a plate of culture with a side of global, thanks.

Black Liquorice

Europe

These bitter-sweet, lovely and “I-just-want-to-ride-my-bicycle-and-sing-songs” confectioneries, trigger and pull on your memories of the days when you tried to eat a liquorice bootlace in less than thirty seconds. Oh, you’ve never done that before? You are missing out on quite an experience.

The candy is a mixture of liquorice extract, sugar and binder, which is generally gum arabic, starch, flour, gelatine or other alternatives. Colouring and beeswax are used to accentuate the black tint and shine of the liquorice. They come in all different shapes and sizes, suitable to a wide range of people.

The liquorice plant was prominent throughout Europe for centuries, particularly in the United Kingdom and Spain. The details for the creation of the liquorice confectionery are quite vague, they were, however, introduced during the late 19th Century, and became an immediate favourite among families.

Although liquorice candies make you want to skip around and chase butterflies, do try to moderate your consumption. It can make your belly upset and head go insane, and it’ll make you despise the candy forever, which we don’t want happening, do we?

Tabouleh

Middle East

A traditional dish in the Levant cuisine, tabouleh has been a globally embraced and popular salad among many different regions.

With some of the herbs dating back to the Middle Ages, tabouleh is the combination of chopped parsley, tomato, spring onion and mint, as well as, bulgur, lemon juice, olive oil and seasoning. There are different variations of the dish within the Middle East, where more parsley is added than bulgur in Lebanon, in comparison to the larger bulgur to parsley ratio in Syria.

Not only is the salad tasty and full of diverse flavours, but it is also ridiculously healthy. So, the next time you’re after a tasty and good-for-you alternative, just whip together a lovely plate of tabouleh, you will not regret it.

Tortilla de Patatas (Spanish Omelette)

Spain

Ingredients-

• 150mL of olive oil
• 5 medium baking potatoes, peeled, sliced and lightly sprinkled with salt
• 1/2 a yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 5 eggs
• salt and pepper for seasoning

Method-

1. Heat the olive oil in a, roughly, 22cm skillet and add the potato slices carefully, because the salt will make the oil splatter. Try to keep the potato slices separated so they will not stick together. Cook, turning occasionally, over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the onions and garlic and cook until potatoes are tender.
2. Drain into a colander, leaving about 3 tablespoons of oil in the skillet.
3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the eggs with a pinch of salt. Add the potatoes, and stir to coat with the egg.
4. Add the egg-coated potatoes to the very hot oil in the skillet, spreading them evenly to completely cover the base of the skillet. Lower the heat to medium to cook, shaking the pan frequently, until the mixture is half set.
5. Use a plate to cover the skillet and invert the omelette away from the hand holding the plate (so as not to burn your hand with any escaping oil).
6. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the pan and slide the omelette back to the skillet on its uncooked side. Cook until completely set.
7. Allow the omelette to cool, and then cut into wedges. Season with salt and pepper, as well as an optional alternative of squeezed lemon juice. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe, courtesy of spain-recipes.

Fairy Bread

Australia

Fresh bread, margarine and colourful sprinkles, the three crucial (and most delicious) ingredients needed for this magical treat. Once you take a bite, you’ll realise that it really is the bread of the fairies.

The treat began in the mid 20th Century, as Australians began to create a tradition of serving it at children’s parties or a simple confectionery snack. The combination is merely margarine spread over sliced bread which is topped with hundreds and thousands (or sprinkles), and further, cut into small triangles.

The worst part, though, is that it only takes a few bites to consume the triangle of fairy bread, so you’d have to keep running back for seconds. The kids won’t be happy.

Tomato Soup

South America

Ingredients-

• 1/4 cup (60mL) olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1kg vine-ripened tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 100g alphabet or risoni pasta (optional)
• Seasoning, to taste

Method-

1. Preheat oven to 200 C (392 F).
2. Heat oil in a shallow ovenproof casserole, add onion and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes or until softened. Add tomatoes, garlic, and sugar and season well with salt and pepper. Roast uncovered in oven for 20 minutes, then allow mixture to cool.
3. Puree the mixture in a blender, adding a little of the stock if the mixture is too thick.
4. Return to pan and add remaining stock. Bring to boil, add pasta and simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
5. Serve into plates or mugs with a sprinkle of crushed pepper.

Tip-

• Pasta is an optional ingredient within the soup, if wanting to use it, however, make sure that they are of a small size so that they don’t overwhelm the meal.

Recipe, courtesy of Taste.

Mashed Potato

Europe

Dear to the heart, mashed potato is a side-dish that is cherished and significant to many, whether it be the heritage it holds or its creamy, fluffy goodness. It is commonly served alongside a poultry, meat and/or vegetables, then topped off with a dressing or simply served alone.

Sources vary regarding the origins of mashed potato, some state, however, that in the 18th Century a French man invented the dish through a competition he had set, and the result, mashed potato, had a positive response. It soon became a  treat and comfort to many homes throughout Europe, especially during the difficult times of war and famine.

So, it’s safe to say that this simple mashing of potatoes had allowed individuals from many different contexts to have a moment of peace and comfort to themselves, through that spoonful of delight. Fancy potatoes doing something like that, and as silly as it sounds, it continues to do so today, warming hearts and tummies.

Gingerbread

Armenia

Ingredients-

For the gingerbread,

• Melted butter, to grease
• 125g butter, at room temperature
• 100g (1/2 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
• 125 mL (1/2 cup) golden syrup
• 1 egg, separated (whites are used for icing)
• 375g (2 1/2 cups) plain flour
• 1 tbs ground ginger
• 1 tbs mixed spice
• 1 tbs bicarbonate of soda

For the decorating,

• Plain flour, to dust
• 150g (1 cup) pure icing sugar, sifted
• 8 - 10 drops of food colouring
• M&Ms

Method-

1. Preheat oven to 180 C (356 F). Brush two baking trays with melted butter to lightly grease.
2. Use electric beater to beat the butter and sugar in a bowl until pale and creamy. Add the golden syrup and egg yolk and beat until combined. Stir in the flour, ginger, mixed spice and bicarbonate of soda. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Press dough into a disc. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.
3. Meanwhile, place egg white in a clean, dry bowl. Use an electric beater to beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add icing sugar and beat until soft peaks form. Divide icing sugar among bowls (depending on how many different colours used). Add colouring to one bowl each, and stir until combined. Cover with plastic and place into fridge.
4. Place dough between two sheets of baking paper and roll out until 4mm thick. Use a 9cm gingerbread man cutter or various cutters to cut out  shapes. Place on trays 3cm apart. Repeat with any access dough.
5. Bake in oven for 10 minutes or until brown. Remove from oven. Transfer to a rack to cool. 
6. Place prepared icings in small plastic bags. Cut a small hole in a corner of each bag. Pipe icing over gingerbread biscuits to decorate. Finish with M&Ms.

Recipe, courtesy of Taste.

Scone

United Kingdom

Fresh out of the oven, steam rushing out of the cracked centre, a dusting of flour atop, with a spreading of jam and a dollop of whipped cream - the delicious connotation of the scone.

The origin of the scone dates back to Medieval times, where they consisted of oats and were baked over an open fire. Extremely popular among the Medieval generations, the snack had evolved over centuries and adapted into a number of different variations, in accordance to culture and place.

The basic “modern” scone includes the collaboration of these ingredients, wheat flour, sugar, baking powder/soda, butter, milk and eggs, they are then baked in an oven. Often, traditionally in England, dried fruits, nuts, chocolates and fruit flavours are added within the scone to accentuate taste.

Lamington

Australia

Ingredients-

For the Sponge Cake,

• Melted butter, to grease
• 75g (1/2 cup) self-raising flour
• 75g (1/2 cup) plain flour
• 70g (1/2 cup) cornflour
• 6 x 59g eggs, at room temperature
• 215g (1 cup) caster sugar
• 1 tbs boiling water
• 170g (2 cups) desiccated coconut

For the Chocolate Icing,

• 300g (2 cups) icing sugar mixture
• 35g (1/3 cup) cocoa powder
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) milk
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) boiling water

Method-

1. Preheat oven to 160 C (320 F). Brush a 19 x 29 (base measurement) lamington pan with melted butter to lightly grease. Line the base and sides with non-stick baking paper, allowing it to overhang slightly.
2. Sift the combined flours together into a large bowl. Repeat twice.
3. Use an electric beater to whisk the eggs in a large clean, dry bowl until thick and pale. Gradually add the sugar, 1 tbs at a time, whisking well after each addition until mixture is thick and sugar dissolves.
4. Sift the combined flours over the egg mixture. Pour the boiling water down the side of the bowl. Use a large metal spoon to gently fold until just combined. Pour mixture into the prepared pan and use the back of a spoon to smooth the surface.
5. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Turn cake onto wire rack, cover with a clean tea towel and set aside overnight to cool.
6. Trim edges of the cake and cut into 15 squares. Spread the coconut over a plate.
7. To make the chocolate icing, sift the icing sugar and cocoa powder into a medium bowl. Add the milk and water and stir until smooth.
8. Use two forks to dip one cake square into the warm icing to evenly coat. Allow any excess icing to drip off. Use your fingers to roll the cake in the coconut to evenly coat, then place on wire rack. Repeat with the remaining cake squares, icing and coconut. Set aside for one hour or until icing sets.

Tips-

• When adding the flour, fold it in with a balloon whisk; it distributes the flour through the egg mixture more quickly than a metal spoon.
• Overworking your mixture makes for a leathery sponge.
• Also, an alternative, is to toast the coconut before coating the sponge cakes, it gives it a crunchy texture.

Recipe, courtesy of Taste.

i thought i’d try something different,

perhaps posting up some traditional recipes and such would be a nice change.

if you hate the idea, feel free to express the hate.

i’ll start with the idea, and if it is an utter fail, it shall cease. agreed?

Pumpkin Soup

Haiti

A thick, creamy, rich soup, just a spoonful can bring so much warmth and goodness within one. And, it holds quite a significant story behind it too.

Some sources state that once Haiti received its independence from France in 1804, the native people worked in making a dish in which they could celebrate through, using sweet and tasteful flavours. Before this, they were limited to foods that had little to no taste, so it creating a meaningful and delicious soup, and it was quite something.

There are endless numbers of Pumpkin Soup variations as the dish has made its way around a global society, the most essential ingredient, however, is, you guessed it, pumpkin.

Turkish Delight

Turkey

A sweet and soft confection, Turkish Delight can be found across the globe being used within many different dishes or simply served alone.

The native name of the dessert is Lokum, and it dates back to the 15th century where the ingredients consisted of honey, molasses, water and flour. An unknown British came across these sweets in his travels to Turkey and ordered some back home, under the name “Turkish Delight”, which soon after swept the whole of Europe.

The ingredients commonly used, today, are sugar and starch, where the Western culture tends to use rosewater, mastic or lemon as flavouring agents topped with a dusting of icing sugar, in comparison to the various nuts and dates used within the Middle East.

Chinese Spring Roll

China

A popular Chinese and global snack, the Chinese Spring Roll consists of a thin dough exterior, with any combination of vegetables, poultry, seafood and meat wrapped inside the roll. The cylinder of dough is then deep fried in oil, to create a crisp and smooth layer.

It is said that the Chinese Spring Roll has existed for thousands of years, during which many different collaborations were created and tasted. These vary among different countries, with the Chinese Spring Roll becoming a rapid global treat.

The Chinese Spring Roll is traditionally eaten at the “Spring Festival” within the origin country, in which the name of the snack was inspired through.

Corn Dog

United States

No, not a dog covered in corn, as some may come to think, but a sponge-y, crisp exterior layering a soft sausage centre, topped off with a squirt of mustard and tomato sauces, and you’ve got yourself a glorious treat.

Originating in the Unites States, there has been some dispute as to when and who created the Corn Dog, with many claiming they invented this classic collaboration. The Corn Dog consists of a cornmeal batter and a hot dog, which is, essentially, a poultry sausage. The dripping batter is then fried or baked and placed upon a wooden stick or otherwise served alone.

There are also vegetarian alternatives to this iconic treat, so no one has an excuse to miss out on devouring a corn dog, and no, for the last time, it is most definitely not a corn covered dog.

Cheesecake

Greece

Fancy a slice of soft, creamy cheese atop a crumbly, biscuit base? You’d be absolutely mad not to, unless of course, you have an allergy, in which I sincerely apologise for your missing out on this heart-clenching, gob-smacking, my-mouth-just-died-and-went-to-heaven desert, it’s that or I’ve just thrown everything completely out of proportion. And back to cheesecake, now.

Dating back to Ancient Greece, cheesecake has evolved over time as a desert and has become one of the most loved dishes. Whether the desert includes rich or light flavours, the basic and necessary components include a biscuit, sponge cake or pastry base, and a soft, sweetened cheese layer, which can be decorated with fruit and nuts.

With a large number of different variations, you may begin to panic over which one to drool over, or recreate, or even just to stare at (because of those silly allergies)! But have no fear, there’s time to try them all and if this task just deems itself as “impossible”, keep in mind that if the Greek athletes in ancient times were satisfied with wheat flour, crumbled cheese and an egg as a combined desert, you’ll be well pleased with your slice of goodness.