Get The Reels Turning!

Fall is here and the temps are starting to drop. I love sailing, hiking and hanging out at the beach in the summer. Sometimes when autumn arrives, I’m relieved that I don’t have to rush out and can just enjoy hanging around the house watching movies and making popcorn. Hence, our movie-inspired parties! Gather a few friends and have a girls’ afternoon at home. We’ve included some recipes, you may or may not make, some goofs you may or may not see, and some discussion questions you may or may not entertain. Enjoy!

The Other Boleyn Girl

Awards

Nominated for Teen Choice Award

Choice Movie Actress in a Drama: Scarlett Johansson

Interesting Facts and Goofs

1. Factual errors: In the film, Mary Boleyn's first child is a boy. In reality, her first child was a girl, Catherine. She did not have a son, Henry, until several years after Catherine's birth.

2. Anachronisms: When Anne is standing on the execution block making her speech, behind her can be clearly seen a painted metal drain (down) pipe with metal bands fixing it to the wall.

3. King Henry named a warship after Mary Boleyn that was originally thought to be a typo in the history books by the author.

4. Anne kept King Henry at bay for 6 years.

5. Dover Castle is the Tower of London in the film.

6. The scenes of Anne on the scaffold were based on eyewitness accounts. No one expected her to be executed and no coffin was available after her death. Her body was put in an arrow box and her head carried off by two of her ladies.

7. Henry Carey, Mary and Henry’s son and Elizabeth’s cousin, became Elizabeth’s chief political advisor and confidant for the 45 years of her rein.

8. Catharine of Aragon, daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, was originally promised to King Henry’s older brother Arthur. When Arthur died, Henry agreed to marry her. She was 8 or 9 years his senior.

9. Lady Rochford, George’s wife, later admitted at her own execution that she lied about the incest between her husband and his sister, Anne.

Discussion Questions

1. What do you think about the idea of ambition as a sin or a virtue?

2. Do you think Anne was in love with the king and vice versa?

3. In what ways were Anne and Mary culpable and/or victims in their situations?

4. How did your feelings about Henry changes as the movie progressed?

5. How did you feel about the way women were treated/behaved in the film?

The Afternoon

Serve with Tea, cream, sugar and lemon.

Cucumber Sandwiches

1/2 large cucumber, peeled and sliced very thinly

Salt

3/8 cup soft butter

1 teaspoons minced fresh garlic

10 slices bread

1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

Pepper to taste

Lightly salt the cucumber slices and place them in a colander to drain for 1 to 2 hours. Then combine the butter and garlic and apply to 1 side of each slice of bread. In a small bowl, stir together the lemon juice, olive oil, and pepper. Add the cucumber slices, coating them well. Arrange the cucumber on 5 of the bread slices, top with the other 5 slices, remove the crusts,

and quarter. Serve immediately. Makes 20 tea sandwiches or 15 fingers.

Currant Scones

2 c all-purpose flour

1/3 c sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

6 tbsp unsalted butter cut in pieces

½ c dried currants (dried cranberries, blueberries,

raisins or apricots may be substituted)

1 large egg

½ c heavy cream

2 to 3 tsp cream or milk

1 tsp grated orange zest (optional)

Cinnamon and sugar (optional)

Clotted cream and jam for serving

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425F. Have a large ungreased baking sheet ready. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Cut in the butter with 2 knives or a pastry blender, tossing the pieces with the flour mixture to coat and separate

them as you work, until the largest pieces are the size of peas and the rest resemble  breadcrumbs. Do not allow the butter to melt or form a paste with the flour. Stir in the fruit.  Whisk the egg, heavy cream and orange zest and add all at once. Mix just until the dry

ingredients are moistened. Gather the dough into a ball and knead it gently against the sides and bottom of the bowl 5 to 10 times, turning and pressing any loose pieces into the dough each time until they adhere and the bowl is fairly clean. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and pat the dough into an 8-inch round about ¾ inch thick. Cut into 12 wedges and place at least ½ inch apart on the baking sheet. Brush the tops with the cream or milk and if desired, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake until the tops are golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool. Makes 12 small.

References

“Goofs for The Other Boleyn Girl”. USA: Internet Movie Database.  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0467200/goofs. December 7, 2008.

Rombauer, Irma and Marion Becker and Ethan Becker. The Joy of Cooking. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1997, pp. 791.

“Savory Tea Sandwich Recipes.” USA: Great Party Recipes. http://www.greatpartyrecipes.com/teasandwichrecipes.html. October 8, 2008.

Poblanos and Black Beans and Corn Oh My!

I’ve been busy cooking lots of great things - Poblanos Stuffed with Veggie Chorizo, Black Beans and Corn; Brazilian Rice; Fresh Figs with Garlic Feta Cream; and Oven Roasted Shiitakes with Garlic and Coarse Salt! I was hoping I would learn some things about cooking from this experience and so far, I’m not disappointed.

I’m a decent cook, but I mostly follow recipes. I can only credit myself with one unique recipe - my breakfast burritos (see below). I’ve already come up with an alternative to the flour tortillas I normally use - a poblano pepper seared in a bit of olive oil!

I also had a bright idea to freeze leftover tomato paste. Even though it comes in a small container, I frequently find I don’t even use all of that! This time I thought, “I’m going to put the rest of this into the ice cube tray and freeze it.” Voila! I’ve already made use of some of the frozen paste. I have also done this with leftover fresh herbs - basil, parsley, cilantro, etc (I put a bit of water in the tray with the herbs) - but I frequently forget to use them.

 

I have some of the Tupperware Fridgesmart Containers. I really love these things for keeping vegetables fresh. I have considered buying a couple more since I frequently don’t have enough space, particularly when the farmers’ market is in full swing. This time, to save space, I trimmed the carrots and celery so I could fit more in the container and I immediately thought, “I should be throwing these into a pot for broth!” I think I’m going to need a bigger freezer...

 

Christine’s Favorite Breakfast Burritos

 

1 ½ Eggs

 

1 Morningstar Vegetarian Breakfast Sausage

 

⅛ c grated Mexican Cheese Blend

 

Tortilla or a poblano seared for 3-4 minutes on each side in olive oil over medium-high heat

 

Salsa to taste (I like Pace Medium heat)

 

Cilantro to taste (fresh is best, but I also use the stuff in the tube)

 

Adobo Seasoning to taste (I prefer Rico, but Goya will do)

 

Chilis in Adobo Sauce mashed in a food processor, to taste

 

Defrost and chop up the sausage. Add it to a small fry pan with some cooking spray to heat and brown it a bit. Mix the egg, adobo seasoning, and a spoonful of the chilis in adobo sauce (this adds heat, so be careful). Add the egg mixture to the sausage in the pan. When the egg is mostly cooked, add salsa to taste and get it hot. Add the cheese and melt it. Turn off the heat and mix in the cilantro. Serve in a tortilla or pepper.

I tend to make a couple of days worth and reheat it. Aficionados would say eggs don’t reheat well, but since the salsa adds moisture, they reheat fine for my taste.

Happy Cooking!

~Chef Christine

Amuse Bouche

The holiday (party) season is almost upon us! One of the best parties I ever threw consisted of a bunch of small appetizers - amuse bouche, in French. It means ‘entertain the mouth’. I love this idea because it didn’t require me to make a big meal or provide seating around a table, so I was able to invite more ladies. This party idea suggests you have each lady bring an item, but you may choose to make them yourself. I’ve included some recipes from Finger Food which I made and liked, but you can use any appetizer recipes. I’ve also included my recipe for mulled wine, at the end. This is a Thanksgiving favorite in my family!

Instructions:

Have each person bring a plate of small bites. Suggested recipes are listed. The hostess is responsible for set up and clean up.

Food:

Curried Nuts

4 c. Mixed Nuts

1 egg white

2 tbsp curry powder

1 tsp cumin

salt

Preheat the oven to 300F. Spread the nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 10 min. Whisk the egg whites until frothy, add the nuts, curry powder, cumin and 1 tsp salt. Toss together and return to the oven for another 10-15 minutes. Cool.

Wild Mushroom Pate on Melba Toasts

¾ oz dried wild mushrooms (porcini, chanterelles, morels)

¼ c butter

¾ lb Portobello mushrooms, sliced

1 garlic clove, crushed

2 tbsp brandy

¼ c heavy whipping cream

1 tsp fresh thyme

¼ tsp juniper berries ground

30 mini melba toasts

crème fraiche (to serve)

30 fresh Italian parsley leaves

Soak the dried mushrooms in a bowl with 1 cup hot (not boiling) water for 2 hours or until soft. Drain, saving 2 tablespoons of the soaking liquid. Discard any pieces of mushroom that are still tough and woody after soaking.

Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat, then add the mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then add the dried mushrooms and soaking liquid and cook for another 5 – 8 minutes, stirring regularly. Pour in the brandy and cook for 2 minutes or until evaporated. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

 

 

Transfer the cooked mushroom mixture to a food processor with the cream, thyme, juniper berries and ½ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper and blend for 4 – 5 minutes or until finely chopped.

Spoon the pate into a bowl and refrigerate, covered for at least 3 hours or until chilled. Put a teaspoon of pate on each toast and top with ½ teaspoon crème fraiche and fresh parsley leaf.

Polenta wedges with mozzarella and tomatoes

1 tbsp olive oil

1 2/3 c polenta

¾ c grated Parmesan

2 ½ tbsp pesto

1 c thinly sliced mozzarella

12 cherry tomatoes cut in quarters

½ c fresh basil, larger leaves torn

Lightly grease an 8 X 12 inch baking pan with the olive oil. Bring 4 cups lightly salted water to a boil in a saucepan. Once the water is boiling, add the polenta in a steady stream, stirring constantly to keep lumps from forming.

Reduce the heat to very low and simmer, stirring for 20 – 25 minutes or until the polenta starts to come away from the sides of the pan.

 

Stir the parmesan into the polenta and season with salt and pepper.

Spoon the polenta into the baking pan, smooth the top with the back of a wet spoon, and leave for 1 hour or until set. Once the polenta has set, carefully transfer it onto a cutting board and cut into 24 2-inch squares. Cut each square into 2 triangles. Cook the polenta in batches on a preheated, ridged grill pan for 2-3 minutes on each side or until warmed through.

Spread each triangle with 1 teaspoon of the pesto, top with a slice of mozzarella and a tomato quarter. Season and toast under the broiler for 1-2 minutes or until the cheese is just starting to melt. Garnish with basil and serve immediately.

Hazelnut cream squares

4 eggs separated

½ c superfine sugar

½ c self-rising flour

2/3 c ground hazelnuts

2/3 c unsalted butter, softened

½ c chocolate hazelnut spread (Nutella)

½ c confectioners’ sugar, sifted

cocoa powder to dust

Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease an 8-inch, shallow, square cake pan and line the bottom with baking parchment.

Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer in a bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, beating until thick and glossy. Beat the egg yolks into the mixture, one at a time. Sift the flour over the mixture, add the ground hazelnuts, and fold in with a metal spoon. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter with 2 tablespoons boiling water in a small bowl, then fold into the sponge mixture. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes or until cooked. Leave in the pan for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool. Cut the sponge in half horizontally through the center.

Beat the hazelnut spread and the remaining butter with an electric mixer until very creamy. Beat in the confectioners’ sugar, then gradually add 3 teaspoons of boiling water and beat until smooth. Fill the cake with the icing and refrigerate until the filling is firm. Dust with the cocoa powder, then cut into squares.

Mulled Wine

Inexpensive Red Wine - I usually buy a Bota Box of Shiraz or Cabernet Sauvignon

Mulling Spices - I make my own by wrapping whole cloves, whole allspice, whole nutmeg (cracked open), whole cardamom split, and whole star anise in cheesecloth and tying it up with cinnamon sticks (World Market is a good place to buy inexpensive spices)

Sliced oranges

Sugar

Pour the wine into a large pot or crock pot with the mulling spices and simmer for until hot. In the crock pot, this can warm for several hours. Serve in mugs with the sliced oranges and sugar to taste.

Happy Holiday Season!

Christine

The Vegetarian Adventures Continue...

This was my first official week of cooking from Passionate Vegetarian. First up on the menu - Zwiebel Kuchen (German Onion Tart) and Moroccan Carrot Salad. Don't you know my partner decided he is going wheat-free for awhile immediately after I make the decision! Oiy.

My second issue, after reading the recipes (of course, AFTER selecting them!), was that I don't own a food processor and the instructions indicate mixing the pastry dough in one. So, I immediately launched into researching food processors and then decided I've made enough bread in my life that it's unlikely I would totally mess it up by just mixing it by hand. Food processor purchase tabled, for now.

Third challenge- easily remedied- I was short on cumin. Mental note to self - verify quantities of ingredients before beginning the process!

I might be a slow cooker - it took me the better part of Saturday to make both things, of course I had to make the pastry for the tart, too (does this count as three recipes?). I wonder if I'll become more efficient as time goes on. Both recipes were delicious, although I probably could have done a better job making the pastry look nice.

I  used the pre-cut carrot chips, instead of grating carrots (maybe when I have a food processor I will try it the other way). I am inclined to try it with the 4 épices seasoning we bought at Caravane Epices in Morocco back in February. We've used it on vegetables in the past and it's delicious. So much so that we'll be ordering more of it in the near future! We also bought their 30 spice blend - Ras Elhanoute. I've used that on one of my favorite grilled tuna steak recipes (see below) instead of cumin. I think that spice blend made it even better than the original recipe!  

I started a wine club back in the late 90s in Richmond with a good friend - it was a catalyst for starting LBDC. I barely drank wine at the time, but over the years I’ve learned quite a bit and been on several wine-influenced vacations. I don’t claim to be an expert, but I know what I like. I can generally put together a decent pairing, but I ALWAYS ask at the wine store what they recommend. This time, I got a real winner! Essay from South Africa - a Chenin Blanc with a touch of Viognier - is what they suggested. Not only did it pair very well (recommended with creamy pasta and spicy food), it was only $10 a bottle! I liked it so much I think I would be happy to drink it on the patio sans food.

Ben and I have been trying to use up things in the freezer, so when he saw the leftover buttermilk (why isn't a small container available?) he suggested I choose something to use that up. First thing that comes to mind - biscuits. So, despite his wheat-free commitment, I'll be making Buttermilk-Oatmeal Whole Wheat Rolls with a Salt-Honey Glaze! I think my babysitter will be benefitting from his dietary change!

Cumin Tuna Steaks with Lime Cream and Salsa

Tuna Steaks

Serves 4

4 thick (1 1⁄2 inch) tuna steaks (about 2 lbs total)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 teaspoons freshly ground cumin (preferably from toasted seeds)

Lime Cream (recipe below)

Mango Salsa (recipe below)

1. Preheat a grass grill to medium-high. Position the grill rack about 6 inches from the heat source.

2. Meanwhile, season the tuna steaks on all sides with salt and pepper to taste. Evenly dust the steaks all over with the cumin, patting it firmly into the fish to encourage it to adhere.

3. When the grill is ready, lightly oil the rack. Lay the steaks on the rack. Cover and grill, turning once, until done to your liking, about 6 minutes total for medium-rare.

4. Transfer steaks to plates. Generously drizzle the lime cream onto and around the steaks. Spoon a generous dollop of salsa alongside each steak.

Lime Cream - Can be made up to a week in advance.

Makes 3⁄4 cup

6 tablespoons sour cream

6 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 1⁄2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 garlic clove, crushed through a press (optional)

Pinch of salt

1. Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl. Adjust the seasoning, it should be tangy. Refrigerate in a covered container. Return to room temperature before serving.

Mango Salsa - I have bought mango salsa or a fruit salsa at the grocery as an easy alternative!

Makes 3 1⁄2 cups

6 long green chiles such as Anaheim or New Mexican, roasted, steamed, peeled, and chopped (about 1 cup)

1 large, firm but juicy-ripe mango, peeled and cubed

1 large, firm but juicy-ripe tomato (about 12 oz) cored, seeded and coarsely chopped

3⁄4 cup diced onion

1 to 2 fresh jalapenos, stemmed and minced

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

3⁄4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro

1. In a bowl, combine all of the ingredients

2. Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 hour to blend the flavors. Just before serving, stir in the cilantro and adjust

the seasoning.

 

Happy cooking,

 

Chef Christine, LBDC CEO

 

 

A Vegetarian Adventure

Almost 20 years ago, a friend suggested to me that I make a list of 100 things I wanted to do in my lifetime. Easily done, I thought at the time, but when I sat down to make the list it was more challenging than I expected. Today, I still only have 68 things on the list (many of them crossed out). I've experienced more than what is crossed out in the last 20 years, so the list has been more of a guidepost for living my life. I have it categorized - Educational, Physical, Experience/Travel, and Charitable. Periodically, I review the list, cross things off and add others.

A few months ago, I gave birth to a little boy named Cameron. Having a baby wasn't on the list, but when I turned 40, I decided to pull the trigger before the opportunity passed. After 20 years of being single, travelling, sailing on weekends, and spending evenings with friends, I thought the transition would be more difficult. Being single is great, don't get me wrong, but I did feel some self-imposed pressure to get out and do things. Now that Cam is here, spending Saturdays cleaning the house and messing around on the computer seems perfectly fine.

 

As much as I feel some relief not having to be out looking for things to do to keep me busy, I also realize I need mental stimulation. I've always been an active person - taking classes, exercising, and hosting social events - that part of me hasn't changed just because I had a baby. So recently, I decided to pull out the list again and assess what I might like to do over the next ten to twenty years. There is work to be done here. I want to think about experiences I can share with Cameron that will enrich both our lives and help us create memories.

A few months ago, I had a passing thought that I might like to cook through a cookbook. Yes, like Julie and Julia (although I’m not going to cook 500 recipes in year!). I read the book and watched the movie. Last week, I made a recipe from a book I've had for about ten years, Passionate Vegetarian, and I thought, “This is the book!” I’ve been a lacto-ovo pesco-vegetarian (I eat eggs, dairy and fish) for about the same amount of time. The book has over 1000 recipes, not including variations. It covers a wide range of vegetarian dishes, obviously, and incorporates many things I’ve never used in cooking like umeboshi, mung beans, and mirlitons (chayote - a Caribbean summer squash - can I even get that here?) If I make two of them a week (probably a bit ambitious), it will take me about ten years!

I have spent quite a bit of time thinking about why I want to do this and what my expectations are for it. Surprisingly, it's not just as simple as cooking a bunch of food. I've considered that Cameron is four months old. While I'm doing this he'll be growing up. Maybe he will help me in the kitchen at some point. I hope he will learn something from the experience - maybe about cooking and eating well, and maybe also something about life - setting and achieving goals, commitment, attention to detail. Maybe he won't learn anything. Likely he will learn something I'm not expecting and it may not occur to him until he's older - and it may never occur to him.

For me, it will be a journey. It will provide an opportunity to reflect on some of my travel experiences as the book includes a number of international recipes. I might even come up with some of my own variations on the recipes based on my experiences. I wonder what will happen in my life during this process. Holidays, vacations - for sure - but what else? I’m excited for the challenge of choosing recipes each week, perhaps find a nice wine pairing, and using the experience to track the day to day experience of raising a child.

My first recipe choices are Zwiebel Kuchen (German Onion Tart) and Moroccan Carrot Salad. I'll let you know how it turns out!

 

 

~Christine Zellers, LBDC CEO

Traveling Alone, Part Deux

About a year ago, I wrote a post about traveling alone. One option I didn’t discuss in much detail is taking an organized tour. At the time, I did not have any experience with this type of travel. A couple of months ago, I started getting buggy to go somewhere. I’m seven months pregnant, now, so my normal thoughts of SCUBA diving and skiing aren’t a possibility. Morocco has been on my list since I met a woman who was in the Peace Corps there, so I decided to look into it. Taking a tour made sense to me at this stage because, although Morocco is ranked well above the US in healthcare performance, I decided having a local advocate who spoke Arabic and French might be useful if I actually needed something.

I selected a 13 day Morocco Explorer trip through Peregrine Adventures. When I was in Zimbabwe in 2006, I met a travel agent, Tom Gehrels who works for Adventure Center based in Toronto, Canada. Tom has been in 97 countries, so he has good recommendations for travel adventures. He’s also very familiar with the tour companies with which they do business, so I knew I would get good suggestions based on what I shared with him about my interests, energy level, and physical limitations. I appreciate working with a professional who “practices what they preach”, so to speak! When I decided I would prefer not to handle the logistics on my own, I called him, explained my situation and asked for some ideas. After a few email exchanges, I selected the Peregrine trip because of the timing and budget, the accommodation of my inability to ride a camel for an hour in the desert, and the length of the trip -which seemed like it would allow enough time to really see the country.

I enjoyed a number of things about traveling like this. It was relaxing knowing that everything on the trip was scheduled and booked and I didn’t need to worry about any of the logistics. We went places I would not have gone, if I had planned the trip on my own (although we missed one place - that could’ve been added as an extension, we just decided against it). We were taken to some places to shop (I never felt pressured to buy and the guides do not get kickbacks) and I appreciated that the places we went were endorsed by the tour company so the products offered were good quality and fairly priced. If the Berber rug I bought hadn’t shown up, I would have had recourse. I learned things about the culture that I probably wouldn’t have learned planning my own itinerary. For example, the current King Mohammed VI changed many of the laws regarding women’s social and civic equality and there was opportunity to discuss that and how it has changed life with several Moroccans. I was also made aware of some of the challenges women still face in Morocco.

There are also tradeoffs traveling this way, too. Tours can be fast paced and sometimes you are in a new location every night. We had three nights in Fes and two in Marrakech. Overall, I didn’t mind moving around once I figured out how to keep my bags organized. Frequent relocation means that you won’t be doing much hanging around soaking up the sights, especially if there isn’t much free time built into the itinerary. Most of the restaurants were chosen for us. If you like to comb TripAdvisor looking for what other travelers like, that might be a bummer. In this case, I enjoyed the opportunity to have Berber pizza and eat in the home of a guide in Sefrou, which I would not have been able to do on my own. We were very fortunate and had a group of seven who really hit it off. If the group had been larger or there had been difficult personalities on the tour, it would’ve been more challenging.

I was not alone on this trip, but surprisingly, or possibly not, there were THREE single women in our group of seven, even though it was not a women’s trip. They ranged in age from 34 to 60 and came from New Zealand, the UK, and the US. The woman from the UK had more than a few of these trips under her belt. As a single woman, I think this type of trip is ideal, particularly if it’s your first foray into traveling alone. You will likely be connected with the group at the airport when you arrive and will be dropped off there at the end. There will be others with whom to socialize and someone to answer any questions or help address any issues you encounter.

For myself, I imagine I will be doing other trips like this at some point. While reading up on this tour, I learned that some of these companies offer similar tours for families. I mentioned that to our guide in Morocco and he was very complimentary and said they usually limit the amount of driving and search out activities that will entertain and engage children. Given my little man will likely be an only child, this seems like a great way for him to travel with other kids and maybe even make a friend overseas!

Here are a few things I recommend, if you are thinking about taking a trip like this:

·        Take note of the maximum number of travelers; We had seven on a trip that could’ve been 16; Our group collectively agreed that more than 10 or 12 would’ve been way too many

·        Look over the itinerary closely – how often are you moving around? If the trip is more than eight days, being in one hotel for a couple of nights here and there might make things a bit more relaxed

·        Inquire about the demographics of the expected group from the travel agency or tour provider - Is it usually all or mostly women? Are they in an age range that will support the level of activity you would like?

·        Find out if the comfort level is going to be to your liking – do you want posh hotels or a local experience?

·        What physical limitations and interests do you have? Using Tom has twice helped me identify a travel experience that was well matched to what I could and wanted to do and resulted in a travel experience with a like-minded group

·        What is your budget? Is there a single supplement? You may have an option to share a room with another single traveler. Take time to consider how that person’s habits and sleep schedule might affect your own.

Tom has a few additional things to consider:
 

• Environmental sustainability record of the tour operator – Adventure Center offers ways for you to offset your carbon footprint

• Are the tour leaders local or Westerners (locals being the preferred as they are much better informed about the local culture)

• Start and end place of the tour - is it easy to get to from the nearest airport?; Are transfers included or can you book them as add-ons?; Think about that especially in relation to when you are arriving at the destination (late at night - book a transfer!)

• What are the local attitudes towards women? (this can be a sensitive issue, sometimes on the verge of politically incorrect, but perhaps something you may want to address)

• Dress code – for example in Muslim countries it’s often suggested and sometimes required that you cover your knees and shoulders, at least.

Happy Travels!

~Christine Zellers, LBDC CEO