It’s finally fall! For us that mostly means it is pie season! Though you can find pie-type desserts in many countries, we are always surprised to find it in unusual places. For example, we recently saw apple pie being served in Ollantaytambo and Aguas Calientes in the Peruvian Andes. And now we think we have found it in an even more unusual location: Namibia. Moose MacGregor’s Desert Bakery is located in the tiny town of Solitaire in the middle of the Namib desert. So how did it get there? The outpost was opened 20+ years ago by Scotsman Percy Cross MacGregor, and the pie is an old family recipe for German Apfelstrudel (similar recipe here). Moose’s also offers other baked goods like cookies, brownies and muffins to hungry travelers. In Solitaire, which is on the way to Swakopmund and Sossusvlei, there is Moose’s Bakery, a gas station, and a general store, and not much else, but it is worthy stop for any traveler in the area (check out a video from 2012). Unfortunately, Moose passed away in 2014, but the bakery is still running as he left it.
Moose MacGregor’s Desert Bakery in Namibia photo by Simone Swarts
We think we have found the best Indian food in NYC – in the basement of a Hindu temple. The 
The focus of the canteen is vegetarian South Indian dishes, 
We ordered a side of tamarind rice, two masala dosas and a Pondicherry dosa. After no more than 10 minutes, our food came out, fresh off the griddle. Dosas are usually pretty generous in size, and these were no exception. The dosas themselves were butter and flaky, and were completely packed with delicious vegetarian fillings. The potato filling of the masala dosas were perfectly spiced – just the right amount of heat. The Pondicherry dosa was also filled with green chilis and onions, which added an extra kick. We also appreciated the soupy veggie sambar and coconut-yogurt sauce that came alongside. We washed everything down with a mango lassi (which is a bargain at $2 – you may want a second one).
The Ganesh Temple Canteen may be a little out of the way for most New York visitors, but it is definitely worth the trip for the great hospitality and the tasty dosas. This is some of the best Indian food we have ever had, and definitely the best we have had in NYC. Plus, you’ll get a huge amount of food for the price! If you stop by, don’t forget to indulge in a mango lassi (or two).
Looking to make something sweet for your sweetheart? Why not a courting cake – a Northern English confection made with a dense sponge cake with a layer of berries and cream. Until I watched the BBC’s 
It’s almost time for the 
Today is 
Pachapapa (Plazoleta Plaza San Blas 120) in Cusco is a real retreat from the hustle and bustle of Cusco, with an attractive outdoor dining area in the quaint San Blas neighborhood, enlivened by a Peruvian harpist and a wood-burning oven in full view. Pachapapa’s name is a riff on 
Ube is 
Poutine – a delicious combo of cheese curds and gravy over french fries – has become a fast favorite in the US, but its roots are 
There are several varieties of poutine on offer – including traditional, bacon and sour cream topped, mushrooms, BBQ pulled pork, and smoked meat – each of which comes in regular (all less than $11 Canadian) and “mini” size (less than $8 Canadian). We were also pleased to see they had vegan and vegetarian varieties. Lucky for us, since the friend we visited the restaurant with is a vegetarian, and this was her first poutine! Another nice feature is that you can get vegetarian, beef or gluten free gravy on any variety of poutine.
Along one side of the restaurant, there is a bakery case with all sorts of Chinese, Hong Kongese, and Taiwanese pastries, in both sweet and savory varieties – all you do is pick up a tray, and start using the tongs to pick out which items you want (most priced under $2). We tried the red bean bun, the Char Siu Bao (BBQ pork bun) and the egg tarts, and all were quite good (and super cheap). Other varieties of buns and pastries included 
We’ve made it to Friday – time to celebrate with donuts! This week we are featuring Vietnamese hollow donuts – Bánh Tiêu. Banh Tieu are crunchy, hollow donuts covered in sesame seeds, with a light texture. The technique is a bit harder to master than an American donut, but if you have already 
One of our friends is taking a trip through the Baltic countries and put out an open call for recommendations of unique things to do, and foods to try in the area. We must confess that we don’t know that much about Baltic food, but are always eager to learn more. One of the most intriguing and unusual Baltic foods we learned about was 
When we used to live on the north side of Chicago we tried ton of a taquerias up and down North Clark street in Rogers Park (you can read about some on our 
For the final country represented on the
When researching the national dish of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, one of the countries represented on the 
Eating The World 