August 2015 – Milan Expo 2015, Pavilion Exhibits, Expo Recipes

Explore and Discover

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Tastes and Ideas from All Corners of the World

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Expo Logo 2 Universal Exhibition

Motto – “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life”

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Expo Overview

World Fairs are suppose to foster debate and address issues universal to mankind Stimulate learning, provide multi-sensory experiences, and for this World Fair, it should make you mindful when you are at your own dinner table.
It also is where businesses learn about each other and are able to make connections, meeting face to face and participating in panel discussions.

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Milan Expo Promenade with Dancing Fruit Characters


Expo 2015 held in Milan, Italy is the world’s biggest event on food, sustainability, architecture, flavors, hospitality, innovations, and ideas from all corners of the planet – all in one place. It’s a unique opportunity for 140 participating countries to meet and discuss the important theme of Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life.

White and Dark Chocolate CookiesVideo Clip – Why the World Expo Still Matters?


We found art and music flowed throughout the park and especially loved the new style piano in the Hungry Pavilion, that tempted three or four adults and children to present an impromptu concert. Many of the countries filled the air with their music, singing, and traditional dancing.
Expo features 5 thematic areas which include Arts & Foods Rituals since 1851, where food is seen through art. It is here that you can immerse yourself physically in works of art, drawings, books, menus, films, objects and their development in historical context. There are also some masterpieces on loan from museums and various institutions, which include collectors and artists.
The Biodiversity Park offers thousands of plants to see, smell, touch and enjoy or experience a journey through the center of the Earth at Pavilion Zero. Upon entering the park, you are greeted by Pavilion Zero, an exhibit that leads you on a journey that explores man’s relationship with nature and food. It walks you through the story with narrative and theatrical itinerary

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Expo Pavilions

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Moroccan Pavilion

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Moroccan Orange Trees near Mediterranean

‘Morocco – A Journey of Flavors

Of course, with that theme, I was so excited to step into their Kasbah built of wood and clay, a reflection of this Berber architectural style that exists in perfect harmony with the environment and lifestyle of its communities.

Entering the building, we seemed to swirl from one section to another, being greeted by sensory discoveries about Moroccan food and traditions. Our guide told us that the pavilion was constructed to take us through their country from north to south, opening the doors to their diversity, local products, and agronomic tastes intrinsic to each region. There were the northern provinces of the Mediterranean and fertile plains in the center. We passed through the urban industrial coastal areas and the Atlas Mountains that are located in the center of the rural area. At this point, our guide told us to look up and then down. You just won’t believe how they creatively allowed us to experience those Mountains. As we reached the end of the exhibit, we found ourselves in the arid desert provinces in the South.

One short visit showed us their production techniques, water management systems, and environmental preservation. The scents, lights, colors, soundscapes, and shadows created a feeling that we were actually right there in Morocco. Outside, we discovered an outdoor Moroccan garden filled with southern orange, olive, and palm trees. Yes, our bodies were in Italy but our spirit adventured off to Morocco.

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USA Pavilion

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USA Pavilion – Milan Expo 2015

As we approached the Pavilion, a fountain of splashing water printed out welcoming messages in warm American style.

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USA Pavilion – Vertical Farm

Looking at the massive building, the Vertical Farm with its 760 square meters of vegetables, grains, and herbs was impressive There were about 42 varieties that are grown and regularly harvested. demonstrating how food could and probably would be grown in the future. The plants were vibrant and healthy as they lined the entire side of the building.
Someone standing next to me said that what pleased them the most was how much Americans loved their country. It wasn’t long before I found out why they believed this. It was those dynamic Student Ambassadors. They were some of our best and brightest students that came from 94 colleges, represented 34 states, and spoke 28 different languages. They were excited and anxious to explain the exhibit and answer questions. Their enthusiasm was infectious, making the visit fun and stimulating.
Boardwalk Exhibits lined the walkway giving visitors insight into the many diverse and innovative approaches Americans are brining to the food system from farm to table and production to consumption.

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USA Pavilionj – SPD-SmartGlass Installation – Instantly Changes from Black to Transparent

One of the most exciting innovations was a SPD Smartglass Roof with 312 large panels. We discovered that this is the largest installation of smart glass in the world for a roof application.

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USA Pavilion – Food Trucks

At that back of the exhibit was a plaza of Food Trucks, not representing any particular chef or brand but serving up American classics like lobster rolls, hamburgers, Korean tacos and barbecue. The Food Truck Nation was coordinated by operators and experts across America. What a wonderful symbol of American entrepreneurism and gastronomic creativity!
In addition, the James Beard Foundation is sponsoring a restaurant in downtown Milan, featuring two day pop-ups by about 50 top chefs from America. It will showcase American cuisine, ingredients, and beverages and even serve a Thanksgiving holiday dinner every Thursday and Jazz or Gospel brunch every Sunday.
The USA Pavilion pays homage to our rich agricultural history with an open design delimited by large vertical farm that is harvested daily.

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Expo Food / Recipes

Understanding Your World through Flavors and Taste

From the Spanish Pavilion Secrets for Sharing the Language of Flavors:

“It is … a way of understanding life, exchanging experiences and communicating through a universal language, which we can all understand because it has no words and no rules- the language of taste. …”

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Africa – Ghana

Black-Eye Beans with Smoked Bacon and Haddock

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Ghana – Black-Eye Beans with Smoked Bacon and Haddock

About the Recipe: It was inspired by an Expo 2015 Ghana recipe. The original recipe uses more ground red pepper so season to taste.  I didn’t add salt to the recipe since the canned products contained that ingredient.  The dish is easy to prepare and a great way to use extra cooked fish.  We like to serve it with plantains and Avocado and Sweet Corn Mayonnaise Sauce.  We also like to serve flatbread for scooping up our food from the communal bowl or platter, but in Ghana, they use their hands, scooping the food with the thumb and first two fingers of the right hand, not the left one.

The black-eye bean dish with fried plantain is a weekend special in boarding schools in Ghana, a family favorite in most Ghanaian homes, and a popular street food.  It can be served with salt-fish or your favorite seafood.

About the country and customs:  Ghana is the world’s second largest cocoa producer and has a gastronomic culture based on dishes that are simple, yet extremely tasty and rich. Their basic diet consists of starchy staples eaten with soups or stews.  Crops such as plantains, cassava, taro, and tropical yams are found in the south.  Corn, rice, fish, hot peppers, palm nut, and peanuts are favorites.

Copy of Recipe for Black-Eyed Beans with Smoked Bacon and Haddock

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Africa – Morocco

Moroccan Salad with Carrots and Black Lentils

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Africa – Moroccan Salad with Carrots and Black Lentils

About the Recipe:  A Moroccan salad with curly spaghetti carrots, teamed with black lentils and a lemon dressing explode with flavorful cumin, anise, sesame seeds, paprika, and ginger. Using fragrant spices, herbs, and flower water transforms simple recipes into true feasts.

About the Country:  The northern provinces of the Mediterranean, the fertile plains of the center, urban industrial coastal areas, rural areas, and the desert provinces in the south offer a rich combination of tradition and modernity  It’s Expo theme is a wonderful journey of flavors.

Copy of Recipe for Moroccan Salad with Carrots and Black Lentils 

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Africa – Congo

Avocado and Sweet Corn Mayonnaise

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Congo – Avocado and Sweet Corn Mayonnaise

About the Recipe:  Crisp fried and lightly salted plantains marry deliciously with the avocado corn mayonnaise served as a dip.  If you want to use it as a sauce, just add more mayonnaise for a creamy consistency.

About the Country: Because of the long-running insecurity in the country, daily life is a struggle for many Congolese. Over half the population lives below the poverty line (surviving on less than a dollar a day).

The staple food in DR Congo is cassava. This root vegetable is often ground into a paste and served with plantains, fish, or bushmeat. Grubs and caterpillars are also collected to provide protein.

Nuts and fruit are widely grown such as mangoes, papaws, oranges and bananas. Congolese cuisine uses grains, tubers, vegetables and to a lesser extent meat or fish. Sauces, such as palm oil sauces, accompany most meals and are prepared over a wood or charcoal fire. The result of political crisis there, adequate supplies of food can fail to reach some areas.  In addition, the lack of refrigeration, people don’t have the ability to keep food fresh.

Copy of Recipe for Avocado and Sweet Corn Mayonnaise

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Africa – Egypt

Egyptian Drink – Karkaday -Karkade’

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Egyptian Drink – Karkaday – Karkade’

About the Recipe: A refreshing chilled drink, flavored with sweet hibiscus flowers, brings celebration into one’s life with its refreshing flavor.  Just add as much sweet syrup as desired or make this into your favorite cocktail.

About the culture: Africa. This popular beverage in Egypt is said to have been a preferred drink of the pharaohs. Throughout history until the present, hibiscus tea has been a preferred beverage in many cultures such as China, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Europe. Many people believe that hibiscus is healthy and cooling since it has no caffeine and yet very refreshing. Most weddings and celebrations in Sudan and Egypt are enjoyed with glasses of ruby red hibiscus tea.  Every busy street, train station, bus depot, has its vendors & the dried flowers may be found in every market.

Copy of Recipe for Karkaday – Karkade’

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Asia Pacific – Indonesia

Chicken Paniki Manadoz

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Indonesian – Chicken Paniki Manado

Manadonese cooking is popularly known as Manado cuisine.

About the Recipe: Manado style foods are very, very hot-peppered so when I saw that it used 8 hot peppers, I knew that my family would need a reduced heat level.  I used the smallest amount listed on my recipe.  The blend of spices produced a tender chicken with an addictive flavor. Feel free to add more peppers for a steamy peppery hot dish. Turmeric provides a beautiful bright yellow color.  We added a vibrant fresh tropical flower to our serving platter, just for fun.

Cuisine in Manado:  Manado cuisine is known for its rich variations in seafood, abundant amount of spices, extra hot condiments,] exotic meats, and European-influenced cakes and pastries. Manado food hallmark among others are: tinutuan, Manado style vegetables and rice congee, cakalang fufu, smoked skipjack tuna, cakalang noodle, paniki, spiced friotbat, chicken, or various fish/seafood spiced in rica-rica or wokuspices, chicken tuturuga and brenebon.

Copy of Recipe for Chicken Paniki Manado

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North America – Mexico 

Raw Green Salsa

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Mexico – Raw Green Salsa

*Inspired by Recipe from Chef Ricardo Munoz, Zurita

About the Recipe:  This dish adds a pop to appetizers, salads, sandwiches, or even soups.  Its fresh, cool color comes from the green tomatoes, hot peppers, and cilantro.  Add some flavorful onion, garlic, and seasoning and you have an all-purpose add-on that you can store in the refrigerator to provide some extra spice to your meals.

About the Country:  It’s a seed for the New World: Food, Diversity and Heritage.  Traditional Mexico has been upgraded into modernity.  Mexico has influenced the work of foreign artists and researchers.  It is recognized as an intangible World Heritage by UNESCO with a rich Mexican cuisine.

Copy of Recipe for Raw Green Salsa

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South America – Argentina

Orange Mango Corn Flour Cake

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Orange Mango Corn Flour Cake

About the Recipe: This cake is different because it uses very unusual ingredients such as corn flour and fragrant fruits.  The basic cake is prepared usually around Easter.  I added some currents, pumpkin seeds, and fresh mango to the recipe.

About the Country:  Argentina has been one of the main exporters worldwide for over a century, which contributes to a diversified and competitive economy. It promotes social inclusion policies and uses scientific technological innovations to address food issues.  It’s proud to say “Argentina Feeds You.”

Copy of Recipe for Orange Mango Corn Flour Cake

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Europe – Spain 

Gazpacho with Marinated Tofu and Zucchini Cream

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Spain – Gazpacho with Marinated Tofu and Zucchini Cream

About the Recipe:  The gazpacho has a delightful blend of flavors: light tomato broth, minted zucchini cream, zesty flavor of basil oil, touch of spicy pepper flakes, and invigorating plum vinegar tofu bits.  It’s very light and refreshing.  You might want to double the amount of tomatoes base for that second helping.  This is a very gourmet style of gazpacho.

About the Cuisine and Country: Gazpacho is a cold soup usually made with a tomato base and uses an assortment of raw vegetables.  It originated in the southern Spanish region of Andalusia.  Being so refreshing and cool, it is very popular in Spain and its neighbor Portugal during the summer months.  Spain is known for its rich cultural and culinary heritage that produces a variety of high quality products. It’s easy to see why their theme is “The Language of Taste.”

Copy of Recipe for Gazpacho with Marinated Tofu and Zucchini Cream 

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Europe – Italy

Cauliflower Pasta Gratin

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Cauliflower Pasta Gratin

About the Recipe: The pasta is flavored with cauliflower and a touch of anchovies, garlic and chili pepper.  Pine nuts and raisins add a sweet touch. The golden cauliflower combines with little ears of pasta that scoop up the creamy triple cheese flavored sauce. A light crunch is added with browned bread crumbs.  Garnish the top with fresh basil and cherry tomatoes.

About the Country: the country makes good use of the bioclimatic conditions of the territory with techniques and equipment that combine quality, efficiency, excellence and safety. It’s not just know how but knowing how to make a difference, transforming work into a creative process and tools into expressive and aesthetic instruments. It captures the very essence of food traditions in a shared heritage of identify It is recognized by UNESCO as an intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

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Europe – Poland

Ravioli with Bryndza Cheese, Fried Rucola and Brown Butter

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Ravioli (i.e. Pierogi) with Brundza Cheese, Fired Rucola and Brown Butter

About our Recipe: We divided this recipe in half and prepared it in Polish Pierogi style.  Not having squid ink, we used natural peaberry dark blue coloring, which had a slight green cast in the yellow dough. We found that a dry ricotta cheese or baker’s cheese produced a delicious filling.  The onion broth with brown butter was delicious with rocket or arugula sauté. A pasta machine produces thin dough for the pierogi and the youtube is very helpful to visualize the presentation.  It’s zebra pierogi for a fun supper!

 About the Country: “Poland is a country filled with beautiful landscapes and a diversity of regions, which include mountains, forests, arable lands, lakes, and the Baltic Sea. At the Expo, these features are emphasized.  During the Pomorskie Voivodeship week, a sandy beach will be created around the pavilion to present the region’s key assets.

At the Expo: Visitors to the Polish pavilion will also have a chance to relax and refresh themselves in a restaurant that will show the wealth of Polish cuisine. The menu will combine culinary traditions of Poles and Italians, two nations that love spending time at the table. The Polish chefs said, “Our idea is to serve Italian food made of Polish iconic products.”

Copy of Recipe for Ravioli with Bryndza Cheese,Fried Rucola and Brown Butter

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 Crunchy Almond Butter Cookie Brittle

Crunchy Almond Butter Cookie Brittle

About the Recipe: Crunchy almond flavored cookie brittle is simple to mix up, press onto a cookie sheet; and bake.  It’s easy enough to let the kids have fun making the brittle. This cookie uses almonds rather than peanuts, sprinkling them over a rich melted chocolate and the crunchy oat cookie.  Add a sprinkle of white sanding sugar to make the cookie brittle sparkle.

pdf for Copy of Recipe –  Crunchy Almond Butter Cookie Brittle

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