The Art Of The New

This is the time to learn a new dish or cuisine. It gives us a chance to expand our talents and expertise. Not only that it helps us to change up the usual staying in menu.

There is a whole world out there of good recipes and interesting dishes. Many home chefs always have qualms about cooking a different cuisine. If that's the case then begin with the simplest recipes like stews and skillet dinners. Every country has easy dinners that are a snap to replicate. Another turn off is the array of strange spices, yet if you study the recipes you see that there are substitutions. A berbere spice can be replaced by that paprika you used last week or soy sauce can fill in for tamari sauce. Then there's the problem that you may not have the right pots and pans. You do. Again any pot or pan can sub in for a fancier or more specific one like a tangine or rice pot. Where can you find interesting and exotic recipes? Your library of cookbooks, of course. There is also the internet where there are literally thousands upon thousands of recipes. Just ask yourself - "what should I try?" Japanese teriyaki? Ethiopian doro wat?Svenska kottbullar or real Swedish meatballs?

Ethiopian food has fascinated me lately.It's an interesting country to begin with and the food also has a particular allure. I am going to be making the country's lentil stew. Am I worried that my Stop &Shop didn't have any lentils (and believe me I looked). Now I plan on using kidney beans. Of course there will be a slightly different taste but then I don't have some of the spices. I will improvise. I will also sub in. it calls for tomato paste but I feel that using vine ripe tomatoes may give it a fresher flavor. My Berbere spice blend will be slightly different than the one I found at Immaculate Eats where i discovered the stew recipe. Yet it's still exciting. When life and food shopping returns to normal , then I will get the appropriate ingredients. For now it's just the excitement of trying something different and not the usual tomato sauces or chilis.What will I try next? Maybe  chicken barbecue sandwiches with Morningstar Farms chicken strips and Acme's barbecue sauce, served on soft rolls.Or something French from Brittany or Normandy?

This is the time to try new recipes and taste new dishes. Be creative. Be curious. it will lead you on a culinary adventure to a new country with exotic flavors and delicious tastes.