Food Award Nomination

This Food Award nomination comes as a complete surprise, mainly because my blog is about travel and photography.

I have published a few food posts recently including a post on dining haunts in southern Italy’s Cosenza, Calabria and Food Porn in Rogliano, Calabria, so maybe this is the reason for the nomination?

Firstly, thank you, Mohamad from Martial Path for this Food Award nomination – it’s humbling to think that you enjoy my posts enough to nominate Image Earth Travel for an award.

If you haven’t checked out Mohamad’s blog yet, then do so as it’s inspired by the legendary Bruce Lee. Mohamad also writes about his journey through learning Martial Arts – kickboxing. At the ripe age of 17, he started writing short stories so pop over to his blog and show him some support. 😉

---

A little background on the award

Not hearing of this award before, I visited the award’s creator Elisha from the Africa Boy blog and left the question of why he created the award.

I read that Elisha likes to bake and drink coffee so thought that this maybe is enough reason. And yes, Elisha confirmed that he realised the blogosphere is lacking in the food award nomination arena so decided to create an award to fill the gap. On to the award…

---

Award rules

1. Thank the person that nominated you
2. Pingback to the creator Elisha at https://africaboy.home.blog/
3. Use the same featured image as your nominator
4. Answer the five questions
5. Create five questions about food
6. Nominate five people

---

Mohamad’s five questions

Here goes with answering Mohamad’s questions as best that I can…

1. What is your favourite baking recipe?

Favourite savoury or sweet baking recipe?

I’d have to say that for a savoury recipe it’s my chicken and mushroom pie – although I haven’t made this in ages – deliciously hearty and wonderful during the winter months.

I’m told I make a mean lasagna, which is also a favourite and share one of my luscious creations with you…

For a sweet recipe, this has to be the moist Lemon Drizzle Cake as it’s super easy to make, tastes divine, and loads of people love this cake. You can also substitute lemon with oranges or mandarines. Or, why not mix the three together for a zesty tangy flavour?

I love experimenting with recipes although also experience disasters when it comes to baking cakes or cookies.

2. Do you prefer to have pancakes and orange juice for breakfast, or pie and cream?

If I have to choose, then it’s pancakes and orange juice for breakfast although I never make pancakes – think I should start? Don’t think I’ve ever had pie and cream for breakfast.

Typically, I make my own Bircher Muesli, with loads of extra bits (dried fruit, raw almonds, cinnamon, natural yoghurt, and more) thrown in as love this for breakfast plus it’s so healthy.

3. If you want to eat out with your friends, would you rather eat at a fast-food restaurant or at a regular diner?

I’m not a fast food person at all and don’t enjoy the fatty smell that hits you in the face when entering one of these restaurants.

Where I live in Australia, there aren’t any ‘diners’. I’ve only eaten at a diner in the US, which served up a greasy breakfast with awful coffee, so not that impressed.

Much prefer a restaurant where hopefully, I get to taste a delicious meal shared with friends or family.

In southern Italy’s Cosenza in the region of Calabria, the city offers fabulous restaurants serving inexpensive fresh local ingredients for homemade dishes served with local wines – wonderful!

A couple of restaurant photos to get your tastebuds salivating and drooling…

The traditional Calabrese ‘Tagliere’ for starters.

Another traditional Calabrese dish for Primi (first dish) of freshly homemade Lagana con Ceci (pasta with chickpeas). This dish sounds pesante (heavy) although the pasta is light and together with few ingredients makes a heavenly dish that’s not spicy but very flavoursome.

I could go on but check out my favourite restaurant haunts in Cosenza.

4. What is your favourite hometown recipe?

This is a hard question as hailing from a European background but born in Australia, ensures learning a fusion of foods whilst growing up. So, I don’t really have a favourite.

I learnt to make the traditional (no cream) Carbonara whilst in Cosenza – never had this dish whilst growing up.

Voltini – thinly sliced pork wrapped around fresh spinach and parmesan cheese. I then cooked these gently on a low heat in a tomato-based sauce. Substitute whatever meat you prefer for this dish.

My hometown doesn’t really have a specific recipe unless you count a BBQ or meat pie as one?

Instead, I love to cook Thai, Italian, and Indian dishes, but also create new variations to the more traditional dishes.

Nilla’s special Thai fried rice with chicken, baby corn, and topped with egg omelette.

My fresh Fuselli (pasta) dish with real salmon chunks, sun-dried tomato, and topped with fresh chives and grated parmesan cheese.

Enjoying a traditional enticing Apericena (pre-dinner) accompanied by the very popular Italian summer drink – Aperol Spritz, with friends at a favourite haunt in Calabria.

5. Do you prefer eating cheesecake or custard?

I enjoy eating both although much prefer eating cheesecake, especially berry – any berry – cheesecake. Made a mixed berry one topped with fresh strawberries in southern Italy and although very yummy with a crunchy base, the middle part turned out quite soft.

I did add Gelatine with the creamy cream cheese mixture but still didn’t set after refrigerating overnight. Does anyone have any ideas why the filling turned out soft?

---

My nominees

1. Cook the Beans – follow Ana on her Vegan recipe quest.
2. Dish Dessert – check out wonderful recipes from Khadija, a Moroccan professional cook.
3. Lithuanian in the USA – Liucija shares traditional Lithuanian recipes in style.
4. All Day I Eat – Pat shows you healthy Japanese cooking with flair.
5. Anusha’s Cuisines – Based in Dubai, Anusha cooks incredible traditional Indian recipes, which she happily shares with anyone that loves food.

---

My questions to nominees

1. Have you ever made Gnocchi from scratch? If so, did they turn out heavy or fluffy light?
2. What street food have you tried on your travels?
3. Are you game to try local dishes when travelling to different countries?
4. What is the most bizarre dish you’ve tried?
5. What is the best cake that you ever made? Can you post a recipe in the comments, please?

Hope that you guys enjoyed reading this fun and unusual post! Would love to hear your thoughts, so please share some below to start a food chat… 🙂

Nilla

Visit Nilla’s Photography for global images with more still to upload. Weekly updates of new travel and photography destinations at Image Earth Travel.