Dovi: Zimbabwean Peanut Stew

The final plated dish of Zimbabwe Dovi - Peanut Stew

For the both of us, one of the most valuable perks of preparing these posts is the opportunity to learn the lesser known histories of the cultures we cook. To say the least, we had limited insight into the history of Zimbabwe and how a dish like Dovi came to be. Little did we know that, even … Read more

Pastel de Choclo: Chilean Corn Pie

Chilean pastel de choclo corn casserole filling with mushroom onion spices olives eggs and mozzerella topped with brown sugar

It’s amazing how food can serve as a proxy for identifying key cultural integrations. For the Chileans, the best available “yummy proxy” is none other than pastel de choclo. Drawing on key components from the different historical influences, this recipe represents far more than a corn pie for a fiercely proud population. And, given the taste of it, … Read more

Anticuchos: Peruvian Beef Kabobs

Peruvian Anticuchos Kabobs with Aji Amarillo Sauce

Thanks to some of our previous deep culinary explorations here on Arousing Appetites, we’ve encountered some prevailing trends in the world’s history. Introducing the Spanish conquistadors into the picture, for example, generally spelled bad news for the land’s indigenous populations. We’ve seen it certainly be the case both in Jamaica and in Haiti. Sometimes, amid all the historical … Read more

Šaltibarščiai (Cold Beet Soup) – A Recipe from Lithuania

Saltibarsciai traditional Lithuanian Cold Beet Soup

What is Šaltibarščiai? Šaltibarščiai (Cold Beet Soup) is a Lithuanian recipe that typically of cold roasted beets, cucumbers, and kefir. It is served cold with a sliced boiled eggs on top, and optional dill and chives for garnishing! If the sound of these ingredients are appealing to you, you might want to check out other … Read more

Som Tam: Thai Papaya Salad

Som Tam: Thai Papaya Salad

We always enjoy exploring the dishes and recipes of Southeast Asian cuisines. From Laos to Thailand to Vietnam (and beyond), each cuisine offers an incredible diversity of taste brought into harmonious balance with one another. Som tam, however, might actually take this “balancing” characteristic one step further, and it all starts in the region from … Read more

Griot: Haitian Broiled Pork Loin

Griot: Haitian Broiled Pork Loin

Griot Haitian food was an exploration that we were really, really looking forward to. We’d had some background into Haitian foods (and how distinctly different it is from other Caribbean cuisines), so we already had a pretty strong inkling that this griot would end up a pretty magical recipe. Even then, we still completely underestimated … Read more