Chicken Tagine with Lemon Couscous and Yogurt
Kushari (Egyptian Rice, Lentils, and Macaroni)
Romazava (Madagascar Beef and Greens Stew)
Bunny Chow (Chicken Curry Bread Bowl)
Beef Stroganoff with Buttered Noodles
Chicken Biryani (Chicken and Rice)
Green Papaya Salad (Tham mak hoong)
Hi!
First, thank YOU so much for picking up this cookbook and trying it out! I’m Remmi Smith, author of the cookbook you hold in your hands, as well as another called Global Cooking for Kids. Before you get into the really good stuff, I figure I should tell you a little bit about myself. I am seventeen-years-old, and I love food. I love to cook and I love to eat, but most importantly, I love to share my love of food with others! I began in the kitchen at the tender age of four-years-old. Granted, back then, I was doing more eating than I was cooking. But soon my mom assigned me easy tasks like washing fruits and vegetables or mixing salads. (I took these assignments very seriously at four years old; you wouldn’t have spotted a speck of dirt on any produce that passed through my sink.) Soon, I became hooked on being in the kitchen, and I spent most of my early childhood there. My mom began to teach me basic cooking skills and I ran with them. By the time I was seven-years-old, I could make a full meal on my own. (It was meatloaf, which is not exactly spectacular, but a win is a win.) Flash forward a whole decade—boy that makes me feel old—I have now had two cooking shows, two cookbooks published, and my own salad dressing line, with no slowdown in sight. Now, enough about me, let’s focus on the food.
While writing this cookbook, I had three main goals in mind: (1) to make cooking and eating as healthy and fun as possible; (2) to ensure that teens will be able to do it; and (3) to take you on a global adventure! Hopefully, by the end of reading this cookbook and making these dishes, I will have succeeded in these goals, and you’ll be able to show off your fancy, new kitchen skills.
Cooking is not only an important life skill but an experience, which is why I want to make this book a journey for you (both literally and figuratively). After traversing a mere eighty recipes, you will have traveled through thirty-nine countries, while exploring the native cuisine of each, their cultural traditions, and their holidays! You will take a taste of each country while traipsing across all seven continents. You will be able to explore the rich history behind many of these nations, and you’ll discover the origins of dishes that you may not have known about before.
The world is your oyster (I think that is some kind of food wordplay), or rather, the world is your kitchen (that fits much better)! Try your hand at Norwegian, South African, or Polish cuisine! This book gives you the chance to travel the globe through food and culture. You can even learn about the types of food prepared in Antarctica! (We asked some penguins about their food preferences.*) Also, after reading this book, not only will you have a head full of random facts about various countries and cuisines, but you can also tell your friends that you have traveled the world without the need for a passport! I hope you enjoy this cookbook and the food you will make using it. Bon Voyage!
Hugs and Veggies,
Remmi
*Of course, I am only kidding, we conferred with humans.