About the food of Comoros, the Congo, and the Democratic Republic of Congo

I’ve been known to do things out of order. Once in a while I’ll  even eat my dessert before dinner. Well… this week I mistakenly skipped the entire country of Comoros. I had no idea. My head was in the clouds.  I did all my shopping on Friday and spent Saturday cooking the Congo (with what limited time Ava’s nap allows, anyway). Our Congolese meal was barely over when I decided to crack open my atlas to see what country was next. And thus, my error revealed itself. I’m a wee little bit obsessive so I decided to buck up and cook Comoros anyway. That same night. What can I say. I didn’t want to screw up my nice, neat little A-Z list. The result? You’ll get three great Global Table meals in one week! The bonus? I’ve built in a little holiday vacation from my world cooking Adventures for Thanksgiving and Christmas. About the food of Comoros Comoros is made up of three small islands off the southeast shores of Africa. While the food is …

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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 …

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Video Saturday: Colombia (plus winner is announced)

Today really is a happy Saturday! I’ve been smiling, ear to ear, reading your entries to our book giveaway. I am impressed with all of you; what Adventurous foodies you are! Thank you for participating, reading, and being my online buddies. I’m the luckiest girl in the world 🙂 Random.org chose the winner for me (thank goodness because otherwise I would have never been able to) Congratulations to Katie! Katie said: I love experimenting with different recipes and incorporating new ingredients. I think it is important to not only expose our children to different cultures and tastes but also that variety makes for a healthier diet. This summer we grew thai chiles, tomatillos and asian green beans in our Maryland garden. Contact me at sasha @ globaltableadventure dot com to claim your prize – one copy of Linda Bladholm’s book Latin & Caribbean Grocery Stores Demystified! Yay 🙂 And now for a couple of videos: First, beautiful Colombian Ceviche and other dishes. The use of citrus is ubiquitous. And, did you know, 900,000,000 kg of coffee …

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World Food Giveaway (with poll)

Because the leaves are changing, and because I’m feeling fiesty, let’s do a book giveaway. And not just any book give away. This is a “must have” book for anyone who loves Latino/Caribbean food. (Mmmm, doesn’t everyone?) The book: Latin & Caribbean Grocery Stores Demystified by Linda Bladholm There’s nothing I enjoy more than plunging into one of Miami’s many latin markets with Linda at my side–and now you can, too, wherever you live. Her carefully researched, clearly presented information will let you shop with confidence. And her charming and enthusiastic approach will make it fun. This indispensable guide will turn your trepidation into delight. –Kathy Martin, Food Editor, The Miami Herald How to win: I’m guessing that you read this web site because you are interested in international food, travel, and culture. Awesome. Or you are standing by to see if I actually can cook one meal for every country in the world! Or perhaps you just like watching videos of cute babies eating international food…. which, trust me, I get. Super-duper. Either way…. …

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About the Food of Colombia

At the tippity-top of South America sits the great country called Colombia. Colombians benefit from a varied landscape, from mountains and rainforest – typical of South America, to sun-bleached Caribbean beaches. To quote National Geographic (and the prettiest sentence I’ve read in recent history – it actually makes me hungry for sand)… Wedged between Venezuela to the east, Brazil to the south, and the Caribbean to the north, it’s the only country in South America whose sugared beaches are lapped by both the Atlantic and Pacific. If this sentence also made you hungry, Colombian food will satisfy. Aside from their world famous coffee, the food and drink is hearty and plentiful. Eggs and meat provide the basis for most meals. Avocado and corn also contribute to an endless bounty of salads, dressings, sauces, tamales, and breads. The “national dish” is considered bandeja paisa, a giant platter filled with meats, sausages, fried eggs, beans, rice, fried plantains, salad, and cornmeal fritters. I’m not exactly sure how all that food could possibly count for just one dish! …

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Monday Meal Review: China

You might not believe me when I say this, but I love mean chefs. The chef reputed to be one of the “meanest” at the Culinary Institute of America was my Cuisines of Asia chef. I was terrified at the thought of taking his class. After all, I was not an experienced sous chef, like many of the students. In fact, prior to the CIA, I was mostly just a book nerd who loved food history and experimenting in the kitchen. However, in the three weeks I was in his class, I quickly learned that what students called “mean” was really just an unwaivering demand for excellence. He lost his temper when students were lazy, sloppy, and disinterested. However, he was the most kind, generous chef to those who cared about their studies. He went out of his way to demonstrate techniques to me because he could tell I really wanted to learn – despite my lack of experience. If that’s what it is to be mean, I’ll take it! What can I say. I’m …

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Video Saturday: China

This first video is just a thirdy second Travel Channel promo but I couldn’t believe the beautiful shots of Northeast China – I had no idea this area was so extremely COLD and architecturally stunning. It certainly makes me appreciate our 70 degree weather here in Tulsa, Oklahoma! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Y_SqitVDjc Bourdain eats roast duck in China: Bourdain eats Dim Sum in Hong Kong:

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A Chinese Proverb and 100 Year Old Eggs

My new favorite proverb comes from China: “Never hit a dog with a meat-bun.” The saying indicates that punishment with a reward is doomed for failure, and that one must be careful when choosing how to solve problems. A traditional Chinese place setting includes the following items: bowl plate chopsticks spoon warm, damp towels (instead of napkins) Chinese aphrodisiac foods (the kind that make your heart go pitter-patter) include: shark fin swallow nest tiger bones hundred-year-old eggs What are hundred-year-old eggs? Why duck eggs that have been preserved about three months: […the eggs] are enclosed in a coating made of lime, mud, saltpetre, fragrant herbs and rice straw […] They can be eaten after the third month, but their smell grows stronger with age. When they are broken out of their covering, the eggs are black and shiny. Larousse Gastronomique I hope you have a most wonderful Friday!

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About the Food of China

China is giant, offering up 24 classical regional cuisines within six time zones. To my highly untrained eye, the widest part of China looks to be about the width of North Africa. That’s some serious diversity. Overall, Chinese value the spiritual and physical beauty of food as much as the nutritive qualities. Harmony is important – many dishes are designed to balance salty, bitter, sweet, and sour elements, not to mention crunchy versus soft textures. Additionally, hours can be spent preparing trimmings – carving vegetables and fruit, for example. Typical seasonings and aromatics include ginger, bean paste, soy sauce, oyster sauce, green onion, sesame and peanut oil. The four most “talked about” cuisines are Peking (from north Beijing), Szechuan/Sichuan (from south central/western China), Cantonese (in the south),  and Shanghai (to the east). Peking Peking, home of the Peking duck, is in northeast China where it is too cold to grow rice. As a result, wheat is the primary crop.   The area is known for hearty meat dishes, braises, and barbecue. They also like roasts …

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Monday Meal Review: Chile

Sugar on chicken casserole. Lard in yeast-risen rolls. Cookies that don’t taste like cookies. Ice cream without an ice cream maker. This week’s Chilean Global Table was a fascinating learning experience. And rich. So very, very rich. Without further ado, here’s my review. Now, please excuse me while I …ahem… change into my elastic pants. Chicken Pastel del Choclo [Recipe] What I liked most about this: This is hearty Chilean comfort food. The corn releases sweet juices over the savory chicken blend, making the entire casserole moist. Although the sugary corn and raisins are an unlikely contrast to the briney olives and egg, the mixture works. The spices are mild, but the blend of cumin, cinnamon, and paprika pulls the entire dish together. What I liked least about this dish: I think I’d skip browning the casserole under the broiler next time, unless I can be more vigilant. The sugar turns deep brown super quickly and, although this is tasty, my version looked almost burnt and I would be hesitant to serve a casserole like …

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Good Vibes to Chile (with poll)

The Chilean Miners Please join me in sending a basket of good vibes over to the 33 Chilean miners who’ve been trapped underground since August 5th. They could be freed anytime between next week and November. It just depends on how long the digging machines take to finish their jobs. Each miner will take three hours to lift out of the mine, in a very narrow, bullet looking contraption. Three hours, lifted through rock, a half mile tall, but nearly touching both shoulders. Just the thought makes my chest feel tight. Here’s a complete story from a few weeks ago. Chilean meal times: Lunchtime is celebrated in Chile. Often a leisurely affair, complete with appetizer, main course, and light dessert, lunch falls in the middle of the afternoon – usually between 1 and 3 pm. About the time my family eats dinner (5-7 pm), Chileans are eating “Onces.” They’ll usually put on a pot of tea or coffee and eat some bread, rolls, pastries, or even sandwiches. I’m already in my pajamas when Chileans eat dinner. They …

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