Packing a Passport? Head to McDonald's

McDonald's purchased my first passport in 1998, when I traveled to Paris to work with the team supporting the World Cup credential office. France won the Cup and that trip launched my interest in travel, food, and cooking. During the past three decades of meandering around the world, I always stop at a McDonald's to sample unique menu options and to compare the replication of my favorite items. And, you should, too!

Last week, McDonald's introduced a promotion that customers could sample an international menu item. As an added incentive, payment could be made with any single piece of foreign currency. With a hand full of coins, I ordered the chicken sandwich shown below. It was a menu item from Australia, and I paid for it with a 10 cent Canadian coin. This photo nearly looks fake, but I assure you it was taken with my iPhone in my car. Authentic, gorgeous, and delicious.

As you plan your summer travels, consider some of these stops along your international trails.

The closest I have been to Australia was Bali, populated with more Australian tourists than Balinese locals. In Bali, you must order the McDonald's Mango Smoothie. Here is the menu link you will see it listed at the end: Mango Smoothie

If McDonald's plans to introduce International items to the USA, I will petition for adding Himalayan Tea Latte, which is offered hot or cold in Singapore. I have tried with some success to replicate with recipes online after paying $9 for cardamom pods. I am a desperate fan of this tea as seen in this photo topped with a lotus flower swirl. It is amazing and worth the trip as shown in this link and photo below:Himalayan Tea

McDonald's Hong Kong was my technology challenge as it was the first city to offer the now ubiquitous lobby on-screen ordering system. The food was great and the hip urban decor fit this local setting as you can see below.

You have likely seen in the movie Pulp Fiction, the name of the Quarter Pounder with Cheese transfers to something more luxurious in French. My menu choices below from a stop last fall near Nice, included a child's Happy Meal (seniors are the 2nd most frequent purchasers of McD HMs) that came with a tiny ice cream cone and a French story book that became a souvenir for my granddaughters. Their French fries a/k/a Pommes Frites are served with a traditional white mayo-based sauce shown below next to my American traditional ketchup.

Despite the occasional bad press McDonald's garners, the company is iconic in representing the USA around the world. McDonald's Corporation trains more workers than our military, and its introduction of the Ronald McDonald Houses serving families of sick and injured children make it a company we should be proud to call our own when we travel. A visit inside a foreign location will surprise you with some unique menu offerings as well as a familiar taste of home.

Bon Appetit!

Hot Himalayan Tea Latte in Singapore.

One day international menu my choice was this Australia Chicken Sandwich.

Hong Kong ordering kiosk 2016.

Hong Kong hip decor.

France Happy Meal includes tiny ice cream cone.

France Pommes Frites

Pommes-Frites Sauce on right.

Not My Father's Tea: Hot, Iced, and Colorful

Despite my penchant for coffee, it was not served in my home growing up. Tea was the only hot beverage on tap. My father left each morning with a thermos filled with strong, unsweetened Lipton under his arm.

Scottish grocery merchant Thomas Lipton is credited with bringing his custom blended leaves to the U.S. in the early 1900s, produced from his plantation in Ceylon, now known as Sri Lanka. His claim to fame was transforming the common loose leaf tea (shown in the photo below that I purchased in Hong Kong) to convenient mass produced tea bags. Brilliant!

Today, we have a plethora of options beyond Lipton, and it is helpful to know about the various distinctions to consider when preparing a batch for your summer festivities.

One of my favorite tea brands TWG has amazing retail and restaurant destinations in Singapore and Hong Kong. Since they are now in Canada, you can follow them on Facebook to track when they will be arriving in the USA. Click here to follow: TWG Facebook page

Another option is TeaGschwendner a German firm with a shop in Chicago and their tea is shown in the photo below. You can purchase via their online store by clicking this link: Order TeaGsch here

In Asia, tea is king. Beyond savoring as a beverage, various teas provide medicinal benefits. Try not to add sweetener, but avoid adding milk as it changes the medicinal benefits completely. However, when in Hong Kong, black tea is served with sweetened milk (and sometimes from a nylon stocking), but that's another blog post!

Tea is known as camellia sinensis, and it can be broken down into 6 delicious categories:

1. Green Tea is not fermented, and it has the most authentic taste of harvested tea. It can produce yellow or green color tea. Some of the health benefits include protection of the immune system, cholesterol reduction, and anti-aging. 
2. White Tea is slightly fermented producing a light yellow, delicate, sweet liquid. Some benefits are lower blood pressure, reduced inflammation, and improved skin complexion. 
3. Yellow Tea is lightly fermented producing a yellowish green liquid. Some benefits include detoxification, antibacterial, and antioxidants. 
4. Wulong Tea is semi-fermented producing a golden brown color and a rich, sweet aftertaste. Some benefits include aiding in digestion, strengthening the immune system, and helping reduce weight.
5. Red Tea also known as Black Tea, Darjeeling or Ceylon is highly fermented producing a reddish brown liquid that is smooth and sweet. Some benefits claimed are helping to prevent Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, lowering blood sugar, and preventing coronary disease.
6. Black Tea also known as Pu-er, is post-fermented tea that is dark, rich, strong, and smooth tasting. It is known to help reduce blood pressure, lower blood sugar, and help to prevent Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. 

Given all the proclaimed health benefits of tea, this is a great summer time beverage to explore in your grocery aisle, purchase online, and order at your favorite tea or coffee shop. You can serve these colorful options hot, cold, and even to your dad!

TWG Jasmine tea, Lipton loose leaf, TeaGschwendner, and expanding Rose bud Pu-er tea purchased in Singapore.

Chinese Lunar New Year: Yu Sheng Lucky Toss Salad

The Yu Sheng traditional lucky toss salad goes back to southern China. It is very popular today in Malaysia and Singapore. I first participated in this wonderful tradition in 2012 in Singapore where the  salad is sold in packets in local stores. Unfortunately, stateside you are unlikely to find such convenience. Here is a basic recipe, along with photos of my celebration from last year. As your guests toss the ingredients up with chopsticks, they should shout, "Lo Hei" which means tossing up good fortune in Cantonese.


Lunar New Year Yu Sheng Salad

These general ingredients should be arranged in separate piles on a large platter as shown in the photo. They symbolize:

Fish = abundance (I use smoked salmon or tuna)
Pomelo = luck (I use red grapefruit)
Mandarin oranges = prosperity
Cucumber = close family ties
Noodles = long life (rice noodles do not work well)
Peanuts = eternal youth
Radish = promotion of business and work (red or white work)
Fried flours crisps = gold (I use gluten free crackers crumbled)
Carrots = good luck
Mushrooms = longevity
Also use these items:
Pepper = money (for sprinkle packet)
Oil = abundant profit (spray over all the ingredients before the toss)
Sesame seeds = business success (for sprinkle packet before toss)
Chinese Five spice (easy to find contains cinnamon, anise, peppercorn, clove, fennel)

Before tossing with chopsticks, I have a guest sprinkle a red envelope of 1 teaspoon of Chinese Five spice powder, a little pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of sesame seeds combined. Lo Hei!