A friend of mine—a genuine gourmand—recently departed DC for a long-term work assignment in Bucharest, Romania. She bequeathed the contents of her freezer, pantry, and liquor cabinet to lucky me, who became the proud steward of a bison steak, a pound of ground venison, mango chutney, Minnesota wild rice, assorted spice rubs, 3 bottles of [...]
Archive for the ‘travel’ Category
Coming Home to a Place You’ve Never Been, and Other Surprises of the Post-Soviet Kitchen
Posted in kitchens, Russia, travel, Ukraine, tagged post-Soviet kitchen, Russian cooking, surprise on February 3, 2012 | 1 Comment »
From Paris to Kyiv, Fromage to Fatback
Posted in nutrition, travel, Ukraine, tagged Kyiv, lard, salo, Ukrainian food on December 11, 2011 | 2 Comments »
After my one-day foray in Paris, I traveled on to Kyiv, Ukraine for a week of work and a weekend of gallivanting from restaurant to market to café with a close friend who came from Russia to visit. I was struck by how much Kyiv reminded me of Russia: the same scent of frost [...]
22 Hours in Paris + Ruminations on Authentic Travel
Posted in conversation, travel, tagged authentic food, Latin Quarter, macarons, Paris on November 26, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
On my way to Kiev a couple of weeks ago, I took advantage of a 22-hour stopover in Paris to recharge my inspirational inventory. I did not catch sight of the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Notre Dame, or the Champs-Elysées, but instead spent a full day wandering the tangled streets of the Latin Quarter, historically [...]
Olives, Honey, and Cream: Turkish Breakfast on the Beach
Posted in breakfast, travel on August 18, 2011 | 1 Comment »
There’s nothing like work-related international travel to stretch your vacation budget farther than you thought possible. A conference brought me to Istanbul this July, after which I tacked on a week of much-appreciated R&R while visiting my friend Anna in the Turkish resort town where she is teaching English. Bodrum stretches out along the coast [...]
Why Photograph Strangers?
Posted in Georgian food, travel, tagged bazaar, Georgian food, photography on January 15, 2011 | 2 Comments »
When I look at others’ travel photos, I find myself most drawn to those of local people looking straight into the lens. I study the shape of their eyes, the draw of their lips, the way their cheeks wrinkle. I wonder how the photographer approached them, what (if anything) they will tell their friends about [...]
The Citrus Harvest
Posted in cooking, Georgian food, travel, tagged citrus fruit, tangerines on December 20, 2010 | 1 Comment »
I returned home to Minnesota last week and haven’t had much time to write in the interim, what with packing in as many thank-yous and goodbyes and last-chance experiences as I could before leaving Georgia, and now soaking up the comforts of home and family while getting ready for Christmas and an imminent move back [...]
Culinary Travels in Tbilisi
Posted in Georgian food, travel, tagged Georgian food, Tbilisi on November 15, 2010 | 2 Comments »
I just returned from a lovely weekend spent in Tbilisi with American and European friends of mine who had come to visit from their current home in Cairo. Taylor, Pablo, and Kavita were not particularly interested in “touring” the city, per se. “We want to eat, drink, and sit,” Taylor had told me matter-of-factly when [...]
How Do You Say BRAT in Georgian?
Posted in travel on September 28, 2010 | 4 Comments »
I’ve spent the last couple of days in bed due to a bout with a stomach bug. Now that I’m feeling better, I thought I’d share what I’ve learned thus far about “foods for the infirm” here in Georgia. Though advice on what I should or should not consume when suffering from a given ailment [...]
Thoughts on Culinary Nationalism
Posted in conversation, travel on September 16, 2010 | 5 Comments »
The conversations I have here with people I’m meeting for the first time tend to follow a predictable pattern. They involve a barrage of questions starting with my name and quickly moving toward juicier subjects such as whether I’m married, whether I want a Georgian husband, and whether I can see myself spending my life [...]
Grilled Cheese Goes Decadent
Posted in breakfast, cooking, travel on September 11, 2010 | 8 Comments »
The region of Adjara boasts a number of regional specialties, all revolving around some combination of cheese, eggs, and butter. The only one to enjoy widespread popularity throughout Georgia is adjaruli khachapuri, or Adjaran cheese bread. This was the first dish our group of teachers was treated to upon arriving in Batumi, and it is [...]
