England

Capital City - London
Currency - British Pound
Population - 51,446,000 (2008 estimate)
National Language - English
Type of Government - Constitutional Monarchy
Leaders - Elizabeth II (Monarch); David Cameron (Prime Minister)
Country's Motto - "Dieu et mon droit" - Translates to mean "God and my right."

Location - England is part of the United Kingdom.  It is bordered on the north by Scotland and on the west by Wales.  The remainder of the island is bordered by water including the Irish Sea and the Celtic Sea to the west, the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south.

Climate - England has a temperate maritime climate with dampness that can be both frequent and fleeting.

Religion - Since the Middle Ages, Christianity has been the most practiced religion in England.  About 72% of the country consider themselves Christian, with the largest subgroup being Anglicans or Church of England.  Muslims now account for about 5% of the population; Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs account for 2%.  Jews have a considerably smaller number of the population thanks, in great part, to their expulsion in 1290 (for which they were not allowed to return until the mid 1600's).  About 15% of the country consider themselves to be without any religion.
Cuisine - The cuisine of England is best known for its simplicity of form and manner.  The staple food items, such as meat and potatoes, are often roasted or boiled before being served.  

Most Famous Landmark - There are many significant landmarks which could undoubtedly be considered the "most famous" - Stonehenge, the Cliffs of Dover, Buckingham Palace.  However, Big Ben, the famous clock in London, seems to be the most iconic.  Having been built only in 1858, it has become one of the mst recognizable symbols of England in a rather relatively short period of time.

If You Learn Only One Thing About England, It Should Be This - The only house that the Queen may not enter is the House of Commons, as she is not a "commoner."

Spiced Lamb Balls and Savory Beancakes

Whenever we draw a West African country for our chosen country-of-the-month, we always tend to take a deep sigh in the angst over our perceived notions of its sparseness.  Africa, that vast continent, is an enigma for which most Americans tend to know almost nothing - especially in terms of cuisine.  And in a city with a plethora of the world's fare within grasp, we could sadly count on one hand the number of African restaurants which reside here (most of which are Ethiopian, Moroccan or South African - clearly NOT a West African option).  So, when we chose Burkina Faso, I must honestly admit that my heart sank a little and I deemed it something we would take on "later."  That lack of urgency carried me to the very last day of the month before I finally made a Burkinabe meal.  It's a terrible shame to admit such procrastination...especially when the result is so mouth-wateringly good! 

Spiced lamb balls, the West African equivalent of traditional meatballs, are an even more flavorful variation in that they use an addition of six spices to add an exciting depth to their flavor.  And the savory beancakes also possess depth, though they are a bit heavier than I really cared for in a large portion.  After a few bites, the bean flavor was a bit overwhelming.  However, the meal was filling and better than expected.  At the end, a simple banana posed as our dessert (okay, so this might be cheating, but after combing the internet for weeks in search of a non-existent Burkina Faso dessert recipe, a banana was really the only logical and seemingly appropriate choice).  All in all, our meal a la Burkina Faso was a success.  The meatballs will definitely be put into a steady rotation in our house.  The beancakes, not so much.  But, at least we tried something new....as always, that is better than the alternative.

Spiced Lamb Balls - Ingredients:

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 pounds ground lamb
• 3 large eggs
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs

Instructions:

1. Saute onions, cinnamon, garlic, ginger, red pepper, coriander and salt in oil until the onion is soft.  Cool and combine with ground lamb. 
2. Add eggs and crumbs to meat mixture.  Mix well.  Form into small balls.  Chill for 1 hour. 
3. Bake or saute until browned (if baking in the oven, bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes, turning a couple of times).  Serve warm.

Savory Beancakes - Ingredients:

• 1 can of black-eyed peas
• 1/2 of an onion, chopped
• 2 small carrots, chopped
• 1 egg
• salt and black pepper, to taste
• flour for coating beancakes
• oil for frying

Instructions:

1. Drain the beans and rinse.  Place the beans, onions, carrots and egg into a food processor or blender and season to taste.  Blend until it becomes a smooth paste. 
2. Shape the mixture in flour until a small patty is formed.  Shallow fry in a skillet, cooking until brown on both sides (about 10 minutes) turning occasionally.

(The original recipe for spiced lamb balls came from this site: http://recipes.wuzzle.org/index.php/26/136)
(The original recipe for savory beancakes came from this site: http://www.celtnet.org.uk/recipes/miscellaneous/fetch-recipe.php?rid=misc-burkinabe-savoury-beancakes)

Burkina Faso

Capital City - Ouagadougou
Currency - West African CFA Franc
Population - 15,746,232 (2009 estimate)
National Language - French, though Mossi and Fulani are also spoken unofficially
Type of Government - Semi-Presidential Republic
Leaders - Blaise Compaoré (President); Tertius Zongo (Prime Minister)
Country's Motto - "Unité, Progrès, Justice" - Translates to mean "Unity, Progress, Justice."

Location - Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa.  It is surrounded on the north by Mali, on the east by Niger, on the southeast by Benin, on the south by Togo and Ghana and to the southwest by The Ivory Coast.  Warm savannas cover the northern part of the country and woodlands border the southwest.

Climate - As with all tropical locations, Burkina Faso has two very distinct seasons: the dry season and the wet season.
Religion - A popular saying in Burkina Faso says that "50% are Muslim, 50% are Christian, and 100% are animist."  This saying shows how closely people of all faiths are still connected to their more tribal ancestral roots, still practicing their indigenous beliefs.  The real statistical numbers indicate that about 60% of the country practices Islam, with the majority of those individuals belonging to the Sunni branch.  Of the remaining 40% of the population, 19% are said to be Roman Catholics, 16% follow traditional indigenous religions, and 5% are Protestant Christians.  Athiesm is virtually nonexistent in Burkina Faso.

Cuisine - The cuisine of Burkina Faso is typical west African cuisine in that it centers around the traditional staples of sorghum, millet, rice, corn, peanuts, beans, yams and okra.  Chicken eggs and fish are the most commonly used forms of protein. 

Most Famous Landmark - A relatively agrarian nation, Burkina Faso has no man-made structures of significant note.  However, the Sylvo-Pastoral and Partial Faunal Reserve of the Sahel is the largest space of protected land in the country.
If You Learn Only One Thing About Burkina Faso, It Should Be This - Burkina Faso, which was formerly known as the Republic of Upper Volta until 1984, is one of the top 20 poorest nations in the world.  In addition to this, they also have one of the lowest literacy levels in the world - only about 12% of the population can read.  However, they have one of the highest HIV rates in the world - 7%.

Jus Nanas (Pineapple Juice)

Sometimes the last thing I want to eat is a heavy dessert.  Unfortunately, after scouring the internet for the best Indonesian desserts, it started to look as though everything was either deep fried or gushy, two of my least favorite culinary traits.  Luckily, though, I finally landed on a recipe for a soothing after-dinner treat: jus nanas or pineapple juice.  Simple, to the point and without any frills, it was the easiest dessert I've ever made.  A wise man once said that simplicity is where the best things in life are found.  Honestly, and especially after tasting this drink, I think no truer words were ever spoken!

Ingredients:

• 1 small, fresh ripe pineapple
• Sugar, mixed with a little water
• Pinch of salt
• Ice cubes, crushed

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients together in a blender and puree until smooth.

(The original recipe came from this website: http://www.tasty-indonesian-food.com/jus-nanas.html.)

Gado Gado (Salad with Peanut Dressing)

Peanuts are a wonderful thing.  If I were ever to meet George Washington Carver in some sort of surreal other dimension, he and I would be able to converse for hours on the matter.  They have so many culinary uses (not to mention other non-foodie uses: i.e. their ability to remove chewing gum from fabric, etc.); but, my favorite application (aside from the ever-holy Reese's Peanut Butter Cup) would have to be peanut dressing used in Asian salads.  I have often eaten the Thai version, though it would only make sense that the Indonesians would have their own derivation.

As our family's more healthful new year had begun, salads became a typical nightly meal for our household.  One way to make the drugery of salad seem less intense was to make this dressing.  Perhaps not a low-cal or low-fat topping, it was inspiring in its own right - even if it wasn't the healthiest option.  We chose to find health in other avenues, such as adding more tomatoes or boosting the bean sprouts.  We would do anything, except cut the peanuts - those beautiful peanuts, without whom our world would never be the same.

Salad Ingredients:

• 1 small head of lettuce
• 2-3 medium tomatoes
• 1 medium onion
• 2-3 green onions
• 1 medium cucumber
• 1 fresh red chili

Dressing Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp. dark soy sauce
• 2 tsp. lemon juice
• 4 Tbsp. peanut butter
• 1 tsp. ground chili paste
• 2 tsp. dark brown sugar
• 1 cup thick coconut milk
• 1/2 tsp. crushed garlic
• 1/2 tsp. minced ginger
• 1/2 tsp. minced lemon grass root
• 2 Tbsp. vegetable or coconut oil

Instructions:

1. Rinse the lettuce in cold water, drain well and shake or wipe dry.  Arrange on a wide platter or in a large salad bowl. 
2. Thinly slice tomatoes and onion.  Trim green onions and cut into shreds.  Peel the cucumber and cut into cubes, discarding the seeds.  Slit the chilies and scrape out the seeds, cut the flesh into fine shreds.
3. To make the dressing, mix the soy sauce, lemon juice, peanut butter, chili paste and sugar together in a small saucepan.  Add the coconut milk.  Heat, stirring, almost to the boiling point.
4. Saute the garlic, ginger and lemon grass root in the oil for 2-3 minutes, until fragrant.  Pour into the sauce and simmer for 4-5 minutes, until sauce is very thick.  Allow to cool.  Pour into a dish or pitcher and serve with salad.

(The original recipe came from "Asia: The Beautiful Cookbook" by Jacki Passmore.)

Kelia Sumatera (Sumatran Beef Curry)

Some nights, the idea of trying a new recipe can be more daunting than most.  On the night we had chosen to make Kelia Sumatera, or Sumatran Beef Curry, I was not so excited to venture into our month's land of Indonesia.  Quite honestly, after the day's busy activities, I was resigned to little more than opening a frozen pizza box and turning on the oven.  Alas, where the single gal's values once would have lead me, the married mother's new ideals had kicked my own behind into better action - despite my deeper desires.

Sucking it up, I charged forward as planned and made the Indonesian curry.  Like most of the Asian meals I have concocted in the past, it called for the same fragrant vegetables and pungent spices that I have used countless times before.  There is a similarity with all such meals - a common fragrance that blossoms in a kitchen and lingers throughout the house for days, reminiscing sweetly over the toil and ardor of currys past.  This was one such meal.  The aroma remained well after the final bits of the meal were consumed and carried with it the recognition of a job well done.  Not that it was the best curry I had ever made.  Or the best meal.  But, at least it hadn't come from a box.  At least I hadn't taken the easy way out.  At least my horizons were bound to be explored despite my all-American longing.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. shank, flank or chuck steak
• 4 large onions
• 8 cloves of garlic
• 1 1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger
• 1 stalk of lemon grass
• 2-3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 Tbsp. ground coriander
• 2 Tbsp. ground cumin
• 3/4 tsp. turmeric
• 3/4 tsp. shrimp paste
• 2 cups thin coconut milk
• 2 bay leaves
• 2-3 fresh red chilies
• 8 macadamia nuts or 24 raw cashews
• 10 small new potatoes
• cooked white rice

Instructions:

1. Cut the meat into cubes.  Peel and coarsely chop the onions, garlic and ginger.  Trim the lemon grass, using only the lower pale root section; chop roughly.  Place onions, garlic, ginger and lemon grass in a food processor and process to a puree.
2. Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan and fry the meat until evenly colored; remove and set aside.  Fry the onion puree for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add the spices and shrimp paste and fry briefly.  Add the coconut milk and bay leaves and bring to a boil; then simmer for 5-6 minutes.
3. Slit the chilies and scrape out the seeds.  Add the flesh to the curry.  Grind the nuts to a powder and stir into the sauce, adding salt to taste.  Return the meat and cook gently for about 1 1/2 hours until very tender.  Add extra coconut milk or water as needed.
4. Peel the potatoes, add to the curry and cook until they are tender and the sauce is thick.  Garnish with green onions and serve over rice.

(The original recipe came from "Asia: The Beautiful Cookbook" by Jacki Passmore.)

Indonesia

Capital City - Jakarta
Currency - Indonesian Rupiah
Population - 237,556,363 (2010 census)
National Language - Bahasa Indonesian
Type of Government - Unitary Presidential Republic
Leaders - Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (President); Boediono (Vice President)
Country's Motto - "Bhinneka Tunggal Ika" - Translates to mean "Unity in Diversity."

Location - The Republic of Indonesia is a chain of 13,600 islands in Southeast Asia.  Roughly 3/4 of the country is made up of five main areas: the islands of Sumatra, Java and Sulawesi, as well as Kalimantan (which borders southern Borneo) and Papua (western New Guinea).  Though the island of Java comprises only 7% of the country's total area, it contains more than half of Indonesia's population.

Climate - Hot and humid monsoon climate.

Religion - Religious freedom is protected in Indonesia; however, the goverment only formally recognizes the following six religions: Islam, Protestantism, Roman Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation, with 86% of the nation declaring itself Muslim. Of the remainder, 9% consider themselves Christian, 3% are Hindu and 2% are Buddhist.


Cuisine - The cuisine of Indonesia is a broad mixture of Chinese, European, Middle Eastern and Indian elements.  Staples items include rice, chicken, fish, coconut milk and a variety of spices.

Most Famous Landmark - Borobudur: The world's largest Buddhist shrine.  Built in the 9th century, in Magelang, Central Java, this monument was constructed with the labor of several thousand workers over the course of almost 100 years.  Peasant laborers transported 2 million stones to this site with only ropes, hammers, rolling logs and muscle.  Even more incredibly, the carvings within the stones depict 1,200 images of Indonesia life as well as 400 carved Buddhas - in the end, the three mile journey takes the pilgrim along a path which represents humanity and the road to Nirvana.

If You Learn Only One Thing About Indonesia, It Should Be This - The Balinese cat is not originally from Indonesia - it is actually from Siam and was merely called Balinese because its slow movements emulate an exotic Bali dancer.  Animals that do originate from Indonesia include the kimodo dragon, the maleo bird and the orangutan.