Sunday, May 30, 2010

every so often...



I don’t eat many sweets these days, but every once in a while, even I have to indulge my sweet tooth. And I have a feeling that some of you may be heavily into the consumption of sugar, corn syrup, saccharin, honey or any other lip-smacking delicacies.


At home I don’t have sugar. I just don’t need it. Instead I dip my spoon into local honey and I use it for breads, in my morning oatmeal, stirred into coffee or tea, to make a hearty crunchy granola... or just plain, right off the spoon and into my mouth! True, it’s a bit more expensive than granulated, off-the-supermarket-shelf, white, mass-produced sugar. But since I don’t use too much of it, I’d prefer to use my hard-earned Argentine pesos to support my local apiculturists, combat seasonal allergies, and enjoy the rich taste of golden honey. Mmmm...


Fruits are also great for entertaining the sugar sensors of our taste buds. I find that locally grown fruits not only help the local economy, but taste heaps better than fruits picked prematurely and shipped many many miles to large and impersonal supermarkets. Verdulerías and fruterías (veggie and fruit shops) are my favorite places to be. The verduleros are usually friendly and super helpful folks and I love to be surrounded by the colors and smells of fresh fruits and veggies. So many options. And so inexpensive.


But back to the point. Even I give in every once in a while and enjoy a good sugar binge. Such is the case as a few days ago. Presenting... homemade flan and ice cream!


Flan is a popular dessert of high sugar content. It is very yummy. Here’s the recipe that we used. And there are many variations so feel free to experiment!


After preheating the oven to 175 degrees C (350 degrees F), we melted 1/2 cup of sugar to a golden brown. We poured above melted sugar into our casserole pan, tilting it so that we covered the bottom of the pan. While we heated 2 cups of milk to a boil over medium heat, we beat 2 full eggs and 2 egg yokes in a separate container. The leftover egg whites made a beautiful omelete the next day! Stir hot milk, a little at a time, into the beaten eggs. Add 3/8 cup sugar. We also added a splash of vanilla. Pour egg-milk-sugar-vanilla mixture into the pan. We placed that casserole pan in a larger pan and added hot water to the larger pan. Like a baña María. And... into the oven until firm, but jiggly. Let cool (or not!) and enjoy with (optional) homemade cookies-and-cream ice cream. Recipe to follow.


Homemade ice cream. Milk, cream, vanilla, sugar and Oreos (yes, we splurged on REAL, imported-from-the-USA Oreos). I haven’t a clue about the proportions because Randy was in charge of this one, but I don’t think proportions really matter. Experiment! Pour into ice cream maker and churn. Steph claims that if you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can use two tin cans with snug lids, ice and salt. I’m skeptical. I will report when I have conclusive evidence.




Coming up soon...


Having fun with inexpensive alternative protein sources: my obsession with legumes!

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

frolicking between frosty snow flakes contemplating culinary creations



winter has come to bariloche. snow flakes dance outside my window, hesitating before accumulating on the dirt road. it surprises and silently delights me that not a single paved road exists in my neighborhood. my jogging sneakers rhythmically descend on the earth, skirting pot holes and particularly large rocks. jogging in the snow is a fantastic feeling.


may is a traditionally cold and miserably rainy month. this year we lucked out. true it’s been quite chilly, but only a few days of rain. that has meant apple-picking opportunities abound! randy and i took the galaxy out to trebol and loaded what had to be at least ten kilos of apples into bags. what followed was cinnamon apple sauce making, apple crumble baking, and apple jam jarring.




apple jam


i find apple pealing super relaxing and meditative. cutting out and composting the bruised and eaten bits, i slice the apple into slices and chunks, removing the core. some people weigh the cut apples to determine the amount of sugar to use. i just eyeball it. but hold off on the sugar just now, bring the apples (and a little bit of water to prevent sticking) to a boil for 30 minutes. these 30 minutes are crucial to bring out the natural pectin in the apple. adding sugar prematurely will bring the boiling water’s temperature from 100 degrees C to 110 or 115 degrees, rendering pectin’s gelatinous property nonfunctional. using a potato masher or similar device, mush the apple removing the big chunks (although i find that a few apple chunks add that homemade feel and taste). without taking it off the burner, stir in sugar. they say for every kilo of apples, use 800 grams of sugar. this is a minimum. others say a 1:1 ratio is ok too. i like to taste the apples’ tartness, so i use the 1:.8 rule, but there’re so many right ways to do jam. boil for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. you can use this time to boil your jars and lids in water to sterilize them. 10 minutes should be enough. ladle the hot jam into the jar and close the lid firmly. turn the jar upside down for 10 minutes. enjoy on fresh homemade bread, bagels, pancakes...


i never knew jam could be so easy. cooking time is only 45 minutes! i may start preparing more jam... especially because winter is here and soon fresh fruits will be hard to find. hmmm...


this past weekend was a holiday in argentina. the 25 of may was the country’s 200th birthday. so that meant... 4 day weekend! and what better to do, but cook!


things we cooked this past weekend:

  • the best bagels ever. homemade. super easy and super delicious. recipe to come.
  • burritos on homemade flour tortillas. again, super easy and inexpensive!
  • asado! this was my premier as the official asadora! i had my super cool gaucho facón to help me out. and my asado assistant, of course.
  • empanadas. with homemade tapas. they were... interesting. the filling options were stellar though.


besides food preparation and consumption, i’ve been keeping busy by singing in the local chorus, playing the deliriously fun argentine card game: truco, and starting to develop a yoga habit. oh, and working a little :-)


live with purpose and intention. perform every activity with your whole body, heart, and spirit. live to love. and love to live!


coming soon:


-sweet tooth: homemade flan and ice cream.

-meat is a sometimes food... but what do you eat the rest of the time?!

Sunday, May 16, 2010

All mushrooms are edible... some only once.


Mushrooms have many forms.


There are big mushrooms, small mushrooms, medium mushrooms, and tiny mushrooms.


There are red mushrooms, white mushrooms, black mushrooms, brown spotted mushrooms, and striped mushrooms.


There are bell-shaped mushrooms, round mushrooms, tall and thin mushrooms, and short and stout mushrooms.


There are hallucinogenic mushrooms, scary poisonous mushrooms, and yummy edible mushrooms.


Mushrooms are mysterious. And I am terrified of them.


That’s why I decided to learn how to identify and scavenge them.


As we head toward the wintery months of June, July and August, I have my hands and pockets full with last-minute harvesting. Mushroom season only lasts for a few weeks every year, so the clock on the short window is ticking away.


Hongos de pino, suillus leutus, are abundant and relatively easy to recognize in Bariloche. Their roots have a intricate relationship with those of pine trees and pop up only when the humidity and temperature are right. At the right moment, eager scavengers head out with bags, knives posed, to their favorite (and often secret) collecting place.


My mushroom-collecting desire was eating away at me. I looked for people to go with me for moral support and I got a few bites, but Argentinean promises are as flaky as an hojaldre empanada. In the end, I just had to go at it alone. Here goes nothing...!


Virgen de las Nieves is a fantastic, although well-trodden, mushroom gathering place. I arrived ill-prepared, but enthusiastic, not really knowing what to expect.


After about an hour-or-so of crawling under trees and avoiding prickly bushes, I emerged, my hair decorated with pine needles, smiling, and victorious with seven mushrooms in my hands. Ecstatic, I headed to the INTA to confirm their edibility, and although the fungus-expert was in el Bolsón that day, the women at the reception identified them and gave me some cleaning and cooking hints.


Back at home, I peeled and rinsed my precious fungal specimens. The moment of truth was when I cooked and ate them. Delicious, but were they poisonous?


Clearly, because I’m typing this blog entry, I survived. Whew!


Identifying Hongos de Pino (or Slippery Jack Mushrooms):

  • Rounded cap (colors can range from light brown to dark brown) usually covered in a sticky membrane (especially after a rain). If the sticky membrane impedes pealing, let mushrooms sit and dry a little while or wipe them off with a moist sponge.
  • Speckled stems (not too noticeable until AFTER you cut them!)
  • Yellow spongey underneath. Intensity of yellow color depends on mushroom maturity. Young mushrooms have a white veil covering their sponge.

Harvesting Hongos de Pino:

  • These mushrooms grow close to the base of pine trees and need a certain amount of moisture to manifest themselves.
  • Carry a knife and cut stem without disturbing the root system. If you leave the roots, you can come back later to the exact same place and expect to find a new mushroom.
  • Carry harvested mushrooms in a porous bag to allow spores to scatter and encourage more mushroom growth.
  • If you find one, chances are you will find more close by.
  • Don’t be afraid to put your hands to the earth and get your knees dirty! It’s fun.


Cleaning and preparing Hongos de Pino:


This step is highly debatable. I’ve heard vehement arguments for different procedures. Everyone has their method. Below I will describe what I did, what I did and shouldn’t have done, and what other people say they’ve done.

  • I hand-peal each mushroom with a knife. Some might say it’s tedious, but I love it. I attend to and handle each mushroom as if it were a carefully-wrapped jewel. And as I say, you have an option in everything you do: you can enjoy it or you can not enjoy it. It’s really up to you. Why not put your heart into it and enjoy the activity for exactly what it is?
  • Once pealed, DO NOT WASH. Yes, I learned this the hard way. If washed after pealed, the mushrooms will become saturated with water and won’t dry properly. They will start smelling really bad after a few days. Really bad.
  • Some people have told me that they leave the peal on. And, with the peal on, they rinse the mushrooms. Apparently the water doesn’t saturate the mushroom this way. Others have said that eating the peal results in diaherrea. Everyone has their own theory.

Drying:

  • I cut the mushrooms into slices and place them on newspapers to dry. I’ve also heard of people hanging them in mesh bags. Dried, they last for a while. Not sure how long exactly; I haven’t gotten there yet!


Pickling:

  • I use the smallest of my mushrooms for pickling. Or I cut the bigger ones into smaller pieces.
  • I boil the mushrooms in vegetable oil until tender.
  • I prepare the marinade. This usually depends on what I have on hand. Last time I used apple vinegar, water, whole black peppercorns, four bay leaves, rosemary, basil, and red pepper flakes. Next time I will add garlic and salt. And maybe some onions and carrots.
  • Boil the mushrooms in the marinade.
  • Keep mushrooms in a jar and in the fridge.
  • Eat. The extra marinade can also be recycled as a tasty salad dressing.


My knowledge of mushrooms is very limited. I encourage you to consult with an “expert” before eating any mushroom you find. Begin with small portions, just in case your stomach is sensitive, even edible mushrooms can cause upset stomachs in people who are unaccustomed.


I once thought that mushroom collecting was way out of my league; it was to be left to biologists and experts. But I realized with a little bit of curiosity, effort, courage and desire I can equip myself with the right tools and knowledge to conquer my fears. And have a super fun time doing it!



Coming up next...


Taking a turn for sweet indulgence: homemade flan and homemade ice-cream :-)

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

the week that changed it all.


perhaps you may recall that when i shouldered my backpack and dusted off my traveling shoes in january that i had quite an extensive (albeit rather poorly defined) itinerary. and, according to my original plan, I'm supposed to be settled in the brazilian amazon happily munching on jungle fruits at this very moment.


well... things are never as we plan.


i returned to bariloche almost three months ago after my whirlwind hitchhiking adventure that took me to ushuaia and back. my plan was to only stay a few weeks before i took off northward. so, why did i never leave bariloche?


well, i did actually. and it´s my little side trip to lago puelo that ultimately changed everything.


let me explain.


i met carol when she waltzed into the hudson institute last year and delivered a teacher training that completely changed the way i viewed the art of language teaching. i was fastinated not only by her revolutionary teaching methods, but also by her lifestyle. we bonded over common interests: cooking, cultivating, and composting to name a few. and i was thrilled when she invited me to visit her chacra in lago puelo.


more than six months later, i took her up on her offer.


1 pickup, 1 chilean semi truck, and 2 cars took me and my hitchhing thumb to the driveway of her house. i stayed with her and horacio for 6 inspirational days.





i picked blackberries, little yellow plums, apples, tomatoes, and cucumbers. i dug up carrots, potatoes, and beets. i gathered eggs. i shelled beans. we cooked and ate very well. i rode bikes. i went for runs. i walked walked walked. and i was overwhelmed with information about seeds, sprouts, salads and self-sustainability. i received more inspiring input than i could handle and, as i hitchhiked back, i was super anxious to roll up my sleaves, put my hands to the earth, and get started.




back in bariloche i started to put my plan in action. what was my plan exactly? i wanted to learn about and live the food cycle.


1. plant my own food. seeds seeds seeds.

2 harvest my own food. whether from my own garden-in-progress or learn to identify edible plants (or weeds and fungi as they are sometimes called)

3. cook. experiment with new ingredients. make food healthy, fun and yummy. and use as many self-harvested or local ingredients possible.

4. eat.

5. compost. return unused kitchen scraps into soil... so i can plant my own food. seeds seeds seeds.


so many of you are probably asking: why?


answer: because it makes me so inexplicably happy.


as a new yorker, born and raised, i was very out of touch with my food (where it comes from and what goes in its production). as i found out more and more about the local-slow-food movement, the more excited i got. michael pollen's "the omnivore's dilemma" made me aware of food politics. and seattle had great farmers markets. now here in bariloche, i'm closer than i think i've ever been to the origin of my foods. i'm making great contacts in the area, reading fantastic literature ("yo cocino, tú cocinas" by alejandro gonzalez, who also happens to be my neighbor, is by far my favorite), and attending workshops.

every day is another opportunity for culinary experimentation! my meals are so varied and inexpensive that i wish i could spend all day eating and they are so colorful that i may start taking pictures of each and every plate. and the most exciting part is that i'm learning so much.

and sure i make mistakes. i make a whole lot of them. and i don't do everything perfectly the first time. but i don't expect to and, in fact, i don't want to. there's nothing like a good mistake to deflate the ego, remind us that life is a journey, and give us an opportunity to learn and elaborate.


so what's to come in this blog are my discoveries via experimentation and education. you may find recipes. you may find philosophizing. you may find photos. you may find new projects. you may find amusing anecdotes. you may find that i'm too immersed in my projects to update very often. but feel free to post feedback. positive or negative, i ask that all comments be constructive.


coming soon:

-what to do with mosqueta (rose hips) everywhere!

-the joys of soy (and other legumes)

-identifying and conserving mushrooms (pickling and successfully drying them!)

-piñones, a local mapuche all-purpose ingredient

-making jam (in 45min)

-flax seeds, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, amaranth seeds, chia seeds oh my!

-homebrewing

-homemade ice-cream