Random Reflections (+ Gratitude) on Two Otherwise Unrelated Food & Drink ‘holidays’…
These two things taking place on the same day together kinda reminds me of when i worked / lived in London as an intern once upon a time …. And as as often the case in any foreign country, the first few weeks were the toughest for getting adjusted to the food with more frequent than usual bouts of ‘hangry’-ness. I found solace in curried dishes (Indian, Jamaican…) and comfort from the deliciously spiced, amazingly aromatic, sweet & milky house made chai teas at Indian family-owned eateries there. This was all pre-smartphone camera ya da ya da , so all I have are fond memories to share on that front and gratitude for every single ethnic group that had immigrated to England and brought flavor to that nation. (Semi-related side note: one of the best Chinatown eating experiences I’ve had anywhere was there….)
1. simmering up and browning the chicken is the first step …
Re: Curried Chicken specifically, what I have for y’all today on this topic today are these relatively more recent phone pics + commentary :
1. simmering up some of the most flavorful part of the chicken (dark meat) in prep for making a batch (of any kind of one pot chicken dish really … especially, as I’ve learned by observation and osmosis, for curried chicken.
2. God Bless foodie friends who share their fab finds…
2. A packet of flavorful “French” masala curry my super foodie friend Michele gifted me from one of her various & sundry excursions that she generously returns with fab food (or drink!) finds for me, and I am grateful!…
3. That third pic is me simmering up something with my newly gifted spice packet which might actually be curried chickPEAS & lentils L O L (a lovely alternative for the vegans amongst us on this day — When I use coconut oil instead of ghee of course)
3. culinary confession: this is actually a pic of a pot of curried chickPEAS and yellow lentils (a staple dish I make all the time) — pictured here so the vegans (like my sister!😘) can be included and celebrate today too :)
4. featured dish at a Proforma event i pitched in at many moons ago
4. And that fourth pic is from over a decade ago when I helped serve at a Profirma event in the Bowery & it was a featured dish …
The concept (and multifarious expressions) of curried chicken or curry in general is/are so global, if I were Asian Indian, S. Eastern Asian, East African, S. African or a West-Indian / Caribbean heritage Black person this curried chicken day post would be entirely different! A scintillating topic & portal to fascinating food history FYI’s from the domestication of the original yard birds to the ancient spice trade routes, I’d much rather explore the topic of curried chicken and it’s vast riches of cultural caches in a conversational medium (e.g., radio show, livestream, podcast, tv segment, panel discussion etc) with culinary cronies from those respective cultures more so than writing out a bunch of researched thoughts here. So perhaps that’s something to look forward to for curried chicken day next year!
Hot Turkish Tea from TAVA…
RE: “Hot Tea” 🫖☕️
The topic of tea is also an entryway to a very expansive and deep well of food / drink history. a history that starts and flows across and through several far eastern cultures over the span of thousands of years. Way too much to cover for a two-day food holiday blogpost. Not surprisingly some of the most ‘interesting’ aspects of that history is how in more recent centuries European cultures (namely England) managed to steal the entire tea spotlight into the present. And how it spilled over into colonial American history (think Boston Tea Party) re: it’s most major conflict with it’s Mother Country (yes, England )… and the role of tea in “little girl culture” (mostly in the Western World I presume but perhaps “everywhere else” as well…
No surprise i prefer brewing up loose vs. already pre-bagged teas … one of the major perks of being part of a food coop. I love the assortments and options (and reasonable prices!) of loose teas (caffeine-full and herbal) from around the world available there…
the makings of a tasty potion complete with healing properties…
Sidenote: i often brew up different kinds of teas to be a key ingredient in my mixology recipes (at room temp or iced of course )
Simmering up some African-originated red rooibos and hibiscus teas with “mulling” spices of cinnamon stick, anise, clove, nutmeg, ginger… This is one of the first steps to make my amazing mock mulled wine recipe that can be served warm or chilled, spiked or not…