The original motherland, the United Kingdom has a lot to offer culinarily, despite its somewhat trod-upon reputation. Serving up many comfort (or, in British speak, "nursery") food favorites, we've broken down a whole host of dishes as a guide for the uninitiated, or those looking to reminisce.
Source: Flickr user betsyweber, Flickr user jules:stonesoup, Susannah Chen, Thinkstock
British food customs can seem, well, a bit wonky to the uninitiated. Just as "afternoon tea" refers to a ritualistic midday meal rather than the consumption of the actual beverage, an English full breakfast, as it's known, has its own set of guidelines. More hearty than dainty, full breakfast is comfort food at its finest and is generally reserved for weekends — perhaps after a night of indulgence — much like the American custom of brunch.
While the exact offerings may vary from establishment to establishment, we've broken the usual suspects down:
Keep reading for sausage, toast, and all that jazz.
While we're not planning a trip to the land of stinky cheese and pastry anytime soon (le sigh), a girl can dream, so we've created a bucket list of sorts for what we'd eat if the travel gods blessed us with a plane ticket. Follow along for Bastille Day (or any day), and share your favorite French eats in the comments.
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Grilling and barbecue may roost at the pinnacle of American food traditions, but that doesn't mean they aren't popular elsewhere in the world; in fact, most nations claim grilling over open flames as a major cooking style. One of the most popular international grilling trends to hit the US is Korean barbecue, with its succulent marinades and charcoal-charred meats; the most clamored-for meat is undoubtedly kalbi, a beef rib cut with ample marbling for a melt-in-your-mouth experience.
In restaurants, traditional kalbi gui (literally, "grilled rib") is served as a long, thin strip of meat attached to a single two- to five-inch rib bone. But the cut prevalent at most Asian markets is known as "LA kalbi," which is cut in thin strips across the rib bones. LA kalbi is also fun to eat: those little bone nubs are awfully useful as handles! When buying this cut, go for the most marbled pieces you can find, and make sure there are no jagged edges on the bones.
You'll want the meat to be nice and caramelized on the outside and cooked all the way through on the inside. This will make it easier for you to tear the meat from the bone and make little lettuce wraps. To assemble, tear off a green or red lettuce leaf, line with a perilla leaf (if you can find them at your local Asian grocer), add a piece of deboned kalbi, and top with a dollop of Korean spicy bean paste (ssamjang) and a slice of raw garlic. Roll it up and pop it in your mouth for a vibrant burst of flavor. For the kalbi and spicy bean paste recipes, just keep reading.
Wishing you could travel the world this Summer? Expand your culinary horizons and take a tasty trip around the world, while sitting at your dinner table. We've selected five fast and easy meal ideas that will have you traveling from Ireland to the Philippines and back again. But why stop at just food? Make this a fun and exciting week by listening to music from the country of the day while you chow down.
If you're planning a European adventure this Summer, there are some dishes and ingredients that are simply not to be missed. The beauty of traveling throughout Europe is that it's so easy to experience a multitude of cultures, languages, and traditions. Each country has its own unique cultural identity, and thus, its own set of tastes and flavors that help define it.
Click through to start planning your culinary tour of the continent.
Photos: Camilla Salem, Flickr User [puamelia], Flickr User yummyporky
If you want to create your own "rainbow cuisine" from the comfort of your kitchen, start by incorporating a few of these South African staples into your pantry. The vast majority of these items are affordable and easy to come by online. Whereas meat and fresh vegetables make up the majority of dishes, these seven items will build the foundation of your South African pantry.
If a classic evening or an indoor picnic don't have enough adventure for your liking, take a culinary tour of the world with your Valentine's Day date. Serve up dishes and cocktails from around the world and create a music playlist to match each course. By the end of the night, you and whoever you've shared this experience with will have bonded over all of your "travels." Here are some ethnic dishes that we recommend.
From Syrian muhammara to Filipino chicken adobo, YumSugar's world traveler series highlights noteworthy dishes from around the world. And what better dish to examine right now than soup? As climes crawl to cooler temperatures, and the days get shorter, hearths around the earth will be stirring over pots of aromatic, soothing soup. To get you excited for cold-weather cooking (and National Soup Month), I thought I'd test your international knowledge of the dish by naming a traditional soup and have you match it to the country of origin. Are you souped up for the challenge? There's only one way to find out.
Have you ever possessed a cookbook that's occupied a lot of time in your mind, but not so much in your kitchen? I spent hours reading the recipes in The Brazilian Kitchen by Leticia Moreinos Schwartz, but it was nearly a year before I finally got around to making them.
It took some patience researching ingredients such as dendê oil and locating the most reliable and affordable places to buy them online. But ultimately, my efforts paid off, because there's nothing more rewarding than getting acquainted with unfamiliar cuisines.
This traditional stew is a staple in Brazil's Bahia, a northeastern coastal state that's heavily influenced by African and European cultures. Moqueca is typically made with seafood, but this milder version has plantains and chicken that's been slow-simmered until it's fall-off-the-bone tender. Don't be afraid of Bahia's most comforting dish; continue reading for the recipe.
