Aren’t Friday’s are just … the best? A day of completion – the week’s end – on the eve of renewal! I hope your Friday is wonderful. For a little entertainment, check out these factoids about Botswana… On the dry side… Two thirds of Botswana is covered by the sands of the Kalahari desert. In these parched areas, a variety of wild melon supply water and nutrition to inhabitants. Vegetables are often salted and dried for preservation. The marama bean, encased in a hard shell and high in protein and oil, is one of the most important sources of nutrition in the Kalahari. When roasted the rich, soft, nutty flavor is a cross between cashew and chestnut. On the wet side… Botswana is home to the sprawling Okavango Delta (also nicknamed the Okavango Swamp), the largest inland delta in the world (17,000 square miles). This area is a critical supplier of water to Botswana and neighboring countries. Okavango is home to big game safaris, where visitors can observe zebras, buffalo, giraffe, lions, and wildebeest. I love …
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Yes, you read that right… loofah. I had no idea that when I began eating food from all around the world, I would end up running across loofah. Turns out, in Botswana, as well as many, many other countries, Loofah is common eats. The more I read about it, the more I realize that Loofah is not so “exotic” as I originally thought. Whoa, now. Before you run off to your bathroom to slice and dice and cook up your loofah, let me explain. When I say loofah is common eats, I don’t mean the dry, hay colored, scratchy, back and callous scrubber… like the one you have next to your bathtub: I don’t think any amount of steaming, boiling, frying, or beating could make those loofahs tender. They come from the old, crusty loofah plant, the one that’s toughened up with age. What they actually eat is the tender, young loofah. When picked fresh, the green loofah plant is slightly softer than a cucumber and slightly crispier than a zucchini. When cooked, the flavor is mild …
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Today is a great day. While learning about the food of Botswana, I raised my eyebrows at least five times. I love days like that. Plus, I almost convinced my husband we were going to be eating worms. That’s right. Worms. You should have seen his face. The people of Botswana prize Mopane worms as a national specialty. This unusual delicacy is actually a caterpillar who earned its name by feeding on the local Mopane tree. The worms are eaten fresh, dried, or canned with tomato sauce or hot sauce. Most families are able to harvest them from the trees near their homes. Luckily we don’t have any Mopane worms in our backyard, so we won’t be eating any for this week’s Global Table. Keith is relieved, to say the least. I hope you’re not disappointed. Speaking of points… take a look at this thing! In general, meat is saved for special occasions, including beef, goat, and chicken. Preparation is simple – pieces of meat are slowly simmered with onion until very soft, then pounded into small …
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This is meal #22 as I cook and eat food from all around the world. This weekend’s Global Table Adventure brought us to our knees. The incredible flavors of Bosnia and Herzegovina will suit those who enjoy the bright, bold flavors of Mediterranean and Eastern European foods. While nothing is incredibly complicated, the entire meal flows together like a happy love song. Chopped Salad (Sopska Salata) [Recipe] What I liked most about this dish: A refreshing accompaniment to grilled meat, Sopska Salata is a delightful summertime salad. There’s no denying it. Tomato, pepper, red onion, and feta were made to go together. I could eat this salad for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. In fact, I did just that with the leftovers! Please tell me I’m not alone – surely someone else eats leftover salad for breakast? Someone? Anyone?! Anyway, you can add lettuce if you want to stretch this recipe to feed more people. What I liked least about this dish: I only have one regret – I could not use my own produce in this …
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We’ve made it to another Friday! If you live in the United States, have a wonderful holiday weekend! We’ll be celebrating Miss Ava’s first birthday on Sunday…. 🙂 Here are our fun facts for Bosnia & Herzegovina: Have a heart! Bosnia and Herzegovina is nicknamed the “Heart Shaped Land” due to the country’s slight heart shape. What’s in a name? The name “Bosnia” comes from an Indo-European word, “Bosana.” Bosana means”water.” Bosnia is full of beautiful rivers, lakes, waterfalls (one is well over 3oo feet high), and a strip of the Adriatic sea. Herzegovina is named for Herceg Stjepan, an ancient ruler. Culinary Traditions There are three culinary traditions in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Croatian, Serbian and Boshniakian. Forget fast food! Try a Bosnian “hamburger” The meat for Cevapi sausages (a recipe will be provided on Monday) can also be used to make Pljeskavice. Just add peppers and onion to the ground mixture! Although difficult to pronounce, they are easy to eat! Simply put the patties in a thick Bosnian Pita with some onion and tomato! Agriculture …
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Good morning! Let’s wake up, Bosnian style, and sip a shot of robust, Bosnian coffee. What is Bosnian Coffee? When someone says they had Bosnian coffee, they are referring to the method of preparation. This method (also referred to as Turkish coffee) is used all over the Middle East, the Balkans, and North Africa. Although there are many steps, each one is critical to making a good cup. And by good cup I mean a GOOD cup. The effort is worth it! The coffee beans for Bosnian coffee must be ground into a superfine powder. So fine, in fact, that it looks a lot like hot cocoa. You may purchase “Turkish Coffee” for this purpose at any Middle Eastern grocer. (Tulsa, here’s your local connection: Middle Eastern Market). If you have Colombian espresso, you can use it as long as you grind it super duper fine – until it disintegrates into a fluffy powder. The coffee cups: Bosnian coffee is served in small, espresso cups (also referred to as demi-tasse). Sounds fancy, but you can just …
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Oh, Bosnia and Herzegovina. No one told me! I feel as though a secret was kept from me all these years. Mountains. Valleys. Rushing waterfalls. Seaside resorts. As I looked through photos and videos of this country I am struck by how incredibly beautiful and timeless the land remains. Like the Sound of Music meets Clash of the Titans… or…. something like that. Last night I put a travel voucher under Keith’s pillow and a pair of clogs by his bedside. Do you think he’ll get the hint? He still hasn’t said anything… But how could I not be seduced by Bosnia and Herzegovina? In the rugged mountains there lives a people devoted to the old way of life. Families pass down recipes from generation to generation, celebrating simple flavors drawn out slowly. You’ll find freshly grilled meats, baked beans, stewed vegetables, and syrupy sweet desserts. You’ll even see braised meats cooked in earthenware pots. They make plum brandy, wine, and cheese. What more does a person need? Typically Balkan, Bosnian cuisine reflects the best parts of …
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This is meal #21/195 as we cook and eat our way around the world. Our Bolivian Global Table used in-season produce and simple, home-style cooking. My biggest challenge this week was getting what I needed from the store. I went 4 times and still had to borrow a half cup of frozen peas from my neighbor and friend. Thankfully she had some or I’d have to load Ava back into the car for yet another trip to the store. I don’t know for sure, but I’m willing to bet it was a full moon because on my walk home the bag of peas split open and I lost about half them. Thankfully, there were still enough for the recipe. Despite the shopping and cooking crazies, I eventually got the meal together. My taste buds were glad. My stomach was even gladder. Bolivian Avocado & Tomato Salad [Recipe] What I like most about this dish Tender, buttery avocado is one of my all-time favorites; fill one with juicy tomatoes and I don’t stand a chance. This …
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Learn about Bolivian Chuños, freeze dried potatoes that have a shelf life of ten years. These things are incredible. And I’m not sure if I mean that in a good or a bad way. What do you think?
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The highs and lows of Bolivian cuisine In the highlands the people enjoy potato, corn, cheese, and spicy hot food. In the lowlands, they navigate towards bananas, maize, rice, and cassava. Mama Spud… The domestic potato, known to the Incans as Mama Jatha (“Mother of Growth”), was first cultivated high in the Andes mountains near Lake Titicaca about 7,000 years ago. Today this area straddles Bolivia and Peru. It’s Potato O’clock! The ancient Inca used the potato to measure time. Boy: How long does it take to walk to the post office? Girl: 1/2 as long as boiling a potato. Boy: Great! I’ll be there in no time 🙂 Homemade beverages If you see a white flag outside a home in Bolivia, its beckoning wave means there is chicha for sale. Chica is a South American home brew that can be made from a number of ingredients, but fermented cassava and maize are most common in Bolivia. The flavor has been compared to hard cider, although this varies greatly depending on the main ingredient and brewing process. Flatter than a …
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But let’s get back to the potato. According to Jose Sanchez, author of My Mother’s Bolivian Kitchen, there are over 1,200 kinds of Bolivian potatoes. With so many varieties, Bolivians are the number one consumer of potatoes in the world; they eat them about as many ways and in as many dishes as the Bahamians eat conch. For starters, they boil, bake, steam, fry, and freeze dry them. They like potatoes so much that they even put a few different ones together in a dish. For example, stews often include boiled and freeze-dried potatoes. Freeze-dried potatoes are called Chuno. Chuno takes at least five days of work to make and involves several freeze-thaw cycles and stomping the potatoes with clean, bare feet. The end product looks a lot like a rock and vaguely like a little like a shrunken head. I’ve read the shelf life is anywhere from 10 years to forever. Awesome! Originally part of the Inca empire, many Bolivian recipes are influenced by the indigenous Indian culture as well as the Spanish. Dried …
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This is meal #20 in my personal challenge to eat one meal from every country in the world. Last week, during our Beninese Global Table, we were in the midst of expelling an evil kidney stone. I’m sad to say the misery continues. Poor Keith is a trooper, but he’s getting a little ansy to do something besides pain pills. I have high hopes that this week’s Bhutanese Global Table will get Keith’s Kidney Stone a-movin.’ All that spice and butter has to be good for something (besides tasty goodness). Keep your fingers crossed. Butter Grilled Poblanos [Recipe] What I like most about this dish: I love the mild heat of roasted poblanos in the summer, especially when the heat index is 105 (that’s Oklahoma for ya!). So what about poblanos stuffed with butter and grilled? To borrow an Oklahoman expression, I “might-could” marry one. After two simple minutes of prep, the forest green pepper takes on a rich, smoky flavor that goes well with just about anything. What’s better than that? Oh yeah. I …
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