Page 6C
East Oregonian
EAT, DRINK & EXPLORE
Saturday, December 30, 2017
From Malta to Minneapolis, a look at where to go in 2018
By BETH J. HARPAZ
AP Travel Editor
NEW YORK — From Malta to
Minneapolis, here’s a look at some
destinations around the world that
will be making news in 2018. They
include designated culture capitals,
places hosting sporting events
and even a couple of cities — San
Antonio, Texas, and New Orleans
— celebrating their 300th birthdays.
Sports
Minneapolis hosts the Super
Bowl on Feb. 4 in Minneapolis.
The city is encouraging visitors
to embrace winter with 10 days of
“Bold North” events and activities
leading up to the big game. On the
other side of the world, the snowy
mountains of Pyeongchang, South
Korea, host the Winter Olympic
Games, Feb. 9-25.
Eleven cities in Russia —
including Moscow and Sochi
— host the FIFA World Cup, June
14-July 15. The dates coincide with
St. Petersburg’s “white nights,” the
summer solstice season when city
skies never get completely dark.
FIFA reports strong ticket sales from
the United States even though the
U.S. national team failed to qualify
for the games. Host cities include
lesser-known gems like Nizhny
Novgorod and Kazan, while Yekat-
erinburg is a good jumping-off point
for an adventure in Siberia.
Tricentennials
Two American cities mark
tri-centennials in 2018. San Antonio
plans a commemoration week in
May, a “Summer of Spain” market-
place highlighting Spanish food, art
and culture, Day of the Dead events
Oct. 29-30 and a Witte Museum
exhibition about the city’s frontier
history under the flags of many
countries. The exhibit will include
the keys to the Alamo and Davy
Crockett’s fiddle.
In New Orleans, tricentennial
events include the Prospect.4
art exhibition, which is already
underway; a blow-out Mardi Gras,
Feb. 13, with the Krewe of Rex
procession themed on New Orleans’
history; various spring festivals;
Luna Fete next December; and a
New Orleans Museum of Art exhibi-
tion showcasing works by Raphael,
Titian, Rembrandt and others from
the Duke of Orleans’ collection.
Culture and design capitals
Despite the recent car bomb
murder of an investigative journalist
AP Photo/Virginia Mayo, File
In this Feb. 3 file photo, a boat passes through the entrance to the Grand Harbour in Valletta, Mal-
ta. Valletta was declared one of two European Capitals of Culture for 2018, kicking off with an is-
land-wide Maltese Festa Jan. 14-21. The other European Capital of Culture is the Dutch city of Leeu-
warden, the capital of Friesland.
AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File
AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell, File
In this Feb. 28 file photo, revelers congregate at
the start of the Society of Saint Anne Mardi Gras
parade in New Orleans. The city celebrates its tri-
centennial in 2018.
In this Nov. 12 file photo, models displays cre-
ations by Mexican fashion house Yakampot
during a fashion show at the Angel of Indepen-
dence monument, in Mexico City.
in Malta, the island is on many
“where to go” lists for 2018. Its
capital, Valletta, is one of Europe’s
2018 capitals of culture and a
UNESCO World Heritage Site with
7,000 years of history. Attractions
include festivals, nightlife, ancient
stone architecture, a rollicking
Carnival in February and other
festivals, plus World War II history,
including scuba diving to wartime
wrecks.
The other European capital of
culture for 2018 is Leeuwarden in the
Netherlands’ province of Friesland.
Cultural extravaganzas include an
Aug. 31-Sept. 1 event expanding an
annual marathon across 23 villages
with music, art, theater and unusual
pop-up hotels.
Mexico City has been designated
the sixth World Design Capital and
the first city in the Americas to
receive the title. It’s being recog-
nized for sustainable design-led
initiatives like bike-sharing, urban
gardens, parks and playgrounds.
Events will include exhibits, confer-
ences and installations.
From England to Ethiopia
Elsewhere around the world,
destinations on the travel industry’s
radar for 2018 range from England
to Ethiopia.
England is suddenly a pop
culture darling. Fans of the Netflix
series “The Crown” can visit one of
Queen Elizabeth’s favorite places,
Sandringham House, April-No-
vember, while those intrigued by
the May 2018 wedding of American
actress Meghan Markle to Prince
Harry can tour their wedding site,
Windsor Castle. Oscar-watchers
interested in “The Darkest Hour,”
starring Gary Oldman as Prime
Minister Winston Churchill during
World War II, should visit the
Korean Grain Bowl is built on healthy, filling ingredients
By SARA MOULTON
Associated Press
Every New Year, lots of us
resolve to lose weight. And every
year, lots of us fail. The problem?
We go from eating too much food,
much of it unhealthy, to eating very
little of anything. But after starving
ourselves for a while, many of us
return to our old habits and regain
the weight.
This recipe for a Korean Grain
Bowl is built on healthy, filling
ingredients — whole grains and
vegetable protein — and some good
fat. It’s a middle ground between
empty calories and self-starvation.
In Korea, this traditional rice dish is
called bibimbap. Usually it consists
of white rice topped with meat,
vegetables, a raw or cooked egg,
a soy-based sauce and some chili
paste — all of it tossed together right
before eating. My version swaps
in a few healthier ingredients and
increases the amount of veggies.
Instead of white rice, use your
favorite whole grain, such as brown
rice, wheat berries or quinoa. Instead
of meat, use tofu, a protein-rich bean
curd that can be prepared to feature
a satisfyingly “meaty” texture. Start
with firm tofu, cut it into planks
1/3-inch thick, and weigh it down
between paper towels for 20 minutes
to remove excess moisture.
Miso sesame sauce, an
all-purpose sauce for many items
like sauteed fish and raw vegetables,
makes this dish even more substan-
tial. I encourage you to prepare your
own, but if you don’t have time, just
drizzle your bowl with low-sodium
soy sauce.
The vegetables specified here
— carrots, shiitakes and spinach —
could be replaced with vegetables
of your choice. Just be sure to pick
from different-colored vegetable
groups, which will deliver both
nutritional and visual benefits.
But whatever else you might
swap out or lose, don’t abandon
the lightly fried egg. Breaking the
yolk and tossing it with the other
ingredients adds a creamy coating to
the grains. It’s the perfect finishing
touch.
———
Sara Moulton is host of public
television’s “Sara’s Weeknight
Meals.” She was executive chef at
Gourmet magazine for nearly 25
years and spent a decade hosting
several Food Network shows
including “Cooking Live.” Her latest
cookbook is “HomeCooking 101.”
Sara Moulton via AP
Korean grain bowl.
KOREAN GRAIN BOWL
Servings: 4
Start to finish: 80 minutes (45 active)
For the miso sesame sauce:
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons white or red miso
• 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
• 1 ½ tablespoons well-stirred tahini
• 1 teaspoon sugar
For the grain bowl:
• 1 cup brown rice, wheat berries or
whole grain of your choice (you’ll need 3
cups cooked)
• 8 ounces firm tofu
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups coarsely grated carrots
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper
• 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems
discarded and caps cut into 1-inch pieces
• 5 ounces baby spinach
• 4 large eggs
• ½ cup thinly sliced scallions
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• Korean chili sauce (Gochujang),
Sriracha or the hot sauce of your choice
• Kimchi for garnish (optional)
Make the sauce: In a blender combine
all of the ingredients with 1 tablespoon
water and blend until smooth. Set aside.
Prepare the grain bowl: Cook the
rice, wheat berries or whole grain of
your choice such as quinoa following
the package directions (you should have
about 3 cups); keep warm. Slice the tofu
into planks ⅓-inch thick. Place the planks
between paper towels on a plate, top the
plate with another plate and a weight, such
as several cans of tomatoes, and set aside
for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. In a
large nonstick skillet heat 1 tablespoon of
the oil over medium heat. Add the carrots,
season them with salt and pepper to taste,
and cook, stirring, until they are crisp-
tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer them to a
rimmed baking sheet.
Add another 1 ½ tablespoons oil to the
skillet. Add the mushrooms and a pinch
of salt and cook, stirring occasionally,
just until tender, about 4 minutes. Add
the spinach and another pinch of salt to
the mushrooms and cook, stirring, just
until wilted, about 3 minutes. Transfer
the mixture to the baking sheet with the
carrots.
Cut the tofu planks in half and pat the
pieces dry. Heat another ½ tablespoon of
oil in the skillet over medium-high heat;
add the tofu. Cook until golden brown,
about 3 minutes a side. Transfer the tofu to
the baking sheet and put the baking sheet
of ingredients in the oven to keep warm
while you fry the eggs.
Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in
the skillet over medium heat, add the eggs
and fry until cooked to the desired degree
of doneness.
To serve, mound ¾ cup of hot grain
into the center of each of 4 shallow bowls.
Arrange one-fourth of the tofu on top
along with one egg and one-fourth of the
carrots and the spinach mixture. Sprinkle
the scallions and sesame seeds over the top
and drizzle with the miso sesame sauce
and hot sauce. Serve with the kimchi on
the side.
Nutrition information per serving: 617
calories; 333 calories from fat; 38 g fat
(5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 215 mg
cholesterol; 508 mg sodium; 50 g carbohy-
drate; 6 g fiber; 4 g sugar; 20 g protein.
Churchill War Rooms museum
in London. Also to keep in mind:
The Lake District was just named
a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Visits by Americans to England
were up 31 percent January-June
2017 compared with the same
period in 2016, thanks in part to the
U.S. dollar’s strength against the
British pound.
Concerns about terror attacks
and unrest have dampened travel
to Egypt, Turkey and other desti-
nations in North Africa and the
Middle East. But that’s prompted
interest in places in the region that
are perceived as safe and just as
compelling culturally, including
Morocco and Jordan. In Africa,
Ethiopia also popped up on a couple
of where-to-go lists. Its magical
attractions include the churches in
Lalibela, carved from soft stone and
dating to the 12th century.
Asia and Central Asia
U.S. visitors to Japan increased
10 percent January-October 2017
compared with the same period
in 2016, and the upward trend
is expected to continue as Japan
pushes tourism ahead of the 2020
Summer Olympics. Where-to-go
lists are highlighting not just Tokyo
but also places like Sapporo and
the Kii Peninsula, honored as a
UNESCO World Heritage site for
its pilgrimage routes and sacred
mountains.
These days, many well-trav-
eled millennials have already
hopscotched around Western Europe
by the time they’re done with college,
so it makes sense that they’re turning
to Asia for spring breaks and back-
packing trips with stops in Thailand,
Vietnam, Cambodia, China, India
and Singapore. The youth-oriented
travel company StudentUniverse
says bookings for 18- to 25-year-old
U.S. passport holders to Asia from
the U.S. have risen more than 700
percent since 2014. And many of
those travelers stay in Asia three
weeks or more.
Another area that’s starting to
intrigue travelers as they expand
bucket lists beyond familiar
destinations is Central Asia,
which includes the countries of
Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and others
with names ending in “-stan.” The
country of Georgia also turns up
on several where-to-go-in-2018
lists. Geographically it’s considered
part of Asia but culturally it’s more
Eastern European.
Where not to go in 2018
The Associated Press
As you contemplate all those “where to go in
2018” lists, here’s a twist: a list of places to avoid
in the new year.
The where not to go list is from Fodor’s, the
travel guidebook publisher. Fodor’s “no list”
includes places plagued by overtourism and
destinations with safety issues. They range from
a U.S. state to bucket-list wonders of the world.
Here are the 10 places Fodor’s suggests we avoid.
THE GALAPAGOS: Ecuador heavily regu-
lates tourism in the Galapagos as part of its envi-
ronmental conservation policies, but Fodor’s says
the islands’ fragile ecosystems remain vulnerable.
THE PLACES THAT DON’T WANT YOU
TO VISIT: Too many tourists in places like
Venice and Amsterdam have resulted in a local
backlash against visitors. Fodor’s says we should
just stay away.
TAJ MAHAL: In 2018, the Taj Mahal’s dome
will get its first thorough cleaning since the monu-
ment was built 369 years ago. A mud paste has
been used to clean other parts of the monument,
and Fodor’s says “unless your dream Taj Mahal
visit involves being photographed standing in
front of a mud-caked and be-scaffolded dome,
maybe give it until 2019 at the earliest.”
PHANG NGA PARK, THAILAND: Fodor’s
says “the rush to paradise has overwhelmed”
some of Thailand’s beaches with pollution and
overuse. Successful recovery initiatives are in
progress, but Fodor’s recommends taking “the
road less littered and enjoy a tropical vacay away
from the fray.”
MYANMAR: Just a few years ago Myanmar
was on every globetrotter’s list, having opened up
to tourism after years of isolation. Now Myanmar
is one of the world’s pariahs because of a violent
campaign against the ethnic Rohingya minority.
Fodor’s noted that the United Nations labeled
the atrocities “a textbook example of ethnic
cleansing.”
MOUNT EVEREST: Fodor’s says the pursuit
of bragging rights from a trip up Mount Everest
just isn’t worth the danger (six people died
climbing there in 2017) and the cost ($25,000 to
$45,000).
MISSOURI: Fodor’s put Missouri on its
no-go list because of an NAACP travel advisory
for the state, citing reports that African-Ameri-
cans were more likely than whites to be stopped
by law enforcement officers there, as well as other
incidents and policies that raise questions about
various types of discrimination.
HONDURAS: The murder rate in Honduras
has dropped in the last several years but it’s still
among the deadliest places on earth. Fodor’s says
travelers should stay safe and spend their money
elsewhere.
GREAT WALL AND BEIJING: Fodor’s
cites the deterioration of sections of the Great
Wall of China and air pollution in Beijing as
reasons to stay away.
CUBA: Americans are still permitted to visit
Cuba, but new rules from the Trump administra-
tion are complicated and the mysterious illness
reported among American embassy workers in
Havana is worrisome. Fodor’s urges caution.