All posts filed under: Monday Meal Review

Monday Meal Review: East Timor

One. Two. Three. Four. I counted out the meatballs, placing them around the ramen. “That’s too symmetrical.” Mr Picky said. I sized up my creation. “Good, good. I like symmetry. It’ll work. Just wait.” I swirled on a ladle of soup. The bowl looked fuller. One. Two. Three. Slices of fried tofu. My stomach rumbled. Ava bounced in her high chair, signing for food. A sprinkle of green onions. Chili sauce. Art. “Is that hot?” he asked. “As hot as you can handle!” I replied. “Seems a crime to eat it,” he said, taking a bite. Chicken Bakso (Chicken Meatballs) [Recipe] What I liked best about this dish: One taste and I knew – I could eat these meatballs on an upset stomach. The flavor is relatively plain (like chicken, in chicken noodle soup), with just a hint of fried garlic and shallot to give a bit of a toasty, roasty flavor. While they would be great in any sort of soup, Mr. Picky already requested them in a meatball sub. Hold the marinara, please. …

Monday Meal Review: Dominican Republic

Some would blame the moon. Lady fortune. Michael Jackson. The last few weeks I’ve had this creepy, crawly feeling. It starts in my elbows and works its way up the back of my neck. It’s like stardust is sparkling on my skin. Like I’m dancing in the rain. In great part, I blame you. You see, this blog is coming up on its one year anniversary. I’ve learned a ton about food from A-D, have watched my family grow healthier and better fed, and, finally, have had so much fun getting to know you! I’m really looking forward to another few years of fun (only 2.75, actually). However, it’s not just that. From what I can tell, 2011 is shaping up to be a really special year … so special it gives me the tingles. Here are the highlights so far: 1. Ava finally got her molars in. I can give her hard food! The world feels so big… so… magical. 2. Mr Picky ate beets and liked them. How did I do it? I bought …

Monday Meal Review: Dominica

I scanned the sky, holding my breath, waiting. A clammy draft met my face an inch from window. “I can’t tell.” I said, “Is it?” “No, I think that’s ice rain.” Keith said. I looked at the gray sky and saw nothing. I turned my head to the yellow streetlight hoping it would illuminate a few fluffy snowflakes. Instead, all I saw was spittle falling on a wet road. “Let’s go anyway. We could use the fresh air. And perhaps it’ll start while we’re out.” We bundled Ava in 4 layers, a hat, a hood, and a pair of purple thumbless mittens. We secured her in the stroller with a giant blanket and were off. “Wow. It must be 20 degrees out here. ” he muttered. I pulled my coat tighter. “We’ll warm up when we get home,” I replied. Thirty minutes later we walked into the house, the frost still clinging to our limbs. I breathed in deeply and smelled the hot Callaloo. Green and smoky. Mmm, that ham bone was a great addition. …

Monday Meal Review: Djibouti

I ladled the thick batter into the pan and pushed it around. Sizzle-sounds swizzled through the air. A few moments later air bubbles sluggishly began to push their way through the batter. Pop. Pop…. pop. Mr Picky walked over and sniffed the batter. “What is this stuff? It smells weird.” “Laxoox, from Djibouti, but I’m not sure how to pronounce it. It’s got yeast in it. Like, for bread.” “Oh,” he said, perking up at the word bread. We leaned against the counter and watched as the bubbles slowly dried out. Tick, tick, tick. I shifted my weight around a bit. This was a lot like watching paint dry, but without the noxious fumes and I was a lot hungrier. Eventually the glossy sheen was replaced by a soft, dull surface. Perfect, I said, scooping the finished flatbread up and taking a giant bite. Mr. Picky’s eyes got huge. “You’ll burn your …” “Tongue..?” I interrupted, “Nah. Want a bite?” He looked at the pocked surface carefully. “Is it good?” “Yeah, dip it in honey.”I said, as I swooped it …

Monday Meal Review: Denmark

I’m not one to get manicures. I don’t even wear gloves when washing dishes to keep my hands from drying out (do you?). But still, some days I just can’t face getting my hands dirty. Like on days when I have to make meatballs. Here’s how it plays out: I look at the bowl of deftly seasoned meat. The meat looks back at me. I blink a few times. Eventually, after a big sigh, I roll up my sleeves, dunk my hands into the cold, clammy mixture and get to work. Then I remember I forgot to take off my rings and my stomach churns. Call me a prima donna, but this week I decided to skip the hassle and made my meatballs with 2 large spoons. My rings and fingernails stay gunk-free and my general sanity is forever relieved. It’s just like making drop cookies. Here’s what you do: Scoop up a blob of meat with one spoon. Pass the blob back and forth from spoon to spoon, while simultaneously smoothing and honing the blob …

Monday Meal Review: Czech Republic

“Mraaaoooowwww.” Kitty Cat shrieked. I flew backwards, arms in the air, desperately trying to keep the tray of Koblaneskys upright. The steaming buns, filled with spicy keilbasa, slid from one side of the tray to the other. Tripped up on his “always in the way” tail, I lunged and twisted, straining my back – not so much to avoid falling, as to avoid dropping the food. “Please, no, please no…” I prayed. I landed up against the counter, with the tray barely balanced. “Keiiiiiith!!!” I growled “I don’t. want. this. cat. in the kitchen.” I set the tray down and pushed the hair out of my eyes. “I told you.” Mr Picky whispered to the cat, scooping him up. “Out you go!” he said and delivered him to the cold winter day. I straightened up and glanced at the clock. Fifteen more minutes. Time to wrap things up. I spun on my heels and grabbed a few serving pieces. Pretty dishes clinked and clanked as I layered them on the table, making a festive “help yourself” arrangement. …

Monday Meal Review: Cyprus

Sick babies are the worst. Poor miss Ava came down with croup not long after we cooked Cyprus (purely coincidental, mind you). But… croup… gah! If you don’t know, croup is a nightmare of epic proportions. Here’s how it works: in the still of the night, babies who seem a little sick, suddenly wake up really, really sick. With violent coughing fits. And I don’t mean just any cough. You’ll think a nasty poltergeist – or a barking seal – has taken over your sweet baby. You will not be able to believe such a sound could come from your child. Your heart will break into a million pieces, with each cough… over and over again. And, – as if the coughing isn’t bad enough – nature adds in a desperate wheezing, gasping sound with each breath. Eventually (after surrounding them with steam, or taking them outside into the cold night air, or rubbing Eucalyptus oil on their chests), the baby falls back asleep. Then, you – the frantic parent – spend the night standing …

Monday Meal Review: Cuba

I prepared our Cuban Global Table secure in the thought that noone was coming over. I didn’t vacuum. I didn’t deodorize (the house or myself). Approximately 19 million landmines were in place. (I think some people call them “toys.”) By the time the cooking was done, crusty dishes were teeter-tottering over my head – including the remnants of three botched caramel sauces. The house was an extra deluxe mess. I rarely behave this way, but I was feeling like a rebel. Must have been a full moon. Then my phone rang. Sweat dripping down my forehead, I watched as it vibrated itself towards the edge of the counter. My neighbor and friend, Anitra was calling. Right before the phone careened over, I decided to pick up. “Hello!” I said. “What are you doing?” “Oh, you know… cooking” (Fact: 9 times out of 10, I’m cooking when my phone rings… Bizarre). “Well, I have some great hand me downs. For Ava. And I’m on a mission to get them out of the house. Can I bring them …

Monday Meal Review: Croatia

I gave the wine bottle opener a final twist of the wrist, dropped the bunny ears, and smiled at the satisfying “pop” as the cork released the wine to the air. I brought my nose closer and gave the bottle a cautious sniff. I wanted it to be bad. Terrible. One step shy of vinegar would be okay. But I knew. I knew that, having paid an exorbitant fee of $5 for the wine, I was probably destined for a perfectly mediocre bottle. Darn. I took a sip and, as feared, the bottle was not terrible. I swished it around my mouth like mouthwash. On second thought, there were some slightly sour notes. I could work with that. With two quick motions – splish, splash – I poured the wine together with some cola. Perfectly mediocre wine ruined by … cola. Ugg. I cringed, feeling my brain tighten around the thought. I tried to get Mr. Picky to sample the Bambus first, but he simply smiled at my outstretched hand. Reluctantly, I brought the fizzing …

Monday Meal Review: Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)

This week we had a friend join us for our Global Table dinner. While this doesn’t seem like a big deal, I assure you – it is. You see, we aren’t really doing dinner parties any more. I could list all 97.5 reasons but I’d rather highlight the two most important reasons. 1. I don’t like to vacuum. It makes Ava (and my back) cry. 2. We cook during Ava’s nap. This means we’re subject to the whims of a 16 month old. Whether she sleeps 45 minutes or 3 hours, can make or break our… sanity… not to mention our eating schedule. If we even get to finish cooking! But. This week. We mixed things up. We took a risk. We had a friend over. Well, as you know, our kitchen is torn to shreds – the cabinets are being painted and new counters recently went in. Our glassware is on the TV armoire and liquor bottles are strewn about my sofa table. Some days it feels like I am living in a frat house. …

Monday Meal Review: Costa Rica

We had killer-good food and one epic fail this week. Considering we’ve been living in “renovation-land,” things could be a lot worse. For example, I almost lost my measuring cups, spoons, and chef’s knife. Turns out they were just hiding in the living room, under the contents of three other drawers. And, while we’re talking about renovations… Did you know there are about 100 million kinds of white paint in the world? I assure you that, if you ever decide to paint your cabinets white, you’ll quickly become acquainted with all of them. White whites, creamy whites, green whites, blue whites. Pretty soon, you’ll be begging for a white padded room. Just keep breathing. Here’s my kitchen, now in the middle of the renovation. Please ignore the mess, but note several key things. 1. The cabinets in front of me are antique white. As pretty as it sounds, antique white isn’t pretty under fluorescents. The color is sad, sallow, and dingy under my flickering lights, especially once the overhead diffusers are in place. I’m actually afraid of …

Monday Meal Review: Colombia

“What’s a poached egg” Mr Picky asked me. “Hold on a second,” I said, cracking the crooked egg into a dish. The egg was laid just two days ago from our friend’s chicken. Hence it was crooked. The yolk was brilliant gold… almost orange. I thought about how runny the yolk would be after poaching. How creamy and delicious. And I thought about how much Mr Picky hates runny eggs. Or claims he hates them. After all, I’ve never seen him eat a runny egg yolk, so who knows if he’s ever actually tried one. “The egg white will be set, but the yolk will be…” “Runny?” he interrupted, with a grimace. “Yes. Give me a minute and you’ll see.” I slipped the egg gently into the steaming milk and watched as it quickly dove beneath the surface. He snapped a few pictures. After a few minutes I began fishing around with my spoon. Seconds later, I found the egg beneath the milky white broth. I fished it out and ladled it onto a bed of thinly sliced …