recipe
Italian housewives: the vital ingredient for a good polenta
So all you need is salted water and cornmeal, right? Most certainly not! Modern instant recipes are no substitute for the real thing. It’s impossible to make good polenta without a bit of elbow grease and a lot of patience. Don’t forget the copper pot for cooking it in either
Europe's breakfasts: I'll have what Obama's having
Russia: Putin feeds Obama whilst a leather boot fans the flames. Italy: whilst Obama becomes president, Berlusconi serves his escort a hot drink. Germany: Merkel cooks brekkie for hubby: a round-up of European politicians' breakfast stories in the news, plus a pancake recipe for the bimonthly gastronomy column
recipe, barack obama, angela merkel, lifestyle, food, silvio berlusconi, gastronomy
Ramadan arrives in Europe
We’re hungry, and in a hurry. The evening sun is still strong enough to melt the tar between the cobbles. I’m in Bologna, Italy, and Badr is bringing me as a guest to iftar, the daily feast that breaks the ramadan fast.
recipe, morocco, italy, bologna, food, best of cafebabel.com, islam
Marmite and co: disgustingly debatable foods in western Europe
Travelling around Europe, you’re never safe from a bad gastronomic surprise, be it vegetable yeast spread, bull’s tail, pig’s head paté, mushroom spread and much more ... brace your guts. Plus, a recipe for stewed oxtail
recipe, united kingdom, germany, austria, tourism, france, poland
EU aphrodisiacs: unleash the rhinoceros in you
Eating at home is the cheaper and more pleasant seduction option. Create the appropriate atmosphere and know how to captivate your palate. All your senses are involved in sensuality, from soft music playing in your ears, to the food in your mouth
recipe, food, sex, best of cafebabel.com, gastronomy, yum nyam
Calimotxo, Blonder Engel or Advocaat: European cocktails galore
What would the Coen brothers’ film 'The Big Lebowski' be without its revolting milk and vodka cocktails (White Russians)? Roundup of the zaniest European cocktails, plus a recipe for Poland's 'Mad Dog'
recipe, europe, best of cafebabel.com, summer, alcohol, party
England: home to Europe's cheese?
Watch out for homogenisation. In order to flog their wares to Americans and their sensitive stomachs, or to get them approved by Brussels, European cheese makers are being asked to pasteurise their products. How disgraceful! Cheese and cheese-making has such a wonderful tradition...
Facebook 'foodie' groups versus the credit crunch
The world’s most famous social networking site has answers to the crisis which are making a hole in youngsters’ pockets. Plus a recipe for pangasius with peppers in this edition of the biweekly gastronomy column
Mushrooms, worthy hallucinogens of paradise
The beneficial properties of mushrooms are renowned: springing up out of the ground from nothing, they are one of the first foods eaten by human beings. What is perhaps less well known is that it may well be the mushroom which was responsible for the birth of the human species
How to survive ramadan
Fasting during Ramadan is a considerably difficult strain on the body, made up for by the communal breaking of the fast. Meal times are in the evening and the middle of the night
Hot-cross Europe
Easter eggs, fried slices of bread in milk or wine and hot cross buns: April 8 sees Europeans celebrate Easter in their own way
