http://www.Globalrhythm.net/Food/ Food on Globalrhythm.net en-us Copyright 2013, Globalrhythm.net. All Rights Reserved info@ecomsolutions.net info@ecomsolutions.net http://globalrhythm.net/Food/CanadianGoldMakesAStickySplash.cfm Food critic Iris Brooks goes north looking for maple syrup. Iris Brooks http://globalrhythm.net/Food/FoodFitForADalaiLama.cfm Tibetan food is largely a product of its geography, and ranges from everyday tsampa barley cereal to the festive momo dumplings, sometimes stuffed with symbolism akin to fortune cookies. Iris Brooks http://globalrhythm.net/Food/ABevyOfBeverages.cfm Whether you prefer medicinal infusions, native mate pronounced mah-tay, or the trendier Malbec wine, the country has a refreshing beverage for every taste. Iris Brooks http://globalrhythm.net/Food/OnTheCoconutTrailInJamaica.cfm According to folk wisdom, coconut has almost as many healing properties antiseptic, bactericidal and aphrodisiac as it does culinary uses. Iris Brooks http://globalrhythm.net/Food/FusionFoodAbidjanStyle.cfm Morou Ouattara was raised on the Ivory Coast. When he opened up his restaurant in Washington DC, he was inspired to embrace some of the deliciously exotic cooking styles of West Africa. Eve M. Ferguson http://globalrhythm.net/Food/NewWaveKosherJewishFoodFromNearAndFar.cfm Here is a select sampling of hardcover cookbooks worthy of a look and taste. Each is filled with a wealth of recipes, culinary history, geography and cultural lore. Iris Brooks http://globalrhythm.net/Food/AlaskanBerryMagic.cfm Whether your taste runs to Baked Alaska or a simple handful of fresh-picked blueberries, you might discover that Alaskan Berry Magic permeates the culture and cuisine of our 49th state. The Yup ik Eskimos certainly have-the gathering of salmonberries, rasberries, cranberries, crowberries, and blueberries in the tundra are all part of their storytelling tradition. Iris Brooks http://globalrhythm.net/Food/TreasuresofWalesLeeksandLoveSpoons.cfm Our constantly traveling taste-tester, Iris Brooks, brings us the history of leeks, along with some recipes for this plant that s been the foundation of much Welsh cooking for hundreds of years. Iris Brooks http://globalrhythm.net/Food/PlanetChocolate.cfm Many love chocolate, but there s a lot about the delectable delicacy that we don t know. Coming from a seed once used as money, chocolate is credited with inspiring writers, enhancing the love making of Casanova, and was a special passion of the Marquis de Sade, even while in prison. Iris Brooks http://globalrhythm.net/Food/TheKingOfFruitPineappleFromTheAzores.cfm Columbus is largely credited with discovering America, but he was also responsible for bringing the first pineapple—a prize from his exploits in Guadeloupe—to Europe in 1493. Eventually, as the fruit became an exotic symbol of hospitality in European circles, it made its way back to the shores of colonial America as something of a celebrity. Iris Brooks http://globalrhythm.net/Food/InPortugalJustSayCheeseOrQueijo.cfm Portugal is known for more than its rocky coastline, impressive hand-painted tiles, and poignant fado music. The central and southern parts of the country offer a variety of artesian sheep and goat cheeses that range from the mild to the pungent. Iris Brooks heads out to the countryside to learn more about this tasty queijo. Iris Brooks http://globalrhythm.net/Food/CrossCulturalChillFabulousFrozenTreats.cfm Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Marco Polo, Hippocrates and Wolfgang Puck have all favored frozen desserts. Even Beethoven wrote a note fearing an unseasonably warm winter in 1794 would prevent Austrians from enjoying ice cream. Iris Brooks http://globalrhythm.net/Food/GermanSweetsLebkuchenLarkLarkTartsampMore.cfm One of the most beloved treats in Germany is lebkuchen pronounced “Layb-kook-in”, which literally means “cake of life,” though it’s often inaccurately translated as gingerbread. Iris Brooks http://globalrhythm.net/Food/PrinceEdwardIslandPotatoMuseum.cfm The best place to uncover potato trivia, superstitions, anecdotes, recipes, postcards, and tools, is at the Prince Edward Island Potato Museum. Iris Brooks http://globalrhythm.net/Food/AGlobalGuideToRice.cfm Rice is not your run-of-the-mill food; it’s honored at a variety of rituals throughout Asia. Praised by poets, celebrated in song, and eaten by emperors, rice is a symbol of fertility and the lifeblood of many societies. Iris Brooks http://globalrhythm.net/Food/IndonesianPeanutSauce.cfm The peanut is not a nut; it’s technically a legume. And its origins date back to South America—historians suggest Bolivia, Brazil, Peru or Mexico—evidenced in 3,500-year-old Inca pottery. Iris Brooks http://globalrhythm.net/Food/VietnameseCuisineWithoutDogSteworSnakeRestaurantsattheCIA.cfm Vietnamese restaurants and cookbooks are turning up in North American urban centers today, and tourists now flock to the exotic destination. Iris Brooks http://globalrhythm.net/Food/BambooMaster.cfm Recalling my travels to China conjures up images of bicyclists in Beijing, skyscrapers in Shanghai, and misty landscapes along the Yangtze River. I also recall how meals begin with meat dishes, then vegetables are served, and soup follows. Iris Brooks http://globalrhythm.net/Food/DiningOnTheDemonPlant.cfm Have you ever dined on the demon plant? O. Henry called cactus the “demon plant,” since it appears to live without soil or rain in an unforgiving desert landscape. He wasn’t thinking about the cactus used for backpacks, rope, nets, armoires and doors, not to mention margaritas and salad dressing. Iris Brooks http://globalrhythm.net/Food/ZanzibariPumpkinsampSpiceampEverythingNice.cfm For Balinese artist Tjokorda Gde Arsa Artha, pumpkins are a canvas—he uses Asian fruit carving techniques, coupled with the mythology of his homeland, to create art that wards off evil spirits. Iris Brooks http://globalrhythm.net/Food/CulinaryOdysseyInThailand.cfm Investigating ingredients in this Thai market excursion is a prelude to my cooking class in the new Culinary Odyssey program at the Peninsula Hotel. While spirit is at the heart of the Thai culture, my focus is the food. Iris Brooks http://globalrhythm.net/Food/AfricanCornGrits.cfm Do cornfields bring to mind thoughts of Kansas? Think again. You may picture corn on the cob at an American barbeque or the plentiful cornfields in rural France—all grown for animals since no Frenchman will be caught eating it. But corn now reminds me of Africa, a land where cornfields are punctuated by huge termite mounds. Maize is the lifeblood of much of the continent and, sometimes, it is even used in their pottery. Iris Brooks http://globalrhythm.net/Food/MofongosPuertoRicosZestyDishforGarlicLovers.cfm Puerto Rico, the smallest of the Greater Antilles islands, is widely known for its spectacular stretches of crystal-water coastline, its loud cock-fights, its love for baseball, jazz and reggaeton music, and its cuisine, which local folks call cocina criolla. Diego Zerpa Chang http://globalrhythm.net/Food/TheManyTastesOfMalaysia1.cfm For many of Malaysia’s citizens, to define oneself as a Malaysian is more a claim of a national identity than it is of ethnicity. Malaysia represents a vast diversity of cultures, resulting in a fascinating food culture, beautifully joined. Bonni Miller http://globalrhythm.net/Food/ClayPotCooking.cfm All over Africa, since long before the introduction of ironware, women traditionally produced clay pottery for cooking, serving and storing food and water and for ritual uses in household shrines. Evangeline Kim http://globalrhythm.net/Food/TheSmithsoniansMitsitamCaf.cfm After a day spent traversing the labyrinth of exhibitions in the Smithsonian Institution’s newest museum, the National Museum of the American Indian, one might ask, “Where can one sit and rest? “What’s to eat? The answer lies in one place: Mitsitam Native Foods Café. Eve M. Ferguson http://globalrhythm.net/Food/Haggis.cfm The singer Andy M. Stewart claims he once had to declare a canned haggis at U.S. Customs. When asked what was in it he replied, “That’s the point; nobody knows.” Haggis is Scotland’s unofficial national dish, but few nations can claim a more maligned one. Rob Weir http://globalrhythm.net/Food/OrganicWine.cfm Biodynamics is as much a philosophy as it is an agricultural system. Capturing the attention of wine buyers and oenophiles alike, earth-friendly vino is increasingly available at the best wine stores and high-end restaurants. Pameladevi Govinda http://globalrhythm.net/Food/TurkeyAlternatives.cfm Instead of being a tailor, as with turducken, you’ve got to be a sculptor to make your own tofu turkey. Laurie Strock http://globalrhythm.net/Food/Tisanas.cfm I ve been given a number of healing prescriptions by a variety of practitioners on a recent trip to southern Tuscany. But then there are the Etruscan elixirs known as tisanas. Iris Brooks http://globalrhythm.net/Food/FairTradeProductsGivetheLittleGuyaFairandHealthyShake.cfm The right kind of morning elixir can not only perk you up but also help struggling farmers in developing nations thrive. Evelyn Gilbert http://globalrhythm.net/Food/JapaneseSnacks.cfm For a girl who grew up on milk and cookies and then graduated to nuts, brownies and trail mix in days of hippiedom, I was recently caught off my guard in Japan. Iris Brooks http://globalrhythm.net/Food/GojiBerries.cfm The story goes that the health benefits of the goji were discovered when some ripe berries fell off of a vine into a local water source. As people drank this goji-enhanced water, their health and happiness significantly increased. Jill Ettinger http://globalrhythm.net/Food/Arepas.cfm Around the world, Venezuela is known for four things: its oil supplies, its landscapes, its beautiful women and its amazing baseball players. But Venezuelans are very proud of something else: its arepas . Diego Zerpa Chang http://globalrhythm.net/Food/Falafel.cfm The hullabaloo over this humble snack has overtones of the Arab-Israeli relationship in microcosm. A food that dates back to Old Testament days, falafel has served at the basis of a Ph.D. thesis on how food can reflect nationalism. Hank Bordowitz http://globalrhythm.net/Food/TheNewYorkChocolateShow.cfm For a growing number of chocoholics, this is the Sweet-Tooth World Series. This is where you’ll find the good stuff. Jeff Tamarkin http://globalrhythm.net/Food/NativeAmericanFryBread.cfm Fry bread, whatever its origins, is a symbol of natives taking what’s given them and making it their own, and making the best of it. Bonni Miller http://globalrhythm.net/Food/AsianMockMeats.cfm The popularity of Western vegetarian meat alternatives—veggie dogs, fake bacon, soy deli slices—belies the rich history and delicate gastronomy of “mock meat,” first conceived over two thousand years ago in Buddhist monasteries in China. Lesley Marian Neilson http://globalrhythm.net/Food/ATasteofMaltaSavoringtheTraditionsofaProudMediterraneanCulture.cfm Family and food is a true celebration in Malta. Most families spend seven days a week together at the table enjoying hearty meals, drinking wine and telling jokes. Vincent Attard http://globalrhythm.net/Food/AnAlternativeYetCreativeThanksgiving.cfm More people are turning to an alternative main course to add variety to their Thanksgiving feast. Two of the most popular of these are the vegan-approved Tofurky and its arch-enemy, the Turducken. Laurie Strock http://globalrhythm.net/Food/OntheTrailofTisana.cfm Tisana is a drink in which water is enriched with local herbs including leaves, flowers and roots. It may be an infusion for refreshment or medicinal means. Iris Brooks http://globalrhythm.net/Food/TheJoysofFalafel.cfm How can a humble ball of fried beans inspire such passion? If you’ve never experienced falafel, they basically boil in oil down to a meatball with the legume of choice replacing the meat. Hank Bordowitz http://globalrhythm.net/Food/ContemporarySwedishCusine.cfm Known largely in this country for IKEA and, for some hideous reason, ABBA, the Swedish invasion has been a slow infusion. But in New York City alone five Swedish restaurants—ranging from traditional to progressive–have opened doors recently. Derek Beres http://globalrhythm.net/Food/PearlTea.cfm Unlike most beverages, Pearl Tea requires patience to produce. Most shops cook their own tapioca, which can take a few hours each morning. Once the balls are prepared, they’re mixed with creamer, flavor, sweetener and liquid, leaving an endless array of options to be explored. Derek Beres http://globalrhythm.net/Food/GarifunaVibrantSoulfulAfrican.cfm The food is as zesty as the music. With large numbers engaged in fishing, Garinagu cuisine is trademarked by fresh fish and seafood, enhanced by the nutty sweet flavor of coconut. Tapado , a favorite in Livingston, is a rich fish-and-seafood stew with green and ripe plantains, yams, tomato and herbs, simmered in coconut milk. Carol Amoruso http://globalrhythm.net/Food/BelgiumHomeoftheBestFriesandChocolatesNeedWeSayMore.cfm You’ll probably find the ingredients of Belgian cuisine in its surrounding countries, but the way Belgians use them is completely original. Cecile Hambye http://globalrhythm.net/Food/TheTraditionalTastesofMorocco.cfm Moroccan food is more than couscous and tagine. It’s a diverse cuisine, from the fish dishes of the coast to the Turkish-influenced desserts of Tetuán and the tagella bread of the nomadic Touareg people. Anastasia Tsioulcas http://globalrhythm.net/Food/TheManyTastesofMalaysia.cfm There are five basic styles of food in Malaysia, all of them influenced to some extent by the others. Bonni Miller http://globalrhythm.net/Food/NativeAmericanCuisineattheSmithsonian.cfm The Mitsitam Café is a Highlight of New Museum Eve M. Ferguson http://globalrhythm.net/Food/BreakingBreadAroundtheWorld.cfm Whether your passion is a bruschetta, a bagel or a baguette, chances are that bread is part of your daily diet. The variety of breads from around the world is staggering. Iris Brooks http://globalrhythm.net/Food/WhattheHeckisHaggis.cfm Scotland on a Plate Rob Weir http://globalrhythm.net/Food/TheHimalayanFountainofYouth.cfm What modern science has only recently learned about goji berries has been espoused for thousands of years in Asia. Jill Ettinger