Dominica, you reveal my dark side. The scheming, cruel woman within. You see, I had ulterior motives for putting “Mountain Chicken” our menu this week. Although I was a little nervous to try this strange creature, I really wanted to see Mr. Picky’s reaction. I imagined him gleefully exclaiming “Mmm, fried chicken.” Then I played out the moment when, just as he took a big bite, I would mutter “ribbit” under my breath. When he questioned me I would burst out “Mountain chicken is frog!” and laugh like a mad woman. Unfortunately, things didn’t quite play out that way. The secret slipped. The worst part? When he found out, he nonchalantly replied… “Oh, frogs? Cool. I used to catch those in the creek with my buddies and cook them on a campfire.” You should of seen my face. So much for Mr. Picky. Callaloo (Caribbean Green Soup) [Recipe] This thick soup often includes dark green callaloo and pig tails but our version substitutes readily available spinach and ham bone. Slowly simmered with okra, habenero pepper, coconut …
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A-hoy mate… raaawr… huh? What? No, really. Combine Pirates of the Caribbean and Jurassic Park and you’ve got a fair charicature of Dominca. This Caribbean island (with zero relation to the Dominican Republic) is odd as far as the Caribbean goes. The island looks like a “land-before-time,” filled with colossal green mountains, sky-scraper trees, and waterfalls that dangle like crystal chandeliers. There’s not much in the way of soft sandy beaches but there’s no shortage of mind-blowing outdoor excursions either, hence the nickname “Nature Lover’s Island.” So where do the pirates come in? Well, for starters real pirates loved to hang out in Dominca because, as the last island to be colonized (due to the difficult mountain terrain), it was considered “no-man’s-land.” That’s right folks. Once upon a time there was looting and shooting and merriment around the town. More recently, Pirates of the Caribbean was shot on Dominca, utilizing the extraordinary backdrop of stringy, drippy tree-trunks and swampy waterways. So what about the food? One “jumpy” contender stands out thanks to the lush vegetation …
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I ladled the thick batter into the pan and pushed it around. Sizzle-sounds swizzled through the air. A few moments later air bubbles sluggishly began to push their way through the batter. Pop. Pop…. pop. Mr Picky walked over and sniffed the batter. “What is this stuff? It smells weird.” “Laxoox, from Djibouti, but I’m not sure how to pronounce it. It’s got yeast in it. Like, for bread.” “Oh,” he said, perking up at the word bread. We leaned against the counter and watched as the bubbles slowly dried out. Tick, tick, tick. I shifted my weight around a bit. This was a lot like watching paint dry, but without the noxious fumes and I was a lot hungrier. Eventually the glossy sheen was replaced by a soft, dull surface. Perfect, I said, scooping the finished flatbread up and taking a giant bite. Mr. Picky’s eyes got huge. “You’ll burn your …” “Tongue..?” I interrupted, “Nah. Want a bite?” He looked at the pocked surface carefully. “Is it good?” “Yeah, dip it in honey.”I said, as I swooped it …
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I don’t know about you, but I cook standing up. I never gave it any thought until today. It’s just what I do in my daily cooking routine. To add some pizzaz to my routine I even bought an apron. It has a sage green floral print and makes me look very tidy. Until you look down and see that I’m wearing fuzzy slippers (shh, don’t tell Fly Lady). So, what does this have to do with Djbouti? Just the other day, American blogger “Djibouti Jones” had a friend over for dinner. A Djiboutian friend. That friend asked her lots of questions. It was her last question that floored me. She asked “Why do you cook standing up?” Think about that for a minute. Soak it in. Ask yourself that very question. Why do I cook standing up? What cultural assumptions am I a part of… without even realizing it! Amazing. Turns out, in Djibouti, many people cook squatting or sitting around a fire. Different technique… different “normal” but, guess what? Dinner still comes out grand. …
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Serves 6-8 I could confetti dozens (hundreds!) of newlyweds with all the rice we’ve made for our Adventures around the world. While they’ve all been incredible, I’m here to tell you that Rainbow Rice takes the cake for beauty, novelty, and fun factor. Want your own festival on a plate? Here are 5 important tips to making perfect Rainbow Rice: Only use one or two colors to dye the rice. Any more becomes a bit… chaotic. Make a theme out of it – pink for a baby shower, red and green for Christmas, orange and red for Thanksgiving, etc. Only dye a little bit of rice (maybe 1/4 cup of cooked rice per color) so that the dominant color is white. Use a lot of dye for a more dramatic effect. To avoid color bleeding: let the dyed rice air out and finish steaming before mixing with the other rice. It helps to dye the rice from the top of the pot, which is naturally drier than the rice at the bottom of the pot. …
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A little bonus post, in honor of New Year’s Eve… Global Table-style! My party days are long over (unless you count staying up all night with a sick baby). Still, I appreciate a good drink on a special occasion. When it comes to New Year’s Eve, I’m in bed long before the ball drops – I don’t even stay up to watch it on TV (I don’t have one). Last year I went to bed at 10pm. I’m aware that I’m developing elderly tendencies a little too soon. I’m aware that I’m incredibly unhip. But my cushy, cozy, amaaaazing bed is just too tempting, especially when my eyelids are drooping. And, for what it’s worth, Mr. Picky agrees. Whether you are a big drinker or not, New Year’s Eve is a great excuse to educate yourself about international customs and try something new. I’ve run across several tasty drinks on my culinary tour of the world; here’s a quick rundown of some beverages you might try this New Year’s Eve (whatever you do… please, please, please, be …
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Food coloring fun, one-sided “pancakes,” and one pot wonders… we’ve made it to Djibouti. This east African country really has a way with flavors – rich, bold, and warmly spiced – yet so simple to put together. I mean, what cook wouldn’t love a whole grain “pancake” that you don’t have to flip? I’m officially in love. Even Mr. Picky wasn’t so picky this week. And that’s a good thing. Rainbow Rice Palau (Dyed Rice) [Recipe] Brighten up the dinner table with the vivid colors of Rainbow Rice. One bite fills your mouth with warm cinnamon, cumin, cardamom and more. Traditionally served for special holidays – try any combination of colors to coordinate with your special day. Djiboutian Lamb & Rice (Skoudehkaris) [Recipe] A one pot dish of lamb stewed with tomatoes, onion, rice, cayenne, cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, and a teeny pinch of cloves. Yeast-Risen Flatbread (Laxoox) [Recipe] This yeast-risen flatbread/pancake can be eaten with sweet or savory food. It is browned on one side only – try it topped with lamb stew or dipped …
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Djibouti: if you’re pronouncing the name of this African country right, English-speaking people will raise their eyebrows. Try it out – “dja booty.” The word has had endless inappropriate puns associated with it. But let’s move past the unusual name… to the unusual food situation. According to doctor’s without borders, less than 1/2 of 1 percent of the small, arid landscape can be farmed. As a result, most food is imported and expensive. I’ve read accounts of eggs costing seven dollars a dozen. Seven dollars! Meals are a blend of Middle Eastern, Somali, French, and other regional influences. Imagine slaughtering your own meat. Would you have the stomach for it? In Djibouti, the practice is fairly common – meat is purchased “living” and then, when feast day arrives, the animal is slaughtered and prepared. Lamb is particularly popular and is served in association with special holidays such as the Islamic one, Eid al-Adha. The national dish, called Skoudekharis, is a one pot dish of rice and includes generous portions of lamb [Recipe]. I found an incredible blog by the mom …
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Power tools, fireplaces, and an entire town made of “gingerbread” – today is all about gingerbread. First up, the winning entry to our Global Gingerbread Contest: Here’s the story behind her house: As a recent graduate with a degree in European History and a concentration in Slavonic/East European Studies, I really wanted my “international/foreign” house to reflect that region. While I originally hoped to incorporate some designs common to Psyanki or Wycinanki (aka, ornately dyed easter eggs and polish paper cuttings), I eventually settled on creating a little house inspired by the Slovak village of Čičmany. This tiny village is well known for its beautiful folk architecture that has been carefully maintained and preserved over the years–all the buildings are covered in a variety of white-painted patterns and designs. As a result, the houses really do look something like life-sized gingerbread houses! While the village is, of course, quite unique, I believe it does reflect many motifs and values that are common through the last few hundred years of Eastern European folk tradition. It also …
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Mayday, mayday! I opened and closed the fridge about 10 ten times. Nothing to eat. Nothing to offer guests. Each time I peered in, I hoped for a different result (there had to be something in there besides baby yogurt and beets… seriously) but … nope… there I was – December 22 – with a full house and no nom noms or drinks. To be fair, I wasn’t expecting three dear friends to drop by all at once (one of which hadn’t had breakfast or lunch due to a busy, busy morning) … but then again… it’s Christmas week… Now that I am fully traumatized (and my friends half starved to death), I’d like to share some wisdom: During the holiday season, always have an impromptu party on standby! You can learn from my mistakes and have the ingredients for this super easy snack and one of these two traditional Christmas drinks ready to go … you know, should someone decide to pop over to bring you a gift. And then you won’t have to serve …
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I’d rather not eat pancakes if I have to use a knife and fork. I much prefer tearing them into small, irregular pieces before dipping – just barely – into maple syrup and taking a bite. Licking my fingers completes the happy process. Yes… I love eating with my fingers (don’t you?). And, from what I’ve read, I’m in good company around the world. Here’s ten international, absolutely fabulous ideas to get you through this finger-lickin’ party season. 1. Camarao Grelhado Piri Piri (Grilled Prawns with Peppers) 2. Beef Empanadas 3. Armenian Stuffed Grape Leaves (Yalanchi Sarma) 4. Armenian Spiced Feta (Brinza) 5. Spicy Meatballs with Pomegranate sauce (Fesinjan Kyufta) 6. Himalayan Fruit Salad 7. Brazilian Romeo and Juliet (Romeu e Julieta) 8. Spicy Kielbasa Buns/Klobasneks/Klobasnikis (Klobásové Buchty) 9. Danish Meatballs (Frikadeller) 10. Smoked Salmon Smørrebrød
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Our pickup truck is overflowing with donations and our bedroom is now gift central (shh, don’t tell Ava). Thus is the cycle of life. Today, mostly because I can’t stop eating the candy meant for our stockings, I’m sharing 5 dessert recipes from around the world which are perfect – in my opinion – for Christmastime. So, put on your aprons! Let’s bring a little piece of the world to our families this holiday season. P.S. Stay tuned … all week I’ll be sharing recipes from around the world that’ll fit right in on your Christmas table… as well as a look at our gingerbread houses (We’ll start back up with cooking Djibouti next week). 1. Bajan Christmas Puddin’ (Pound Cake with Cherries) 2. Llokume (Turkish Delight) 3. Sacher-torte (Austrian Chocolate Tart with Apricot Jam) 4. Chilean Crema de Limon (Chilean Lemon Ice Cream) 5. Baked Milk Custard (Leche Asada)
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