Monday, December 1, 2008
A Taste of Harlem and Passports With A Purpose
Today marks the first day for the Passports With A Purpose fundraiser. Four Seattle travel bloggers decided to rally the travel blogging community to raise money and awareness for Heifer International, which is a charity that combats hunger by teaching sustainable farming methods and donating livestock. I couldn't pass up a chance to help so thanks to a generous donation from A Taste of Harlem founder Jacqueline Orange, my raffle prize is two tickets to the Taste of Harlem Food and Cultural Tour. This three hour tour features six restaurants, tours of an art gallery, a historic bed and breakfast, shops and landmarks that reflect Harlem's storied history.
I grabbed a chance to experience this whirlwind excursion last year and it opened my eyes and taste buds to parts of New York history that I never knew. Nestled in the Manhattan borough, Harlem holds some cultural tidbits that might fascinate you. The neighborhood hosts a huge Dominican population, for instance. I sampled savory arroz amarillo (yellow rice) and rabo (oxtail stew) dishes pictured above at El Tina Dominican restaurant, as well as chicken and waffles (which were first joined together in Harlem, not LA) at Amy Ruth's. I heard Apollo Theater history from Mr. Apollo himself and cruised the legendary Sugar Hill area that was home to notables like Thurgood Marshall and Paul Robeson. Jackie is a lively and gracious guide who will make sure you have a memorable Harlem experience.
The tickets are good for the entire 2009 year so if you plan on visiting New York or already live there, please consider buying a raffle ticket for the tour. Raffle tickets are $10. That's a $190 value for two tour tickets. You can purchase raffle tickets at First Giving as well as view the list of all the great travel-related raffle prizes. For each ticket you purchase, you'll be entered into a raffle for the prize you select. Don't forget to enter the prize code in the donation form! You'll get a receipt from First Giving as well as good karma. The raffle will be open until December 29 so please remember Passports With A Purpose during all of the holiday hoopla. Winning tickets will be drawn on December 30 and winners will be contacted through e-mail.
Labels: Food Travel, Harlem, Passports With A Purpose, Travel bloggers fundraiser
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Thankfulness and Passports With A Purpose
Thanksgiving always helps me remember how fortunate I am. My life has been graced with much joy and opportunity, qualities that may be fleeting for people struggling for daily survival. Although I don't always remember to be grateful for every benefit I'm granted, this year has been a magical time of mind-blowing accomplishments and fulfilled dreams for so many. It makes me believe that despite the economy and the wars and the suffering, the world will get better.
An example of this rush to kindness and hope is Passports With A Purpose. Last month, four Seattle travel bloggers decided to organize a fundraiser for Heifer International. As travel bloggers, we often witness the crushing inequities of poverty around the world. Heifer International is an inspiring charity that helps to end hunger and poverty while caring for the earth. The organization provides livestock and sound agricultural training in 57 countries, including the U.S. Their programs develop self-sufficiency for families, through food and income from livestock products. I'm honored to join this wonderful cause and spread the love. The raffle prize that I'm offering are two tickets for the culturally and gastronomically filling Taste of Harlem food and culture tour. Anyone living (that means you Wendy and Anja) or visiting New York in the next year should consider buying a $10 raffle ticket for this rich experience. I'll post the specific details for the fundraiser and raffle on December 1. The raffle runs through December 30 so please keep it in mind during the holiday season.
Labels: Food Travel, Passports With A Purpose, Travel bloggers fundraiser
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Flying Fish, Saltfish Soup and Kingfish Ceviche
Caribbean cuisine is one of my favorites. I love spicy flavors, exotic combinations and anything accented with tropical fruit. Most island dishes offer that and more. So I was looking forward to sampling Bajan food, to say the least. I did have a fleeting experience with the Bajan staple flying fish, years ago. My former mother-in-law, a Tobago matriarch, enthralled by the recent popularity of the fish in Tobago, insisted that I smuggle frozen flying fish in my luggage on the eight-hour flight back to Chicago. But that's another story. Barbados is called "land of the flying fish" for good reason. They are everywhere. Popping up on little pectoral fins in the harbors, decorating Bajan coins and the coat of arms, flying fish are part of Bajan life. And they are truly a part of the daily cuisine. The national dish is flying fish and cou cou, which is a cornmeal side dish called fungi on other islands and polenta in Italy. Succulent and slightly oily, flying fish was featured at every restaurant and every event that I attended. I ate it fried, steamed and baked. It was offered at breakfast, lunch and dinner. I estimate that I ate flying fish at least two times a day during my Barbados stay. The fish is tasty and highly flavorful but if I never have it again, I won't be upset.
Besides the flying fish, I discovered that Bajan cuisine can be innovative. At the Waterfront Cafe, nestled along the Bridgetown marina, I sampled a tasty saltfish soup. Saltfish or salted cod, is another Caribbean mainstay that I love but I had never seen it featured in a soup. It was rich and only slightly salty. I preferred it to the king fish ceviche which was heavy on innovation as well as lime. The acid from the limes and vinegar made it hard to stomach after awhile. At Brown Sugar, a landmark Bajan restaurant, I tried the popular lunch buffet amid a gurgling fountain and lush greenery. The buffet provided other popular Bajan dishes like macaroni pie, lamb stew, banana salad and of course, flying fish stewed and fried.
Labels: Barbados, Caribbean Travel, Chefettes, Flying Fish. Chefettes, Food Travel, global cusine
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Tasty Cultural Connections
Brazilian culture overflows with rich African cultural connections and in Bahia, you can taste as well as see it. I explored classic Brazilian dishes spiced with African influences in a post for Galavanting Magazine's travel blog here but I didn't explain the depth of the Nigerian influence on acaraje. Eating acaraje is practically a legal requirement when you visit Salvador. In London, you must nibble fish and chips, dripping with grease and wrapped in paper. In Jamaica, you must savor ackee and saltfish cooled with sea breezes. And in Salvador, you must buy acaraje from a Baiana de acaraje, on the cobble-stoned streets with samba rhythms blasting through the air.
Acaraje is a black-eyed pea fritter fried in palm oil. Typically, it's cut in half and topped with caruru, an okra stew, vatapa a mixture blended with dried shrimp, cashews, peanuts and coconut milk and a salad made of chopped tomatoes and onions. Peppery and laden with fat, it is the quintessential Brazilian fast food. In Nigeria, it is also a popular snack and breakfast staple called akara. The je on the Brazilian term simply means to eat so the dish is a direct transport from West African culture, where it is prepared similarly. Baiana de acaraje's, serving up these delicacies wearing white laced dresses and buoyant head wraps called torsos, underscore the Nigerian element even more. If you've ever seen a Yoruba woman parading in her finery, you've seen the essence of Baianas de acraje's legendary grace. A considerable portion of Brazil's population trace their heritage to Nigeria and other Western African countries. Acaraje highlights those roots with tasty flavor. A special shout out to Floyd for reminding me about these points!
Labels: acaraje, Bahia culture, Brazil Travel, Food Travel, global cusine
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]
