Bienvenue en France! Welcome to France, a country filled with tales of aristocrats, wars and revolutions, but mostly of cuisine, wine and cheeses. On the International Cooking Tour we will discover not only the food of France but some of the people who made it what it is today. One such person, Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, said “Tell me what you eat and I will tell you who you are.” So who are you when it comes to food?
Everyone has their favorite Italian food, mine just happens to be in the style of Northern Italy. Risotto and polenta are more popular than pasta here and with me too. The cuisine is characterized by the use of butter over olive oil and cheeses for cream sauces….channeling my inner Julia! Barolo, Barbaresco, Brunello di Montalcino …I know Brunello is an overlap from Tuscany but I love it! (colloquially known as the “Killer B’s”) and a few nice sparklers are some of my favorite wines of this region. Come savor a few of my favorite things!
Visions of the Italian countryside come to mind when I think of Central Italy. Rolling hills, charming cities and vineyards. Life appears to move along at a very relaxed pace. Summertime temperatures are warmer than in Northern Italy and the cuisine is simple and rustic with lighter sauces. Join me for a leisurely tasting of the flavors of Central Italy!
Italy! Just saying it gets me salivating! On the map, the Italian peninsula resembles a tall boot extending into the Mediterranean Sea. As we cruise along on the International Cooking Tour, we are going to eat Italy in several small bites! Italians are very proud of their cuisine and with 20 different regions all boasting their own traditions and specialties, we have a lot of ground to cover. Northern, Central and Southern Italy could never be experienced in just one meal. In fact, it could take a lifetime, so let’s get going! Continue reading
The “Rain in Spain” does not fall mainly in the plain as the song goes. It falls mainly in the northern mountains but on our International Cooking Tour we are going to explore not only the northern region but all the regions of Spain and their fine cuisine. Spain is Europe’s third largest nation and occupies most of the Iberian Peninsula. Bordered by France and Portugal along with its land-bridge location between Europe and Africa, Spain has a long history of invasion and settlement by many different groups resulting in a great mixture of peoples and cultures. Not to mention Spanish conquests in the New World which added to the flavors we now associate with Spain. Let’s taste the history of Spain! Continue reading
German cuisine is famous the world over for its wurst or sausages. There are over two hundred types of wurst. A bratwurst, also known as a brat in American English, is a sausage usually composed of veal, pork or beef. The name is derived from Old High German Brätwurst, translated – brät, which is finely chopped meat and Wurst, which is sausage. Continue reading
Africa is the world’s second-largest and second-most-populous continent. There are 47 countries, 53 if you count the islands off the coast of Africa and is home to hundreds of different cultural and ethnic groups. On our International Cooking Tour we will divide Africa into 5 regions, Northern, West, East, Central and Southern and explore all this radically diverse continent has to offer. Some of the countries are familiar to us because of their colorful and fascinating history and food. Other countries come to mind because of the struggles of it’s people and the stories we catch in the news. Jump on board and let’s savor the aromatic and subtly spicy food of Africa! Continue reading
You can have it all! Talk about healthy and great tasting all in one bite and you all talking about Spring Rolls. Love the crunch of these beautiful bundles and the nutty, savory flavor of the dipping sauce you plunge them in to. They’re not just an appetizer! Think outside the bundle! We make a complete dinner out of Spring Rolls with a nice, not too fruity Gewurztraminer to wash them down. Oh, yeah…..I’m in heaven just thinking about them! Continue reading
Southeast Asia is one of the world’s great melting pots and cooking is one of the oldest of human activities. It is with great excitement I find myself, on the International Cooking Tour, in Southeast Asia! My husband recently asked me, “If you had to pick only three different cuisines to eat for the rest of your life, what would they be?” Hmmm….that is kind of a hard question for a lover of most food to answer but my response was, “Mexican, Italian and Southeast Asian” (Vietnamese and Thai in particular) Let’s see how these flavors evolved into the foods we love today! Continue reading
Give me a break! We all say it and we all need it. Sometimes your digestive system needs a break from the onslaught of all the different foods we eat too. It’s good to be kind to your body. It’s the only one you have! I have tried many cleanses and most of the time I was afraid of starving to death and my husband was afraid I was going to eat him! Kitchari doesn’t feel that way. You get plenty to eat and are satisfied. In fact, it tastes so good it doesn’t feel like a cleanse. It’s mild yet flavorful so you can serve it as a side dish too and it’s gentle on your bodies digestive system, which gives it a rest. Continue reading
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Life of the Party Always (LOTPA) is about socializing and making every occasion with friends and family a festive one .
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