Literary City Guides: Canterbury and Brussels

Two more European destinations have joined Literary City Guides today! 

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CANTERBURY, ENGLAND

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With a rich literary history, England is well-represented on Literary City Guides. Canterbury joins Oxford and Cambridge, as the third of England's cities (and a fourth will be coming up soon!) fits Tour guide Rachel Phipps is an English Literature student in Chaucer's backyard, and knows the best places for tea, books, and tucked away gardens. 

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BRUSSELS, BELGIUM

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Jeannette Cook moved to Brussels in 1997 intending to stay for three years. She hasn't left. In the 17 years she's lived there, Jeannette has discovered some treasured spots for reading and eating. Brussels offers something for everyone, from cozy Italian restaurants to second-hand bookstores and a writer's circle perfect for local residents or travelers just passing through. 

The Lunchbox Fund + Salad for One

I think about lunch more than the average person. From the minute I wake up, my day is being planned out in meals and snacks. When you don't work from home, you're forced to plan ahead, so I've gotten used to baking granola or quick breads over the weekend, and hard boiling a dozen eggs at a time to ensure I have something to satisfy my appetite throughout the day.

This is a privilege, really. Although I grumble when I forget something at Whole Foods or when I have to tap into the bag of almonds in my purse instead of enjoying an afternoon yogurt parfait or almond butter smeared inside of a warm pita, the luxury of having meal options, an abundance of produce to choose from, or the ability to eat every three hours if I want to is a luxury that not everyone shares.

Today's post is dedicated to the children of South Africa, where 65% of them live in poverty. HIV and AIDS has transformed the country, leaving a generation of children forced to become adults sooner than they should have, or move in with their grandparents who aren't always able to provide three meals a day. Hunger is everywhere.

What happens to your blood sugar when you don't eat? How do you feel when you're hungry? I get irritated and cranky, mostly. When children are hungry, you can bet they have a hard time concentrating on what their teacher is saying, so not only are their tummies growling, they're falling behind in the one area that might help them break the cycle of poverty.

If you read your favorite blogs today, you might notice a trend. We're all talking about hunger in South Africa, and a wonderful organization called The Lunchbox Fund that's working to provide a daily, nutritious meal to vulnerable children. It was organized through my website The Giving Table, and today, we're asking everyone to play a small but important role in helping ensure better outcomes for 100 children living in South Africa.

Instead of buying a latte or two this week, feed a child instead. If we manage to raise just $5,000, we will be able to feed 100 schoolchildren for an entire year. (!!). It's as simple as that.

Besides, what good are our words and recipes if we don't get out of our own kitchens once in a while? 

In addition to raising awareness and requesting donations, we're also sharing favorite lunch recipes. I get most excited about lunch on Fridays, when I work from home. Monday through Thursday usually involves a container of leftovers from dinner the night before, as well as a variety of snacks throughout the day. But on Fridays, I scrounge through the refrigerator and use up what's left, or test a recipe I've been working on.

This salad has become our tried and true house salad of late, and I've yet to tire of it. Tender lettuce, grated carrots, beans, crispy quinoa, and a balsamic mustard dressing are all you need. I often add an avocado or hard boiled egg if I have them.

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Salad for One

One thing about salad that's certain is there is much room for interpretation. You don't even need a recipe for dressing, really. I've given you a general idea of my measurements, but the beauty of composing your own salad is that it can be tailored to your tastes, so don't be shy about testing the dressing and adding more honey or salt, for example. 

3 to 4 cups lettuce, lightly packed
1/2 carrot, grated
1/3 cup garbanzo beans
1/2 cup cooked quinoa, toasted in oil until golden and crisp
Handful of sunflower seeds
1 hard boiled egg

Dressing: raw honey, Dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, extra-virgin olive oil

Add all the salad ingredients (except the egg) to a bowl. In a glass measuring cup, add a 1/2 teaspoon of honey, teaspoon of mustard, a generous splash of balsamic vinegar, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Whisk in oil until you have approximately 1/4 - 1/3 cup and the dressing is emulsified.

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well to combine. Start with half the dressing and work your way up until the salad is perfectly dressed. Nestle the egg into your bowl before serving.

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This is a day to make a difference. By donating just $10, you'll be one of hundreds nourishing a group of amazing children who can't wait to make their mark on the world. You can learn more about the Lunchbox Fund by watching this video, and visit our fundraising page on Causes to make your donation. 

Wine is bottled poetry

"Wine is bottled poetry."

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This famous quote by Robert Louis Stevenson is written on a large wooden sign welcoming you to Napa Valley. On one of our last visits to the region, I insisted we pull over to take a picture. As much as it made me feel like a tourist, I do write a literary food blog, after all, and any time poetry has this much visibility, it makes me smile just a little bit.

Stevenson articulates some of the pure beauty of the wine making process. Like a good poem that reveals nuances each time you read it, a good bottle of wine opens the longer it decants and flavors you detected at the first taste might be different an hour later. If you open a bottle in 2014 or 2016, it will change. Wine is a beautiful, changing, living thing. 

Sunset in Sonoma

Months after turning 21, my husband and I enrolled in a wine tasting class with a few friends and began our wine journey. Those first months, we learned the difference is between Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, oak and neutral barrels, and how to pair wine with food. From our first picnic and tasting up at Gainey Vineyard in Santa Ynez, we knew wine was going to be part of our lives.

We tend to make it to northern California at least once a year, and although Santa Barbara will always have our heart, we've fallen in love with Napa and Sonoma, too. Given my close personal relationship with wine country, I'm especially thrilled to welcome today's new city guides. 

If you're craving a good meal and a good glass of wine to go with it, Napa and Sonoma have what you need, as well as a variety of cozy bookstores, delicious restaurants, and enough ice cream to make you feel like a kid again. 

Wine tasting in Napa

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If you're planning a trip to wine country in 2014, be sure to check out my Ultimate Guide for Wine Tasting.