From Polar Bears to Penguins – Driving North to South across the Americas
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Curanto |
What to do with a mountain of seafood? (Map this!)
What do you do with a “mountain” of “mariscos”? You dig a hole in the ground, heat up some stones and dump the shellfish on top, add spicy sausage or longaniza, chicken and pork for good measure and potatoes just because you grow a hundred different varieties, then cover it all up with the local Nalca leaves and steam it for a couple of hours. The “Curanto” is now ready to be enjoyed with a class of Chilean wine.
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Inky Fruit |
A multi-dimensional experience – Pregnant vixen – Of smoky rooms and goat ears – Spring of hope
Wine has an amazing ability to grab the imagination and cement into memory a time, a place, and a mood. This makes drinking wine a multi-dimensional experience – recalling past experiences and strengthening or creating future points of reference. Memory is tricky and selective and many times we only remember what we want to remember and over time we forget that, replacing the actual memory of those events with the distilled version. The ordinary sunset takes on hues of peach and rose that never existed, the old boss who was simply incompetent becomes an evil flagellating ogre, a cherished uncle a saint who can do no wrong.
Posted in A Long Drive, Food, Mexico, North America on Mar 12th, 2008
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Making Chocolate |
A discussion about luxury foods, using chocolate as an example. A recipe for a mighty nice cup of chocolate.
The earliest known consumption of chocolate is from a site close to Puerto Escondido, in the state of Oaxaca, so it is not a matter of surprise that it is in Oaxaca that it reaches lofty heights not found elsewhere. The variety of uses and types available are simply staggering. In this post I submit that it is Oaxaca and not Belgium that makes the finest chocolate and I will elaborate a recipe for the best cup of hot chocolate you have had in your life.
Posted in A Long Drive, Food, Mexico, North America on Mar 2nd, 2008
Research into Mezcal proves to be interesting and highly rewarding
When traveling it is necessary to leave behind all that I am used to and learn to accept the treasures of the region that I am in. The state of the Mexican wine industry can at best be described as deplorable and at worst… well I’d rather not go there. Combine that with bland, insipid, mass-produced beer and becoming a teetotaler starts to look like an attractive option.
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Shrooms! |
Of molinos, metates and mezcal – Cooking with Susan Trilling
Susan Trilling’s cooking classes are brilliant. They are less cooking classes and more an introduction to Oaxacenan food. So cooks and non cooks can all enjoy them without any trepidation. The classes are held on a lovely ranch in the countryside with a kitchen decorated in warm, earthy Mexican colors and plenty of light.