Wooden Spoon Wanderer

Eric and I are big travellers. We don't own a house or a car or nice furniture or the newest in technological gadgets, but we travel at least two or three times a year. This year, we've been to Italy, Bermuda, the US, Norway, and Iceland, and a big part of our travels is tasting…

Location: Asia, on the northern border of India Population: 800,000 Capital: Thimphu Geography: Landlocked, mountainous Language: Dzongkha Signature flavours: Chilli peppers, datshi (Bhutanese cheese), dried meats The Menu I wanted to choose menu items that were characteristic of Bhutan. In my research, I looked for language like, “You can’t talk about Bhutanese cuisine without…

Location: Southern end of South America on the Atlantic Ocean Population: 43.8 million Capital: Buenos Aires Geography: Hugely varied, comprising mountainous regions, tropics, and plains Language: Spanish Signature flavours: Beef, corn, pumpkin, cheese, dulce de leche The Menu Eric wrapped up our South American double-header (I got Chile last week) with Argentinian cuisine, and opted…

Location: West Africa Population: 8 million Capital: Lome Geography: Small Atlantic coastline to the south, savannah in the north Languages: French, Ewe, Kabiyé Signature flavours: Gbotemi (a spice mix of ajwain, clove, cardamom and others—west Africa’s answer to garam masala), seafood, tomato, peanut sauce The Menu Eric was very excited to purchase a mortar and…

Okay, I could kitchen without some of these things. I know this because I kitchened before I owned a slow cooker, and I will continue to kitchen after I drop it while moving it from the sink to the cupboard, breaking it into ten thousand pieces. But these are items that make kitchening extra enjoyable,…

I get really down when one of my kitchen creations is a fail. I get mopey, grouchy, and I don't want to talk about it. But since the whole idea of the Wooden Spoon Wanderer Project is to push my husband Eric and me beyond our culinary comfort zones, failures are inevitable. When I was…

Location: The Caribbean Population: 10.8 million Capital: Port-au-Prince Geography: A tropical, mountainous country located on the west side of the island of Hispaniola. Language: French and Haitian Creole Signature flavours: Hot pepper, thyme, shallot, pumpkin, plantain, rice, beans. The Menu Eric went ambitious, with a four-item menu that included an array of Haitian flavours. He…

Location: Central America on the southern border of Mexico Population: 16.5 million Capital: Guatemala City Geography: Mountainous, with small areas of desert, and having coastlines on both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans Language: Spanish Signature flavours: Tomato, corn, chilli pepper, cocoa The Menu Guatemalan cuisine is highly influenced by the country's neighbour to the north,…

Location: South eastern Europe in the Balkans Population: 7 million Capital: Belgrade Geography: A landlocked country with mountains in the south and east Language: Serbian Signature flavours: Bread, cheese, cured meats, bell peppers, relishes, flaky pastry The Menu Serbia, Eric learned, has a culinary tradition that intersects European and Mediterranean tastes. Eric loves bread (he…

Location: West Africa Population: 18.5 million Capital: Ouagadougou Geography: A landlocked nation of alternating plains and small mountains. Language: French and Mòoré Signature flavours: Beans, tomato, peanut The Menu Over this culinary journey, I am learning that there is something people are saying the world over: If in doubt, make a stew. Whether it's goulash…

Location: South America on the Pacific Ocean Population: 18 million Capital: Santiago Geography: A long, narrow country encompassing mountain, desert, plain, and tropics Language: Spanish Signature flavours: Seafood, corn, potato, tomato, avocado The Meal Was it ever hard to plan my menu for Chile! I'm a huge seafood lover, and Chile abounds with fishy dishes.…

This year, I’ve committed myself to reducing waste both inside and outside of my home. I’m by no means at zero waste, but I can confidently say that I’m producing less waste than ever before, and that’s something. It felt daunting when I first started researching the zero-waste movement, and I was coming across articles…

Location: Central Europe Population: 9.8 million Capital: Budapest Geography: A hilly landlocked country lying in the drainage basin of the Danube River Language: Hungarian Signature flavours: Paprika, bell pepper, tomato, potato, beef, pork, cheese The Menu Eric wanted to make goulash, since it showcases many of the signature flavours of Hungary. He has always been…

Location: Oceania, about halfway between New Zealand and Hawaii Population: 190,000 Capital: Apia Geography: A collection of two large volcanic islands and eight islets Language: Samoan, English Signature flavours: Coconut, tropical fruits (pineapple, mango, papaya, etc.), seafood The Menu I found a website in my first five minutes of researching Samoan food that I considered…

When I was seven years old, I became a vegetarian. For many, this might have been a precocious exploration of ethicality, but for me, it was bound up in the beginnings of an eating disorder. This may sound like an over-complication of the situation — what seven-year-old doesn’t love animals? — but deciding to not…