All posts filed under: Menus

Menu: Saint Vincent & the Grenadines ($400+ Giveaway)

We’ve hit Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on our Adventure to eat the world. Consider this my way to sneak the holidays to you, Caribbean-style. This menu is for those days when you wish you still felt like pumpkin pie, but you’ve eaten three pies too many….and coconut pumpkin soup seems like the only logical answer. It’s for when you are ready to dive into a traditional boozy cake, but without the scary pieces of giant neon fruit that you find in the preboxed variety. In sum, this is the holidays on cruise control, island-style. P.S. Make the cake for friends. This is not your grandma’s fruit cake. Unless you’re grandma is from the islands. In which case, never mind. Caribbean Pumpkin & Coconut Cream Bisque [Recipe] Pumpkin and coconut milk combine forces with ginger, onion, and garlic with this mainstay of Caribbean cooking. Do you have an urge for heat? Add a scotch bonnet pepper. P.S. You can make this soup in less than 30 minutes, most of which you’re leaning against the counter sipping wine. …

Menu: Saint Lucia (w/ Giveaway)

When Thanksgiving meal preparations take over the household, I like to do little things to make the rest of the week’s meals feel fun. With that in mind, I put together two festive, but relatively quick treats to make the ordinary extraordinary. After all, why can’t every day be Thanksgiving? The theme for both is breakfast, Saint Lucia-style. Caribbean Bakes [Recipe] If your family likes doughnuts and biscuits, these fried discs of soft, doughy goodness will certainly be a big hit. Serve them warm with sweet, fruity jam, salt fish, lunchmeat, or even sliced cheese. Cocoa Tea [Recipe] This is the traditional morning drink in Saint Lucia. Think thick, rich hot cocoa with cinnamon, and a dusting of ground nutmeg. THE GIVEAWAY Happy Day Before Thanksgiving, friends! So here’s something you never knew you wanted… ancient map leggings from Black Milk Clothing. I fell in love with these the moment I saw them. And, p.s., I instantly thought of ten people I’d like to buy them for. They’d look great with a big sweater, under …

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 …

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. …

Menu: Russia (with Double Giveaway)

There’s a Russian proverb which states “The appetite comes with eating” (Appetit prikhodit vo vremya yedy). Sometimes, when trying new foods, we just have to dig in (especially – oh goodness – when it comes to trying caviar the first time). Only then can we know if we have an appetite for the new dish. Thanks Russia! We definitely used this advice this week. All recipes and meal review will be posted throughout the week. Pumpkin Olad’yi [Recipe] This is Russian breakfast at her best. Think fluffy pancakes, but smaller. While typically made with buttermilk, these olad’yi also have a happy helping of pumpkin puree, which makes them perfect for right here, right now. Served with honey, sour cream, and fresh berries. Russian Potato Salad | Olivier Salad [Recipe] This classic salad contains everything but the sink: ham, peas, pickles, carrots, hard boiled eggs, and potatoes. Welcome to the ultimate potluck celebration dish in Russia. “Egg, Egg, Caviar” [Recipe] This fun concoction is something saw on Andrew Zimmern’s show. Imagine a gently scrambled egg with cream, chives, and …

Menu: Romania (w/ Giveaway)

This weekend we bobbed for apples, did some yoga, and took a Sunday drive past acres upon acres of brown trees. They were mostly oaks, poised solemnly against the horizon, their branches nodding as if to say “It’s 80 degrees in October. We give up.” Other than a few spikes of golden yellow, fall seemed to have skipped over our annual 30 minute drive to the pumpkin patch. Considering we forgot to actually buy any pumpkins while there, I’m not sure what to make of our afternoon. One thing is for certain. Anytime I want to escape to the true crispness of fall, I simply have to whip this Romanian menu up. Designed for the fall and winter table, it has everything warm, gooey, and full of bacon. I’m not sure what else there is to life. Unless, perhaps, cheesecake baked into bread. All recipes and the meal review will be posted throughout the week. Transylvanian Cauliflower Casserole with Cheese [Recipe] Wave “Hello” to Dracula while you eat this favorite from his hometown. Steamed cauliflower is then enrobed in …

Menu: Qatar (w/ giveaway)

I’m telling you right now: there’s something in the air. It’s that thing that makes me want to snuggle under the comforter and watch the leaves fall off the trees with one eye cracked and a steaming teacup nearby. There’s just one problem. It was 85F yesterday. Here’s the deal: even though summer is being stubborn, I’m moving on. I don’t care what the weather may be – if the leaves are red, then you can find me in bed with more blankets than I really need. Just because. And I might have some of these Qatari treats in there with me. Shhh, don’t tell. All recipes and the meal review will be posted throughout the week. Cumin Seed Potatoes | Batata b’kamun [Recipe] Friends, this is your weeknight global fix. Simply fry up an onion with cumin, turmeric, and coriander and toss with boiled golden potatoes. An explosion of sweet, earthy spices awaits. Qatari comfort in a bowl. Olive oil Stuffed Grape Leaves | Warak Inab [Recipe] Headed to a potluck? This party dish can be …

Menu: Portugal (& Giveaway)

There’s a Portuguese saying “A caridade começa em casa,” or “Charity begins at home.” And what better way, than with food? This is the time of year to cook for friends, friends of friends, and not yet friends. This is the time of year to burst into a quiet room with the scent of freshly baked bread. When the gray skies hang low, you can be the entertainment in your home, office, and community. For starters, you can make a lot of people happy with Portuguese bread – especially when stuffed with chorizo sausage. You can also make people happy with nutritious, wintery salads, and soul-soothing soups. It’s even better if you have a three year-old share the goodies (not only is it cute, but it teaches her the importance of a giving spirit): All recipes and the meal review will be posted throughout the week. Tuna & Chickpea Salad | Atum com Grão [Recipe] Think love in a salad… chickpeas, tuna, lemon juice, fresh cracked pepper and a happy drizzle of olive oil. It’s good for …

Menu: Poland (& Giveaway)

Have you ever heard the saying “All the goats jump onto leaning trees”? (“Na pochyłe drzewo wszystkie kozy skaczą.”) It’s Polish. The saying means goats know to make due with what they are given – they leap to take advantage of the opportunity that presents itself. Real practical, those goats. We should be more like them. Which brings me to our menu. This week, this beautiful week of October, we are given ruddy apples harvested fresh from the orchard, comforting potatoes with dirt still clinging to their rough skins, and the last cucumbers off the vine (it’s Oklahoma, what can I say). It’s the perfect set up for a Polish feast. Will you join us? All recipes and the meal review will be posted throughout the week. White Cucumber Salad | Mizeria [Recipe] Mizeria means misery in Polish, but this creamy (but slightly sweet and sour) salad is anything but. A refreshing combination of cucumbers, sour cream, dill and a hit of vinegar and sugar. Cheese & Potato Pierogi [Recipe] Comfort food to the rescue. These traditional pierogi …

Menu: Philippines (& Giveaway)

Yum. That’s all I can say. Slow cooked pork, crispy lumpia, and a sweet, jiggly drink… this is our little taste of the Philippines. We’re talking bold flavors and big bites. Perfect for your fall table. All recipes and the meal review will be posted throughout the week. Lumpia Shanghai [Recipe] This is the long, flaky cousin to the egg roll – a shatteringly thin wrapper stuffed with ground pork, carrot, green onion, and jicama then fried to deep golden perfection. Filipino Braised Pork Adobo [Recipe] Pork cooked in a tangy combination of vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorn. Served over rice. This is serious stuff. Tapioca & Jello Sipper | Sago at Gulaman [Recipe] A wiggly, jiggly drink which has variations all over Asia. This one can be found with street vendors in the Philippines, mixed with crushed ice. Super fun for kids. THE GIVEAWAY UPDATE: *Winner from this week’s Filipino Menu Giveaway was selected at random by random.org. There were so many fantastic ideas for globally-inspired baking dishes. Congratulations to Katherine, who said: “I would …

Menu: Peru (with $150 Giveaway)

There’s a Peruvian proverb that reads… “Gold, when beaten, shines.” This simply means it takes a little elbow grease to make even gold look good. As with most things in life, the more effort we put in, the better things go. I’ve been trying to teach this important lesson to Ava, especially when the going gets tough. Not everything is as instantaneous as twitter or as fun as facebook. Incidentally, I’ve been using this proverb as I prepare to deliver a speech tonight in front of 350 people at the Global Vision Dinner here in Tulsa, put on by the Tulsa Global Alliance. I’m excited but scared. I’ve never spoken in front of that many people before. Keep me in your hearts – I’ll need strength to let my message shine. And, now, for the food of Peru, which (thankfully) shines with hardly any effort on our part. Especially that delectable ceviche… …all recipes and the meal review will be posted throughout the week. Ceviche [Recipe] Find out why one Peruvian calls this the dunkin donuts …

Menu: Paraguay (& Giveaway)

Let’s talk enlightenment. When it comes to packing up the family, driving deep into the woods, and taking a little time to “get away from it all,” there’s still good reason to set a Global Table. In fact, when there’s nothing but you, trees, and a few muffin tins worth of family members, it’s the perfect time to try out something new. That’s what we did this week, when we ate Paraguay … in Beaver’s Bend State Park (way, way Southeast Oklahoma). There aren’t as many distractions when you’re stuck in the woods. There is definitely no safety net… your snacks and zappable meals will be nowhere in sight. Call it a captive audience, if you will. Perfect for picky eaters. What sounds good to you? All recipes and the meal review will be posted throughout the week. Barbecued Meat | Carne Asada [Recipe] Finger-licking grilled meat, seasoned with bright lime juice, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper. Delicioso. Paraguayan Cheesy Cornbread | Sopa Paraguaya [Recipe] This cornbread is so filled with goodies, it is practically a …