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Monday Meal Review: Slovakia

“Everything bad is good for something.” – Slovak Proverb Have you ever done something, only to find it didn’t work out as you’d planned… but somehow it worked out even better? Last week I casually substituted a video for my written meal review. I thought it’d be a fun change of pace- a more visceral experience for you. Almost immediately, the comments filled with a resounding “no,” – an outcry that was astonishing both in it’s passion as in it’s consistency. Almost every single person felt the same way, which is remarkable in itself. And the fact that every comment was worded thoughtfully, kindly, and compassionately? So awesome. As I read through the comments, I was moved by your devotion to the blog and especially to the written word, referred to as a ‘dying art’ by some. I thought about your responses while I cooked this week’s comforting menu – soup, bacon bread, and blueberry bubbly cake. Maybe it was a subconscious move on my part – after last week, a big bowl of coziness was just the …

About the food of Slovakia

Just when I thought I’d seen the most beautiful castles in the world, Slovakia slides into my vision. Her mighty mountains, sparkling lakes, and deep forests are as lovely as any other in Eastern Europe, but the castles are simply unreal. It is not the architecture that speaks most strongly to me, but the way these stopping posts for the weary hearted reach out of nature with almost alarming boldness. One look can lead a dreamer to distraction. I can’t help but wonder…What lives once stood small and proud amid these mighty walls? A view like this can keep love alive for centuries… just nestle me somewhere in this photo and I’ll live out my days content. Call me an eternal romantic. I don’t mind. I’d rather have a heart that melts like a waterfall than a one of clammy stone. The best part? The castles aren’t Slovakia’s only comforts. Step out of the cool air, into their welcoming homes, and you’ll find kitchens a-bubble with the warmth of hearty stews – beans, pork, or …

Monday Meal Review: Singapore

Hi, friends! Our weekly review is now offered to you on video. I’m realizing that telling you the story of what we experienced is far more powerful with video; if photos are worth a thousand words, video must be worth a million. [dropshadowbox align=”center” effect=”lifted-both” width=”550px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]This week’s lesson: Singapore teaches us how condiments can spice up an ordinary dinner, Global Table style, even for the pickiest among us.[/dropshadowbox] As always, I’d love your thoughts: how do you use condiments (local or global) to give your meals a boost? UPDATE: I had no idea this new format would stir such a strong response. Please know, I’m hearing you all… thanks for weighing in. It seems the general thought that the new video format is good, but the words need to stay? My intention was to move some of the text into the actual recipes, to make them stronger… but if you prefer it separated out, I’d love to know why. Thanks for your input… you’re the reason this blog exists (as …

About the food of Singapore

Imagine a land of sparkling skyscrapers built in a land so humid that, if you shut your eyes, you could almost feel the rain forest drip down onto your cheeks. This is Singapore, a slick, modern, island nation known for her diverse population, epitomized by an astounding four official languages (Chinese, English, Malay, and Tamil). Where once towering jungle stood, glass and steel now touch the sky. If you’re looking for sprawling nature, you’ll have to spread out a little, and explore her 50 other small islands. Anthony Bourdain said of Singapore’s melting pot: “If you love food, this might be the best place on earth.” The irony, of course, is that this spectacular food comes served in Food Courts, something I steer clear of in our Midwestern malls, where sad toothpicks of syrupy chicken are pushed in my direction, as unwelcome as they are flabby. But food courts in Singapore are a different animal entirely. In the clean, often noisy kitchens which overlook clusters of metal tables and chairs, chefs are local stars – specialists in their specific …

Monday Meal Review: Sierra Leone

Hi Friends! This week we’re trying something new with our weekly video, combining Ava’s Corner with a brief review from me. I’m a little camera shy, so I thought I’d do something a little silly, like sit in a green chair, in my kitchen. Just because. Special thanks to my dear husband, Keith (a.k.a. Mr. Picky), for editing our video, as always. I’d love to hear what you think of this new format in the comments. Enjoy: xo Sasha & family THE FOOD Okra & Eggplant Stew [Recipe] What I liked most about this dish: While the slick, slippery okra tested me, Mr. Picky and Ava weren’t even phased. In fact, they loved it (they didn’t even know it was in there, actually), which probably had as much to do with the fact that I didn’t make a big fuss (or any fuss, really) about the dish. I simply put it on the table, matter-of-factly. For Ava, the trick was to give her a piece of the meat ahead of time to nibble, with just a …

12 Romantic Recipes from Around the World, Just in time for Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is almost here, and there’s no better way to show love than to bump hips in the kitchen, or, at the very least, to deliver an edible prize to the champion who stole your heart. While you’re at it, why not take your love on a mini vacation, via stovetop travel? Without leaving your own global table, they can experience Egypt, Belgium, Morocco, Malawi, and beyond. And you can go with them, in the most sensual way possible: with your taste buds. It’s all here, for the ravishing, so go on, eat your way around the world. PART ONE: 5 Unique Ways to Give Your Sweetheart Flowers 1. Egyptian White “Coffee” Mix hot water with rose water, made from thousands (millions!) of rose petals and a little sugar, and you’ll have a caffeine-free way to warm up next to your sweetheart. A great drink for late night cuddling, since it won’t keep you up past your bedtime. Unless you want to stay up past you bedtime. 2. Moroccan Honey Buttered Semolina …

About the food of Sierra Leone

I recently watched a video from the BBC about Sierra Leone in preparation for today, which asks the question “Is the Global Media too negative about Africa“? Great question. I have my answer, and if you’ve been around this blog for more than five minutes, you can probably guess what it is. My mission is to build up the positive stories, for every country, no matter what. Please note, you should not ignore the negative. We need to be aware. To do our part. This is vital. But you’ll just have to seek out those stories somewhere else. Hopefully, one day, balance will be restored so that all people can be seen with the dignity they deserve. That’s called love. And, with that, let’s begin. On the curve of West Africa lives Sierra Leone, a country whose capital, Freetown, clamors right up to the water’s edge. Freetown is a symbol of hope, a place whose population is made up of both African tribes and freed slaves (called Creoles). As you wander the crowded streets, you’ll …

Monday Meal Review: Seychelles

I was an hour into researching the food of Seychelles when it hit me – hadn’t there been someone in my writer’s group who went to these amazing islands a year or so back? Images of suggestive two-lobed coconuts and pirate stories popped into my brain. Yep. That’s right. Barry had been there. Barry who lives the life of a wandering bachelor, who jets off at the drop of a hat to see this place or that, and who loves to tell the tales almost as much as going. Barry who might be in the Pacific islands next week, but isn’t quite sure if he feels like going yet. Barry, Barry, Barry. One email later, and our dinner date was confirmed; he’d be happy to join the family for a bite of the Seychelles. A little stovetop travel to bring his tastebuds back to that beautiful place. When he walked in he sported a thick, white beard and, thanks to the twinkle in his eye and the gifts he bore, it felt a lot more like …

About the food of the Seychelles

“Water, water, every where. But not a drop to drink.” This week we’re stovetop traveling through the lush, greenery of 115 African islands, whose soft sands and coral beds peep out between the waves of the Indian Ocean. This is the Seychelles. In this tree carpeted and sand brushed landscape, fresh water is so scarce, it’s presence is officially designated as “negligible.” Looking outward towards the turquoise ocean, there’s a sense of calm. Looking inwards towards the granite outcrops, which jut like obelisks among palm trees, there’s a sense of wonder… as though our very spirits have moved into an ancient world of secrets. Yes, these islands more than make up for the lack of water. Bottom line? Her inhabitants know their corner of the earth is special. Many of the islands remain pristine – completely uninhabited – with 50% of all land designated as national parks. This is unprecedented. And wonderful. I should warn you. While saying “Seychelles” feels like a sing-song, lullaby, this was once the land of pirates passing by, legends and lore. Dinner …

Monday Meal Review: Serbia

Oh, goodness. Where to start? As you may already know, tremendous, life-changing things are in the works with National Geographic. I don’t have all the details yet, but what I do know I shared our Facebook page, so go take a peek. Friends, this is pure insanity. All I can say, is that it’s amazing where a little imagination – a little stovetop travel – can take us. Rest assured, when I know more, I’ll be writing it up here on the blog. Until then, we’ll have to settle ourselves with the requisite happy dance and a healthy dose of humble gratitude. What else can we do when National Geographic is on the line? Ironically, everything else this week was pure chaos. All three of us were ill (in day-long, misery-laden shifts, I might add), my cooking was in shambles – I had to remake the musaka twice (the first time Ava gobbled it up eagerly, the second time was post illness and, well, the results are in the video), worse yet, I made the cake three times and at no …

About the Food of Serbia

In the Balkan nation of Serbia you’ll find sleeping giants. They lounge under thick forested coverings, along murmuring streams and shimmering lakes, with nothing but winding roads and wildflowers upon them. In flatter areas, carefully stacked stone walls, forgotten castles, and sagging huts live happily shackled to sunflower fields and lush grasses. Places like this will find a permanent home in your dreams… In this cool, sometimes foggy land – this is where you’ll find hearty country food. Food that fuels. Prebranac, for example – baked beans with paprika and sometimes sausage (something we’ve already enjoyed once on this Adventure), keeps traditional hearths warm. Soft, polenta-like corn bread sops up the juices, perhaps of stuffed peppers or even roasts. Goodness, how her cities clamor up the hillsides. In many ways, I have a sense of deja vu this week, as though I’ve tasted Serbia before. As you can see by all the links, many of her favorite spreads we’ve made before (although, certainly, Serbia has her own variations on these regional favorites). You can add stuffed …

Monday Meal Review: Senegal

“Little by little one catches the monkey in the jungle.” – Senegalese Proverb* A reader recently asked me what my New Year’s Resolutions were. I’m almost loathe to admit that I spent New Year’s Eve fast asleep, head pressed firmly into my dreams, but the reality of the matter is that the only place I wanted to be at midnight was fast asleep in my cozy nest of blankets. Our bedroom holds steady at 64 degrees, guaranteeing that the tip of my nose stays cold all through the night, which makes snuggling all the better. Brrr. To answer the question, though, I’ll say that, while I’ve given up resolutions in the traditional sense, I’ve taken on year-long challenges instead. It sounds the same, but it’s not. These aren’t broad, sweeping resolutions like “lose weight” or “have more fun.” These are small, measurable, and manageable challenges. Little by little, they add up. Plus we start them around Thanksgiving which, I suppose, makes them Gratitude Goals, not New Year’s Resolutions. Last year, for example, we vowed to only …