Sick babies are the worst. Poor miss Ava came down with croup not long after we cooked Cyprus (purely coincidental, mind you). But… croup… gah! If you don’t know, croup is a nightmare of epic proportions. Here’s how it works: in the still of the night, babies who seem a little sick, suddenly wake up really, really sick. With violent coughing fits. And I don’t mean just any cough. You’ll think a nasty poltergeist – or a barking seal – has taken over your sweet baby. You will not be able to believe such a sound could come from your child. Your heart will break into a million pieces, with each cough… over and over again. And, – as if the coughing isn’t bad enough – nature adds in a desperate wheezing, gasping sound with each breath. Eventually (after surrounding them with steam, or taking them outside into the cold night air, or rubbing Eucalyptus oil on their chests), the baby falls back asleep. Then, you – the frantic parent – spend the night standing …
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Serves 2-4 This completely fuss-free roast lamb dish, Ofto Kleftiko, maximizes the rich, succulent flavor of lamb and is so tender it literally falls of the bone. A great dish for holidays, festivals, or even pot luck dinners. Serve one shank per person, unless appetites are small. Ingredients: 2 lamb shanks, about one pound each 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground coriander 4 bay leaves salt pepper olive oil Method: Get the oven nice and toasty – set it to 375F. Meanwhile, drizzle lamb with olive oil… (a.k.a. liquid gold) Sprinkle with heaps of salt and pepper… Then, divide the cinnamon and ground coriander seed equally amongst the lamb shanks. If you’re feeling kind of crazy, you might add a bit more cinnamon. Take off your rings, roll up your sleeves, and rub the spices into the meat. Make sure to also coat the ends and bottom of the lamb. Place both lamb shanks on top of a bay leaf, on their own large square of aluminum foil. Add another bay leaf on top and …
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You may or may not be afflicted with “soap mouth” when you eat coriander (a.k.a. cilantro). To avoid the experience, you may painstakingly pick pieces of the offending plant off of your plate. You might even send your plate back. You might scream out in agony. Or not. Listen… I have a secret. Even if you think coriander tastes like soap, you should give the plant’s seeds a try. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. To me, the flavor lacks any soapy aftertaste. I ate bunches of this stuff, straight from the spice jar, just to prove it. Hopefully there won’t be any side effects. So… what does Coriander seed taste like? It is reminiscent of celery seed – but much more mild. Here’s the best way I can explain it: if celery seed and coriander seed were music, celery seed would be heavy metal and coriander seed would be a delicate lullaby. That’s the best I can do. While the lovely people of Cyprus enjoy coriander seeds with just about anything – on roasts, …
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I’m a sucker for the holidays. I wish I could live in a gingerbread house. One weekend a year I *almost* live out my dream… our dining room table spills over with candy, cookies, and frosting. I love the creativity. The fun. The family bonding. Being covered in sugar. This year I’d love it if you would join us… virtually. I’d even like to give away a nifty prize to the best gingerbread house. Are you game? Here’s how the contest will work: Make a Global Gingerbread House. It must be about 90% edible. The theme is international/global/foreign … be creative! Email: Sasha at global table adventure dot com. Include: A photo 100 word description/story about your house A link to your blog post about the contest. Ideally, your blog post will have more pictures and details about the “making of.” (Having a blog is not a requirement). Deadline is December 20, 2010 at midnight, Central time. After I look everything over, I will share my favorites here, on the blog. Finally, I’ll pick a winner. …
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I had a dream that my pillows and blankets were made of warm, snuggly food. (Snuggly?) What does it all mean? Call me crazy, but if there ever was a time to snuggle up with a meal, this would be it. Our menu from Cyprus is loaded with comforting, roasted dishes, as well as a “sweet as apple pie” dessert. Perfect for chilly weather. Cypriot Red Wine Potatoes (Potatoes Afelia) [Recipe] Small fingerling potatoes roasted with loads of olive oil and red wine, then topped with a dash of ground coriander. Roast Lamb from Cyprus (Ofto Kleftiko) [Recipe] Celebrate the holidays in style with tender lamb shanks roasted with cinnamon, ground coriander and olive oil. Roasted Veggies (Briam) [Recipe] Eggplant, zucchini, potato, and tomato sauce cook together with plenty of olive oil. This vegan side dish popular throughout Cyprus and Greece. Whole Apples simmered in Light Syrup (Firikia Glyko) [Recipe] Small apples simmered in syrup with cinnamon sticks, and cloves. Add brandy if desired!
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Psst… does your heart ache? Even just a little? I’ve got the cure: take a tour of Cyprus. In this gloriously mountainous Mediterranean island even the loneliest heart will find love in the air and on the beaches. In fact, legend has it that Aphrodite, the Greek Goddess of love, was born amidst the crashing waves and sandy shores of Cyprus. Befitting this romantic legacy, the Cypriot have a fascinating habit of cooking food in red wine. Almost anything can get a long slow simmer in the stuff – pork chops, potatoes, or even squid. The red color bleeds into the food making a rosy statement perfect for any date night. Most Cypriot food is an alluring blend of Greek, Turkish, and Middle Eastern cuisine – you’ll find staples such as oregano, olive oil, lamb, cucumber, yogurt and eggplant mixed on menus with such delicacies as octopus or squid. Once the romance of Cyprus grabs hold of you, celebrate with a dish fit for any holiday table. Oh, and I just happen to know the …
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I should have known. When it comes to choosing between apple or pumpkin pie, there can only be two winners. Six votes went to each pie. Now I know – both pies are equally loved. And, as promised, here are our two winners, selected at random by Random.org, and their comments. Carole68 I am thankful for the guardian angel that stood by my side and kept me out of the big trouble I could have gotten into ; thankful for my two beautiful daughters that lighten up my life ; for the good people in this world. My vote goes to apple pie… because it’s really a favourite here in our family, but also because pumpkin pie is not traditional here and we’ve never tasted it ! (we will one day). and to … AnneSATX My father passed away last month and I will be eternally grateful that the last thing I said to him the night before was, “I love you, Dad.” As for pie? Pumpkin, no contest! We enjoyed reading everyone’s entries to the …
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I’ve heard Christmas music on the radio all week. Can you believe it? Call me old fashioned, but I think Thanksgiving deserves a little more time in the limelight. We need to sit in gratitude and savor every moment. The way I look at it, life is beautiful. I endured serious hardship in my early years, but I got through it. How? By first believing that, in this great, big, topsy-turvy world, there’s always something to be thankful for… and second, by looking for just that thing to appreciate, that thing that could lift me outside of my grief. Sometimes it simply takes getting out there and… Trying something new… … No matter what the consequences… Gritting your teeth if necessary! And so, in the spirit of appreciation and gratitude, I want to thank YOU for joining this Global Table Adventure. Eating one meal for every country in the world is fun, but it’s even better with your support and company 🙂 Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Now, for our little giveaway. Use it …
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Good day, fellow festive-folk. From addictive comfort food to iron-rich and healthy, I’ve got your Thanksgiving hook-up. That’s right… for the second day in a row, I’m sharing menu ideas to fill out your Thanksgiving table. Our regularly scheduled cooking will continue next week with Cyprus. At the risk of sounding like “The Count” on Sesame Street: yesterday our ideas came from countries that begin with the letter A… today they come from countries that begin with the letter “B.” Note: Be sure to read the associated Monday Meal Reviews for tips and tricks. (Bahamas) Island Macaroni & Cheese (Macaroni Pie) [Recipe] This macaroni and cheese is sliced into squares for serving – perfect for parties. (Belarus) Rye Bread [Recipe] Dense and high in fiber, rye bread is a staple in Belarus, preferred over wheat bread. In fact, Belarus is one of the largest producers of rye in the world. (Bosnia & Herzegovina) Balkan Baked Beans (Prebranac) [Recipe] Prebranac is an easy, addictive side dish made with white kidney beans, caramelized onion, garlic, and loads of paprika. (Bulgaria) …
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In honor of Thanksgiving week here, in the US, I “took a gander” through our old menu’s and picked out a few recipes that I would enjoy on our Thanksgiving table. Here’s my selections from the “A” countries… tomorrow I’ll share some from the “B” countries. Have a great day! 🙂 Note: Be sure to read the associated Monday Meal Reviews for tips and tricks. (Algeria) Hot Algerian Lasagna (Shakhshukha al-Bisakra) [Recipe] This lasagna contains ground lamb meat, diced potatoes, chickpeas, and harisa. Two teaspoons of cayenne make this dish fire-hot. Gruyère cheese cools things down (Andorra) Warm Spinach & Mushroom Salad [recipe] Warm spinach tossed with sauteed wild mushrooms, garlic, raisins, and slivered almonds. (Argentina) Roasted Pumpkin Salad with Arugula and Chevre [Recipe] The cavity of a steaming, roasted pumpkin is filled with goat cheese, arugula and mint vinaigrette. Any pumpkin variety is acceptable, depending on seasonal availability. Pastel de Papa con Elote (Potato and Corn Pie) [Recipe] Mashed potatoes topped with pureed corn and baked. (Armenia) Itch (Bulgur Pilaf Salad) [Recipe] Bulgur with bell pepper, onion, scallions, fresh parsley, and …
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I prepared our Cuban Global Table secure in the thought that noone was coming over. I didn’t vacuum. I didn’t deodorize (the house or myself). Approximately 19 million landmines were in place. (I think some people call them “toys.”) By the time the cooking was done, crusty dishes were teeter-tottering over my head – including the remnants of three botched caramel sauces. The house was an extra deluxe mess. I rarely behave this way, but I was feeling like a rebel. Must have been a full moon. Then my phone rang. Sweat dripping down my forehead, I watched as it vibrated itself towards the edge of the counter. My neighbor and friend, Anitra was calling. Right before the phone careened over, I decided to pick up. “Hello!” I said. “What are you doing?” “Oh, you know… cooking” (Fact: 9 times out of 10, I’m cooking when my phone rings… Bizarre). “Well, I have some great hand me downs. For Ava. And I’m on a mission to get them out of the house. Can I bring them …
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If you’re here in the USA, looking for another idea for a Cuban Thanksgiving dish (or if you’re simply curious about Cuban food), I’ve dug up a fascinating sandwich recipe. Made on Cuban bread or white bread, the infamous “Elena Ruz,” includes cream cheese, strawberry jam, and sliced turkey breast. Weird, right? Yet… somehow, that sweet jam reminds me of cranberry sauce and … well … it is just crazy enough – it might work! Here’s Wikepedia’s notes on the Elena Ruz: Another sandwich of Cuba is the “Elena Ruz”. Elena Ruz was a young society debutante in 1930’s who would stop at El Carmelo, a popular restaurant and confectionary shop in Havana after an evening at the opera or a social function, and would ask the waiter if he would fix her a sandwich to her orders. It is prepared on white or Cuban bread, with a layer of cream cheese on one slice, a layer of strawberry jam or preserves on the other, and thin slices of turkey breast in between Intriguing. If …
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