Savor the Spirit of Africa

Text and photos by Vivienne Mackie

The African continent is home to a variety of fascinating ancient trees and plants, a fact that enhances the mystery and appeal of this continent.

Amarula tree.

One is the Marula Tree, often called “The Great Provider,” because of its many uses. The Marula tree grows naturally in the warm, frost-free regions of southern Africa, especially Botswana, Zimbabwe and South

Although not commercially cultivated the Marula is part of the mango, cashew and pistachio family. Its fruit, which looks like a worn tennis ball, is used for making jam, beer, and wine, and it is the basis for a Amarula Cream Liqueur, one of South Africa’s most successful exports.

The Marula is also known as “hard walnut” from the Greek, refers to the hard stone inside the fleshy fruit. It is a medium sized deciduous tree that has been extremely important to the indigenous Bantu peoples and their migrations for at least 10,000 years, according to archeological evidence. The ripe Marula is the size of a small yellow plum, its fleshy fruit high in vitamin C (more than 4 times that of an average-size orange), the nutty kernel is high in protein and oil, while the bark has medicinal properties that are helpful in malaria prophylaxis, for pain, and for scorpion or snake bites. The inner bark can be used to make rope and the soft wood is good for carving.

Marula fruit.

Held sacred among those who inhabit the region, the Marula tree plays a prominent role in tribal legends. Commonly nicknamed “the Marriage Tree,” it is widely believed to bestow vigor and fertility upon those who marry beneath its branches. Even today, tribal wedding ceremonies occur beneath its branches. The hard stones inside the soft yellow fruit are often dried and strung together in a necklace that traditionally symbolizess love.

During southern Africa’s spring and early summer when the ripe Marula fruit hangs on the tree, animals travel for miles to collect and enjoy their share of this delicious, natural bounty. Warthog, waterbuck, giraffe and kudu all eat the fruit and leaves of the tree, but foremost are the herds of African elephants that have roamed the continent for thousands of years. For this reason, some communities also refer to the Marula tree as the “Elephant Tree.” This age-old relationship between these two African symbols is why both this majestic creature and the Marula tree feature as icons for the Amarula Cream Liqueur.

Amarula Cream Liqueur

A popular centuries-old myth is that elephants and other animals eat the rotting Marula fruit and get intoxicated. It was put to rest by a National Geographic story. (See: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/12/1219_051219_drunk_elephant.html )

Once a year, the Marula tree is responsible for a remarkable event – the annual Marula harvest. Celebrations occur as the bountiful fruit is gathered from across the plains. A single tree can produce over 10,000 fruit.

Here is where the process of making Amarula Cream begins. After it is collected by hand, this lush and exotic pale yellow fruit is pulped and fermented before undergoing slow and careful distillation in copper pot sills. This process further concentrates the flavor of the fruit, yielding the unique-tasting Marula spirit that is then matured for at least two years in small French oak barrels.

When the tasters say that the contents of each barrel are ready, the Marula spirit is blended with the finest, freshest cream. This is final step toward creating this distinctively smooth liqueur. Amarula Cream has been enjoyed by people who live in and visit its native African continent, and in the last decade or so, has become available to other regions, allowing connoisseurs and and the no-so-experienced to discover this unique flavor. Many people have commented that if you like cream liqueurs, then you owe it to yourself to try this one.

There are also wonderful Amarula Cream chocolates, if you’d like to savor the Spirit of Africa in yet another form.

Amarula Cream can be enjoyed on its own, splashed over ice, or in a variety of delectable cocktails. Many locals and visitors love the southern African tradition of “Sundowners.” A splash of Amarula Cream over ice is one perfect way to watch the sun go down in one of Africa’s spectacular sunsets.

For more information:

Amarula Cream, www.amarula.com (You must include a birth date to enter the site).

By Susan McKee

Frying bannock. (Photo by Susan McKee.)

I’m always on the lookout for indigenous cooking wherever I travel. Last summer, while on a trip to Canada’s Yukon Territory, I was wandering through Dawson City on my way to the Dänojà Zho Cultural Centre when the aroma of bannock stopped me. What’s a traditional Scottish treat doing up in the Yukon Territory?

The aroma lured me toward a young woman cooking bannock over an open fire. She explained that it was brought to Canada in the mid-1880s by Scots working for the Hudson’s Bay Company. Because it was so easy to cook and transport, it became popular among the hunters and trappers, who spent months traveling. It was quickly adopted by the First Nations people.

Scottish bannocks are heavy flat cakes of unleavened barley or oatmeal dough formed into a round or oval shape, then cooked on a griddle. “Bannock,” comes from ancient Latin, but is also a Celtic and Old English word, which essentially means “baked goods.” It’s initially recorded at the turn of the first millennium.

Whether the Yukon’s bannock came from Scotland, or was an adaptation of the typical fry bread made by indigenous peoples on both sides of the U.S. and Canadian border, doesn’t really matter to foodies. It’s the eating we love best.

Here’s the recipe:

3 cups flour

2 level teaspoons baking powder

4 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

Preheat some cooking oil in a frying pan. Mix together with about 3 cups of water, stirring until the batter is smooth. Scoop a large spoonful of dough into the frying pan and flatten it. Cook, turning once, until both sides are golden brown. Serve with “butter, jam or anything else that might enhance bannock.

For more on Dawson City visit: www.dawsoncity.ca

Susan can be reached at: Susan@SusanMcKee.com.

Churros and Hot Chocolate

By Keith Kellett

When I attend one of the Vaughantown English-language programmes, I’m always being told that the meals, while good, aren’t typically Spanish. So, any serious research into Spanish food usually is confined to tapas and snacks, which is fair enough. We’re there to give Spanish people experience in speaking English, not to eat.

The programmes don’t start until breakfast at 9 a.m. Now, I’m an early riser and often have a considerable amount of work done by then. So, while I  pass the time by writing notes and reviewing pictures it nevertheless seems a long time until breakfast. And, I usually feel peckish, or at least, in need of liquid.

A short way down the street from the Salamanca hotel where we were staying is an establishment, which opens very early, called a churreria, which serves something with which many Spanish people like to start their day.

Chocolate con Churros is hot, sweet drinking chocolate, so thick you could almost stand your spoon in it. It’s served with baton-like deep-fried pastries, freshly cooked in the same way as doughnuts, which are dunked in the chocolate before eating. Guide book lore has it that the party-loving Spaniards sometimes go straight from a party to work, and like to take on the energy jolt given by a chocolate con churros. However, most Spanish people I know deny this strongly — although they will admit it’s a good way to end a night out, as well as start a morning.

Hot chocolate beside a plate of freshly made churros. (Photo by Keith Kellett.)

Of course, it doesn’t do to indulge in this treat too often.  The words “calories” and “cholesterol” spring to mind. But, a lot of people have similar guilts about bacon and eggs, so why not occasionally!

The churreria itself, called the Graci, is a small room, most taken up by the bar, the machines for making the chocolate and the churros and the stove for frying the churros. There were one or two cramped tables and chairs, so it’s better to belly up to the bar to have your chocolate.

You can make your own churros, but you need to have a special machine, or a doughnut maker. The mix is a typical doughnut recipe: flour and water in approximate 1-1 proportions, salt and olive oil, according to how many you want to make. Boil the water, oil and salt, and add the flour till it becomes a smooth, thick paste.

At the churreria, they place the mixture in a special machine, from which the churros are taken as required. The machine is right over the pan they’re fried in, so they can be dropped straight into the hot oil.

There’s another version, larger than the churro called the porra. You have to be careful when you’re asking for these, as the word is similar to porro, which I’m told is Spanish slang for a joint or a spliff! Or, is it the other way around? Or, have I been completely misinformed?

Maybe it’s best to stick to churros?

Keith, our UK correspondent, can be reached at: Keith@globalfoodie.com.

Ringraziamento … an Italian Thanksgiving

By Andrew J. Harvey

The author poses beside a roasted turkey while holding its foldout paper partner.

During the fall of 2008 a dream of mine came true — the opportunity to spend a semester living and studying in Italy. Having learned the Italian language, I specifically requested a host family that spoke little or no English.

I arrived at Gianni and Ana Silvestri’s multi-story home, located in the center of Florence. Lifelong Florentines, they welcomed me into their lives and went out of their way to make me feel comfortable in my new home.  During those months they introduced me to every aspect of Italian life.  In talking to other students later I realized that I had indeed received a much better host family than most.

By November I think I met every member of the extended family. I decided that it would be nice to repay everyone by introducing them to the uniquely American Thanksgiving dinner.  My cooking experience was limited, so I was guided through the meal by recipes found online and email advice from my mother, who is half Italian. Mama Ana did the shopping. When she came home with the groceries I realized my culinary gift was harder than expected.  She arrived with a 21-pound turkey — still in full white-feathered regalia. Apparently, those frozen and fresh market turkeys so common in American supermarkets aren’t easy to find in Italy.

My aim was for Ana to relax while I did the cooking. Getting an Italian mother to watch you cook without helping is an impossibility.  We began by preparing homemade stuffing with a loaf of Italian bread. She really wanted to put meat in the stuffing and was shocked that I’d make it without sausage or some sort of meat.

The only item we lacked was string to tie the legs together.  Ana disappeared and came back with a wide red ribbon. Although it caught fire while in the oven, it got the job done – and maybe it added a bit of flavor, who knows.

Next we made two traditional American side dishes, a green bean casserole with mushrooms and onions and, of course, mashed potatoes. She’d never seen green bean casserole before, so she let me create that dish myself.

Ana set the table with bright orange napkins, flowers, and a folding paper turkey she found in a stationary store. She was excited about that find and insisted on taking my picture with the real and fake turkey. Once that was finished the family sat down and enjoyed a wonderful dinner.

Most would consider white wine the better poultry choice. During my entire Tuscan experience I never saw a glass of white wine. My host father, Gianni, would rather eat the label than drink white wine.  So, with this in mind, we drank a bottle of traditional fall wine, Vino Novello, that I picked up outside of Siena the week before.  We ate, laughed, and compared Italian and American experiences. This was, she said, most similar to their Christmas meal.

When I came home from school the day after our feast I found most of Ana’s relatives at the table enjoying the leftovers, while Ana explained the holiday to them.  They seemed especially impressed with the stuffing and casserole and insisted on having me translate the recipes into Italian.   After introducing so much of their culture to me, I took pleasure in introducing something uniquely American.  Ana, Gianni, and the rest of the family truly enjoyed their first Thanksgiving and last fall continued the tradition of what they now call “Ringraziamento.”

Andrew J. Harvey is Globalfoodie’s Italian expert and a senior at Syracuse University. Fluent in the language – and the food – he brings a unique, personal and accurate take on the importance of Italian food within the culture. He can be reached at: Andrew@globalfoodie.com.

By Richard Frisbie

Photos by Richard Frisbie.

When you’re hungry, any kind of food sounds good. When you are planning a dinner for fifty or sixty hungry people, tapas sounds like a brilliant idea, but is it dinner? At the Paradores Hotel in Santiago de Compostella last February, Emilio Gomez proved it was both!

It was the first of ten concept dinners, each encompassing eighteen regions of Spain. Called “La Cocina de Paradores,” this visually stunning event was held in the equally beautiful Parador de “Hotel Dos Reis Catolicos,” originally built as a hospital, or place of shelter, for the pilgrims arriving at the Cathedral of St James just next door. The cross-shaped dining room, its vaulted ceiling and ornate altars evidenced earlier religious use, was a spectacular setting for this over-the-top culinary event. The casual tapas and bar hopping typical of other evenings could not compare to this, The Ultimate Tapas Party.

Photo by Richard Frisbie.

It was designed as a standup meal with 8 to 10 people for each large round table. Plates of  tapas were placed so that diners could rotate around the table stopping at tapas “stations” to eat that region’s best. Each individual tapas was made of ingredients solely from one region, and each was accompanied by the wine (or primary beverage) of that region. Drinks were served on trays, and mobile bars rolled around the room’s perimeter to have refreshment always at hand. But it was the tapas that stole the show, and what a show it was!

Photo by Richard Frisbie.

Imagine having the most artistic chefs creating each unusual tapas design. They had a team of sous chefs to help them replicate the design times 20 – for each table – to total about 500 of each design. The tapas arrived in little bowls, on little plates, on small spoons, with pipettes of various liquids, and arranged upright on skewers of various sizes and colors to create a veritable forest of colorful and unusual shapes. The display was beautiful!

An artistic interpretation of each tapas was created as a sculpture, all from non-perishable material.

They were on display in a great hall on pedestals, each in a Plexiglas box rising above the principle wine and grapes of that region. Behind each were tables lined with hundreds of real tapas ready to plate and deliver to  guests” tables.

The problem with the event was that I was there to cover the culinary aspect as part of the Gastronomy Congress I was attending. After eating, drinking and tasting all day, standing for three hours while the pomp of the very formal evening played out was just too much to ask. Compound that by needing to taste each of 18 tapas with the accompanying alcoholic beverage, which included hard cider, beer, and all manner of wines. A lesser person could not have done it; a smarter one wouldn’t have! I neatly fit between those extremes and consumed them all – I was working – then joined a group of chefs at a jazz club for drinks and dancing afterward. My stomach still hasn’t recovered!

The highlights:

I’ll be politic and say Galicia’s were the best. One because I love their white wines, so the Bocarribeira 09 D.O. Ribeiro local white served in the traditional manner – a small white bowl – was a refreshing treat; a simple uncomplicated not too sweet delight. The fancy take on St James cake as a dessert tapas was a surprise. St James cake is sugar, butter, almond flour (and ground almond, no wheat) combined into a melt-in-your-mouth simple but luscious cake. Here it was topped with little pancakes and no small amount of whimsy to excel. Besides, Galicia, a place I love to visit, was my host.

Photo by Richard Frisbie.

After that, the Canary Island’s offering of the second-best potatoes of Spain (after Galicia, of course) speared with pipettes of their green (mild) and red (hot) mojo sauce reminded me of an incredible visit there as only the aromas and tastes of food can trigger the big memories of our lives. The rest (both tapas and wine) could all be grouped as in the good range, but no others stand out as winners.

My final thought? Next time I’ll photograph the event and skip the fancy food. I know, I can say that now, but when beautiful food is placed before me, it is rare that I can refuse it.

Could you?

For More Information:

www.tourspain.es/en/HOME/ListadoMenu.htm?Language=en
Tourist Office of Spain

www.parador.es/
Parador de “Hostal Dos Reis Católicos”

www.santiagoturismo.com/
Turismo de Santiago de Compostela

Richard Frisbie is a food, wine, and travel writer; a bookseller and publisher of New York centric books; and a professional baker who resides in New York’s Hudson Valley. Online, his articles appear here, on Gather.com, GoNomad.com, travellady.com and the many websites of EDGE Publications. He also writes for regional New York magazines such as Life in the Finger Lakes, and Kaatskill Life. Richard can be reached at Richard@globalfoodie.com

By Keith Kellett

Appetizer at dinner. Photo by Keith Kellett.

When we took our first cruise, it was with another line, and we were nearly put off for ever. Although the ship was British-owned, it flew the Greek flag. Not only did we miss, for instance, the fabled sunset on Santorini, we were hull-down on the horizon, tucking into roast beef and Yorkshire pudding.

I ask you! We can get that at home any day of the week; I can even prepare it myself, if need be.

Then, in 2006, we visited Santorini again, cruising this time with the Italian cruise line Costa Crociere, or Costa Cruises, to give them its English title, on the Costa Atlantica. This was much more like it! Free coffee whenever we wanted it, and pizza … real, crusty, thin-based pizza at most times, especially welcome if you’d been on a shore excursion, and missed lunch.

Dining Room on Costa Serena. Photo by Keith Kellett.

This year, we sailed on the Costa Serena, bigger than Atlantica, and themed around Greek mythology; Atlantica is themed around Fellini films.

Generally, whether we had Italian food for dinner, or some other cuisine, the menu was arranged Italian-style. First, the antipasto, or appetiser, then the pasta dish then the main course. Cheese was generally served before the dessert; we presumed, to clear the palate before the sweet.

It’s not only at dinner that you get such service. Although a sit-down breakfast or lunch is obtainable at all the restaurants, most use the buffet, which is open longer. And, here, the choice is much wider. You can indulge in your own national preferences if you like … although one of the very few issues I have with Costa is that they don’t seem to be able to cook bacon the way I like it. But, for their ice cream, I can forgive them even that. And, there’s plenty of other things to have for breakfast.

Executive Chef Massimo Molinaro. Photo by Keith Kellett.

In the kitchen, Executive Chef Massimo Molinaro presides over a staff of 115 chefs, cooks, and porters, catering for up to 3,780 passengers in the five restaurants on board, in addition to the 1000 crew, who also need feeding. It’s almost non-stop , starting at breakfast at 7.00 a.m. and ending at 2 a.m.

There’s usually a complicated ‘vegetable sculpture’ on display in the buffet. And, at the ‘sit-down’ meals, the food is always painstakingly plated to make it look as attractive as possible. It’s never forgotten, though, that the main object is to feed the client not just to impress him.

(The kitchen staff on Costa’s ships are faced with something their fathers didn’t consider. Costa is heavily committed to preserving the marine environment, and strives to make the ships as green’ as possible. They no longer use the procedure known in the Royal Navy as “pumping gash’,” or simply dumping the kitchen waste over the side. Every scrap of waste food must be incinerated, and the ash disposed of ashore.)

Cheese, Cream and Fondue

Story and photos by Ron Stern

Located in the Canton of Fribourg, Switzerland, the Medieval town of Gruyères is only a short train ride from Zurich and is the home to some tasty and long-standing traditions.

As you probably know cheese is something that Swiss have pefected for centuries. The House of Gruyère demonstration cheese dairy is the place to see how these master crafstman have been making Gruyère AOC since 1115 AD. The designation AOC is an official mark of quality only awarded to certain products that are native to a particular region. And in this case, the designation is well deserved. The tour involves all the senses and at one station you can smell the flowers (such as orchids) that are fed to the cows to produce just the right kind of milk that then matures to become creamy AOC cheese.

Of course, what would Switzerland be without Fondue and using various recipies that include Gruyere Cheese, you can enjoy lunch right on site while dipping bits of bread and vegetables in this hot and savory, melted cheese delight.

For dessert, you simply have to give way to local custom and try some Gruyère double cream with meringues and fruit. Now let me say that this isn’t your typical cream but a specialty of the region made from the finest Alpine milk that is so rich, thick and creamy that no light can escape from its depths! They serve this in wooden or chocolate cups (I prefer the latter) and then this can be blended into coffee of poured over the aforementioned meringues and fruit. The result is a full sensory immersion into the flavors of Gruyères and one which will linger on your palatte for months to come.

Resources:

www.myswitzerland.com

www.lamaisondugruyere.ch

www.la-gruyere.ch

Ron can be reached at: travelwriter0@comcast.net.

Text and photos by Ron Stern

Stack of cookies in Sprungli shop.

“I have this theory that chocolate slows down the aging process. It may not be true, but do I dare take the chance?” – Author unknown.

Hot chocolate with a tray of truffels in the background. Photo by Ron Stern.

If you love chocolate as much as I do then Zurich, Switzerland is a must on your list of places to visit. The Swiss pioneered the development of milk chocolate using pure Alpine milk, a vast improvement over the bitter dark chocolate that permeated the world then.

Conching, developed in Switzerland in the late 1800s, is the constant swirling or stirring of the chocolate, making it even better. It introduced a creamy melt-in-your-mouth product that had so far eluded chocolate makers. This was one of the biggest improvements to a creation that can make any day seem better. Many (including me) consider Swiss chocolate to be the finest in the world. Zurich chocolatiers deserve a lot of attention – and praise.

Confiserie Sprüngli, located in the busy Bahnhofstrasse shopping area, is always packed with customers enjoying some of its smooth, chocolaty sensations. Whenever visiting I always make a beeline for this little bit of cocoa bean heaven. One side of the shop is a café where you can leisurely enjoy coffee or hot chocolate, along with some chocolate delicacies. The other side looks like something from Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Colorfully lit displays feature all manner of homemade dark and light delicacies, including Truffes du Jour. These round little pieces of heaven are just the fix that every chocolate addict needs. Made from cow’s milk – that is taken from the farm that day – the truffles are then made by hand and are meant to be savored in the same 24-hour period. Mouth-wateringly delicious, it’s hard to eat just one … or two.

Hot chocolate at Cafe Schober.

Now if all this isn’t enough to give you a chocolate sugar high, head over to Café Conditorei Schober on Napfgasse Street. This boutique coffee house serves breakfast and lunch and has a wonderful selection of cakes and pastries. I go there for a cup of some of the best hot chocolate in the country. Served with a generous portion of freshly made cream, the combination is all you need to experience Nirvana.

Resources:

www.myswitzerland.com

www.spruengli.ch

www.cafe-conditorei-schober.ch

Ron can be reached at: Travelwriter01@comcast.net.