Posts | Global Table Adventure

Trick or Treating in Costa Rica

Feel like trick or treating in Costa Rica? You wouldn’t be alone. Although a relatively new holiday to the country, Halloween is growing in popularity with the locals – and why not? Kids get to dress up (and parents brim over with pride). Then everyone eats candy until their tummies hurt. Awesome fun for everyone! (NOTE: Watch out for the rain. October is the rainiest month of the year. Not great for polyester and fluffy bunny costumes). If Halloween isn’t your thing, you can just eat the candy! Or ice cream. Rumor has it that, in Costa Rica, you can get ice cream in “sour cream” flavor. Do you think it would be good on baked potatoes? Or a milkshake..? The entire concept is fascinating to me. Perhaps making it would be easier than yesterday’s epic fail.

Menu: Costa Rica

Costa Rican food is warm, comforting and upbeat (yes, food can be upbeat – just ask a juicy, lime-green lime). Thank goodness, because I need some happy comfort! You see, I’m nervous – since we won’t be moving into a shiny new-to-us home, we’re polishing up our current residence (and cooking around the mess). First step? Painting my dark wood cabinets (in my dungeon kitchen) a pretty white color. I’m hoping “pretty” and “white” will erase the “dark” and “dungeon” effect. I will also have you know I am not painting them myself. In all honesty, I’m not allowed to do projects that involve “coloring within the lines.” I’m too messy. I think it’s because my mom forbid coloring books when I was little (she said the lines wreck kids’ creativity). Let’s just say I’m really “creative.” Have you ever done a kitchen remodel of any sort? Was it worth it? Or would you rather just eat Costa Rican food? Heart of Palm Salad (Palmitos) [Recipe] Heart of Palm tossed with romaine lettuce, sweet peppers, …

About the Food of Costa Rica

Lush, tropical greens and mouthwash blue waters make Costa Rica a stunning destination. Eating a typical “Tican” meal is incredibly easy, even if one doesn’t have access to latino markets. The most common dish is gallo pinto (or black beans and rice). This dish often made from leftover rice and seasoned with a little onion and garlic, as well as a healthy splash of Worcestershire sauce (or Salsa Lizano). A great accompaniment for eggs, this filling dish is often found on the Tican breakfast table. For those who love potatoes, Gallitos de Papas are a must-try. Indeed, these paprika and garlic infused cubes of potato delight are another great accompaniment to eggs. Typically, however, they are served in a corn tortilla. Carb on carb – seems logical to me! 🙂 Since I know some of you are getting palpatations just thinking about all those carbs, have no fear. Costa Ricans are known for fresh salads – including a wonderful Heart of Palm Salad (palmitos) which includes any number of veggies – such as tomato, cucumber, lettuce, and …

A Visual Guide to Comoros, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo

Kick off your shoes, sit back and take a “slide show” trip to the stunning Comoros Islands. And then there’s the Congo… worms, worms, and more worms. While this video is rather silly, it does show photos of authentic Congolese food. Plus, who am I to criticize silliness? What’s for dinner at your house? I hope you have happy plans! 🙂

Congo Bars, Extinct Fish & Margaritas (with poll)

Happy Fun Fact Friday! I had the most wonderful, GIANT margarita earlier, so I am going to keep this brief. Mostly because I keep misspelling words. (don’t worry, I’m writing this Thursday night, not Friday morning 😉 ) #1 In case you were wondering, Congo bars are not an authentic Congolese dessert. If they were, you can bet I would have made a batch (or three). #2 There’s a big, crazy-looking fish that lives in the deep waters near the Comoros islands. Its called the coelacanth and everyone (mainly important scientist-types) thought it had been extinct for millions and millions of years. Nope. Imagine being the person to discover it, just hanging out, swimming around Comoros, not dead. #3 If you’re thinking about eating the coelacanth, forget it. Their flesh is loaded up with an unpalatable, rancid tasting oil. #4 Since you can’t eat the coelacanth, you might as well chow down on some vanilla, ylang-ylang oil, and cloves. That’s what they grow in Comoros. #5 I’ll take another margarita. Shaken, not stirred. Extra salt. And with …

Menu: Comoros, Congo, and Democratic Republic of Congo

What are you in the mood for? Because, this week, we probably have it on the menu. Choose between lobster or goat, mushrooms or plantains, a vegetarian sandwich or fish. While Keith gets nervous seeing all these options, I smile from ear to ear with gratitude. After all, dinner was so boring this time last year. COMOROS Lobster [Recipe] with Vanilla-Shallot Dipping Butter [Recipe] Fresh lobster boiled and served with warm butter seasoned with shallot and fresh vanilla bean. Comorian Sandwich [Recipe] Baguette spread with a little mayonnaise and piled high with sliced cucumber, ripe tomato, and hard-boiled egg. DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO Fish in Banana Leaves with Tomato & Onion (Liboké de Poisson) [Recipe] Tilapia steamed inside a banana leaf packet with sliced tomato and onion. A little lemon juice brightens the flavor. Congolese Mushrooms with Fresh Lemon Juice [Recipe] A blend of shiitake, baby bella, and white button mushrooms cooked with oil and lemon juice. REPUBLIC OF CONGO Grilled Goat meat in Banana Leaves (Liboké de Chèvre) [Recipe] Cubed goat meat marinated with peanut …

About the food of Comoros, the Congo, and the Democratic Republic of Congo

I’ve been known to do things out of order. Once in a while I’ll even eat my dessert before dinner. Well… this week I mistakenly skipped the entire country of Comoros. I had no idea. My head was in the clouds. I did all my shopping on Friday and spent Saturday cooking the Congo (with what limited time Ava’s nap allows, anyway). Our Congolese meal was barely over when I decided to crack open my atlas to see what country was next. And thus, my error revealed itself. I’m a wee little bit obsessive so I decided to buck up and cook Comoros anyway. That same night. What can I say. I didn’t want to screw up my nice, neat little A-Z list. The result? You’ll get three great Global Table meals in one week! The bonus? I’ve built in a little holiday vacation from my world cooking Adventures for Thanksgiving and Christmas. About the food of Comoros Comoros is made up of three small islands off the southeast shores of Africa. While the food is …

Monday Meal Review: Colombia

“What’s a poached egg” Mr Picky asked me. “Hold on a second,” I said, cracking the crooked egg into a dish. The egg was laid just two days ago from our friend’s chicken. Hence it was crooked. The yolk was brilliant gold… almost orange. I thought about how runny the yolk would be after poaching. How creamy and delicious. And I thought about how much Mr Picky hates runny eggs. Or claims he hates them. After all, I’ve never seen him eat a runny egg yolk, so who knows if he’s ever actually tried one. “The egg white will be set, but the yolk will be…” “Runny?” he interrupted, with a grimace. “Yes. Give me a minute and you’ll see.” I slipped the egg gently into the steaming milk and watched as it quickly dove beneath the surface. He snapped a few pictures. After a few minutes I began fishing around with my spoon. Seconds later, I found the egg beneath the milky white broth. I fished it out and ladled it onto a bed of thinly sliced …

Video Saturday: Colombia (plus winner is announced)

Today really is a happy Saturday! I’ve been smiling, ear to ear, reading your entries to our book giveaway. I am impressed with all of you; what Adventurous foodies you are! Thank you for participating, reading, and being my online buddies. I’m the luckiest girl in the world 🙂 Random.org chose the winner for me (thank goodness because otherwise I would have never been able to) Congratulations to Katie! Katie said: I love experimenting with different recipes and incorporating new ingredients. I think it is important to not only expose our children to different cultures and tastes but also that variety makes for a healthier diet. This summer we grew thai chiles, tomatillos and asian green beans in our Maryland garden. Contact me at sasha @ globaltableadventure dot com to claim your prize – one copy of Linda Bladholm’s book Latin & Caribbean Grocery Stores Demystified! Yay 🙂 And now for a couple of videos: First, beautiful Colombian Ceviche and other dishes. The use of citrus is ubiquitous. And, did you know, 900,000,000 kg of coffee …

World Food Giveaway (with poll)

Because the leaves are changing, and because I’m feeling fiesty, let’s do a book giveaway. And not just any book give away. This is a “must have” book for anyone who loves Latino/Caribbean food. (Mmmm, doesn’t everyone?) The book: Latin & Caribbean Grocery Stores Demystified by Linda Bladholm There’s nothing I enjoy more than plunging into one of Miami’s many latin markets with Linda at my side–and now you can, too, wherever you live. Her carefully researched, clearly presented information will let you shop with confidence. And her charming and enthusiastic approach will make it fun. This indispensable guide will turn your trepidation into delight. –Kathy Martin, Food Editor, The Miami Herald How to win: I’m guessing that you read this web site because you are interested in international food, travel, and culture. Awesome. Or you are standing by to see if I actually can cook one meal for every country in the world! Or perhaps you just like watching videos of cute babies eating international food…. which, trust me, I get. Super-duper. Either way…. …

Menu: Colombia

This week’s Colombian menu is a collection of zippity-quick recipes with big flavor impact. And if you’re thinking poached eggs are too hard… think again. You’ll be a poached egg pro by the time you’re done reading my tips. Salad Greens with Avocado Dressing (Vinagreta de Aguacate) [Recipe] Thick and creamy dressing made with avocado, lime juice, fresh cilantro, vinegar, and olive oil. Party Rice with Cola (Arroz con Coca Cola) [Recipe] Rice becomes hauntingly sweet when cooked with water and cola. Sautéed onion adds depth of flavor. Poached Eggs in Broth (Changua con Huevo) [Recipe] Light broth made with milk and chicken stock serves as the poaching liquid for eggs. Served on a bed of thinly sliced scallions and fresh cilantro. Good for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Colombian Oatmeal Smoothie (Avena) [Recipe] Oatmeal, brown sugar, and cinnamon cooked with plenty of milk. This creamy milkshake is perfect for brunch.

About the Food of Colombia

At the tippity-top of South America sits the great country called Colombia. Colombians benefit from a varied landscape, from mountains and rainforest – typical of South America, to sun-bleached Caribbean beaches. To quote National Geographic (and the prettiest sentence I’ve read in recent history – it actually makes me hungry for sand)… Wedged between Venezuela to the east, Brazil to the south, and the Caribbean to the north, it’s the only country in South America whose sugared beaches are lapped by both the Atlantic and Pacific. If this sentence also made you hungry, Colombian food will satisfy. Aside from their world famous coffee, the food and drink is hearty and plentiful. Eggs and meat provide the basis for most meals. Avocado and corn also contribute to an endless bounty of salads, dressings, sauces, tamales, and breads. The “national dish” is considered bandeja paisa, a giant platter filled with meats, sausages, fried eggs, beans, rice, fried plantains, salad, and cornmeal fritters. I’m not exactly sure how all that food could possibly count for just one dish! …