Around the World in Foodventures (Qatar: MACHBOOS)

Next on the list of countries picked by my friends is Qatar, a tiny little peninsula in the Middle East that apparently has the highest per capita income in the world!  Its national dish is one they share with Bahrain and Kuwait -- so I suppose when I get to those places I will be choosing different things to try, which is A-okay with me (and also the whole point of this project - 👍).  Machboos a basic rice and meat dish, as I am sure many foods I encounter on this journey will be (or stews, right?) -- but that doesn't mean it's not delicious or that it doesn't have its own unique flavor profile.

Being similar in method and ingredients to most any pot of rice and meat, machboos is pretty simple to cook -- though I did get to make a spice mixture that I'd never heard of ("baharat") and learned about a whole new ingredient (dried limes, one of which is pictured here) in the process.  I don't think it makes for the best photograph, but I do like the way the light reflects off the plate creating that cool glow effect. 😃

Here is the recipe I used: https://www.willflyforfood.net/2017/11/16/qatar-machboos-a-delight-that-will-make-you-crave-for-more/ -- the only change to which was that I used boneless chicken thighs instead of whole chicken pieces.  I don't think this affects the taste (which is what really matters here -- and I should also note that the rosewater brings a nice finishing touch), plus it's just easier to serve and eat this way, especially for the potluck I will be bringing it to tonight.

This post is part of my project: "Around the World in Foodventures" (I decided I want to expand my culinary horizons even further by making the national dish or a popular recipe, or some signature food or traditional meal from every country in the world. Maybe it'll happen alphabetically, or by region, in random order, or something else. I figure if we can't (yet?) travel everywhere, we at least have the luxury of being able to taste it. It’ll be fun and interesting, but obviously, will take a long time to get through -- as I'll only be doing it once a week or so at most. I am chronicling the journey here.)

“If I’m an advocate of anything, it’s to move…Walk in someone else’s shoes or at least eat their food.” --Tony Bourdain

Around the World in Foodventures (Ireland: PORTER CAKE)

In doing research of what to cook from Ireland, it dawned on me just how Irish the part of the country I'm from really is.  Having been in or around Boston most of my life, I never gave it much thought -- but as I read through the options (Mutton Stew, Colcannon, Guinness Stew, Soda Bread, Corned Beef with Cabbage, Shepherd's Pie, Brown Bread, Scones....I could extend this list for days) I realized that I'd either made or eaten these things dozens of times over, and therefore don't feel a need to include them in my Around the World in Foodventures journey.  I also simply wanted to avoid anything stereotypically potato-based.  So I decided to choose something Irish that is, frankly, different and intriguing and completely new to me.  I was originally leaning towards Black Pudding (for which I could probably get the ingredients at a local butcher shop, but find it just as well to purchase pre-made) or something made with Dulse (seaweed that tastes like bacon? yes please)....but then Porter Cake called out to me -- partly because it seems perfectly fitting for the current Fall season and partly because I haven't done a dessert since the beginning of this project.  So here it is:

A form of fruit cake much lovelier than traditional, brick-like, butt-of-holiday-jokes loaves, Porter Cake contains warm spices, is delightfully boozy, and brings comfort.  It's as if that traditional fruit cake and a beer bread had a baby.  It was pretty easy to make (here's the recipe I used: https://www.craftbeering.com/porter-cake-irish-dessert/) and along the way I even got to learn how to create real candied fruit slices from scratch because the recipe called for them and I couldn't find them in our local grocery store.  The recipe was correct that it tasted better the next day, and the idea of "feeding" it with some whiskey was nice, too.

This post is part of my project: "Around the World in Foodventures" (I decided I want to expand my culinary horizons even further by making the national dish or a popular recipe, or some signature food or traditional meal from every country in the world. Maybe it'll happen alphabetically, or by region, in random order, or something else. I figure if we can't (yet?) travel everywhere, we at least have the luxury of being able to taste it. It’ll be fun and interesting, but obviously, will take a long time to get through -- as we'll only be doing it once a week or so at most. I am chronicling the journey here.)

“If I’m an advocate of anything, it’s to move…Walk in someone else’s shoes or at least eat their food.” --Tony Bourdain