Caipirinha de Limão
Well, obviously you cannot take a cooking class in Brazil without making the country’s national cocktail! This famous drink is made of cachaça, a distilled spirit made from sugarcane juice, that I refer to as “fire water.” I tried drinking it straight once when I was in Rio and wow that hurt bad… reminded me … Continue reading
Farofa de Banana
Farofa is a typical accompaniment to many Brazilian dishes, especially the classic black bean stew feijoada. At many locals restaurants in Brazil, you will often see a bowl of farofa already on the table, just waiting to complement some hearty Brazilian dishes. Farofa is made of manioc flour, also known as cassava powder. Cassava is … Continue reading
Moqueca Baiana
Moqueca baiana which translates to “Bahian stew” in Portugese is literally that — a delicious Brazilian seafood stew originating from the Bahia state in the Northeast region of the country. This dish is influenced by African cuisine, which is most noticeable in its use of palm oil. Palm oil is an edible vegetable oil made … Continue reading
Peruvian Cooking Class – Dinner
After landing in Lima on my Peru travels, one of the first orders of business was scheduling a Peruvian cooking class. Natalya had taken a class with Sky Kitchen when she was in Lima several years ago and she highly recommended it. She took the class with the lunch dishes, which she wrote about here: … Continue reading
Picarones
Picarones is Peruvian dessert that is commonly sold on the streets of Peru. The squash and sweet potato are puréed and mixed into a dough, which is then deep fried into doughnuts, and served with a syrup made from molasses. The flavor is so unique due to the squash and sweet poato, and its sweetness … Continue reading
Lomo Saltado
When I first arrived in Peru, I was surprised to see all the Chinese eateries all over Lima. I had not realized how large the Chinese immigrant population in Peru was, or rather, how much influence Chinese culture had on Peruvian cuisine. Asian Peruvians make up about 5% of the current population, although it is … Continue reading
Ceviche
Ceviche is an extremely popular coastal seafood dish in Central and South America. It is made with raw fish that is “cooked” in citrus juices (lime or lemon) and spiced with aji (chili peppers). It is often mixed with onions and served with complementing sides, such as sweet potato, lettuce, corn, avocado or plantain. The origins … Continue reading
Causa
Causa is a unique Peruvian dish made of potatoes (shocker, I know) that are mashed and seasoned with key lime, onion, chili, and oil. The mashed potatoes are then layered with a variety of stuffings, such as avocado, chicken, canned tuna, or shellfish. This potato salad “cake” is usually served cold. Causa is very popular … Continue reading
Balinese Cooking Class
Bali is one of the world’s most popular island destinations with its beautiful beaches, rugged mountains, lush rice terraces, cultural and historical attractions, and top diving and surfing spots… this paradise has something for everyone! The first time I traveled to Bali was in 2008 with Natalya, during which we did plenty of the “touristy … Continue reading
Tum Ayam (Minced Chicken in Banana Leaf)
Tum Ayam is another popular Balinese dish that is cooked in the same method as Pepes Ikan (steamed fish version) and otak-otak. To prepare this dish, minced chicken is mixed together with flavorful spices and coconut milk, wrapped snugly in banana leaves, and then is steamed or grilled. We used the recipe below during my … Continue reading
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