The Teaspoon Relaunch

by Diana

Lots of things have happened since my last post about four years ago, including loosing the web’s domain to a family-owned lunch spot in Texas! We wish them good luck though and welcome our new British identity as theteaspoon.co.uk

The Teaspoon began in 2012 as a platform to celebrate our family’s ever-changing migratory identity, and to narrate multiple stories shared with homemade flavours and cuisine. In 2014 the blog was somehow used to protest about the socio-political situation back home in Venezuela. I would have loved to relaunch with a hopeful and comic post of a tasty recipe but I can’t do that knowing that the country’s economy has crashed, the hyperinflation is expected to reach one million per cent by the end of 2018, that crime continues fragmenting families, that Venezuela is the focus of an unprecedented Latin-American exodus about to reach humanitarian crisis levels and that everyone that’s left in the country is starving. It’s estimated that 64% of Venezuelans have lost 11kg (about 1.7st) of body weight last year, including my dad, due to the crisis. It’s not a secret that families are stretching their supplies and skipping meals in order to survive.

I couldn’t think of any recipes to post here which ingredients could be currently accessible for the average Venezuelan household. Food shortages mixed with hyperinflation make it impossible for people to cook themselves a treat. I am not hoping the empty set below will make a difference or have an impact but it’s just a coping mechanism I am using to transform the sadness and frustration into something more meaningful that helps promote awareness.

The Teaspoon will continue embracing multiculturalism in the kitchen, whilst tracing back our ancestor’s journeys in time and combine them with our own, but not today.

© The Teaspoon

Caraway Seed 'Half-Pound' Cake

by Diana

When I am not cooking, thinking about recipes or addictively buying ingredients to cook new dishes, and most importantly, to photograph them, I work in museums. Yes, disappointingly as it might sound for some of you, starting with my own brother, art is my real and true passion. The thing is that it can be really difficult to combine museum practice with the love of cooking, unless a weird contemporary hybrid is discovered, something absurd and ridiculous like museum-cooking-therapy, which I am sure already exists somewhere. 

However, by pure and wonderful coincidence, about two weeks ago I was trying to explain to some children who William Kent was, so they could get going and design their own garden and I surprised myself reading the briefing and affirming with loud conviction that he was a 'famous 18th century designer of houses and gardens and a lover of good food'. I stopped all of a sudden and rewinded fearfully, wondering if that last phrase was about William Kent or just about me. So I double checked that my unconscious didn't betrayed me, secretly using visitors to promote my blog again and so I discovered that this 18th century fellow was in deed a promoter of good eating in Georgian times. What I heard from kind volunteers is that William Kent was the first one to incorporate the dining room to interior design and that's when a dedicated space to eat in the house was firstly created in England about 300 years ago, impacting the traditions of the time and refining food taste forever.

So after this pleasant discovery I thought that the best way to celebrate was by posting a genuine recipe from the Regency period: Caraway Seed Pound Cake. So here it is for you all, simple, tasty and full of history. Please notice that a pound cake was going to be too much, even for my husband, so I took the liberty to reduce it by half and to make just half a pound.

Finally, if you want to get all your senses involved, not only try out the recipe but save a piece of cake to enjoy it after visiting the William Kent exhibition at the V&A. 

I hope you like it!

© The Teaspoon

Shuku-Shuku -Nigerian Coconut Biscuits

by Diana

A few weeks ago we published a recipe for Matooke, Uganda's national dish, in support of Malaria Mission fundraising campaign. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) Malaria affects half of the world’s population in 106 countries and territories. Since Malaria Mission campaign's deadline is now looming and they have reached over 60% of their target, we thought it could be a good idea to keep encouraging them with another tasty treat, this time from the worst malaria-affected region worldwide: Nigeria. 

Shuku Shuku is a Nigerian sweet delicacy, we could say that it is the equivalent to our well-known Western truffle, but of course somehow less pretentious. Although they may look a bit humble in appearance, they are deliciously soft inside, with a contained coconut explosion, awaiting for your bite. I can guarantee that they will cheer up the rainiest and most miserable of days. We also heard that it is a favourite snack among children in Nigeria and my experience tells me that they know more about these matters that we adults do.

For the record, Malaria is a risk for 97% of Nigeria’s population and 86% of these cases are unfortunately our little experts. 

If this worries you as much as it worries us, there is something you can do about it. Please give your contribution to Malaria Mission and show some support to the world.

We hope you enjoy this one!

© The Teaspoon

Apricot Muffins

by Diana 

My father is a bit peculiar when it comes to routine. He likes to have things under control, like for example the grocery shopping which he does every 2 weeks at the same time and place for as long as I can remember, with or without food shortages in the country. Part of his routine is his diet, that for many factors, including a vast amount of genetic disasters, tends to be very limited and strict. Inside his fridge you will always find apricots, as he has 2 every day as part of his breakfast and it's worth saying that the amount of apricots he buys in the supermarket is of course premeditated and carefully planned. He loves his routine though and my brother and I always enjoy trying to break it just to spite him. On his defence, he always alleges that he is too busy working -even on Saturdays- to do things differently, but the true is that it gives him peace and a sense of security which is paramount to his life and comfort. 

Last week, 4 men with guns broke into his home in Caracas, they robbed, threatened, vandalised and tied everyone up, including my 64 year-old dad. This disgraceful event was obviously disturbing for the family and I can't but feel impotent after the invasion and deprivation of freedom that for two hours the people that I love the most had to unfortunately experience because of the sad socio-economic and political conditions of the country that we call home. What frustrated me the most, for what it symbolises it is the fact that my father told me disheartened that these men shamelessly ate the apricots from the fridge during the assault to his property, topping up their vandalism with humiliation. 

This is the misfortune that not only my dad faced, but everyone else in the country does, where nowhere is safe anymore, not even your own home and you just have to unjustly accept that everything you build everyday with effort and honest work, can be snatched overnight, including your own life. And I don't know about you but I think this is completely unacceptable.

What I admire the most about my father is that in less than a week he has fixed all the damages, used his good sense of humour to cheer up everyone around him, including me on the other side of the Atlantic, and left that ugly robbery chapter behind. He also went back to the supermarket and stocked up his fridge with apricots. There is no other choice but to move on he says. This recipe is of course for him. 

Enjoy!

© The Teaspoon

Matooke with Chicken Stew and Sautéed Vegetables

by Diana and Julie

It is not a novelty to say that African, Latin-American and Asian food traditions have many ingredients in common because, after all, we share the same imaginary equator line. Our gorgeous and frequently envied -by the British- climate allows crops like plantain, corn and cassaba to grow in abundance, becoming the 'daily bread' in the dining table of millions of families across many countries. Although food and good weather are of course exotic elements to share intercontinentally, we also have one plague in common that is capable of destroying the lives of thousands of people every year in those countries. Mosquitoes are the most dangerous animals on the planet and malaria is one of their many unfortunate legacies.  

This week's post is a courtesy from my dear friend Faith Wilkinson (née Kimuli), who has suffered and luckily survived malaria in more than a few occasions when she lived in the kingdom of Bunyoro in Western Uganda. Uganda is the country with the worldwide highest incidence of malaria and one of its typical dishes is Matooke accompanying beef/chicken/fish stew, served with vegetables or rice.

We are sharing this recipe today to support the fundraising campaign of Malaria Mission and their creation of an innovative way to fight this plague, reduce the impact of this disease and potentially save millions of lives. Their idea is targeting the malaria mosquitoes to prevent the spread of the disease. And let’s be honest, we all hate mosquitoes, don’t we? 

Let's help these culinary traditions to be preserved, not in a book or a blog like this written by strangers, but mouth to mouth, from parents to children who don't need to become survivors of their own living conditions.

© The Teaspoon

Baked Plantains with Mozzarella

by Diana

Another common ingredient in the Venezuelan kitchen is plantain. We use it in all its forms and colours, either fallen or pulled from the plant. As I have a sweet tooth, I am going to give you a recipe using ripe plantains. I must say that the use of mozzarella cheese is just an attempt to recreate the white fresh cheese we use back home, but the taste is very similar and equally delicious. Plantains can be found everywhere in London and again in the same places where PAN flour is available, usually Afro-Caribbean markets and the random grocery shop in the middle of nowhere. 

I hope you try it at home. If you are new to plantains please don't be scared, they are just like bananas, only bigger, more versatile and better structured. 

Enjoy!

© The Teaspoon

Torta de Pan or Bread Cake

by Diana

One of my favorite Venezuelan cakes is called Torta de Pan or ‘Bread Cake’. A dessert which main ingredient is nothing more than leftover bread, yes, that one that sits on the kitchen for a while and becomes all hard and dry. We want the unwanted bread! You only need a few basic ingredients to bring that poor old bread back to life and a shot of rum to spice it up. The truth is though that without sugar and milk, the result is nothing less than useless breadcrumbs forgotten in the kitchen’s cupboard.

The reason why I am sharing this recipe today is because it beautifully reflects that we are a hard working culture characterized for making the most out of what we have. Unfortunately, when the resources run out it can be very difficult to take advantage of things and to create new unexpected dishes like Torta de Pan. As milk and sugar are very hard, if not impossible, to find at the moment, most people cannot afford to waste a bite of bread. This is sadly, another traditional Venezuelan recipe impossible to make for Venezuelans at home. 

© The Teaspoon

Arepas

By Diana

I couldn't just start posting again without highlighting that in the last 6 weeks and until now over 40 people have been killed during street protests in Venezuela. Why are they protesting? People are tired of living with fear, of being censored and brutally silenced. Venezuela is one of the most violent places on Earth, with one of the highest records of kidnappings, carjackings and murders. Most recently and with great shame for the fifth largest member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Venezuelan people are facing chronic basic goods shortages, of everyday products such as soap, tooth paste, dippers, toilet paper and medicines. In terms of food, there is a lack of flour, sugar and milk. People have to queue for long hours to carry out their grocery shopping but must supermarket shelves remain empty. 

This is why I have decided to post a recipe of one of our most popular national dishes. Arepas are traditional patties, flat cakes or soft breads (pick your own definition) made with a special precooked corn flour or cornmeal commonly known as P.A.N. flour or Harina P.A.N. We usually eat them for breakfast and stuff them with something savory, typically white fresh cheese, scramble eggs or meat. In London this flour can be found in Latin-American shops, most common at Elephant and Castle, but also in places like Tooting market, Brixton and even Portobello market. I get mine from an Arabic grocery store in Morden, weirdly enough. Unfortunately my own mum in Caracas hasn't been able to find any P.A.N. flour lately.

This dish is suitable for gluten-free and nut-free diets. 

 

© The Teaspoon

Polvorosas

By Diana

One of my favourite biscuits are a Venezuelan delight called Polvorosas. If you go to any 'kiosko' - equivalent to British 'off licences'- you will be able to find 101 versions of these sweet cookies. But like any traditional dish, everyone has their own style when it comes to recipes. However, believe it or not, it was my Syrian grandma the only one that for me made the best Venezuelan Polvorosas. Her version was a biscuit as hard as a rock, almost a threat to your teeth but so delicious that I could have just skipped lunch and jump straight to dessert, everytime she spoiled me with my preferred treat.

The following recipe is not more than just another attempt to bring back childhood memories. Although they are not quite the same I used to steal from her cupboard, these ones are equally good. This is a super easy recipe, you can add orange peel, almond essence, vanilla from the pod or any other tiny little pinch of spice that you consider convenient. If in doubt just leave a comment!  I hope you like them!

© Diana Chaccour

“French” pizza

By Julie

I am a closet vegetarian. “And what is that?” I hear you say. I am a closet vegetarian because I like meals without meat without actually disliking meat. My husband works 15 minutes from home, so we have the luxury of being able to share lunch whenever he can escape from the tough clinic environment. But on the days he does not come home, I normally pull out my complete arsenal of celery, shallots, sweet potatoes and egg plants. Some of you might moan but vegetarian cuisine can be incredibly versatile and complex in flavour.

Last summer in France, we went on a date in a tiny family-run pizzeria that I haven’t forgotten ever since. One pizza on the menu sounded so unusual that I had to try it - rucola, goat cheese and honey. My judgement is certainly not inflated when I claim: Best. Pizza. Ever. Here comes a modified and quick version for you.

© Diana Chaccour

Anchovy and Chickpea Crostinis

By Diana

I know is been a while since our last post, but I am going to skip all the explanations and essay excuses and jump straight into a new recipe that I hope can be used as a public apology. 

After the success of the Pear and Roquefort Bruschettas, we wanted to suggest another easy and tasty entrance, appropriate for the freshness of upcoming spring/summer. For those of you who are tired of buying the same £1 packed hummus from the supermarket like we are, I suggest you try this one out: Chickpeas and Anchovy Crostinis. Although the fact that the paste is made with chickpeas, lemon and spices does not make it exactly a hummus, it has that Middle-Eastern essence that you will immediately associate with something else more Mediterranean once you discover the flavour of the anchovies. Plus the bite-size does make it a great aperitive, perfect for almost every occasion.

We hope it works for you, Enjoy!


(Recipe versioned from Polpo Restaurant, London, UK)

© Diana Chaccour

Spaghetti Bianchi

By Julie

Malaria No More UK is challenging all of us to live below the line of poverty. The experience of how it feels to have only £1 to spend in a day can indeed be daunting but it is feasible. 1400 million people are doing it today. Every day.

Diana and I are supporting you and Malaria No More UK with a recipe - a traditional Neapolitan poor people’s dish called Spaghetti Bianchi, which has been a staple with my mom and me ever since we discovered it.

P.S.: When I lived in London, I had about £120 left after paying the rent, of which I paid transport, food and everything else. Sounds little in London but I ended up walking a lot and cooking myself through the vegetarian Indian cookbook of Julie Sahni. I still could eat spiced red lentil soup every day. Maybe that could be on your menu tomorrow?

© Diana Chaccour