From Brazil to the world

Handpicked: Global Cuisine. As an expat American living abroad in the UK, I was pleased to see and try some of the holiday foods that help the English celebrate that differ from back home.

As a staple grain, oats have been hugely important in Scottish culture and cuisine.

I'm Tamil by birth, but moved around northern India with my Army family. Yet, every summer we would go back to Madras to spend the school holidays with the grandparents, and invariably attend a traditional wedding.

Each would follow the same format – a morning ceremony sandwiched between breakfast and lunch served feast-style on fresh banana leaves, with all our favourite foods, both sweet and savoury together. Everything was eaten with our hands, dished out by lungi-clad servers, and served with a side of gossip from all the 'maamis' (aunties).

I particularly wanted to highlight this kind of traditional vegetarian Tamil Iyer food because it's almost never served in the popular 'Indian' restaurants, which showcase mostly Punjabi food. You'd have to visit a Tamil home or a regional Tamil or generically 'south Indian' restaurant to eat anything close to it.

Created for the Global Cuisine challenge.

#vegetarian #feast #weddingfood

This illustration is of Vietnamese Spring Rolls or Gòi Cuõn, inspired by a trip a few years ago to Hanoi. My travel partner and I found this great place to eat them, the smell of mint and crunch as we ate the roll will stay in my mind forever.

When I lived in Vancouver I was introduced to the wonderful, mouthwatering world of sushi and became a fan instantly. Years later I travelled to Asia and experienced a culinary bonanza - flavours, colours and textures I had never seen or tasted before - and so began my lifelong affection, admiration and excitement for all things sushi!!

I was lucky enough to visit my sister for a summer when she lived in Rome. It was the hottest summer in 80 years. Forty-five degrees in the shade hot. It was also the summer I fell in love. In love with food. The temperatures soared and our dinners became late, late, like 10 or 11pm late. It wasn’t until the sun had been gone a spell that you could even fathom eating anything. So, we’re at a restaurant near her place and the waiter is cute....really cute. He is flirty and lovely and sparkling eyes and all that. He comes to the table after we’ve ordered our drinks with what he calls, “fiore de Roma!” Quite proudly, quite loudly and sets down a platter of the most perfect posey-shaped pinwheels: layers of fresh basil; that day’s sun dried Roma tomatoes; creamy, delicate buffala mozzarella; and a tissue paper thin ribbon of salty prosciutto. A little dish of olive oil and a little dish of balsamic and a sprinkle of chilli oil on the side. My god. The best bouquet I ever received. Flowers of Rome. Just heaven.

Every country has their culinary tradition. Here in Limburg, a province in the South of the Netherlands, we have our “vlaai” pie, which is old Germanic for “flat” pie. The same word that flan pie gets its name from.

Vlaai, a fruit pie or tart, prepared as it has been for centuries, has been a source of pride for the locals here. No birthday is complete without the birthday boy’s or girl’s favorite vlaai. In my illustration I represent the history with a character from Bruegel the Elder’s painting. In his painting “Netherlandish proverbs” we can see these pies sitting on a rooftop. The proverb goes: “Their roofs are covered with vlaai”. The vlaai pie was a status symbol that showed that you were well off with enough resources to afford such a treat. Today though, everyone is now able to enjoy this cultural filled delight!

For my Global Cuisine design challenge entry, I want to feature the Filipino culture of communal sharing at the table, with what is now happily called a "Boodle Fight" coined from the military style of eating as one. Laden with fresh banana leaves and foods varying from vegetable side dishes to seasonal fruits, grilled meats, a melange of seafoods, of course, our staple, white rice and in many occasions, a roasted suckling pig aka lechon, the bountiful table showcases how Filipinos love feasting with family and friends indoors and at best by the beach on a hot summer's day. We eat with our hands, please!

Typical Christmas dish on Naples' tables!
Actually the celebrations are set on Christmas Eve at dinner and the menu is based on fried stuff, like fish and vegetables
this recipe came from ancient, it calls insalata di rinforzo like "support salad" because was used to support poor tables' food
but nowadays it's more a tradition " pe' devozio' "
and it's also typical Christmas lunch because when it's served usually pass hands by hands and nobody touch so ends out that you also find it the day after!!!

It's basically steamed cauliflower, pickles and papaccelle: small red peppers
Personally I really like but it's very funny to see this big bowl going around the table and return at the beginning as it started!!!

Global Cuisine
Back in November during my trip to Gran Canaria I tried seafood paella for the first time and I fell in love! Here is my picture celebrating the ingredients and the dish.

For the Global cuisine Challenge
A small collection of delicious italian sweet foods, which have almond as a primary ingredient. All perfect for Christmas!

We visited Barcelona a while back and fell in love with everything, including the jamon. Eaten by itself, or along with spanish olives, manchego cheese, bread and olive oil, it's heavenly!

Global Cuisine - Karavai is a traditional Russian large, round and braided bread. Together with selt, which is placed on top of the bread, it is an ancient Slavic symbol of love and hospitality.

This illustration is all about the week of Hanukkah in Israel. Every evening for seven days, during Hanukkah, we light up candles, and preparing latkes, sufganiyot and a green salad. This is the perfect Hanukkah supper.