I am the product of a Dutch (immigrant) mother and I grew up on a farm.  My childhood diet consisted of mostly boiled, sometimes baked, and on rare occasion, fried foods, all grown on the farm.  In my mother’s armamentarium of, shall we say, flavor enhancers, were ground salt, finely grated black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, (powdered) ginger, cloves, vanilla flavoring and cream of tartar.  In the refrigerator were — the cheapest brands of — margarine, mayonnaise, ketchup and worcestershire sauce.  Food was fuel and I had little interest in it until … I moved to the ‘big city.’  Oh, I had been beginning to learn before, in my years in Seattle, that whole worlds of tastes existed that I’d never had the chance to explore, but I was too poor then to seize the opportunity there.

Once in LA, everything changed.  It felt like I could try foods from nearly every country in the world here, and since I now had a good job, my culinary exploration began.  And then I “bumped into” Ed Boitano and that exploration ramped up.  Now butter became a staple in my kitchen and I could never find a spice rack with enough jars to hold all of the tantalizing flavors we found.  But mostly, my love for Italian food began, as Ed’s grandmother had taught him what her mother had taught her and her mother before that …. you know how it goes in regional Italy.  One of my favorite — and one of the simplest — dishes remains Nonna’s pesto, which we often make with walnuts, but in the hills above Genoa where she lived, pinoli were used.  Butter is shown in this recipe, but (extra virgin, of course) olive oil may be at least partially substituted for a healthier version and is actually advised if you are going to serve your pesto cold.

Pesto is always best when served fresh, but if making a large portions it can be frozen. Just make sure you pour a layer of olive oil over the top of the jar or container.

Buon appetito!

For one cup of Pesto alla Genovese

• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/2 cup sweet basil
• 2 teaspoons garlic
• 1/4 cup Romano Cheese
• 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• ½ cup of cream

The post Nonna’s Pesto Pasta from Genoa 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.

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

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Ever heard of a Sgroppino? Well, it’s a lemon-flavored, creamy-smooth, frothy alcoholic beverage.

More a digestivo (digestive) or liquid dessert than an aperitivo (cocktail), the Sgroppino was created by the inventive and masterful Venetians back in the 16th century.

Sgropin, as it’s called in the Venetian dialect, means to untie a little knot – the kind one finds in his/her stomach following a rather large meal. Further away from La Serenissima it’s called a Sgroppino, or simply Sorbetto.

Made with milk-free lemon sorbetto (sorbet) and a bit of alcohol, the Sgroppino was served in aristocratic Venetian homes during dinner to cleanse the palate between the first and second courses – normally fish to meat – and to also help digest all that was consumed at the tail-end of the dinner. That tradition continues today, with a few minor twinks to the centuries-old recipe.

Today, the classic Sgroppino is made with lemon sorbetto, vodka and Prosecco sparkling wine. Variations include strawberry, grapefruit or mandarin sorbetto vice lemon, and, for some, a bit of limoncello (lemon liqueur), too.

 Here’s the recipe I’ve tested out at my place and my friends were quite impressed.

Step-1: Thaw-out the sorbetto to a creamy consistency then place in an aluminum mixing bowl and whisk lightly.

Step-2: Pour in the vodka, whisk lightly, followed by the Prosecco and whisk a bit more.

Step-3: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place the mix in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours.

Step-4: Dampen the glasses and place in the freezer to chill.

Step-5: Remove the bowl from the refrigerator and give the mix one final whisk to re-froth.

Step-6: Pour the mix into the pre-chilled glasses up to the top, garnish with a lemon wedge and some mint leaves, then serve.

The next time, or first time you find yourself in Venice, untie those knots by asking for a Sgroppino, during or after dinner. It’s the Venetian thing to do.

SALUTE!

View the list of travel recipes here.

View the list of past travel recipes at our old site here.

The post Sgroppino: Untying the Knot in Venice appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Latke (pronounced LOT-keh, LOT-kah or LOT-kee) is Yiddish for “pancake.” On Chanukah, it is traditional to serve latkes (most often potato) fried in oil to celebrate the Chanukah miracle, which involved the oil of the Temple Menorah lasting for eight days instead of just one. Jews eat foods that reflect the significance of a holiday — such as matzah on Passover and apples dipped in honey on Rosh Hashanah — and Chanukah is no exception. For at least the last thousand years, Jews have traditionally eaten oily foods on Chanukah.

The latke is one of those Jewish foods that feels steeped in tradition, as if it’s been made the same way since the days of the Maccabees.

But in a revelatory article, Atlantic senior editor Yoni Appelbaum explains that the latke as we know it — grated potatoes fried in olive oil — is a relatively new culinary invention. Here, in brief, is the Chanukah staple’s origin story.

As early as the 14th century: Deep-fried ricotta cheese

That’s right. Latkes were originally an Italian cheese dish.

According to Appelbaum, they were inspired by The Book of Judith, set hundreds of years before the Maccabean Revolt. The book, from the Catholic Bible, tells the story of a daring widow who seduced and killed the Assyrian general Holofernes to save Israel from invaders.

In an obscure Hebrew version of the story, Judith distracted Holofernes in part by feeding him pancakes “salted and mixed with cheese.” Italian Jews adopted the custom of deep-frying cheese pancakes on Hanukkah to honor the story, which they apparently conflated with that of the Maccabees.

Up to the 19th century: Grain pancakes

Appelbaum notes that potatoes were originally cultivated in South America and weren’t introduced to Europe by Spanish explorers until the second half of the 16th century. Potatoes weren’t widely grown and consumed in Eastern Europe — the Old World from which many Jews emigrated to the United States — for a couple more centuries.

Until the early 19th century, Eastern European Jews made pancakes from grains, such as buckwheat and rye, according to food historian Gil Marks. Those were among the few crops available to them during the frosty early winter, when Chanukah is celebrated.

The 19th century: Potatoes fried in schmaltz, not oil

In the 1800s, even after potatoes took root in Eastern Europe, latkes were still not fried in olive oil (as they are today, providing a convenient link to the oil-rich story of Chanukah). Olive trees were uncommon in the region, and people cooked with schmaltz, fat rendered from chickens, geese or beef.

In fact, schmaltz remained a traditional latke ingredient well into the 20th century. Appelbaum cites a stipulation from a 1927 issue of The American Mercury magazine (which he says includes the first mention of the word “latke” in English) that the potato pancakes be “fried in schmaltz.”

From the 20th century: Today’s latke — potatoes fried in oil

The advent in 1911 of Crisco, the first shortening made entirely of vegetable oil, changed the way latkes (and many other fried foods) were made. Kosher Crisco was once marketed as the miracle for which the “Hebrew race had been waiting 4,000 years.”

When Crisco “fell from favor,” as Appelbaum writes, olive oil took its place at the Hanukkah table — and the modern latke was born

Why Latkes Go With Sour Cream

Potato latkes are traditionally served with applesauce and/or sour cream, but they are perfectly tasty with nothing at all In addition to being delicious with fried foods, sour cream is symbolically significant. Dairy treats are reminiscent of the milk-based (and intoxicating) meal that the brave Judith fed the Greek general before she decapitated him in his sleep.

The Modern Day Chanukah Latke Recipe

Ingredients:

5 large potatoes, peeled
1 large onion
3 eggs
1/3 cup flour
1 tsp. Salt
¼ tsp. pepper
¾ cup oil for frying

Use: 10-inch skillet
Yields: 4 to 6 servings

Grate potatoes and onion on the fine side of a grater, or in a food processor; or put in a blender with a little water.

Strain grated potatoes and onion through a colander, pressing out excess water. Add eggs, flour, and seasoning. Mix well.

Heat ½ cup oil in skillet. Lower flame and place 1 large tablespoon batter at a time into hot sizzling oil and fry on one side for approximately 5 minutes until golden brown. Turn over and fry on other side 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove from pan and place on paper towels to drain excess oil. Continue with remaining batter until used up, adding more oil when necessary.

Serve with applesauce and/or sour cream on the side.

The post Chanukah Potato Latke History and Recipe 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.

The post Stuffed Clams for Thanksgiving appeared first on Traveling Archive.

My friend and I really love hot food. It was 1987 and we were on assignment in Southern India with a group called The Bible League. We had visited remote villages in the interior and had returned to Andhra Pradesh and needed a rest. This particular region of India has the reputation of having the spiciest and most deadly cuisine on the continent. Dog and I (yes, his nickname is “Dog”) were looking forward to a good meal. We needed a break from the village food, especially the rancid Ghee we ate sitting on dirt floors with cats crawling on our food. By the way, Ghee, when it is fresh, is clarified butter but Indian Ghee that has aged in the heat for years sitting open on a shelf has the flavor and texture of dog vomit so we were ready for a change of diet. It was good to get back into a city.

Dog said he wanted to eat some of the famous hot goat meat of Andhra Pradesh. I told him I wasn’t sure it was a good idea. But, he asked our guide where the hottest food in the region was to be found and we were led to this dilapidated, hole-in-the-wall eatery. As we were walking in one of the customers was being dragged out either drunk or unconscious with what looked like severe facial burns. It was really disgusting. His friends were all laughing. I reminded Dog that I REALLY didn’t think this was a good idea at all.

When we sat down Dog made it quick and simple. He ordered the hottest thing on the menu. Our guide was impressed. I was scared. I was sweating before we even started to eat. There was something acidic in the air. As a former firefighter, I remember thinking as we walked in that there must have been a fire next door in a battery acid plant. My eyes were burning just sitting there and it was getting hard to breathe. The waiter smiled as he carried out the food and gave a high five to our guide. Half the restaurant stopped eating and watched us since we were Americanos and no hotter food existed.  Dog said, “Wow, let’s do it.”  Oh, what the heck. How bad can it be?  We dove in.

I want to try to describe the experience without scaring off potential travelers. But first, something needs some explanation.  There is a pepper grown in India which is called Bhut Jolokia. In 1987 it was the hottest known pepper in the world.  We call that pepper the Ghost Pepper in America.  OK, back to our story.  He ordered the hottest Ghost pepper, goat meat dish that they made.  If you ever travel with a man named “Dog” don’t let him order lunch!

We began.  By the time the first bite of the hot goat meat reached my stomach, I felt like I had just gargled Drano.  You could actually feel the skin peeling off the throat and falling in sheets into the stomach.  My bowels started cramping just for practice knowing they would be called on big time shortly. It soon developed into a rebellion of the entire body.  I kept eating. Macho Ed was not going to wimp out. It wasn’t long before salty sweat stains covered my shirt and pants.

Let me introduce a very important word at this time – Limca. Limca is an Italian soft drink similar to a lemon-lime soda.  Since they don’t often have refrigeration in the interior of India the bottles are kept covered in cow dung to keep them cooler. I gulped down the entire bottle in one breath. Chunks of dried cow dung flaked off onto my sweaty shirt. I restrained myself from drinking another Limca and decided to try some of the rice to calm my gurgling stomach. I like rice. This wasn’t rice. This was chunky style paint remover. There were pock marks on the ceramic plate. I went back to the goat meat. But before I started again I ordered another Limca.

I looked over at Dog and he was looking pale and his smile was gone. “You OK, Dog?” He looked kind of scared and then in a quick, manly recovery said, “Sure no problem.” But his voice broke and he sort of squeaked the words out.

I took another bite of the goat stew. At the table next to us a man had fallen to the ground unconscious and his friends were pouring beer all over him. I made a mental note. I don’t drink alcohol but somehow, I could see this happening to me. I kept eating…

I think it was the next bite that melted my lips off. If you have eaten extremely hot food you learn it is wise to observe how the locals do it. They never let the food touch their lips. Anyway, it didn’t matter now, I had no lips. My biggest concern began to be brain damage. I finished my next Limca without taking a breath. Our guide said he had never seen a Limca consumed that quickly. It was also the first time he had seen someone shake the carbonated beverage and hold his thumb over the bottle while spraying it all over his face. I was able to buy an ice cube and just wiped it over and over on my throbbing, missing lips while moaning. The pain and insanity increased for the rest of the meal.

It was then I noticed that Dog was not looking very good. He was bent over in pain with a horrible gas attack. His intestinal track resembled Mount St. Helens and when it erupted three minutes later he literally cleared the table.  Two people eating nearby moved to another table.

Then my intestines started to send an equally urgent message. I excused myself to pay a visit to the local comfort room. As I stumbled past the table where the two had moved I grabbed an unfinished Limca from their table and poured it on top of my head. I barely had time to reach the bathroom and sit down when steaming lava erupted from the heart of the earth. We are talking about a Richter 10 caustic explosion. I needed another Limca to wash off but I had none. I wanted to sit on an ice cream cone. My eyesight was almost gone. I barely recognized Dog when I went out. He was leaning over the table waiting for something else bad to happen. His chin looked like he had been drooling paint remover. I think his mouth was totally paralyzed. The entire front of his shirt and pants looked like he had fallen into a restaurant grease trap. He asked where the Limca was and I just told him I was going outside to die in the alley. He said, “OK.” Both our brains were now gone. We had no lips, brains, bowels, or shirts left. We looked like we had been beaten senseless by a herd of rabid monkeys and dumped into a pig trough.

I went to see Dog the next morning in his hotel room. He was half conscious sitting on the floor in the fetal position. I noticed three empty cases of Limca scattered around the room. We both had trouble talking. We ate yogurt the rest of the week. Our lips did grow back and our bowels returned to normal pre-volcanic activity. I have never been normal since. I twitch a lot when I talk. Sometimes I just slobber when I think about it.

Recipe: Hot Goat Meat of Andhra Pradesh, India

Ingredients

To marinate:

• 1½ pounds Goat, cleaned, washed & cut to 1 inch size pieces
• 1½ teaspoons of Red Chili Powder
• ½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice (or 2 tablespoons thick yogurt)
• 1 teaspoon Salt

To grind:

• 1½ inch Ginger, peeled & cut into small pieces
• 8 to 10 Garlic Pods, peeled
• 2 cm Cinnamon Stick
• 6 Cloves
• 2 teaspoons Poppy Seeds
• 1 to 2 tablespoons desiccated Coconut
• ¼ cup Hot Water for grinding

To season:

• 2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
• 2 Star anise
• 2 Kapok Buds (Marathi moggu)
• 2 cm Cinnamon Stick
• 4 Cloves
• 2 Cardamoms
• 2 Bay Leaves

Other Ingredients:

• 1 large Onion, finely chopped
• 3 to 4 Ghost Chili Peppers (Bhut Jolokia), finely chopped (wear plastic gloves)
• A sprig of Curry Leaves
• 1 to 2 teaspoons of Red Chili Powder
• ¼ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• Required salt
• ½ cup finely chopped Coriander, divided

Directions

1. Marinate Goat with red chili powder, turmeric, a teaspoon of lemon juice and salt for about a minimum of 30 minutes. Longer the better.
2. Grind ginger, garlic, cinnamon, cloves, poppy seeds and desiccated coconut in a blender to a fine paste, without adding water.
3. Then add slightly hot water, soak for a minute and grind to a fine paste. Soaking in hot water aids easy grinding of the poppy seeds.
4. Heat oil in a pressure cooker over medium heat. Once oil is hot, season with dry spices.
5. To this add chopped onions, Ghost Chili Peppers and sauté.
6. Add curry leaves and stir for a minute. Be generous in using curry leaves!!
7. Once onions become translucent, add in the marinated goat.
8. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes..
9. Add remaining red chili powder and turmeric powder.
10. Now add required water till the goat immerses. You can adjust the consistency of the gravy to suit your requirement. Adjust salt and add in some fresh coriander.
11. Close the lid of the pressure cooker and cook over medium high heat for 5 to 7 whistles, then simmer and cook for 5 minutes till the goat is fully cooked, soft and tender.
12. Open the lid of the pressure cooker once the pressure subsides.
13. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with finely chopped coriander

The Hot Goat Meat of Andhra Pradesh, India Recipe is done and ready to be served with rice.

The post Hot Goat Meat of Andhra Pradesh, India appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Recipe courtesy of MySwitzerland.com

If you love bread, Switzerland is the country for you. There are over 200 different traditional breads, including 22 special cantonal bread varieties. When in Zurich, you might want to try Seri’s baguettes or croissants. A very popular bread, which you get everywhere in Switzerland, is a soft white loaf called “Zopf”. The dough is made from white flour, milk, eggs, butter and yeast, plaited into a braid and then brushed with egg yolk before baking. It’s traditionally eaten on Sunday mornings.

A Swiss Sunday brunch, though, without a Bernese plaited loaf is like Christmas without presents. The bread is especially delicious when you make it yourself and enjoy it warm from the oven. This plaited loaf originates from Bern and used to be baked as a Christmas or New Year gift. Today it is known and enjoyed throughout Switzerland, especially as part of a big, leisurely breakfast. The attractive plaited form isn’t altogether easy to achieve, but by following the instructions carefully you can soon master it.

Recipe

Preparation time: approx. 40 minutes
Rising time: approx. 2 hours
Baking time: approx. 40 minutes

Makes 1 loaf of approx. 1 1/2 kg or 2 loaves of approx. 750 g

Transfer plait to a baking sheet lined with baking parchment, brush with cream, leave to rise for approx. 30 minutes, glaze with egg-cream mixture.

Bake: Approximately 40 minutes on the bottom shelf of oven preheated to 200 °C. Remove, cool on wire rack.

Tips

• Make it easier: halve the dough before kneading. Knead, and leave to rise, in two halves.
• For 2 plaits, the rolls will be shorter, approx. 50 cm long. Reduce baking time by approx. 5 minutes.

Keeping time: Yeast bread is best eaten fresh.

Per 100 g: 10 g fat, 10 g protein, 49 g carbohydrate, 1387 kJ (332 kcal)

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This delectable soup comes to us by way of Ms. Susanne Servin of Herzerl Tours. (See Ms Servin’s past recipes on Traveling Boy.) Her heartwarming Viennese soup is easy to prepare, and proves to be the ideal component for battling a cold winter’s day. I know.  I just made it. — Audrey

Ms. Susanne Servin Sharing Another Recipe With You

This is now many years ago — I was sitting and watching a cooking show on television with my daughter. And it was about French cuisine. I remember saying to her “I am so sick and tired that Americans only know about Italian and French Cuisine. Nobody knows anything about the great Viennese Cuisine.” Where upon my daughter calmly said “So why don’t you take them to Vienna and show them how good the Viennese cuisine is.”

The Viennese Cuisine, which has been around for 1000 years, is a result of the many countries united in the Austrian monarchy; and of the pleasure-loving lifestyle of the Viennese. They take eating very seriously and that is why they cook so well.

I rose to my daughter’s challenge — I started a travel company called Herzerl Tours. I created my first tour to Vienna “A Taste Of Vienna” where travelers got a chance to attend a famous Viennese cooking school. There they would learn how to cook Viennese style.

Visit the Herzerl Tours website

I even convinced Robin Leach and the Cooking Channel to come on one of my tours and film it — the result was a show called “Gourmet Getaways with Robin Leach to Vienna” on the Cooking Channel (I still have a video).

So one of the things we cooked — as Viennese like soups — is the recipe I am bringing you here: Viennese Potato Soup.

Viennese Potato Soup (Wiener Erdäpfel Suppe)

Four portions if served as main course, 8 if served as soup before main dish:

• 1 lt. chicken stock or 2 cans of chicken stock (add one cup of water)
• 1 oz = 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 oz = 2 Tbsp flour
• 2 oz = 1/4 cup bacon, cubed
• 2 – 3 cups of root vegetables, cubed — carrots, parsnips, etc.
• 3 cups potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1/2 large onion, chopped
• 2 Tbsp dried Porcini mushrooms, soaked in lukewarm water
• 2 tsp salt, pepper
• 1 tsp dried marjoram
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Instructions:

1. Cut onion, vegetables and bacon into small cubes
2. Melt butter and brown the cubed onion, vegetables and bacon in a pot
3. Add flour, brown it but not too long.
4. Fill pot with the stock, add spices and drained mushrooms,
5. Stir until soup starts to boil, reduce heat and let it simmer for about 10 minutes,
6. Add potato cubes, let soup simmer again for about 15 minutes — potatoes should be soft
7. Now the soup is ready — if necessary, add more spices
8. Serve and garnish with chopped parsley

Guten Appetit or as we say in Vienna “Gesegnete Mahlzeit!”

Visit our Culinary Cooking Tour to Vienna, Austria web page

The post Viennese Potato Soup (Wiener Erdäpfel Suppe) appeared first on Traveling Archive.