All's well that starts well

Well, things don't always start out as planned but I made it San Marcos Sierra, Argentina after a bit of drama. What a welcome sight at Cordoba airport to see Alisa! She and her friends drove a very scenic route back to San Marcos over a winding, hairpin, unpaved road barely winding through the mountains with spectacular views of the valley.



Alisa's natural yogurt business is doing well. She received certification from the health inspector and is starting to build up her clientele including this local store:










Happy to be in Alisa's paradise.

Good beginnings

Every trip should have a good beginning. Coming off a whirlwind week in DC and a busy couple of months before that, it's great to catch my breath in the City and have such a beautiful, crisp, fall day.

Here are a few photos from DC:





"True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice."

Such an inspiring way to start off a journey...

Prize Winning Chocolate Chip Cookies

Third time's the charm! Everything at the Manhattan Sailing Club is cranked up to the highest level of competition, in a very friendly sort of way (even if it's just competing with oneself to do smoother jibes). The first year that I entered the Chocolate Chip Cookie Contest I used bittersweet chocolate. Bittersweet chocolate provides such a nice contrast to the sugars. But, after I took a bite of my cookie with a beer chaser, I knew that I had no chance of winning the Club contest where cookies are not eaten with a neutral drink like milk. The cookies tasted too bitter when eaten with beer. The next year I changed to semisweet chips but still the flavors were too subtle and a lot of people don't like nuts. This year I swapped out the vanilla bean pulp which didn't pack enough flavor, left out the nuts, and brought the Cookie Monster "trophy" home. So, here's the prize-winning recipe:

1/2 C unsalted butter
1 C granulated sugar
1/2 C brown sugar
1/4 C Nutella
2 eggs
1 T Kahlua
2 1/3 C flour
1 t baking soda
pinch of salt
12 oz sweet chocolate chopped into chunks

Cream butter and sugars. Add Nutella until smooth. Beat in eggs and Kahlua.


Into separate bowl, sift flour, baking soda and salt. Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Mix in chocolate. Chill cookie dough overnight.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Spoon dough 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Bake until lightly brown, 9 to 12 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Enjoy!!

Variations: add chopped nuts; use scraped-out pulp from 1 vanilla bean instead of Kahlua; use peanut butter with added chopped peanuts instead of Nutella; substitute bittersweet or semisweet chocolate

Vegetarian sushi

My grandmother Somekawa had very specific sushi-making rules. It was very important to fan the hot rice so that it would have a nice sheen. She would know if I didn't vigorously fan the rice and if I shirked my responsibility by just letting the rice cool on its own.


For makizushi (see photo) colorful ingredients are necessary to set off the white/sheened rice and black seaweed (nori): green (spinach or green beans); dark brown (shitake mushrooms); light brown (kampyo or gourd shavings); yellow (egg -- do not let them get brown -- or takuwan/pickled daikon radish); red (benishoga -- pickled ginger, but not gari -- the pickled ginger served with sushi).

Flavoring was just as important as visual presentation. But, I make my sushi a little more vinegary than she did. There's a lot of sugar in the other ingredients and I like to have the contrast.

Makizushi
Nori -- toasted over flame
Rice -- fanned vigorously until cook
Vinegar mixture -- heat with sugar and a touch of salt until blended
Dashi -- soup stock with soy sauce and a little sugar
Leaf spinach -- steam, squeeze dry
Shitake mushroom -- hydrate, if using dried mushrooms, cook in dashi
Kampyo -- hydrate and cook very slightly in dashi
Egg omelet -- beat eggs with a little salt and cook slowly in pan; turn gently without disturbing shape; do not brown
Beni shoga

Lay out nori on mat; put thin layer of rice on nori; lay out other ingredients; roll.

Inarizushi
Inarizushi skins (if using fresh skins, cut in half, boil in water and then in dashi; otherwise use canned (if using canned, drain and then soak briefly in prepared dashi (see above)

Fill with vinegared rice
Tie with kampyo to make festive packets

Mochi making (Mochitsuki)

A family tradition from before I was born is mochi (pounded rice cake) making. This would take place every year the Sunday between Christmas and New Year's at the grandparents Kozu house. Grandpa Kozu with the help of my father would wash hundreds of pounds of rice several days beforehand. The womenfolk (yes, the duties were gender-specific) would cook and bake delious treats. The mochi would be ready for New Year's ozoni soup and the rest would be frozen to be eaten throughout the year (toasted or in red-bean soup).

To make mochi, sweet rice is steamed and then pounded until smooth. Grandpa Kozu had an old hollowed-out tree stump and a heavy wooden mallet. The uncles would wield the mallet and the aunties would deftly turn the rice with a paddle in between strokes.


My jobs gradually increased in responsibility from rolling out sheets of mochi (carefully looking out for rare wood splinters) to making ohagi or daifuku (see photo) -- mochi with sweet-red bean paste. It's a finger-licking good job.

After the grandparents died and the house was sold, mochi making evolved from the old wooden stump (sadly, the end of an era) to a slick machine (welcome to the 20th century).

But, happily, daifuku can be made satifactorily without a wooden mallet or pounding machine using sweet-rice flour (mochiko). There are daifuki recipes using a microwave oven but having been slow to embrace new mochi-making technology, I haven't jumped on that bandwagon yet.

Mochi
2 c mochiko (sweet rice flour)
1 1/2 c sugar
1 3/4 c boiling water

Mix mochiko and sugar and add boiling water. Mix thoroughly. Put mixture on wet cloth over steam until mixture is clear colored and cooked (about 30 minutes). Take the cooked mixture and knead until smooth on board using joshinko (rice flour) or corn starch.

Cut into small portions (large enough to cover a small ball of pre-made an).

Azuki an
2 c azuki beans
2 c sugar
1/4 t salt

Wash azuki and soak for 1/2 day. Cover beans with water and simmer until beans are tender enough to mash. Mash (or use food processor). Put in pan, add sugar and salt and cook slowly over low heat until firm enough to make a ball. Make little balls of an.

Rugelach a la Florence

I'm always curious to see/try other people's recipes and more people have expressed interest in mine. Am I wrong but doesn't it seem that more people are doing recipe blogs? Regardless, this is a good time to share some favorite recipes as well as stories.

Tribute to Florence Telfus
I suppose I'm now about the age that Florence Telfus was when I first met her and her husband Harry. They lived across the "courtyard" and our windows faced each other. Florence was a legendary cook; Harry provided the political commentary, a critical ingredient for any NY eating experience. Together they were among a very special group of loving New Yorkers (including Rachel Menasche, Ichiro and Masa Shirato, Barbara Newman and Mirla Stockman) who were Alisa' New York "grandparents" providing hugs, treats, attending Grandparents' Day at school, cheering her on during recitals, etc.

Florence, of course, didn't use recipes and I always kept trying to figure out what made her food a little different and so much better than anything I had tasted. There always seemed to be a secret that she was holding out. After she died, we all miss her deeply and remember fondly her cooking. While Harry was still alive, he always asked me to make him treats but they never quite reached the bar that Florence had set. Once, Harry whispered to me -- Florence used to use yeast in her rugelach. Aha! That's it. The secret ingredient. So, here's my approximation for

Rugelach a la Florence (photo to come)

About 3 C flour
Between 1/2 and 3/4 C sugar
1/4 C butter
1/4 C cream cheese
2 eggs
1 package yeast

Filling:
1/2 C ground walnuts
1/2 C raisins
1/3 C sugar
1 T cinnamon

Jam
1/3 c melted butter

Cut butter and cream cheese into about 2 1/2 C of flour. Add yeast and mix in eggs. Add flour as needed. Divide dough in 4 parts and chill for several hours.

Mix walnuts, raisins, sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour baking sheet.

Roll dough in a circle. Brush with melted butter. Spread thin layer of jam. Sprinkle with nut and raisin mixture. Cut into 12 wedges with pizza cutter. Roll each triangle from outside in. Place on baking sheet with pointed end down. Bake 16-17 minutes until done (don't let them burn).

Winter Wonderland 2011

Yes, I'm very behind on my posts. Maybe I'll take advantage of this snow holiday to catch up. But, first, a jaunt over to Central Park and a couple of laps around the Reservoir. Beautiful!!!
We've had a lot of snow so far this early in the season. It's been great for skiing. Today the NYC Public Schools were closed. This is only the second time in many years. But, it makes for a nice holiday for those of us whose offices follow the lead of the schools for our days off.

There was almost too much snow for skiing today. I got out early so it was a trek getting over the to Park (unplowed streets and unshoveled sidewalks). There were big drifts and even with skis, I ended up sinking to my knees in many places. There was one hidden dip where I was up to my chest.

Anyway, it was an idyllic setting for enjoying the weather.

Back to the future

Uruguayans love their mate (pronounced mah-teh). Alisa fit right in there although she didn't walk around on the streets with her thermos of water and her mate in hand as the Uruguayans did.

We bid farewell to the lovely, friendly country and braced ourselves as we took the Colonia Express boat back to Buenos Aires.

We did a lot of walking from the ferry terminal in La Boca through San Telmo, Monserrat to our hostel in Congresso. After doing a little shopping for a new phone for Alisa, we took in some sights stopping for a photo in front of the Pink House, Argentina's executive branch building.

It's always hard to say good bye, even harder when I'm on the road and Alisa is taking off. But, it was a wonderful visit and always great to spend time together. So, Alisa heads back to Bariloche, this time a two-hour plane trip instead of a twenty-two hour bus trek.

So, that leaves me to my own devices. There are wonderful local markets to explore.

I scout out some old cathedrals.

Walk around the Saturday markets:

And I came across a local market in San Telmo with local produce, vintage clothes and artifacts.

I ventured on the SubTe, subway.

Then it was time for me to say my own farewell to Argentina and the Sabatico Travelers Hostel.

Back to Colonia

Spring celebration in Colonia. What a wonderful thing to happen upon! Like a big Halloween parade for children all dressed up. Very precious.






We're back in Colonia to pick up last-minute gifts and get our tickets for the boat ride back to Buenos Aires. We're staying at the Hotel Rivera with a lovely patio and WiFi to check on e-mails and update Facebook and the blog.

For lunch I have "Cuban" rice (plain rice, fried banana and a little salad, aaaargh, there's no hot sauce!!???) and Alisa enjoys her Milanesa. Then a little more sightseeing and we'll be off to Buenos Aires in the morning.

You can't get there from here

Our plan was to leave Montevideo and head to Canelones, a small town just to the north. A couch surfer warned that there was nothing to do there. But, we figured if we want to see the real Uruguay, we should give it a look/see.

We made our way through the rain to the bus station but found out that we couldn't get there from that bus station which was only for long-distance travel. We were directed to take a series of local buses but were questioned on why we would want to go there. We were again told there was nothing to do/see there.

So, we thought about our Plans B and C and decided to stay another night in Montevideo. We found a bigger Artisan Market and Alisa experience Uruguyan chivitos for lunch and dinner!

In Uruguay, the 29th of the month is a traditional day to eat gnocchis. It's the end of the month and the paycheck has stretched about as far as it can and all that's left to eat is a bit of flour and potatoes. Time for noquis! Many of the restaurants offered bargains for gnocchis. Who could resist?!! I couldn't.

We stay the night at Hotel Palacio, well situated in the heart of Ciudad Vieja.

Off to Carmelo!

Wet and soggy in Montevideo

Who could possibly eat breakfast after the very filling dinner we had?!! We could and did.

We were prepared for chilly weather and we were somewhat prepared for wet weather. We were not adequately prepared for chilly, wet weather. We ended up being soggy most of the day but were quite productive.

My little umbrella could not keep both of us dry and with the frequent gusts of wind, it spent a lot of time safely tucked away in my bag. My denim jeans and fleece jacket were an efficient wick soaking up all that the Uruguayan clouds threw at us. I was damp and chilled to the bone.

But, we made our way to the Mercado del Puerto with beautiful colors (purple artichokes) and took in the smells of the wood-burning grills of the food vendors. It was too early for lunch but we scouted it out.

After buying some souvenirs and drying out at the hostel, we returned to the most untouristy food stall hidden in the back behind the fancy restaurants. Muy deliciosas! The seafood selections were wonderful although I would (and did) eat anything smeared with their parsley and garlic garnish. Yummy!One of the owners poses with Alisa for a photo.

Drats! The rain returned so contented bellies had to fortify us against the inclement weather. Alisa did some more exploring town after improvising rain boots with some plastic bags. and we had a great time at the Artisans Marketplace. All in all, a successful day.

Montevideo

The bus ride to Montevideo took us through the green, idyllic farm lands with cows, sheep, chickens and ubiquitous cell towers sprouting straight up to the sun from the fertile ground.

We're staying at the Green Hostel, a brand-new place in La Ciudad Vieja (the Old City). The WiFi connection is slow so I'll post photos later.

The Old City with all of its scenic attractions has fallen into abandonment, disrepair and long-time neglect. But, there seems to be some revival including Green. It feels like Old Cartagena must have looked like before it's rebirth.

We'll spend two days here to get our souvenirs. Alisa has been looking for a skirt. I'm surprised to see that prices are much higher and the quality is lower than in NYC.

Alisa generally passes for a local no matter what country she is in, although it's a little harder when she has her gringa mom along (of course, pausing to take the silly photo at a phone booth doesn't help).

But, Montevideo is a small "big city" and people are friendly and it doesn't take long for some of the vendors to recognize us. After walking around the deserted Old Town looking for a dinner spot, we end up at a place near our hostel. My veggie calzone is huge. The cafe is crowded and the staff is short-handed. Thank goodness, they forget about Alisa's order. We both are stuffed after finishing my dinner. We're such cheap dates.

On Tuesday we'll hit the local markets.

Beautiful Colonia

After a packed but uneventful flight, an easy, though costly breeze through immigration (I think other countries are retaliating against US policies) and customs, I navigated my way over to the ferry terminal. Pure joy! Alisa was there waiting for me after her long, overland journey from northern Patagonia.

We take the short ferry trip over to Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay. What a cute town, confident enough preserve its character in the shadows of the excessive, mega Buenos Aires. But, it's still slightly disconcertingly touristy and yet not. We haven't seen any opulent cathedrals. Were the Uruguayans able to stem that tide centuries ago as they seem to have in more modern times?

What are the things that make Uruguay unique? Their mate (herbal tea) tradition is seemingly much more entrenched than, say even Argentina. We see people walking around clutching their mate (gourds) and Thermos containers of hot water. Still, they don't impose that culture on visitors. There are no mate cafes screaming out to lure in others.

The weather is a perfect antidote for both of us. The warmth of early Spring embraces Alisa who left the snowy climes of Bariloche. The mild, crisp sunny days are are a wonderful transition after a long, hot, humid NY summer.

We stayed at La Perla del Plata (Silver River Pearl).

We're taking off up the coast but will circle back to lovely Colonia.


More to come...

Go figure

It's time to dust off the dormant blog and repurpose it back to its original travelogue. I have a lot of half-finished summer musings and composting updates but will wait to post them. Also, coming soon, by popular demand, I have some favorite recipes queued up to unveil.

As I prepare to hit the road again, it's sobering to know that Alisa has already been making her way to our rendevous. She has long since embarked on her 21-hour, 830-mile bus trek from Bariloche to Buenos Aires. For me it's an easy jump across 5,250 miles in 11 hours and most of that time will be spent sleeping overnight so that I can awake in Bs As. Yes, of course, Alisa could have flown too (a two-hour trip) but when has she ever taken the easy way there when she can have an adventure?!!

I'm so excited to have another opportunity to travel with her. I'm relatively unemcumbered, deciding to go with just a carry-on knapsack. Sorry, sweetie, no stash of peanut butter or the usual treats this trip although I will lug around the requested books and sneak in a few goodies. I'm squeezing in my yoga blanket in case we find a place to practice. But, I won't be stopping by Bariloche to check out Alisa's new place. Instead we'll make our way over to Uruguay so that Alisa can renew her visa and try to get a sampling of what makes Uruguay unique.


PRW

Urban Composter: Compost Matures and Leaves the Nest

After just three months perfectly average urban kitchen waste has transformed into beautiful, rich compost ready to debut in a country garden in the Adirondacks. I've learned a lot to shorten the production cycle and, thus, anticipate sending another batch out into the world. And, what a world of opportunity there is. Interest in my compost has also been fielded from rooftop gardeners in Greenwich Village and a brownstone owner in Park Slope.

But, first, I need to solve the fruit fly problem that has developed in the current batch. I've tried fashioning a vinegar trap that didn't fool these savvy City-bred pests. So, I'll continue to research and test other solutions.

Practical Recycling Woman (PRW)