One all-encompassing description of the event that I heard while there is how the Joy of Feeding connects a triangle of the environment, culture and cooking, and multiculturalism in our community.
Yesterday's five countries reviewed were just a third of this triangle.
From a small Maya village in Guatemala a wise cook made us Chaan. Probably the most exotic looking and tasting dish around, specially seeing how a long loaf wrapped in banana leaves is opened up, sliced and served.
One could argue that in reality there were 17, not 16, heritages featured during the day with the lovely bi-racial cook with mother from the Philippines and father from Goa. And the dish is a Goan Lamb Vindaloo. This was the kind of authentic Indian food that one cannot taste commercially - just delicious (and an easy recipe to follow).
It was so nice to see a full family from Syria working together to serve Kebbeh. My regular followers have heard more than enough on Kebbeh. But this is the first time I taste a Syrian version. Like my mother, the cook prefers to use very lean meat. The recipe is very much the same as my mom's but this version used walnuts instead of pine nuts and was much thinner than I am used to. In my books, nothing in the world tastes better than Kebbeh.
Crossing the seas almost straight line from Syria is Mexico. And a relatively new to Vancouver Mexican guy made this beautiful looking bowl of Agua Chile. Fresh and light tasting compared to many other platters of the day.
Crossing another ocean lands us in Vietnam. I am yet to taste a Vietnamese dish that I don't like and this was a very home-made tasty Vietnamese Green Papaya Salad with Beef Jerky & Peanuts. Just look at how colourful it is.
The recipe calls for 2 lbs of large green papaya. Until today, I have not seen such large green papayas. I wonder where to buy those given that this is a recipe worth trying at home.
By now I've had a very strong dosage of exotic food and needed something familiar, sweet and (many of you who know my taste in sweets will know what is coming next) creamy. And there it was, from our own Canada's Vancouver, the melt in your mouth and take you to heaven beautifully looking Chocolate Pudding (served in disposable and recyclable individual containers).
Now one thing I forgot to mention yesterday was that, with attending the event, you receive a 2012 souvenir cookbook that includes biographies and recipes of all 16 cooks and their dishes that were featured at this year's Joy of Feeding day. Talk about value-add. Anyone wants to guess what will I cook first?
Well, I'm not guessing either. I'm just going to sleep now dreaming of chocolate pudding.
See you all tomorrow with the third and last instalment.
2 comments:
You can get green papaya at the South China Seas Trading Co. on Granville Island. : )
Thank you Annie, will check it out.
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