Tuscan Markets

Several years ago I attended an Italian cooking class at the Villa Pandolfini in Lastra a Signa, a small town right outside of Florence. Nestled among olive groves and vineyards sits Villa Pandolfini, a graceful Renaissance villa, which houses the Good Tastes of Tuscany cooking school with expert chefs. The cooking classes are hands-on with a focus on seasonal ingredients. Excursions into Florence, the surrounding amazing Tuscan countryside and wine tastings at fantastic vineyards can all be arranged. The following photos were taken during on excursions to Florence and Pienza - I don't believe they need much explanation!

Laap Gai Chiang Mai and a visit to Little Serow

Green Market in Bangkok 2000

I have no idea why we decided to do this on a cold and windy Saturday evening, but several weeks ago my daughter and I braved the elements and stood in line for an hour to get a table at Little Serow, a popular restaurant serving northern and northeastern Thai cuisine in Washington D.C. Since the restaurant doesn't take reservations and does not own a phone, people will stand in line up to an hour before doors open at 5:30 p.m. I am glad that I wrote down the complete address as there was no sign outside the building indicating where the restaurant was located. Only a line of 10 adults waiting patiently on the sidewalk and on stairs leading down to the basement entrance of a building alerted us that this was probably the entrance to the restaurant. We patiently stood in line, taking turns warming up in the close-by CVS pharmacy. An hour later, at 5:30 p.m. sharp, the doors opened and a hostess invited guests in, one party at a time. When it was finally our turn to walk through those doors I was completely frozen.

The hostess greeted us and ensured that we knew that the dishes served here were spicy (which we did know) and that there couldn't be any substitutions. We were then let to our table for two - a bar-height small table with two stools. Once I had warmed up a bit I looked around to take in first impressions of the restaurant. I was surprised to see how small it was (the restaurant can only accommodate about 30 dinner guests) and how minimalist the design was. It's a very functional place with unadorned mint-green walls and just a few glasses and pitchers on a shelf behind the bar.

Menu for January 18, 2014

nam prik narohk

mackerel/tamarind/khi nu chilies

tom kha pla chorn

snakehead fish/galangal/krachai

som tum o

pomelo/salted prawn/lime leaf

laap gai chiang mai

chicken/offal/lanna spices

tow hu thouk

tofu/cilantro root/peanut

phat pakaukeo

greens/salted fish/egg

si krong muu

pork ribs/mekhong whiskey/dill

The food was very good, some dishes better than others, but make no mistake, this is very spicy food. I have eaten many spicy dishes while living in Southeast and South Asia, but some of the dishes served here are extremely hot. My personal favorites were the snakehead fish soup, the pomelo and salted prawn salad and the laap gai chiang mai, a ground chicken salad.

Wouldn't it be fun to try to recreate a few of these dishes? Going through some of my Thai cookbooks and searching online, I decided to try a slightly less spicy variation of the ground chicken salad. So here is my version of Laap Gai Chiang Mai.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups ground chicken
1/2 cup chopped chicken liver
2 shallots, thinly sliced
3 slices of Thai ginger, chopped
1/2 tsp minced garlic
2 tbsp finely minced lemongrass
3 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp lime juice
chili powder or flakes to taste - I used 1/2 tsp very hot Tian Shan pepper flakes
1 tbsp chopped coriander stems
1 chopped spring onion, green and white parts
1 tbsp chopped mint leaves
2 tbsp Jasmine rice - roasted and ground (roast the rice, stirring, in a small saucepan over medium heat for about 8 minutes, let it cool down and then grind it in a blender)
mint and coriander leaves for garnish
cabbage, Chinese radish and cucumber slices for garnish

• Prepare roasted ground rice
• Mix the ground chicken, chopped chicken liver, shallots, ginger, garlic, lemongrass, fish sauce, sugar, lime juice and chili powder or flakes thoroughly. Heat a wok over high heat and cook the chicken mixture for a couple of minutes until cooked through. Stir constantly to prevent burning.
• Transfer mixture into a bowl and add the coriander stems, spring onion, mint leaves and the ground rice.
• Mix everything together.
• Arrange sliced radish and cucumber on a platter. Quarter cabbage and use quartered leaves to scoop up chicken salad. The radish and cucumber slices are very refreshing!
• Garnish with mint and coriander leaves. 

Serves 3-4

A Visit to the Spice Bazaar in Istanbul - Part 2

While talking to a colleague who is moving to Istanbul this summer, I fondly remembered our trip over Easter 2010 to this fabulous city. We stayed in a small hotel near the Blue Mosque and explored the city mainly on foot and by tram. Returning from a boat trip on the Bosphorus we decided to visit the Spice Bazaar on the way back to the hotel. I have blogged about this incredible bazaar before, but wanted to share some additional photos with you.

A wide variety of Turkish delight

Dried fruit - the dried mango was delicious

Turkish delight and other candy

Nuts, more dried fruit, and dried tomatoes

Who can resist?

Falls Church City Farmers Market

Exploring farmers and green markets is on the top of my to-do list whenever I visit a new city or move to a new country. Observing customers inspect merchandise, interact with the vendors and bargain (which is still done in some countries) can provide an interesting insight into a new culture.

I was therefore very excited to find that the small city we had moved to in 2011 had its own farmers market. Known for its local and national awards, Falls Church City's Farmers Market is an appealing year-round market to explore at any time of the year. Expect to see close to 50 vendors during peak season offering locally grown or produced food. Even during the winter months one can count on up to 40 vendors ready to sell you seasonal produce.

In addition to fruit and vegetables one can find organically raised meat, dairy and seafood. There are several stands offering freshly baked breads and pastries, a variety of local chocolates and soaps. An all-time favorite is the crepe stand which draws quite a crowd every Saturday.

An additional attraction is the monthly Chef Series when chefs from local restaurants prepare and share recipes with the public. For up-to-date information on the market check here.

A Visit to the Spice Bazaar in Istanbul - Part 1

Almost one year ago we went on a 5-day trip to Istanbul. It was early April and the tulip festival was coming up. I had noticed thousands and thousands of tulips planted along the roads, in parks and in planters during our ride from the airport to our hotel. Absolutely amazing!

One of the highlights of our stay was a visit to the covered Spice Bazaar located in the Bazaar Quarter near the Golden Horn. Surrounded by narrow streets the Spice Bazaar was built in 1660 as an extension of the New Mosque Complex. Once you enter the bazaar you will see stalls upon stalls of spices, herbs, teas, nuts, honey, etc. This is a wonderful place to stock up on oriental spices, including saffron!

Mountains of spices

Spices and Sweets

Spices, teas and dried tea blossoms

(Photos taken by Conrad Turner)