tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26378634120233114782024-03-19T09:16:12.275-07:00Epicurean TravelsExperiencing the Flavors of the WorldErin Claassenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105663796726797809noreply@blogger.comBlogger151125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637863412023311478.post-37118024333326099952014-01-13T19:58:00.001-08:002014-01-13T20:01:56.182-08:00E.T.: The Extra-TuberousBlack tea + milk + sugar + fresh ginger. Yes, it's as amazing as it sounds. Well, at least that's what I think. No one else in the family seems to be as excited about ginger as I am. I can understand why the appearance might dissuade some folks from jumping at the chance to try ginger. It does look a bit like the titular character from the movie E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial. But if you can get past the off-putting appearance of the root, it's flavor really is something to phone home about.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ginger Tea</td></tr>
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For Ugandan Ginger Tea [<a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/ugandan-ginger-tea-recipe-235805">recipe here]</a>, the loose tea leaves are actually steeped in sweetened milk, not water. A thumb-sized piece of ginger is peeled, pounded flat, then added to the boiling milk and tea mixture. The recipe did not say to strain the tea, but I did because I didn't want to be picking tea leaves out of my teeth for the rest of the evening. It was extremely easy to make, and really flavorful. If you're a fan of the alien-doppelganger tuber, give this tea a try!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ugali with Sweet Potato & Pea Soup</td></tr>
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After tea, we had Sweet Potato and Pea Soup [<a href="http://www.celtnet.org.uk/recipes/miscellaneous/fetch-recipe.php?rid=misc-uganda-sweet-potato-pea-soup">recipe here</a>]. Instead of using dried split peas like I'm used to in soup, this recipe uses fresh peas. The sweet potato and the peas make for a very sweet soup, somewhat tempered by a few spicy additions: ginger, garam masala, cayenne pepper, and garlic. SOMEWHAT tempered. It is still quite a sweet soup. Sweet and spicy, which is usually a combination we enjoy. This time, none of us liked it much... which was a bummer because we had to eat quite a bit of the vegetarian soup to be full. <br />
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I also served Ugali [<a href="http://www.celtnet.org.uk/recipes/miscellaneous/fetch-recipe.php?rid=misc-ugandan-ugali">recipe here</a>] with the soup. It is similar to the posho from the <a href="http://epicureantravels.blogspot.com/2014/01/but-not-kids-right.html">last meal</a>. The Ugali is actually more complicated to make, using water and milk with the cornmeal. We all decided the posho was much tastier. All of the ugali was eaten, but I think that's just because we were trying to fill our bellies with something that wasn't the soup.<br />
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Without a doubt, the Ugandan Beans and Posho was everyone's favorite meal from Uganda. <br />
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Next week we'll be visiting another "U" country, but on the other side of the world.<br />
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<br />Erin Claassenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105663796726797809noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637863412023311478.post-25492853358272786822014-01-12T14:55:00.001-08:002014-01-12T14:58:58.182-08:00But Not Kids, Right?<div style="text-align: justify;">
Explaining human trafficking to your children is heart-wrenching. Thinking about it as an adult is awful enough, but seeing the shock in young eyes as you try to tell them that there are evil people in the world that use other people as slaves for their own financial (or otherwise) gain is not something for which I was prepared. "But they only do it to adults, not kids, right?" ... "No, sweetie, children too." Disgusted revulsion mixed with a determined thirst for justice on the face of my eleven-year-old son is not something I'll be forgetting soon. All of this came about at the dinner table during our second meal from Uganda. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ugandan Beans & Posho</td></tr>
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I found the recipe for Ugandan Beans and Posho [<a href="http://guiltykitchen.com/2011/10/19/kwagala-project-beans-and-posho/">recipes here</a>] over at the <a href="http://guiltykitchen.com/2011/10/19/kwagala-project-beans-and-posho/">Guilty Kitchen</a> blog that was featuring some Ugandan recipes used at the Kwagala Project, a nonprofit organization in Africa. The <a href="http://kwagalaproject.org/blog/">Kwagala Project</a>, and many others like it, help children who have been victims of human trafficking. I read a bit from the blog about the project and the girl whose bean recipe we were enjoying. It was a relief, even if very small, to my children to know there are people in the world helping those victims. Even in a world of horrors, there is hope. We prayed for the victims of human trafficking, and for Scovia, the creator of the recipe.<br />
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I knew when I decided to make beans and a corn flour ball as the main component of dinner, we might end up making peanut butter sandwiches after one bite. Well, I had no need to fear. Both the Ugandan Beans and the Posho were really delicious! All five of us raved about the flavor of the beans, and I would consider them the best beans I've ever had. They were flavored with tomato, bell pepper, onion, garlic, and very small amounts of cumin, turmeric, and ginger. The posho tasted similar to moist, warm corn tortillas. We were all shocked that we could like a vegetarian meal so well, and be plenty full and satisfied at the end of it. The simple meal is definitley making it's way into our family cookbook. Unfortunately, the same can not be said for the dessert we tried.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pineapple Nut Bread</td></tr>
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The Pineapple Nut Bread recipe, served with a schmearing of cream cheese, looked very promising [<a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/ugandan-pineapple-nut-bread-235940">recipe here</a>]. It didn't have any sugar in the recipe, which I thought was a bit odd for a dessert bread, but I figured the canned pineapple would give it plenty of sweetness. And since I generally love anything with peanuts, I thought I'd chosen a sure winner. Not only did the pineapple not lend any sweetness to the bread, it also failed to bring any flavor to it. The dough (consisting of whole wheat flour, wheat bran, pineapple, eggs, baking powder & soda, salt, and whole peanuts) was extremely dry. It didn't rise much during baking. Still excited about an after-dinner sweet treat, I put the knife to the loaf to cut each person a slice. Hmm, knife not cutting. Not budging. Full weight of body applied to the knife. Yes! A slice shaved off the brick! We all had a bite. The dry, crumbly bread tasted like... nothing. Not even the peanuts were detectable. So no dessert for us. At least we were still all full from the delicious Ugandan Beans and Posho!Erin Claassenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105663796726797809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637863412023311478.post-77805011287552953882014-01-09T15:25:00.004-08:002014-01-09T15:26:32.449-08:00And Our 50th Country Is...<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ndizi na Nyama</td></tr>
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In a country with tens of thousands killed and millions displaced by decades of warring, hope is alive. Our family has actually been learning quite a bit about Uganda in the past few years. We sponsor a grade-school girl through an organization called <a href="http://www.hopealiveafrica.org/">Hope Alive!</a> The organization makes sure that the children have clothing, schooling, spiritual guidance, and are each provided an Ugandan mentor that makes home visits regularly. We recently recieved a letter from the girl, and this prompted my daughter to pick Uganda as our next culinary destination, as she wanted to know what kinds of foods she eats.<br />
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We have some friends that lived in Uganda for years, so I asked the wife what were some of the most prevalent foods in Uganda, so I wouldn't miss the important stuff. She said that matoke was the staple food. They are cooking bananas, "not quite the same as plantains," as she described them. Well, I was pretty sure I was not going to find matoke in any local stores, so I found a recipe for Ndizi na Nyama, which translated is "Plantains with Meat" [<a href="http://recipes.wikia.com/wiki/Ndizi_na_Nyama">recipe here</a>]. <br />
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The recipe says to use "beef - or similar." I had read that goat meat is used quite a bit in Uganda, and I had just seen that a local supermarket had started carrying it, so I decided to use goat instead of beef. Big mistake. It wasn't necessarily the goat that was the mistake...it was the purchasing of it at the store. We've had goat a few times before, during <a href="http://epicureantravels.blogspot.com/2010/03/youre-so-cute-i-could-just-eat-you-up.html">Jamaica </a>and <a href="http://epicureantravels.blogspot.com/2010/04/handful-of-reminders.html">Chad </a>weeks, and both of those times I had talked my cousin out of some of the goat in her freezer that she had gotten from a local farm. The Jamaican curry dish was really great, so I was pretty excited to try goat again. The goat meat from the store was so grisly that it was almost unchewable. Too bad, because the rest of the Ndizi na Nyama was really tasty. The curried sauce and the plantains and the other veggies where quite nice. We tried to imagine it with better quality goat meat and decided that it could've been really great.<br />
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The Ndizi na Nyama was served over white rice, for a one-dish meal. Because meat isn't eaten much in the rural and poor areas of Uganda, this probably is not a typical meal that our sponsored girl would have on a day to day basis. The kids weren't too excited about the plantains, but the adults liked them. The next two Ugandan meals we will be having are probably more typical of everyday fare.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Letter from our Hope Alive! child in Uganda</td></tr>
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If you're interested in learning more about Hope Alive! or sponsoring a Ugandan child, <a href="http://www.hopealiveafrica.org/">click here to go the Hope Alive! website.</a><br />
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Here's something new in the Epicurean Kitchen: a giant map! My mom helped me glue the map to some black foam-core board and make a nice little boarder out of some black ribbon. I'm the antithesis of crafty, so it's a really good thing I had her help. We put a pin in each of the countries we've eaten from: 50 so far!! It's been great for choosing new countries and seeing what areas of the world we've kind of avoided so far (that would be mostly the former nations of USSR). We may need to remedy that soon.<br />
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<br />Erin Claassenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105663796726797809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637863412023311478.post-60888067143773132892014-01-08T15:56:00.003-08:002014-01-08T16:09:57.908-08:0028 Hours Later: The Mango Story<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shrimp Ducunu</td></tr>
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A tragic thing happened this week (again). It's going to be life-changing for me. But more on that later. Before I get to the tale of woe, I'll start of with the romantic tale of Miss Corn and <span class="st">Señor</span> Bacon.<br />
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One day Bacon said to Corn, "We are both so awesome, we should hang out together...you know, double the awesomeness." While Corn thought this was the beginning of a good idea, she wasn't quite sure how their two rigid personalities would mesh. But then Corn thought about her sweet older sister, Cornmeal, and recalled that she had been dating Coconut Milk for a few weeks. Perhaps Corn and Bacon could double-date with Coconut Milk and Cornmeal. "That combination of personalities would be just the ticket," thought Corn. Bacon agreed to the double date, and they decided to make a day of it the following weekend.<br />
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They started their Saturday morning at the local farmer's market. After admiring the fresh flowers they bought some local onions and garlic from the Subterranean Eats stand and some habanero peppers from the Capsaicin Corral stand. Next, they went for a hike to the local hot springs for a soak. Unbeknownst to the foursome, there had been some seismic activity in the region the previous week, causing the usually bath-like water to become as hot as Jason Gedrick in <i>Backdraft</i>. As soon as the ill-fated couples (still carrying their wares from the farmer's market) slipped into the pool, they were flash-boiled into a slurry of delicious flavor. Alas, the group's bad judgement had but one bright point: Corn had been right. Their combination of personalities (plus the garlic, onion, and chile) was just the ticket.<br />
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...Oh, and it's also the recipe for Ducunu.<br />
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Ducunu is a sweet tamal-like corn mixture that is very popular in Belize. It can be made into tamales, or used as a base for tostones, which is how we had it: Shrimp tostones [<a href="http://www.flavorsofbelize.com/#!dukunu/c33b">recipe here</a>]. We all loved the ducunu, and most of us liked the shrimp. It was a really different flavor, but one I think most people would like.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mango Salad</td></tr>
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Back to the tale of woe. First, some history. About a year and a half ago I found out (the hard way) that the skin of the mango has the EXACT same oil in it as poison oak and poison ivy. (It's called urushoil, for all you botany-freaks out there.) The "hard way" that I found out was by cutting 2 whole unpeeled mangoes into chunks and ripping every last bit of flesh from the skin with my teeth. The rash started at the corners of my mouth. 28 <strike>Days</strike> Hours Later, I looked worse than a zombie. My entire face and both my ears were engulfed in a red swollen rash that (yeah, I'm just gonna say it) was oozing in some areas. After 2 visits to the doctor, some oral steroids, a few convulsive tantrums (sorry, it REALLY itched!!), and a conversation with my brilliant friend who took botany in college, we finally fingered the culprit: Mango Skin.<br />
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Needless to say, I've made a concerted effort to avoid mango skin. I love mangoes dearly, and didn't want to give them up. Their piney-peachyness is intoxicating. So now, whenever we have mangoes, I make my husband peel them, then climb into a nuclear decontamination tank before I even look at him. So far, it has worked. Delicious mango: check. Being able to look at my reflection without oozing disgust: check. <br />
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Enter Belize week and a sumptuous sounding recipe I found for Mango Salad [<a href="http://www.flavorsofbelize.com/#!mango-salad/co9z">recipe here</a>]. After cutting the pre-peeled mango off of the seed and <span class="font_8">julienning </span>it for the salad, I dedicated I should probably taste a piece to make sure it was sweet enough. It was one of the best mangoes I've ever had. I didn't want to eat all of what should go into the salad, so I decided to nibble what was left of the mango flesh that was still attached to the seed. Well, guess what? That mango salad was rockin! Not everyone loved it as much as I did, so I probably ate half of it.<br />
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28 Hours Later... NNNOOOOOOOOOO!!! This time my doctor wrote in my permanent record, "Allergies: mango." Not mango skin. Not mango seed. Just mango. He says I should probably lay off the mangoes for the rest of my life. Which, of course, makes me desire them even more. Hmph! So tragic!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlp4vyTdR3cAs718JNUFB9RrHgZ6MeQVEauNd42lL8l5PYIbA2U067Ew6jFshHpcclADg0qkmvADPOO-8v3jhB3wknvlkX1RHUOwe4EM0sy557GXiTxn1TPgBR9KFhO5EJzQf7lgsF2zEm/s1600/IMG_0713.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlp4vyTdR3cAs718JNUFB9RrHgZ6MeQVEauNd42lL8l5PYIbA2U067Ew6jFshHpcclADg0qkmvADPOO-8v3jhB3wknvlkX1RHUOwe4EM0sy557GXiTxn1TPgBR9KFhO5EJzQf7lgsF2zEm/s640/IMG_0713.jpg" height="372" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fried Plantains</td></tr>
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I've tried to make fried plantains before, with unexciting results. I think I cut them too thick, or they weren't ripe enough. So when I found a Belizean recipe for Fried Plantains [<a href="http://www.belizenewspost.com/405/recipe-fried-plantains/">recipe here</a>], I decided to give it another go. This time I used VERY ripe plantains, cut them with my mandolin slicer, fried them longer, and, as directed by the recipe, sprinkled them with raw sugar. More like dessert than a side dish, they were eaten up quickly.<br />
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After 3 meals from Belize, we've decided we could probably live quite nicely there for a while. Delicious food, Caribbean seas, colorful birds, great fishing, tropical climate. Yep, sounds wonderful. Erin Claassenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105663796726797809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637863412023311478.post-54448144117753438272013-12-26T14:34:00.003-08:002013-12-26T14:34:45.643-08:00A Friendly Recommendation<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir6JHEPRXttCSM8ce8dohWmAJzoj6O3uUyr-M4RlGiuQ9MCVNuls3TRDXac6UYx9E16K5NZwo_gLcmWV9MBYWXaq_3pW3YAdBRih6O4nordov41fmkRvrPC06D-UiSxzpqnj0cHRydSdF2/s1600/IMG_0707.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir6JHEPRXttCSM8ce8dohWmAJzoj6O3uUyr-M4RlGiuQ9MCVNuls3TRDXac6UYx9E16K5NZwo_gLcmWV9MBYWXaq_3pW3YAdBRih6O4nordov41fmkRvrPC06D-UiSxzpqnj0cHRydSdF2/s640/IMG_0707.jpg" width="458" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watermelon Juice</td></tr>
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One of the great supporters (and tasters) of Epicurean Travels dined with us for our second meal from Belize. Gracie has been a long-time friend of our family and one of the kids' favorite babysitters for over 10 years. For years, she has been waiting for us to pick Belize as our country of the week. She has done quite a bit of traveling and she was actually the inspiration for my daughter's very first country pick of India years ago when we started these culinary travels. Gracie has spent time on or lived in 4 different continents. When she was a child, her family lived in Belize for two years. And in a few weeks, Gracie is moving to Kenya for two years. We will miss her!!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Belizean Rice & Beans with Stewed Chicken</td></tr>
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One of Gracie's family's favorite meals from Belize is Stewed Chicken with Rice and Beans. Gracie has always said that when we finally did "Belize week," we HAD to have that as one of the meals. So, of course, we invited her over for the evening. The stewed chicken [<a href="http://belize-travel-blog.chaacreek.com/2013/06/belizean-stew-chicken-a-mouth-watering-dish-from-the-jewel/">recipe here</a>] is a very moist and flavorful whole chicken cut into pieces and boiled in a heavily spiced broth until it is nearly falling off the bones. The after then chicken is cooked, the broth is simmered down to a gravy-like consistency and pour over the chicken and the rice and beans that accompany it. We all liked the chicken, with the exception of having to pull off the wilted skin before eating it. One of the main flavors in the chicken dish is recado (achiote paste), which we've used a few times here in the Epicurean Kitchen. It's a very different flavor, a bit hard to explain, but we all seem to like its subtle smokiness and slight spiciness.<br />
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The Belizean Rice and Beans [<a href="http://belize-travel-blog.chaacreek.com/2013/06/the-famous-belizean-rice-and-beans/">recipe here</a>] tastes very similar to the "red beans and rice" dish served the southern U.S. One of the main differences is the inclusion of coconut milk in the Belizean version. Gracie said they tasted different that the version her family makes. They use more coconut milk and no thyme. Even though it was different that what she was used to, she like them. The rest of us really liked them too.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gracie's Handmade Flour Tortillas</td></tr>
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In an attempt to be as authentic as possible, I decided to make, from scratch, the Flour Tortillas [<a href="http://www.belizenewspost.com/2099/homemade-flour-tortillas-belizean-recipe/">recipe here</a>] meant to scoop up the beans and chicken. As the day I was to make this wore on, I decided I didn't have the time, energy, or inclination to do that. I happened to have some store-bought tortillas in the fridge, so I made the decision against authenticity and for sanity. I still stand behind that choice... which ended up working REALLY well in my favor, since Gracie volunteered to make them for us! They were so delicious: without a doubt the best flour tortillas we've ever had. Instead of being shiny, elastic, and cold, they were toasty, soft, and more like flatbread than tortillas. We polished them off in no time.<br />
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We also had Watermelon Juice [<a href="http://recipes.wikia.com/wiki/Belizean_Watermelon_Juice">recipe here</a>] with our meal. I pureed the insides of half a seedless watermelon, then strained it. After adding fresh-squeezed lemon and lime juices, it's watered down an bit and some sugar is added. The flavor intensity of the watermelon seemed just about right. None of us could taste the citrus juices. If I made this again (which I probably won't because there was watermelon juice everywhere), I would double the lemon and lime juices.<br />
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So far, Belize is shaping up to be a delicious place! My husband has been itching to go for a visit for years now. The fishing is supposed to be amazing, and the Caribbean waters are gorgeous. Now that we know we like the food there's nothing holding us back...except time and money. So maybe one day...Erin Claassenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105663796726797809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637863412023311478.post-15465670611385159592013-12-19T13:04:00.001-08:002013-12-22T15:29:15.521-08:00CIA Student Attemps the Impossible<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hudutu with Machuca and broccoli rabe</td></tr>
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It finally happened. We all thought it wasn't possible. Well, we were wrong. What is this aberration that occurred? I ate fish and I liked it.<br />
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I may have mentioned like once or twice on this blog (okay, it was more like a dozen times) how I don't savor the taste of things that live in water. (I may have been less complimentary in my former confessions of seafood aversion.) Well, apparently this fact was not sitting well with my cousin, Brian. He, like so many other people, kept asserting that perhaps I'd just never had fish that was cooked well. I actually DO want to like seafood, so I've tried over 20 different varieties of fish and multiple types of shellfish all with dismal results. Well, Brian just wouldn't take "I don't like fish" for an answer and decided to do something about it.<br />
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He came out to California this summer for a family reunion and informed me that he was coming to my house to both get in on the international cuisine train at our house AND cook me some fish that I would like. Well, he seemed up for a culinary challenge, and I always welcome people who want to get in on the foodie-nerd action that is Epicurean Travels. I told him he could pick the country. He chose Belize.<br />
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I should also mention at this point that Brian just graduated from the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in New York last month, so he is a trained chef. (Congratulations, cuz!!) We like to get our food-geek on when we get together, so I was excited to cook with him. And I figured if anyone could make me fish that I would like, it would be Brian.<br />
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(I should also ALSO mention that I personally caught the fish we used while in La Paz, Mexico this summer. It was a super sweet fishing trip with my husband and yielded 3 mahi and one marlin...but that's a completely different story which you can read over at <a href="http://erinclaassenphotography.blogspot.com/2013/08/soaring-spirits-and-flying-fish-baja.html">my photography blog</a>.)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bigger of my two mahi mahis (that is the captain, not my husband with me)</td></tr>
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Brian chose to make the mahi into Hudutu, a Belizean fish and coconut stew served with mashed plantains. He flavored the coconut milk with a <span class="st">mirepoix (which is onions, carrots & celery) and some herbs. It was delicious. He also added some cubed sweet potato to the mix. Finally, pieces of fish are added to the coconut bath and cooked slowly in the oven. He served it over plantians, both ripe and green, that had been mashed and mixed with more coconut milk. And then just for some extra pizzazz and some greenery, Brian added some sauteed broccoli rabe to the plate. Verdict? That's right: I liked it. I ate the whole thing. The flavor of the broth was ah-mazing. And the fish pretty much tasted like the broth, so... YUM! And my oldest son now swears his favorite veggie is broccoli rabe, which we had never tried before. I can't even find it in the Redding area. Brian had to make a stop in the bay area on the way north to get some.</span></div>
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<span class="st">It was super fun working with Brian in the kitchen, learning new culinary techniques and short cuts. He brought lots of fun kitchen tools that I got to use. My favorite was the laser thermometer. He actually got it at a home improvement store, but it totally rocks for checking the temperature of the oil for deep frying without making a mess. Don't worry, I also took the temperature of pretty much everything else in the kitchen too, just because it's awesome to point a laser at things, all Star Trek style. Set phasers to "fun."</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brian showing me how to chiffonade fresh herbs<br />
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After a superb dinner, we had Fry Jacks - the Belizean equivalent of donuts. Brian came up with the idea of mixing a few tastes of Belize - cashew nuts, chocolate, and chilies - into a sauce to dip them in. That was nothing short of genius. That nut butter was great on the Fry Jacks. There was quite a bit leftover, so we also used it on some coconut French Toast that he made for breakfast at the family reunion. Also, I may have eaten it with a spoon at several points in time that week.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fry Jacks with Chili-Chocolate-Cashew Nut Butter and Honey</td></tr>
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So, the CIA student did it! I enjoyed the mahi. I'm pretty sure contributing factors to this fact are as follows:<br />
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1. I caught the big ol' fish... which is pretty hard-core sportsman/woman stuff. <br />
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2. It's possible Brian possesses some sort of mind-control superpowers and wanted me to like fish so much that he willed it into the realm of possibility.<br />
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3. My cousin is an excellent chef in both ingenuity and execution.<br />
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4. Coconut milk.<br />
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Brian was also our chef for the family reunion. He had asked the extended family for volunteers to sous chef for him. My aunt and I volunteered. Brain brought us our own chef's jackets, aprons, cravats, towels and hats. It was a lot of fun cooking, and a great weekend with family!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In our chef coats, striking our best "Iron Chef" poses</td></tr>
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<br />Erin Claassenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105663796726797809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637863412023311478.post-28376872574577419462013-08-05T11:32:00.002-07:002013-08-05T11:32:51.043-07:00A Stitch in TimeI actually went to a women's sewing and tea party. No, I wasn't transported back through time and fantasy to one of Jane Austen's novels. It was an invitation I received during my time in Lesotho in the 1990's. Now, I'm not usually one for sewing, and I'd never been to an official tea before. My in-country host, Mary, made sure I had a cross stitch pattern and materials to work during the sewing time. I put on both my best dress and best manners before arriving at the tea. It was pretty much what you'd expect if you've read any of Austen's novels: polite conversation, sitting up very straight, and casually working on your sewing. I think I got in as many stitches as I did words in the conversation. It really wasn't my cup of tea, so to speak. I enjoyed many of the other activities we did in Lesotho much more, such as hiking to the abandoned fortress of King Moshoeshoe, going to the butchery, and flying out to the remote villages with the flying doctor service. I suppose you could say I prefer adventure over refinement. But the one thing I absolutely loved about that tea party was the koeksisters. More on those later.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Afrikaanse Stoofschotel</span></span></div>
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The last Besotho meal I planned for our family was Afrikaanse Stoofschotel [<a href="http://www.healthy-life.narod.ru/wor_ek118.htm">recipe here</a>]. Afrikaans is one of the official languages of neighboring South Africa. It developed from the many Dutch settlers to the area in the 16th century. Lesotho has many Afrikaans living in Maseru (the capital), so I thought this simple soup brought in that aspect, as well as one of Lesotho's staple foods: cabbage. The vegetarian soup was extremely simple, very cheap to make, and unexpectedly flavorful. The curry powder did it's job of livening up the potatoes and cabbage, and we all had seconds.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Koeksisters - mine do not look that great...they are usually braided.</td></tr>
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Koeksisters [<a href="http://www.southafricanrecipes.org/south-african-koeksisters.html">recipe here</a>] is what saved me at the sewing and tea party. Of course no tea party is complete without sweet treats. Among the pound cakes and finger sandwiches were these braided donut-like pastries. I didn't know what they were, but since I wasn't really able to do much sewing, I decided to give them a try. They were spectacular. A crispy, deep fried dough that is then soaked in a cinnamon syrup? Um... Please sir, I'd like some more. I've actually made these a few times for my family and there are never leftovers. Don't base how they look on my photo. I was lazy this day and did not braid them like you're supposed to. Do a Google images search for koeksisters, and you'll see how amazing they can look. That tea party was totally worth it, since I found out about these scrumptious treats there. And I think I still have my unfinished cross stitch around here somewhere.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyOICsODdM56IZLrsxYgVIf7QV62f4dSanSGAu4UD8Oo8GLvADUDXW0wMp0qyD3mTyXuTmQ47yrLLmYItcsLp4oDNXnAGD9bXg_uEHDVUTaw9Ed9h3GBx0MA6GjQjrNm8GZmsw8WgrbAbm/s1600/Village+Children+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyOICsODdM56IZLrsxYgVIf7QV62f4dSanSGAu4UD8Oo8GLvADUDXW0wMp0qyD3mTyXuTmQ47yrLLmYItcsLp4oDNXnAGD9bXg_uEHDVUTaw9Ed9h3GBx0MA6GjQjrNm8GZmsw8WgrbAbm/s640/Village+Children+1.jpg" height="414" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some children of the Basotho village of Sehonghong, to whom we brought cabbages and other food </td></tr>
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<br />Erin Claassenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105663796726797809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637863412023311478.post-58935049841352415752013-06-22T11:20:00.003-07:002013-06-22T11:26:58.511-07:00Dessert for Harry PotterWhere was the first place you ever tasted Indian food? For most of us in the U.S., it's probably not India. It wasn't for me. For me it was a small Indian restaurant in Maseru, Lesotho in southern Africa. I ordered some sort of lamb dish that ended up being the largest portion of daffodil-hued rice I'd ever seen shaped like a volcano with little bits of meat stuck in it here and there. It was delicious and I was hooked on Indian food. Much of the cuisine of Southern Africa has been influenced by various cultures brought by the ships making their way around the Cape of Good Hope. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirGoE_EDa9Lgr6cZ800xIdu_-iQ0Md-3cenQV8JXBUg9B1lXBOB2kyOb3Te9KhOfPBzqruHqvIx198f_2Wf4EmASM_ny3LCzCWlKzdLanRxM7h6EqOBH30xgAKilz8N__ofyQIPX0cQZxx/s1600/IMG_5105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirGoE_EDa9Lgr6cZ800xIdu_-iQ0Md-3cenQV8JXBUg9B1lXBOB2kyOb3Te9KhOfPBzqruHqvIx198f_2Wf4EmASM_ny3LCzCWlKzdLanRxM7h6EqOBH30xgAKilz8N__ofyQIPX0cQZxx/s640/IMG_5105.jpg" height="428" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chicken Koftas with Mint Yoghurt</td></tr>
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<br />
The Chicken Koftas with Mint Yoghurt [<a href="http://recipes.wikia.com/wiki/Chicken_Koftas_with_Mint_Yoghurt">recipe here</a>] seemed we made for our second Sesotho meal tasted like a blend of Middle Eastern and Indian cultures. It was very flavorful with tons of spices and herbs in the kofta - sort of like a ground chicken meatball. The bed of eggplant, onions, and chilies on which it is placed were also highly spiced. The mint yogurt was a lovely foil for the heat (both temperature and spiciness) of the rest of the dish. Hubby and I loved the whole thing. The kids loved the koftas but not the yogurt or the veggies. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkqiSgZUhCSAGbSi9ckY6VCeUqrmteFlgOhRPSia0nGdOVUF6VbA4qhCXkNI54OygGVPpbtfnZnOiR8QaXCyfhFsujCdW7lS9UVq2KcU9DT0k0rUiljacINlw-rAaYy_sXulx36Y5fea6s/s1600/IMG_5107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkqiSgZUhCSAGbSi9ckY6VCeUqrmteFlgOhRPSia0nGdOVUF6VbA4qhCXkNI54OygGVPpbtfnZnOiR8QaXCyfhFsujCdW7lS9UVq2KcU9DT0k0rUiljacINlw-rAaYy_sXulx36Y5fea6s/s640/IMG_5107.jpg" height="454" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ginger Pudding</td></tr>
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<br />
<br />
For dessert, we had a traditional pudding. When we think of pudding in the United States, we generally mean the instant Jell-O sort. If we're lucky, we mean my gramma's famous homemade from-scratch chocolate pudding. But this kind of pudding has nothing to do with either of those. As in the United Kingdom, "pudding" is a more substantial wettish pastry-like dish. Puddings are referenced quite a bit in the banquets of Harry Potter series, so if you're a fan of Rowling's writing, you should give this a try. It's actually a bit hard to describe. The instructions to the Ginger Pudding [recipe below] seemed like a joke to me. The dough sits directly in a bath of sugar water while it cooks. I thought it would be a giant pan of goo when I pulled it out of the oven, but...but, it did work! AND we all liked it! The ginger and apricot tastes are very subtle, and the water combines with some of the dough to make a sort of glaze that is rather sweet. The kids requested I make this again soon. The fact that I told them Harry Potter probably would've eaten something like this at Hogwarts didn't hurt, I'm sure.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhctyyincmRQKOHP_rX2J4ZfNKyoktrdNKc6UgswEcxa_yK5VQa3yDcDso6w59iyTuYsajg3VKiSbzoQCVNb9HihO_4eCEIBzixQO8LuQhg9J45oppwOH4mUkCwVap-tQU0-9E0DVLoDx7v/s1600/Carrying+Water+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhctyyincmRQKOHP_rX2J4ZfNKyoktrdNKc6UgswEcxa_yK5VQa3yDcDso6w59iyTuYsajg3VKiSbzoQCVNb9HihO_4eCEIBzixQO8LuQhg9J45oppwOH4mUkCwVap-tQU0-9E0DVLoDx7v/s640/Carrying+Water+1.jpg" height="380" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A photo from my time in Lesotho (1993). Basotho woman carrying water</td></tr>
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<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Ginger Pudding</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">from <i>Extending the Table</i> by Joetta Handrich Schlabach</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Combine in a 9-inch square baking dish:</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">2 cups boiling water</span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">1/2 cup sugar</span></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">1/4 teaspoon salt</span></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 tablespoon vinegar</span></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Stir until sugar dissolves. Set aside.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">In a separate bowl, combine:</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">1/3 cup butter, melted</span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">1/3 cup shortening, melted </span> </span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>2 cups flour</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>2 tablespoons apricot, currant, or plum jam</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>1 teaspoon baking soda</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>1 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Mix well, adding a bit of milk if batter is too dry. Preheat oven to 375F. Drop cake mixture by small spoonfuls into syrup. Cover tightly with lid or foil (so it steams) and bake 50-55 minutes or until set. Serve topped with custard, fresh or whipped cream, or milk.</div>
Erin Claassenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105663796726797809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637863412023311478.post-81892804732422469882013-04-23T09:58:00.003-07:002013-04-23T12:12:28.614-07:00Food From the Side of the RoadI think I literally gave my mom a panic attack. I was 16 years old, and had just flown, by myself, to the other side of the world....and forgot to call and let her know I made it there safely. And I didn't just forget to call from the Johannesburg airport. It wasn't until late the following day, when we made it to our final destination in Maseru that my parents tracked me down at the house where I was staying and I got a very long winded, very long distance, very well deserved lecture. That was the beginning of my month long stay in Lesotho (pronounced Li-<b>soo</b>-too), a small kingdom completely surrounded by the country of South Africa. <br />
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I was visiting some family friends, Lon & Mary Hall and their son Allen. Lon was a pilot with Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF), and I was to stay with them for a month to both help out with childcare for a large multi-country MAF meeting, and to see what the missionary life was all about. It was an absolutely life-changing, amazing trip, about which I could write an entire separate blog. But since Epicurean Travels is about the food, I'll try to stick with that...but no promises.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia1ci5dF566Rz_vBQ08PCYErCky7zA1VFJZ63sE4h-Uf0eWZfoPgUqgQWzgTCZRe9JCznNpJKyH8HWfpZfYYGpp-to90Kv6IVbGfrkmWzToMZgMfqu5jc2hHiVlKdZ5YTn2wtzKjYS9jlW/s1600/IMG_5094.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia1ci5dF566Rz_vBQ08PCYErCky7zA1VFJZ63sE4h-Uf0eWZfoPgUqgQWzgTCZRe9JCznNpJKyH8HWfpZfYYGpp-to90Kv6IVbGfrkmWzToMZgMfqu5jc2hHiVlKdZ5YTn2wtzKjYS9jlW/s640/IMG_5094.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steak & Papa</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Besides the food at the Hall's house, one of the first things I tried in Lesotho was Steak and Papa. There was a man in Maseru, the capital city, who parked his travel trailer on the side of the road, set up his barbeque, and grilled t-bone steaks for passing motorists. On the paper plate along with the steak, you were served papa, a stiff but moist and savory cake made from maize that he cooked on the stove in his trailer. It's like the Besotho version of grits. The t-bone was much thinner than what you'd get in the states, and seasoned with salt and pepper. Fire-grilled steak: what's not to like? It was delicious then, and it was delicious when my husband superbly recreated it for our first Basotho meal. Everyone devoured it, one of my sons even gnawing the bone to get at all possible meat particles. <br />
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The papa [<a href="http://globaltableadventure.com/2011/12/11/recipe-papa-an-african-staple/#comment-32058">recipe here</a>] was also a huge success. The kids have never had grits before, so they didn't really have a reference for what they were about to eat. They were a bit wary, but after trying a nibble, they all had seconds. An easy, three ingredient side dish, the papa is made with salt and either chicken or beef broth, for an extra savory flavor. It is made rather thick, then spooned into individual portions to cool. The whole cake congeals and can be picked up and eaten by hand - just like it is in Lesotho. Since Mary paid for my roadside meal, I'm not sure how much it cost, but I'm sure it was much less than what we paid for ours last week. It was still really worth it, and if you're one of the people that reads this blog and thinks, "That's so interesting and cool...<i>and </i>I would never be able to cook that or eat that in a million years," than this is the meal for you! Super easy, no weird flavors or ingredients, and, obviously, there's steak! Who wouldn't like that? ...besides vegetarians, vegans, and the people who think corn is the ultimate source of evil on this planet. So if you're not one of those aforementioned sorts, give steak and papa a try!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLpMnN1SAyL-84Op8RtqkjrEgGX5A0M-koTm4OlogLdGswYQwRgQMNfx0vRMpkRXUgwj2VvYb_WIrIr-0WqdFgQSiiV30z3nW1HfyfLrOFTVZd_LlTomCXu1Z0Y90F5JE2pLLxmbqd7dVU/s1600/IMG_5088.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLpMnN1SAyL-84Op8RtqkjrEgGX5A0M-koTm4OlogLdGswYQwRgQMNfx0vRMpkRXUgwj2VvYb_WIrIr-0WqdFgQSiiV30z3nW1HfyfLrOFTVZd_LlTomCXu1Z0Y90F5JE2pLLxmbqd7dVU/s640/IMG_5088.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chakalaka</td></tr>
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<br />
Although I didn't ever have it while I was in Lesotho, a popular sauce is Chakalaka [<a href="http://www.healthy-life.narod.ru/wor_ek118.htm">recipe here</a>]. Go ahead and say that out loud. You know you want to. Cha-ka-la-ka. Sweet, right? Not only super fun to say, chakalaka is so popular in Lesotho and South Africa, that it's actually sold canned in all the grocery stores. We made ours from scratch. It's similar to a cooked salsa. It's both sweet and spicy, which is a combination I love. We scooped it up with both bites of the papa and the steak. All three at the same time was also a winning mouthful. The kids had mixed reviews of the chakalaka. One loved it, one liked it okay, and my daughter didn't like it at all, since she doesn't like spicy things, even though it's not all that spicy. I took the leftover chakalaka and added it to my scrambled eggs the next day. That was the perfect way to finish it off!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJm4s2o4Kd2x-SH2Zp9FusR5uGju6Xj8nHc09pQMrhiILY803H8hhm9OfBqbZQ9Opbj5j-7BVebNGCe0Prfa7piDWbr4kMjEDHyq_Uy18DoVPi6KmCCm4hGqX7zA0lOe45sySJbqqq_YmO/s1600/Hanger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJm4s2o4Kd2x-SH2Zp9FusR5uGju6Xj8nHc09pQMrhiILY803H8hhm9OfBqbZQ9Opbj5j-7BVebNGCe0Prfa7piDWbr4kMjEDHyq_Uy18DoVPi6KmCCm4hGqX7zA0lOe45sySJbqqq_YmO/s640/Hanger.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lon's plane and hanger at a Maseru airport</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
In case you're getting confused with all the African lingo, let me explain a few things I learned before traveling to Lesotho.<br />
<br />
1. Lesotho (li-<b>soo</b>-too) is the country.<br />
2. Basotho (ba-<b>soo</b>-too) are the people.<br />
3. Sesotho (si-<b>soo</b>-too) is the language.<br />
4. Maseru (ma-<b>say</b>-roo) is the capital.<br />
<br />
So until next time, "Tsela tsoeu." Which literally means "white road," but is the Basotho way of saying, "Happy trails."Erin Claassenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105663796726797809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637863412023311478.post-68102373974007114972013-04-22T17:44:00.001-07:002013-04-22T17:44:12.963-07:00Yellow Spud :: White Spear :: Green Dog"Again with the fish?" you ask. "I thought you didn't like fish," you say. Well, you're right. I don't. But, that doesn't keep me from trying it in different ways, hoping that perhaps I'll find a few preparations that don't make me gag. So far, that's yielded mixed results, with most of those results being in the "Gag" column. A few have made it to the "I Can Swallow It" column, and the <a href="http://epicureantravels.blogspot.com/2010/07/exception-to-hatred.html">fish tacos</a> sit, all lonely in the "Let's Have That Again" column. Well, I probably won't stop trying different seafood, in hopes of giving the fish tacos someone to chat with over there in Lonesome Town.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuIKBQG9yiFPLZ388PJlLWjyhKmfmKPYJ3Jh6CcRCKbhZlYXn_MgvxO2_lv74VT4mTNMNi4MLItgIhx4rvhuegKwqPnrH9a8O1Huw6BkiEmHP0Z5nvGcpLjG6rXzC9M0tknR2j2xsltOBX/s1600/IMG_4327.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuIKBQG9yiFPLZ388PJlLWjyhKmfmKPYJ3Jh6CcRCKbhZlYXn_MgvxO2_lv74VT4mTNMNi4MLItgIhx4rvhuegKwqPnrH9a8O1Huw6BkiEmHP0Z5nvGcpLjG6rXzC9M0tknR2j2xsltOBX/s640/IMG_4327.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Snapper with Saffron & Potatoes</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The fish in the nummy fish tacos are breaded and fried, so I thought this fishy dish from Spain might just do the trick. The Red Snapper with Saffron and Potatoes [recipe at bottom of post] has a crispy breaded and fried fillet as its base. My husband did a great job of frying up the snapper - they were cooked perfectly and so crispy. But, I must unfortunately report that the dish only made it to the "I Can Swallow It" column. The bright yellow saffron potato mixture, however, was superb. Everyone that already liked fish liked the entire dish. My parents joined us for dinner, and they both really liked the saffron potatoes. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipb6xKzucilH-uiWcJvvrcPDXia1ggR_QZWPr0sIbnmHF2vdKJeY4HoIfMfBsALqz-quRJDn9hME_4sfjsfXm6LlSDCNIGvGEtH8-gk-PbKxV7_qBzn6sllwbJsNzqIDOPvtkFSkb2fXTb/s1600/IMG_4315.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipb6xKzucilH-uiWcJvvrcPDXia1ggR_QZWPr0sIbnmHF2vdKJeY4HoIfMfBsALqz-quRJDn9hME_4sfjsfXm6LlSDCNIGvGEtH8-gk-PbKxV7_qBzn6sllwbJsNzqIDOPvtkFSkb2fXTb/s640/IMG_4315.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White Asparagus Salad with Creamy Tomato Dressing</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
White Asparagus Salad with Creamy Tomato Dressing [<a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/white-asparagus-salad-with-creamy-tomato-dressing">recipe here</a>] is apparently so gourmet that I had to travel to 4 different stores to find the canned white asparagus. Personally, I have a hard time calling anything that comes from a can "gourmet." Yes, even caviar (see first paragraph of this post). But, the price of those white spears was absolutely "gourmet." Eight dollars and seventy-eight cents for about 20 pickled asparagus? Well, I thought, they better be the best darned asparagus I've ever had. They weren't. They were decidedly okay. Fresh would've been much better. The white asparagus of the Navarra region of Spain is held in high regard, and even though I went to World Market, I couldn't find Spanish white asparagus. Maybe it's better than the kind I got. Either way, the rest of the salad was great. The dressing was really lovely.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJOSYTWyBzUOIFOKVV01QMy7NQLUQweVOlkVQQS7EtzcAfLogmEKFNTwi1cnQj1RstmijrhAvLEAaOwa_f2ajVW3yfqc5snWUQ-54MCO7yly_CG5gX63rWNzbStYDFcqie-XePv7tUqFSP/s1600/IMG_4325.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJOSYTWyBzUOIFOKVV01QMy7NQLUQweVOlkVQQS7EtzcAfLogmEKFNTwi1cnQj1RstmijrhAvLEAaOwa_f2ajVW3yfqc5snWUQ-54MCO7yly_CG5gX63rWNzbStYDFcqie-XePv7tUqFSP/s640/IMG_4325.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White Sangria with Peaches</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Before and during our dinner, we sipped on some chilled White Sangria with Peaches [recipe at bottom of post]. It's a sweeter take on sangria made with red wine. The peaches were really great, as were the oranges. The limes were still too sour to eat, but it was very refreshing. I bought a bottle of white Spanish wine to make the sangria, but it just said "white wine" and wasn't as sweet as the Gewurztraminer the recipe recommended. We just added a bit more simple syrup and it was fine. Plus, I really liked the label of the <i>el perro verde</i>, or Green Dog wine, with its frolicking emerald pup, so it was a win-win.<br />
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<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Red Snapper with Saffron and Potatoes</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
from <i>The Best Recipes in the World</i> by Mark Bittman</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1 1/2 to 2 pounds fillets of sea bass, red snapper, catfish, monkfish, wolffish, or other firm fishes</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
flour for dredging</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
6 garlic cloves</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1 medium onion, chopped</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1 pound potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into strips</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
about 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1/2 cup dry white wine</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1 cup fish or chicken stock, or water</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
salt and black pepper to taste</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
1. Put 3 tablespoons of the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. A couple of minutes later, when the oil is hot, dredge each fillet in the flour and add to the skillet. Cook until brown, turning once, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the fillets and set aside. Let the pan cool a bit, then wipe it out.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
2. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and add the garlic. Stir until fragrant, about 1 minute, then add the onion, potatoes, and bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes translucent, about 5 minutes.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
3. Add the saffron, wine, and stock, bring to a boil, then simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Return the fish to the pan, cover, and adjust the heat so the mixture simmers. Cook until the fish is done, about 5 minutes more. Serves 4.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>White Sangria with Peaches</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
from <i>The Best Recipes in the World</i> by Mark Bittman</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
one 750-ml bottle not-too-dry white wine, like Gewurztraminer or Riesling</div>
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1/4 cup Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur</div>
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1 lime, peeled and sliced</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1 orange, peeled and sliced</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1 cup sliced ripe fresh or canned peaches</div>
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1/2 cup simple syrup, or to taste</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
sparkling water</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
1. In a large pitcher, combine the wine, Grand Mariner, lime, orange, and peaches. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferable overnight. </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
2. Add the simple syrup to taste. Serve in glasses with ice cubes and sparkling water.</div>
Erin Claassenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105663796726797809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637863412023311478.post-74445342815362919682013-04-19T11:37:00.003-07:002013-04-19T11:37:52.313-07:00On The Flip SideSo, last time I told you about my Nana's famous oxtail soup, my attempt to feed my family oxtail, and the no-so-terrific results. Today I'm here to take a similar story and flip it on its head. My grandmother (Nana's daughter) once made a dish so hideous, such a wrong combination of foods, that the family still discusses it today: Grandma's Ghastly Gazpacho Jello Salad. It was a jello mold with vegetables in it. Things like green olives, bell pepper, cucumber, and celery, all suspended motionless in a tomato-juice-infused ring of trembling gelatin. It's like the vegetable pieces had seen the face of Medusa and were frozen in time and space, hauntingly staring at us through their semi-opaque prison of tomato jelly. Since that day when Grandma brought her quivering salad to lunch, even hearing the word "gazpacho" has caused me to involuntarily screw my face up into a revolting sneer.<br />
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It wasn't until years later that I learned that gazpacho is actually a cold soup originating from Spain. But I still wasn't inclined to try it. Well, since it's Spain week here in the Epicurean kitchen, and after reading the recipe I thought it might be possible that I would like gazpacho, I added it to the menu for our evening of tapas.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbLM9usKr7pknX1RMscaajCB8p9WXNHhwwBppcusR_9MslQIImPK-FmD770wY0pR00m04viJNaUh6J3yUruw6Wgt1myO_hyphenhyphenS5XKM_CsO-vP4dqy2p_bdiMysPZaMK3PZM3LXMEHzaPJVVy/s1600/IMG_4296.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbLM9usKr7pknX1RMscaajCB8p9WXNHhwwBppcusR_9MslQIImPK-FmD770wY0pR00m04viJNaUh6J3yUruw6Wgt1myO_hyphenhyphenS5XKM_CsO-vP4dqy2p_bdiMysPZaMK3PZM3LXMEHzaPJVVy/s640/IMG_4296.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Gazpacho</td></tr>
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Tapas are any Spanish appetizer-like snacks that can be served either hot or cold. Basic Red Gazpacho [recipe at bottom of post] is a very refreshing cold soup. Many Spaniards will actually drink it from a glass, but that seemed too much like a vegetable smoothie, which is not something I am inclined to endorse, as seen in <a href="http://epicureantravels.blogspot.com/2012/09/smoothie-casserole.html">this post</a> from Chile week. We ate it in bowls with spoons, like any self-respecting soup should be eaten. It's a thin soup made from uncooked vegetables that have been blended with water, soaked bread, sherry vinegar, and olive oil. The vegetables are tomatoes, cucumbers, bell pepper, and a clove of garlic. My husband and I liked it. It was even better with a bit of hot sauce added to the bowl. The kids did not want to try it. After their obligatory "taster bite" they all pushed it aside. Years from now, perhaps one of them will write a blog about all the culinary experiments their mother subjected them to as children. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fried Green Spanish Olives</td></tr>
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Everything is better if it's fried, right? Wrong. Take, for instance, Fried Green Spanish Olives [<a href="http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/14686/fried+green+spanish+olives">recipe here</a>]. Spanish Manzanilla olives: salty & delicious. Bread them and fry them: crunchy, salty, and weird. They weren't bad...they just weren't good either. My daughter actually chose Spain for this week's culinary destination because she wanted to know, "Where to do they eat olives?" She love olives, and can polish off an entire jar by herself if I let her. She actually chose Greece last year for the same reason: olives. So I knew they had to make it onto the menu somehow this week. I should've just dumped them out of the jar into a bowl...much less work, much less fat, much better flavor.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pork, Piquillo, and Cheese Canapés</td></tr>
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Canapés are small, decorative foods that are eaten by hand, and usually in one bite. The Pork, Piquillo, and Cheese Canapés [recipe at bottom of post] were the biggest hit of our Spanish tapas night. The kids couldn't get enough of them. I should mention that the peppers I used are not really piquillo peppers, as I could not find them anywhere local. Piquillo peppers are small, sweet, slightly spicy peppers from the Navarre region of Spain. I did find a jar of European red peppers at World Market that just said "peppers" on it. It turns out they were just roasted red bell peppers, but they were still yummy. These canapés were super easy to make, and had a great flavor combination with the bread, olive oil, pork, Manchego cheese, and pepper. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Torrijas: Sweet French Toast with Citrus Syrup</td></tr>
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<br />
After our tapas dinner, we had what might be considered breakfast for dessert. In Spain, a very popular dessert is a form of French toast called Torrijas [recipe at bottom of post]. The bread is soaked in milk that has been steeped with lemon zest and cinnamon, then dipped in an egg bath right before pan-frying in some olive oil. I really liked the idea of the egg just coating the bread, and not soaking all the way through. I really dislike eating squishy raw egg in the middle of my bread. The Spaniards have solved the problem! <br />
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The syrup that goes over the crisp bread is a seriously dense, flavor citrus syrup made with three kinds of alcohol. I cooked the brandy, port, and orange liqueur a long time along with the fresh-squeezed orange and lemon juices to make sure all the alcohol cooked off. I let the kids try it first. None of them liked the citrus syrup, and opted for the maple variety. When I tried it I knew why. It was delicious, but the alcohol taste was still pretty strong. In fact, after finishing my dessert, I had that "warm in the face" feeling I can get if I have a glass of wine. Maybe it's a good thing the kids wanted the maple syrup. And maybe that's why in Spain, this is a dessert and not a breakfast. No one wants to see schnockered children stumbling their way to school in the morning.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Basic Red Gazpacho</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">from <i>The Best Recipes in the World</i> by Mark Bittman</span><b> </b></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
about 2 pounds ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped</div>
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1 red bell pepper, seeded, stemmed, and roughly chopped</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1/3 seedless English cucumber, peeled and roughly chopped</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
4 slices stale good-quality white bread, crusts removed</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1 garlic clove, peeled</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1 tablespoon or more sherry vinegar</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
salt and black pepper to taste</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1. Mince a bit of the tomato, pepper, and cucumber for garnish and set aside. Soak the bread in a cup of water for 5 minutes, then squeeze out the excess water.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
2. Place the bread in a blender or food processor with the unminced tomato, pepper, and cucumber, 6 cups water, the garlic, and the vinegar. Process until smooth, then add the olive oil slowly, with the machine running.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
3. Season with salt and pepper and refrigerate until ready to serve; the flavor will improve over a few hours. Before serving, check the seasoning again and garnish with the reserved tomato, pepper, and cucumber.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Pork, Piquillo, and Cheese Canapés</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">from <i>The Best Recipes in the World</i> by Mark Bittman</span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
12 to 16 slices baguette</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1/4 pound cooked pork tenderloin, cut into 12 to 16 thin slices</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
salt & black pepper to taste</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
extra virgin olive oil</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
12 to 16 small slices Manchego cheese</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
6 to 8 piquillo peppers, cut in half lengthwise</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
1. Toast the bread lightly. Put a piece of pork on each piece of bread. Sprinkle the pork with salt and pepper and drizzle it with a few drops of olive oil. </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
2. Top with a piece of cheese and a piquillo half. Skewer with a toothpick and serve within 30 minutes.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Torrijas</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Spa<span style="font-size: small;">nish Sweet French Toast with Citrus Syrup</span></span></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">from <i>The New Mediterranean</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i> Diet Cookbook</i> by Nancy Harmon Jenkins</span></span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span> </b></span>1 1/4 cups fresh orange juice, from 4 oranges</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon Spanish brandy</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon orange liqueur such as Grand Marnier</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon port</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
zest of 1/2 orange, cut into julienne strips</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
5 tablespoons sugar</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1 quart whole milk</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
zest of 1/2 lemon</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1 - 3 1/2 inch cinnamon stick</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
6 or 8 3/4-inch-thick slices of crusty plain white bread</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
3 large eggs, well beaten</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Mix the juices, liquors, orange zest, and sugar together in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-low heat. Simmer for about 25 minutes or until the liquid is reduced to about 1 3/4 cups of syrup. Set aside, but keep warm.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
In another saucepan, combine the milk with the lemon zest and cinnamon and bring just to a simmer over low heat. Steep over very low heat (not even simmering) for about 20 minutes.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Place the bread slices in a rectangular dish in which all slices will fit without overlapping. Remove and discard the lemon zest and cinnamon stick. Pour the milk over the bread and leave for a few minutes.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
When you're ready to cook, heat the skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Carefully dip a slice of soaked bread in the beaten egg, turning it once to coat both sides. Cook, turning once, until nicely browned and fir, exactly as you would for French toast. Repeat with the remaining oil and bread.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Arrange the torrijas on a platter, drizzle a little of the orange syrup over each slice, and pass the remaining syrup in a pitcher.</div>
Erin Claassenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105663796726797809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637863412023311478.post-61430332400164087442013-04-18T21:00:00.002-07:002013-04-18T21:00:27.661-07:00It Was Legend...(wait for it)My great grandmother's oxtail stew is something of legend in my family. I never actually had it, but heard a lot about it growing up. For some reason, I always pictured it as a very brothy dish with little quarter-sized medallions of tender tail meat floating around in the dark broth with some carrots and celery. So, when I found a recipe from Spain for braised oxtail, I decided it was our family's turn to try this oft-heralded meat. The following is the true story of how my childhood daydreams of Nana's Amazing Oxtail Stew slid down the slope of <span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default;">oleaginous sinew and </span></span>shattered upon the reality of gigantic bovine bones.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rabo de Toro - Braised Oxtail</td></tr>
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Step 1: Unexpectedly be reminded of the stories of Nana's delicious Oxtail Stew.<br />
In perusing for recipes for our week of meals from Spain, I was leafing through my newest cookbook, T<i>he Best Recipes in the World</i> by Mark Bittman. I came across an entry for Rabo de Toro, or Braised Oxtail [recipe at bottom of post]. Oxtail?! The memories came flooding back: Family talking about how they were at first unsure of Nana's oxtail stew, but were rewarded for their bravery by really enjoying the dish. Of course, this was the buzz from the older generation, as my generation was only aware of Nana's addictive cinnamon rolls and bread - the only real cooking she did in her last years. So, because I had always been curious, because I like to <strike>force my family to try weird things</strike> offer new food choices, and because this was obviously an authentic Spanish dish, I planned our first meal from Spain around the Rabo de Toro.<br />
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Step 2: Procure tail meat.<br />
Assuming that mainstream grocery conglomerates do not sell anything that hangs off the back end of an ox, I decided to go straight to a local butcher. When I got there, they had about 4 large packages of vacuum sealed frozen tail to choose from, priced at about $5 per pound. It was at the butcher that I realized the oxtail segments are not quarter-sized. Well, that's not totally true. Some of them are. But those are from the tip of the tail and mostly consist of bone covered in fat. The larger sections were roughly the size of a human fist.<br />
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Step 3: Cook it.<br />
You can check out the recipe at the bottom to see most of what happens in this section. Highlights include pin-sized grease burns on my arms from browning the tail, hands that smelled of garlic for 2 days from peeling the cloves of an entire head of garlic, and the seriously DELICIOUS smell of the meat cooking with all the aromatics, stock, bacon, and wine.<br />
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Step 4: Explain to your family what they are about to eat.<br />
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Step 5: Remove copious amounts of gelatinous fat and tendons from your oxtail.<br />
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Step 6: Go to cupboard for extra napkins to absorb the oil slick on your hands.<br />
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Step 7: Enjoy 2 bites of actual meat from your fist-sized piece of oxtail. <br />
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Step 8: Repeat steps 5-7.<br />
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Step 9: Resolve to refrain from oxtail preparation. <br />
Even though the flavor was really wonderful, oxtail is in the "never again" category because of it's price per pound versus the actual amount of edible parts, the labor involved in preparing it, and the grease still stuck under your fingernails<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9gPsSEFGtZlhaDMRTSek33Dxof1TE9aHgqwETzUW9V4K8L7BHaF41XZ7fJD9X_kUQlDS62f6YF4g63NRbwbxXIzNOcKRiPnMXHXqDp_D0PjXNn4tFGBYN8e6LteuNS_8zdQPWkEIr4gmT/s1600/IMG_4282.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9gPsSEFGtZlhaDMRTSek33Dxof1TE9aHgqwETzUW9V4K8L7BHaF41XZ7fJD9X_kUQlDS62f6YF4g63NRbwbxXIzNOcKRiPnMXHXqDp_D0PjXNn4tFGBYN8e6LteuNS_8zdQPWkEIr4gmT/s640/IMG_4282.jpg" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cauliflower Gratin with Manchego & Almond Sauce</td></tr>
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<br />
Along with the 4 bites of braised oxtail, we had some veggies: Cauliflower Gratin with Manchego and Almond Sauce [<a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/cauliflower-gratin-with-manchego-and-almond-sauce">recipe here</a>]. Manchego is a Spanish firm cheese made from sheep's milk with a flavor slightly resembling a mild Parmesan. The cheesy, creamy almond sauce is made from almonds pureed in milk, then strained. The cauliflower and sauce is topped with more manchego cheese, chopped almonds, and paprika. Vegetables and cheese sauce are always a winning combination, and this was no exception. The Spanish cheese, almonds, and paprika really made the dish take on a more European flavor than the cheddar sauce over broccoli that my mom used to make. But if I had to choose, I think I'd pick my mom's. No, actually, I'd choose both. Like I said, you can't go wrong with cheese sauce and veggies.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3vTZWFXUwy4Gq9TaB90d6HRZpyv4gm0GVJ-C3LGHAGgD5O2-5EIcq67ZGCqmfXc-voz31lM5xlRGpNIiGseIcJdDKk3WSFFbYlxQtJTso9tAwk8W1_XMG7_1MS7km2qDpqhXvGeD8v1oI/s1600/IMG_4266.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3vTZWFXUwy4Gq9TaB90d6HRZpyv4gm0GVJ-C3LGHAGgD5O2-5EIcq67ZGCqmfXc-voz31lM5xlRGpNIiGseIcJdDKk3WSFFbYlxQtJTso9tAwk8W1_XMG7_1MS7km2qDpqhXvGeD8v1oI/s640/IMG_4266.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yellow Rice</td></tr>
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The last component of our first Spanish meal was Yellow Rice [recipe at bottom of post]. The color comes from the most expensive spice per ounce in the world: saffron. Luckily, I didn't have to use very much. Saffron is particularly popular in Spanish cuisine. I happen to like it quite a bit, so the rice was enjoyable. My oldest son, on the other hand, thinks the saffron tastes like chlorine. He's not completely wrong. I can taste a bit of that flavor. Maybe that's why I like it. Perhaps it reminds me of my life guarding days. Either way, it's not an overpowering flavor, and the recipe made plenty of rice, which was fortuitious, since the oxtail yeilded so little actual food. <br />
<br />In our next meal from Spain, we will be exploring some different tapas. Can't wait!<br />
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<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Rabo de Toro</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Braised Oxtail</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span><span style="font-size: small;">from The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">1 <span style="font-size: small;">t</span>ablespoon <span style="font-size: small;">extra virgin olive oil</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> 1/4 pound good-quality slab bacon, cut into small cubes</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">3 to 4 pounds oxt<span style="font-size: small;">ails, cut into 2-inch lengths</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">salt & pepper to taste</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 large onion, chopped</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">2 carrots, roughly chopped</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">2 celery stocks, peeled and roughly chopped</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 head of garlic, excess pap<span style="font-size: small;">er<span style="font-size: small;">y skin removed, <span style="font-size: small;">c</span>ut in half through its equator</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span> </span> </span> </span>1 cup dry white wine</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
2 bay leaves</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
several fresh thyme sprigs</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1 medium to large tomato, cored and roughly chopped</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
stock or water as needed</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1. Preheat oven to 300 F. Put the olive oil in a Dutch oven or flameproof casserole with a lid and place over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is crisp and has given up most of its fat, about 10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, add the meat, and turn the heat to medium-high. Cook, turning the chunks as they brown and sprinkling them with salt and pepper, until the meat is brown and crisp all over, at least 10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
2. Turn the heat to medium and add the onion, carrots, and celery, along with some more salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions softens, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the wine and let it bubble for a minute, then return the meat and the bacon to the pan along with the bay leaves, thyme, and tomato. Stir. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
3. Cover and put in the oven; cook, checking after about an hour and adding more liquid if needed, for at leas 2 hours, or until the meat is very, very tender - falling off the bone. Taste and adjust the seasoning. If the mixture is soupy, reduce the liquid over high heat until it is more like a sauce. Garnish and serve or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days before reheating. Serves 4.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Yellow Rice</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">from The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"> 2 1/2 cups chicken or beef s<span style="font-size: small;">tock</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">large pinch of saffron threads, about 1 teaspoon</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">4 tablespoons butter or extra virgin olive oil</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 medium onion, chopped</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 1/2 cups <span style="font-size: small;">Arborio or other short grain rice</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">salt and black pepper to taste</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">1. Warm the stock gently in a saucepan with the saffron. Put half the butter in a deep skillet with a lid<span style="font-size: small;"> over medium heat. A minute later, add the onion. <span style="font-size: small;">Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">softens</span>, about 5 minutes. <span style="font-size: small;">Add the rice and continue to <span style="font-size: small;">cook</span>, stirring, </span></span></span></span>until the rice is glossy ang begins to brown, about 5 minutes more. </span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">2. Add the stock all at <span style="font-size: small;">once, along with some salt and pepper. Cover and adjust the heat so the mixture simmers gently and cook until the rice is done, <span style="font-size: small;">15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the remaining butter, taste and adjust the seasoning, and serve. Makes 4 very <span style="font-size: small;">generous servings</span></span>.</span></span> </span></span></div>
Erin Claassenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105663796726797809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637863412023311478.post-56383349668202235392013-04-11T21:43:00.003-07:002013-04-11T21:43:33.030-07:00The Jigg is UpIf you adhere to the wisdom of nursery rhymes, you will know that it can be served hot, cold, or in the pot nine days old. We're talking peas porridge. Something I thought to be as mythical as donkey cabbages or Rapunzel's hair has landed in the Epicurean Kitchen. And where should it come from, but the magical land of the north. Yes: Canada. It's part of a heavily spiced and boiled meal called Jiggs Dinner that is popular in Newfoundland province.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jiggs Dinner</td></tr>
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Jiggs Dinner [recipe at bottom of post] is a one pot meal, as long as that pot is stinking ginormous. Along with the generous portion of corned beef, the pot is filled with potatoes, cabbage, carrots, rutabaga, and a bag filled with yellow split peas that will be made into the peas porridge. It's obviously very similar to the St. Patty's Day favorite of corned
beef and cabbage. The only difference being the rutabaga and the peas
porridge. The spices from the corned beef flavor all of it. I got a different brand of corned beef than my usual this time, since we were watching an additional five children the night of the meal, and that brand came in larger portions. This version was so much hotter that what I've had before. The meat was great, but the chili peppers really did a number on the vegetables, making them too spicy for most of the kids. But don't worry, they were super happy with what we had for dessert!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNrvxvcCf_fqHtEaaxmAQsnGqjnY0V4SWIomZlSAkqr2sB8R4e-rPIWbgrDWff8Ury_W9JmF0AeCvAhSKyUF-EGUg7JICaSkPyW73I_O-WoY4HhyLlagUYfmQOzBsvvkQre5ECNU_ZsbKG/s1600/IMG_3898.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNrvxvcCf_fqHtEaaxmAQsnGqjnY0V4SWIomZlSAkqr2sB8R4e-rPIWbgrDWff8Ury_W9JmF0AeCvAhSKyUF-EGUg7JICaSkPyW73I_O-WoY4HhyLlagUYfmQOzBsvvkQre5ECNU_ZsbKG/s640/IMG_3898.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peas Porridge</td></tr>
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<br />
So, we didn't have peas porridge in the pot nine days old, but we did have peas porridge in the pot in a Hawaiian-print book bag. Yes, you read that correctly. The directions say to place the dry split peas in a bag "leaving room for expansion." I was not sure what kind of bag I should use. My husband suggested making one out of cheese cloth, but I thought that once the peas cooked down, they would just mush through the holes in it. So, I grabbed my 100% cotton Hawaiian print book bag, dumped the peas into it, closed it off with a silicone tie, and tossed it in with the giant hunk of spiced pink beef. It looked pretty odd, but it came out perfectly. Actually, everyone except one of the kids really liked the peas porridge. It made more than we could eat, so I put it in the fridge for leftovers, hoping to have the traditional way 9 days later. Unfortunately, I found it about 28 days later, and it was almost as horrifying as the movie of the same name.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilGtXsrfnVvX06-FtBD9nlpOUFDZYFJmkFOLPNGm03gJhhVhM2QwV7Uf0ehS8gXQCzeREv5b-ehIT5D-oDIZK-YCt-hgJv1c3OLIfrGHC0QsT1Mt4hdwZddMjduhjPsjuxIIw8qsOfVtLe/s1600/IMG_3913.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilGtXsrfnVvX06-FtBD9nlpOUFDZYFJmkFOLPNGm03gJhhVhM2QwV7Uf0ehS8gXQCzeREv5b-ehIT5D-oDIZK-YCt-hgJv1c3OLIfrGHC0QsT1Mt4hdwZddMjduhjPsjuxIIw8qsOfVtLe/s640/IMG_3913.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beaver Tails</td></tr>
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Sorry about that. On a food blog there should be less talk of gory zombie movies. So...onto what we ate for dessert: beaver tails!! When the father of the visiting children dropped them off, I mentioned that we would be having beaver tails for dessert. He works for the state department of fish and wildlife, so I'm sure he knows about quite a bit about beaver tails. "Hmmmm," he said without even blinking, "That sounds like it would be really fatty and chewy." Well, it turns out he was right. Canadian sure do know how to cook a mean beaver tail.<br />
<br />
Beaver Tails [<a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/canadian-beaver-tail-fried-pastries-119576?oc=linkback">recipe here</a>] are actually pretty much just a donuts in the shape of a beaver tail. Canadians do love their donuts, and this one didn't fail to impress. The dough was pretty basic, and after rising, patted out pretty easily into tail shapes. After they are fried golden and crispy, the tails are doused in cinnamon and sugar. Chewy on the inside and full of fat from the frying. The kids couldn't get enough of them. They were rather delicious, but not so delicious that I'd want to actually try a <i>real </i>beaver tail...even if it did have cinnamon and sugar on it.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Jiggs Dinner</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">from <i>Extending the Table</i> b</span>y Joetta Handrich S<span style="font-size: small;">chlabach</span></span><b> </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
2 lb. corned beef</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1 cup yellow split peas</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
6-8 medium potatoes cut in half</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
6 carrots, cut in half</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1 medium turnip or rutabaga or turnip, peeled & cut in chunks</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1 medium green cabbage, cut in wedges</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
2 tablespoons butter</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
pepper to taste</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Place meat in a large pot. Tie split peas in cloth bag, leaving room for expansion. Cover meat and peas with water. Heat to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 2 hours.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Add potatoes, carrots, and rutabaga and cook 15 minutes. Add cabbage and cook another 10 minutes, or until vegetables are just tender. Remove excess water so vegetables do not mash and form soup. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Remove peas from bag and place in a bowl with the butter and pepper. Mash to form "peas porridge." Arrange meat and vegetables on a platter. Serve peas porridge in separate bowl. Serves 6-8.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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Erin Claassenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105663796726797809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637863412023311478.post-64586212386080756312013-03-18T20:32:00.001-07:002013-03-18T20:34:37.288-07:00Our Planking EndeavorPlanking. It was a huge internet craze few years back...until people started being really stupid and dying. We did some planking of our own during Canada week, and it even involves fire and seems much more exciting than the fad version (which, if we all admit, is pretty much just napping in odd places). The Canuck's version, fire included, is actually not dangerous at all unless you are allergic to seafood. If you are, I suggest planking on the edge of a 400 foot cliff instead planking some salmon, Canadian style.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cedar-Planked Salmon</td></tr>
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As oft mentioned on this blog, I am no friend of fish. We've had a few variations that were palatable for me, but most of the time I just choke down one bite in an effort to accustom myself to seafood. The Cedar Planked Salmon [<a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/canadian-cedar-planked-salmon/detail.aspx">recipe here</a>] actually got me to take two bites! And that's saying something, since I abhor salmon above most other scaled seafaring creatures. Everyone else (our 3 kids, my husband, and my parents) all loved it. The cedar flavor really came through, and the onions and lemon slices were a nice second note. My son declared this is second favorite food ever; his first being peaches. It was really easy to do, and my husband really appreciated the cedar plank during the cooking, since it kept it from burning or falling through the grill. Cedar planks are available most places you can purchase charcoal briquettes. The come in 2-packs, so I'm sure we'll be doing this again soon, since it was such a huge hit.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maple Baked Beans</td></tr>
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As indicated by their flag, and the border town storefronts filled with maple candies, Canadian love maple syrup. The Maple Baked Beans [<a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/-guest-post-from-4-88245">recipe here</a>] we served with the salmon were a perfect way to sample it. They were a welcome sweetness against the smoky salmon. I've never made baked beans from scratch before, but it was fairly easy, if not time consuming. Actually, most of the time is the beans either soaking or baking, so there's really not that much effort to them. I used real maple syrup, as directed for the recipe. We used the rest of it on our weekend pancakes. Score!<br />
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My parents, the kids, and I all deemed them the best baked beans we'd ever had, but my husband though they were just okay. He has a special place in his heart for Bush's Baked Beans. They were a college-days late-night staple for him. The only adjustment I'd make to the recipe is that they were a bit soupy. I'll omit about 1 cup of water next time.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi05V9IC-5F-ACi5_ioQqUwcVboKA2g4xST4drT1fGJzyFYQ09dYyn1eNvzApQQmPdRrNhQua2eeldGoC_9pNcwmxPfzCpPdHAajCwLL6OW7_1PJWGGybdHbFCS6s8YfxzTc13UuMp0xiTU/s1600/IMG_3890.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi05V9IC-5F-ACi5_ioQqUwcVboKA2g4xST4drT1fGJzyFYQ09dYyn1eNvzApQQmPdRrNhQua2eeldGoC_9pNcwmxPfzCpPdHAajCwLL6OW7_1PJWGGybdHbFCS6s8YfxzTc13UuMp0xiTU/s640/IMG_3890.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blueberry Wild Rice</td></tr>
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In the Great White North, wild rice is a true indigenous treat, as are blueberries. Used by the Native Americans long before European colonization, the Ojibwe (or Chippewa) Nation (Great Lakes region of Canada and the US), has a story about how a spirit-man taught their ancestors how to harvest, clean, and cook wild rice. It was not only a food source for them, but also used for medicine. So, for dessert we had Blueberry Wild Rice [recipe at bottom]. It was alright. The blueberries disintegrated, but their flavor was evident. It was not very sweet, and we probably should've done as suggested by the recipe and topped it with whipped cream. We did drizzle some cream on it, and that helped, but it was a bit on the dry side, and the rice still tasted "husky." I thought we should try wild rice in a way we'd never had it. Well, I think I'll stick with the wild rice and chicken soup recipe we all love. I think most of the family would've been happy with more cedar planked salmon for dessert!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Blueberry Wild Rice</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">from Extending the Table <span style="font-size: small;">by Joetta Han<span style="font-size: small;">drich Schlabach, c. 1991</span></span></span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Combine in <span style="font-size: small;">saucepan:</span></span></span></span></span></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 c<span style="font-size: small;">. wild rice</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">3/4 c. b<span style="font-size: small;">lueberries, fresh or frozen</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">3 c. <span style="font-size: small;">water</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">2 T. sugar (optional)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">dash of cinnamon </span> </span> </span> </span></span></span></span></span></span> </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Cook 30 minutes, or until rice is tender. Serve hot as side dish, or cool and serve as dessert with whipped cream.</div>
Erin Claassenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105663796726797809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637863412023311478.post-78758817594294800772013-03-16T11:32:00.001-07:002013-03-16T11:35:08.040-07:00It's All Gravy, Eh?If you're of the mind that Canadians only eat donuts and anything off the menu at Tim Horton's and only drink beer and maple syrup, you're wrong. They also eat fries doused in gravy and cheese curds...and a bunch of other stuff most Americans eat too. When my son picked Canada for this week's nation, I wasn't sure we wouldn't find much that was different than good ol' American food. For the most part, I was right. But it was overall one of the most well-liked food of the countries we've sampled. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig7SXz8tiFx_cp2ZnnBWXl2B8X_NJik1jWpSzuT2ObVLjWxnDK88ZIkkgOgYwKH2fukKhRI7HOGcCn76N46KP8wfZSYwiIzSeVmuZFT-GyUin4wUfTMnAKlczstWQC2jtAwlDlZxc65-QO/s1600/IMG_3924.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig7SXz8tiFx_cp2ZnnBWXl2B8X_NJik1jWpSzuT2ObVLjWxnDK88ZIkkgOgYwKH2fukKhRI7HOGcCn76N46KP8wfZSYwiIzSeVmuZFT-GyUin4wUfTMnAKlczstWQC2jtAwlDlZxc65-QO/s640/IMG_3924.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poutine: French Fries with Gravy & Cheese</td></tr>
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I had heard of Poutine before my internet search for Canadian recipes: French fries covered in beef gravy and sprinkled with cheese curds. It did not sound appetizing. I've only had cheese curds once before, at the Bandon Cheese Factory in Oregon years ago. I was not a fan. It was like a very waxy, less-flavorful version of cheddar. But the Bandon Cheese Factory closed soon after my visit, so maybe their curds weren't up to par anyhow. Either way, the Poutine still sounded odd. Most of the recipes I found went something like this:<br />
<ol>
<li>Prepare frozen french fries.</li>
<li>Heat jar of store bought beef gravy.</li>
<li>Dump gravy on fries.</li>
<li>Sprinkle with cheese curds.</li>
<li>Don't be a hoser, eh. Enjoy on your chesterfield with some pop or a mickie.</li>
</ol>
I pretty much followed those directions, save the numbers 2 and 5. Jarred gravy creeps me out. Gelatinous foods should never be compacted into glass containers. At least have the decency to hide it in opaque plastic. So, I made my own gravy [<a href="http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Classic-Gravy-Fries">recipe here</a>]. I didn't go so far as to make my own fries. I'm fairly sure I'd already be considered a hoser for making the gravy (and not eating the Poutine on my couch with a soda or a pint of liquor).<br />
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With the exception of one of the kids, we all enjoyed the Poutine. After all, it's really not that different from mashed potatoes and gravy. And cheese pretty much makes anything better. I couldn't find cheese curds anywhere, so we just used some minced cheddar. It's probably not something I'll be making again soon, but glad we tried it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfymBVD8GHKO-U2ZYISJ1ObpkQDOt43ked97bQ49UxL2C1C-6PiGpYSlf2LkPjQBeit_OQEzBdXOXmAkGQ64yMnbsk8deEQjE1EHq-JjFN92h_zwd7aoBwOrD3j8uPq28l2H6KmNbE2pVB/s1600/IMG_3914.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfymBVD8GHKO-U2ZYISJ1ObpkQDOt43ked97bQ49UxL2C1C-6PiGpYSlf2LkPjQBeit_OQEzBdXOXmAkGQ64yMnbsk8deEQjE1EHq-JjFN92h_zwd7aoBwOrD3j8uPq28l2H6KmNbE2pVB/s640/IMG_3914.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mini Turkey Meatloaves</td></tr>
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The reason my son chose Canada was because he wanted turkey. Since we've already done the USA, Mexico, and Guatemala - all places where turkeys naturally roam - he chose one of the last remaining turkey countries. I'm pretty sure he wanted a large roast turkey, but I didn't feel like a big-production meal this week. So I found a really simple turkey recipe on the Turkey Farmers of Canada website: Mini Turkey Meatloaves [<a href="http://www.turkeyfarmersofcanada.ca/recipe/20200-Mini-Turkey-Meatloaves/">recipe here</a>]. I had found a few other meatloaf recipes in my search for meals from the Great White North, so I knew it would be authentically Canadian. We all thought they were okay. I was happy to hear that the family likes my meatloaf recipe better, but I will be taking one idea from this recipe: personal meatloaves made in cupcake tins. They cooked much faster, and didn't fall apart during the slicing, because there was none! So thanks, Turkey Farmers of Canada, for the idea!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiUGlwlg8nVL5ks-SMAqdt7den6wsmPxsduMtFfbFloqCyjZA7IGjIL5Pxr_B9tLhxgwoBbQOWLWMBm8iQAPIci9lCboG8uLXcoIYwSxoxA3y5NCzlZyOoq4Q1th1t2-EfWK6PweFyANP7/s1600/IMG_3922.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiUGlwlg8nVL5ks-SMAqdt7den6wsmPxsduMtFfbFloqCyjZA7IGjIL5Pxr_B9tLhxgwoBbQOWLWMBm8iQAPIci9lCboG8uLXcoIYwSxoxA3y5NCzlZyOoq4Q1th1t2-EfWK6PweFyANP7/s640/IMG_3922.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon and Apple Cider Dressing</td></tr>
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Canadian bacon. Is it really Canadian? From what I could find, no. They call it ham, just like we do. Not sure where the naming of the tube of ham originated. Nevertheless, they do eat it in Canada, and it was excellent in the Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon and Apple Cider Dressing [<a href="http://www.yummly.com/recipe/external/Spinach-Salad-With-Warm-Bacon-And-Apple-Cider-Dressing-Food-Network">recipe here</a>]. My husband made the salad while I finished the gravy for the fries. He said it was pretty involved for a salad: sauteing onions and mushrooms, frying two kinds of bacon, and reducing apple cider into a thick dressing. Whatever it took, it was worth it. Everyone chowed the salad. The warm toppings and dressing wilted the spinach slightly, and the flavors blended together perfectly. Plus, it was nice to eat something green and healthy after the Poutine, even if it was covered in bacon.Erin Claassenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105663796726797809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637863412023311478.post-62546522866773752702013-03-08T11:44:00.000-08:002013-03-08T11:50:03.468-08:00Where Can I Get Canned Bat Meat?Canned corned beef. I actually bought some. We actually ate it. We actually liked it! I was surprised to find in all of my reading about Samoan food that canned corned beef is where it's at for Samoans. I already knew that Hawaiians like their Spam (thank you, <i>50 First Dates</i>). Both the Hawaiian islands and the Samoan islands have a Polynesian heritage, and canned beef or ham is probably a good way to get meat on isolated islands that don't have acres and acres of grazing land for large animals. I had fried Spam once when my dad cooked for us while my mom was out of town for the weekend. Surprisingly, it wasn't too bad either, after you get past your westernized, rational idea of what meat should look like. But I think I like the Samoans' idea of the bit of extra spices in their canned meat chioces and would choose canned corned beef over Spam every time.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKRzk0QchF1fbqgj4MogRo3nwzuDf72ZNn-Rh05tcPtBye5fWDZI4XETYjfxgoh1bjKmdLaRl41oYFDzu-HOZecs7qE1hSBphYOwhbGA1sYWjIDuQwIPX1gnyk-CerGlsQ34OS44MAg_iC/s1600/IMG_3839.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="546" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKRzk0QchF1fbqgj4MogRo3nwzuDf72ZNn-Rh05tcPtBye5fWDZI4XETYjfxgoh1bjKmdLaRl41oYFDzu-HOZecs7qE1hSBphYOwhbGA1sYWjIDuQwIPX1gnyk-CerGlsQ34OS44MAg_iC/s640/IMG_3839.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sapa Sui :: Samoan Chop Suey</td></tr>
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One of the very popular dishes in Samoa is Sapa Sui [<a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/traditional-sapa-sui-samoan-chop-suey-459380?oc=linkback">recipe here</a>]. It's their version of Chop Suey. The recipe directed me to use mincemeat or "any meat." I am never sure what mincemeat really is, so I decided this would be a great place to try out "any meat" and opted for the Samoan treat of canned corned beef. I found it at the local grocery store, right above the tuna. I could not believe how expensive it was. Almost $5 for a small tin. But, I figured it was for culinary research. So I splurged on canned meat. << (That is not a sentence I ever expected myself to write.) The Sapa Sui recipe was pretty easy. It has a TON of soy sauce in it, but it didn't seem too salty. The cellophane noodles and the cabbage really soaked in the flavors of the soy sauce, sweet soy sauce (ketchup manis), onion, garlic, and ginger. We all had seconds. A few of us even added a bit more sweet soy sauce to the top of the noodles. <br />
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It made a ton, but kept well in the fridge. Samoans will put the Sapa Sui between 2 pieces of bread and have it cold the next day for lunch. My kids all thought that was a brilliant idea, and asked me to put it in their lunchboxes the next day. The sandwich idea sounded slippery, and since I didn't want the school janitors hunting me down for sending sandwiches that lent half of their innards to the cafeteria floor, I decided against it. Next time I make it, I'll do it on a Friday night. They can have their Sapa Sui Sandwiches out in the backyard on a sunny Saturday afternoon and the dog can clean up after them. I should really track down the school janitor so he can thank me.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbSOX8y0bZbTh0xdSwZPVEi8GidAWd91WWbDQXvt4IS7RVHNP0tqguRuyfWuscYrX_fw5VKtXco39VqfYCIix-kojeAHktJIuGa7CRKOL-6iJtYovSa7t7Y1J3sYUC-5J-eHo05kU8rAeC/s1600/IMG_3848.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbSOX8y0bZbTh0xdSwZPVEi8GidAWd91WWbDQXvt4IS7RVHNP0tqguRuyfWuscYrX_fw5VKtXco39VqfYCIix-kojeAHktJIuGa7CRKOL-6iJtYovSa7t7Y1J3sYUC-5J-eHo05kU8rAeC/s640/IMG_3848.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taisi Moa :: Chicken Baked in Banana Leaves</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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The last dish of Samoa Week has...drumroll please.....coconut milk! Yes! Couldn't escape a Samoan meal without some use of canned culinary comfort. Taisi Moa [<a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/taisi-moa-samoan-chicken-baked-in-banana-leaves-457841?oc=linkback">recipe here</a>] is marinated chicken, sweet potatoes, and ripe plantains wrapped up in a banana leaf. Typically this meal would be cooked atop an open-air coal fire. We didn't have one of those, so we baked them like the recipe directed. The marinade was not super flavorful, and I would've probably added a bit more of the Asian BBQ sauce to it, but it tasted good. We've only ever had green plantains before, which taste a lot like potatoes. I was expecting that with the ripe ones too, but was pleasantly surprised to find they taste more like bananas. My kids weren't as pleasantly surprised by the plantains, and pushed them to the side of their plate. All of the ingredients from the cute banana leaf packages were even better with a bit of sweet soy sauce drizzled on them.</div>
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Wrapping all kids of food in either taro or banana leaves is a mainstay of Samoan cooking. What we made was actually really tame. There's also leaf-wrapped pork, canned corned beef, fish, and bats in the South Pacific. I found a blog that details the making of flying foxes (the world's largest bat) for dinner in Vanuatu. I showed it to the kids and they looked at me, all wide-eyed, and asked if we were going to have that during Samoa week. Only one was disappointed when I told them I would not be able to purchase bat meat. The others looked relieved. I was too. If you've got a hearty enough constitution to read about and view singed, dismembered flying foxes, click <a href="http://jessinthepeacecorps.blogspot.com/2011/01/who-wants-flying-fox-for-dinner.html">here</a>.</div>
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Oh, and in case you doubt that Samoans like canned corned beef as
much as I'm asserting, please watch this. Apparently, "a party's not a party without corned beef." </div>
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<br />Erin Claassenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105663796726797809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637863412023311478.post-68669662745676436252013-03-07T15:09:00.003-08:002013-03-07T15:38:45.606-08:00Hipster RootsHipsters make me laugh... sometimes at myself. I read this great article, "<a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Be-a-Hipster">9 Ways to Be a Hipster</a>" from wikiHow, and the thing had me in a fit of tears and giggles. I identified with about half of what it takes to be a hipster: mostly the education, social networking, social justice, supposedly not caring what others think, and ironic t-shirt parts. I'm still a fan of hygiene, and don't particularly care if everyone has already heard of the music I listen to. Apparently that last one is a big part of the hipster niche: being ahead of the popularity curve. Well, I'm about to launch myself into hipster stardom (which lasts precisely 4 minutes) with this next mind-blowing idea: The taro root. It's really the hipster of the root vegetable world.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWJiCUiO-rBDqRwYdHpJXtt5oqsEvKJH0Oa-STP6sIqk4Kay_JAgukRGckiUq2t89lLbvcoWsfmnL_oyVUbWsAH4ksjMxPSYPNdlvTylp8JVCyTmz0NPxyudT_D2bbcKhAQtcecJXTzEXP/s1600/hipster+taro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWJiCUiO-rBDqRwYdHpJXtt5oqsEvKJH0Oa-STP6sIqk4Kay_JAgukRGckiUq2t89lLbvcoWsfmnL_oyVUbWsAH4ksjMxPSYPNdlvTylp8JVCyTmz0NPxyudT_D2bbcKhAQtcecJXTzEXP/s640/hipster+taro.jpg" width="451" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Listen to Mr. Taro Root</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
"4 Ways to Be a Hipster Rhizome" </div>
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1. Be off the radar of the Western world - everyone will wonder at your cultural rarity.<br />
2. Have a naturally hairy face - other tubers will envy your unkempt beard.<br />
3. Be poisonous in your raw state - add just a bit of danger to the dinner plate. <br />
4. Be an antique that's in use once again - after all, you were gladly consumed by the ancient Egyptians.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfD6t9wNL1PBV_DWQ-9D_KA0qrUikIjmBo3c6IcIgfOy5dIx0hDSGb90SIB7j0QZ0ThPVEvJi4Ex8QG-dQ0XOEerdSMuwAy6z5GrBXOcW92U6JyMdmAtwxt-HPS9iNwnN6NBZCNEEM48JK/s1600/IMG_3822.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="548" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfD6t9wNL1PBV_DWQ-9D_KA0qrUikIjmBo3c6IcIgfOy5dIx0hDSGb90SIB7j0QZ0ThPVEvJi4Ex8QG-dQ0XOEerdSMuwAy6z5GrBXOcW92U6JyMdmAtwxt-HPS9iNwnN6NBZCNEEM48JK/s640/IMG_3822.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fa'alifu:: Taro and Sweet Potato in a Creamy Coconut Sauce</td></tr>
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So, we did (like a good hipster family) try out this new and fascinating food during one of our meals from Samoa week. The dish was Fa'alifu [<a href="http://www.samoafood.com/2010/10/faalifu-savoury-coconut-sauce.html">recipe here</a>], a savory coconut sauce over root vegetables. The recipe says a variety of things can be "fa'alifu-ed" such as yams, cassava, taro, green bananas, or breadfruit. I wrote all of those things on my shopping list and decided to see what I could find. I did find green bananas, but decided against them. I was so happy to see taro in the local grocery's produce section, since I am usually stumped when it comes to finding odd ingredients. I remembered that my mom said the greyish, flavorless (in her opinion) Hawaiian dish poi is made from taro. That had me a bit worried, but decided to be <strike>adventurous</strike> hipster-like and give it a go. But just to be <strike>slightly on the safe side </strike>non-conformist, we also added some sweet potatoes to the pot.<br />
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Well, the kids all liked the taro, but not the sweet potatoes. They thought the coconut sauce was just okay. The parents thought the taro was fine, but really enjoyed the combination of sweet potato and creamy coconut-onion bath in which it was resting.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Samoan BBQ</td></tr>
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We are big barbeque fans at the Epicurean Travels house. So trying a new BBQ recipe sounded like a terrific idea. The Samoan BBQ Marinade [<a href="http://www.samoafood.com/2012/05/samoan-history-month-and-samoan-style.html">recipe here</a>] can go on any type of meat, and my son that picked Samoa for this week's culinary destination decided on beef. The marinade is just equal parts water and soy sauce with some onions. It's marinated, then grilled. But the next part is what makes it different than American BBQ meat. After it comes off the grill, it's put into a pot on the stove with all the marinade. After it simmers for a while, the onions get cooked, and the salty sauce has even more chance to penetrate the meat with its deliciousness. It was pretty good, but I should've chosen a better cut of meat. After tasting it on the beef, I think I'd actually like it better with chicken. But it was BBQ'd beef, so we ate it all up and the kids fought a bit over the last piece. My husband really liked the beef dabbed in a bit of the coconut sauce from the fa'alifu.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mango</td></tr>
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The last part of our meal was just some <strike>plain</strike> amazing chopped mango. We all love mango, with its sweet, peachy-piney flavor, and since it grows on the islands of Samoa, we took the opportunity to have some. Not very hipster of us, since even the corporate big-wigs at McDonald's have gotten in on the mango action recently with their McCafé Mango Pineapple Real Fruit Smoothie. Part of being a hipster is acting like you are rubber and people's opinions are glue. But so what? We'll eat mango if we want to. Besides, pretending that you don't care what people think of you is so last year.<br />
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<br />Erin Claassenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105663796726797809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637863412023311478.post-36111362693796536452013-03-05T19:56:00.001-08:002013-03-07T15:10:08.607-08:00Got Coconut?I'm currently in a coconut milk coma. We finished up Samoa week almost 7 days ago, but I'm still deliriously, deliciously, delightedly moving a bit slower than usual because of the extreme amounts of coconut milk consumed while eating Samoan food. The silky white liquid made its way into every meal. I didn't know much about Samoan food before last week, but now I know it is chalk full of fats, carbohydrates, and sugars. So basically, it's awesome. Many of the vegetable-type ingredients, such as breadfruit, are not available here, so we did eat a bit on the starchy side of things, even for Samoans.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Keke Pua'a :: Samoan Pork Buns</td></tr>
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The first (and in my opinion best) Samoan dish we ate actually does not have coconut milk in it. It's Samoa's version of Chinese steamed buns. I've never had steamed buns before, always avoiding them at Chinese buffets because I was never sure what was hiding in the center of that pale, pasty looking exterior. After reading through a funny and informative blog about Samoan food, I decided to put them on our menu. (If you're interested, or just want some good chuckles, you can visit <a href="http://samoafood.com/">SamoaFood.com</a>. All the recipes from this meal are from that blog.) I generally mess up anything that has a dough. I'm just not cut out to be a baker. But, lucky me, there's no baking required, and I only have to be a "steamer" to make the Keke Pua'a. The dough [<a href="http://www.samoafood.com/2010/09/keke-puaa-samoan-style-bao.html">recipe here</a>] was SUPER easy to work with. So stretchy I probably could've wrapped it around the sofa and steamed that. It might've even been good, since the dough was so airy and sweet. But the salty pork filling [<a href="http://www.samoafood.com/2012/05/keke-puaa-filling.html">recipe here</a>] was stupendous. The author of the recipe says to "jazz it up" with whatever you think would be good: ginger, sugar, etc. I added a bit of Mr. Yoshida's teriyaki marinade. The whole family raved about the keke pua'a. My neglected bamboo steamer was also ecstatic about the pork buns, since it got to come out of the dusty recesses of the cupboard and play.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sua I'a :: Fish Soup</td></tr>
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After the huge success of the steamed buns, the Sua I'a [<a href="http://www.samoafood.com/2011/04/sua-ia-fish-soup.html">recipe here</a>] was a bit of a disappointment. But it's not the fault of the recipe. I am finding that the old real estate idiom is true for international cooking sometimes too. It's all about location, location, location. For this recipe, Northern California is not the prime location. The recipe specifically says to buy a whole fish. No problem, I thought. If the chain grocery stores don't have them, for sure our local fish market that imports will. Nope, wrong. Okay, they did have whole frozen Alaskan salmon, but I'm pretty sure they don't frequently catch that in their nets off the coast of Samoa. We have about a dozen frozen trout in our freezer from the local kids' fishing day last summer, but again, not very "islandy." I thought we should at least use a salt water fish, and probably a white fleshed one. I used filleted cod. It was pretty flavorless. The broth of the soup is water and coconut milk. Salt and onions, both white and green, flavor the soup. I'm sure it would've been much better with a whole freshly caught Pacific tropical fish livening up the pot.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbsCntoDaUL9F-yIwjmg5jB1bZjDzf8z___2O8KZnsJjCId1D1evD_gDDO7RzDTBoE0nBCj-cy3GEuecq6SjrXU4tpg1dEytw4_o6NwNVziotDmWhG4YDT_VUbQfHMY7CVLOb0OGzbKyRU/s1600/IMG_3795.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="544" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbsCntoDaUL9F-yIwjmg5jB1bZjDzf8z___2O8KZnsJjCId1D1evD_gDDO7RzDTBoE0nBCj-cy3GEuecq6SjrXU4tpg1dEytw4_o6NwNVziotDmWhG4YDT_VUbQfHMY7CVLOb0OGzbKyRU/s640/IMG_3795.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paifala :: Half Moon Pie</td></tr>
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We decided to clog our arteries and inch a bit closer to diabetes with dessert: Paifala [<a href="http://www.samoafood.com/2010/09/paifala-samoan-half-moon-pies.html">recipe here</a>]. The recipe makes 5 individual pineapple pies. The shape and the dough reminded me quite a bit of those Hostess Fruit Pies that all the kids in the fourth grade got in their lunches except me. Looking back, I'm thankful my mom chose to leave those out. I had one when I went off to college, just to prove my adulthood by making my own food choices. Yeah, it was nasty. I threw it away after 3 bites. (I did, however, also try PopTarts, and kept a supply of them in the Costco-sized box under my bed in my dorm room my whole freshman year - "hello Freshman 15"!) Anyway, if Hostess could've gotten their hands on the recipe for the Samoan Pineapple Pies, they may have been able to stay in business...cuz those suckers are yummy! And guess what the liquid in the dough is? Water? Milk? Nope. You guessed it: coconut milk.<br />
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And just as an added culinary gem: There were quite a few half-used coconut milk cans floating around the house during Samoa week. I didn't want it to go bad and have to throw it out, so I found a new use for it. Move over, Starbucks Mocha Coconut Frappuccino. I added 2 tablespoons of it to my iced mochas. Yes I did! And yes, you should try it. You're welcome.Erin Claassenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105663796726797809noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637863412023311478.post-32182522125814747422013-02-28T19:23:00.001-08:002013-02-28T19:35:56.603-08:00Pickled SillyDuring this winter season, it's not uncommon to get anything from the sniffles to a full blown sinus infection. Clear breathing passages become something you remember from a distant, wonderful place called summer. I hate to be the one to break it to you, but summer is still pretty far away. Until then, we've found something that will clear your sinuses in seconds flat. It may not be pleasant, but it's effective. I'm pretty sure mucus removal wasn't what this recipe was originally going for, but trust me...it works.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFCfqzUp4HU_X4TFQVbKFQsuXe1uBb8ddQh4mcuP7Wr2xWOK0WDaoBc4OnHSDQ91BjpgaWe0FHx8roFfMiUCuCk_66XsIrInoV71lq7rqIbvPbImeVULQA3-yn4KtC-BArgbTeGQ04qB0a/s1600/IMG_3758.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFCfqzUp4HU_X4TFQVbKFQsuXe1uBb8ddQh4mcuP7Wr2xWOK0WDaoBc4OnHSDQ91BjpgaWe0FHx8roFfMiUCuCk_66XsIrInoV71lq7rqIbvPbImeVULQA3-yn4KtC-BArgbTeGQ04qB0a/s640/IMG_3758.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Escabeche de Verduras :: Pickled Vegetables</td></tr>
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The amount of straight-up vinegar in the Escabeche de Verduras [<a href="http://www.boliviaweb.com/recipes/english/escabeche.htm">recipe here</a>] was staggering. I know pickling anything takes salt and vinegar, but I'm pretty sure I remember other ingredients such as garlic, sugar, or spices... and, oh, I don't know...water!?? No such luck in this Bolivian rendition. The veggies are boiled in lightly salted water, then drained and cooled, then put in a jar with straight wine vinegar. The recipe did not specify white or red wine vinegar, and since the red was much cheaper (and so am I) that's what I used. It looked very pretty in the jar: the layers of orange carrots, green beans, pearl onions, bright chile peppers, and poofy cauliflower. The sodden veggies sat for a few days, sucking up all the acidity they could from the vinegar. When I opened the container to enjoy the now-pickled produce with our last Bolivian meal, my eyes started watering and burning from the vapors escaping the glass jar. Not a good sign.<br />
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Still, I placed one of each type of vegetable on everyone's plate, and insisted we give them all a try. First up: cauliflower, or I should say "wilted sponge of alkaline solution." The green beans fared a bit better since there weren't many pockets for extra vinegar to hide. The carrots were only edible because their inherent sweetness tempered the acid a bit. The onions would've made a great showing stuck on a toothpick in James Bond's favorite drink, but not so much just straight down the gullet. But the worst of all the acid-steeped morsels was the chili pepper. The red chiles are not usually that hot, but spending a few days in the bath of red wine vinegar must have enhanced the capsaicin. They were lip-burners! I halved the recipe, but it still made two large jars. We gave the other jar to some friends. I hope they will still speak to us after that!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBzzKWDBQA58TQrxge_WiLNR6txjONQovB6-mMOmbPwgfJ2rlXWWvVyca9lGaMiEMOTdcBKOzoZvkp_wlg73Fhh3pXmWfevidNsjgiIqK6OR9j3S_41a9JJoSCvfENiSJJBcjXXwSv98QN/s1600/IMG_3761.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBzzKWDBQA58TQrxge_WiLNR6txjONQovB6-mMOmbPwgfJ2rlXWWvVyca9lGaMiEMOTdcBKOzoZvkp_wlg73Fhh3pXmWfevidNsjgiIqK6OR9j3S_41a9JJoSCvfENiSJJBcjXXwSv98QN/s640/IMG_3761.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mango Rice Salad with Grilled Shrimp</td></tr>
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But the dinner was not a total loss. The Mango Rice Salad with Grilled Shrimp [<a href="http://recipes.wikia.com/wiki/Mango_Rice_Salad_with_Grilled_Shrimp">recipe here</a>] rocked the house. The only history I've had with rice salad was this weird recipe my grandma brought to a picnic once. It had rice, mayonnaise, fresh grapes, apples, ham, and something else that I couldn't identify. It sat out in the hot sun for a while before we ate. It is not a fond memory. But I put my prejudice aside, and added this recipe to the Bolivia week's menu. So glad I did! I was easily my favorite flavor of the week. The rice is cooked in coconut milk, and the sprinkling of fresh red bell pepper, green onions, and chuncks of mango not only gave the salad a festive look, it tasted spectacular!<br />
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The shrimp were marinated in a curry-soy sauce blend that was slightly spicy and enjoyed by all...including me. One more step on my journey to liking seafood!! <br />
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Bolivian cuisine, with a few exceptions, was a hit in the Epicurean Travels household. Definitely different that what Americans think of when they hear the term "Latino food." Next week, we're heading back to the tropics. Coconut milk in every meal. Sounds decadent! Erin Claassenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105663796726797809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637863412023311478.post-32627242344988684592013-02-25T16:47:00.001-08:002013-02-25T16:47:16.830-08:00The Munchie Mash-UpIf you're looking for a big plate of fried meat and potatoes and eggs but you're a homebody who doesn't want to leave the comforts of your own home, get into your car and drive down to the local Greasy Spoon diner, Bolivia has got your back. Enter Silpancho: the crispy, delicious, super-sized, oil-infused, addictive, perfect <strike>heart attack</strike> meal on a platter.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs8NuCdOb7nKiMX4-ovKocGcR3K1l_xjNhqeZ3npiaTrfoJ1VaQzIxoVjejAqAWIwDHAyJ4cPAOlyykcDUbUEwi43YUBAmYETkS5TByChImTvBTrVygEaJvrNPSCqJK97FLazzSIRZozId/s1600/IMG_3746.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs8NuCdOb7nKiMX4-ovKocGcR3K1l_xjNhqeZ3npiaTrfoJ1VaQzIxoVjejAqAWIwDHAyJ4cPAOlyykcDUbUEwi43YUBAmYETkS5TByChImTvBTrVygEaJvrNPSCqJK97FLazzSIRZozId/s640/IMG_3746.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silpancho</td></tr>
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In Bolivia, the main meal of the day is at lunchtime. Businesses close for a few hours in the middle of the day, giving people plenty of time to head home and prepare a multi-course supper and then have a bit of time to digest it before returning to their desk/construction/teaching/etc jobs. Because of the large midday meal, breakfasts and evening meals in Bolivia are rather small. Silpancho [<a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/silpancho-traditional-bolivian-meal-306949?oc=linkback">recipe here</a>] is a compilation of foods that is especially popular in the central Bolivian city of Cochabomba. In a similar way to how Philadelphia is known for its cheesesteak, Cochabomba is known in Boliva for its Silpancho. There are some variations on the tantalizing tray of goodies, but it generally has a base of rice, then potatoes, schnitzel-like breaded and fried meat, a fresh salsa of tomatoes and onions, and finally crowned with a fried egg or two.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fried rice with bell pepper, onion, and herbs</td></tr>
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The recipe we used had fried rice as the base. It had cilantro, bell peppers and red onions, and would've been great all on its own. The vegetables are not cooked much, just stirred around with the rice in some oil until they're heated up. Even though I may not make Silpancho too often, I will make this simple fried rice again soon.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHVReRUMITPgNXvJ3HQYNevAU_XJngQTr4UScuND1Ra7qiZZgWaRiZO1XxAzcwvmHPW8546Ns3IFF7KGgvFEIS5ZeZJmTWNPfJZ2BIH6veQ52GLPiX2WBieqSUsMYIkQYSiLRl9TKcrrua/s1600/IMG_3745.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHVReRUMITPgNXvJ3HQYNevAU_XJngQTr4UScuND1Ra7qiZZgWaRiZO1XxAzcwvmHPW8546Ns3IFF7KGgvFEIS5ZeZJmTWNPfJZ2BIH6veQ52GLPiX2WBieqSUsMYIkQYSiLRl9TKcrrua/s640/IMG_3745.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Schnitzel-style beef and fried potatoes</td></tr>
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The beef is seasoned with adobo, then sprinkled with bread crumbs and then flattened with a mallet. The potatoes are peeled, parboiled, and then sliced thin. Both the meat and the potatoes get fried up in some oil.<br />
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We all enjoyed the Silpancho. Three of us thought the combination of everything together, including the salsa and egg was genius. The other two preferred the meat and egg separately, but liked the rice, potatoes, and salsa together. I can see how this would be a great mid-day meal in a Cochabomba - which lies in a valley surrounded by steep mountains - served warm and crispy to combat the frigid wind coming down the slopes of the Andes. If I'm ever lucky enough to travel there, I'll be sure to try it just as the locals make it, in true Cochabombian style.Erin Claassenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105663796726797809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637863412023311478.post-19683338651747079912013-02-20T15:50:00.000-08:002013-02-20T16:01:21.473-08:00The Churro SlurpeeSo many dramatic, adventurous things from which to choose: green iguana, tortoise egg omelet, spit roasted guinea pig. That's a lot of funky food for such a seemingly unassuming nation as Bolivia. Snuggled into the center of South America and bordered by Chile, Peru, Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay, it's a mixed nation in many ways. The official title of the country is The Plurinational State of Bolivia, with its 10 million inhabitants coming from various ethnic backgrounds including people native to the Americas (especially the Incas), Spaniards, Africans, Asians, and other Europeans. Its interior includes parts of the Andes Mountains, the Amazon Basin, and the some lowlands in the east. Bolivia also boasts 38 official languages, though the most common is Spanish. All of those mingled cultures and geographic differences pave the way for a broad and interesting culinary palette, even if you can't find the ingredients for Ensalada de Cochayuyo (Titicaca Seaweed Salad - using a weed that only grows in Lake Titicaca) or <span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="es"><span class="hps">Sopa</span> <span class="hps">de Pirañas (Piranha Soup).</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIJNs-cnVGz8E90Vns3AkbWMUkkJc0Vo60UMkIaXrc6B3VdabE6vnKWfwu_30ZQqjxa0dM-Au0hWxtg7VoDboqG7ubIpVGJw_aJQzxdjO4e1dLbFKKu1xlH27hfhk0OxHVTCemKn5FF9et/s1600/IMG_3618.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIJNs-cnVGz8E90Vns3AkbWMUkkJc0Vo60UMkIaXrc6B3VdabE6vnKWfwu_30ZQqjxa0dM-Au0hWxtg7VoDboqG7ubIpVGJw_aJQzxdjO4e1dLbFKKu1xlH27hfhk0OxHVTCemKn5FF9et/s640/IMG_3618.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Caldo de Fideo :: Noodle Broth</td></tr>
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Since toothy little devil fishes aren't something Safeway usually stocks in the seafood department, we went with a different soup: Caldo de Fideo [<a href="http://gosouthamerica.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=gosouthamerica&cdn=travel&tm=160&f=10&tt=14&bt=1&bts=1&zu=http%3A//www.gorustic.com/aymara_recipes.htm">recipe here</a>]. It's a hearty stew-like recipe with fava beans, new potatoes, noodles, carrots, and an ingredient I'd never used before: salt pork. My nearest recollection of salt pork was learning that the colonists at Plymouth brought it with them in barrels on their journey from Europe, and once they reached what is now New England, they had to cut the mold and rotten bits off of it before dumping it into their giant cast iron pots to flavor the wet and moldy dried peas. Not the nicest picture. I wasn't even sure I could find salt pork in our local grocery store, since I don't recall seeing barrels lined up at the end of the deli section. To my surprise, they did have it, in nice little vacuum-sealed plastic packages that would probably keep out mold and disease for quite a few trans-Atlantic voyages. And bonus: it's pretty much just bacon that hasn't been smoked.<br />
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The soup was salty and filling, but not a colossal hit with the kids. I don't think they liked the fava beans. I was pretty hungry at dinner, and enjoyed it quite a bit. I was looking forward to leftovers for lunch the next day, but ended up only eating a few bites. Overnight the beans had disintegrated, and the noodles sucked up most of the broth. So, good the first night, but not a enjoy-it-for-a-few-days meal like lasagna.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6tjujPG7fkWJfY9Qtb5RPrhOE5On9gEkvi_lw0bhPr8XNHlt7PKNL6LncwrL_Z1Datut1JLfsQtpCJ0w0uajPtC26NZtNkT5shOl1e2ELA5TuqGL0OWIVgbPRq_Ny6_eTgZ7s-btPvzAe/s1600/IMG_3627.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="630" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6tjujPG7fkWJfY9Qtb5RPrhOE5On9gEkvi_lw0bhPr8XNHlt7PKNL6LncwrL_Z1Datut1JLfsQtpCJ0w0uajPtC26NZtNkT5shOl1e2ELA5TuqGL0OWIVgbPRq_Ny6_eTgZ7s-btPvzAe/s640/IMG_3627.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stuffed Zucchini</td></tr>
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Alongside the soup we served Bolivian Baked Stuffed Zucchini [<a href="http://www.boliviabella.com/bolivian-baked-stuffed-zucchini.html">recipe here</a>]. The little green boats took a while to prepare: first boiling the whole squash, then halving, then scooping out the seeds. The seedy parts are then mixed with garlic, beef bouillon, parsley, and eggs. It sort of looks like brown scrambled eggs. After stuffing the tawny eggs into the little squash boats, they are topped with bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and half an olive. The kids turned their noses up at this in no time flat. They nibbled the edge and decided they didn't like them. But after being "encouraged" to try a bite that included the stuffing and topping and not just a few cells of the skin of the zucchini, they finished them off rather quickly. We all liked them quite a bit, but thought the olive addition wanting. Wanting more olives, that is.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVo11hnRbE_2WkoBJGnIpG3CCncocHouNFdLi3PVVyxNllllxywZkRwXq0PSi-FPkPtseyvIRpVtERufwU3VuAxLHn_v0Bd5A3DVHamelMAsCL-cS3G0hna1d9Og4ULq5yWNtlep_AtJ2R/s1600/IMG_3628.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVo11hnRbE_2WkoBJGnIpG3CCncocHouNFdLi3PVVyxNllllxywZkRwXq0PSi-FPkPtseyvIRpVtERufwU3VuAxLHn_v0Bd5A3DVHamelMAsCL-cS3G0hna1d9Og4ULq5yWNtlep_AtJ2R/s640/IMG_3628.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Helado de Canela :: Cinnamon Sorbet</td></tr>
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After supper, we had some Cinnamon Sorbet [<a href="http://www.boliviaweb.com/recipes/english/canela.htm">recipe here</a>]. I've never made sorbet before, but it looked fairly simple: Boil a cinnamon stick. Add some sugar & cornstarch. Boil some more. Add some lemon juice. Freeze. Stir occasionally. It was all straightforward until the stirring part. I think we should've mixed it up much more because the edges were sorbet-like, but the center was iceberg-like. That thing could've sunk the Titanic. I microwaved it a bit, and with the weight of my body, shaved some from the edges and top with a large spoon. The flavor was good, but I think would've been better if it was a creamy ice cream...but that's what I always think when I eat sorbet of any flavor. My youngest son said, "It tastes like liquid churros." That's a fair description. But I prefer to chew warm and crispy churros, not slurp icy ones.<br />
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<br />Erin Claassenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105663796726797809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637863412023311478.post-65151368974755514922013-02-15T12:59:00.001-08:002013-02-15T13:04:21.959-08:00The Greasing of PalmsIt's the pits when there's this food you've been craving for months, and you finally weasel the recipe out of your friend, buy all the ingredients, and spend well over an hour chopping, browning, peeling, grating, rolling, and frying the things, only to have them not turn out right. For us, that food was lumpia, a seriously addictive Filipino egg roll that satisfies your body's need for both copious amounts of salt and thigh-enlarging quantities of fat at the same time. Well, they turn out like that if you make them the way we did. But before I get into that, let's focus on the smashing hit of Philippines week.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1sU09xAk7Gz90uHuzyVlZp_-q0jG8LN6v97vlOnDKNdgGQHGpEgvWG85y8IN9vJtBV9cJkmDs7hex_oFn8lauoDT8MrYBFnmbY5vQSuVu2QmF_hbJx2VzuP5pKU8dgSR0NX-ggagrMsBw/s1600/IMG_3612.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1sU09xAk7Gz90uHuzyVlZp_-q0jG8LN6v97vlOnDKNdgGQHGpEgvWG85y8IN9vJtBV9cJkmDs7hex_oFn8lauoDT8MrYBFnmbY5vQSuVu2QmF_hbJx2VzuP5pKU8dgSR0NX-ggagrMsBw/s640/IMG_3612.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chicken Inasal</td></tr>
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When your kids say things like, "this is the best chicken I've ever had," and practically eat their weight in chicken wings, you know you've got a winner. Chicken Inasal [<a href="http://www.myfilipinorecipes.com/poultry/chicken-inasal.html">recipe here</a>], is grilled chicken at its prime. It's breast meat and wings, marinated overnight in a concoction of citrus juices, garlic, lemongrass, and lemon-lime soda. Yes, soda - no wonder the kids loved it! While grilling, it's basted in the marinating juices that have been mixed with annatto oil and butter. From the list of ingredients, the flavor is surprisingly not overwhelming, and the smokiness from the grill adds some extra pizzazz. The only part that was a bit of a hassel was making the annatto oil. But, bonus: I finally got to use up the rest of those annatto seeds I've had since <a href="http://epicureantravels.blogspot.com/2010/01/ah-cuba-caribbean-cay-castros-crib.html">nearly the very beginning</a> of these culinary journeys. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtNLDjZxuIkPMjar1H1gTEdri0f4xGCOpeN0tLur1yn8BOVPKOM3m7L-SuuQNosDvhHch7xoSqxUIhFUNDYFnmEvk0zUum1L99kYlMt358nUDZ8Egzt4scif6hqWx3ASYdqQZ6MQ0Rrncp/s1600/IMG_3592.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtNLDjZxuIkPMjar1H1gTEdri0f4xGCOpeN0tLur1yn8BOVPKOM3m7L-SuuQNosDvhHch7xoSqxUIhFUNDYFnmEvk0zUum1L99kYlMt358nUDZ8Egzt4scif6hqWx3ASYdqQZ6MQ0Rrncp/s640/IMG_3592.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mung Beans & Bok Choy</td></tr>
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Mung beans have intrigued me for a while. They're little green pellets, kind of like oblong peas with eyes. Sort of what the child of a black eyed pea and a regular sweet pea would look like. So obviously, very cute. I bought some dried mung beans from the bins at our local grocery store about 6 months ago, hoping to find some interesting use for them. I'd searched a bit for recipes, but hadn't found one that sounded remotely interesting. So I was very happy to find a Filipino recipe for Mung Beans and Bok Choy [<a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/philippines-monggo-beans-and-pechay-mung-beans-and-bok-choi-305953?oc=linkback">recipe here</a>]. The beans themselves, like most legumes, are not that flavorful on their own. But add some garlic, onion, fresh ginger, and tomato, and they're pretty tasty! The bok choy is added at the end, so it doesn't get too wilted. We served it over rice, and all thought it was a good addition to the meal.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisfBoAWNu4w0KypQZlIn6o83lfKNTwKWhOl3Sbc2SQuuRXAIz4EdHwuE6ncUwaMcFTg6DwpLIBuTx_JFp2afkHI6OtsMDOKYhp5x_57nuvVyNmYRyy39qh7rJVAysSSRGb4n9FMrPjiq-k/s1600/IMG_3591+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisfBoAWNu4w0KypQZlIn6o83lfKNTwKWhOl3Sbc2SQuuRXAIz4EdHwuE6ncUwaMcFTg6DwpLIBuTx_JFp2afkHI6OtsMDOKYhp5x_57nuvVyNmYRyy39qh7rJVAysSSRGb4n9FMrPjiq-k/s640/IMG_3591+1.jpg" width="518" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lumpia - but not how it's supposed to be</td></tr>
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These are the lumpia. The top photo looks promising. The bottom photo looks okay, but it is deceiving. They are not supposed to look like that. Also, when you pick them up, they are not supposed to look like the underside of your car when you're changing the oil and you've just removed the filter - a steady stream of oil free flowing from the bottom. We could've used a mechanic's shop towel to wipe down our hands after handling these things!<br />
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We were so excited to get the recipe for these lumpia. One of our close friends has been bringing them to potlucks and New Year's Eve parties for years. The recipe is her Filipino mother's secret family recipe. Her mom guards this recipe quite ferociously, since she makes lumpia for Christmas for all her friends. I was able to finagle the recipe from my friend for a small fee (okay, not really - she was pretty sweet about it), but I don't dare repost it. Sorry, internet world. I will tell you that the filling consists of ground beef, potatoes, carrots, garlic, soy sauce, and a few other things. We are proud to say that we did get the filling right. It tasted exactly like my friend's prized pockets of palatable pleasure.<br />
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The outside was a different matter. Even though my friend specified which kind of wrapper to buy by the brand, we already had some others in the freezer, and I just thought I'd use those. Well, apparently, brand does matter. Ours got all bubbly and were much tougher to bite through than hers. Plus, these retained enough of the oil from the deep fat frier, that if one was wrung out into your car engine instead of Pennzoil, you could probably make it half way from LA to NYC without a hitch in your giddy up. Maybe we'll try it again sometime with the correct rice wrappers, or maybe we'll just wait for the next potluck and hope Jenn brings hers. She is the expert, after all.<br />
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With the exceptions of the <a href="http://epicureantravels.blogspot.com/2013/02/and-this-little-piggy-had-almost-none.html">pig's feet stew</a>, the <a href="http://epicureantravels.blogspot.com/2013/02/skipping-betamax-in-favor-of-moths.html">bitter melon</a>, and the wrongly-made lumpia, Philippines week has been an enjoyable, salty, savory, and sweet way to experience part of the Asian islands' culture. Next week's destination: a land-locked, mountainous land in South America.Erin Claassenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105663796726797809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637863412023311478.post-46925277665446780522013-02-06T09:29:00.000-08:002013-02-06T09:38:31.657-08:00And This Little Piggy Had (Almost) None<div style="text-align: justify;">
Question: When does a meat product look better raw and frozen than cooked properly? Answer: When that meat product is pig's feet. I went out on a culinary limb when I choose the main course for this dinner. Quite a few recipes from the Philippines had "interesting" ingredients. Since I have a kitchen-wide "no organs" rule, that left many of those recipes out of the loop. But I did find a recipe that sounded "interesting" that did not use any organs.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pig's Feet Stew</td></tr>
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Enter Paksiw na Pata, or Pig's Feet Stew [<a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/paksiw-na-pata-pigs-feet-stew/detail.aspx">recipe here</a>]. I figured it would be similar to the meaty ham hocks I remember my mother using in split pea soup. I figured wrong. So wrong. I thought there would be quite a bit of meat to be found in the pig's feet. Again, no. The stew broth part of the dish is similar to an adobo - vinegar, soy sauce, onion, garlic. It was very strong on the vinegar side of things. The trotters themselves seemed fairly benign through the plastic wrap of the package. Sure, they looked like pig's feet, but that could be really interesting, right? Well, when I unwrapped them, one of the hooves at the bottom still had some hairs attached to the skin. "No matter," I thought, "It will just be super authentic." As the feet boiled away in the sour, briny sauce, the kitchen took on a, let's say, "earthy" smell. The skin took on a rubbery, greasy, deflated-balloon-dipped-in-vaseline look. The recipe said to cook until the meat started falling off the bones. I could see the bones, the tendons, the marrow, the skins...but meat? Not so much.</div>
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When it came time to serve up the acrid tootsies, the family had a slightly anxious look about them. My younger son asked if he would have to eat the hoof part. I told him no and tried to put on a brave face. We dug into the feet, trying to find a morsel of meat among the slimy sinew. I think 3 out of the 7 feet had one bite of meat on each of them. I did try that. It was actually decent. My husband decided he would try the marrow after describing how his grandmother loved marrow and would literally smack her lips with delight after each bite. This also encouraged my older son to try the marrow. They both said it wasn't too bad. Next up: tendons. No way could I try that. Even thinking about anatomy makes me white in the face and lightheaded. Seeing floppy tendons ripped off a foot and put into mouths at the dinner table was super unappetizing, to say the least. Both sons said they tasted like fat noodles. That description did not help. Not at all. My daughter got the hoof with the most meat on it: two whole bites. She said she liked it. But when she tried the marrow, she ran crying to the sink and spit it out. We threw away most of the feet stew. Kudos to the Filipinos for not wasting any part of the animal. Pretty admirable, in a "I'm so happy for you, but you won't ever get me to do that again" kind of way. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA3bmzz4TQr2zJyvhjYCzsXD_VaPTRBskgCSQX0MlU8NE8gbxclvah1eaXQ5Mp8oqNa06KthnQuya0sM3RCK2hQ5vEy88keYiZCwBpLZT03ZS_98Z5u2Rzn9rR_nBaR23oqdPG3-yBi2lh/s1600/IMG_3478.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="516" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA3bmzz4TQr2zJyvhjYCzsXD_VaPTRBskgCSQX0MlU8NE8gbxclvah1eaXQ5Mp8oqNa06KthnQuya0sM3RCK2hQ5vEy88keYiZCwBpLZT03ZS_98Z5u2Rzn9rR_nBaR23oqdPG3-yBi2lh/s640/IMG_3478.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Celery & Green Bean Salad</td></tr>
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Since soup and salad pair so well together, we also had Ensalada ng Kintsay at Sitaw, or Celery and Green Bean Salad [recipe at bottom of post]. What a welcome sight! Green beans are mixed with celery, hard boiled egg, chopped sweet pickles, and a mayo-based dressing. It basically tasted like potato salad would taste if you replaced the potatoes with green beans. I don't think it was super great, but we all dug into it like champs. The juxtaposition of this fresh, crunchy salad next to the slimy, boiled feet stew made it seem like a beautiful culinary gift. In reality, it was probably just okay. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chocolate Rice Pudding</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
We finished off the meal with a well deserved dessert: Champorado, or Chocolate Rice Pudding [<a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/champorado-chocolate-rice-pudding-132659?oc=linkback">recipe here</a>]. It's made with sticky rice, sugar, cocoa powder and vanilla. It is super easy to make, if you don't mind standing at the stove top, stirring hot rice for 20 minutes straight. It has equal amounts of sugar and cocoa powder, which makes it not very sweet. The real sugariness comes from the sweetened condensed milk drizzled over the top. As rice puddings go, I liked it better than the <a href="http://epicureantravels.blogspot.com/2012/09/sharing-room.html">Danish Risengrød</a>, but not as well as the <a href="http://epicureantravels.blogspot.com/2012/07/in-for-pound.html">Thai Black Rice Pudding</a>. My youngest son gave it rave reviews bursting out with, "I like it better than all the stars in the sky." He does have a flair for the dramatic, and since he had just eaten tendon, he may have been a tad partial to things that weren't feet. You'll have to make the Champorado for yourself and let me know what you think.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
After that adventure, I'm really looking forward to our last Philippine meal. We'll be having one of my favorite snacks of all time. Something I've never made myself before. Hope it turns out!</div>
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<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Celery & Green Bean Salad</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
from <i>Extending the Table</i> by Joetta Handrich Schlabach</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Boil 5 minutes, until crisp-tender:</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
2 cups green beans, cut in halves</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Chill and drain.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Add:</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
2 tablespoons sweet pickle, chopped</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1 egg, hard-cooked and diced</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1/4 cup celery, chopped</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Mix together: </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1 tablespoon lemon juice</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1/4 cup mayonnaise</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1/4 teaspoon salt</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Toss gently.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Serves 4.</i></div>
Erin Claassenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105663796726797809noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637863412023311478.post-41635563642757044082013-02-04T14:37:00.002-08:002013-02-04T14:42:16.884-08:00Skipping the Betamax in Favor of Moths<div style="text-align: justify;">
Picture this: helmets, Adidas, and Betamax. No, it's not a snapshot of a Super Bowl ad from the 1970's. They are the delightful names of some not so delightful foods sold from street carts in Manila. Filipino street foods are extremely popular throughout the country. Along with lots of delicious fruits, sweetened rice cakes, and savory egg rolls, are some questionable food cart choices. Helmets are deep fried chicken heads. Adidas are deep fried chicken feet. Betamax is a block of deep fried, coagulated animal blood. That is some interesting stuff! Also, it made me very nervous about picking out some recipes for our family to try during Philippines week. Don't worry. Most of what I found was fairly tame in comparison. But there is one dish later in the week that pushes the edges of my food comfort zone. You'll have to wait for it until next time.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pork Adobo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
For our first meal, we had a traditional meat preparation: adobo. Adobo is basically a marinade made to preserve raw meat using vinegar and salt. The Pork Adobo [<a href="http://www.myfilipinorecipes.com/meat/adobo.html">recipe here</a>] we had was super tender and packed a whollop of flavor. Along with the copious amounts of vinegar and soy sauce, the meat is cooked with lots of ground black peppercorns, onion, bay leaves, a bit of sugar, and an entire head of garlic. Not just a clove - a whole head. There's also some potatoes in there, but they end up looking identical to the cubes of pork. It's served over rice and garnished with a hard cooked egg. Everyone liked this, although my daughter was wishing it had a bit less of the peppercorns. I will be making this again!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcUj3UCm7jfCKqGi9br6mZ0nVsqldpTJAVvjfl3T5gGctZECimqNFjdqVCmN0XgZVtBqB4AaiLLtmL_n4tLscCRBI4H4Hs8BePq_yXgXItGJiGqGVvT36kbDu3BiSuE4Rv0dmfYTGOHlKj/s1600/Ginisang+Ampalaya.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcUj3UCm7jfCKqGi9br6mZ0nVsqldpTJAVvjfl3T5gGctZECimqNFjdqVCmN0XgZVtBqB4AaiLLtmL_n4tLscCRBI4H4Hs8BePq_yXgXItGJiGqGVvT36kbDu3BiSuE4Rv0dmfYTGOHlKj/s640/Ginisang+Ampalaya.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ginisang Ampalaya</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Bitter melon. Never heard of it? Probably with good reason. Bitter is not really a flavor most of us here in the US gravitate toward. I've always thought Brussels sprouts had a bitter aftertaste. Have you ever accidentally had a moth fly into your mouth? Well, I have, and besides being super gross and powdery, they taste really bitter. That being said, both Brussels sprouts and moths have nothing on bitter melon, or ampalaya, as it is known in the Pilippines. When I went to purchase the melon from the Lao Market, the cashier asked if I knew what I was getting. I told her I'd never had it before, but I hoped I had picked out a bitter melon. She said I did, but I might not like it. "It's really bitter," she warned me. She told me how her mom makes it less bitter, and it sounded similar to the recipe I would be making, so I went with it. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The melon is soaked in salt water to remove some of the bitterness. I did that, but I'm not sure it worked. It's not like the sweet melons we have here: watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew. It is used in savory dishes and usually cooked. In the dish we had, Ginisang Ampalaya [<a href="http://www.myfilipinorecipes.com/vegetable/ginisang-ampalaya.html">recipe here</a>], it is mixed with tomato, garlic, onions, and scrambled eggs. The egg-veggie part of the dish was yummy. When it comes to the bitter melon, I think I'd rather eat moths. My husband said it wasn't too bad if eaten with the Pork Adobo. He said the bitterness made a nice foil for the salty richness of the meat. But you can just ignore him. He's wrong. It was yucky.</div>
<span id="goog_1146424282"></span><span id="goog_1146424283"></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Philippine Punch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span id="goog_1146424282">Luckily, to alleviate the bitter mouth syndrome after trying the side dish, we bathed our tongues in sweet and satisfying Philippine Punch [recipe at bottom of post]. The recipe made a gallon and a half, so I cut that in half, thinking we would never drink that much. Wrong. I wish I would've made the whole thing. It was so tasty! It is a mixture of simple syrup, strong black tea, pureed strawberries, pineapple juice, and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Like a tropical dance in your mouth. The tea flavor actually mixed well with the sweet fruits. It would be great as a base to some amazing mixed drinks, I'm sure. We will be making this again this summer for drinking around the pool, and maybe even freezing it into popsicles. </span></div>
<span id="goog_1146424282"><br /></span>
<span id="goog_1146424282">Aside from the mothy side dish, a great first meal from the Philippines. Give me a few days and I'll trot out the next meal here for you on the blog. (Hint, hint).</span><br />
<span id="goog_1146424282"><br /></span>
<span id="goog_1146424282"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span id="goog_1146424282"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Philippine Punch</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span id="goog_1146424282"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">from Extending the Table by Joetta Handrich Schlabach</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span id="goog_1146424282"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Mix and bring to a b<span style="font-size: small;">oil:</span></i> </span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span id="goog_1146424282"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">3 <span style="font-size: small;">quarts water</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span id="goog_1146424282"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">3 cups sugar</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span id="goog_1146424282"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><i> A<span style="font-size: small;">dd:</span></i></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span id="goog_1146424282"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">2 cups lemon or lime juice </span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span id="goog_1146424282"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">4 cups straw<span style="font-size: small;">berry juice or pureed strawberries</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span id="goog_1146424282"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">2 cups orange juice</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span id="goog_1146424282"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">4 cups pineapple juice</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span id="goog_1146424282"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">2 cups strong black tea</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span id="goog_1146424282"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <i>Mix well. Chill before serving. </i></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span id="goog_1146424282"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>M<span style="font-size: small;">akes 1 1/2 <span style="font-size: small;">gallons.</span></span></i> </span> </span></span></span></span><b> </b></div>
Erin Claassenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105663796726797809noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637863412023311478.post-39295605266153918812012-12-03T16:48:00.002-08:002012-12-03T17:06:13.765-08:00It's The Zombie Apocalypse, Charlie BrownI've never really understood the attraction of the <i>Peanuts</i> cartoon. Yes, I realize Charlie Brown is an American icon. But he's pathetic, Lucy is mean, and Woodstock is pointless. You could possibly make a case for me giving the Peanuts another try based on solely Pig-Pen and Snoopy (but only when he's flying his doghouse in pursuit of the Red Baron), but don't hold your breath. It's true: I don't watch <i>Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown</i> or <i>It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown</i>, although I may watch <i>It's The Zombie Apocalypse, Charlie Brown</i> if anyone ever makes it. But one of this week's Senegalese foods did remind me of the <i>Peanuts</i>. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Le Cinq Centimes</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Sometimes Lucy would sit at a booth with a banner proclaiming "Psychiatric Help 5¢." Well, we to got eat something they sell from street booths in Senegal for 5¢ that I guarantee is far superior than Lucy's counsel, even though they do have something to do with peanuts. These popular little treats are actually known as Le Cinq Centimes, or Five-Cent Cookies [<a href="http://lenourriturefrancais.blogspot.com/2011/11/senegal-5-cent-cookie.html">recipe here</a>]. You can follow the link to the recipe, but it's really not necessary. They require no baking, only assembly: store bought sugar cookies smothered with peanut butter and topped with chopped peanuts. Simple. Scrumptious. I calculated it out, and the version I made cost about 17 cents apiec<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">e. Next time I'll save money buy going to Senegal and purchasing them for a nickel each. I'm really budget-conscience like that.</span></span><br />
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<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Continuing with the peanut theme, the second meal that my contact on all things Senegalese suggested was <span style="font-weight: normal;">Mafé [<a href="http://www.whats4eats.com/meats/mafe-recipe">recipe here</a>]. After less than desirable results from the last meal, we trepidatiously sniffed the stew-like beef dish before digging in. The smell was similar to the <a href="http://epicureantravels.blogspot.com/2010/03/look-in-book-leads-to-look-in.html">Peanut Sauce we'd </a><a href="http://epicureantravels.blogspot.com/2010/03/look-in-book-leads-to-look-in.html">tried from Chad</a>. The taste was similar, too, but this version was even better. First, it had much more abundant meat-to-sauce ratio, and second, the addition of the cabbage rounded it out nicely. It was a fine recipe<span style="font-size: small;"> for a tomato-p<span style="font-size: small;">eanut based meat dish,</span></span> but not one deemed for induction into the family cookbook. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Our family's favorite tastes from Senegal were the Ginger Juice and the five-cent cookies. Next week, we'll be sampling food from a nation that took a lot of searching for me to find recipes that did not include organ meat or blood. Fingers crossed...</span></span></span><br />
<br />Erin Claassenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105663796726797809noreply@blogger.com0