My first afternoon in Luxembourg, my family took me on a tour. “There’s downtown” my foster dad said. “Where?” I asked, spinning my head around. I looked just in time to see a street blur by. “You missed it,” he deadpanned. It wasn’t until he said, “I’ll turn around” and actually did that I realized he wasn’t kidding. Luxembourg is tiny, yet still ranks as “only” the 24th smallest country in the world. We could cross the entire country in about 45 minutes (the long way). Despite her small size, or perhaps because of it, Luxembourg is an amazingly diverse community. Almost all the locals speak three, sometimes four languages – usually Luxembourgish, English, German, and French. The food is usually characterized as a blend of French and German food, and that is pretty accurate, as long as you account for a healthy dose of country cooking. Most of Luxembourg is very rural, filled with endless rolling hills. Cows and other animals dot the grassy slopes. As you dip in and out of the hills, radio signal …
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THE SCENE: We start off with twelve Lithuanian deviled eggs, more than enough for two adults and a toddler. We each eat one. Mine is gone in 2.8 seconds. Ava takes a minute to nibble on hers. Keith, a.k.a. Mr Picky, barely makes it. He shudders a little and holds his nose while he eats his egg, all in one bite because he simply can’t bare to make it last any longer. This is serious work for him; hard-boiled eggs and mushrooms are two of his least favorite ingredients. Watching him struggle, I can’t help myself. I giggle uncontrollably. The more I feel bad for him, the funnier it gets. He looks at me as he chews. I see payback in his eyes. A twinge of fear runs through me. “They taste a lot better than they smell,” he says. Curious if he means it, I ask him to eat one more. We debate. He begs. I beg. Ava watches us pingball the idea around. She offers him one. Finally, he eats one more, purely for her …
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The holidays are over. We stuffed our wrapping paper back into the closet and swept the confetti into the trash, right on top of the party hats that say 2012. The cookies and the friendly buffets of family favorites are long since gone, replaced by soulless detoxes and way-too-skinny drinks. I know some of us are even thinking about spring – scanning the frozen ground, vainly hoping to see some stray spot of green, willing a warm gust of air to come our way, instead of a moveable wall of ice. But can we just… pause for a second, in the interest of good planning? Would you be very mad if I asked you to make a few presents for next year? Right… now? Hear me out. They say Lithuania has the largest collection of amber in the world – known as the gold of the baltics – but I uncovered a far more enticing “gold” in their liquor cabinets: Krupnikas, or Honey Spirits. This boozy drink tastes like heaven on fire – a sweet, fragrant blend that …
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The other day we took Ava on a hike in the woods and pretended we were exploring Lithuania. We brought a backpack to carry her when she got tired, which I expected to be about three minutes down the trail considering she’s only 2 1/2. Fortyfive minutes later she was still happily scrambling over the trails. That day, Ava walked more than a mile; clearly I’ve been underestimating her tiny baby legs. Now she gets to walk a lot – I let her walk the half mile to the library, school and grocery store. She loves it, singing and running almost the entire way! But there’s a wicked side effect… After every walk she comes down with the hungriest hunger. This week, our Lithuanian menu is partially a solution for this, the appetite of an insatiable toddler. I’d say, given their beautiful forests, they have some experience with hungry hikers like Ava. Lithuanian-inspired Deviled Eggs with Mushrooms [Recipe] I know, I know. But this kid loves her eggs. And her mushrooms. When I read that Lithuanians …
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Every country is special. And I don’t mean that in a trite way. Time and time again, this Adventure has shown me how every country has it’s bragging rights. Well, it turns out lil’ ol’ Lithuania is literally the center of Europe. Not too shabby. Some French researchers figured it out (read more about how they determined this). So, this week, while we dive into the food of Lithuania, let’s imagine ourselves perched atop a picnic blanket on that grey compass which marks this nexus of all things Europe. Since the winters can get very chilly (think sub zero), we’re better off having our picnic in the summer, when it temperatures generally bob around in the 60’s. The food is definitely Baltic, stuffed to the brim with those cold weather comforts like pickled herring, hearty rye everything (bread/ale/kvass/you-name-it), warming soups, and dumplings. But what stood out to me are Lithuania’s wild mushrooms, grown in the shade of her cool forests. The intense flavor of freshly foraged mushrooms makes even the simplest egg dish divine [Recipe] , and …
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THE SCENE: The timer’s high pitched chirp let’s me know; time to serve the King’s Cake. While I’d rather curl up in bed and wait for the fever to subside, the bright scent of orange zest and warm, sweet raisins lure me onward. I pull the hot rolls from the oven and brush them with three coats of apricot glaze. They take on a glossy shine and begin to smell like a fruit orchard in autumn. Then comes the sugar – a snowfall of crunchy, sparkly turbinado goodness. It sticks easily to the glaze. Instantly, my mood lifts. Proudly, I carry the King’s Cake into the living room and offer everyone a slice. As the first hand reaches to take a piece, I dive forward. “Wait!” I cry, swipe the tray away, and rush back into the kitchen. I rummage through the cabinets and emerge a moment later with a single almond. “Noone look,” I laugh slyly, and slip the almond into one of the small rolls, mentally taking note of the location. “Ava,” I say, “would …
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Let’s make the best of this thing called “winter.” Let’s wear our favorite slippers, snuggle up to a cheesy bowl of pasta, homemade applesauce and the most epic King’s Cake around. With a menu like this, there’s really no reason to get out of bed, let alone leave the house. Especially if you get to be Queen for the day. Congratulations, mom! So go ahead, bite into this vegetarian meal from Lichtenstein… (and if you’re looking to make the King’s Cake for Epiphany, the recipe will be up tomorrow). Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to play dress-up with Ava. Morning is an especially good time to play royalty. Or so I’ve heard. *What sounds good to you? Triple Cheesy Pasta with Sweet Onion (Käsknöpfle) [Recipe] Yes, yes, yes. You heard me right. Three cheeses on spaetzel-like pasta. With caramelized onions. That’s Liechtenstein in a nutshell and I want to go there… right now. Wooden Spoon Applesauce [Recipe] The name says it all: so easy to make, all you’ll need is a spoon. PS. You may …
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What’s 16 miles away from you right now? The grocery store? Your favorite museum? Perhaps the beach you like to splash around in during the summer? What about your mother’s house? Or the mountains? Now imagine this: Liechtenstein is exactly 16 miles long (and 4 miles wide). No more, no less. You could cross the entire country in the time it takes you to go to that special place. She’s teeny weeny and, yet, there are still five other countries in the world smaller than her. Awesome. It almost goes without saying that she’s not easy to find. Tucked away in the Alps, between Switzerland and Austria, very few maps write out her name (there usually isn’t room). I had to zoom in 3 times to even see her on google. This, of course, led to a small panic attack when I thought that perhaps I’d dreamed Liechtenstein really existed. Take it from me, she’s real. You just have to zoom in a little. Once you take a closer look, you’ll also find her 30,000 people …
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THE SCENE: I take off Ava’s fuzzy hat and coat, give her a kiss and off she goes – into her classroom. As I turn to leave, her teacher calls after me. “What are you cooking today?” “Libya!” I exclaim, perhaps a bit to excitedly, “I’m trying their version of shortbread. They put a whole clove in them!” “Sounds great!” she smiles, and gets right back to work, helping the kids with the day’s craft project. I pause for a moment to watch them work, admiring how carefully their little hands stamp stars and hearts onto the paper. Thirty minutes later, I am home, ready to work. The Libyan cookies whip up easily and, while they aren’t very sweet, the whole clove makes them taste like the holidays. Once cool enough to handle, I pack them up in tissue-lined tins; red, green, and white. In the afternoon I pick up Ava from school and hand one to each of her teachers as a thank you for their hard work so far this year. Over the …
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When it comes to New Year’s Eve, I’m moody. Some years I want to stay up all night, partying with all the time zones, the whole world over. Some years I am so tired I can’t even stay up to watch the ball drop on TV. More often than not, I’m snoring by 10 p.m. The nice thing about cooking the world is learning that there is most definitely a drink for every mood, no matter what time you drink it – no matter if you’re in a crowd or totally (and happily) alone. So, come along, no matter how you feel, or how you celebrate – let’s get moody this New Year’s … with a global drink from the far corners of the world, just right for where you are right now. Mood #1: The Homebody Feeling sick? Tired? Needing to curl up in a comforter and watch the ball drop from your living room? Try Hot Honey Lemon Vodka from Kyrgyzstan. You’ll be cozy as a clam and happy to boot. Plus the warm drink will …
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If I can pick food up with my fingers, I will. It just… tastes better. And forget double dipping… everyone needs their own dipping bowls in my house because theirs is not safe with me. I’m a triple dipper. Heck, I’m a quadruple dipper. This week, because holiday entertaining is still going strong, and because I’m in the mood for a good dippable snack, I chose finger foods. I found that Libya has some of the best around and – as you can see by Ava’s expression – she definitely agrees. What sounds good to you? Stuffed and Fried Potato Wedges (M’batan Batata) [Recipe] This is the best munchie food in the world. Deep-fried potato wedges stuffed with spiced lamb and parsley. Yep. That about says it all. Oh, except that you can triple dip it all you like in tomato sauce. Yum and awesome. Shortbread Cookies (Ghraiba) [Recipe] Two different cookies made with ghee, one plain and one with a bit of rich cocoa powder. The little balls are topped with cloves and pine nuts for a bit …
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I feel like I’m waking from a long walk in a deep fog. I spent this past weekend in a whirlwind of food, family, friends, and… the flu. I reached 101 on Christmas Day, which was just enough of a temperature to send me off napping for the better part of the afternoon. The interesting side effect was that I was ever more appreciative of the time I was awake and able to spend time with family. Now, as we roll back into normal life – cooking Libya – I find myself soothed by the familiar routine of stovetop travel. Translation? I’m happy as a clam to get back to business. And – P.S. – I missed you. So, here we are. Let’s talk Libya. She’s a large country, mostly covered in sand (a.k.a. the Sahara). This means that the vast majority of Libya’s small population resides along the Mediterannean coast in rather crowded cities. Her people benefit from the same cooling sea as the rest of her neighbors and good thing, too, because the highest …
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