All of our livestock are humanely raised with 100% vegetarian feed and are never given antibiotics. Our halal tradition demands their proper care and welfare.

Glorious.

If you want to be a gem, you’ll check out their pinterest pages, too.

About the food of Saint Kitts & Nevis

Frigate Bay. Photo by WilliamTorrillo.

I love the Caribbean. Seems like she always shows up when I need her most. Case in point? I spent the last week in NYC under rain, sleet, and snow. While I relished each snowflake through Ava’s eyes, the air was coat-clenching chilly. By the end of the week, we all huddled together around a table in Brooklyn while eating Saint Kitts & Nevis.

And we were all warmed. From the inside out.

Only after our feast, did I learn that Christopher Columbus named Nevis after our Lady of the Snows. Apparently her mountain peak is often shrouded in fluffy white clouds, giving the allusion of a true snow-capped mountain.

Perfect. Just perfect.

Basseterre. Photo by J. Stephen Conn.

This enchanting name is just the beginning of St. Kitts & Nevis’ charm. With cheerful festivals and sunny days, the islands seem to float along as if in a dream.

When it comes to food, here’s what you can expect from this beautiful pair of islands… Let’s start with the obvious – fish. Lots and lots of fish, like coconut crusted mahi-mahi (similar to the coconut crusted fish we made for Nauru), tuna and snapper. And it all goes swimmingly with Peas n’ Rice [recipe], Johnny Cakes, or fried plantains. True comfort food.

Speaking of the mighty coconut – you’ll find shreds (and it’s milk) everywhere… in drinks, on fish, and tossed into desserts such as coconut rum bread pudding [recipe]. Because I need another excuse to eat rum and coconut? Yep, why not. So, thank you Saint Kitts and Nevis for that.

Then there’s the drinks – a safe bet is to start with rum and go from there. There’s Bush Tea (usually an herbal infusion, like basil or even lemongrass, to soothe what ails you), sorrel drink, and a sweet cocktail called Killer Bee [recipe].

St Mary’s church, Cayon, St Kitts, West Indies Photo by user DEC 2005

What’s the closest you’ve been to this pretty country?

Maps and Flag courtesy of CIA World Factbook. Photo of Brimstone Hill by Ukexpat.

Monday Meal Review: Rwanda

We officially have less than a year remaining in this Adventure. Unbelievable.

In the very beginning (February 2010), our Global Table Adventure was about eating a better, more varied diet, especially for our then seven-month old baby, Ava. Cooking the world was also about making life in Tulsa a little more tolerable, while daydreaming about other places.

I was escaping. Hard.

Now? Well the name is the same, but the Adventure has evolved in ways I could have never anticipated.

Izína sí lyó muntu.

This Rwandan saying means that “the name doesn’t make the man.” Or in this case, the “Adventure.”

Case in point, Global Table Adventure is a nice name, but it doesn’t reveal much about the long years we’ve lived with this challenge.

It doesn’t say anything, for example, about how appreciating the rest of the world has really made us appreciate our home more.

Sometimes you have to look far to find the treasure on your own doorstep.

Nor does the name hint at the community we enjoy around us. We learned an especially great lesson from Mongolian nomads:  Just have to ask for help, even if your neighbors seem incredibly distant in body or spirit. Someone will always come through.

You’d be amazed at how loving people are, if you just give them a chance.

With each meal we’ve discovered international markets right here in our neighborhood, as well as people enthusiastic to share their native cultures with us.

Everyone is proud of their heritage. 

Of course, it doesn’t even come close to showing how Mr Picky has opened his mind and mouth.  Or how people all around the world have taught me to let go of my need for control.

The best way I can explain just how much has happened in the last few years?

This. 

If you have children, you know how much can happen in three years.

It’ll stop your heart if you think too hard about it.

This Global Table Adventure is the best gift I could have given my daughter. Myself. My husband. You.

I’m so glad you’re a part of it.  Love, love, love to you.

Here’s to the next 51 weeks (!!)…

P.S. Please continue to share stories of your Global Table Adventure either in the comments or on our stories photo forum.

Rwandan Agatogo with Collard Greens [Recipe]

What I loved most about this dish:

I loved cooking plantains this way – super easy yet flavorful, especially if you use vegetable broth instead of water. Getting little bits of peanuts was my favorite part.

What I loved least about this dish:

While it tastes good, this doesn’t keep very well for leftovers. The plantains begin to brown, so I’d suggest eating this one right up.

White Sweet Potato Fries [Recipe]

What I loved most about this dish:

I made this on an afternoon that Keith was busy in the office and Ava was at her school program. I ate and ate and ate these fries, doing major damage, until there were only a few stragglers remaining. It was completely indulgent, wrong on many levels, and some of the most fun I’ve had in the kitchen.

What I loved least about this dish:

I wish the sweet potatoes would crisp up more. Still, for a few brief seconds, straight from the oil, there was a slight crackle to the sides and the corners. I suppose that’s what I get for not sharing the first time.

Rwandian Fruit Salad [Recipe]

What I loved most about this dish:

I loved the fresh fruit with the buttery avocado. The contrast was especially nice against the bold, bright pineapple. I think it would be grand with mango, like the Spicy Mango and Avocado Salad we made for Antigua and Barbuda.

What I loved least about this dish:

November is not the ideal time to purchase tropical fruit in Tulsa. Bananas were about the only properly ripe fruit.

Watch Ava’s Corner:

Giveaway Winner:

Congratulations, Kc192 who said if they had to eat the same soup for five years:

Oh wow… I love soup… My first thought was baked potato soup. Then i changed to creamy chicken and wild rice. Then I think I settled on tomato. Although chicken and corn chowder sounds sooooo good….

Please email me by November 19 to claim your prize!

 

Rwandan Fruit Salad

We may be in the heart of autumn here in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but no celebration of Rwanda is complete without a sliver of tropical fruit. This is the most popular way to end in a meal in Rwanda.

Varieties include mango, pineapple, papaya, passion fruit, banana, and even buttery avocado:

Although Mukamana says she and her husband cannot afford to purchase all the fruits needed to make a salad every day, they buy enough produce to make sure everyone at home eats a banana, an orange, or a piece of pineapple after every meal. (USAID)

From what I hear, one piece is enough in Rwanda. The fruit, fresh and thick from growing in the humming, humid tropical air, is lusciously sweet. Each bite hangs heavy in the mouth.

Ingredients:

banana
pineapple
avocado
mango
papaya
passion fruit

Method:

NOTE: There’s no right or wrong way to make a fruit salad, but if the weather is chilly where you live, you might be best off sticking to bananas. Unlike more temperamental mangoes and papayas, bananas seem to be good all year round.

Simply peel, sliced, and cube the fruit. Toss together and enjoy on the farm, with friends.

Cheers!

Rwandan Fruit Salad
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
No celebration of Rwanda is complete without a sliver of tropical fruit. This is the most popular way to end in a meal in Rwanda. Varieties include mango, pineapple, papaya, passion fruit, banana, and even buttery avocado
Servings Prep Time
4 people 15 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 people 15 minutes
Rwandan Fruit Salad
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
No celebration of Rwanda is complete without a sliver of tropical fruit. This is the most popular way to end in a meal in Rwanda. Varieties include mango, pineapple, papaya, passion fruit, banana, and even buttery avocado
Servings Prep Time
4 people 15 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 people 15 minutes
Ingredients
  • bananas
  • pineapple
  • avocados
  • mango
  • papaya
  • passion fruit
Servings: people
Units:
Instructions
  1. Simply peel, sliced, and cube the fruit (use whatever varieties look good at the market). Toss together and enjoy!
Recipe Notes

NOTE: There’s no right or wrong way to make a fruit salad, but if the weather is chilly where you live, you might be best off sticking to bananas. Unlike more temperamental mangoes and papayas, bananas seem to be good all year round.

White Sweet Potato Fries

Sweet potatoes are up there with a good hair cut, purring cats, and sunlight through fiery autumn leaves. The simple sweetness is all I need on a chilly evening. But it’s not all about the coppery hued variety, which litter my counter tops like fallen leaves. There’s such a thing as white sweet potatoes, too.

Rwandans love sweet potatoes, especially white sweet potatoes which they boil, mash, and even fry. I first saw this in action on the a Peace Corps blog En Route Rwanda:

With help from some of our house mates and dinner guests, we peeled and sliced several kilos of knobby white sweet potatoes, which Zilpa then spent hours double-frying on the second charcoal stove.

Double frying white sweet potato fries. Photo by Vazza of En Route Rwanda.

According to the Rwanda Agricultural Research Institute:

Sweet potato is a major staple food in Rwanda and one of the second largest produces in terms of tons after bananas. The ability of sweet potato to adapt to a wide range of growing conditions, in both fertile and marginal areas, as well as its rapid growth rate as a ground cover to help in the control of weeds, makes it a versatile crop for Rwandan farming systems.Today I’m going to give you a few tips on frying white sweet potatoes.

Let’s do it, Rwanda-style.

Ingredients:

White sweet potatoes
Oil to go halfway up the sides of medium pot
Salt

Method:

Time for a little bit of wonderful. Build yourself a kitchen fit for a Rwandan king…

A reconstruction of the traditional King’s palace at Nyanza, Rwanda. Photo by Amakuru.

Then, preheat a bunch of oil in a pot. The oil should only go halfway up the side of the pot to keep it from bubbling over when you add the potatoes. Then slice the potatoes up into batons – a.k.a. long, even sticks. Let them soak in cold water as you work.

Rinse, drain, and towel them off, getting them as dry as possible (so you don’t create dangerous oil splatters when you drop them in).

Fry the potatoes in batches… twice. First in 325F oil. Cook for 3 minutes until soft but not browning. Remove & drain.

Then cook at 350F for 2-3 minutes

They don’t really crisp up much because of the high sugar content in the sweet potato, but they do turn an interesting brownish orange color.

Plus, like any good steak fry, you won’t be able to stop eating them.

If you want them crispier, try slicing them like shoestrings and cooking more briefly.

Enjoy with a view that looks remarkably like, well, a sweet potato.

Mount Karisimbi, Rwanda.

Happy Friday, friends!

P.S. Have you ever had sweet potatoes?

White Sweet Potato Fries
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
According to the Rwanda Agricultural Research Institute: "Sweet potato is a major staple food in Rwanda and one of the second largest produces in terms of tons after bananas. The ability of sweet potato to adapt to a wide range of growing conditions, in both fertile and marginal areas, as well as its rapid growth rate as a ground cover to help in the control of weeds, makes it a versatile crop for Rwandan farming systems.Today I’m going to give you a few tips on frying white sweet potatoes."
White Sweet Potato Fries
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
According to the Rwanda Agricultural Research Institute: "Sweet potato is a major staple food in Rwanda and one of the second largest produces in terms of tons after bananas. The ability of sweet potato to adapt to a wide range of growing conditions, in both fertile and marginal areas, as well as its rapid growth rate as a ground cover to help in the control of weeds, makes it a versatile crop for Rwandan farming systems.Today I’m going to give you a few tips on frying white sweet potatoes."
Ingredients
  • 4 white sweet potatoes
  • vegetable oil , enough to go halfway up the sides of a medium pot
  • salt
Servings:
Units:
Instructions
  1. Preheat a bunch of oil in a pot. The oil should only go halfway up the side of the pot to keep it from bubbling over when you add the potatoes. Then slice the potatoes up into batons – a.k.a. long, even sticks. Let them soak in cold water as you work.
  2. Rinse, drain, and towel them off, getting them as dry as possible (so you don’t create dangerous oil splatters when you drop them in). Fry the potatoes in batches… twice. First in 325F oil. Cook for 3 minutes until soft but not browning. Remove & drain.
  3. Then cook at 350F for 2-3 minutes. They don’t really crisp up much because of the high sugar content in the sweet potato, but they do turn an interesting brownish orange color.

Rwandan “Agatogo” with Collard Greens

There’s an old Rwandan saying “The most extensive land is the human belly.”  I like to think there’s mountains and streams in there, glorious sunsets and easy, glimmering sunrises. Is that somehow unsavory? I don’t know. I do know I want this land to be vast, and include as much variety as possible. I want to fit the whole world in there. And this, my friends, includes the plantain.

Plantains have been an issue for my family from the beginning. Ava isn’t really keen on them (or bananas). Mr. Picky has consistently pushed aside his in favor of other foods (except for that time I made Plantain Chips with Sea Salt for Panama and that other time I used them as a butter-fried cheese wrapper, a.k.a. tortas de plantano).

It’s time for us to love the plantain, after all they are the starchy cousin to the banana, but more savory and filling. For this reason, they are an important staple all over the tropical regions of the world.

Plantains fruit all year round, which makes the crop a reliable all-season staple food, particularly in developing countries with inadequate food storage, preservation and transportation technologies. In Africa, plantains and bananas provide more than 25 percent of the carbohydrate requirements for over 70 million (Wikipedia)

The best way to eat plantains in Rwanda is Agatogo. While there are many variations, the dish always includes plantains, some form of tomato (commonly tomato paste), and either meat, fish, or vegetables. Meat (like goat or chicken) is hard to come by and only those who live on the water typically add dried or smoked fish (injanga). Some farm fresh veggies are about as universal as it gets, just ask these kiddos…

Children on a farm in Rwanda. Photo by Sarel Kromer.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, sliced
6 oz can tomato paste
4 mostly green plantains
3 cups of thinly sliced, loosely packed collard greens (about 1/3 of a bunch)
1 quart vegetable broth (or water)
1/2 cup peanuts, measured then ground
oil and salt

Method:

First, let’s figure out how to peel a green plantain. The skin sticks firmly to the flesh, so I recommend cutting the plantain in hunks, then slitting along the side one time. This will make it easier to crack the peel back (sometimes I need to use a paring knife to help if the plantain is really green.

Next, fry the onion some vegetable oil until soft, then add in the garlic and continue cooking until the onions are just beginning to color. Add on the tomato paste, give a good stir, then toss on the plantains, greens, and …

… mix with the vegetable broth. Add salt to taste (locals recommend using lots of salt, since the plantains absorb quite a bit). Let simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes, or until the plantains are tender and no longer white. Then sprinkle on the crushed peanuts.

If you’d like the stew thinner you can add some more broth or water, until you find the ideal consistency.

Serve immediately with a smile, a spoon and a heart.

Perhaps with a view like this:

Northwestern Rwanda. Photo by CIAT.

Thanks, Rwanda.

xo

Rwandan "Agatogo" with Collard Greens
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
The best way to eat plantains in Rwanda is Agatogo. While there are many variations, the dish always includes plantains, some form of tomato (commonly tomato paste), and either meat, fish, or vegetables. Meat (like goat or chicken) is hard to come by and only those who live on the water typically add dried or smoked fish (injanga).
Servings
4 people
Servings
4 people
Rwandan "Agatogo" with Collard Greens
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
The best way to eat plantains in Rwanda is Agatogo. While there are many variations, the dish always includes plantains, some form of tomato (commonly tomato paste), and either meat, fish, or vegetables. Meat (like goat or chicken) is hard to come by and only those who live on the water typically add dried or smoked fish (injanga).
Servings
4 people
Servings
4 people
Ingredients
  • 1 large onions , chopped
  • vegetable oil
  • 5 cloves garlic , sliced
  • 6 oz tomato paste
  • 4 plantains (mostly green)
  • 1/3 bunch collard greens (about 3 cups thinly sliced)
  • 1 quart vegetable broth (or water)
  • 1/2 cup peanuts , measured then ground
  • salt
Servings: people
Units:
Instructions
  1. First, let’s figure out how to peel a green plantain. The skin sticks firmly to the flesh, so I recommend cutting the plantain in hunks, then slitting along the side one time. This will make it easier to crack the peel back (sometimes I need to use a paring knife to help if the plantain is really green.
  2. Next, fry the onion some vegetable oil until soft, then add in the garlic and continue cooking until the onions are just beginning to color. Add on the tomato paste, give a good stir, then toss on the plantains, greens, and mix with the vegetable broth. Add salt to taste (locals recommend using lots of salt, since the plantains absorb quite a bit). Let simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes, or until the plantains are tender and no longer white. Then sprinkle on the crushed peanuts.
  3. If you’d like the stew thinner you can add some more broth or water, until you find the ideal consistency.
  4. Serve immediately.

Menu: Rwanda (& Giveaway)

Today is one of those days. I feel like singing. You see,sometimes a country is so far from anything I know, I have no idea what to expect. Then a meal like this happens. Fun. Interesting. Satisfying.

With each bite we’re a little closer to our friends across the deep, salty blue.

This is Rwanda: simple food, full of cozy comfort. Each item on the menu is a regular staple, from the bananas to the plantains, and from the sweet potatoes and to the crushed peanuts.  Let the warmth carry you through the blustery chill, all the way to the other side of winter.

P.S. Consider enjoying  this meal lakeside, as though you were in Rwanda.

P.P.S. If you can include a gorilla in your company, even better. Rwanda is known for her beautiful Mountain Gorillas.

All recipes and the meal review will be posted throughout the week.

Vegetarian Agatogo with Collard Greens  [Recipe]
A nutritious and satisfying stew of plantains and collard greens simmered with tomatoes, onions, and garlic. Finished with a sprinkling of crushed peanuts.

 White Sweet Potato Fries [Recipe]
Sweet potatoes are one of the main staples in Rwanda, and are especially beloved as fries.

Tropical Fruit [Recipe]
 Rwandans love any and all tropical fruit (think pineapple, mango, bananas and more), but especially enjoy their salads with a bit of fresh, butter avocado.

WEEKLY GIVEAWAY

Get your fall cooking in gear with this Global Gourmet Gift Basket from Saffron Road.

This gift basket has a set of super cute wooden spoons, spring green measuring cups, a coordinating dish towel and a World Cuisine apron. Finally, you will be equipped with three premium quality broths to whip up your favorite fall recipes.

If you can’t use the gift basket yourself, the holiday season is just around the corner. Gift hunting for your Great Aunty, twice removed? Done!

Love, love, love!

 

These are the all-natural (yay!), kettle cooked broths you’ll find tucked inside:

And, in case you were wondering, Saffron Road offers All Natural, Halal certified products. In their words:

“We know that great food begins at the farm, so we source our ingredients from only the finest producers available. It’s no coincidence that we buy from small sustainably run farms. All of our livestock are humanely raised with 100% vegetarian feed and are never given antibiotics. Our Halal tradition demands their proper care and welfare.”

.. they can be found in your local Whole Foods. Plus… they are now at more than 3 dozen retail locationsnationwide, including Stop and Shop, and Food Giant. Hello… that’s great news!

TO ENTER:

UPDATE: 

Congratulations, Kc192 who said if they had to eat the same soup for five years:

Oh wow… I love soup… My first thought was baked potato soup. Then i changed to creamy chicken and wild rice. Then I think I settled on tomato. Although chicken and corn chowder sounds sooooo good….

Please email me by November 19 to claim your prize!

Answer our Giveaway Question:

If you could only eat one soup for the next five years, what soup would it be?

There’s no right answer, so have fun with this one…

That’s it!

Bonus entries will be provided for those that tweet this giveaway with hashtag #globalgiveaway and/or share it on Pinterest and Facebook.

Leave your answer in the comments below. One winner will be chosen at random and announced in the Monday Meal Review on November 12 , 2012. Prize must be claimed by November  19, 2012. Saffron Road is sponsoring this giveaway. They wanted to share some global foodie love with you. Enjoy!

 

About the food of Rwanda

Lake Muhazi. Photo by Dewame louis.

I’m writing about Rwanda while sitting in the airport, on my way to New York City. Big things are in the works, and I can’t wait to tell you all about them. This is a fertile time for creativity, which makes Rwanda the perfect week to accompany me on this journey.  The earth in this small, but sprawling country is so fertile, I’ve read you can stick a carrot top in the ground and carrots will grow.

That’s the kind of good, growing energy I need right now.

This is the center of Africa, along the rippling waters of Lake Kivu. Everyone, everywhere in Rwanda, seems to love the sweet potato  [Recipe]and that’s a lot of people. Rwanda is one of the most crowded places in Africa. Avocados hang heavy on the trees, and cassava grows strong in the soil.  Beans are the go-to, as is umutsima (cassava and corn porridge), fish from the lakes (like tilapia), and plantains.

Very little meat is eaten, although what is enjoyed includes chicken, beef, and goat, and may be stewed with some combination of tomatoes, onion, peppers, and peanuts [Recipe].

Children on a farm in Rwanda. Photo by Sarel Kromer.

Beer is a popular drink and, according to the World Cookbook for Students:

Beer is a favorite drink for men and a way to exchange services. Much of the beer consumed is homemade from sorghum (ikigage) or bananas (urwarwa). Traditionally, beer is drunk through straws from a common large container.

Speaking of banana beer, I’d like to drink some while nibbling plain-ol’ bananas. Just for effect.

Perhaps with a few other tropical fruit because, from what I hear, Rwanda has it made  [Recipe]!

I’ll be dreaming of all this simple goodness while sitting in the air, nibbling a tiny pack of peanuts and a V8.

Sigh.

Monday Meal Review: Russia

This week we took the Russian Potato Salad to a potluck event in downtown Tulsa called “Open Tables” where individuals of different religions and belief systems gather to share food and company. It was my first time. While the discussion would have been fascinating (we were encouraged to talk about our differences), my table – through a series of prior commitments, baby bedtimes, and no shows – had completely vacated by the time discussion started. And so it came to be that, while the room chattered on, I sat alone at my table, thinking about the evening, staring at my empty plate.

I briefly considered switching tables to join another group but the longer I sat there, the more I realized that the food had already done the job – no words were necessary to learn about our differences. Earlier that evening I had slipped our potato salad into the mix between a giant steaming bowl of biryani, spicy chickpeas, cinnamon-laced kugel, and goat stew. The variety was intoxicating. As I filled my plate, a casserole of neon green lime jello salad caught my eye. (Salad isn’t quite the right word, nor is jello; the mixture had been whipped with cream so that the concoction had slumped into a somewhat mushy, vague form.)

Suddenly, a gentleman said “Now that’s an Oklahoman salad.”

I looked up as he gave a nod to a sweet, shaky sort of old lady. She was beautiful the way women who’ve lived full, meaningful lives are beautiful. Turns out she had made the lime jello salad he was cooing over. Any other time, in any other place, I might not have taken any, but this night I placed a small scoop out of respect and curiosity.

To be honest, the squishy slump seemed out of place among all the heady spices and rich gravies. I tried hard to not let the foods touch – something I generally don’t fuss about. Back at the table, I ate circles around the salad until it was the only food left. I took a microscopic bite. I thought of the sweet old lady who had put so much effort into the dish. I wanted to love it. I took another bite.

The man’s words, “Now that’s an Oklahoman salad,” kept ringing in my ears.  I had no idea this was typical of our little corner of the world. In fact, I knew more about each of the “foreign” dishes than this local one. While all around me people sampled the Russian Potato Salad, I stayed focused on the jello salad.

Talk about a wake up call.

Pumpkin Olad’yi [Recipe]

What I loved most about this dish:

The combination of pumpkin, buttermilk, honey, and raspberries is wonderful, rich, and the perfect way to wake up on a chilly Saturday. These small “pancakes” were gone in seconds, the family loved them that much. I particularly appreciated that this is an international recipe that doesn’t need any really unusual ingredients. I can make it simply by popping open the pantry (er, that’s what I’d do if I did, in fact, have a pantry).

What I loved least about this dish:

The only real issue is being patient enough to cook these pancakes low and slow, so that they cook all the way through.

Egg, Egg, Caviar [Recipe]

What I loved most about this dish:

I have never made eggs this way – the soft, creamy egg is so rich it tastes as if there’s cheese in them. The hit of chives and heavy cream really takes them over the edge.  I’ll be whipping up my eggs this way quite often.

What I loved least about this dish:

Oh, that caviar. That intense, intense caviar. I’m proud of my entire family who all tried it. We were brave. We wanted to be like Russians, but unfortunately the fish oil flavor was overwhelming for all of us. Our taste buds revolted. The good news? Right now our neighbors have some mighty fine caviar in their fridge. Enjoy, friends, enjoy!

Russian Potato Salad | Olivier Salad [Recipe]

What I loved most about this dish:

Don’t think of this as salad. Think of this as an entire meal … everything from your carrots, to peas, to ham lives in this bowl. Everyone I offered this to, ate it up (although I do have to admit I went light on the mayonnaise because we don’t eat a lot of that around here.

What I loved least about this dish:

There’s a lot of slicing and dicing, so make sure you plan for enough time to do that. Also, be sure you don’t overcook your potatoes or you’ll have trouble dicing them nice and neatly.

Russian Tea [Recipe]

(Just a little bonus post for fun)

Ava’s Corner

WEEKLY GIVEAWAY WINNER

Congratulations to Nicole who said:

While I would love to keep and cherish them, I would give them as a gift to my neice, Gabriella, who was adopted into our forever family from Russia. My sister has recently completed their fourth international adoption and we can now call our family the “U.N.” since we cover: Russia, South Korea, Ethiopia and China. Gabbi would love to use these measuring cups in the kitchen baking all sorts of yummy things.

Please email me by November 12, 2012 to claim your prizes.

 

 

Russian “Egg, Egg & Caviar”

The scrambled eggs in Russia are so moist and creamy, you’d swear there’s cheese folded up inside. To achieve this texture, the eggs are never whisked or salted at this stage, but broken directly into a pot (not a pan), then cooked over gentle heat in a “on again, off again” game that makes Ross and Rachel’s relationship on Friends look stable. Finally, a generous swoosh of heavy cream and a sprinkle of seasoning finishes the eggs off right.

Then, while they’re still steaming hot, you slide them inside a hollowed out egg shell.

Even with all this glamour, it’s the glimmering, shimmering egg topper that really steals the show: the caviar (a.k.a. more eggs).

Caviar is Russia’s love. To give you an idea of how precious these fish eggs are, imagine spending $8,000 on a pound of anything. Well-to-do Russians are happy to spend that much per pound on caviar. Thankfully for the wallet, one only eats an ounce or two in one sitting.

I got the idea for today’s recipe from Andrew Zimmern. Here’s how they make egg, egg in one of the fanciest hotels in Russia (watch at about 8 minutes 35 seconds):

?

P.S. If you’re not in the mood to make eggs, you can eat caviar with nothing more than a spoon. This is considered extra deluxe in Russia (a.k.a. super rich).

Makes 4-5 

Ingredients:

5 eggs
1 Tbsp butter
1-2 Tbsp cream
1 Tbsp chopped chives
salt & pepper

caviar, to taste

Method:

Use a pin to poke a hole in the top of your egg. Flick pieces of shell outward to make an opening in your egg. Place the egg innards in a bowl, then rinse the shells and set aside to dry. The top doesn’t have to be perfect, as the scrambled eggs will cover it up nicely.

Repeat for all the eggs.

Meanwhile, chop up some chives and a bit of heavy cream.

Add the butter and eggs to a pot. Heat over gentle heat while whisking constantly. Never let the mixture scramble. Continue to remove from heat to let the eggs set slowly. Then, when you are about done, whisk in the cream, salt, pepper, and chives, to taste.

Gordon Ramsey has a great demo, to see this technique in action:

When you’re done, fill the egg shells with the scrambled eggs…

… top with a bit of sour cream and, of course, the caviar.

It’s so pretty, she’s actually curious.


Well, at least she tried it!

Would you?

Russian "Egg, Egg & Caviar"
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
The scrambled eggs in Russia are so moist and creamy, you’d swear there’s cheese folded up inside. To achieve this texture, the eggs are never whisked or salted at this stage, but broken directly into a pot (not a pan), then cooked over gentle heat in a “on again, off again” game that makes Ross and Rachel’s relationship on Friends look stable. Finally, a generous swoosh of heavy cream and a sprinkle of seasoning finishes the eggs off right. Then, while they’re still steaming hot, you slide them inside a hollowed out egg shell.
Servings
4-5 eggs
Servings
4-5 eggs
Russian "Egg, Egg & Caviar"
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
The scrambled eggs in Russia are so moist and creamy, you’d swear there’s cheese folded up inside. To achieve this texture, the eggs are never whisked or salted at this stage, but broken directly into a pot (not a pan), then cooked over gentle heat in a “on again, off again” game that makes Ross and Rachel’s relationship on Friends look stable. Finally, a generous swoosh of heavy cream and a sprinkle of seasoning finishes the eggs off right. Then, while they’re still steaming hot, you slide them inside a hollowed out egg shell.
Servings
4-5 eggs
Servings
4-5 eggs
Ingredients
  • 5 eggs
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1-2 Tbsp heavy cream
  • 1 Tbsp chives , chopped
  • salt
  • pepper
  • sour cream , to top
  • caviar , to taste
Servings: eggs
Units:
Instructions
  1. Use a pin to poke a hole in the top of your egg. Flick pieces of shell outward to make an opening in your egg. Place the egg innards in a bowl, then rinse the shells and set aside to dry. The top doesn't have to be perfect, as the scrambled eggs will cover it up nicely. Repeat for all the eggs.
  2. Meanwhile, chop up some chives and a bit of heavy cream. Add the butter and eggs to a pot. Heat over gentle heat while whisking constantly. Never let the mixture scramble. Continue to remove from heat to let the eggs set slowly. Then, when you are about done, whisk in the cream, salt, pepper, and chives, to taste.
  3. When you’re done, fill the egg shells with the scrambled eggs. Top with a bit of sour cream and, of course, the caviar.

Russian Tea

If you want to try something uniquely Russian (at least, I’d never heard of it until this week), try a cup of nice, black tea with a spoonful of fruit jam stirred in. Tea is the national drink of Russia, while the jam is a happy bonus.

If you’re serving to more than one, be sure to brew the tea extra strong. According to Wikipedia:

A notable feature of Russian tea culture is the two-step brewing process. Firstly, tea concentrate (Russian: заварка) is prepared: a quantity of dry tea sufficient for several persons is brewed in a small teapot. Then, each person pours some quantity of this concentrate into the cup and mix it with hot water; thus, one can make one’s tea as strong as one wants, according to one’s taste. Sugar, lemon, honey or jam can then be added freely.

Even with the jam, a cube (or three) of sugar is optional, but recommended.

So what’ll it be? Raspberry jam? What about cranberry? Or sour cherry?

Whatever you choose, you’ll be well on your way to joy.

As long as you sip it somewhere beautiful. Breezy. Light.

The Monastery of St. Nil on Stolobnyi Island in Lake Seliger in Tver Province. Photo by Sergei Mikhailovich Prokudin.


Russian Tea
Votes: 2
Rating: 3
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
Russian Tea
Votes: 2
Rating: 3
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe

Pumpkin Olad’yi

Sometimes it’s hard being a mom. Take this week, for example. People I don’t even know have been throwing candy at my daughter from giant parade floats. They call it Halloween, but I call it “the reason why my daughter is still awake an hour and a half past her bedtime, thrashing around like a junkie in withdrawal.”

You see, I don’t let Ava eat all her candy in one sitting. She gets a couple of pieces at snack time for a few days in a row. That’s it. Any candy that remains gets donated to the Laura Dester Shelter, for kids in crisis situations. Ava’s reward for sharing? A fun adventure to either Incredible Pizza or the Zoo. Her choice.

All this to say that Ava clearly hasn’t consumed a ton of candy but what she has eaten went straight to her crazies.

Now is the time for something wholesome. Something nutritious. Something unabashedly Russian to sort her out.

Enter Pumpkin Olad’yi.

It’s practically science: whenever I mention Russian food, 9 out of 10 people suggest we try Blinis, a giant crepe-like treat often filled with sweet cheese or any number of savory fillings.  If I’m talking to a genuine Russian, however, 9/10 will also suggest we try Olad’yi. These are Russia’s answer to the pancake. Small and moist, these griddle puppies are made with either keffir or buttermilk and can be served with fresh fruit, jam, sour cream, honey, or even a heaping drizzle of sweetened condensed milk.

The pumpkin gives her vitamins, the dairy gives her calcium, and fruit is proven to remove the crazies in three year-olds.

Ok. Maybe that’s a bit of a stretch.

Regardless – this morning (because I can’t spend yet another night rocking my sugar-crazed daughter to sleep under the watchful eye of two rapidly disintegrating, glitter covered pumpkins) I’m making these Pumpkin Oladyi.  I could come up with another, more poetic reason – something about the crisp air and the magic of weekly trips to the pumpkin patch, but the simple truth is this: it’s simply that time of year.

We’re living in pumpkin town.

The recipe was inspired by the one in Please to the Table.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp sugar
pinch salt

3/4 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
2 Tbsp butter, melted
3/4 cup canned pumpkin (about 1/2 a can)

butter, for frying

Traditional topping suggestions:

Sweetened condensed milk
Jam
Sour cream
Honey
Berries

Method:

Good morning! Or, as they say in Russia: Доброе утро  (pronounced “doh-brah-eh- oo-trah”).

Let’s go to pumpkin town!

Saint Petersburg in the morning will do, for sure. Just look at her glow.

Saint Petersburg, Russia. Photo by George Shuklin.

Once there, whisk together dry ingredients in bowl. Add buttermilk, eggs, and butter, beat until smooth. Finally, stir in that glorious pumpkin.

Slowly fry the olad’yi in a lightly buttered pan, over medium heat for about 2-4 minutes per side (if they burn, your stove is up too high, adjust accordingly. you’re looking for the top to change from shiny to dull before you flip it).

TIP: Transfer the coins of pumpkin glory to a 200F oven until they are all fried up. (This has the bonus effect of helping the extra moist interior continue cooking a bit.)

There’s nothing quite so grand as a stack of pancakes with fresh fruit…

… unless it’s a stack of pancakes with fresh fruit and honey.

Extra deluxe.

Enjoy until the golden morning gives way to the easiest sort of green and blue.

Dawn near the river Zigan, Russia. Photo by Tsibin Konstantin.

P.S. Try it with a cup of black tea stirred with a spoonful of jam – another glorious Russian tradition.

Pumpkin Olad'yi
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
These are Russia’s answer to the pancake. Small and moist, these griddle puppies are made with either keffir or buttermilk and can be served with fresh fruit, jam, sour cream, honey, or even a heaping drizzle of sweetened condensed milk.
Servings
2 people
Servings
2 people
Pumpkin Olad'yi
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
These are Russia’s answer to the pancake. Small and moist, these griddle puppies are made with either keffir or buttermilk and can be served with fresh fruit, jam, sour cream, honey, or even a heaping drizzle of sweetened condensed milk.
Servings
2 people
Servings
2 people
Ingredients
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 Tbsp butter , melted
  • 3/4 cup canned pumpkin (about 1/2 a can)
  • butter , for frying
Traditional topping suggestions
  • sweetened condensed milk
  • Jam
  • sour cream
  • honey
  • Berries
Servings: people
Units:
Instructions
  1. Whisk together dry ingredients in bowl. Add buttermilk, eggs, and butter, beat until smooth. Finally, stir in that glorious pumpkin.
  2. Slowly fry the olad’yi in a lightly buttered pan, over medium heat for about 2-4 minutes per side (if they burn, your stove is up too high, adjust accordingly. you’re looking for the top to change from shiny to dull before you flip it). TIP: Transfer the coins of pumpkin glory to a 200F oven until they are all fried up. (This has the bonus effect of helping the extra moist interior continue cooking a bit.)
  3. There’s nothing quite so grand as a stack of pancakes with fresh fruit... unless it’s a stack of pancakes with fresh fruit and honey. Try it with a cup of black tea stirred with a spoonful of jam – another glorious Russian tradition.