Mary Jo here to talk about my winter vacation!
Jamaica has a rich and varied history, not to mention an abundance of warmth and sunshine which makes it a pleasing winter destination for pale, shivering Northerners. The island is also large enough to have a well developed culture–and cuisine.
Which brings me to the weekly farmers' market in Ocho Rios. A couple of years ago, we stayed at the Jamaica Inn, a laidback boutique hotel with a lovely little beach, and a history of hosting famous people like Winston Churchill, Arthur Miller and Marilyn Monroe on their honeymoon, among others. On the previous visit, I ate up the history.
On this return visit, I went right to the food. <G> Once a week, the executive chef 
of the Jamaica Inn, Chef Maurice, takes a group of inn guests to the nearby Ocho Rios farmers' market to show the quality and variety of local produce. With tasting, and a cooking demonstration back at the inn. <G>
Having grown up on a farm, I love all farmers' markets for the freshness of the offerings and the direct connection between producers and consumers. Since Jamaica is a lush tropical paradise, there are many kinds of produce, some native as well as many crops that were imported and found the island good. The market itself looked just as it ought: a number of trucks and simple booths displaying produce and vendors 
chatting in a friendly way.
Some items were familiar: carrots and onions and tomatoes. Things I've read about but seldom seen, like breadfruit. Lots of citrus, including small, intensely flavorful limes that once grew 
wild all over Jamaica and are an essential element of their cuisine, from fish to salads to drinks. They were so common they were taken for granted until suddenly there weren't enough and now they must be cultivated.
Lots of members of the banana family: regular bananas like we see in the US, the larger plantains that are cooked in a variety of ways (including plantain chips), and delicious little apple bananas, ripe and sweet. 
We all got to eat one of those last. Yum! <G>
There were also fruits I'd never seen before, some of which grow wild in Jamaica and may never been cultivated. The custard apple is related to the pawpaw, we were told, and the soft white interior was tasty and looked like vanilla yogurt, My favorite was a plum sized oval that looked rather like a small kiwi fruit. It had a sweet, juicy interior with a flavor that reminded me of cloves. I'd buy them if they were in 
my store! We tasted a variety of things, and concluded with a drink of coconut water right from the source.
Chef Maurice also showed us Scotch Bonnet peppers, which are famously the hottest food in the world. To quote Wikipedia, "Most Scotch bonnets have a heat rating of 100,000–350,000 Scoville units. For comparison, most jalapeño peppers have a heat rating of 2,500 to 8,000 on the Scoville scale." !!!!
However, the chef explained that there are also sweet varieties and some that are only somewhat hot. He asked if anyone wanted a taste and got no takers. (Though the Mayhem Consultant considered volunteering. <G>)
In researching, I found that some of the local products have multiple names. A 
spicy and wonderfully scented leaf that looked like a bay leaf was called pimenta, but I found later it was the fresh leaf of the all spice plant. It's used in local cooking when fresh but doesn't dry well, so only the seeds have entered our spice shelves.
There was also sorrel, a blossom that can be steeped to makes a deep red drink. Fortified with ginger, spices, and dark rum, it's a popular Christmas drink. I'd have willingly sampled that! Later on the internet, I 
found that the blossoms are hibiscus and used in many countries in a range of beverages. In the US, Celestial Seasonings uses hibiscus for its popular Red Zinger tea.
All in all, it was a delightful experience, but the best was yet to come. Back at the inn, Chef Maurice gave us a cooking demonstration of ackee and saltfish, the national dish of Jamaica. We'd seen ackee at the market. It's the fruit of a tree native to West Africa which is now grown throughout the Caribbean.
Chef Maurice sautéed onions and peppers, including one of the milder Scotch Bonnet peppers to give a bit of bite. He added the precooked ackee and sautéed some more, then lastly added soaked and chopped salt cod.
Sometimes used as ship ballast, salt cod became an important part of the diet in Jamaica and elsewhere. The resulting ackee and saltfish looks surprisingly like scrambled eggs and made a delicious lunch with a 
couple of tasty side items.
I think the moral is that it's fun to visit other places and taste local specialties. This can be done without leaving the country, of course!
When you travel, do you try new things? If so, which ones have you liked and which ones did you abandon after a single bite? <G>
Mary Jo
Australia is apparently one of the world’s biggest producers of custard apples (though they’re from South America originally), but most of what we grow ends up overseas.
I try different foods overseas within reason. I’m definitely not someone who goes eating creepy local specialities just to say I have. I’m fussy even at home!
Australia is apparently one of the world’s biggest producers of custard apples (though they’re from South America originally), but most of what we grow ends up overseas.
I try different foods overseas within reason. I’m definitely not someone who goes eating creepy local specialities just to say I have. I’m fussy even at home!
Australia is apparently one of the world’s biggest producers of custard apples (though they’re from South America originally), but most of what we grow ends up overseas.
I try different foods overseas within reason. I’m definitely not someone who goes eating creepy local specialities just to say I have. I’m fussy even at home!
Australia is apparently one of the world’s biggest producers of custard apples (though they’re from South America originally), but most of what we grow ends up overseas.
I try different foods overseas within reason. I’m definitely not someone who goes eating creepy local specialities just to say I have. I’m fussy even at home!
Australia is apparently one of the world’s biggest producers of custard apples (though they’re from South America originally), but most of what we grow ends up overseas.
I try different foods overseas within reason. I’m definitely not someone who goes eating creepy local specialities just to say I have. I’m fussy even at home!
When I travel, my absolute favorite thing is trolling the markets and then cooking the treasures found. A cheese-wine-beer pairing/tasting at Neals Yard Dairy in London, hands-on cooking class in Istanbul (most memorable: roasting eggplant over charcoal), hot pot in Inner Mongolia, curry making in Thailand, my personal favorite: chicken-stuffed lemongrass cooked in a charcoal brazier in Luang Prabang, Laos–goodness, I didn’t realize how well-traveled my tummy has been! In Taipei, our tour agent one night said, “We are Chinese Americans (he was from LA), but YOU (pointing a finger at me) are an American Chinese.” Bring it on’ (No scorpions at the Kowloon night market, though. I do have my line to draw.) The fruit’s always the best, though. Wish I were there with you, Mary Jo!
When I travel, my absolute favorite thing is trolling the markets and then cooking the treasures found. A cheese-wine-beer pairing/tasting at Neals Yard Dairy in London, hands-on cooking class in Istanbul (most memorable: roasting eggplant over charcoal), hot pot in Inner Mongolia, curry making in Thailand, my personal favorite: chicken-stuffed lemongrass cooked in a charcoal brazier in Luang Prabang, Laos–goodness, I didn’t realize how well-traveled my tummy has been! In Taipei, our tour agent one night said, “We are Chinese Americans (he was from LA), but YOU (pointing a finger at me) are an American Chinese.” Bring it on’ (No scorpions at the Kowloon night market, though. I do have my line to draw.) The fruit’s always the best, though. Wish I were there with you, Mary Jo!
When I travel, my absolute favorite thing is trolling the markets and then cooking the treasures found. A cheese-wine-beer pairing/tasting at Neals Yard Dairy in London, hands-on cooking class in Istanbul (most memorable: roasting eggplant over charcoal), hot pot in Inner Mongolia, curry making in Thailand, my personal favorite: chicken-stuffed lemongrass cooked in a charcoal brazier in Luang Prabang, Laos–goodness, I didn’t realize how well-traveled my tummy has been! In Taipei, our tour agent one night said, “We are Chinese Americans (he was from LA), but YOU (pointing a finger at me) are an American Chinese.” Bring it on’ (No scorpions at the Kowloon night market, though. I do have my line to draw.) The fruit’s always the best, though. Wish I were there with you, Mary Jo!
When I travel, my absolute favorite thing is trolling the markets and then cooking the treasures found. A cheese-wine-beer pairing/tasting at Neals Yard Dairy in London, hands-on cooking class in Istanbul (most memorable: roasting eggplant over charcoal), hot pot in Inner Mongolia, curry making in Thailand, my personal favorite: chicken-stuffed lemongrass cooked in a charcoal brazier in Luang Prabang, Laos–goodness, I didn’t realize how well-traveled my tummy has been! In Taipei, our tour agent one night said, “We are Chinese Americans (he was from LA), but YOU (pointing a finger at me) are an American Chinese.” Bring it on’ (No scorpions at the Kowloon night market, though. I do have my line to draw.) The fruit’s always the best, though. Wish I were there with you, Mary Jo!
When I travel, my absolute favorite thing is trolling the markets and then cooking the treasures found. A cheese-wine-beer pairing/tasting at Neals Yard Dairy in London, hands-on cooking class in Istanbul (most memorable: roasting eggplant over charcoal), hot pot in Inner Mongolia, curry making in Thailand, my personal favorite: chicken-stuffed lemongrass cooked in a charcoal brazier in Luang Prabang, Laos–goodness, I didn’t realize how well-traveled my tummy has been! In Taipei, our tour agent one night said, “We are Chinese Americans (he was from LA), but YOU (pointing a finger at me) are an American Chinese.” Bring it on’ (No scorpions at the Kowloon night market, though. I do have my line to draw.) The fruit’s always the best, though. Wish I were there with you, Mary Jo!
I don’t travel much, but I explore new restaurants at home and away. I also explore recipes from some internet feeds I subscribe to.
Sometimes I’m unhappy, sometimes, it’s so-so, and sometimes we get a hit! Calmari — tried when we lived in metropolitan New York— is definitely OFF my list. I tried ; NO need to repeat the experience. At home we jJust tried a garlic chicken recipe with cheese that looked good on the page, but was such a dud that we are throwing out the other half!
I still make a tuna salad we ate at a now-closed smorgasbord in Manhattan. I went home and back-engineered it. Its not quite the same as the original but we like it a lot. And a less exotic choice, I back-engineered a version of Applebee’s Bourbon Street steak. Again, it’s not the same, but we can have this at home as well as when we go out.
I don’t travel much, but I explore new restaurants at home and away. I also explore recipes from some internet feeds I subscribe to.
Sometimes I’m unhappy, sometimes, it’s so-so, and sometimes we get a hit! Calmari — tried when we lived in metropolitan New York— is definitely OFF my list. I tried ; NO need to repeat the experience. At home we jJust tried a garlic chicken recipe with cheese that looked good on the page, but was such a dud that we are throwing out the other half!
I still make a tuna salad we ate at a now-closed smorgasbord in Manhattan. I went home and back-engineered it. Its not quite the same as the original but we like it a lot. And a less exotic choice, I back-engineered a version of Applebee’s Bourbon Street steak. Again, it’s not the same, but we can have this at home as well as when we go out.
I don’t travel much, but I explore new restaurants at home and away. I also explore recipes from some internet feeds I subscribe to.
Sometimes I’m unhappy, sometimes, it’s so-so, and sometimes we get a hit! Calmari — tried when we lived in metropolitan New York— is definitely OFF my list. I tried ; NO need to repeat the experience. At home we jJust tried a garlic chicken recipe with cheese that looked good on the page, but was such a dud that we are throwing out the other half!
I still make a tuna salad we ate at a now-closed smorgasbord in Manhattan. I went home and back-engineered it. Its not quite the same as the original but we like it a lot. And a less exotic choice, I back-engineered a version of Applebee’s Bourbon Street steak. Again, it’s not the same, but we can have this at home as well as when we go out.
I don’t travel much, but I explore new restaurants at home and away. I also explore recipes from some internet feeds I subscribe to.
Sometimes I’m unhappy, sometimes, it’s so-so, and sometimes we get a hit! Calmari — tried when we lived in metropolitan New York— is definitely OFF my list. I tried ; NO need to repeat the experience. At home we jJust tried a garlic chicken recipe with cheese that looked good on the page, but was such a dud that we are throwing out the other half!
I still make a tuna salad we ate at a now-closed smorgasbord in Manhattan. I went home and back-engineered it. Its not quite the same as the original but we like it a lot. And a less exotic choice, I back-engineered a version of Applebee’s Bourbon Street steak. Again, it’s not the same, but we can have this at home as well as when we go out.
I don’t travel much, but I explore new restaurants at home and away. I also explore recipes from some internet feeds I subscribe to.
Sometimes I’m unhappy, sometimes, it’s so-so, and sometimes we get a hit! Calmari — tried when we lived in metropolitan New York— is definitely OFF my list. I tried ; NO need to repeat the experience. At home we jJust tried a garlic chicken recipe with cheese that looked good on the page, but was such a dud that we are throwing out the other half!
I still make a tuna salad we ate at a now-closed smorgasbord in Manhattan. I went home and back-engineered it. Its not quite the same as the original but we like it a lot. And a less exotic choice, I back-engineered a version of Applebee’s Bourbon Street steak. Again, it’s not the same, but we can have this at home as well as when we go out.
Sonya, I’m with you on the creepy local specialties. No sheep eyeballs, please! I got the impression that there are a lot of variations on custard apples, so probably the kind that were brought to Australia and particularly nice and well adapted to the climate. I’ll have to look for them if I get back to Oz!
Sonya, I’m with you on the creepy local specialties. No sheep eyeballs, please! I got the impression that there are a lot of variations on custard apples, so probably the kind that were brought to Australia and particularly nice and well adapted to the climate. I’ll have to look for them if I get back to Oz!
Sonya, I’m with you on the creepy local specialties. No sheep eyeballs, please! I got the impression that there are a lot of variations on custard apples, so probably the kind that were brought to Australia and particularly nice and well adapted to the climate. I’ll have to look for them if I get back to Oz!
Sonya, I’m with you on the creepy local specialties. No sheep eyeballs, please! I got the impression that there are a lot of variations on custard apples, so probably the kind that were brought to Australia and particularly nice and well adapted to the climate. I’ll have to look for them if I get back to Oz!
Sonya, I’m with you on the creepy local specialties. No sheep eyeballs, please! I got the impression that there are a lot of variations on custard apples, so probably the kind that were brought to Australia and particularly nice and well adapted to the climate. I’ll have to look for them if I get back to Oz!
Mary M, I want to travel with you!!! That all sounds lovely. I’ve considered trying some cooking classes when traveling, but it’s never worked out.
I’m with you on the scorpions–Gaaack! That would be like the things Klingons eat on Star Trek. *G*
But I’m curious on the distinction between Chinese American and American Chinese. Is it the number of generations removed from China? I’ll bet the guide scarfed up whatever you made. *G*
Mary M, I want to travel with you!!! That all sounds lovely. I’ve considered trying some cooking classes when traveling, but it’s never worked out.
I’m with you on the scorpions–Gaaack! That would be like the things Klingons eat on Star Trek. *G*
But I’m curious on the distinction between Chinese American and American Chinese. Is it the number of generations removed from China? I’ll bet the guide scarfed up whatever you made. *G*
Mary M, I want to travel with you!!! That all sounds lovely. I’ve considered trying some cooking classes when traveling, but it’s never worked out.
I’m with you on the scorpions–Gaaack! That would be like the things Klingons eat on Star Trek. *G*
But I’m curious on the distinction between Chinese American and American Chinese. Is it the number of generations removed from China? I’ll bet the guide scarfed up whatever you made. *G*
Mary M, I want to travel with you!!! That all sounds lovely. I’ve considered trying some cooking classes when traveling, but it’s never worked out.
I’m with you on the scorpions–Gaaack! That would be like the things Klingons eat on Star Trek. *G*
But I’m curious on the distinction between Chinese American and American Chinese. Is it the number of generations removed from China? I’ll bet the guide scarfed up whatever you made. *G*
Mary M, I want to travel with you!!! That all sounds lovely. I’ve considered trying some cooking classes when traveling, but it’s never worked out.
I’m with you on the scorpions–Gaaack! That would be like the things Klingons eat on Star Trek. *G*
But I’m curious on the distinction between Chinese American and American Chinese. Is it the number of generations removed from China? I’ll bet the guide scarfed up whatever you made. *G*
Sue–
I’m with you on the calamari! It’s way too much like rubber bands. I’ve also made mistakes with recipes that look promising but are a disappointment to make.
Reverse engineering is a worth task. I think it’s almost impossible to exactly duplicate a good restaurant dish because they tend to use a lot of ingredients. But it’s fun to try, and and it sounds like you come close enough to make the effort deliciously worthwhile!
Sue–
I’m with you on the calamari! It’s way too much like rubber bands. I’ve also made mistakes with recipes that look promising but are a disappointment to make.
Reverse engineering is a worth task. I think it’s almost impossible to exactly duplicate a good restaurant dish because they tend to use a lot of ingredients. But it’s fun to try, and and it sounds like you come close enough to make the effort deliciously worthwhile!
Sue–
I’m with you on the calamari! It’s way too much like rubber bands. I’ve also made mistakes with recipes that look promising but are a disappointment to make.
Reverse engineering is a worth task. I think it’s almost impossible to exactly duplicate a good restaurant dish because they tend to use a lot of ingredients. But it’s fun to try, and and it sounds like you come close enough to make the effort deliciously worthwhile!
Sue–
I’m with you on the calamari! It’s way too much like rubber bands. I’ve also made mistakes with recipes that look promising but are a disappointment to make.
Reverse engineering is a worth task. I think it’s almost impossible to exactly duplicate a good restaurant dish because they tend to use a lot of ingredients. But it’s fun to try, and and it sounds like you come close enough to make the effort deliciously worthwhile!
Sue–
I’m with you on the calamari! It’s way too much like rubber bands. I’ve also made mistakes with recipes that look promising but are a disappointment to make.
Reverse engineering is a worth task. I think it’s almost impossible to exactly duplicate a good restaurant dish because they tend to use a lot of ingredients. But it’s fun to try, and and it sounds like you come close enough to make the effort deliciously worthwhile!
I hate to sound like a wuess but a lot of foods upset my digestion so I’m a cautious eater. Definitely wouldn’t try spicy! Though I’m good with ginger. I’m not the adventurous type when it comes to food. I do like trying new recipes but with ingredients I recognize that I don’t react badly to. Seafood is great but not so much things like calamari or shell fish though (rubber anyone?)I do like and make a white clam chowder but with baby clams.
I hate to sound like a wuess but a lot of foods upset my digestion so I’m a cautious eater. Definitely wouldn’t try spicy! Though I’m good with ginger. I’m not the adventurous type when it comes to food. I do like trying new recipes but with ingredients I recognize that I don’t react badly to. Seafood is great but not so much things like calamari or shell fish though (rubber anyone?)I do like and make a white clam chowder but with baby clams.
I hate to sound like a wuess but a lot of foods upset my digestion so I’m a cautious eater. Definitely wouldn’t try spicy! Though I’m good with ginger. I’m not the adventurous type when it comes to food. I do like trying new recipes but with ingredients I recognize that I don’t react badly to. Seafood is great but not so much things like calamari or shell fish though (rubber anyone?)I do like and make a white clam chowder but with baby clams.
I hate to sound like a wuess but a lot of foods upset my digestion so I’m a cautious eater. Definitely wouldn’t try spicy! Though I’m good with ginger. I’m not the adventurous type when it comes to food. I do like trying new recipes but with ingredients I recognize that I don’t react badly to. Seafood is great but not so much things like calamari or shell fish though (rubber anyone?)I do like and make a white clam chowder but with baby clams.
I hate to sound like a wuess but a lot of foods upset my digestion so I’m a cautious eater. Definitely wouldn’t try spicy! Though I’m good with ginger. I’m not the adventurous type when it comes to food. I do like trying new recipes but with ingredients I recognize that I don’t react badly to. Seafood is great but not so much things like calamari or shell fish though (rubber anyone?)I do like and make a white clam chowder but with baby clams.
I’ll eat just about any kind of strange thing as long as it’s vegetable, and not animal. I was in Columbia a few years ago and had the most amazing tropical fruits. I learned the names of them all, but in Spanish, not English. I think custard apple is closely related to soursop, or as they call it in Columbia, guanabana. I also love calamari, as well as scungilli(conch) and pulpo(octopus). But those are so common in Italian restaurants in the eastern U.S. that I don’t consider them exotic.
I’ll eat just about any kind of strange thing as long as it’s vegetable, and not animal. I was in Columbia a few years ago and had the most amazing tropical fruits. I learned the names of them all, but in Spanish, not English. I think custard apple is closely related to soursop, or as they call it in Columbia, guanabana. I also love calamari, as well as scungilli(conch) and pulpo(octopus). But those are so common in Italian restaurants in the eastern U.S. that I don’t consider them exotic.
I’ll eat just about any kind of strange thing as long as it’s vegetable, and not animal. I was in Columbia a few years ago and had the most amazing tropical fruits. I learned the names of them all, but in Spanish, not English. I think custard apple is closely related to soursop, or as they call it in Columbia, guanabana. I also love calamari, as well as scungilli(conch) and pulpo(octopus). But those are so common in Italian restaurants in the eastern U.S. that I don’t consider them exotic.
I’ll eat just about any kind of strange thing as long as it’s vegetable, and not animal. I was in Columbia a few years ago and had the most amazing tropical fruits. I learned the names of them all, but in Spanish, not English. I think custard apple is closely related to soursop, or as they call it in Columbia, guanabana. I also love calamari, as well as scungilli(conch) and pulpo(octopus). But those are so common in Italian restaurants in the eastern U.S. that I don’t consider them exotic.
I’ll eat just about any kind of strange thing as long as it’s vegetable, and not animal. I was in Columbia a few years ago and had the most amazing tropical fruits. I learned the names of them all, but in Spanish, not English. I think custard apple is closely related to soursop, or as they call it in Columbia, guanabana. I also love calamari, as well as scungilli(conch) and pulpo(octopus). But those are so common in Italian restaurants in the eastern U.S. that I don’t consider them exotic.
Karen, it’s a wise woman who knows what her body needs and doesn’t need! Ginger is a classic treatment for tender tummies, so that’s a good choice. I have ginger and–peach, I think–tea that’s lovely.
Karen, it’s a wise woman who knows what her body needs and doesn’t need! Ginger is a classic treatment for tender tummies, so that’s a good choice. I have ginger and–peach, I think–tea that’s lovely.
Karen, it’s a wise woman who knows what her body needs and doesn’t need! Ginger is a classic treatment for tender tummies, so that’s a good choice. I have ginger and–peach, I think–tea that’s lovely.
Karen, it’s a wise woman who knows what her body needs and doesn’t need! Ginger is a classic treatment for tender tummies, so that’s a good choice. I have ginger and–peach, I think–tea that’s lovely.
Karen, it’s a wise woman who knows what her body needs and doesn’t need! Ginger is a classic treatment for tender tummies, so that’s a good choice. I have ginger and–peach, I think–tea that’s lovely.
Karin, I’m another who is much more likely to experiment on exotic dishes from the vegetable kingdom rather than the animal. According to Wikipedia, custard apple is indeed related to soursop, and I think there’s a sweetsop version. It’s sounds like an interesting family of fruits with which I am insufficiently acquainted.
A couple of years ago, we cruised the upper Amazon, and as you’d expect, there were many interesting fruits that were new to me. Fun!
Karin, I’m another who is much more likely to experiment on exotic dishes from the vegetable kingdom rather than the animal. According to Wikipedia, custard apple is indeed related to soursop, and I think there’s a sweetsop version. It’s sounds like an interesting family of fruits with which I am insufficiently acquainted.
A couple of years ago, we cruised the upper Amazon, and as you’d expect, there were many interesting fruits that were new to me. Fun!
Karin, I’m another who is much more likely to experiment on exotic dishes from the vegetable kingdom rather than the animal. According to Wikipedia, custard apple is indeed related to soursop, and I think there’s a sweetsop version. It’s sounds like an interesting family of fruits with which I am insufficiently acquainted.
A couple of years ago, we cruised the upper Amazon, and as you’d expect, there were many interesting fruits that were new to me. Fun!
Karin, I’m another who is much more likely to experiment on exotic dishes from the vegetable kingdom rather than the animal. According to Wikipedia, custard apple is indeed related to soursop, and I think there’s a sweetsop version. It’s sounds like an interesting family of fruits with which I am insufficiently acquainted.
A couple of years ago, we cruised the upper Amazon, and as you’d expect, there were many interesting fruits that were new to me. Fun!
Karin, I’m another who is much more likely to experiment on exotic dishes from the vegetable kingdom rather than the animal. According to Wikipedia, custard apple is indeed related to soursop, and I think there’s a sweetsop version. It’s sounds like an interesting family of fruits with which I am insufficiently acquainted.
A couple of years ago, we cruised the upper Amazon, and as you’d expect, there were many interesting fruits that were new to me. Fun!
OMG I have to go there and eat nearly all that food, it looks so tasty.
When I travel, I don’t usually try new things unless I’m on my own, b/c, you know -children. I haven’t taught them to be open to new things. So even if their father and I want to try something new, in the end we all keep on eating the same things.
To answer your second question -which ones have you liked and which ones did you abandon after a single bite?
Well, one thing I discovered when I travelled South on my own in a job-related travel was ‘eggplant with honey’. And I loved it.
As you know Spain has different cuisines depending on the region you live in. I’m from Northern Spain -with a climate and a landscape more or less the same one you can find in the British Isles, only warmer and with better beaches and higher mountains.
When I went to Andalusia, which is in Southern Spain and have a different way of cooking, I discovered this wonderful dish. It comes from the Arab times and appears also in the cuisine of the Sephardic Jews, at least in Middle Age times, according to the wikipedia.
On the opposite side, I don’t remember anything I tasted just once and said it was horrible but I remember a drink, ginger beer. I gave it a try in London. It was just awful.
OMG I have to go there and eat nearly all that food, it looks so tasty.
When I travel, I don’t usually try new things unless I’m on my own, b/c, you know -children. I haven’t taught them to be open to new things. So even if their father and I want to try something new, in the end we all keep on eating the same things.
To answer your second question -which ones have you liked and which ones did you abandon after a single bite?
Well, one thing I discovered when I travelled South on my own in a job-related travel was ‘eggplant with honey’. And I loved it.
As you know Spain has different cuisines depending on the region you live in. I’m from Northern Spain -with a climate and a landscape more or less the same one you can find in the British Isles, only warmer and with better beaches and higher mountains.
When I went to Andalusia, which is in Southern Spain and have a different way of cooking, I discovered this wonderful dish. It comes from the Arab times and appears also in the cuisine of the Sephardic Jews, at least in Middle Age times, according to the wikipedia.
On the opposite side, I don’t remember anything I tasted just once and said it was horrible but I remember a drink, ginger beer. I gave it a try in London. It was just awful.
OMG I have to go there and eat nearly all that food, it looks so tasty.
When I travel, I don’t usually try new things unless I’m on my own, b/c, you know -children. I haven’t taught them to be open to new things. So even if their father and I want to try something new, in the end we all keep on eating the same things.
To answer your second question -which ones have you liked and which ones did you abandon after a single bite?
Well, one thing I discovered when I travelled South on my own in a job-related travel was ‘eggplant with honey’. And I loved it.
As you know Spain has different cuisines depending on the region you live in. I’m from Northern Spain -with a climate and a landscape more or less the same one you can find in the British Isles, only warmer and with better beaches and higher mountains.
When I went to Andalusia, which is in Southern Spain and have a different way of cooking, I discovered this wonderful dish. It comes from the Arab times and appears also in the cuisine of the Sephardic Jews, at least in Middle Age times, according to the wikipedia.
On the opposite side, I don’t remember anything I tasted just once and said it was horrible but I remember a drink, ginger beer. I gave it a try in London. It was just awful.
OMG I have to go there and eat nearly all that food, it looks so tasty.
When I travel, I don’t usually try new things unless I’m on my own, b/c, you know -children. I haven’t taught them to be open to new things. So even if their father and I want to try something new, in the end we all keep on eating the same things.
To answer your second question -which ones have you liked and which ones did you abandon after a single bite?
Well, one thing I discovered when I travelled South on my own in a job-related travel was ‘eggplant with honey’. And I loved it.
As you know Spain has different cuisines depending on the region you live in. I’m from Northern Spain -with a climate and a landscape more or less the same one you can find in the British Isles, only warmer and with better beaches and higher mountains.
When I went to Andalusia, which is in Southern Spain and have a different way of cooking, I discovered this wonderful dish. It comes from the Arab times and appears also in the cuisine of the Sephardic Jews, at least in Middle Age times, according to the wikipedia.
On the opposite side, I don’t remember anything I tasted just once and said it was horrible but I remember a drink, ginger beer. I gave it a try in London. It was just awful.
OMG I have to go there and eat nearly all that food, it looks so tasty.
When I travel, I don’t usually try new things unless I’m on my own, b/c, you know -children. I haven’t taught them to be open to new things. So even if their father and I want to try something new, in the end we all keep on eating the same things.
To answer your second question -which ones have you liked and which ones did you abandon after a single bite?
Well, one thing I discovered when I travelled South on my own in a job-related travel was ‘eggplant with honey’. And I loved it.
As you know Spain has different cuisines depending on the region you live in. I’m from Northern Spain -with a climate and a landscape more or less the same one you can find in the British Isles, only warmer and with better beaches and higher mountains.
When I went to Andalusia, which is in Southern Spain and have a different way of cooking, I discovered this wonderful dish. It comes from the Arab times and appears also in the cuisine of the Sephardic Jews, at least in Middle Age times, according to the wikipedia.
On the opposite side, I don’t remember anything I tasted just once and said it was horrible but I remember a drink, ginger beer. I gave it a try in London. It was just awful.
Mary Jo, he just meant that I relish real Chinese food like a native, as if I were Chinese at heart. I’m really German-Swiss-French Canadian in ancestry. I love all ethnic cuisines, but when I cook, it’s most often Chinese. So maybe he was right!
Mary Jo, he just meant that I relish real Chinese food like a native, as if I were Chinese at heart. I’m really German-Swiss-French Canadian in ancestry. I love all ethnic cuisines, but when I cook, it’s most often Chinese. So maybe he was right!
Mary Jo, he just meant that I relish real Chinese food like a native, as if I were Chinese at heart. I’m really German-Swiss-French Canadian in ancestry. I love all ethnic cuisines, but when I cook, it’s most often Chinese. So maybe he was right!
Mary Jo, he just meant that I relish real Chinese food like a native, as if I were Chinese at heart. I’m really German-Swiss-French Canadian in ancestry. I love all ethnic cuisines, but when I cook, it’s most often Chinese. So maybe he was right!
Mary Jo, he just meant that I relish real Chinese food like a native, as if I were Chinese at heart. I’m really German-Swiss-French Canadian in ancestry. I love all ethnic cuisines, but when I cook, it’s most often Chinese. So maybe he was right!
Ah, I see! Funny, especially given your very European ancestry. *G*
Ah, I see! Funny, especially given your very European ancestry. *G*
Ah, I see! Funny, especially given your very European ancestry. *G*
Ah, I see! Funny, especially given your very European ancestry. *G*
Ah, I see! Funny, especially given your very European ancestry. *G*
Bona,
Unfortunate that you missed the window of opportunity for training your kids to try new things. Though you might have failed, because some children seem born with very conservative taste buds.
Interesting how different the cuisines of Spain are, but the country has such a rich and varied history and topography that it makes sense. That eggplant with honey is definitely something I want to try if I get to Andalusia!
British ginger beer is too fierce for me, too. *G*
Bona,
Unfortunate that you missed the window of opportunity for training your kids to try new things. Though you might have failed, because some children seem born with very conservative taste buds.
Interesting how different the cuisines of Spain are, but the country has such a rich and varied history and topography that it makes sense. That eggplant with honey is definitely something I want to try if I get to Andalusia!
British ginger beer is too fierce for me, too. *G*
Bona,
Unfortunate that you missed the window of opportunity for training your kids to try new things. Though you might have failed, because some children seem born with very conservative taste buds.
Interesting how different the cuisines of Spain are, but the country has such a rich and varied history and topography that it makes sense. That eggplant with honey is definitely something I want to try if I get to Andalusia!
British ginger beer is too fierce for me, too. *G*
Bona,
Unfortunate that you missed the window of opportunity for training your kids to try new things. Though you might have failed, because some children seem born with very conservative taste buds.
Interesting how different the cuisines of Spain are, but the country has such a rich and varied history and topography that it makes sense. That eggplant with honey is definitely something I want to try if I get to Andalusia!
British ginger beer is too fierce for me, too. *G*
Bona,
Unfortunate that you missed the window of opportunity for training your kids to try new things. Though you might have failed, because some children seem born with very conservative taste buds.
Interesting how different the cuisines of Spain are, but the country has such a rich and varied history and topography that it makes sense. That eggplant with honey is definitely something I want to try if I get to Andalusia!
British ginger beer is too fierce for me, too. *G*
Yes, I’m a bit stunned that calamari isn’t common everywhere, because every takeaway (takeout) shop in Australia has it! It’s in every restaurant – cheap to fancy! Every bar. Every pub. I’ve had it so much recently I’ve stopped buying it just because I’ve overdosed.
I guess we do have a massive Greek/Italian/etc. population here, so maybe we have more Mediterranean food here…??
Yes, I’m a bit stunned that calamari isn’t common everywhere, because every takeaway (takeout) shop in Australia has it! It’s in every restaurant – cheap to fancy! Every bar. Every pub. I’ve had it so much recently I’ve stopped buying it just because I’ve overdosed.
I guess we do have a massive Greek/Italian/etc. population here, so maybe we have more Mediterranean food here…??
Yes, I’m a bit stunned that calamari isn’t common everywhere, because every takeaway (takeout) shop in Australia has it! It’s in every restaurant – cheap to fancy! Every bar. Every pub. I’ve had it so much recently I’ve stopped buying it just because I’ve overdosed.
I guess we do have a massive Greek/Italian/etc. population here, so maybe we have more Mediterranean food here…??
Yes, I’m a bit stunned that calamari isn’t common everywhere, because every takeaway (takeout) shop in Australia has it! It’s in every restaurant – cheap to fancy! Every bar. Every pub. I’ve had it so much recently I’ve stopped buying it just because I’ve overdosed.
I guess we do have a massive Greek/Italian/etc. population here, so maybe we have more Mediterranean food here…??
Yes, I’m a bit stunned that calamari isn’t common everywhere, because every takeaway (takeout) shop in Australia has it! It’s in every restaurant – cheap to fancy! Every bar. Every pub. I’ve had it so much recently I’ve stopped buying it just because I’ve overdosed.
I guess we do have a massive Greek/Italian/etc. population here, so maybe we have more Mediterranean food here…??
Sonya–maybe a combination of people from the Mediterranean countries and also a really good supply of squid? Plus, certain foods just get popular in different places for reasons not easily determined. I didn’t know that calamari are so popular in Australia, but my eye tends to skim over them on menus since I’ve not enjoyed them.
Sonya–maybe a combination of people from the Mediterranean countries and also a really good supply of squid? Plus, certain foods just get popular in different places for reasons not easily determined. I didn’t know that calamari are so popular in Australia, but my eye tends to skim over them on menus since I’ve not enjoyed them.
Sonya–maybe a combination of people from the Mediterranean countries and also a really good supply of squid? Plus, certain foods just get popular in different places for reasons not easily determined. I didn’t know that calamari are so popular in Australia, but my eye tends to skim over them on menus since I’ve not enjoyed them.
Sonya–maybe a combination of people from the Mediterranean countries and also a really good supply of squid? Plus, certain foods just get popular in different places for reasons not easily determined. I didn’t know that calamari are so popular in Australia, but my eye tends to skim over them on menus since I’ve not enjoyed them.
Sonya–maybe a combination of people from the Mediterranean countries and also a really good supply of squid? Plus, certain foods just get popular in different places for reasons not easily determined. I didn’t know that calamari are so popular in Australia, but my eye tends to skim over them on menus since I’ve not enjoyed them.