Thai Sweet Sticky Rice With Mango (Khao Neeo Mamuang)

I'm dying to visit the magical country of Thailand and take advantage of the variety of experiences it offers--fabulous beaches, mystical mountains, delicious cuisine, and of course, the lively and exciting city of Bangkok. In honor of this must-see destination, I make this delicious dessert at home.

Recipe from allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups uncooked short-grain white rice
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
1 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon tapioca starch
3 mangos, peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Instructions:Combine the rice and water in a saucepan; bring to a boil; cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until water is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes.While the rice cooks, mix together 1 1/2 cups coconut milk, 1 cup sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil; remove from heat and set aside. Stir the cooked rice into the coconut milk mixture; cover. Allow to cool for 1 hour.Make a sauce by mixing together 1/2 cup coconut milk, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the tapioca starch in a saucepan; bring to a boil.Place the sticky rice on a serving dish. Arrange the mangos on top of the rice. Pour the sauce over the mangos and rice. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Moqueca and Ilha Grande

One of my favorite places in the world is Ilha Grande, a Brazilian island I visited in May 2006. It is quite undeveloped (cars are not allowed). It is almost all beaches (more than 100 of them!) and forest (over 100 miles of hiking trails). Purportedly, Brazil's best beach is located here - Praia Lopes Mendes, which we visited (pictured below). It was spectacular.

Besides its beauty, I enjoyed Ilha Grande because it was the first time ever I had moqueca, a Brazilian seafood stew. I have become quite addicted to this dish - comforting and delicious. The recipe we often use is from The Book of Latin American Cooking (by Elisabeth Lambert Ortiz).


Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 small carrots, scraped and thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped4 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
Salt, fresh ground pepper
2 pounds large shrimp, shelled and deveined
2 tablespoons dende (palm) oil

Preparation:Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet and saute the onion, carrots, and green and red peppers until the onion is soft. Add the tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste, and cook for a few minutes longer over moderate heat. Stir in the shrimp and the dende oil and cook, turning the shrimp once or twice, until the shrimp are pink and have lost their translucent look, about 3 minutes. Serve on a warm platter surrounded by white rice.

A Favorite Quote

“…Love does not consist in gazing at each other but in looking outward together in the same direction.”

  - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Wind, Sand, and Stars, 1939

Photos above from Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve, one of Mexico's largest nature reserves and one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. Sian Ka'an (Mayan for “where they sky is born”) is a practically uninhabited tract of 1.3 million acres set aside in 1986 to preserve tropical forests, savannas, mangroves, and marine habitats, and coastal reefs. While in Tulum, Mexico last year, we toured the reserve with CESiaK (Centro Ecológico Sian Ka’an), which is an organization dedicated to the conservation/preservation of Sian Ka’an . They help promote awareness of the area through education programs and community-based low-impact tourist activities.

Spice Bazaar and Saffron Orzo

This summer, I was fortunate to spend two glorious days in Istanbul. To say I loved Istanbul would be an understatement. I especially enjoyed Istanbul's Spice Bazaar, a marketplace built in the 1660s and named so because spices were the main goods sold there. Today, you will find much more than spices. You'll find everything from nuts to lokum (Turkish delight) to trinkets. While there, we purchased saffron, which I put to use in this recipe from Giada de Laurentiis' book, Everyday Pasta. This easy recipe turned out wonderful and each bite reminded me a little of Istanbul.

Other Istanbul sights that should not be missed: Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern, Grand Bazaar amd Topkapi Palace.

Happy Anniversary!

Two years ago today, I married my best friend, who I love, trust and respect more than words can describe.

Photos by Jeremy Lawson.

A New Beginning

A new season, a new blog! Fall, my favorite season, officially begins at 5:19 PM ET tomorrow. With the new season, I thought it would be the perfect time to begin a blog to house all things I am addicted to--travel, food, design, etc.

Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all.

- Stanley Horowitz