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Al Aire Libre — Al Fresco Dining or Eating in the Fresh Air

December 23, 2012 By Fran 1 Comment
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Al Fresco DiningIt’s been a very rainy few months and as a result, doing much of anything outside has been hampered by rain … lots of rain.  It’s made for a very lush backdrop and mornings which are easier to manage outside until the sun decides to make an appearance for a little while.  At that point, it’s too hot inside or out and there is no chance to enjoy a meal outside without beads of sweat becoming the accessory of the day.

Today is  the best day I’ve had in a few weeks.  I woke up without my head spinning, could do more than shuffle around to get ready and I was FAMISHED!  I knew just what I wanted … a good Mexican inspired breakfast like Chilaquiles or Huevos Rancheros.

The bad news … I had no cheese in the fridge.  Not to worry, I had plenty to make a delicious meal with and it was the perfect setting.  Not hot yet, no thunderous pouring down rain to hamper a good breakfast and a smile on my face after a bout of being under the weather that I am happy to report I seem to be successfully kicking in the butt and sending on its way.

Huevos-Rancheros

I had fresh made tortillas from my favorite market — Guamilito — which formed the base for my meal.

As soon as they hit the skillet, the aroma brought me back to my wonderful visit to Hacienda San Lucas in Copán a few months ago.  I have yet to figure out the recipe for the   I had at each meal during that visit and am on a continual search.  I’ve searched and searched and nothing comes up that seems to hit the ingredients just right.  I either need another visit or two or time to spend in the kitchen with Flavia and her team to really learn how it’s done.  The website and some promotional materials, articles and blogs talk about pumpkin and sesame seeds, but I want it to turn out just right.  I suspect some of the deliciousness is the environment and the calming influence of not only Flavia, our attentive host, but the sounds of women patting out tortillas in the old kitchen and the resident dogs hanging around and the guests that look like they don’t have a care in the world — which at least while up in Copán, is hopefully the case.

Breakfast was simple — I “toasted” wedges of two tortillas in a sprinkling of oil to crisp them up, removed them to a serving plate, covered them with a towel and gently fried an egg in the same pan.  I wanted it runny, so it took just a minute.  I slid it onto the tortilla pieces, added a spoonful of hot salsa and a dolup of sour cream, a sprinkle of salt and Voilà!  Just the breakfast I wanted!

Roosters were crowing in the barrio below, palm fronds swished in the breeze and a few colorful birds flew around toward the hills.  It was just what the doctor ordered — literally!  He said NO STRESS and I’m trying to comply with that order.  :)

Breakfast

The Hacienda San Lucas breakfast I dream about enjoying again very soon

Filed Under: All Tagged With: Breakfast, Corn, Holiday, Honduras, Huevos Rancheros, Tortillas

My First Parrillada in Honduras

April 1, 2012 By Fran 4 Comments
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New-Gas-GrillIt started out being all about the grill, but quickly became more about breaking bread with good people.

Months ago, four, to be specific, an idea of a grill and outdoor furniture for this condo was formulated.  It wasn’t my idea.  Props have to go to Brian (you know who you are) for the suggestion and direction and to Emy for her tireless efforts to get it done — not always an easy prospect around these parts.  But enough of the logistics of a killer grill getting to my house, let’s talk people and food and a general all around fun and delicious Friday night.

Actually, there isn’t much “talking” needed here, other than this …

This grill came into my life on Friday.  It’s a thing of beauty and once I heard the purhase was going to be made it didn’t take a New York minute for me to realize I’d be cooking with gas and I announced I was going to host a spontaneous Parrillada!  We were going to break bread and break in that grill together.  A Friday night Parrillada at my house!  My first!

Comestibles

I loved that there was no hesitation, that although it was a very last minute invitation, all but 2 people were able to drop everything and come over to share in the fun of breaking in a brand-spanking new grill with me!  We were missing two team members, but we’ll do it again — very soon.

After going to the market and coming home with enough groceries to feed most of San Pedro Sula we prepared for hungry guests to arrive.

Perfect-Chirmol

Emy proclaimed, “I don’t know how to cook!” and was put right to work preparing the Chimol.  She did a great job!  Everyone loved the tangy salsa with a kick.

Rib-Eye

I prepped the steaks.  They were labeled as Rib Eye and I couldn’t see into the packaging because … well, they had clearly been previously frozen and the defrosted liquid kept me from getting a good view of the meat until I opened the package at home.  There was no marbling and the texture of Rib Eye just wasn’t there.  I’m going to guess it was a lesser cut of beef, but see all of that up there?  It’s not all of the steak I picked up.  There was over 5 lbs. of meat and it cost me just $20 and the best part … it was grilled!  Almost everything tastes great on a grill, right?

Surprise

Carlos helped us out in the kitchen with a few straightening up details and he looked a little surprised about it.

Fire

Why does it not surprise me that “The IT Guy,” Jonathan, who we all rely on to keep us connected at work was a wizard at lighting the Fundido thingy (my tech word for traditional clay fondue pot — Anafre) and as the photo shows, he didn’t spare anything to get the fire going.

Lighting-the-Fire

I think it was a personal challenge, but after a little while he struck pyrotechnic success and we had flames with a method of fire-starting I hadn’t seen before.

Dinner-Starter

The fundido was a success.

Prepping-Salad

Gearling stepped right into multitasking by prepping and chopping the celery and onions for the Celery Salad and then moved onto the fundido, frying beans, cooking chorizo and adding the flair needed for a treat that was scarfed up quickly.

Eating-Fundido

So good!  A tortilla chip, chimol and fundido fixin’s! I sure wish I had some of that right now.  I have to say, it beats nachos from a restaurant.

Ana-at-the-Grill

Ana is another team member that doesn’t get into cooking, but she was all about showing us she can cook corn if need be, and with a smile on her face to boot! I made the mistake of leaving the cobs on the grill far too long so it was more like cow corn, but the char on the kernels make me happy and while we had a lot leftover, I have big plans for that corn tonight.  Think corn bread with Jalapeño peppers.

Cooking-at-the-Parrillada

Once again, Emy is at it.  I whipped up a quick barbecue sauce with Molasses, soy sauce, ketchup, vinegar, Sriracha sauce, and a splash of hoisin sauce.  Nothing difficult — it just adds the right amount of sweet and salty to the chicken with a hint of Asian flavor.

Party-Central

As usual, the kitchen is a big meeting place — until the food is ready, that is.  Vanesa looks ready to eat and Mario appears to see something that makes him either scared or anxious.  Not sure which.  Carlos, on the other hand is all about the food.  You can see it in his face.

Lots-of-Corn

I’m pretty sure I was a bit too eager with the corn purchase.  Emy tried to contain me, but my stubborn side won — this time.  Lesson learned.

Grilling-Time

Herman got into grilling duties, once Jerry figured out how to get all of the burners turned on and get the heat back to grilling temperature so we could eat cooked, rather than raw carne.  Thanks Jerry!

Part-of-the-Gang

Not sure was this debate was all about, but food soon cured all.

Tomatoes,Mozzarella,Basil

There was no ensalada caprese left at the end of the night even though you could barely see the tomatoes.  Tomatoes are always refrigerated here which makes me nuts but they keep some of the Romas out on the other tables.  They’ve been refrigerated as well, but even though the bag I picked up was cold, there is some measure of confidence in the tomatoes I put in the cart.  I knew that the oil and vinegar I would be putting on the stacks would help with the texture and lack of taste of a formerly refrigerated tomato.  Hmmm… can you tell I have issues with refrigerating tomatoes?  :)

The-Girls

Ana, Emy and Gearling helped finish the set up and were ready to eat with the rest of us.  I can’t wait to do this again!

Feast-time

Finally.  Food time.  Buen Provecho!  Thanks guys, you made it a fun night and I finally feel like I’m home.

Red-Solo-Cup

And really, can we have a casual BBQ without Red Solo Cups?!  No, these aren’t the actual brand.  The store only had Blue Solo Cups and, well, it just didn’t seem right.

(Warning, this is not the edited version.  What fun would that be?)

Filed Under: All Tagged With: Chicken, Chorizo, Cook, Corn, Food, Fundido, Grill, Honduras, Kitchen, Nachos, Parrillada, Queso, StarTek, Steak

Making Tortillas at the Mercado Guamilito

March 21, 2012 By Fran Leave a Comment
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Making-TortillasOne way to learn about a place is to visit the local market.  It’s a glimpse into life in the local culture.  And here, clearly, tortillas rule.  There are rows and rows of stands with gas flames fueling hot metal platters where women flip the hand made tortillas they’ve just patted together.  I try not to think about the aluminum platters that sit on the intensely hot fires, but they have similar pans for home use hanging in stalls just beyond the Damas de Tortillas (Tortilla Ladies — my term for them).   The ones in use by the Damas are worn and warped and well used.  The tortillas sit on the heat for just a few seconds before being turned and then are put into plastic bags, ready to be sold.

I hope you enjoy this short video.  It was fun to make using the Slient Movie iPhone app and a few brief video clips.

There’s no need to ever purchase packaged tortillas here when countless thousands are available just a few minutes away.

Filed Under: All Tagged With: Corn, Damas, Market, Mercado Guamilito, Tortillas, Video

My Cafetería is Better than Your Cafeteria

January 29, 2012 By Fran 2 Comments
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At my deskI’ll bet our workday lunches from the cafetería don’t compare.  No, no.  I’m not trying to make you jealous.  Really.  I’m just sayin’.  Our cafetería serves great food — at least from a non-local perspective, that is.

I haven’t had time since I’ve moved to Honduras to do much exploration into the local cuisine yet, but the flavors  of the meals in our workplace café hit the spot and the tortillas — well, corn is one of the foundations of Mayan civilization, or at least of the ancient civilization’s cuisine and you know how I feel about corn.  I can’t get enough of it.  It’s all over the pages of this blog.

Most often it’s about the tortillas, but sometimes it’s about the amazing ear of corn.  There’s almost nothing better than a grilled piece of corn with queso fresco crumbled on top and sprinkled with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime.

The company that provides our meals is a local restaurant — Salsa Mex, so while much of it has a Honduran twist, it’s grounded in Mexican flavors and I’m pretty darn ok with that.  :)

Tacos-for-Lunch

So, in our humble cafeteria at work, corn is everywhere.  Sometimes we see pieces of a cob cut up and hanging out in a broth, but usually it’s there waiting to be filled or in a container after being toasted or fried and ready to accompany some other delicious local treat.

Taco-Lunch

Every meal is served with pickled carrots, onions and jalapeños and it’s got quite a kick.  Alongside the pickles is the salsa fresca or pico de gallo, or Chirmol as the ladies behind the counter call it, and to this gringa, this is the salsa we’re used to.  But the hottest of them all is the picante and it is muy, muy picante, but adds the perfect kick to the meal.

Picante-Vegetables

It has quite a kick and is perfect with just about whatever is on the menu each day.

Toppings

I have to say though, this meal is my favorite.  I suppose it’s no surprise to those of you that have been hanging around here since April.  This meal, or some version of it is a staple in my diet a few times a week.

Serving-Food

The tortillas are small, the meat is not overwhelming in quantity and the sides are mostly vegetables, although sometimes there is a dollop of fresh cream (similar to sour cream) and a spoonful of creamy guacamole, not like we are used to.  That makes the calorie count or Weight Watchers Points Plus value fit right into a healthy lunchtime or dinner meal.

Plated-Tacos

So, while you peruse the photos and think about running out to your local Mexican food restaurant for lunch today because you’ve spied the most delicious looking fresh tacos you’ve seen in a long time in the photos above and just HAVE TO HAVE tacos for lunch today, I’ll be enjoying these while pondering a spreadsheet or two and working on my plan for the next week.

But I’m not trying to make you jealous.  Really.  I’m just sayin’.

Filed Under: All Tagged With: Cafeteria, Cook, Corn, Food, Honduras, Tortilla, Weight Watchers, Work

What’s Cooking in Honduras?

December 4, 2011 By Fran 2 Comments
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Tortilla-BreakfastI’ve been here for 8 days and it was time to roll up my sleeves and get into the kitchen.  It’s hard to believe I’ve eaten every meal at someone else’s hands for over a week, but this is my current reality.

I cured the craving to make food for myself today though It began this morning with my usual weekend tortilla fix.  Two small corn tortillas from yesterday’s dinner expedition to Power Chicken and a bag of familiar shredded “Mexican” cheese with a bit of salsa fresca made for a comforting breakfast.  I taught Zoila, the woman that helps around the house knowing that she was gearing up to teach me and my friend, Bender (Jeff) how to make Papusas after our trip to the Guamilito (market) this morning.  My simple breakfast may have seemed a bit too bland, I’m not sure, but she seemed to be having fun watching me do my thing, flitting around the kitchen.  Soon after, I made a couple for Bender and then the three of us were off to the market.

These tortillas are smaller than the ones I normally eat on the weekend, so I’d have to say that rather than a 2 point extravagance, it is more like 1.5 points.  An ounce of cheese and salsa fresca and we’re back on track with my favorite Weight Watchers style breakfast!

San-Pedro-Sula-Market

We headed into the market with Zoila in tow.  It was a great idea to have her come along.  I handed her my money and she did the purchasing.  This way we paid the market price and not the gringa price — I think.  Either way, we came away with some fresh produce and a sombrero and a couple of maracas.  Stop that!  I need food props here.  I think I need some of my pots, pans, knives, bowls and a few other kitchen items, but I’ll make do.

Making-Tortillas-at-the-Guamilito

This was a sight for sore eyes.  Corn tortillas being made at stall after stall.  I wanted to get one hot off the grill, but Zoila was vocal about her thoughts on the subject.  I think what she was saying was — WHAT?  I am going to teach you how to make them.  Why buy them here?  She spotted a few tortilla pans and wanted me to buy one, but although the price was right, I stopped mid-purchase and asked … “Aluminio?”  “Si!  Si!” was the response, as though it was a good thing.  Bender and I looked at each other and said in unison — “No, gracias.”  Not only were the pans aluminum, but they were untreated!  Wow, good catch.  No need to get aluminum poisoning right out of the gate here, right?

Girl-at-Market

There were many sights to see and things to photograph.  I will definitely need to make more trips to the Guamilito.

Line-up-of-Tortillas

Look at all those flames!

Making-Tortillas-at-the-Market

For now I am going to leave you with more photos.  I’d forgotten how tough it can be to get a speedy, stable internet connection in the developing world and it’s taken me roughly 7 hours to get this much posted.  I’ve decided that rather than get frustrated, I will leave you with these market images and tease you with a note that in the next post, you’ll see a Papusa lesson given by Zoila given to me and Bender.  This is good living!

Lychees

Beautiful lychees.  I never see them this fresh and perky in the US.

Help-us-Zoila

This is how we communicate with Zoila.  At home I use the translate app on my iPhone, but until I get a local SIM card, we’re reduced to analog translations.  We get by.

Baskets

Garlic

Bender-Sports-a-Hat

I thought he should have purchased this dapper hat, but it wasn’t in the cards today.  ¿Por qué tan serio, señor Bender?

Fran-Sports-a-Sombrero

A friend of mine in the US told me I should “have fun and play today” so I did just that.  I think this sombrero and a smile says it all — I was in my element at the market this morning — it reminded me of Food Blog Camp a couple of years ago.  The market is near the end of this video.

Chicharron-Papusas

This is a little look at what’s in store for our “Making Papusas” post.  Gotta love the manual “mixer”.

Filed Under: All Tagged With: Cook, Corn, Culture, Español, Food, Guamilito, Honduras, Open Market, Papusa, Spanish, Tortilla, Weight Watchers

Hello from Honduras and The Power Chicken Surprise!

December 3, 2011 By Fran 8 Comments
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Corn-Tortillas-in-HondurasI know!  It’s been far too long since we’ve seen each other and for that I apologize — profusely!  I learned a few years ago at Food Blogger Camp that we should never apologize for not posting.  Rather, we should just find the time to post.

And that was good advice.  There’s no need for excuses or long apologies.  I’ve been in the process of moving to a new country and cooking hasn’t been in the top 10 for activities I must or want to get done.

I arrived just one week ago and in that time have eaten every meal out with the exception of breakfast.  Dinners have been at local Italian and Spanish restaurants … until tonight.

There is a fast food chain here called Power Chicken.  The mascot is a rather beefy looking chicken as you can see in some of the images here.  Try as I might, I can’t come up with a website for the infamous Power Chicken.   Their Twitter account is not working and Facebook turns up a site which has no activity on it, so trust me when I say, The Power Chicken is big here.

When it came time to decide where to go for dinner tonight I spoke up — POWER CHICKEN!  I wanted something basic.  Something unadorned.  I wanted chicken that was run under a broiler or over a grill or even just put in a roasting pan and cooked until the skin was dark and the meat moist and tender.  And Power Chicken stepped up to the plate.

Was it the best meal I’ve ever had?  No.  Was it the kind of comfort food I was looking or?  Yes.  The chicken tasted like rotisserie chicken.  The black beans hit the spot and the pickled peppers and onions was the right amount of heat and crunch.  But the surprise.  The thing that made me smile was the packet of three small corn tortillas.

I’d mentioned at dinner a number of times that I have a strange corn tortilla addiction and that the majority of my blog posts have a corn tortilla either featured or as some part of the meal and as soon as we all broke into our packets of tortillas, we knew I’d be happy.

Corn-Tortillas

I ate mine, but no one else did so as you can see here, I have a stack tortilla gold in my possession.  I put most of them in the freezer and will save them for my weekend tortilla breakfasts.  They are the perfect size — smaller than the ones I get in the US and easy to flip and fold.  I see a poached egg in my future with queso fresco and salsa in the very near future.

You might be asking — what’s that thing in the background?  Is that a fried tortilla?  Nope, it’s chicharrón — fried pork skin.  See, Zoila, the woman that keeps cooks and keeps the apartment absolutely spotless is planning to teach me how to make papusas tomorrow and apparently the pork cracklings are part of the perfect papusa.  I’m not scared.  I’m all for learning how to make this dish and although we don’t really understand each other, the value of sign language and teaching by showing is bound to close the great language divide.

But first there will be the much anticipated trip to the local farmer’s market in the morning.  I’m looking forward to it.  I’m going to be on the look out for cilantro in particular and any other good vegetable or fruit I can see.  I hear there are incredible home made corn tortilla vendors at the market, so I’m ready to make some purchases!

In the meantime, relax and wait for more word on corn tortillas in the next few days!

Thanks for joining me on this adventure and I hope to see you all here again — real soon!

Filed Under: All, All Posts Tagged With: Central-America, Cook, Corn, Eat, Food, Honduras, San Pedro Sula, Tortillas
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