Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Guest Post: Karen from Read:Cook:Live
Hello Friends and Happy Saturday! I am sitting on the couch watching my beloved OHIO Bobcats play Penn State...lots of emotions in this game, but my Bobcats are keeping it competitive. As I mentioned yesterday, I was a Foodie Pen Pal to Karen at Read:Cook:Live. She is terrific and is guest posting today!
Karen is a wonderful storyteller, which is what good blogging is all about. Please visit her blog and read below for her travel adventure in India. India has been on my travel bucket list for some time, but Karen's story make me want to go sooner rather than later.
This is my first stint as a guest blogger, so thanks to Sara for hosting me!
As my pen pal advised me, it was delicious served over steamed brown rice.
The flight was 15 hours long and I am cursed with an absurd inability to fall asleep on planes. I read 3 books on my flight and didn't sleep for even one minute. When I arrived, I went almost immediately to bed and woke up the next day, unsurprisingly, with a high fever.
You know you have a fever when it's monsoon season in Mumbai and you're shivering on your friend's couch! My friends wisely decided not to take me out for any Indian food and we just had Knorr's Corn Soup Mix at home. By my second day in the country, I was feeling refreshed and ready for anything.
I've eaten so much Indian food that I felt I could handle whatever they wanted to introduce me to. They disagreed; they didn't want to overwhelm me with spices on my first real day. They insisted on taking me out for butter chicken. "It's not too spicy, but it's very traditional" is what they told me. They took me to Bandra and we ate at a restaurant overlooking the harbor, then we walked along the ruins of the Castella de Aguada.
This is not a dish that I remembered seeing on a menu anywhere in the States, but it was delicious. In fact, it was one of the few dishes that I ordered twice while I was there. That's why I was so excited to get a package of butter chicken mix from Sara.
A lot of people ask me whether I got sick from eating the food while I was in India and I'm always a little surprised by the question. I inevitably answer that I got sick from the plane. While I was in India, I ate everything that was offered to me (except fresh fruit and tap water, of course) including the fried bread snacks that are sold out of pieces of newspaper on the trains and made in people's homes. I actually lost a little weight and came home feeling great. My friends, both of whom had spent time in America, assured me this was because Indian food is prepared with no preservatives or artificial anything in it. Everything I ate was so fresh, and while it was all spicy, none of the spice was just heat that overpowered the flavor of the dish, the way so many American spiced foods taste.
In looking through those old photos, I'm amazed to discover that I didn't take any pictures of the food that I ate. I did keep a journal and grilled my friend to make sure I got accurate names for what we were eating, but I wasn't very conscientious about it. As I look back, I wish I had taken more pictures. I remember the most amazing dish that I had while I was at Britto's in Baga. The restaurant was right on the sand of the beach and my friends ordered us a big plate of Crab Masala. It was whole crabs roughly chopped up in the shell and just swimming in this spicy red sauce. It was one of the few dishes that wasn't served with bread and while I'd gotten used to eating with bread and not a fork, I had no idea how to approach this seafood dish. My friends told me that you just pick up the pieces and suck the meat out of the shell. I was a little worried about getting messy, but that passed quickly as I embraced it. By the end of the meal, the three of us were more or less covered up to our elbows in Masala sauce and nobody else in the restaurant paid us any mind. I remember sitting there with my toes in the sand and feeling just so good about life...
Sometimes that's what food does for us. I'm happy to say that I passed on my love of Butter Chicken to both of my dinner guests last night. They will be on the lookout for a recipe and I will be on the lookout for another package of the mix. Special thanks again to Sara at The Milwaukee Kitchen for introducing me to this super easy meal mix!
See, I told you Karen is terrific! Thanks for sharing, Karen. And again, visit Karen's blog at Read:Cook:Live when you get a chance!
Sara
Karen is a wonderful storyteller, which is what good blogging is all about. Please visit her blog and read below for her travel adventure in India. India has been on my travel bucket list for some time, but Karen's story make me want to go sooner rather than later.
Last night I cooked the first of the mixes which Sara sent to me in my foodie pen pals package:
I more or less followed the directions on the package which were to whisk the spices into 8 oz of water, then saute the chicken in a tablespoon of butter, add the sauce and cook it all over medium low until the sauce has thickened.
To finish, you add a 3.5 tbsp of cream and bring it to a boil.
The only things I did differently were to add some sauteed onions and some roasted zucchini and yellow squash into the mix.
As my pen pal advised me, it was delicious served over steamed brown rice.
A few comments about butter chicken. Three years ago I spent three weeks in India.
You know you have a fever when it's monsoon season in Mumbai and you're shivering on your friend's couch! My friends wisely decided not to take me out for any Indian food and we just had Knorr's Corn Soup Mix at home. By my second day in the country, I was feeling refreshed and ready for anything.
I've eaten so much Indian food that I felt I could handle whatever they wanted to introduce me to. They disagreed; they didn't want to overwhelm me with spices on my first real day. They insisted on taking me out for butter chicken. "It's not too spicy, but it's very traditional" is what they told me. They took me to Bandra and we ate at a restaurant overlooking the harbor, then we walked along the ruins of the Castella de Aguada.
This is not a dish that I remembered seeing on a menu anywhere in the States, but it was delicious. In fact, it was one of the few dishes that I ordered twice while I was there. That's why I was so excited to get a package of butter chicken mix from Sara.
A lot of people ask me whether I got sick from eating the food while I was in India and I'm always a little surprised by the question. I inevitably answer that I got sick from the plane. While I was in India, I ate everything that was offered to me (except fresh fruit and tap water, of course) including the fried bread snacks that are sold out of pieces of newspaper on the trains and made in people's homes. I actually lost a little weight and came home feeling great. My friends, both of whom had spent time in America, assured me this was because Indian food is prepared with no preservatives or artificial anything in it. Everything I ate was so fresh, and while it was all spicy, none of the spice was just heat that overpowered the flavor of the dish, the way so many American spiced foods taste.
In looking through those old photos, I'm amazed to discover that I didn't take any pictures of the food that I ate. I did keep a journal and grilled my friend to make sure I got accurate names for what we were eating, but I wasn't very conscientious about it. As I look back, I wish I had taken more pictures. I remember the most amazing dish that I had while I was at Britto's in Baga. The restaurant was right on the sand of the beach and my friends ordered us a big plate of Crab Masala. It was whole crabs roughly chopped up in the shell and just swimming in this spicy red sauce. It was one of the few dishes that wasn't served with bread and while I'd gotten used to eating with bread and not a fork, I had no idea how to approach this seafood dish. My friends told me that you just pick up the pieces and suck the meat out of the shell. I was a little worried about getting messy, but that passed quickly as I embraced it. By the end of the meal, the three of us were more or less covered up to our elbows in Masala sauce and nobody else in the restaurant paid us any mind. I remember sitting there with my toes in the sand and feeling just so good about life...
See, I told you Karen is terrific! Thanks for sharing, Karen. And again, visit Karen's blog at Read:Cook:Live when you get a chance!
Sara
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Barcelona Bites
Eating in Barcelona
My dad recently sent me an article from the Wall StreetJournal about the wine scene in Barcelona.
On the clipping, he wrote, “Sara – no wonder why you came home with wine
from SPAIN.” And he is right! When I went to Spain and France earlier this
summer, I came home with two bottles of wine; both are from Spain.
The food and wine of Spain are like no other. I want to tell you about two great experiences I
had in Barcelona – lunch at Bar Mut (featured in the WSJ article, go figure)
and Bodega Bonavista, a nearby wine shop that had a great selection of wine
and an enthusiastic English-speaking owner.
Bar Mut is a pretty well-known restaurant in Barcelona. So well-known, it was recommended to prior to my visit. I was in
Barcelona for a very short time, so I sought out Bar Mut for Sunday lunch. I got a quick lesson in Spanish culture…I got to the restaurant way too early in the day and ended up interrupting the staff
enjoying a communal breakfast on the patio. Whoops!
When I returned at a decent time, the staff were
terrific. I had a lovely waiter who made
sure I understood the menu and suggested wine accordingly. Although Bar Mut is very well known for its
wine selection, I had the best food I enjoyed during my stay. I had fresh squid and the BEST spinach salad
with goat cheese I have ever had.
Actually, it might be the best salad ever. The staff was very kind and attentive.
At the end of the meal, I asked the manager where I might be
able to find a wine shop open on Sunday.
He pointed me in the direction of Bodega Bonavista, which was a great
choice.
Bodega Bonavista is a small wine shop in the Eixample
neighborhood of Barcelona. It is open
Sundays (and probably most other days) and, most importantly, the owner spoke
English. We spent a little time discussing
the ins and outs of the different varietals and he helped me choose not only a
bold, traditional Spanish wine, but also a more mellow blend of traditional
Spanish varietals. Both easily fit into my suitcase home.
One of the greatest things I learned from my experience at
these two great establishments is to ask
questions of locals when traveling (especially when traveling abroad). I took a chance in asking
for a recommendation at Bar Mut; the manager was happy to point me to his
favorite wine shop. At Bodega Bonavista,
I asked the owner what he would recommend; the result were two fantastic wines
that I have enjoyed as a reminder of my special trip to Spain.
I wish you happy travels on this Travel Tuesday!
Until next time,
I wish you happy travels on this Travel Tuesday!
Until next time,
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Travel Tuesday - Philadelphia's Reading Market
Two weekends ago, I traveled to Philadelphia and met up with my friend Laura for a girl's weekend. Laura is awesome...in some ways, my complete opposite! She is outgoing and a mom and super-smart and funny. I just love her!
We chose Philadelphia in order to see our friend, Don. The three of us became friends while Laura and I were grad students back in Ohio. Don was an undergraduate (obviously a very cool one in order to be friends with two cool graduate students).
Don was a wonderful host. We ate so well while we were in Philly, which was great, because it rained almost our entire trip.
On Saturday, Laura and I started our day by walking from our hotel to the Reading Terminal Market. The market, which was one a train terminal, is now a super-cool market featuring local food vendors and
restaurant stalls.
There was a little something for everyone; from vegetarian, to French, to Thai to even Peking duck! It was a delight. I especially recommend some of the sweets available at the many Amish stalls; please note that although the market is open seven days a week, the Amish stalls are not open on Sunday.
Of course, we ate at so many other great places as well! A summary:
The Dandelion: This is an upscale pub where Laura and I enjoyed dinner. It was AWESOME! We had great beers, a homemade cheese appetizer and our entrees were out of this world. A must visit.
Alma De Cuba: Did I mention Don was a great host? He treated us to dinner at this fantastic Cuban restaurant. Every one's meal looked great...and the atmosphere was very city chic.
Capogiro Gelato: I have to give this gelato shop a shout out. We found this on Sunday morning and it was such a delightful treat.
Shane Candies: Laura and I took a long walk on Saturday in the rain. We stopped in here and I am glad we did. Lots of homemade chocolates as well as artisinal chocolate from the area and across the country. And the staff were so kind to two waterlogged ladies on a Saturday afternoon.
Don warned us, but it is true...Philadelphia is really a food lovers delight. Have any of you been to Philadelphia lately? If so, what food attractions would you add?
Until next time,
We chose Philadelphia in order to see our friend, Don. The three of us became friends while Laura and I were grad students back in Ohio. Don was an undergraduate (obviously a very cool one in order to be friends with two cool graduate students).
 |
| Don, Laura and yours truly |
Don was a wonderful host. We ate so well while we were in Philly, which was great, because it rained almost our entire trip.
On Saturday, Laura and I started our day by walking from our hotel to the Reading Terminal Market. The market, which was one a train terminal, is now a super-cool market featuring local food vendors and
restaurant stalls.
 |
| Some of the many sights at the Reading Market |
There was a little something for everyone; from vegetarian, to French, to Thai to even Peking duck! It was a delight. I especially recommend some of the sweets available at the many Amish stalls; please note that although the market is open seven days a week, the Amish stalls are not open on Sunday.
 |
Of course, we ate at so many other great places as well! A summary:
The Dandelion: This is an upscale pub where Laura and I enjoyed dinner. It was AWESOME! We had great beers, a homemade cheese appetizer and our entrees were out of this world. A must visit.
Alma De Cuba: Did I mention Don was a great host? He treated us to dinner at this fantastic Cuban restaurant. Every one's meal looked great...and the atmosphere was very city chic.
Capogiro Gelato: I have to give this gelato shop a shout out. We found this on Sunday morning and it was such a delightful treat.
Shane Candies: Laura and I took a long walk on Saturday in the rain. We stopped in here and I am glad we did. Lots of homemade chocolates as well as artisinal chocolate from the area and across the country. And the staff were so kind to two waterlogged ladies on a Saturday afternoon.
Don warned us, but it is true...Philadelphia is really a food lovers delight. Have any of you been to Philadelphia lately? If so, what food attractions would you add?
Until next time,
Friday, July 13, 2012
A Trip to Penzey's
Last week, I visited one of my favorite stores...Penzey's!
For those of you not in the Midwest, Penzey's is a premier spice provider in these parts. They are headquartered here in Milwaukee. They also have a great mail order and web store.
Penzey's spices aren't inexpensive, but you are sure to get the highest quality spices available. Penzey's also carries quite a few ethnic spices that you can not find easily elsewhere.
I took a few photos (with their permission)...look how well they style the store! You will love shopping there; I promise! I hope this inspires you to stop by Penzeys to replenish your supply of spices in the near future!
Look how the baking spices are so cutely arranged in a make believe kitchen!
Crushed Jalapeno peppers?!?! I can't wait to try these!
From Soup Bases to Herbs, you will find it all at Penzey's! To find a location near you, check them out!
Until next time,
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Trip of a lifetime!
Well I am recently back from what was the trip of a lifetime to Paris and Barcelona. I came back with so many photos, food memories and new ideas to share. I thought I would put together all my photos in one album and share them with you. I will also share other parts of my trip as time goes on, but this Flickr gallery has the highlights! Enjoy!
June 2012 Vacation Gallery
June 2012 Vacation Gallery
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Travel Tuesday
Hello all,
As some of you already know, I am crazy about traveling. I like to learn about other cultures and, through the culture and its people, learn more about myself. In about six weeks, I will be traveling for eight days in France and Spain. Can you believe it??
I am traveling solo for this trip. Bill does not like airplane travel and so I have decided to go it alone. I have traveled by myself quite a bit over the years, I am generally fine with it and am looking forward to the adventure.
For five days I will be in France. I am so very lucky to have been able to secure French Open tickets for the trip. For those of you considering such a trip, please plan well ahead so you might be able to purchase tickets directly from the venue. I saved a TON of money by buying direct and not working through a ticket broker. This does mean I had to purchase my tickets in the middle of the night on February 15th, but it was well worth the bother.
The second part of my trip will be spent in Barcelona, Spain. I have wanted to visit Barcelona since I was in high school, having heard about the city through a presentation in Spanish class. I am only spending a long weekend in the city, but am blessed to have secured a room near the Ramblas in a small family run hotel. The owners have been just terrific through email and I am looking forward to getting to know them in person in the next few weeks!
Although I have little to report on right now, I do invite your comments regarding traveling...do you like traveling alone? Any suggestions regarding travel attire? I hear Parisians are generally well dressed at all times. Also, any help in figuring out my itinerary for my free time would be greatly appreciated! I welcome your comments. See you soon,
As some of you already know, I am crazy about traveling. I like to learn about other cultures and, through the culture and its people, learn more about myself. In about six weeks, I will be traveling for eight days in France and Spain. Can you believe it??
I am traveling solo for this trip. Bill does not like airplane travel and so I have decided to go it alone. I have traveled by myself quite a bit over the years, I am generally fine with it and am looking forward to the adventure.
For five days I will be in France. I am so very lucky to have been able to secure French Open tickets for the trip. For those of you considering such a trip, please plan well ahead so you might be able to purchase tickets directly from the venue. I saved a TON of money by buying direct and not working through a ticket broker. This does mean I had to purchase my tickets in the middle of the night on February 15th, but it was well worth the bother.
The second part of my trip will be spent in Barcelona, Spain. I have wanted to visit Barcelona since I was in high school, having heard about the city through a presentation in Spanish class. I am only spending a long weekend in the city, but am blessed to have secured a room near the Ramblas in a small family run hotel. The owners have been just terrific through email and I am looking forward to getting to know them in person in the next few weeks!
Although I have little to report on right now, I do invite your comments regarding traveling...do you like traveling alone? Any suggestions regarding travel attire? I hear Parisians are generally well dressed at all times. Also, any help in figuring out my itinerary for my free time would be greatly appreciated! I welcome your comments. See you soon,
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