 Where has this year gone, honestly? Memorial Day just flew by out of nowhere, and before you know it, the neighborhood kids will be chasing each other around with sparklers faster than you can say "you'll shoot your eye out!" With everything moving at such a fast pace, I present to you this chance to relax, take a deep breath, and read about some fun international stuff. It's not Jackie Collins on the beach at Ocean City, but you'll feel much better about yourself afterwards. Reaching for the SPF 30,  Jenn Whyms, Managing Editor 
 Up
next on the GPP gathering calendar, set your sights on
the cornerstone of Japanese cuisine in the US: sushi. If you've
ever hunkered down at your local sushi bar and stared in
amazement at the pro behind the counter rolling a perfect bundle
of tekka maki,
then this event's for you. Bill Tien, the gracious owner
of Matsuri in
Federal Hill, will lead an intimate hands-on sushi-making class.
(And yes, you'll get to eat your handiwork.) Coupled with a
sake tasting, this is an afternoon you won't want to miss.
Registration is only $55, and includes the class plus your
sushi and sake. Space is limited, so register soon at
GPP's
website. It's that time of year - get ready for a whole host of internationally-themed festivals!  What: Polish FestivalWhen: May 29-31, 2009 Where: Patterson Park Contact: www.bop.org Sound Bite: "The Polish community kicks off the festival season with local, regional, and national entertainment by polka bands and more; delicacies; Polish crafts including hand-made dolls and afghans." What: St. Nicholas Greek Folk Festival When: June 11-14, 2009 Where: St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, 520 South Ponca Street Contact: www.greekfolkfestival.com Sound Bite: "A showcase of the Greek community featuring dancing, costumes, dishes including patstitsio, spanakopita, and souvlaki, and tours of the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church." What: LatinoFest When: June 27-28, 2009 Where: Patterson Park Contact: www.latinofest.org Sound Bite: "Experience a lively weekend of Hispanic arts and culture featuring live music performances, dances, food, and more."   Give
the tired supermarket salad bar a break and get into the
kitchen this week! This recipe is one of my favorites, because
it's quick, easy, and satisfying all year long. Based on
the classic dish ma po tofu,
Spicy Tofu is a streamlined version designed for
the home cook. It might require a trip to your local Asian
grocery for a few of the ingredients if you don't do a lot
of Asian cooking, but think of that as a fun cultural field
trip. Complete the meal with steamed rice, a spinach salad
with a sesame vinaigrette, maybe an egg roll if you're really
hungry, and orange sections for dessert.1 pound extra-firm tofu 1 Tbs. peanut oil 1 Tbs. garlic, minced 2 tsp. ginger, minced 3 scallions, finely chopped 1 small shallot, finely chopped 3 Tbs. water 1 Tbs. tomato paste 2 tsp. chili bean paste 2 tsp. dark soy sauce (tamari) 2 tsp. sugar 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil Wrap tofu in a clean kitchen towel or a few paper towels atop a cutting board. Place a flat, clean object, such as a heavy skillet or cutting board, on top of the tofu for 30 to 60 minutes. Heat oil, garlic, and ginger in wok or other large skillet over high heat. Add scallions and shallot, and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add water, tomato paste, chili paste, soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Add tofu and simmer for another 5-10 minutes, or until tofu is heated all the way through. (adapted from a recipe out of a cookbook my mother-in-law has buried somewhere in her collection of probably 200 cookbooks)   Imagine
yourself standing on a small, yet steep hill in the crisp stillness
of a clear morning. Shades of green and tan surround you like the
curly tendrils of grapevines in the vineyards you see in either direction.
You catch a whiff of wood smoke here and there, and the air promises
to become saturated with a pleasant, sunny heaviness later in the
afternoon. In the short distance below on the small plain, a stone
church bell tower rises tall from other stone buildings with their
terra cotta roofs crowded close together. Such is the “piccolo” village of Rivanazzano, one hour south of Milan in the Lombardy region of Northern Italy. It sits on the southern edge of the Po River Valley, the largest valley in Italy where its longest river stretches almost the entire horizontal width of the upper part of the country. Rivanazzano is just one of the many small “paesi” of Northern Italy. This region, bordered by France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia, is a cornucopia of diverse geography, culture and cuisine. Much of the latter two were also influenced by conquering armies from other countries tramping through the many centuries until Italy unified itself as a nation starting in 1860 (a notion started by independent-minded citizens of the Piedmont region in Northern Italy).  That diversity is what I relish best when visiting here: Leonardo da Vinci’s Last
Supper in Milan. Verona’s medieval streets and piazzas, smack next
to a first-century AD Roman arena. Lake Garda’s Mediterranean climate along
its shores. And perhaps most wondrous of all--a paper-thin slice of Prosciutto
di Parma wrapped around a slightly salty piece of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
dipped in sweet, 25-year old balsamic vinegar from Modena. Benvenuti
al Paradiso!Northern Italy’s vibrant heritage of historical importance, architecture and the customs of its people waits for you, too, to explore and enjoy. And you don’t necessarily have to hike up a small, steep hilltop to do so, although truth be told, that’s not a bad place to start! Salute! -- Mariann Millard Meander With Mariann Customized Group Tours Cell: 410.948.6682 meanderwithmariann@gmail.com   Seems
that I stumped you last time around on GPP-GPS. Put on your
thinking caps and try to guess the location of the photo
seen here - click on the image for a jumbo version. Send your best guess
(country and city, please) to news@globalpathwaysproject.org and if you're the first to come up with the correct location, you'll be the recipient of a super-secret mystery prize. No entry fee or penalty for an incorrect answer (as if we'd do that to you!), so what have you got to lose?
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