Morning Coffee Story: How the World Starts its Day
Begin the day in bustling Tokyo, where salarymen queue for a shot of strong canned coffee, a morning kick hitting hard in the soul. Keep an eye on Parisian bistros, where locals lean on the counter, sipping their lattes as they contemplate the day ahead. Finish off in Addis Ababa, referred to as the birthplace of coffee, smelling the roasting beans over charcoal, setting the rhythm of the city’s heartbeat.
Breakfast Recipe: Japanese Tamago Sandwich
Whisk three eggs, a tablespoon of sugar, and a splash of soy sauce. In a buttered non-stick pan, pour the mixture and let it set. Flip it gently and allow it to cook fully. Cut the fluffy omelette into a sandwich-sized piece. Slather mayo and mustard onto two slices of fluffy bread, lay down your egg, and cut into halves. Light, fluffy, slightly sweet and deeply satisfying, it’s a Tokyo morning tucked into each bite.
Lunch Recipe: Moroccan Couscous Salad
Cook one cup of couscous as per package instructions. In a large bowl, add sliced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, diced red onions, and a handful of chopped fresh parsley. Add in the cooled couscous, drizzle with olive oil and give a generous squeeze of a lemon. Toss until everything is well mixed. Smell the fresh herbs and zesty lemon, imagine the bustling souks of Marrakech, a crate of sunshine poured into your bowl.
Dinner Recipe: Italian Turkey Meatballs
Combine one pound of ground turkey, a quarter cup of minced onion, two chopped garlic cloves, an egg, a half cup of breadcrumbs, half a cup of grated Parmesan cheese, and a tablespoon of chopped fresh basil. Roll the mixture into meatballs. Brown them in a pan and set aside. In the same pan, add a can of crushed tomatoes, simmer, then nestle the meatballs back in. Sprinkle with fresh basil and mozzarella. All you’ll need after dinner is a Vespas ride around a moonlit Colosseum.
👨🍳 Chef Aaron’s Note
As I tried a new vinegar for my couscous today, I was reminded of the time I switched soy sauces in Tokyo. It was like accidentally walking into the women’s room… you know something is different but can’t put your finger on it until someone screams. Now, the Tokyo times are remembered fondly, if a bit embarrassingly!
“The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking, you’ve got to have a what-the-hell attitude.” — Julia Child