Slow Food and the Joy of Family

“Imagine wanting to take a whole afternoon to leisurely prepare supper–without a food processor, microwave oven, or cookbook. To live, after all, is to experience things, and every time we mince an onion, lower the flame under a simmering pot, shape the idea and substance of a meal, we actually gain rather than lose lived time. Such minutes are not only full and rich in themselves, but they brush a lasting patina of lived experience onto our memory” John Thorne

 Now don't get me wrong... I enjoy the handiness of a 30 minute meal on a busy weekday just like any other housewife.  But when I do have the time I am most content hovering over my giant cazuela slowly stirring a batch of jam.  Since we have had a bit more time on our hands lately waiting for the Food Truck to get up and running and really needing to work out some frustrations from a months worth of mechanical issues I decided to make some Achiote Paste... FROM SCRATCH.  Now this may sound silly as you can buy giant packages of the paste for a few pesos.  But I have made the paste from scratch before and the difference is vast... making it well worth the effort!

Copy Cat Hostess Cream Filling...That`s the Stuff!

As you may have noticed I am a huge Pinterest addict!  And when this post for Cloud Frosting popped onto my screen combined with my growing craving for cupcakes...well it is not hard to imaging what happened next!

A Glimpse into the Mind of a Foodie

Nothing gets a Foodie more excited than a mid morning trip to the local Farmers Market.  The sun kissing the skins of fresh fruits and vegetables is better than the glitter of diamonds to some.  The buzz of foodies and farmers haggling over the price of Heirlooms.  And best of all... bringing your treasures home!  Foodies would gladly shoot endless Haul Videos of their fresh finds if it was not for fear of ridicule...or more likely the overwhelming desire to get cooking!

I am a Foodie.  Nothing gets me more excited then arm loads of goodies brought back from the local market.  I get so wound up I am known to send pictures of my Hauls to my friends and family.  But I am one of the most extreme types of Foodies because I find the greatest pleasures in Homemade goods like Marshmallows, Crackers and Achiote Paste. Things that most people would never consider making and would be much cheaper if purchased but the satisfaction of making it myself is greater than the expense.  

What`s it like Living in Mexico? - Laundry

Life in Mexico is like hanging the whites on the line in the sun.  The billowing of the sheets is only matched by the puffy clouds, reminiscent of last nights storm.  We hang the clothes on the line not because it is a third world country and we don`t have dryers.  We do it because for one it is the ecologically correct thing to do.  And two, because there is something so beautifully calming, so right about watching the clothes soak up the sun and the smell of the fresh clean air wrapped around your body.  From my roof I can see that Tuesday is Laundry day in our neighborhood as the rooftops and gardens come to life with fluttering laundry on the line.

People around the world are becoming more conscious about what they put in their body.  Where their food come from, Water conservation, upcycling instead of throwing away... the list is growing and we should be proud!  Few are starting to think beyond what goes in the body and starting to think about what we put ON or wrap ourselves IN.  DIY Laundry Detergent is growing in popularity not just because it is better for our health but also better for the wallet.  I researched and read up on the differences in recipes, asked a lot of why and narrowed it down to two posts.

Tastes Like...Rompope

Rompope is a drink classically enjoyed during Christmas.  Many call it Mexican Eggnog, but not to the face of a Mexican of course.  Although similar in some ways it is so drastically different in flavor, texture, presentation, preparation...I could go on and on...that it seems wrong to say it is even LIKE eggnog.

Romesco Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 large, thick slices country bread, crusts removed, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1/2 cup Sherry vinegar
• 3/4 cup whole almonds
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup fruity Spanish olive oil

Directions

Place ingredients in food processor and grind together briefly until evenly pureed. With the motor running, add the olive oil in a thin stream. Done!

Serve with veggies, arranchini, on sandwiches, in wraps...anything that you want to jazz up!