Let’s climb around the mountains of Lebanon, shall we? Depending on the time of year, we might find a heavy haze of snow. In the hush and slush we can work up an appetite. Lebanon’s very name is inspired by her snow-capped mountains – Lebanon literally means white land. And, even in the humid summers, when the snow has long since melted, the sandy-sandstone still looks white. Let’s pick our way between needly cedars, crumbly rocks, and thin brush, to our first meal. Your host will certainly welcome you with a bowl of nuts and, if a baby was recently born, with a cup of hot tea called Ainar served with nuts at the bottom of the teacup [recipe]. After tea, you might be served a mezze – an assortment of little dishes – including tabbouleh or hummus or or kibbeh (a blend of meat and bulgur, served raw or deep fried), baba ghanoush [recipe] or even kababs. So put on your smile, load up your plate, one item at a time, and get to digging. …
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97 Over the last (almost) two years we’ve eaten meals from 97 countries* of the world. That means we’ve eaten just about half the world. Deep breath. Smile. Yum. We’re on our way. 12 In addition, I’ve met more than a dozen people exactly when I needed them to help me cook their countries. And when I say exactly, I mean in the week or days leading up to the country in question. Some straight-up knocked on my door, some were my checkout girls at Whole Foods, others were random mommies at library story times, while still others reached out via email.** Meeting someone who could help me with my recipes exactly when I needed them once is cool. Twice is a little creepy. More than a dozen times? Totally and completely epic. What does it all mean? The stars have aligned. I am on the right path. Correction: we’re on the right path. And I officially have goosebumps. 367 I’ve cooked a total of 367 recipes (what!?) from around the world. I about pass out when I read that number. Three hundred and sixty seven recipes. It’s true. …
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While I am a stuff-my-face-with-turkey-and-gratitude kind of gal, I’m decidedly not a get-up-at-three-am-to-go-shopping kind of gal. Still, I love the satisfaction of finding just the right gift for just the right person. After all, what’s better than a moment like this, when you open up an entire world with a simple book … … or when you can practically smell the flowers of the world when you turn the page… … or when you get lost in a dream of snuggling in a hammock bed… … yes, just the right gift is worth a little looking. But can we just do it after breakfast, please? Or maybe next week? Thanks. YOUR VERY GLOBAL GIFT GUIDE (Click the titles for more information) Welcome to my list of globally inspired holiday gifts. It’s a hodge-podge of items, with a heavy emphasis on gifts for the very young child. Because, let’s face it, that’s my life right now. P.S. See if your local shops carry these items. You might be surprised. 1. COMAL GRIDDLE I purchased a carbon steel comal griddle at my …
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I’d like to frost my hair. Not in the 80’s “cool-hip-extra-frosted-spiky-tips” way, but with actual frosting. That way I could nibble on my hair whenever I got peckish. And, if given the choice, I definitely would live in a gingerbread house, like the witch in Hansel and Gretel. But I wouldn’t be a witch; I’d simply eat candy all day long. And lots, and lots of frosting. Today, in the spirit of all things frosting and candy, I give you the winner of the local division of our Gingerbread for Peace. Yay! Hurrah! Clap, clap, clap! P.S. You can still enter the contest (the remaining prize packages exceed $500 value) and look at the gallery of entries (cute, cute, cuteness). Get your gingerbread on for peace! “FEASTING AT THE GLOBAL BANQUET” Winner of the “Best in Tulsa” Philbrook Prize Package by Girl Scout Troop 94 Everything about this entry was spot on. It emphasized harmony… … and peace… Wait, back up. Was that chow mein with a pair of chop sticks?! Yes, yes it was. In fact, this …
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Hi Friends! This week we’re taking a break from our A-Z cooking Adventures for the week. I’m not sure what to make of that. I feel sort of exposed. Vulnerable. Like I’m in one of those dreams in which I am not dressed appropriately for the situation. Like… at all. At this point, 2 years into the Adventure, I feel like I should constantly be cooking something crazy wonderful for you to enjoy – for us to enjoy! But, here’s the thing… we have several important matters to attend to this week and I want to give each matter it’s proper due. This is the big one! We’re coming up on our halfway mark! We’re rounding the corner to the downhill treck! It’s amazing and you’re amazing for being a part of this journey. I so appreciate you and your support. We have a super-cute winning gingerbread house from Tulsa to celebrate (don’t worry, you can still enter for the big prizes!). I can’t say too much, but you are going to love, love, …
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THE SCENE: Birth day. Ava’s nephew. Keith’s grandson. Kaiden Ray. He is here and he is beautiful. The night he was born Ava held this oh-so-new life on her tiny lap, so amazed. Spellbound. Once a few minutes went by, she honed in on her most serious concern for this tiny being. She wanted to know if Kaiden would have toys to play with. “Kaiden have toys?” she asked Alexis, his mother. “He doesn’t need toys right now,” she smiled, still radiant the way a new mother is. “One toy.” Ava insisted, her brow furrowing in increased concern. The entire room chuckled. One toy, okay? she repeated, not seeing what was so funny. A few days later the new family went home with their little boy and we were back to our old routines. It was dinner time. We’d already had the Latvian birthday cake in honor of Kaiden. We’d already had the apple pancakes in honor of apple season. Today was simply a day for pork chops and cranberry sauce. Simple, nothing fancy. But sweet …
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Birthdays are fun but birth days are even more so. Family and friends hugging, smiling, crying – everyone in wide eyed at the wonder of a new child’s most innocent gaze. Since Keith’s grandson was born last week, I thought it appropriate to make a birthday cake in his honor. I sought out such a thing in Latvia,only to find something very unexpected. Latvians have a tradition of baking pretzel-shaped sweet bread – not exactly cake – and topping it with candles. The Klingeris, as its called, can be used to celebrate birthdays and name days – which, as it sounds, is the day dedicated to celebrating your particular name. From what I’ve read, Latvians celebrate name days with gifts and parties, and often these celebrations are even larger than their standard birthday celebrations. So let’s get to celebrating, Latvian-style. Welcome to the world, little Kaiden Ray. Recipe inspired by Latvia (Cultures of the World, Second), in which this treat is called by the more Scandinavian name Kringel) Makes 1 large pretzel Ingredients: 2 tsp yeast 1/2 …
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The leaves are falling, orange, red and gold, making the trees look like scratchy skeletons. The days are short; night falls before dinner is over. We all have head colds. Something drastic has to be done in times like these; I had to improve the situation. So, I did what any normal person would do. I served up an entire menu of sweets for our Latvian Global Table. Sweets always make everything better. Yes, a happy collection of apples, cranberries, and sweet bread is just the ticket. What sounds good to you? Latvian Apple pancakes [Recipe] Apples are at their best right now. Start of the morning with a bite of these thin apple pancakes, seasoned with cinnamon and cardamom. The final touch? A scoop of yogurt inside and a drizzled of honey on the outside. Baltic Cranberry Sauce [Recipe] Latvians love a nice piece of pork with cranberry sauce. Let’s be honest, the sweet-tart flavor of cranberries can make shoe leather taste good. Latvian Birthday Cake (Klingeris) [Recipe] Technically, this is not so much a cake as a …
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Maybe it’s this time of year – when the days are wrapped up in the hustle and bustle of holiday preparations and living so far away from my Bostonian roots feels so excruciatingly wrong – but five minutes into cracking the book on Latvia and I felt like I was in New England. Wishful thinking? Perhaps. But, with Latvian’s weighing in with favorite foods like apples, cranberries, meat, potatoes, and gingerbread – it’s hard not to draw the comparison. Apples make their way into sauces, pancakes [Recipe], ciders, breads, pastries and more. Cranberries are whipped up into layered bread puddings, traditional cranberry sauces [Recipe], and jellies. Meats are stewed and potatoes are served alongside, often boiled. And gingerbread? It makes its way into cookies [recipe], houses [epic], and more. The deeper I dug however, the more I realized the resemblance to my hometown ended there. Latvia is loaded up with other dishes I haven’t seen anywhere near Boston. Just for starters, there’s aspic (gelatinous savory jellies filled with chunks of meat and vegetables), sauerkraut, fishy potatoes (tossed with herring and smoked …
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THE SCENE: Getting it right “Sometimes when I eat Asian food I get sad,” Keith says. He’s leaning on the counter. This is new. Keith is not one for drama. I look at him, searching his face, wondering what past trauma has chosen to bubble up. I am bewildered. “Why?” “Because it reminds me of how long I waited to try it.” He stares at the cabinets, seeming to look through them. “Most of my life,” he quietly adds. I pause, staring at him, contemplating his handsome 41 year-old face. Is this possible? More than three decades without Asian food? “Didn’t you have egg rolls? Chinese buffets? Something…” “No, they were cabbagy. And no, not really.” I can’t help but feel a glimmer of pride, thinking back to moments earlier, when Ava, Keith and I sipped and slurped on our Foe – Laos’ epic “build your own” soup. Keith had happily lapped up his bowl of rice noodles, raw beef doused in boiling broth and loaded up with plenty of herbs. It doesn’t get more …
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Considering I knew nothing about Laos prior to this Adventure, there was quite a bit of excitement this week. The more I read about the food the more butterflies I got. Delicious. Warming. Fresh. But when I shut the books the butterflies kept coming. I thought perhaps it was because we’ve had two earthquakes in 2 days. Or because during the second earthquake we had a tornado warning. And then I realized it is because Keith is going to be a grandfather any.minute.now. And by extension, me too – in a stepmotherly sort of way. Oh goodness. And the world keeps on turning. Or is it… as the world turns… What sounds good to you?* Jeow [Recipe] Laos’ answer to salsa. Spicy, roasted, and fingerlicking good. Instead of corn chips, however, enjoy Jeow with a happy handful of sticky, sticky rice. Sticky, Sticky Rice [Recipe] Glutinous rice is the staple of Laos. This short-grained rice is soaked overnight then steamed in a wicker basket or bamboo steamer. Because the grains stick together, the rice is typically pressed …
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Sometimes I feel like a knight in shining armor, valiantly seeking to uncover the holy grail of food from each country we visit on this Adventure. A Knight of the Global Table, if you will. Well. Not two minutes into my quest to learn all about Laos I randomly ran across this popular breakfast item: baguette drizzled with sweetened condensed milk. What? How? Why? Well, the fact is it’s true and I love it! Here’s why: while not necessarily the holy grail of Laos, this unusual treat tells us two very real truths about food in Laos. First, simplicity rules all. Second, influence from her days as a French colony remains strong. For those of you shaking your heads, let me expand our discussion. I’ll be the first to admit that breakfast in Laos is much, much more than this odd treat. Perhaps the holy grail is Foe [Recipe], or Lao rice noodle soup made with beef, chicken, or pork. The real fun is personalizing your bowl with loads of fresh herbs – anything from mint …
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