Which Countries or Cultures Make the Best Cakes? Let's Discuss!

Which Countries or Cultures Make the Best Cakes? Would love to hear your thoughts on this foodie topic.  My husband says when it comes to baking, nobody beats out the Greeks and the Jews. Not that I'm a cake connoisseur, but I am tempted to agree with him; especially about the Greeks.  Did you know the Greeks invented cheesecake and that we have them to thank for the tradition of the birthday cake?

Sorry to say cake baking is not my forte. But I do love a great cake. It would be right to say that cake loving IS my forte.  💗

Honestly! If Queen Marie Antoinette had really said “Let them eat cake!” and I had been in earshot distance, I would have been “Where?!! Where??!! Where's the cake??!!”

Image credit:  Marie Antoinette | CheriesPit

Recently, I've been coming across recipes shared by my online friends from different countries and also from food newsletters that I subscribe to and it's got me dreaming and wishing I could enjoy all of these wonderful baked delights without having to concern myself with the possible ill effects of consuming too much sugar. Alas! There is diabetes in my family line and I just don't want to take any chances.

Most of the time, I enjoy cakes by just looking at them or maybe taste a teeny weeny sample. ☺

But some cakes are far too pretty and unusual to eat. Don't you think?  Like these incredible jelly cakes.

Stunning Edible Flower Jelly Cakes Blooming in Your Plate

These gorgeous jelly cakes came from 'La Floraison' in Sydney Australia. Like a Japanese rainbow cake these confections are almost too pretty to eat.

http://k-kyeopta-blog.tumblr.com/post/36270226635

Some cakes are not even cakes. They're masterpieces. Works of art!

• Like the cakes created by celebrated sugar artist Michelle Wibowo Seeing is believing!.

And then some cakes are dummy cakes. Dummy cakes? Yeah. Also called Fake Cakes.  New term I learned.  Apparently they have become popular at weddings as the wedding cake.  Check out this article in the New York Times about NY Cake.  Not edible but the artwork is incredible! 😆

But we all have our preferences and there is not one person in the world who can say that their specific food taste is “the right food taste”.

What about you? Do you 💗 cake?
If you were going to sing praises about a country or a culture that makes the best cakes what would your choice be?

I'd love to hear your picks. 
Do you agree or disagree with my husband? ☺

MARK YOUR CALENDARS.  

November 26 is #NationalCakeDay.

Custom Cakes by Rainbow Nourishments (Raw Vegan Cake Maker)

Foodie Friday : CHICKEN RECIPES – The Best of

Award-winning TV chef, Lidia Bastianich, says that “chicken” is the most searched for food term. There is no reason to think that fact needs to be checked out. Lots of people love chicken! Fried, stewed, baked, barbecued, grilled! There has got to be a million plus ways to prepare this delightful bird and make it taste like it's the first time you've ever eaten it! Agree?

 



What's your favorite part of the chicken? (Breasts or dark meat?)

• I like chicken thighs.

Do you also like chicken livers, gizzards, and hearts?

• If you tenderize them you can cook them in a stew with carrots, potatoes and green cabbage. It's a poor man's meal but very filling.

Do you have favorite way you like to eat chicken?

 
When people say “best of”, it's almost always purely subjective. However, for several years I have been collecting what, in my opinion is the “best” chicken recipes from wherever they can be found and as of today my Pinterest board boasts close to 600 recipes.

Here is a quick list of just a few of the best chicken dishes ever.

Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken

Yeah mon!! :)

16-Spice Fried Chicken with Mango–Red Chile Honey

Mango makes everything taste good!

 

Easy Greek Marinated Chicken

Greek Chicken with Garlic and Feta

Grilled Thai Spice Chicken Sliders

Who doesn't like Greek or Thai food? (O.o) (???)

 

Honey Jalapeno Chicken Tenders

Finger food in its finest hour!

 

Best Ever Roast Chicken

* soy sauce, red wine vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, olive oil.

Just listing the seasonings makes my mouth water.

 

Chicken Rice Casserole Sunday Supper

The mighty one pot dish!

 

Easy Chicken Enchiladas

* use a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken.

Said the magic word. Easy!!

 

Lemon Chicken Rice Soup

Best Chicken Detox Soup

Don't resist chicken soup! It's good for the soul! :)

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More #FoodieFriday Posts Improve Boxed Mac-n-Cheese. Is that possible?  Little Things Shares Delightful Recipes and Cooking Tips  Raw Milk Cheese (Americans are Missing Out!)  Happy Holidays! Who Wants Egg Nog?  YACR ( Yet Another Chili Recipe )  Purple is the Color of Royalty and of Glorious Vegetables  Sampling Fast Food World Cuisine is a Fun Do!  Name Your Favorite Instant Noodle  YAPAS (Yet Another Post About Spinach)  Immune-boosting Smoothie ~ Order at Starbucks  Recipes | Desserts | Pineapple Stuffing and More!  Japan’s 10 weirdest ice cream flavors  The Right Blend of Spices for Cajun Food Lovers  Indian Food: Hot n Spicy Samosas (Reblog)  Candied Jalapeño Peppers  Chinese New Year Recipes and Dishes  Pesto Around the World  Experiencing the Joy of Salsa   Spice Spotlight: Cinnamon  It's Flipping Foodie Friday!  Raw Coconut Fig Slice (Reblog)  Winter Salad Binging  Banana Brownies - Back for Seconds

Edible Art Of Japanese Style Kawaii Cooking

It’s really no big surprise that people like kawaii.
 It’s loaded with cuteness!  😊

When my high schooler was a middle schooler, she enjoyed this cartoon program called Phineas and Ferb about two young boys who are geniuses and always cook up some unbelievable event for each episode.  The favorite line in the show is when someone usually asks them: “Aren’t you are little young to be doing this?” (“This” whatever the this is that they’re doing that kids should not be able to do.); and they always respond:  “Yes.  Yes we are!”   :)




Well there was one episode where they were trying to overcome an “alien monster” and just didn’t know what “weapon” they could use.  Finally Phineas figured it out and it wasn’t anything he and his friend could build themselves.  However one of their friends did possess it.  Their friend’s weapon was “cuteness”.

Are you familiar with Kawaii Cooking?

Kawaii is the Japanese word for “cute”.

I describe this cooking style in 2 words: adorable cuteness!

It's a Japanese way of preparing food that is aimed at making kids happy to eat their food. It is edible art! Per Wikipedia: “Generally delicate and tiny items are called "kawaii" in Japanese; miniature food is created with the Japanese miniature-art techniques of recent decades.”

Learn more about the technique and try some recipes:

• ‘Kawaii’Cooking – Japan’s newest, hottest, and tiniest food trend |six-two by Contiki  
• Too cute to eat: Kawaii baking trend and recipes 
• KawaiiRecipes | Tastemade 

Cute Food – Adorable Bento Box, Edible Art Of Kawaii Cooking

Make A Bento Box Lunch!

Raye gardens organically, harvests rainwater, strives to eat locally, and honors the gods from her home in the Pacific Northwest. Bento boxes are fast becoming popular as a modern Western lunchtime option. These small meals offer lots of variety and can be created from very healthy ingredients.

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Image credit: Bear buns ~ Ridiculously adorable pull-apart bear shaped milk bread rolls. Cute and kawaii Japanese style food art. Creative idea for food art for kids top view. Photo taken on: June 02nd, 2016  © Photographer: Santusya | Agency: Dreamstime.com

Looking for the recipe for those pull apart bears?

 

Related articles, posts or other links

• Youtube channel Make Food. Eat Food. will inspire you with creations based on Asian cuisine(en.rocketnews24.com)

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• Phineas and Ferb Creators Have a New Disney XD Animated Series Coming with 'Weird Al' Yankovic & Ming-Na Wen(themarysue.com)

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• The Cuter Side of Things(casluvschloe.wordpress.com)

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Sushezi Sushi Made Easy

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EES shares recipes, cooking tips and all things foodie!

Everyday Exotic Spices

The Mystery of the Perfect Condiments for Veggie Burgers

For several years we've been adjusting, changing, modifying our diet. "We" meaning my significant other and me. Had you asked me 40 years ago about “veggie burgers”, I probably would have tried to pretend not to hear the question or act like you're weren't talking to me. 

However, beginning in 2015, this is my reality check.

Veggie burgers are a real part of our nutrition plan.

Learned something about myself. Veggie burgers taste pretty good to me! Not all of them. But there is one particular brand that is inexpensive and tasty: Morningstar Farms® Garden Veggie Patties™. They have a variety of flavors: Asian, Spicy Black Bean, Mushroom, Grillers, etc. You eat them just like a regular hamburger.

(This is not affiliate advertisement.  I just like the brand.)

Made an amazing discovery. It sort of makes me feel silly because of its obviousness.

The Garden Veggie Pattie is the one that tastes the best in my opinion.  You don't have to dress it up with condiments. You don't even need to put it on a bun.

But the other ones – the mushroom, the Asian-style, the spicy bean, the chik'n or turkey grillers, etc. - are not so flavorful.  So I avoid them.

One of my daughters fixed a spicy bean burger for lunch but didn't finish the sandwich. She asked me if I wanted her leftovers; otherwise, she'd have to throw it away.

Waste food?!! Not in my house!!

So I ate what was left of her sandwich and … and … It tasted great!

Do you know why?

She put mustard and ketchup on her burger.

Duh! (O.o) That's what was missing from those veggie burgers??

The two most common under-appreciated condiments that are in homes and restaurants gave the veggie burger what it was missing. Flavor!

Why didn't I think of that??!  :)

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Marshman, Victoria. "The History of Mustard." The Nibble. Lifestyle Direct, Inc., July 2009. Web. 15 Apr 2017. © Copyright 2005-2017

Wiggins, Jasmine. "How Was Ketchup Invented?" National Geographic: About The Plate. National Geographic Society., 21 Apr. 2014. Web. 05 May 2015.

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Content also appears at Persona Paper.

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Do You Have a Favorite Condiment for Your Food? ~ Whenever I ask this question I get a wide range of responses that went way beyond mustard and ketchup. People started throwing out: salsa, soy sauce, barbecue sauce, different kinds of mustards, chutney, mint sauce, red currant jelly, pickles and paprika, garlic and chives, Chimichurri, fish sauce and shrimp paste, Thai chili, black vinegar and peri-peri.  Talk about food diversity!

Food Blurb: Gourmet Sleuth is an Excellent Cooking Resource

Have you ever had a recipe that required a certain ingredient but that particular ingredient is not readily available where you live OR if it is available, it's really expensive.  This website called Gourmet Sleuth will share ingredients that you can substitute.  For example:

• If you don't have radicchio, use endive or arugula.
• If you don't have jack fruit, use plantains, summer squash or papaya. 

If the recipe calls for something exotic like Bhutanese Red Rice, you can substitute Black rice or brown rice.

"Bhutanese Red Rice is a partially-milled short grain rice grown in the Himalayan mountains." 

You can easily look up what you need as the ingredients are arranged in alphabetical order.

The site also has a blog and shares recipes, conversions, and articles.  Because I am interested in world cuisine, I really like the article section titled "Ethnic, Unique Foods, Ingredients".

World Cuisine : The India-Africa Cooking Connection

For me, a hearty stew has always been the ultimate family-style comfort food. Prepare a big pot, fill the bowls for family, friends, and honored guests, break bread, and chow down!! (Keep reading and you'll get the "bread" and "chow" references.)  Such a meal can unite family and friends, make strangers feel welcome, and dare I say ... connect countries?  Hey!  Nothing wrong with wishful thinking and dreams of world peace.

Indians love curry; in fact that's where it originated. Africans like peanuts; it was a food used to feed the slaves because it was an excellent source of protein. These tidbits of info gleaned from researching world cuisine, global flavors, and food history.  When the Indians and the Africans combined their food loves ... the "mix" was WOW!  Let the links shared below explain the impact.  They lead to recipes that introduce your palette to the blending of the cultures of  India and Africa in every delicious mouthful.  Not just dishes that use curry and peanuts but meals with other flavorful cultural ingredients.  It's family food, it's comfort food, it's "all kinds of deliciousness" food!! ☺

Let's Go to South Africa for Some Indian Food

Experience the flavors of Indian food in South Africa.

Indian cuisine South Africa style blends Indian and African foods

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African cuisine reflects the amalgamation of hundreds of different cultures and groups that inhabit the continent. The local culinary traditions are a fusion and it can be seen in the choice of ingredients, method of preparation and cooking techniques.

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Looking for foodie friends? Have fun finding and sharing food-related content on Noise.Cash. It's a global social community. The PLUS is that you can make friends and earn Bitcoin Cash$.

Food Blurb: Japanese Fun Food

JAPANESE FOOD

Links to cooking videos that teach you how to make 2 kinds of Japanese pancakes; considered as snacks or dessert. 

Taiyaki is a warm fish-shaped cake with red bean filling.

* How to Make Taiyaki (Recipe) 鯛焼きの作り方（レシピ）

Dorayaki is made of honey pancake sandwich with sweet red bean filling.

* How To Make Dorayaki (Recipe) どら焼きの作り方 （レシピ）

(Images credit: justonecookbook.com ) 

6 Best Japanese Sauces You Need To KnowBy Heart
• Just One Cookbook

1. Homemade Ponzu Sauce

2. Teriyaki Sauce

3. All-Purpose Miso Sauce

4. Tonkatsu Sauce

5. Yakiniku Sauce

6. Unagi Sauce

Food Blog Spotlight: Honey Chai Cake Recipe | Arabic Food (Reblog)

Are you curious about global flavors?  You have wanderlust but can't wander too far because your travel budget is extremely limited?  Describing myself, of course.  My travel adventures are accomplished mainly through the Internet and television.  Was watching a TV cooking show and the host asked one of his guests who was a world traveler, which part of the world had the "best food" (in his opinion).  He said he enjoyed food prepared in the Middle East.  

Image credit:  Arabic Food I, photo by Victor Maia, found at Flickr.com



Connecting the dots.  

Several months back, began using the Google+ collections feature to maintain a collection of posts and links related to World Cuisine.  In the process, stumbled across the Arabic Food Recipes blog.  My husband and kids are turned on to chai tea. Even though I am a coffee fiend, having been encouraged by them to try a cup, it's very easy to understand why they are chai tea lovers.  At the aforementioned food blog found a cake recipe and thought to myself:

• 'Chai tea is delicious. Why not chai cake?'  

(See link shared below.)

Here is another thing to note about this blog.  When many of us are enjoying the holiday season, we say "Happy Holidays" to others.  Why?  It's not to be anti-Christmas.  America is a diverse nation.  Some folks do not celebrate Christmas.  But they do celebrate a holiday!  This blog has holiday recipes for Christmas, EID, and Ramadan.  Cool huh?

Honey Chai Cake Recipe

Honey Chai Cake Recipe

A delicious honey cake with tea, covered with vanilla and white chocolate icing, no one can resist it! Shaikha - founder of "When Shaikha Cooks" blog - prepared for you this unique recipe, to prepare it easily, especially for when you're expecting friends.

Slow-roasted lamb shoulder with flavours of shawarma recipe

“There’s nothing worse than being stuck in the kitchen on Christmas day while all your guests are enjoying themselves outside, so this DIY lamb shawarma recipe is the perfect solution. ...”

Slow-roasted lamb shoulder with flavours of shawarma recipe

The Arabic Food Recipes Kitchen (The home of Delicious Arabic Food) invites you to try Slow-roasted lamb shoulder with flavours of shawarma recipe. Enjoy the Arabic cuisine and learn how to make Slow-roasted lamb shoulder with flavours of shawarma.

Eid Kaak with Dates Recipe

Eid Kaak with Dates Recipe

Cooking time: 20 minutes servings: 100 Ingredients Dough: 2 cups very hot margarine7 cups flour2 tsp smell of kaak (special kaak spices)2 tbsp toasted sesame1/2 cup warm water1 tbsp yeast 1 tsp sugar1/2 cup milk Stuffing: 500 grams Ajwa (dates)1 tsp cinnamon For garnish: Fine powder sugar Directions 1.

Eggplant With Lamb, Tomato and Pine Nuts Recipe

“ … this traditional Lebanese dish is made for celebratory meals and gatherings.

Eggplant With Lamb, Tomato and Pine Nuts Recipe

With its layers of golden eggplant, cinnamon-scented lamb, and sweet tomato sauce topped with melted cheese, this traditional Lebanese dish is made for celebratory meals and gatherings. Even better, it's just as good served warm or room temperature as it is hot from the oven.

Related articles

How To Promote Diversity And Inclusion During A Month Of Multicultural Holidays

Looking for foodie friends? Have fun finding and sharing food-related content on Noise.Cash. It's a global social community. The PLUS is that you can make friends and earn Bitcoin Cash$.

Foodie Friday : Little Things Shares Delightful Recipes and Cooking Tips

LittleThings is a website/platform that serves as home to a myriad group of content creators. The publishers don't just share info about food, but that's where my interests lie. Celebrate your inner chef!

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Some people make a meal just eating appetizers.  Try these bruschetta recipes.  I could eat a plate full.

3 Delicious Bruschetta Recipes Everyone Will Love | @LittleThingsUSA ~ https://t.co/pPEJ1wrI8m #appetizers #Partyfood #funfood pic.twitter.com/xOjkyk4dnw

— Everyday Exotic Spices Presents Food Ways (@EverydaySpices) August 21, 2021

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When the season changes to fall or winter, do you always look for pumpkin and squash recipes?  I do!

Tasty Squash Soup And #Pumpkin Roll #Recipes | @LittleThingsUSA ~ https://t.co/7jFTjoaVu2 #soups #Autumn #fallrecipes

— Everyday Exotic Spices Presents Food Ways (@EverydaySpices) August 21, 2021

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Bought my son a waffle iron for Christmas once.  He used it at first and then became bored.  These recipes are proof that he simply lacked creativity and cooking inspiration.

I Tried 5 #Recipes In A Waffle Iron And Here's What Worked | @LittleThingsUSA ~ https://t.co/nK6AbI1f0P #breakfast #Cooking #creativity

— Everyday Exotic Spices Presents Food Ways (@EverydaySpices) August 21, 2021

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We all know pasta is comfort food.  But isn't a pasta dish quick to make?  Sure!  Some are.  But some pasta meals can be cooked in the slow cooker and you'll be glad you took the time.

Slow Cooker #Pasta 3 Ways: #ComfortFood Worth The Wait | @LittleThingsUSA ~ https://t.co/EajhVIvyVt #crockpot #slowcookerrecipes #meals

— Everyday Exotic Spices Presents Food Ways (@EverydaySpices) August 21, 2021

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Most of my friends say they don't bake bread because they don't have time.  Wonder if they ever tried baking bread in a jar?

How To Bake #Bread In A Jar: 3 Ways To Put A Delightful Twist On #Classic #Recipes | @LittleThingsUSA ~ https://t.co/LiSug4pNrl #baking

— Everyday Exotic Spices Presents Food Ways (@EverydaySpices) August 21, 2021

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You can use this dessert recipe to celebrate Easter and if you don't celebrate that holiday, then celebrate Spring!  It's dessert!  Surely you can come up with an excuse to eat cake!

Robin's Egg #Cake Is Gorgeous, Delicious, And Easy To Make | @LittleThingsUSA ~ https://t.co/4h5JcYem0k #cakelovers #desserts

— Everyday Exotic Spices Presents Food Ways (@EverydaySpices) August 21, 2021

Hope you enjoy these recipes.

Foodie Friday : Falooda, An Indian Dessert

Shining my foodie Friday spotlight on Falooda. 

It's an Indian dessert. Friends in a forum introduced me to this dessert. Ingredients (for the picture below): Mango, Jelly, Basil Seed, Vermicelli, Tapioca Pearls, Condensed Milk, Rose Syrup and Vanilla Ice Cream. There are, of course, recipe variations (see below). Most ingredients you can probably get from your local grocery stores like mango, jelly, condensed milk, and vanilla ice cream. But you may want to shop online for Tapioca Pearls, Basil Seed, and Rose Syrup.

Ever try this dessert?

By Kanchana Bose [CC BY-SA 4.0], from Wikimedia Commons

       

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More #FoodieFriday Posts Improve Boxed Mac-n-Cheese. Is that possible?  Little Things Shares Delightful Recipes and Cooking Tips  Raw Milk Cheese (Americans are Missing Out!)  Happy Holidays! Who Wants Egg Nog?  YACR ( Yet Another Chili Recipe )  Purple is the Color of Royalty and of Glorious Vegetables  Sampling Fast Food World Cuisine is a Fun Do!  Name Your Favorite Instant Noodle  YAPAS (Yet Another Post About Spinach)  Immune-boosting Smoothie ~ Order at Starbucks  Recipes | Desserts | Pineapple Stuffing and More!  Japan’s 10 weirdest ice cream flavors  The Right Blend of Spices for Cajun Food Lovers  Indian Food: Hot n Spicy Samosas (Reblog)  Candied Jalapeño Peppers  Chinese New Year Recipes and Dishes  Pesto Around the World  Experiencing the Joy of Salsa   Spice Spotlight: Cinnamon  It's Flipping Foodie Friday!  Raw Coconut Fig Slice (Reblog)  Winter Salad Binging  Banana Brownies - Back for Seconds