VINTAgE NEWS P.8 - The Grapevine

13 The GrapevineStardrop isJunebrought27 -toJulyyou11,by:2013Moroccan Chick Pea StewChef Dave Smart | Front & Centralfrontandcentral.com | 542-0588The Box of DelightsA Delightful Little Bookshopon Main St Wolfville542-9511 www.boxofdelightsbooks.comThis was one of our most populardishes from the winter menu. Suitableas a hearty winter stew with thefresh garnishes it also works well as a brightsummer dish. As a base recipe, it is an idealway to take advantage of the bounty of localvegetables that are starting to make theirappearance at the farmers' markets. Weserved the garnishes on a side plate to alloweach diner to finish the dish to his or herown liking.Ras el Hanout• 2 tsp ground ginger• 2 tsp ground cardamom• 2 tsp ground mace• 1 tsp cinnamon• 1 tsp ground allspice• 1 tsp ground coriander seeds• 1 tsp ground nutmeg• 1 tsp turmeric• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper• 1/2 tsp ground white pepper• 1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper• 1/2 tsp ground anise seeds• 1/4 tsp ground clovesStew• ¼ c. olive oil• 1 c. diced onion• 2 tsp minced garlic• 2 tsp minced fresh ginger• 2 tbsp Ras el Hanout spice blend (above)• 1 c. diced carrot• 1 c. diced celery root• 1 c. diced turnip• 1 c. diced tomato (canned or fresh), plusjuice• 1 c.orange juice• Vegetable stock• 2 c. cooked chickpeas, canned or dried(see note)Garnish• Cilantro• Green olives, sliced• Dried apricots• Toasted slivered almonds• Extra-virgin olive oilOver medium heat, sweat onion, garlic, ginger,and ras el hanout in olive oil until onionsare softened, about 3 minutes. Add carrot,celery root, and turnip and cook a furthertwo minutes.Deglaze the pan with the orange juice andreduce until almost dry. Add diced tomatoand chickpeas. Add vegetable stock to covervegetables and simmer over medium-lowheat until root vegetables are cooked. Adjustseasoning with salt and pepper.Serve over couscous (to make it gluten free,quinoa also works well here) and garnishwith cilantro, green olives, dried apricots,almonds, and olive oil.*Soak dried chickpeas overnight in coldwater. Drain and transfer to pot and coverwith 2 inches of water, 1 tsp of salt, bayleaf. Simmer until cooked, approximately45-60 minutes. When desired tenderness isreached, drain and cool on a sheet pan.CouchSurfingQuiet with exhaustion and mild apprehension,we sat outside a dimly lit bus stop in thesmall town of Orono, Maine. At 10:20 p.m.,our Couchsurfing host’s bus would come in.She would show us to her apartment, wherewe would spend the night before continuingto New York.Couch surfing, as a practice, has been aroundas long as humans have had couches and anitch to travel. Couchsurfing.com was foundedin 2004 and provides a platform to connectsurfers and hosts. More than free accommodation,Couchsurfing is about making themost of the travelling experience: “Couchsurfersshare their lives with the people theyencounter, fostering cultural exchange andmutual respect,” the website reads.Several safety features mitigate the risksof meeting with strangers. Members createdetailed profiles with photos and writtendescriptions. They receive references fromthose they host, surf with, or meet travelling,and there is an option to have names andlocations verified for a small fee.The minute our Orono host stepped off thebus, our nerves were relieved. With a warmsmile she introduced herself to my husbandand me, and we chatted enthusiastically onthe walk to her apartment. Sampling fromher extensive tea collection, we learned wehad strikingly similar musical tastes, as wellas a mutual love of up-cycled art and hateof to-do lists. After a sound night’s sleep weparted ways, she with the promise of a bedin Nova Scotia, we with a breakfast recommendationand firm “thumbs up” on our firstCouchsurfing adventure.Pay-it-forward is the Couchsurfing mentality,and since our American road trip we havebeen privileged to host several surfers ontheir way through Wolfville. We have dinedwith, debated with, laughed with and learnedfrom a German and a Taiwanese visitor, aFrenchman, three Brits, a Torontonian, and aPrince Edward Islander.Guests often comment that there are fewoptions for Couchsurfing in the AnnapolisValley.Yet there is so much to show off in ourlittle corner of the world! Whether you’re aglobetrotter, a homebody, or somewhere inbetween, why not consider surfing or hostingwith the Couchsurfing community?Strangers, after all, are merely those “friendsyou haven’t yet met”.Charlotte Rogers