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Global Table Adventure

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December 29, 2010

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Sasha Martin's Adventurous Daughter

"Cook global, shop local," advocates Sasha Martin, a former ex-pat who spent six years abroad and has now taken up residence in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Despite her choice to settle permanently in the American midwest, Martin could not accept what that meant for her daily bread. And so, armed with the academic intensity of her Wesleyan days when she wrote an honors thesis entitled, "The History of Artisan Bread Baking," and the professional prowess of a degree from the CIA (the culinary school -- not that other one), Martin set out to make a culinary pilgrimage to each of the world's 195 countries. The challenge: 195 meals over the course of 195 weeks from her kitchen in Tulsa, "one meal at a time."  

Shop the Story

Determined to cure her husband of "Picky Eater Syndrome" and simultaneously educate her daughter's palate (see the education in action above), Martin outlines the project on her beautifully organized website Global Table Adventure. Chock-a-block with research and recipes on little known international cuisines, the site is an intelligent, accessible hub of in-depth information one might only gather from a meal with a local. Do not fear the site's ambitious mission -- you'll be thrilled, as we are, to have Martin and her family distill otherwise vastly diverse culinary cultures into immediately digestible form.

Sasha Martin: Global Table Adventurer  Belize: Fried Plantains

Literally: Martin's wonderful recipes will have you eating like an Angolan, Bahaman, or Dane in no time. Winning food52 Editors' Pick accolades for her Mushroom Stuffed Draniki from Belarus and Smoked Turkey Stewed in West African Gravy from Côte d'Ivoire, Martin's recipes are extremely detailed, tasty voyages in themselves. Or, follow the Global Table adventure's itinerary with a brainy weekly schedule that to keep even the most avid armchair -- or rather, dinner table -- travelers on their toes.

One of many admirable aspects of Global Table Adventure, however, is its democratic approach to foreign exposure. Each country gets a weeklong visit and a single meal, as she moves alphabetically around the world (her recipe repertoire is catalogued in the section Recipes by Country, which functions as systematically as your grandmother's recipe card box). Take, for example, the fact that Martin won't hit France or Italy for at least a few more months; even when she does, she won't stay for more than a week -- oh, the irony. For, as she so cleverly asserts, you'll never know what you're missing if you haven't eaten your way through Djibouti

  Cyprus: Whole Simmered Apple  Beef Empanadas

 

See what other Food52 readers are saying.

  • Sagegreen
    Sagegreen
  • monkeymom
    monkeymom
  • Sasha (Global Table Adventure)
    Sasha (Global Table Adventure)
  • hardlikearmour
    hardlikearmour
  • nannydeb
    nannydeb
Food52 (we cook 52 weeks a year, get it?) is a food and home brand, here to help you eat thoughtfully and live joyfully.

12 Comments

Sagegreen December 29, 2010
Sasha, your blog is really inspiring! Thanks for all your creative thinking and sharing. What a great adventure.
 
Sagegreen December 29, 2010
...and your gingerbread houses! !
 
Sasha (. December 30, 2010
Thank you.. the project is lots of fun! The global themed gingerbread houses are a great family activity. I'm already daydreaming about what to make for next year :)
 
monkeymom December 29, 2010
What a very cool idea. I look forward to eating along with you!
 
Sasha (. December 30, 2010
Thanks monkeymom... there's always room at the Global Table ;) ... keep in touch
 
Sasha (. December 29, 2010
Wow! What an honor. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

While we've learned many unique recipes & techniques, perhaps the most important lesson the Adventure has taught our family is how much we have in common, despite our borders... we really eat many of the same things, but in different combinations. I'm just glad the internet is around so I can share the fun with everyone else :)

Again, thank you for helping end 2010 on a happy-high! :)
 
hardlikearmour December 29, 2010
Wow...this is a great site. I've just been perusing it for the past 45 minutes. Thanks food52 for sharing. Awesome idea & great executing Sasha!
 
Sasha (. December 30, 2010
That's awesome! Thank you for spending your time with GTA - glad you enjoyed it :)
 
nannydeb December 29, 2010
Love the website and recipes!
 
Sasha (. December 30, 2010
Thank you nannydeb... glad to have you on the Adventure :)
 
Kitchen B. December 29, 2010
Sasha, so glad to see you featured here - I love your blog's aspirations.....especially because it provides and will provide a superb, comprehensive catalogue for cuisines of the world. Travel on and journey mercies. LOL
 
Sasha (. December 30, 2010
Ha! Thank you for the encouragement, I'm glad to have the great company :)