Location: Northern EuropePopulation: 1.4 millionCapital: TallinnGeography: A low-lying country situated against the Baltic SeaLanguage: EstonianSignature flavours: Seafood (especially smoked fish), cabbage, pork, potato, rye, dairy The Menu Some years ago, Eric and I were sitting together in a tiny restaurant in the medieval area of Tallinn, Estonia. This was before Eric had ever conceived of…
Tag: cooking
Assignment 128: Palau
Location: Western Pacific, east of the Philippines Population: 18,000 Capital: Ngerulmud Geography: A tropical archipelago of approximately 340 islands Language: Palauan, English Signature flavours: Coconut, seafood, rice, pumpkin, root vegetables, tropical fruit, pork The Menu “I hope you like coconut,” Eric said, as we tucked into our Palauan feast. Palau is one of the northernmost…
Assignment 127: Iran
Location: The Middle East Population: 87.6 million Capital: Tehran Geography: A mountainous nation that includes areas of forest, plateau, and desert Language: Persian (Farsi) Signature flavours: Fresh herbs (mint, parsley, cilantro, basil, tarragon), dried fruit, rice, nuts, bread, lamb, dairy, saffron, citrus, pomegranate, eggplant The Menu Honey and Vinegar Sharbat: A refreshing beverage made from…
Assignment 126: North Macedonia
Location: Southern Europe Population: 2 million Capital: Skopje Geography: A landlocked, very mountainous nation Language: Macedonian Signature flavours: Pork, beans, freshwater fish, dairy, quince, berries, potatoes, bread, peppers The Menu Eric didn’t know much about North Macedonia, except that the country was part of former Yugoslavia, and that its name changed recently (to include “North”)…
Assignment 125: Kyrgyzstan
Location: Central Asia Population: 7 million Capital: Bishkek Geography: A landlocked, mountainous country Language: Kyrgyz, Russian Signature flavours: Lamb, beef, horse, mutton, noodles, dairy, potato, rice The Menu I was thrilled when Kyrgyzstan was randomly drawn for my next assignment. I know next to nothing about Central Asian cuisine and love learning about a brand…
Assignment 124: Gabon
Location: West Africa Population: 2.3 million Capital: Libreville Geography: A heavily forested coastal nation on the equator Language: French Signature flavours: Chicken, seafood, palm nut, okra, root vegetables, leafy greens, hot peppers, pumpkin The Menu Eric didn’t know what to expect with Gabonese cuisine, though he expected to find some similarities to neighbouring Cameroon, once…
Assignment 123: England
Location: Western Europe, on the Island of Great Britain Population: 56.5 million Capital: London Geography: A country of rolling hillsides, rugged coastlines, and criss-crossing rivers Language: English Signature flavours: Dairy, bread and pastry, pork, beef, seafood, potato, peas, dried fruit, tea, beer The Menu We went to England in 2015, fulfilling a lifelong dream of…
Assignment 122: Ireland
Location: Western Europe Population: 7 million Capital: Dublin/Belfast Geography: A rocky island in the North Atlantic known for its green fields Language: Irish, English Signature flavours: Dairy, potato, bread, cabbage, beef, seafood, pork, stout, barley The Menu One in seven Ontarians has Irish roots (including me — arriving at Dublin airport on a 2015 vacation,…
Assignment 121: South Sudan
Location: East Africa Population: 11.5 million Capital: Juba Geography: A tropical nation of wetland, grassland, and forest Language: English (official) and many recognized regional languages Signature flavours: Sesame, sorghum, legumes, root vegetables, goat, chicken The Menu South Sudan is the newest country in the world, at just 12 years old. It’s no wonder, then, that…
Assignment 120: Maldives
Location: Southern Asia, in the Indian Ocean Population: 515,000 Capital: MalĂ© Geography: A tropical archipelago made up of over 1100 coral islands Language: Dhivehi Signature flavours: Seafood (especially tuna), coconut, pandan, hot peppers, rice, root vegetables, tropical fruits The Menu Our family and friends all know about the Wooden Spoon Wanderer project, and by this…
Wooden Spoon Wanderer 