Cooking around the world

 Mesoamerica, during the Pre-Hispanic times flourished for nearly 4000 years.

After four days of fasting, chile Colorado  was the meal given as a gift during festivities to Micuilxochitl.

Micuilxochitl was the Mayan God of the flowers, dance, games and love. Men and women with an improbable appetite had an active part on this celebration.  

The Mayan Empire were agricultural people who originated about 1000 B.C.  Cooking with these peppers, the magic continues in 2020. 

Chile Colorado makes my heart skip a beat! Made of tender pieces of beef simmered in a rich and flavorful combination of dry, red hot peppers sauce. 

 We can hear the country speak and learn its secrets through its stories and its recipes. 

As we say in Mexico “Buen Provecho.” 

 A traditional desert for the Eve of Epiphany – Fiesta of the three kings when a “Rosca” ~a fruit bread is cut.”   

During  “Dia de la Candelaria”, the tamales are served to everyone on this second day of February. 

 Everyone? you may ask, Yes… There is a baby doll in the Rosca and whoever finds it at his/her share is responsible for this magnificent tamale party.  

Children are dressed for the Candelaria ~ Fiesta at the Market celebrating the birth of the new testament. 

With a romantic story behind, many celebrations happen during this “Candelaria Day.” A historical one, is at a chapel in Coyoacan, in the south of Mexico City where Hernan Cortez and the Malinche had performed mass in 1526.

As the advisor to the Spanish Conquistador, The Malinche played a role during the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire.

With a magnificent experience of spices, vegetables and hot peppers at beautiful Baja Peninsula, filled this masterpiece.  

Thank you to Kathy Shapiro for creating this masterpiece of flavors in 2020. 

Manchuria meets Indo-China with a story. 

This is a simplified version of Manchurian cauliflower. It is oven – baked and seasoned Indo – Chinese style. 

A dear relative of mine, sitting in his living room brought me to an exciting journey. A journey full of stories describing conflicts such as the Great War, League of Nations and the United Nations. 

In flushing, New York, enjoying pure poetry with a cup of tea is where the story of Manchuria comes alive.  

For many of us, it could be difficult to understand the conflicts during WWI and WWII. The aggression from Japan to Manchuria was vivid in my great – grandfather’s eyes. It was the Chinese uprising in the 1900, which was put down through the combined forces of eight countries.

As a slave, though Manchuria, was where my great -grandfather escape from the USSR.

In America, in the 21 century my combined forces are the spices within this recipe. I am wondering how the Manchu government will welcome my recipe with the balance of Chinese and western spices, among some… ginger, jalapenos and molasses. 

Ura moi druz’ya ~ Enjoy my friends.

Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! Happy Kwanzaa!

  And, a wonderful 2020 from our home to yours! 

“If music be the food of love, play on.”  The twelfth Night!  

The speaker, Orsino is asking for music as he is frustrated in courtship of countess Olivia; he wants an overabundance of love so he may lose his appetite. (16^th century to 21 century.) 

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Back 4000 years ago Babylon (ancient Mesopotamia) celebrated the recreation for the New Year. The Spaniards have so much in common with this celebration. My always favorites for a year full of luck, love, wealth and life is… Yes! exactly… 12 grapes – pop one grape for every month for the New Year. It will not hurt! 

As the new year arrives around the globe… 

 Sweet cakes and noodles representing long life 

 Peas, representing coins  

Herring, represent abundance 

 Pigs, represent good luck. 

Happy 2020 everyone! 

Thank you! Aaron & Priscilla for the beautiful Shakespeare art. <3

Chicken Marsala, an Italian – American dish cooked with golden pan – fried cutlets, mushrooms, herbs and Marsala wine sauce. This delicious wine comes from Marsala, Sicily or as in the year 200’s B.C. was called Messina.

This harmonious recipe reminds me of Jim Messina, a rock & roll duet “Loggins & Messina.” As their record on 1972 A.D. “Your Mama Don’t Dance” and your daddy don’t Rock & Roll… reached the “Billboard Hot 100,” my Marsala has reached my “Hot 100 recipe” and… I am still dancing.

Chicken Marsala’s elegance was enhanced for its “Royal- level popularity.” and it was assigned the well – deserved label of “D.O.C.” Denominazione di Origine Controllata.

“You have to love either what you are going to eat, or the person you are cooking for. Then, you have to give yourself up to cooking. Cuisine is an act of love.” – Alain Chapel, Chef

Salmon on a quinoa patty and “Aji” 

A lovely and delicate simple recipe for grilled salmon in a homemade Peruvian Aji pepper sauce.  

The Peruvian – style flavors in this South American style compliments the taste of the fish perfectly. Resting on a bed of quinoa patty, makes a fabulous Peruvian combination. 

Expanding their territory along the western coast of South America, the Peruvian Incas developed one of the most extensive empires in the Americas. 

                            “Munaqui Ki” – “Hello” in Quequa – Inca language 

Through many years, my quest was to visit “The lost city” of Machupicchu.  Walking through the ruins, it is impossible not to feel the surrounding mysticism. 

Yes, indeed… The Incas had a pantheistic conception of the world, they worship many gods; The condor been one of them.  A treasured moment was listening the zampona with “El Condor Pasa.”  

                    “I’d rather be a sparrow than a snail 

                     Yes I would, If I could, I surely would 

                     I’d rather be a hammer than a nail 

                     Yes I would, If I only could, I surely would… 

                     Away, I’d rather sail away 

                     Like a swan that’s here and gone 

                     A man gets tied up to the ground 

                    He gives the world it saddest sound 

                    Its saddest sound 

                    I rather be a forest than a street 

                    Yes I would, If I could, I surely would 

                    I rather be the earth beneath my feet 

                   Yes I would, If I could, I surely would. 

Paul Simon / Jorge Milchberg / Daniel Alomia Robles 

Welcome to my blog Paul, Jorge y Daniel. 

Halibut sitting on a bed of Spaetzel “little sparrows” or airy potatoes is where the delicate halibut repose. 

 Einstein must have loved airy potato spaetzle, after all, he was responsible for fostering our understanding of the dual nature of light. 

This recipe has been marinated in a spicy Chinese – ginger marinade. 

Zingiber – As its official name and, was considered a luxury for more than 5000 years ago. 

 During the 15^th century ginger was used for medical purposes. It is only in recent years that it has become a valued commodity spice. 

I am not Queen Elizabeth I ~ who invented the gingerbread man, nor Einstein with his ingenious understanding of physics, however, complimenting this recipe, the halibut bring us to the 21^st century. 

Looks like a lychee, tastes like a lychee but no, it is not a lychee.  It is a deliciously sweet fruit from the Malay Archipielago where it is harvested twice a year, June to August and December to January. 

The Archipielago is a vast chain of islands stretching eastward from Sumatra to many thousand kilometers which most of it now falls within the sovereignties of Malaysia and Indonesia.  

It is the land of the orangutan, the land of the bird of paradise, and an array of butterfly species. 

 What more can we travelers ask from this fascinating place?  

In this century, as far as where you are, what is your opinion Charles Robert Darwin? 

 EXOTIC FRUIT SALAD from Malay Archipelago 

Ingredients 

rambutans, skin and stone removed 

kiwifruit, peeled 

strawberries 

1 small ripe pineapple 

1 bunch black grapes  

orange liqueur (Cointreau or Grand Marnier or even Tequila orange liquor. 

Enjoy!

Many Tuscan cooking can rise or fall on the quality of its fritto. The term refers generally anything that is dipped into oil, batter or not.  Somewhere among the colorful jumble of meats, cheese and grains results in the arancini. 

In beautiful Italian, arancini means little oranges. It will be brought to life at home in a frying pan with the help of arborio rice, prosciutto, mozzarella and garlic.  

Sitting on an arrabbiata makes the magic.  

 Several years ago, traveling south, I promised to remember Tuscany’s most beautiful sunsets. I have not forgotten the Tuscan coast – the emphasis is on the freshness and pleasure on a seaside meal. 

Wine oh! wine! The history of viticulture in Tuscany dates back to the Etruscans in the 8^th century. Through governo (Italian for government) and the stabilization ~ we are here to enjoy. 

Francesco Redi with his “Bacco in Toscana” ~ 980 line –poem describes the wines of Tuscany. 

Welcome to my blog Francesco! Salud! Ci veddiamo amicci. 

Roasted lamb in Harissa sauce, decorated with mild – heat shishito peppers.  The Lamb has been seared, then drunken in a Harissa sauce which has been folded into a plantain leaf.           

 On a rack, it is steamed for over 4 hours.

Fondly, reminding me of the cost of the lamb, I will recite part of a poem from Frida Kahlo to her husband the Mexican muralist Diego Rivera. The poem reminds me of the cost of the lamb not the love story. 

You thought I’d never find

A love like the one I’ve lost.

But I’ve found one so fine

I don’t mind paying the cost.

     

 

Yes indeed… It was delicious!

Blistered shishito peppers are found in Korean cuisine as in other Asian cooking. Loving to have a side – spiced dish, the peppers were blistered and set as a decoration which made the lamb look kind of funny.

So… I get back to the poem instead, which is as artistically strange as Frida was in life!

        The king and queen of spades

        Thought to steal from me a trick,

        But I am not afraid

        For all die pretty quick

        I’ll tell you something, friends,

       The way it really comes down:

        If they want me, pain ends;

        If they forget, I leave town.

        There’s one favor, it’s true,

         I am at a loss to ask:

        ‘Cause if I fling this shoe,

        I will never take it back.

• Frida Kahlo “La chancla”