Limpa Bröd (pain de mie suédois)

Falafels assyriens What we already know, and what I’m testing So anyway, we know that raw soaked chickpeas are essential for good falafel, and we know that baking soda helps them get that desired fluffy texture. Plenty of people have proven that using science and traditional practices. So I didn’t bother testing whether you can make falafel from canned chickpeas, or whether baking soda solution works better than plain old water, since we already know those answers (you definitely can’t, and it sure does!). Instead, to satisfy my own curiosity, I thought it would be interesting to test different soaking strategies, asking two questions: How long do chickpeas need to soak in baking soda solution?

Thé soudanais Under the pulsing noonday sun, Tea Ladies line the streets of Sudan. They soak up what little shade they can find. Water simmers over charcoal stoves. They swirl a mishmash of ingredients through the steam, into the pot. You can pick your combination. Laxpudding suédois The recipe for this Swedish classic comes courtesy of Eva Räng. It's comfort food taken to the extreme: purists spoon over loads of extra melted butter as they eat it with Swedish crispbread, a leafy salad and a glass of beer. Heat the oven to 160C/320F/gas mark 2½. Put the potatoes in a medium pot and cover with cold water. Bagels au miel et jalapeño These Jalapeno and Honey Bagels with Everything Spice are the BEST! They’re soft and chewy, spicy and sweet and totally addictive. I could eat these all day long, and I kind of did today after making them, because I have no will power and eating 3 bagels before noon felt like a good idea at the time. But I digress. These bagels are not as difficult to make as you think and only take 2 hours from start to finish!

Thé swahili Whether the sun is blistering or the snow is falling, Mozambique has the answer for you. Ginger – crazy ginger tea. The beauty of this drink is in the simplicity. Kjötsúpa (Soupe à l'agneau islandaise) See Full Nutritional GuidelinesHide Full Nutritional Guidelines (Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.) Rutabagas and carrots add a bright flavor and color to this traditional Icelandic lamb soup recipe. 2 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic 3 pounds lamb, on the bone (thick chops or shoulder, whatever is cheapest) 1 medium onion, sliced 1/3 cup brown rice (traditionalists use rolled oats as an alternative) 6 cups of water 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 cabbage, roughly chopped 3 carrots, diced into 1/2 inch pieces 1/2 rutabaga, uniformly diced 1 cup cauliflower florets (optional) 4 potatoes, scrubbed well and diced into uniform 1/2 inch pieces Gather the ingredients.

Cheesecake destructuré à la reine-claude The cake mix for this deconstructed cheesecake needs to set for 24 hours before serving, so you'll need to plan ahead. While you're at it, you may as well make the compote and crumble mix ahead of time, too, so all you'll need to do on the day is plate and serve. Put the cream cheese, mascarpone and 100g of the sugar in the bowl of a mixer and beat on a medium speed until soft and smooth. In another bowl, whisk the cream to soft peaks, then gently fold the whisked cream into the cheese mix, together with the lemon zest, until well incorporated.

Rugbrod : Pain de seigle danois aux céréales See Full Nutritional GuidelinesHide Full Nutritional Guidelines (Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.) The best thing about Danish rye bread, or rugbrød, is the way it beautifully blurs the line between porridge and bread. It’s a little bit like fermented oatmeal that you can slice and toast. One of the most flavorful yet still-versatile breads, this rye is equally fantastic toasted and buttered for breakfast, or as the foundation of an open-faced sandwich at lunchtime.

Thunder Bread (Pain islandais à la mélasse) See Full Nutritional GuidelinesHide Full Nutritional Guidelines (Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.) This moist, Icelandic dark rye bread (rugbrauð), also called "thunder bread" or "pot bread," has many similarities to Boston brown bread—it is leavened with baking powder, not yeast, and molasses gives it color and a hint of sweetness. Traditionally, Icelandic rye bread is prepared over the course of 12 or more hours by placing the dough into covered pots and sinking these into geothermal springs.

Brioches suédoises à la cannelle (Kanelbullar) See Full Nutritional GuidelinesHide Full Nutritional Guidelines (Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.) You cannot enjoy a cup of coffee in Sweden without a delicious kanelbullar, the country's version of the cinnamon bun. Unlike the supersized, super-sweet American version dripping with icing (and there's nothing wrong with that), kanelbullar are smaller, less gooey, and less sweet, and are topped with pearl sugar and/or sliced almonds.

Lefse (Pain norvégien à la pomme de terre) See Full Nutritional GuidelinesHide Full Nutritional Guidelines (Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.) Perhaps no food is more beloved by Norwegians than lefse. Prepared on special lefse griddles and turned with a long wooden stick, this thin potato flatbread is best served warm with butter and sugar. Brought to the United States' Midwest by Scandinavian immigrants, the American version of lefse is usually made with potatoes and flour, whereas in Norway potato-less lefse is also very common. A cross between a heartier crepe, a chewier tortilla, and a thinner grilled naan, lefse is a great snack or light meal, and is sometimes eaten with fillings like cottage cheese, spreads, salmon, and the similarly traditional lutefisk—dried and rehydrated white fish.