Staying Home for the Holidays? You Can Still Eat Your Way Around the World

In many parts of the world the holiday season is in full swing — which means hearty meals and festive get-togethers, but also chaotic airports and overpriced hotels. If you decided to eschew the questionable joys of holiday travel, it doesn’t mean you can’t still experience new cultures and flavors in your kitchen.

Saveur Magazine recently announced their 2018 Food Blog winners and finalists, and among them are several fantastic WordPress websites specializing in the culinary traditions of one country or region. Here are three to whet your appetite — why not browse some recipes, read the stories behind them, and try something new for your next gathering?

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A Kitchen in Uganda

Sweet potato chips masala, from A Kitchen in Uganda

With too few exceptions, African cooking is still woefully underrepresented outside the continent. Sophie Musoki, the food-loving blogger who created A Kitchen in Uganda, works hard to change that. Based in Kasese, Uganda, she shares recipes that encourage readers to discover East African staples while occasionally fusing elements from other parts of the world.

Sophie’s website makes it easy to plan entire meals, from firinda soup to gonja donuts. If you’re not sure where to start, her handy index recipe has got you covered.

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Cuisine Helvetica

Knöpfli (Swiss spätzle) with red kuri squash, from Cuisine Helvetica

If you live in the colder reaches of the Northern Hemisphere, this is the season for dishes that hit the “rich and comforting” spot. Few cooking cultures come with as much instant-gratification value as Switzerland’s — and at Cuisine Helvetica, American expat Heddi delivers recipes you’ll want to try (Knöpfli, anyone?) as well as forays into other, non-edible parts of Swiss culture.

It’s not all melted cheese and endless chocolate (not that there’s anything wrong with either) — Heddi’s pea soup looks like a fresh, bright complement to all those delicious fats.

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the cinnaman

Star anise blood-orange olive-oil cake, from the cinnaman

It’s always time for dessert somewhere in the world. (Counterpoint: it’s always time for dessert, period.) Why not try a recipe or two from Majid Ali, aka the cinnaman, who just won Saveur’s Blog of the Year award?

Majid lives in Dubai, a cosmopolitan hub that’s deeply rooted in Middle Eastern and Persian Gulf food culture. And his confections stay faithful to the hybrid influences of his city: whether he bakes a cherry pie or a shortbread, he infuses his recipes with spices and textures from the region. (The cherry pie calls for sumac and date molasses; the shortbread features cardamom and pistachio.) As a bonus, you can read his recipes in both English and Arabic.

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What’s your most prized holiday dish or food tradition? Let us know in the comments!

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