At first glance, melon pan may seem a curiously misleading name – especially if you happen to choose a double chocolate melon pan (and you should – actually, order a few) or matcha melon pan.
Cookies. Carp. More cookies. A side of potato salad.
While many Christmas festivities in Czechia are similar to those in other parts of Europe, this nation of just under 11 million has some unusual – and noteworthy – holiday traditions all their own.
A little Czech history
Admittedly, Czechia, a country circled by Germany, Poland, Slovakia and Austria, is known more for its culture and history, than cuisine.
While Portlanders may not have invented donuts, they certainly seem to have perfected them. The so-called donut culture here is well fed – inspiring Portlanders to declare their favorites, and to slight those they deem inferior, to both their friends and the public alike.
Plump and misshapen, with a soft, chewy texture that’s reminiscent of pasta or gnocchi, Spätzle belongs in its own culinary category altogether.
Pervasive in Germany, Austria, and Hungary, and stretching into Switzerland and other neighboring European countries, the popular pasta comes in several varieties. But the miniature dumplings usually share a few common threads – a simple dough, heavy with egg and flour, and a cooking method that involves dangling the dough over simmering water so that it cooks on contact.
Palm-sized, circular dumplings that are pulled together in a swirling flourish at the top – Nepalese momos are an edible work of art. Tucked inside each delectable one is a mixture of fresh ingredients that are cooked before being stuffed inside the thin dumpling dough, to ensure the filling stays moist once they're steamed.
Salivating over the various bakery finds – from oversized carrot-cake muffins heavy with icing and thick slices of flourless chocolate cake, I came across an intriguing find: vegan chocolate mouse. Packaged in a nondescript plastic cup with a gold "VEGAN" label, I thought at best it would satisfy my sweet tooth and at worst it would taste a bit like chocolate-imbued gritty pudding.
A day before thirty-three racing cars charge through the speedway, ticking off 200 laps and 500 miles, the Milk People (yes, they're called "Milk People") prepare to make their special delivery. Chosen from among more than 1,000 Indiana dairy farmers, two "Milk People" are selected to award the Indianapolis 500 winner, and the driver's mechanic and car owner, a bottle of milk.
For the ancient Mayans, chocolate acted as currency. As a food for the gods. As a drink reserved for royalty and rituals.
Thanks to the Mayans, the rest of the world came to know the power – and appeal – of chocolate. It's a story that's told from start to chocolatey finish at the Ecoparque Museo del Chocolate (Eco Chocolate Museum) in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula.