Active Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 40 mins
Yield: 6 servings

This lighter version of the classic wedge salad replaces bacon and cheese with extra crunch and earthy flavors from bits of sesame seeds and seaweed in the Japanese spice mix furikake. The dressing, essentially a coconut-based ranch, gets its body from coconut cream. For a subtle allium bite, it’s spiked with fresh chives. Make this the grand opener for a dinner party or the main event at lunch.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between coconut milk and coconut cream?

Coconut milk is 10% fat, while coconut cream has twice as much and makes for richer dishes. (Be careful to not confuse coconut cream with cream of coconut, the sweet syrupy stuff used for piña coladas.) Manufacturing standards allow for plenty of leeway in terms of fat and solids content so check the ingredient list on the can and opt for the fewest ingredients possible. Most supermarkets, such as Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and Asian food stores, carry coconut cream.

What is furikake?

Furikake is a Japanese condiment made with sesame seeds, seaweed, dried herbs, and fish flakes. There are lots of flavors of furikake; in our tests, we used a nori kimi furikake (just salt, sugar, nori, and sesame seeds).

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Use leftover dressing just like you would use any traditional ranch: on another salad, as a dip for crudités or wings, in wraps, or with grilled salmon or shrimp. It would also be great as a dressing for potato salad or macaroni salad (which you can also sprinkle with some furikake!). The coconut cream firms up and thickens the dressing as it chills – if you prefer a thicker dressing, leave it in the fridge for longer; if you prefer a thinner consistency, let it come up to room temp before serving.

Make ahead

While the salad is best dressed right before serving, the dressing itself can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Suggested pairing

Choose a substantial, oaky Chardonnay, such as Beringer Private Reserve Chardonnay.

Ingredients

Dressing

• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk
• 1/2 cup well-stirred coconut cream (from 1 can)
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

Salad

• 1 large head iceberg lettuce (about 2 1/4 pounds), outer leaves removed, cut into 6 wedges
• 2 tablespoons furikake
• Black pepper, for garnish

Directions

1. Make the dressing
   Whisk together buttermilk, coconut cream, sour cream, chives, lemon juice, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and mustard in a medium bowl. Season with additional salt to taste. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days.
2. Make the salad
   Arrange lettuce wedges on individual plates. Pour 1/4 cup dressing over each wedge. Sprinkle each with 1 teaspoon furikake, and garnish with black pepper. Serve remaining dressing on the side.

The post Wedge Salad with Coconut Ranch and Furikake appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Who are the Gullah?

Slave traders brought Africans from Sierra Leone to the chain of Sea Islands in the U.S. Carolinas for their expertise in planting, harvesting and processing rice. During the 1700s, American colonists in the Southeastern U.S. realized that rice would grow well in the moist, semitropical country bordering their coastline. But the American white plantation slave owners had no experience in the cultivation of rice, so they purchased slaves with a preference for Africans from the “Rice Coast” or “Windward Coast” – the traditional rice-growing region of West Africa. The enslaved people became known as the Gullah (Gul-luh), perhaps derived from Gola, a tribe found near the border of Liberia and Sierra Leone.

I read that when the U.S. Civil War commenced, white owners hurriedly abandoned their plantations and fled to the mainland, while some Gullah were actually unaware of the war and their eventual freedom from slavery. Due to this isolation, the Gullah were able to preserve more of their African cultural heritage than any other group of Black Americans. They spoke a unique Creole language and maintained a life similar to that of Sierra Leone.

The Birth of Hoppin’ John

Hoppin’ John, also known as Carolina Peas and Rice, is made with cowpeas, mainly black-eyed peas and Sea Island red peas and clay peas, along with rice, chopped onion, sliced bacon and seasoned with salt. Hoppin’ John’s mysterious name is the subject of countless theories. One claims a husband named John came “a-hoppin'” when his wife served the dish. Sadly, there are racist overtones. One story is that a disabled black man nicknamed Hoppin’ John peddled the dish on Charleston streets. A more commonly accepted account suggests Hoppin’ John evolved from the French “poisà pigeon,” or “pigeon peas.” Culinary historian Karen Hess suggests that the name comes from a combination of “kchang,” the Malay word for peas, and “bhat,” a Hindi word meaning “cooked rice.”

Hess calls Hoppin’ John “the signature dish of South Carolina, black and white.” Not just black and white, but rich and poor, free and enslaved, ate Hoppin’ John. As is typical of most early southern cookbooks, initial printed accounts of Hoppin’ John make no mention of its African origin or the debt to which the Carolina rice kitchen owes enslaved Africans. Cookbooks were reserved for the elite and middle classes- in most slave holding states it was illegal to educate enslaved black people in literacy. The designation of “Carolina” dish clouds the history of African innovation and colonial domination that bred Hoppin’ John. Its fate thus diverges from that of Brazil’s Feijoada, freely attributed to enslaved Africans. While the Portuguese glossed over the brutality of slavery in Brazil, Anglo-Americans effectively erased African culinary achievements from the historical record. Each strategy represents a different method of cultural appropriation; the former misrepresents the history of Africans in the Americas, while the latter denies it. These approaches reflect how each nation has, at times, attempted to interpret African presence in its country – Brazil via distortion, and the United States through silence.

Classic Hoppin’ John

By Paige Grandjean, courtesy of Southern Living Test Kitchen

Active Time: 25 mins
Total Time: 1 hr. 30 mins
Servings: 6

A hearty bowl of Hoppin’ John has been the way that many Southern households ring in the New Year. Served alongside a side of collard greens and cornbread, this meal signifies a year filled with good fortune and security.

Making use of thick-cut bacon to impart the perfect amount of smokiness to this soul food staple, our Hoppin’ John recipe is sure to serve up a generous helping of both comfort and tradition for you and your family this New Year’s Day.

What Is Hoppin’ John?

Served on New Year’s Day with a side of collard greens and cornbread, Hoppin’ John is a hearty African-American dish made by slowly simmering black-eyed peas with pork and vegetables. Traditionally served over a bed of freshly cooked rice, this simple yet incredibly flavorful dish of rice, pork, and beans is believed to bring luck and prosperity for the upcoming year.

The signature black-eyed peas used in the recipe are meant to symbolize coins, which is why you’ll find many Southerners eating black-eyed peas as a way of ringing in the New Year.

Classic Hoppin’ John Ingredients

There are three things you do want to keep traditional about your Hoppin’ John recipe: the pork, the peas, and the rice.

• Bacon: While you’ll often find most Hoppin’ John recipes calling for a ham hock, we find that, at times, it can overpower the dish. Instead, we recommend using thick-cut slices of bacon-you’ll end up with crispy pieces of salty goodness without compromising on taste. Not a fan of pork? You can also use smoked turkey for a similar flavor.
• Beans: Dried black-eyed peas are traditionally used in Hoppin’ John, but if you’re pressed for time, you can use either frozen or canned beans.
• Rice: Carolina gold rice is a nuttier, earthier strain of long-grain rice that’s been a staple of the Low country for centuries. If you can’t find Carolina gold rice where you live, feel free to swap it out for any other long-grain white rice.
• Vegetables: The Cajun culinary holy trinity of onions, celery, and bell pepper are key to making this quintessential soul food classic.
• Herbs and seasonings: Fresh thyme, chopped garlic, black pepper, and cayenne are what you’ll need.
• Chicken broth: Using a low-sodium chicken broth helps keep your sodium levels in check. Got some time? Make some homemade chicken stock instead.

The Best Beans for Classic Hoppin’ John

While black-eyed peas are now commonly used in most Hoppin’ John recipes, that has not always been the case. Earlier recipes dating back to the 1800s called for cowpeas, red peas, or field peas.

Also known as red peas or field peas-they belong to the same species, Vigna unguiculata – these beans were commonly grown in the South and known for their chewy, firm texture that did exceptionally well in long, slow-cooked recipes like the Hoppin’ John.

Southern Living Community Tips

Readers have loved this recipe (or their own version) for many years, and they’ve shared some great tips and tricks for making the best pot of Hoppin’ John.

• “I had to use long-grain white rice due to availability but oh my, the trinity shines in this one,” says reviewer Nancy Kunkel.
• “I used canned peas and reduced the broth. Serve with collard greens and cornbread,” says reviewer Kacie Mitchell.
• “Outstanding recipe! I served it over rice instead of cooking the rice in the broth and felt like it balanced the dish very well. Used frozen peas and added some left over ham for additional protein. Will definitely make again!” wrote reviewed Lauren Owens.

Editorial contributions by Christabel Lobo.

Ingredients

• 6 thick-cut bacon slices, chopped
• 4 celery stalks, sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 medium-size yellow onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 small green bell pepper, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped (about 1 Tbsp.)
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
• 8 cups lower-sodium chicken broth
• 4 cups fresh or frozen black-eyed peas
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked Carolina Gold rice
• Fresh scallions, sliced

Directions

1. Cook bacon:
   Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until starting to crisp, about 10 minutes.
2. Add vegetables and seasonings:
   Add celery, onion, bell pepper, garlic, thyme, black pepper, cayenne, and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender, about 8 minutes.
3. Add broth and peas:
   Add broth and black-eyed peas, and bring to a boil over medium-high. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until peas are tender, about 40 minutes.
4. Drain pea mixture:
   Drain pea mixture, reserving cooking liquid. Return pea mixture and 1 cup of the cooking liquid to Dutch oven. Cover to keep warm; set aside.
5. Cook rice:
   Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high. Add rice and cook, stirring often, until fragrant and lightly toasted, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in 3 cups of the reserved cooking liquid and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, and reduce heat to medium-low; cover
6. Combine rice and pea mixture:
   Gently stir into pea mixture in Dutch oven. Stir in remaining cooking liquid, 1/4 cup at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Sprinkle servings with sliced fresh scallions.

With special thanks to Paige Grandjean and Southern Living Test Kitchen for taking us down the culinary highway, allowing us to explore Hoppin’ John, one of the most iconic dishes in the Americas.

The post Hoppin’ John: From West Africa to the Americas appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Well, my friends at Food & Wine keep me refreshed with so many intoxicating drinks.

This intoxicant came to me from Rich Manning, a writer and spirits and food competition judge based in Los Angeles. He has been writing about spirits, wine, beer, food and travel since 2004. I understand Rich wants to battle; An East Coast vs. West Coast battle, which he is ready to settle.

This is timely news, for I just cancelled my river cruise on the Neva River.

And, BTW, Rich -The Moscow Mule, being a type of buck, is sometimes called vodka buck.

But Who Really Invented the Moscow Mule and Why Is It in a Copper Mug?

Courtesy of Rich Manning

The Moscow Mule’s most famous component isn’t an ingredient, it’s the copper mug that traditionally holds the simple cocktail of vodka, ginger beer, and lime. It’s the mug’s burnished sheen that set the drink apart in the early days of the cocktail revival when vodka-based drinks were considered passé.

The mug is the very reason the Moscow Mule exists in the first place. Where this began is up for debate, however.

While some people trace the post-Prohibition cocktail’s origins to Los Angeles, others insist the drink was created in New York City.

“It kind of comes off as a Biggie vs. Tupac, East Coast vs. West Coast kind of argument,” says Gina Hoover, bartender and consultant for CURE in New Orleans. “But I’m not surprised at all why the argument exists. If you ask an American to name five drinks, 90% will probably name the Moscow Mule as one of the five,” she says. “If you’re a city, and a drink has that kind of power, you’d naturally want to take credit for it.”

There are shared traits to each city’s tale. Both pin the drink’s creation to 1941, a relatively modern date compared to other cocktails with convoluted beginnings. They also stake claim to some of the same players, including a struggling-at-the-time vodka brand that’s now a household name. The theories’ part ways from here.

New York: Three guys walk into a bar…

According to the New York theory, the Moscow Mule stems from Midtown Manhattan’s Chatham Hotel.

A Los Angeles-based beverage executive named John “Jack” Morgan was in town to promote his own Cock ‘n’ Bull ginger beer, a product that shared a name with the Hollywood bar he also operated.

He was hanging out with a couple of industry folks – John Martin, president of the now-defunct G.F. Heublein & Brothers distillery and distributor, and Rudolph Kunett, president of Hublein’s vodka division, Smirnoff. After a couple of drinks, the trio wondered what would happen if they combined vodka, ginger beer, and a squeeze of lime juice. Deliciousness ensued.

They named their creation the Moscow Mule. Shortly thereafter, they purchased 500 copper mugs embossed with the phrase “Little Moscow.”

Los Angeles: Pick one…

There are two Los Angeles origin stories to consider.

Morgan and Martin show up as in the first account. Instead of Kunett, they’re joined by Sophie Berezinski, a Russian woman living in Los Angeles, struggling to find buyers for the 2,000 solid copper mugs she designed.

Though not confirmed: The Moscow Mule method (courtesy of the European Bartending School).

Step 1

Start building your vodka ginger beer cocktail by pouring a scoop of ice cubes in your copper Moscow Mule mug. We’re pretty traditional about our cocktails here at EBS, so we think these cups well worth investing in.

But why do you need one? Well, copper is an excellent conductor of heat, and a copper mug will keep your Moscow Mules perfectly chilled as you sip it. Mystery solved.

Step 2

Next, pour your vodka and lime juice over the ice.

The original Moscow Mule recipe uses Smirnoff vodka, which is one of our favourites. You can go for their classic Smirnoff original, or if you want to push the boat out (which we always encourage), try one of their premium blends, Smirnoff Red or Smirnoff Black.

These two are filtered using the traditional charcoal method, giving them a deep and authentic flavor.

Step 3

Fill up your glass with ginger beer, and garnish with a fresh lime wedge.

As we said earlier, the world won’t end if you use ginger ale instead. But a good cold ginger beer can really be the star of a Moscow Mule recipe.

Which ginger beer brands do we favor? Fever Tree Ginger Beer is decent option. It gives the cocktail a spicy kick that complements the zingy lime and sharp vodka.

If you are a fan of this drink, you’ll be pleased to know there are tons of Moscow Mule variations that use other spirits instead of vodka – like the Kentucky mule (with bourbon) and the Mexican mule (with tequila).

Grab that copper mug and start experimenting!

Moscow Mule ingredients as per the European Bartending School

(Makes 1 cocktail)

• A copper mug
• 1 scoop of cubed ice
• 40ml (1.5oz) vodka
• 20ml (¾ oz) fresh lime juice
• Ginger beer (just fill that glass right up)
• A fresh lime wedge for garnish

For the vodka, we’d recommend the OG, Smirnoff. Also, if you prefer, Absolut works just as well. The ginger beer should be just that – beer. But if you have to switch it up with ginger ale instead, it wouldn’t be the end of the world.

And it goes without saying, freshly squeezed lime juice is always better than the bottled stuff.

Or, if you are feeling particularly adventurous, you could even make your own ginger beer.

Well, there you have it. And please have fun creating your own Moscow Mule, regardless of the ingredients. But, most importantly, remember not to Drink & Drive. – Audrey

POST SCRIPT

Peter the Great’s Quest for the Holy Moscow Mule

By Ringo Boitano

Peter I was Tsar of Imperial Russia from 1682, and the first Emperor of all Russia, known as “Peter the Great,” but to his friends as “Sparky.” Tsar Peter I was disappointed that he was unable to find the Holy Russian Mule in his empires’ capital city of Moscow. He decided to lead his Imperial Army to the Baltic Sea to engage his enemy, the Swedish, in battle. His ultimate plan was to find the source of the elusive Moscow Mule. After defeating the Swedes, their top generals were captured, and he asked them at gunpoint, “What exactly is this thing called the Moscow Mule?” The generals all smiled, and then in unison, said one word: “Nej!”

Peter was fluent in many languages, but was a little weak in Swedish. He was once a master of it, but had forgotten much of it, after having watched his relatives murdered before his eyes when he was a little boy. He was particularly annoyed for he had already made plans to torture and murder them later, which had caused him to cancel his weekly bowling night with his sensitive Cossack bowling team. Even more so, for his cousin Dimitri had planned to join them, and he was the only one who could actually score the bowling card without cheating, despite the fact that Dimitri would often pretend to be asleep whenever Peter the Great threw a gutter ball.

Peter then asked his generals to translate the Swedish word into Russian. The generals, despite a sense of obvious nervousness, finally replied that it meant,”Nyet!” in Russian.

Peter, now “Peter the Great,” was clearly disappointed, and decided to concentrate on building Imperial Russia’s new capital city in a marsh, which he christened, St. Petersburg. Throughout history, many Moscow Mule aficionados have assumed that he had named St. Petersburg after himself. But later, in the last century, despite the confusion if it was the Julian Calendar, the Byzantine Calendar, the Russian Orthodox Calendar, the Gregorian Calendar, the Free Willie Calendar or the Doomsday Calendar of 3000 ACE, where all Dutch waffle irons which were timed to explode in 43 second sequences to the tune of “Froggy Went a Courtin.'” Finally, an elderly Basque shepherd in Bakersfield, CA, who had signed an oath to only eat lamb meatballs prepared in a microwave, confirmed, after a sleepless night in the fields, due children throwing snowballs at him with rocks in the center, that the city was actually named after the Catholic Christian, Saint Peter: the world’s first Pope! Sadly, not recognized in the US Bible Belt by tele-evangelicalists, who preach regularly in a unique form of American-English, often crying, while pleading for donations from innocent viewers.

Epilogue

Peter the Great’s Last Will and Testament was just discovered in a snowbank in Siberia by Terry Cassel. Sources indicate that it was hidden in a Beatles Handpainted Nesting Doll 5 PC Matryoshka Stacking Doll Set. Apparently. Cassel was enjoying his free day on a Volga River cruise. He decided to hire a group of retired Russian Serfs to pull a sled 7,008 miles to Siberia. The Serfs were available after rescheduling their weekly mix-couples’ Parcheesi Board Game (Gold Seal Edition Vintage 664 COMPLETE, Confirmed, Like New!) to a later date. The game had been postponed due to heavy showers of Tartar bombs.

Though strangely reluctant, Cassel was eventually forced to reveal the contents when 16 retired Nazi Storm Troopers, who had been living comfortaby in the Bavarian Aps as cattlewomen, pointed AK-47s Soviet assault rifles, possibly the most widely used shoulder weapon in the world. The initials AK represent Avtomat Kalashnikova, Russian for “automatic Kalashnikov,” named in the honor of its designer, Mikhail Timofeyevich Kalashnikov, who designed the accepted version of the weapon in 1947. This confused Cassel, for the day before, he had watched repeated viewings (on his phone) of the January 6th assault on the US Capital Building, and had noticed many of the Trump cultists boasting that they had inherited identical ones in the rural US Territory of Idaho by their grandfathers. This only confused Cassel more, for he remembered old photographs (not on digital) of grandfathers in Idaho who all had similar brown stains on their MAGA T-shirts.

Mr. Cassel understood why there were brown stains, after having acheived a PHD at Trump University in the delicacy of log cabin construction (and with a Swiss Pocket Knife, complete with toe nail tweezers and a gold-plated toothpick!). Cassel was stunned by his repeated viewings of the January 6th assault on the US Capital Building, noticing many of the Maga domestic terrorists were hoarsely screaming, Hang Mike Pence! (something about the US Vice President not having the courage to do the right thing, and there was some kind of noose waiting for him inside). This upset Cassel, realizing their hoareness might have stemmed from drinking a bad batch of Trump Wine, currently on sale at CVS for $1.99! Even more so, assuming the patriotic MAGA domestic terrorists did not have the courtesy to drink Moscow Mules in a proper copper-colored glass, traditionally consumed annually every January 6th.

AFTER MUCH DELAY: The contents of the Beatles Handpainted Nesting Doll 5 PC Matryoshka Stacking Doll Set was revealed:

An Official Imperial Russian Document to NEVER Send Vladimir Putin any Christmas Cards.* ** ***

* Sealed by a Kiss.

** Translated to poor American-English from a unique Cyrillic Script.

*** Sadly, this confused Terry Cassel further; believing it was TOP SECRET documents which belonged to the People of the United States, stored in an emperor’s bedroom at an overpriced building in South Florida, converted into a hotel, in a particularly bad and ostentatious design. Cassel was unable to confirm if there was still a large US Flag outside that blocked neighbor’s views. Or, if there was one at all, and wondering if it was waving upside down.

The post Summer is Here and the Time is Right for Drinking the Moscow Mule appeared first on Traveling Archive.

The first time I visited Savannah, Georgia and Charleston, South Carolina, I was overwhelmed by the history, beauty and the true culture of Southern hospitality. When I frantically pulled off a wrong road in Savannah, a kind woman strolled over, glanced at my rental car, and calmly said, what’s the rush, Miss, you are in the South now.

After she explained the right direction on the right highway, I enjoyed hearing the real-life story of her Uncle Steph, which included learning the proper way to boil peanuts. It is story that I still enjoy remembering today. But at this point in the conversation, I said to myself, Audrey slowdown, you’re in the South now; experience life as it’s meant to be lived. The enduring culture of South, is far more than battle flags and people who speak slow Southern drawls, which Notherners think sound funny and a symbol of a poor education – when it’s the most proper American-English accent in the US, the closest to the British Posh Received Pronunciation, the King’s Speech which King Chuck speaks today.

The kind woman paused, but was too polite to give me a funny look back and said that Uncle Steph mentioned there was a restaurant just down the road which would serve a mouth water-watering introduction to something I had never heard about: Shrimp & Grits.

The Olde Pink House was easy to find, and I was greeted with a smile by Craig Jeffress, general manager, who joked, They don’t build them like they used to…. This home has incredible bones.

Throughout the course of its 250-year history, The Olde Pink House timeline can be found on the back of restaurant menus, there’s even more history within the dishes themselves. Every meal and every glass of wine served, honors the cultural collisions that occurred during the port city’s checkered past, which includes overlooked immigrants, wayward travelers, enslaved peoples brought here against their will.

Soon after I was seated, and ordered Shrimp and Grits, the waitstaff presented a curious mix of two items: rough grits spread on a dish with delicate pieces of fried shrimp on top, making it seem almost middle class. But it seemed to all become one with a couple of drops of sherry, once the symbol of an aristocratic life, and the first time I took a bite, I was a goner; a Yankee goner, south of the Mason-Dixon Line.

This recipe for Southern Fried Shrimp was sent to me by the very Southern Ali Ramee, who began her culinary career in the kitchens of chef Hugh Acheson in her hometown of Savannah, Georgia. Ali is currently a recipe developer and food stylist for Dotdash Meredith, America’s Largest Digital & Print Publisher, the owner of over 40 iconic brands which include many we love to today: All recipes, FOOD & WINE, The Spruce, Byrdie, REAL SIMPLE; and you can learn how to grow and why must eat important vegetables and herbs by reading Better Homes & Gardens.

As Ms. Ramee said, Keep your eSteph.ye on the oil’s temperature.

And I say, Keep your eSteph.ye on her Southern Fried Shrimp recipe, for I never changed a single note.

Active Time: 45 mins
Total Time: 45 mins
Servings: 6

Few things are more near and dear to Southerners’ hearts than a big platter of fried shrimp. Crunchy, salty, and conveniently bite-sized, they’re the chicken nuggets of the sea.

This recipe for Southern fried shrimp will be your new favorite, because we double-dredge them to deliver an extra-crunchy crust. You’ll want to file the tartar sauce recipe away, too. Packed with pickles, briny capers, and chives, it’s a fresh new twist you won’t be able to resist.

Learn how to make fried shrimp, and serve platter after platter at your next gathering.

What Makes Southern Fried Shrimp Unique?

Influenced by Southern culinary traditions, Southern fried shrimp is unique in its preparation and flavor. A flavorful blend of spices-in this case Creole seasoning-infuses flavor into the shrimp from the get-go. While this recipe relies on a flour coating, cornmeal can also be added into the mix for a crunchy texture and Southern flair. Double coated, the exterior of the shrimp fries up thick and crisp.

Southern fried shrimp is typically deep-fried until golden brown and crispy. The hot oil keeps the interior of the shrimp juicy and tender. Tails are left on for easy grabbing, and visual appeal. Served with tartar sauce, and other Southern sides, including coleslaw and hush puppies, these shrimp would be well-received at any type of gathering.

Ingredients for Fried Shrimp

All of these ingredients work together to create a full-flavored, balanced result. To make Southern fried shrimp, you’ll need:

• Canola oil: For frying the shrimp. Can substitute with other neutral oils with high smoke points.
• Mayonnaise: The base of the creamy tartar sauce.
• Sweet onion: Adds a sweetness, texture, and oniony flavor to the tartar sauce.
• Dill pickles and pickle juice: For a bright tanginess and acidity to balance the sauce.
• Capers: Add a briny flavor to the sauce that complements the shrimp.
• Chives: For a pop of color and mild oniony flavor.
• Stone-ground mustard: A hint of tangy, slightly spicy flavor.
• Kosher salt: Enhances the overall flavor of the sauce and shrimp.
• Self-rising flour: To coat the shrimp before frying. Self-rising flour helps aerate the coating for a lightly crisp exterior. Substitute with other types of flours if needed, including all-purpose, rice flour, or cornmeal for a different texture.
• Creole seasoning: A rich blend of spices that flavors the shrimp coating.
• Black pepper: A hint of peppery spice.
• Whole milk: Helps two layers of flour adhere to the shrimp for a thick, crisp coating.
• Hot sauce: Adds a spicy kick to the shrimp.
• Large eggs: Helps bind the flour coating to the shrimp.
• Peeled, deveined raw shrimp, tail-on: The star of the dish. Leaving the tails on the shrimp adds visual appeal. Opt for fresh shrimp if possible, or thaw frozen shrimp in a pinch.

How To Make Fried Shrimp

A creamy tartar sauce is an excellent complement to these flavorful, crispy shrimp. With a quick fry, you’ll be ready to serve this crowd-pleasing dish in under 45 minutes. Full instructions are below, but here’s a brief recap before you get started:

• Step 1. Preheat oil: Heat 2 inches of oil in a large Dutch oven to 350°F to 375°F.
• Step 2. Make Tartar Sauce: Stir to combine mayonnaise, onion, pickles and pickle juice, capers, chives, mustard, and 3/4 teaspoon salt.
• Step 3. Make shrimp coating: Stir together flour, Creole seasoning, pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt. In a second bowl, whisk together milk, hot sauce, eggs, and remaining salt.
• Step 4. Coat the shrimp: Working in batches, dredge shrimp in flour mixture, then milk mixture, then flour mixture again.
• Step 5. Fry shrimp: Fry until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack and repeat with remaining shrimp. Serve with tartar sauce and chives.

Southern Fried Shrimp Variations

To mix up this fried shrimp dish to make it your own, consider these variations:

• Coating: Swap part of the flour with cornmeal for a Southern touch and extra-crunchy texture.
• Seasoning: If you don’t have Creole seasoning on hand, season the coating with smoked paprika, cumin, or chili powder.
• Whole milk: Swap the whole milk with buttermilk for a tangy addition.
• Hot sauce: Substitute the hot sauce with Sriracha or other hot sauce varieties, or leave it out completely for a more mild flavor.
• Shrimp: Change up the size of the shrimp depending on how you plan to serve the dish.
• Dipping sauce: Switch up the dipping sauce by pairing the shrimp with a spicy mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, garlic aioli, remoulade sauce, or any preferred dipping sauce.

Tips for the Best Southern Fried Shrimp

To experience the most satisfying crunch, tender interior, and most flavorful shrimp, keep these simple tips in mind:

• Fresh shrimp: Choose the freshest shrimp, with firm flesh and no strong odor.
• Eliminate excess moisture: Pat the shrimp dry to make sure the coating adheres properly.
• Season generously: Season the flour coating generously for the best flavor.
• Double-dip: Double-coat the shrimp in the flour mixture for the crunchiest coating.
• Thermometer: Maintain the oil temperature with a thermometer for consistent results.
• Don’t crowd the pan: Fry the shrimp in small batches to give them room and help maintain the oil temperature.
• Drain excess oil: Transfer the shrimp to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil and keep them crisp.
• Serve hot: Serve the shrimp immediately after frying for the best texture.

Ingredients

• Canola oil
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup minced sweet onion
• 2 Tbsp. finely chopped dill pickles plus 1 tsp. pickle juice
• 1 Tbsp. chopped capers
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives, plus more for garnish
• 2 tsp. stone-ground mustard
• 2 1/4 tsp. kosher salt, divided
• 2 1/4 cups self-rising flour
• 3 Tbsp. Creole seasoning (such as Tony Chachere’s)
• 3/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 Tbsp. hot sauce (such as Tabasco)
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 lb. large peeled, deveined raw shrimp, tail-on

Directions

1. Preheat oil:
   Pour oil to a depth of 2 inches in a large Dutch oven; heat over medium-high to 350°F to 375°F.
2. Make Tartar Sauce:
   Stir together mayonnaise, onion, pickles and pickle juice, capers, chives, mustard, and 3/4 teaspoon of the salt in a medium bowl until combined. Set Tartar Sauce aside.
3. Make shrimp coating:
   Stir together flour, Creole seasoning, pepper, and 1 teaspoon of the salt in a shallow bowl. Whisk together milk, hot sauce, eggs, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl until combined.
4. Coat the shrimp:
   Working in batches, add a handful of shrimp to flour mixture, and toss to coat. Transfer to milk mixture, submerging shrimp completely. Remove from milk mixture; let excess drip off. Return shrimp to flour mixture, tossing to coat. Transfer to a baking sheet; repeat with remaining shrimp.
5. Fry shrimp:
   Working in batches, add shrimp to hot oil and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes per batch. Remove from oil using a spider skimmer or slotted spoon, and transfer to a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with remaining shrimp. Serve with Tartar Sauce and additional chopped chives.

What are Southern Grits?

Grits, like polenta, are made from dried corn that has been stone-ground. When cooked slowly in water, grits release their starch and make a creamy porridge that can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

With the texture of grits, it’s every person for themselves, depending on your preference of the actual grit in the grits, made by various grit mills. – Audrey

This recipe from Meghan Splawn, Food Editor for Kitchen’s Skills content. Meghan has a baking and pastry degree, and spent the first 10 years of her career as part of Alton Brown’s culinary team. She co-hosts a weekly podcast about food and family called, Didn’t I Just Feed You.

Tips for Cooking Stone-Ground Grits

• Use quality, stone-ground grits. This is the most important thing: skip quick-cooking or instant grits for this cooking method (and for Instant Pot grits, as well). They simply do not have the depth of flavor of stone-ground grits.
• Soak your grits overnight before cooking for best results. This is a tip I learned from Nashville-based chef and cookbook writer Sean Brock. When you soak your grits overnight, they cook faster and taste creamier.
• Use this quick-soak method if you’re in a pinch. Since a grits craving can be swift and without warning, you can also do a quick soak of stone-ground grits by bringing the grits and water to a boil, removing them from the heat, covering the pot, and resting them for anywhere between 20 minutes and one hour. You’ll then finish cooking them slowly on the stovetop.
• Cook with water; finish with dairy. Some folks say that Southern grits are always cooked with milk, but my husband’s MawMaw Beattie, taught me that it is much better to cook your grits in water and finish them with cream, butter, and milk. She started doing this to make leftovers easier to reheat – she didn’t have to worry about burning the milk-cooked grits, and she could loosen the cold grits with the cream and butter. The taste of grits finished with cream is divine, and you get to avoid the cooked-milk flavor of other methods.

The post Ali Ramee’s Southern Fried Shrimp appeared first on Traveling Archive.

I just returned from a dinner party by chef star, Steve Mandel, at his home in Long Beach, CA. The bumper-to-bumper car journey from LA was predictably long, but it was well worth the drive.

The group of attendees was small, with just five of us, but the centerpiece of the party, Gochujang Chicken Bowls, was abundant, healthy and delicious.

The late afternoon party commenced with cocktails, appetizers and fun conversation. Once Chef Steve presented his colorful, and heavenly-good in aroma masterpiece, we were more than happy to oblige, which I did two more times.

But first: what exactly is Gochujang?

Gochujang is a Korean red chili paste that’s sweet, spicy, and savory all at the same time, perfect for sauces and marinades. You can find it in many Southern California supermarkets and Korean specialty stores. If you live outside of SoCal, you can probably order it online.

It took a little smooth talk in order for Chef Steve to reveal the specifics of his recipe: I generally don’t share my recipes with others, Audrey, but I’ll make a rare exception for you. Thank you, chef, said I. I cross my heart and promise not to share the recipe with the readers of Traveling Boy.

So, if I read my notes correctly, the recipe for Gochujang Chicken Bowls went something like this:

• For the sauce: you’ll whisk together water, low sodium soy sauce, Gochujang, with toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, brown sugar (or coconut sugar), freshly grated ginger and garlic, and a little arrowroot starch or cornstarch to help the sauce thicken up.
• Chicken: you’ll need some lean chopped chicken, white and dark meat works, but my preference is for breasts or thighs. Pan fry or stir fry the chicken in a wok
• Mix-ins: then mix in roasted cashews and fresh basil for extra texture and flavor.
• Options: serve over rice or noodles.
• To garnish: top off the bowl with toasted sesame seeds, reserved scallions (the green part from your green onion!) and extra fresh basil.
• Chef Mandel pointed out: “You can revise the toppings with condiments of your choice. But you’re on your own with that.”

Recap:

Gochujang Chicken Bowls should take around 30 minutes to make. All you have to do is whisk up the sweet and spicy Korean Gochujang sauce, stir fry colorful veggies and protean enhanced chopped chicken, and then simmer it all together until it’s nice with fluffy rice or noodles, with options to serve with garnishes.

It’s saucy and delicious, and makes the ideal dinner party; and best enjoyed devoid of Chef Steve’s Boston jokes, which not funny at all.

And, yes, with thanks to Chef Steve Mandel for this rare occurrence of sharing a recipe.

The post Korean Cooking: Gochujang Chicken Bowls appeared first on Traveling Archive.

I’ve noticed that when the sprouts are crisscrossed on top with a knife, and boiled a tad too long, they become mushy, waterlogged and lose much of their flavor.

So, the recipe can be repeated by baking in the oven. I know it’s popular to deep fry Brussels sprouts, but the texture can be a bit too crisp, and overwhelm the sprouts’ natural flavor – and there’s a chance that your heart will no longer love you in the later years of your life.

Before I write Michael Solomonov’s recipe, here’s a few things that I already knew, and many things I just learned by reading about this delightful sprout:

The Brussels sprout is a member of the Gemmifera, a cultivar group  of the same species as broccoli, cabbage, collard greens, kale, and kohlrabi; grown for its edible buds. The leaf vegetables are typically 1.5–4 centimetres (¹⁄₂–1+¹⁄₂ inches) in diameter and resemble miniature cabbages.

The forerunners to modern Brussels sprouts were first cultivated in Ancient Rome. Brussels sprouts as they are now known today were possibly grown as early as the 13th century in what is now Belgium. The first written reference dates to 1587. During the 16th century, they enjoyed a popularity in the southern Netherlands that eventually spread throughout the cooler parts of Northern Europe, reaching Britain by the 17th century.

Harvest season in temperate zones of the northern latitudes is September to March, making Brussels sprouts a traditional winter-stock vegetable. In the home garden, harvest can be delayed as quality does not suffer from freezing. Sprouts are considered to be sweetest after a frost.

In the 1990s, Dutch scientist Hans van Doorn identified the chemicals that make Brussels sprouts bitter: sinigrin and progoitrin. This enabled Dutch seed companies to cross-breed archived low-bitterness varieties with modern high-yield varieties, over time producing a significant increase in the popularity of the vegetable.

Brussels Sprouts Baba Ghanoush

Michael Solomonov, Food & Wine star chef at Zahav, serves this brilliant riff on Baba Ghanoush at his restaurant in Philadelphia, but it is easy enough to recreate at home. After a whirl in the food processor, Brussels sprouts and tahini come together to form a creamy dip. Michael serves it topped with more roasted Brussels sprouts and hazelnuts.

Total Time: 30 mins

Yield: 8

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
• 1/2 cup hazelnuts
• 1 cup tahini (such as Soom)
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 ice cube
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1. Preheat oven to 500°F. Toss together Brussels sprouts, oil, and 1/4 teaspoon salt on a large rimmed baking sheet. Spread in a single layer, and roast in preheated oven until tender and lightly charred, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.
2. Spread hazelnuts on a large rimmed baking sheet, and bake at 300°F until golden and skins wrinkle, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a clean kitchen towel, and rub off skins. Let stand until cool enough to handle; coarsely chop.
3. Place tahini, lemon juice, cumin, ice cube, half of the cooled brussels sprouts, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor. Process until ice melts and a chunky paste forms. With processor running, add 1/2 cup cold water in a slow, steady stream, processinguntil mixture is emulsified and resembles the texture of hummus. Season to taste with salt.
4. To serve, spread tahini mixture on a platter, and top with remaining Brussels sprouts. Garnish with hazelnuts, chopped parsley, and a generous drizzle of olive oil.

With thanks as always to the innovative, Michael Solomonov, Food & Wine star chef at Zahav in Philadelphia.

The post Brussels Sprouts: Healthy & Delicious  appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Citizens in the U.S. South often get a bad rap. But it’s not due to lack of humor. In a sense, they’re very much like the Swedish pop group, ABBA; where we think we’re laughing at them, but they’re really laughing at themself, and asking us to join along.

I just received this from Amber Sutton of It’s a Southern Thing. It’s devoid of any recipes, but filled with good old fashion Southern fun.

But, first, here’s my little story, a story about mayonnaise when I once took a delightful trip to Mahón, the capital and second largest city of Menorca, Spain. A chef presented a sauce, which he referred to as, mahonnaise. It was created with only two ingredients: eggs and oil. And the result was, as I should say in Dixie, Southernly Good!

Nevertheless, many places lay claim to be the birth of mayonnaise, with southwestern France as the most vocal. But, I still really think its origin can be traced to Mahón, which is also the home of Mahón Gin, made from high-quality wine alcohol, mixed with Pyrenean juniper berries, as well as other aromatic herbs.

Now that I’m at it, there’s Avarcas – also known as Abarcasor Menorquinas – the traditional sandals of Menorca, where the soles are made from the rubber tread of a used tire. They last forever, in fact, yesterday I had planned to wear my life-long pair for an afternoon of beachcombing along Seattle’s Golden Gardens – but as a rather rain intolerant Angelino, I cancelled my trip due to reports of bad weather. This was much to the chagrin of my Seattle friends, where daily bad weather is not unusual and something to be ignored. They also don’t seem to mind wading in rock-infested waters with old tennis shoes to avoid blood on their feet, and then staggering out of the frigid NW water, and tangled in seaweed, too.

Okay, that was fun, now back to Potato Salad, but not necessarily Southern.

There’s a particularly tantalizing French potato salad from France, which we curiously refer to here as French Potato Salad, which is made with plenty of mayonnaise and delicately chopped hard boiled eggs. But, there’s also another, which stems from Eastern Europe, without eggs and mayonnaise, but with an abundant amount of more potatoes, vinegar and mustard. It can taste a bit harsh to the innocent palate, but I find it to be equally tasteful and, well, invigorating.

And how could I forget…

Yes, that I had forgot that there was a carefully cultivated root, high in the Peruvian and Bolivian Andes, that over many millenniums, became what we know today as the Potato. And through the Columbian Exchange – from the New World to the Old- life in the European nations of the North transitioned to a new form of nutrients,no longer having rely on wheat from the warm Mediterranean climate.

But, in the end, whether it’s mayonnaise or mustard with plenty of vinegar in your potato salad, it’s all about your preference of the palate, but for me; I seem to adore them all.

And, I try not laugh when I read about Southern Things; for it’s far more than finger lickin’ good, getting too drunk and laughing too loud, and hitting on a cousin at a family barbecue — how could I even dare, with the names of William Faulker, Mark Twain, Thomas Wolfe, Flannery O’Connor, Tennessee Williams, William Dickey, Pat Conroy, William Saroyan, John Kennedy Toole, Walker Percy and Truman Capote, with his blemishes and all. Now, I’ve just stolen and revised a line from and Adam Sandlers’ Chanukah Song: “And what do they all have in common? All Southerners!”
— Audrey

In defense of Southern ‘salads’ because who needs lettuce anyway?

By Amber Sutton

We Southerners get a lot of grief for a lot of things when it comes to our common kitchen practices, and one of those things is our affection for throwing the word “salad” into the name of dishes that aren’t really salads (to them) but are really delicious (to everyone).

I should start off by saying as someone who has lived my entire life in the South, it’s something I hadn’t honestly given a-whole-lot of thought until I started working at It’s a Southern Thing and realized that calling things that seem to involve every ingredient under the sun except lettuce a “salad” is, well, a Southern thing to do.

This is where I get stuck, though. Who said lettuce is a necessary ingredient when it comes to making a salad in the first place? After all, the official definition of a salad, according to Oxford Languages, is “a cold dish of various mixtures of raw or cooked vegetables, usually seasoned with oil, vinegar, or other dressing and sometimes accompanied by meat, fish, or other ingredients,”

Potato salad, strawberry-pretzel salad, pasta salad, tomato-cracker salad, egg salad, chicken salad, tuna salad, pear salad, Coke salad, ambrosia salad and many other iconic Southern salads easily fit that description, so the conclusion I’ve drawn is that Southerners actually just have a better grasp on what a salad can be.

So, are all those salad cynics just jealous because Southerners don’t have to settle for sad salads consisting of a handful of lettuce and raw vegetables coated in ranch dressing? Because the South had the audacity to see the potential for salads to be treated as what they basically are — casseroles you keep cold? That’s definitely what it seems like.

Now the next argument that will likely be made is how salads are supposed to be healthy and the South’s most popular salads typically aren’t on account of usually involving a heavy helping of mayonnaise or cheese or sugar. And there’s probably some truth to that — with lettuce coming in at all of five calories per cup, there’s not much out there that is as healthy as your standard garden salad. There’s also not much on its level when it comes to lacking in flavor.

See, we like to start our salads off using a healthy(ish) ingredient, and then add a kick of taste so that we, believe it or not, actually want to eat it. That’s the goal, right? Because many folks spend the entire car ride to the potluck daydreaming about getting a scoop or two of Granny’s famous potato salad, but we’re pretty sure no one in the history of time has said “man, I have been thinking about this garden salad for days.”

So yeah, we may coat the broccoli in our broccoli salad with bacon, cheese and a sweet, creamy dressing before we eat it, but we also enjoy eating it. That’s the real difference between Southern salads and the salads you’ll find elsewhere — we’re not eating them because we’re trying to be healthy. We’re eating them because we want to.

So, you know what, y’all can keep giving us grief about what dishes we call salads if it means we get an extra serving of Mama’s macaroni salad. We imagine swallowing your pride is pretty hard to do when all you’ve got to wash it down is some boring lettuce and a couple grape tomatoes anyway.

The post The Southern Potato Salad of the Great U.S. South appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Bangers and Mash is a traditional English dish made of mashed potatoes and sausages, generally prepared with flavored pork sausage. The dish is sometimes served with rich onion gravy and fried onions.

The term “Bangers” is attributed to the fact that the sausages, particularly the kind made during World War II under rationing, contained a lot of water and would explode in the pan under high heat. Fortunately, the modern bangers do not have this attribute.

Britain has had a long love affair with sausages, with 5 million eaten every day. Bangers and Mash has a strong iconic significance as a traditional British working-class dish. A Cary Grant biographer once said that it was Cary’s favorite dish. British soldiers were known to boil them in their helmets when on the front lines.

The dish, even when cooked at home, is an example of pub grub — quick and easy to make in large quantities as well as being hearty and delicious.

Here’s a Bangers and Mash recipe, provided courtesy of Keith Richards. Yes, Keith Richards.

1. First off, find a butcher who makes his sausages fresh.
2. Fry up the mixture of onions and bacon and seasoning.
3. Get the spuds on the boil with a dash of vinegar, some chopped onions and salt to taste. Chuck in some peas with the spuds, (Throw in some chopped carrots, too, if you like.) Now we’re talking.
4. Now, you have a choice of grilling or boiling your bangers or frying. Throw them on low heat with the simmering bacon and onions (or in the cold pan, as a TV lady once said, and add the onions and  bacon in a bit) and let the fuckers rock gently, turning every few minutes.
5. Mash yer spuds and whatever.
6. Bangers are now fat free (as possible).
7. Gravy if desired.
8. HP sauce, every man to his own.

— Keef

The post Keith Richards’ Bangers and Mash appeared first on Traveling Archive.

This recent collection of holiday recipes from the Switzerland Tourism Media Team was just too irresistible not to post. You’ll find very personal holiday recipes from Team Switzerland’s staff:  Ursula, Paolo, Matthias, Jade, Jeamine and Divine. Thanks gang for sharing it with Traveling Boy. I suspect you know already that our readers respond well to unique recipes, particularly those of the sweet kind. Schöni Wiehnachte, Joyeux Noël, Buon Natale  and, in Romansh, Bellas festas da Nadal! – Audrey

2023, It’s a Wrap!

2023 disappeared quickly, too quickly some might say. Thankfully, 2024 brings us an extra day.

December is here, the countdown has started and we are jingling all the way through the festive season. While some of us are traveling back home to Switzerland for the end of the year, some of us will be staying in the US and Canada to revel in the celebrations. In any case, one thing is sure, we all are looking forward to a little time off, the countless dinners with friends and lots of family gatherings.

Our motto here at the Switzerland Tourism is sharing is caring, therefore we have a gift for you – a selection of special sweet Swiss recipes you might want to try with your loved ones, before the eternal dilemma of deciding on New Year’s resolutions begins.

Don’t worry if you are on the lookout for more, you’ll find the latest Swiss Winter stories available on our media corner here.

Happy Holidays!

Your Switzerland Tourism Media Team

Sweetszerland Recipes

The Süssmost Cream, by Ursula

Half of Switzerland’s apple juice and every third Swiss apple is being produced or grown in the canton of Thurgau. The canton even hosts a beauty competition called “Apfelkönigin” apple queen. As a Thurgau native, Ursula is “THE EXPERT ” in making Süssmost, a creamy dessert mainly made of apple juice (or pear juice), eggs, cornflour and sugar. Because apple juice naturally ferments after a few days, it wasn’t until the early 1900s when pasteurization made it possible for the non-alcoholic version to be stored and sold at market that the Süssmost became popular with children. Let’s hope this delicious dessert becomes the apple of your eye.

Apple Affair

My “Nonna” Breadcake, by Paolo

Think twice before feeding the ducks in the coming weeks, because Paolo’s grandmother delicious cake is the perfect preparation for leftover bread. Originally from the Italian-speaking canton of Switzerland, Ticino, the bread cake “Torta di Pane”, as its name suggests, is a cake made of (stale) bread. The morsels are dipped in milk to soften and then dried and candied fruit is thrown in before the torta is baked. In days gone by, bread was made only once in a while – every two or three weeks in enormous quantities. The Torta di Pane was created to use up all the extra pieces leftover – a much better use than simply toasting.

Torta di Pane

The Grittibänz, by Matthias

This tasty recipe you might struggle to pronounce comes from the German language “grätschen” which translates as “straddle”, describing the legs and “Bänz” which was a short form of the name Benedict – used as a general name to describe any man. Typically, Grittibänz, charming little bread-men, are decorated with three raisins (for the eyes and nose) and pearl sugar. The funny thing about Grittibänz is that you can bake shapes based on your whole family, including your favorite pets, although it might be a little tough to eat these adorable pastries afterward. Now you can impress your friends with this delectable recipe, as well as add a new word to your future scrabble games G-R-I-T-T-I-B-A-E-N-Z.

Meet Mr. Breadman

The Revenge of the Carrots, by Jade

How a simple carrot cake triggered a childhood memory about a beloved grandmother…sorry Madeleine de Proust. As a child for every special occasion, Jade’s grandmother would bake her this cake, that she didn’t want to eat. Children and vegetables are not always the best of friends and while cakes are the ideal dessert for celebrations, Jade was not so sure about the carrot cake combo. The Swiss Rüeblitorte is lighter and has a base of groundnuts, rather than flour that is mixed in with fluffy egg whites; the final baked product has a nutty, earthy flavor. Year after year the Swiss dessert became an annual family tradition in Jade’s home.

The Swiss Carrots Cake

The Zwetschgenwähe, by Jeamine

Say what??? We see you, eyes wide open, don’t even bother to try to pronounce this word. So many consonants, yet so much taste! Just use Jeamine’s tips to cook this delicious, nevertheless unpronounceable, dessert which is made with a specific variety of plum grown in few central Europe countries. The Zwetschge are different from the usual plums, they are not round but oval shaped and with a distinctive color and taste. The base of the buttery pastry, is composed of dough with a layer of ground nuts and topped with seasonal fruits such as plums or apricots, while the filling element is usually a mixture of eggs, milk (or cream as per Jeamine’s recommendation).

The Unpronounceable Tart

Spitzbub: The Mischievous Cookie, by Divine

The term Spitzbub refers to a mischievous boy! Spitzbuben also known as “coquins” in french (should you be looking for them in Geneva) are a treat for the eyes as well as the taste buds, and one of the most popular biscuits in Switzerland. The cookie base which is crispy and buttery comes in a variety of festive shapes and has a delicious jam center. Without them, the holiday season just wouldn’t be the same! Although the traditional recipe uses jam (between us…but to the purist’s horror) “any” filling will do. You can decide how the cute, misbehaving cookie should be eaten. Nutella or Peanuts butter anyone?

The Naughty Cookies

The post Happy Holidays from Sweetszerland! appeared first on Traveling Archive.

This recipe comes from the culinary Maestra, Jo-Ann Gaidosz of Active Gourmet Holidays. I adored her stuffed clams recipe which clearly enhances any Thanksgiving meal. It’s even more fun when your pack of friends and family congregate at the beach, and dig together for the rewards of the mouthwatering crustacean holiday harvest. I’ve known much of my life that New Englanders pine for Cherry Stone clams served with their bellies. For me, however, the delicate red lipped Machas, served without bellies, from Chile cannot be beaten. Have fun, Be safe and Happy Thanksgiving! — Audrey

Jo-Ann’s Stuffed Clams

Ingredients (For 2)

• 6 large quahog clams, scrubbed and cleaned
• 3 T butter
• 3 T olive oil
• 3 T white onion, finely chopped
• 1-2 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more for squeezing over clams when served
• 3 T chopped parsley
• clam juice or some of the cooking liquid used for the clams
• parmesan cheese

*Quantities are approximate

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F.

Bring about 2 inches of water to a boil in large pot. Add scrubbed and cleaned clams to the pot and cook until each clam opens (discard any that don’t open as it means they are dead and shouldn’t be eaten). Reserve some of the cooking liquid.

When cooled, remove clams from shells and chop finely. Save 6 of the shells for stuffing and discard the rest. Place shells on a baking sheet.

Saute onion in butter and olive oil over medium low heat until onion is tender. Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant (don’t let the garlic burn). Then add the bread crumbs, parsley, lemon juice, parsley and a tablespoon or so of the clam juice or cooking liquid. The consistency should be moist, not dry so if it’s too wet, add more breadcrumbs and too dry add more clam juice or cooking liquid. Stir to combine.

Stuff each clam shell with the mixture and top with grated parmesan cheese. Place in oven for about 20 minutes until golden brown. Serve with fresh lemon juice.

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