Germany

Apparently German chocolate cake is not actually German. Sadly, my coconut frosting dreams were shattered by Bobby Flay one night while I was watching Throwdown. The true origin of the 'not-so-German' German chocolate cake is a rather disappointing tale so I'll leave it to those curious enough to Google it. Anyhow, we turned to the next most brilliant thing that actually hails from Germany - gingerbread. In my books any excuse is a good excuse to stock up on candy, so in the spirit of Christmas and German tradition, we made gingerbread houses. I found the recipe on Vegan Dad and it was incredibly simple. I can't really say these were part of the meal since they are still on display (although we snacked enough on everything and can assure they are super yummy) so the real menu starts here.

Menu:

Bretzels
Carrot Salad
Hot Potato Salad
Bavarian Sausages with Saurkraut & Fried Onions
Seitan Schnitzel
Black Forest Cake

My well-traveled friend, Nicole, has made me drool on many an occasion with her tales of all the pretzel stands in Germany that she could readily stuff her face at. So, bang, pretzels (or as the natives say "Bretzels") had to be made. We ate them warm and happily stuffed our faces too.

It just wouldn't feel German without some sort of slaw. I found so many tempting recipes for coleslaws but in the end chose the Carrot Salad for the citrus and fresh dill. It was sweet and tart and crisp and absolutely lovely. A potato salad was another must. I picked this up from my old personal trainer who was of German decent. He would talk about how great his mom's Warm Potato Salad was to the point where he would absolutely have to have it. The second our session was over he would be on his cell phone calling home about dinner. I purposely looked for the recipe that sounded the most like his mom's. I admit I used to think his cravings odd, but now not so much.

Yves makes a Bavarian sausage so I figured what better time to give them a try. I served them with sauteed onions and saurkraut. Not rocket science, but tasty. The Seitan Schnitzel was the real main - and the show stealer. I had never made my own seitan before so I was a bit terrified. I used a recipe from the Veganomicon but any seitan will do. It was much simpler than I expected and now I'm hooked. I think the matzo might be the secret to the delicious breading. It was perfectly crispy.

Mr. German and his misleading name were not going to keep me from having cake. Black Forrest Cake is actually German! Hurray! I know that there is a vegan whipped cream available out there, and that my cake could have been a little more authentic if I could have gotten my dirty little hands on some, but no such luck. I chose frosting as an alternative and no sweet tooth was left unsatisfied. Take that Samuel.

Bretzels

1 1/2 cup warm water
1 1/8 tsp active dry yeast
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 1/8 tsp salt
1 cup bread flour
3 cups regular flour
2 cups warm water
2 tbsp baking soda
coarse salt
4 tablespoons Earth Balance (melted)

1. Sprinkle yeast on lukewarm water in mixing bowl; stir to dissolve.
2. Add sugar, salt and stir to dissolve.
3. Add flour and knead dough until smooth and elastic. Let rise at least 1/2 hour.
4. While dough is rising, prepare a baking soda water bath with 2 cups warm water and 2 Tbsp baking soda. Stir often.
5. After dough has risen, pinch off bits of dough and roll into a long rope,about 1/2 inch or less thick, and shape.
6. Dip pretzel in soda solution and place on parchment lined baking sheet.
7. Allow pretzels to rise again.
8. Bake in 450 oven for about 10 minutes or until golden.
9. Brush with melted Earth balance and sprinkle with salt.
(recipe from cdkitchen)

Carrot Salad
1 lb fresh carrots
1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1 oz vegetable oil
1 1/2 oz white vinegar
2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
1 1/2 tbsp agave nectar
salt and pepper to taste

1. Peel and grate carrots.
2. Mix all ingredients together and let marinate for 1/2 hour at room temperature to let the flavors blend.
(adapted from Wikia)

Hot Potato Salad
5 slices Yves Canadian bacon, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp prepared mustard
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
4 cups diced cooked potato

1. Heat oil in pan over medium heat.
2. Saute "bacon" until slightly crisp.
3. Blend in flour, sugar, salt and mustard.
4. Gradually add vinegar and water, stirring constantly until smooth.
5. Continue cooking over low heat, stirring, until thickened.
6. Add potato and heat through, gently stirring to mix.
(adapted from About.com)

Schnitzel

Breading:
1/2 cup flour (if using self-rising flour, omit baking powder)
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp egg replacer
5 tbsp water mixed together
1 cup unsalted matzo meal (or bread crumbs)

3 seitan cutlets
canola oil for frying

1. Mix flour and baking powder in one dish.
2. Mix egg replacer and water in a second dish.
3. Place matzo meal in a third dish.
4. Place a cutlet in the flour, coating it well.
5. Next dip it in the egg replacer mixture.
6. Coat both sides in matzo meal.
7. Pan fry each side in until golden brown.
(inspired by melbedggood.com)

Black Forest Cake
2 round 9 inch chocolate cakes (recipe below)
1/2 cup simple syrup (recipe below)
1 recipe vanilla frosting (I used Vegan Fluffy Buttercream from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World)
1 can cherry pie filling
8 candied cherries for decoration
Chocolate shavings

Chocolate cake:
2 cups sugar
6 heaping tbsp cocoa
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
3 cups flour
3/4 cup canola oil
2 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp vinegar
2 cups cold water

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans
3. Mix dry ingredients in one bowl.
4. Mix wet ingredients in a second bowl
5. Add wet mixture to dry and mix until combined
6. Divide evenly into cake pans
7. Bake for 30 minutes or until done (use the toothpick test)

Simple Syrup:
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar

1. In a medium saucepan combine sugar and water.
2. Bring to a boil, stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Allow to cool.

Assembly:
1. Once cooled, slice each cake in half so that you have four 9-inch layers (you will only need three)
2. Place one layer on the bottom and brush generously with simple syrup
3. Apply a very thin layer of frosting
4. Pipe a thick ring of frosting around the perimeter of the bottom layer to create a barrier
5. Fill the circle with cherry pie filling - not too much or it will leak.
6. Pipe a very thin layer of frosting over the cherry filling
7. Place second layer of cake on top, and brush generously with simple syrup
8. Apply a layer of frosting
9. Place third layer on top
10. Frost top and sides of cake
11. Pipe 8 rosettes around top of cake
12. Sprinkle center & bottom half of sides with chocolate shavings
13. Place a cherry on centre of each rosette

Congo & Zambia

Menu:

Nshima (Zambia)
Gbegiri (Zambia)
Wali Wa Nazi (Congo)
Corn on the Cob (Congo)
Golabjamoun (Zambia)
Fruit Salad (Congo)
Ginger Beer (Congo)

Not long ago I saw a documentary called Where Are We Go at the Bicycle Film Festival which follows a group of cyclists along the route of the Tour D'Afrique. Starting in Cairo and ending in Capetown, the film takes you on an incredible and breathtaking journey through many of the eastern countries in Africa, including Zambia. I had already drawn Congo & Zambia and was inspired to get cooking.

I started with Nshima, a cormeal dish similar in preparation to polenta, because it is a staple in Zambia. It's a quick and easy substitute for bread, eaten by tearing off small pieces and dipping them into a stew or soup. Next I needed a stew or soup. My love of black eyed peas extends beyond my love of Will. i. am so I had to try the Gbegiri (Black-Eyed Pea Soup). This soup was thick enough to qualify as a stew - I figured I had it covered. Best of all it was cheap, easy, and soup-er tasty. The ingredients are all staples at my place. I just threw it all in a pot and 30 minutes later - delicious soup!

Wali Wa Nazi is rice cooked in coconut milk. Paired with the Nshima, the coconut added another layer of sweetness which really complimented the tomatoes in the soup. For some crispness I chose corn on the cob as our third side. In the Congo they generally grill it in the husk and top it with cayenne pepper, salt, and lemon juice before serving.

We served the Golabjamoun along with the meal even though it is actually a dessert. I pan fried the fritters just enough to get them crispy on the outside and then baked them through. No real reason other than the fact that I needed to free up a burner on my stovetop. The sweet potato and cinnamon gave them a real southern flavor - sort of like bite-sized sweet potato pies.

A popular Congo drink is ginger beer. Carribean Bistro, a great little roti place in my neighborhood, carries a fantastic one but sadly they were closed the day I needed it. I picked up an all natural ginger ale as a last minute replacement and it worked quite well.

We ended the meal with the Congo Fruit Salad. I was really excited preparing this, chopping (and sampling) this amazing variety of delicious fruit. I had never used avocado in a fruit salad and decided it was simply genius. I stirred in the coconut - it was awesome! I added the mint - hated it. It may work for some folks, and it was brilliant in the fatouche salad from Senegal, but personally I am in no rush to toss mint leaves into tropical fruit again any time soon.

Nshima
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
3-4 cups water
Salt to taste

1. Mix cornmeal with 1 cup of cold water.
2. Bring 2½ cups water to a boil, add salt.
3. Stir in cornmeal and cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly until thick.
4. Continue cooking about 5 minutes. Add more boiling water, a little at a time, until of desired thickness. It should be fairly stiff.
5. Turn out into a serving dish.
(adapted from Wikia)

Gbegiri (Black-Eyed Pea Soup)

1 19 ounce/540 ml can black-eyed Peas, drained
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 796 ml can diced tomatoes
2 cups vegetable stock
Salt
Pepper

1. Heat oil in pan over medium heat.
2. Saute onions until soft.
3. Partially mash the black-eyed beans using a fork or potato masher.
4. Add the mashed beans, tomato paste, tomatoes, stock, and salt & pepper. Mix well.
5. Lower heat and let simmer for 30 minutes.
(adapted from Wikia)

Wali Wa Nazi (Coconut Rice)
1 cup long grain white rice (such as basmati)
1 414 ml can coconut milk, plus water to make 2 cups
1/2 tsp salt

1. Mix rice, coconut milk , water and salt in a saucepan.
2. Cover and bring to boil.
3. Reduce heat and simmer until liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked through, approximately 20 minutes (add more water if needed until desired doneness).
(adapted from CongoCookbook)

Golabjamoun

1/2 cup soy milk
500 sweet potato, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Oil for frying

1. Boil sweet potatoes in milk until soft
2. Mash sweet potato mixture.
3. Add ground cinnamon and flour.
4. Knead into dough and shape into small balls.
5. Pan fry in oil over medium heat.
(adapted from Wikia)

Congo Fruit Salad
1 avocado, peeled and seeded
1 banana, peeled
1 grapefruit, peeled and sectionned
1 orange, peeled and sectionned
1 papaya, peeled and seeded
1 peach, seeded
1 Pear, cored
Mint leaves, finely chopped
1 cup grated coconut

1. Cut fruit into bite-sized pieces.
2. Combine all fruits in a glass bowl.
3. Add the mint leaves. Stir gently.
4. Cover the fruit salad and allow it to stand for a half hour before serving.
5. Top with grated coconut immediately before serving.
(adapted from Wikia)

Spain & Portugal

Menu:

Patatas Bravas (Spain & Portugal)
Escalivada (Spain)
Tomato Rice (Portugal)
Broa (Portugal)
Citrus Sangria (Spain)
Valencia Orange Pie (Spain)

In Portugal, for obvious reasons, they have fish or seafood in the majority of their meals. Their approach to cooking keeps it simple using locally fresh and available ingredients. It was a bit more challenging to find something suitable for my menu, but I stumbled upon a Tomato Rice dish that I think really represented that simple yet brilliant thing the Portugese do with food. I absolutely loved this rice and admittedly hid all the leftovers so no one else could take any home (sorry guys).

Portugal is also the home of an amazing corn bread called Broa, which I'm sure I could make, but cheated and bought at a local bakery.

It was really easy to find Spanish recipes that were vegan-friendly, especially when it came to tapas. The hard part was choosing which ones to make. So I went with what I already knew: Sangria, Valencia for oranges (thank you Starbucks), and of course tapas.

The first tapas recipe I made was Patatas Bravas which I understand hails from both countries. It is basically like upgrading fries with ketchup from coach to first class. My apologies to the fine folks at Heinz but I have this recipe memorized now and may never turn back.

The second was Escalivada. Escalivada is roasted vegetables. Delicious roasted vegetables. Need I say more?

I absolutely love tomatoes so up to this point I was in love with this meal. I also happen to love lemons so the Citrus Sangria seemed an obvious choice. For those who weren't drinking that day I squeezed the citrus slices into all natural concord grape juice, topped it with soda and served it over fruit and ice. It doesn't pack quite the same punch but you can certainly knock back a few. Sangria however...well that's a whole other blog.

The Valencia Orange Pie just didn't want to set. I ended up putting it in the freezer and that basically did the trick. Unfortunately I had already garnished it so the mandarin oranges froze too. If I were to attempt this recipe again I would reduce the juice, or replace it with extract, or even eliminate it altogether. A little agar agar could also be the solution. If all else fails serve the sangria first, no one will notice the frozen fruit. Salud!

Patatas Bravas

2 lbs potatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt

1. Preheat oven to 400F
2. Cut potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes.
3. Coat in oil and season with salt (I shake them in a sealed container).
4. Roast on a baking sheet for 20 minutes.
5. Turn over and bake for another 15-20 minutes until crisp and golden.

Sauce:
3 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
796 ml can diced tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp sugar
Salt to taste

1. Heat oil in pan over medium heat.
2. Saute onions until soft.
3. Add garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, and seasonings.
4. Bring to a boil while stirring.
5. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-20 minutes until slightly thickened.
6. Serve over roasted potatoes.
The sauce can be made in advance and reheated. It tastes even better the next day.
(adapted from BBCFood)

Escalivada
1 bulb garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
2 small eggplants
1 bunch scallions (5-7 in a bunch)
2 red peppers
2 large tomatoes
3 tbsp olive oil
Salt
Black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400F
2. Cut top off garlic bulb just enough to expose each clove.
3. Pour olive oil over exposed garlic and wrap completely in foil.
4. Cut remaining vegetables into fairly large pieces, similariy sized.
5. Coat vegetables in olive oil and season with salt and pepper (I shake them in a sealed container).
6. Place vegetables and garlic on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper.
7. Roast for 30 minutes, turning part way if needed.
8. If you want to remove the skins, place peppers and eggplant in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to steam, about 10 minutes, then peel (I only peeled the peppers).
9. Remove garlic cloves from the bulb and toss in a serving dish with the other roasted vegetables.
10. Serve warm.
(adapted from SpainRecipes)

Tomato Rice

1/8 cup olive oil
1 tbsp margarine (I like Earth Balance)
1/2 a large yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
796 ml can whole tomatoes
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup long-grain white rice
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Drain the tomatoes. You will only need about 5-6 tomatoes, chopped (I save the liquid and extra tomatoes for soups).
2. Heat oil & margarine in a saucepan until melted over medium heat.
3. Saute onions until soft.
4. Add garlic and saute another minute.
5. Add chopped tomatoes, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
6. Add broth and bring to boil.
7. Add rice, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, until cooked.
8. Salt and pepper to taste.
(adapted from WorldRecipes)

Citrus Sangria
Step 1:
26 oz bottle dry red wine
1/2 cup Cointreau
1/2 cup brandy (we used cognac because we had it on hand)
Juice of 1 large orange
Juice of 1 medium lemon
Juice of 1 medium lime
2 tbsp confectioner's sugar

Step 2:
1 small orange, sliced thin crosswise
1 small lemon, sliced thin crosswise
1 small lime, sliced thin crosswise
Club soda to taste
Ice

1. Mix ingredients from step 1 in a large pitcher and refrigerate overnight.
2. Right before serving, add fruit slices, club soda. Serve over ice.
(adapted from SpainRecipes)

Valencia Orange Pie
1 prepared chocolate cookie crumb pie crust
2 x 227g packages soy cream cheese

4 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp orange juice
Small can manadarin oranges
Chocolate shavings (I used orange infused chocolate)

1. Beat cream cheese, sugar & orange juice until combined.
2. Pour into pie crust and refrigerate for four hours (I put it in the freezer).
3. Decorate with mandarin slices and chocolate shavings.
(adapted from SpainRecipes)

Senegal & Guinea

Menu:

Poulet Yassa (Senegal & Guinea)
Fatouche Salad (Senegal)
Ginger Drink (Guinea)

Mangoes (Guinea)

I should explain that the map we bought is in fact a puzzle and, since they are neighbours, Senegal and Guinea fell on the same puzzle piece. We figured why not represent them both in one meal.

Both countries have a chicken dish called Poulet Yassa. I believe it was originally Senegalese but has become popular throughout Western Africa. And if folks all over Western Africa were eating it then we had to check it out. The dish is supposed to simmer for about an hour but, because I replaced the chicken with a soy substitute, I simmered the sauce by itself and added the "chicken" strips at the end just to heat through. I imagine the original recipe has a much richer sauce. Our version had a tart, mustardy flavour with a bit of sweetness.

The Fatouche Salad was the perfect combination of crisp, crunch, and zing. The mint and lemon added such a refreshing touch.

We found one Guinean recipe that called for mangoes to be boiled with a little salt until mushy. We had every intention of giving that a try but as it happened the day we planned the meal turned out to be an exceptionnaly hot day. It was a unanimous decision devour those delicious mangos as they were. I'm fairly certain this happens in Guinea too.

The Ginger Drink was the star of the meal. It was an intense citrus and ginger blend brilliantly combined with cinnamon and clove. The process takes a while but it was worth it.

Leftover ingredients from this meal also inpired one of my favorite smoothies. Blend a mango, the juice of one orange, and the juice of half a lemon with a spoonful of dulce flakes. Delish!

Poulet Yassa

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 purple onions, chopped

2-3 tbsp Dijon mustard

Black pepper

Salt

2 dried chilli peppers

Juice of one lemon

2 packages Yves Meatless Chicken Strips

2 medium tomatoes, diced

1. Heat oil in pan over medium heat.

2. Saute onions until soft.

3. Lower heat and add mustard, pepper, salt, chillis, and lemon juice.

4. Simmer for about 30 minutes, adding water if sauce gets too thick.

5. Remove chillis and add "chicken" until heated through.

6. Stir in diced tomatoes before serving.

7. Serve over cous cous.

(adapted from Kariborders)

Fatouche Salad

1 piece of whole wheat pita
1 cup cucumber, diced
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, chopped
4 tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup fresh mint, finely chopped
1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
Juice of one lemon
3 tbsp olive oil

1. Toast pita and tear into bite-sized pieces.
2. Mix all ingredients and chill.

(adapted from Kariborders)

Ginger Drink

3 cups boiling water
1/2 cup ginger, peeled and grated
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp clove, whole
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 cup lime or lemon juice, fresh squeezed
1/2 cup orange juice, fresh squeezed
4 cups cold water

1. Place ginger, sugar, clove and cinnamon in a non-reactive pot or bowl (glass, stainless steel, enamel)
2. Add boiling water, cover and set aside in a warm place for an hour.
3. Strain liquid and add juices and cold water.
4. Set aside in a warm place for another hour.
5. Strain liquid again, but keep sediment at the bottom.
6. Refrigerate in a non-reactive container.
7. Serve chilled with lime. Dilute with ice or water if desired.
(adapted from FriendsOfGuinea)

Cuba

I knew that the infamous Cuban sandwich was the way to go for my Cuban meal. Traditionally it's ham, pork, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard on Cuban bread so naturally I had to make some substitutions. I used Yves ham and turkey slices to replace the meats, vegan mozzarella as my cheese, French baguette because I couldn't find Cuban bread anywhere, and then threw them on the panini press. I admit I had my doubts about this meat and condiment sandwich but after one bite I was sold. I served them with Frijoles Negros (Cuban black beans) mixed with brown rice, a pile of plantain chips, rum, and Coke with lime.

Frijoles Negros (Cuban black beans)

1 tbsp olive oil
1 (19 ounce/540 ml) can black beans, keep liquid
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
Lime to taste

1. Heat olive oil in pan over medium heat.
2. Saute onions and green pepper until soft.
3. Add garlic and spices, saute 1 minute.
4. Add beans and liquid.
5. Simmer for 30 minutes.
6 Stir in vinegar and lime before serving.
7. Serve with brown rice.
(adapted from Recipezaar)

Scrap Eat World...

It all started when we picked a copy of a board game called Cuba. It's one of those strategy game's that can swallow an entire day if you get caught up in it. After a few weeks of clashing schedules we finally found a date in which all of us were free to vie for political control over a fictitious Cuba. In the spirit of the game I cracked open the rum, got out the Ibrahim Ferrer Cds and prepared a Cuban themed meal for us. This celebration of Cuba on a random Sunday afternoon was a hit.

That's when we knew we were onto something.

Why not take on the whole world? We got ourselves a world map puzzle, threw all the pieces in a virtual hat and began drawing new cultures to explore through food. This journey is about food, not travel. The challenge is that most of us are vegan.