ground cinnamon – Notes From a Messy Kitchen

Iraq: Kibbeh

Cooking Time: 90

Asia

Iraq

Iraqi cuisine has a very rich history. In fact, stone tablets found in ancient ruins in Iraq show recipes prepared in the temples during religious festivals date back to 1900 BC – the first cookbooks in the world. Mesopotamia was a highly advanced society, including in the culinary arts. Kibbeh...

Johanna

Like 6

Comment

Kuwait: Machboos Laham

Cooking Time: 2 hours

Asia

Kuwait

I’ve often been asked how I decide which country I’m going to cook from next. It’s usually fairly arbitrary. An ingredient I’m looking to use, a craving, a whim. This week I wanted to get back on the journey. I was researching recipes and discovered that February 25th is the...

Johanna

Like 6

Comment

S’mores Campfire Cake

Cooking Time: 3 hrs

Uncategorized

I’ve been wanting to make a campfire cake for some time now, but hadn’t yet found the right occasion. I figured I’d bring it to work Bakeolution one of these months, but so far this year I’ve been pretty focused on international recipes. When I decided to have Courtney’s birthday...

Johanna

Like

Comment

Malta: Kapunata Maltija

Europe

Malta

Malta is an archipelago in the central Mediterranean Sea between Sicily and the North African coast. Most the food is imported, making the cuisine open to outside influences, including Sicilian and English as well as Spanish, French, Provençal, and other Mediterranean cuisines. Kapunata is a Maltese caponata, similar to a ratatouille –...

Johanna

Like 4

Comment

Syria: Ma’amoul

Asia

Syria

Ma’amoul are semolina shortbread cookies popular across the Middle East. They are filled with either dates or nuts – commonly walnut or pistachio. They can be decorated by hand, but are prettiest when made using special wooden molds tabu. Lucky for me, my colleague Bushra’s mom has a whole collection...

Johanna

Like 2

Comment

Iran: Fesenjān

Cooking Time: 2 hours

Asia

Iran

Fesenjān (also fesenjoon) is famous Persian dish, a festive dish often served for important occasions in Iran. Its importance has something to do with the amount of walnuts used to make the rich, flavorful sauce – which are often very costly. Popular in the fall when pomegranates are in season, Persian...

Johanna

Like 1

Comment

Canada: Tourtière

Cooking Time: 4 hours 30 minutes

Canada

You can imagine how excited I was when our Diversity & Inclusion Committee circulated an invitation for a potluck to learn more about the culture and traditions of our coworkers. You know how some people are visual learners, while others learn by reading or doing? Food is my learning style. As...

Johanna

Like

Comment

Slovenia: Prekmurska Gibanica {Bakeolution}

Cooking Time: 2.5 hours + 4 hours to chill

Slovenia

Funny story. Friday afternoon, my friend Sarah chatted me to remind me to bake for Bakeolution. I would bake, I told her, but I was going to make something easy. I’d hoped to make a Swedish princess cake, but no way would I have the time or energy for layers...

Johanna

Like 5

2 Comments

Democratic Republic of Congo: Ndizi Wa Nazi

Cooking Time: 20

Democratic Republic of Congo

I’m a little anxious about what the title of this post might draw to my blog, but in Swahili “zdizi wa nazi” means quite literally “banana with coconut.” Popular in African and Caribbean cooking, plantains are a member of the banana family, and can either refer more colloquially to any banana that...

Johanna

Like 3

1 Comment

Algeria: Makroud Tmar

Cooking Time: 90 minutes

Algeria

Makroud (sometimes makrout, maqroud, or maqrout) means diamond, describing the shape of this semolina pastry, common across North Africa and the Middle East. You’ll find the most varieties in Algeria, and this one filled with dates (tmar) and dipped in a honey/orange blossom mixture is one of the most traditional. Orange...

Johanna

Like 2

Comment

Ingredient: ground cinnamon