Bring Turkish cuisine into your home with this recipe for homemade Iskender kabob that is so easy, even for those chefs whose kitchen expertise is largely confined to opening take-out! In my last post, I shared my first experience with the Turkish Iskender kabob. Roasted meat, toasted flatbread, tangy tomato sauce, and tart yogurt combine…
Year: 2015
The Iskender kabob and Ala Turka: A Turkish discovery in Oman
Turkish food is high on my list of favorite national cuisines. I am a sucker for mezze (small hot and cold appetizers, though I make meals out of them), but a good kabob or pide is a solid bet. Yet it took a trip to Oman to try a special kabob I’d yet to discover:…
Where to go for dates
Tonight is date night. Choose wisely! Dates are more important than you might think – human survival has depended upon them in many cases. All dates are not the same. The range in appearance and texture is unexpectedly wide. A good date is sweet and gives you a boost of energy, while a bad date…
Global food adventures in the Sultanate of Oman
What is Omani cuisine? And where is Oman? I’ll answer these questions in my next few posts. Join me on a culinary tour of the exotic Sultanate of Oman. The Middle East. When you think of the region’s cuisine, shawarma, kabobs, hummus, falafel, halva/halwa, and baklava are a few of the images that might come…
Guest Post:Traveling on a Budget: 4 Ways to Save
Today, I am excited to share a guest post from CD Ambassador Sandra Sentell. Join Sandra as she shares four tips for saving money – while still eating well -on the road, set against the backdrop of a five-country vacation! Welcome, Sandra! What does visiting 5 countries and traveling to 10 cities in a matter…
The Culinary Diplomat rates airplane food
Ok, you saw the title and were either disturbed or intrigued. Airplane food? Really? We all know it certainly has no reputation as a gourmet walk in the clouds. Why bother rating dishes that barely resemble the international delicacies they pretend to be? As a frequent international traveler, airplane food is an inevitability. Over the…
The best – and most expensive – lunch I ever ate: Le Parc at Les Crayeres, Reims
Imagine eating lunch in a museum dedicated to food. The walls and soft pastel furnishings have the regal feel of a palace. The food is presented as a series of exquisite courses, each a work of art; each outdoing one another. The atmosphere in the dining room is one of pure reverence, silence as each…
Why Champagne is champagne, Part II: Demystifying from vine to label
In my last post, I dissected the cultural icon that is champagne. Not all sparkling wines are created equal. For many of us, champagne is a bit of an enigma, elitist even. The terminology may seem a bit foreign. Like an exclusive club created it like a secret handshake: a means to determine who really…
Why Champagne is champagne, Part I
Champagne. Is any other beverage so widely equated with “the good life,” social status celebrations, and special events around the world? “Champagne” has become so well-known in popular culture and yet so misunderstood. The term has become so synonymous with sparkling wine that it is easy to forget that it is really a brand, a…
Healthy Diplomat: Four tips for staying healthy away from home
Frequent or long trips away from home can wreak havoc on one’s body. Overdosing on new food, exposure to new germs – especially during air and rail travel, limited access to fitness facilities, and altered routines easily can lead to illness, weight gain, and falling out of shape. When I travel, I try to follow…
The Culinary Diplomat 