Current State of Affairs, Nicaragua

Nicaragua, mi Nicaragüita…

have you heard there’s strife happening now in my second, lovely home? without fluff and too much of my opinion, here’s the scoop:

 In mid April, peaceful Nicaraguan citizens took to the streets to protest President Ortega's ( 1985-1990, and 2007-present) ‘social security reform’ that reduced benefits while raising taxes, especially on the middle class.The government responded with police repression—killing 38 people in the first week of protests.

That was just the beginning of the uprising. Since then, Nicaraguans have continued to protest the dictatorship of Ortega & his wife Rosario Murillo on a daily basis, countrywide. 

Now, the travesty is worsening. People have been denied the right to peaceful protest, denied access to information (news sources have been temporarily blocked, news outlets attacked, and one journalist killed,) and denied access to healthcare, as victim are refused medical attention in public hospitals and state health officials deny autopsies to those killed by police.

The police are out of control, shooting indiscriminantly into crowds in cities all over the country.

This is the first time that i’ve learned the word “tranque” (barricade), as young protestors have fought back at government police, armed with AK-47s, by tossing coke bottle molotov cocktails from behind paving stone barriers. 

Solidarity used to be a word we’d joke about seeing as a famous communist word, used in the campaign and regime of Ortega. Now, the citizens of Nicaragua appear united in demonstrating solidarity against the oppressive government. 

The violence continues. this past weekend, during a peaceful mother’s day march, with at least 15 dead and 79 were injured by government police and supporters.

According to the Nicaragua Dispatch, we know that Nicaragua’s Conference of Bishops, the mediators of the National Dialogue, released a statement saying Dialogue cannot restart because the government continues to repress and assassinate people, denying citizens the right to peaceful protest.

Also from the Nicaragua Dispatch, new reports of government sharpshooters using high-calibre Dragunov sniper rifles. There are more than 100 dead, 1000 injured in less than two months, and the situation is worsening. People have been murdered, with no consequence. Hundreds have been arrested, or gone missing. 

There is looting and vandalism, which, to me, is an obvious effect of an erupting lawlessness, encouraged by the fact that government police seem to be targeting the wrong people- those not committing a crime by walking in the streets.

This week, in addition to other fluff, Ortega’s Foreign Minister Denis Moncada claimed the following on behalf of the Ortega government: he denied government responsibility for violence (guys- there is video documentation). He accused protesters of being terrorists themselves (and implied a conspiracy aimed at destroying security of Nicaraguan families). He also said that reports and news sources trying to blame the Ortega regime for violence are defamation and part of a criminal conspiracy to intimidate and terrorize people and hand over the country to organized crime while destroying the image of Nicaragua.

Sadly and unsurprisingly, tourism is tanking; the State Department has upgraded their travel advisory for Nicaragua to a “Level 3: Reconsider travel due to crime and civil unrest.” Nicaragua is a beautiful country of lakes and volcanoes and kind, gentle people.  it saddens me for the state of the country that so many people i love are deeply affected by this tragic dictatorship’s turn for the worst, in so many ways.

I don’t think there is an end in sight, and there are definitely horrors still to come from this government. Ortega can only rule by domineering oppression for a finite amount of time. There are vague CNN posts about this topic, and many news sources are in Spanish only and marginally publicized. Hopefully, the UN, US State Department, or Organization of American States (OAS), can help with policy changes. The latest press release I saw from OAS talks of electoral reform from 2017. What these outside government agencies will do, and how can I help force their hand? I’m not sure. 

But I do know that there are heartfelt, angry, hopeful Nicaraguan citizens, women and men, for us to support. 

To become more aware, and help in how you can, follow Nicaragua Dispatch on facebook/twitter, amnesty.org, and keep your eyes peeled for news on your local sites, and share, share, share. 

I don't have any personal photos of what's going on currently, but wanted to add some photos that capture why Nicaragua holds a special place in my heart. 

abrazos,

 Calley

Andouille and Lobster Bread Stuffing

 Here on the Pacific Coast of Nicaragua, we get excellent fresh fish. Unfortunately, Thanksgiving doesn’t revolve around ocean products. Well, I’m going to change that this year. For this recipe, we use Spiny Lobster. It’s very tasty, but there is no claw meat, and the meat doesn’t shred easily. If you can get your hands on Maine lobster, go for it! This means that the shell number will vary. Basically, to make this recipe to scale, you want one pound of raw meat.

eat me! (little corn island, 2011)

  This recipe is perfect for the Thanksgiving potluck. It takes time: you make a stock. If you want to simply add this to the chaos that you're already preparing as the main Thanksgiving cook, I suggest making the stock the Sunday before Thanksgiving (if you are a 9-5er) and lightly poaching the lobster in the stock and keeping the cooked meat on ice until game day.

Serves 16 as a side dish.

Lobster Stock (the make ahead: you can make it the Sunday before Thanksgiving, but keep the lobster meat on ice:

6 lobster tails, shell only

1 onion, cut in quarters, paper and all

2 heads garlic, cut in half, paper and all

2 Tablespoons black peppercorns, whole

1 packed cup of celery leaves (stalked okay, too... or eat them while you cook)

2 cup white wine

1 gallon water

*bring to a boil and simmer for about 1 hour, until reduced and flavorful. Strain and cool. 

To Make The Stuffing:

2 pounds baguette, cut into 1” pieces, lightly toasted in the oven or left out overnight

1 cup butter

4 medium onion, large dice

2 pound Andouille sausage, casings removed

1 pound lobster meat, cut into 1” pieces (all of the meat taken from said tails above)

1 Tablespoon dried thyme

3 cups premade lobster stock**

1 Tablespoon Kosher salt

1 Teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

In a large pan or dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and cover. Stir occasionally, for about 15 minutes, until the onion is wilted and slightly browned. Remove and place in a large bowl. Add the sausage, cooking and breaking up into bite size pieces with stirring utensil. If you are using precooked Andouille, cut into large dice and cook until browned in a bit more butter (yum). When almost cooked through or fully browned, add the lobster meat. Stir together and cook until the lobster meat is just cooked through. Remove and place in bowl with onions.

Stir bread into onion-sausage mixture, toss in time, salt and pepper. Then, 1/2 cup at a time, add the stock and lightly toss with a spoon until it is completely absorbed. Do not add all of the stock at once, nor add all of the stock if the bread won't absorb the last parts. This will create a mushy mess. Lightly pack into 2 greased 9 x 12 baking dishes, or one of those huge aluminum pans (easy clean up!)

Bake for about 45 minutes at 350°F, until the top is browned and crunchy.

 It’s Thanksgiving, baby! Make a lot! This recipe is simply halved for smaller occasions. That means 1 1/2 teaspoon of thyme, for the kitchen math novice.

 HERB NOTE: Dried thyme is great because you don’t have to pay $3 for a bunch and then pick off the leaves that you need in a painstaking fashion, only to have the other half of the bunch dry up in your fridge. That said, dried herbs don’t last forever. It’s like nail polish, or mascara (that you eat?). Buy small jars! When you crumble it in between your fingers, it should smell herbacious, not like dust.

*If you have fennel bulb, please, substitute for 1/2 the onion

** so over bread stuffing? substitute pre-cooked wild rice for bread, and cut bake time to 25 minutes.

***The Lobster stock makes about 2 quarts: use the leftovers for soup. What a way to spice up your Thanksgiving leftovers!

****Not Thanksgiving, but interested in making this anyway? It’s a great side dish to Pan Fried Jumbo Shrimp, Rosemary Roasted Pork Loin or served as a main course with a spicy Arugula, raisin and lemon salad.

A Pie For Mikey

huh? Who is Mikey? click here.

Today's blog is inspired by the healing process of Jennie. Jennie is a woman I've never met. She writes a food blog. I've never read it. A friend posted something about her blog on facebook. As it turns out,  her husband, who loves peanut butter pie, recently passed away. There's a quasi-food-blog-movement last week to create this pie in memory of Jennie's late husband, and as a reminder to live in each moment, share your love with others, and enjoy some pie!

I've never made peanut butter pie until today. I've been sharing it with friends, my brother, and coworkers, too. Luckily, it is a natural pairing for Nicaraguan ingredients- I've added some fresh bananas and dark rum to my custard. The real peanut-y flavor comes from the crust, as the custard is a lighter pudding.

Enjoy this pie with loved ones, laughter, and hugs.

Nicaraguan Peanut Butter Pie


Peanut Cookie Crust
1 1/2 cup crushed cookies (I use Galletas Maria)
1 cup crushed peanuts
12 Tbs. butter, melted

Peanut Butter Custard

1 cup peanut butter (chunky)

1 tsp vanilla

1 can of homemade dulce de leche (can sub 1 cup of brown sugar)

1/2 cup sugar

pinch salt

1 Tbs. dark rum

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

2 eggs

2 cups milk

3 bananas, sliced

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2.  For the crust, in a medium bowl, combine cookies, peanuts and butter. Press into a 10" round cake pan, creating a cohesive crust long the bottom and sides of the pan.
3. For the custard, combine together peanut butter, vanilla, dulce de leche, sugar, salt, dark rum, cinnamon and eggs. Once combined, stir in 2 cups of milk.
4. Lay bananas in a layer, pressing them into the crust. Pour the custard mixture over the bananas. A few will float to the top, that's fine.
5. Bake for about 40 minutes, until the pie firms and center barely jiggles.
6. Let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes and then move to the refrigerator for 2 hours, or overnight.
7. Serve with a large helping of whipped cream and a big hug.

for the CNN story, click here.
for the facebook group, click here

watermelon man

Dickie P enjoying a summer treat

Shout out to my dad, the biggest watermelon fan that I know. Dickie P prefers his watermelon plain, with a pinch of salt. BUT, if you are in the mood to get a little creative with some on hand ingredients, this salad is prefect for a summer afternoon! You can get hoity toity and cut it up tiny on little fried chips, make it into a salsa, or serve it on fancy plates, but I like it best in big, cold chunks with torn leaves of basil. The key is to serve the syrup on top last minute, so the watermelon stays pink and the syrup dark and thick. 

(click the caption for a little mood music)

Summer Watermelon Salad

2 cups balsamic vinegar

1 cup white sugar

1/2 medium watermelon cut into 3” wide planks

20 torn basil leaves

1 cup sliced feta cheese

First, bring the vinegar and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan. Lower heat and simmer until thick and syrupy, about 10 minutes more. Let the syrup cool at room temperature.

Next, arrange about 3-5 pieces of watermelon on each plate. Layer with leaves of basil and feta cheese. Repeat this process one more time on each plate to create a stacked composed salad. Finish each dish with a generous drizzle of balsamic syrup.

Serves 4 as a first course.

Dad, thanks, always for your support. I love cooking with you and for you, and I hope you try this recipe with some basil from your raised beds!

here I go again...

I feel so Doogie, writing in my blog tonight after a long day.

Here we go again... 

 I’m at a new restaurant, consulting for about 8 months. This spot is located on the gorgeous southwest coast of Nicaragua.

windy and wonderful beachfront minutes from home and work.

I’ve been here almost 2 weeks. The restaurant has been open for years, with cooks coming and going, but they’ve never had a real leader in the kitchen. Some of the troubles are very simple, like; no hand rags (for cleaning and drying), no clock, no storage containers (get this stuff out of pink Chinatown bags!), not one large spoon for serving sauces (at least, one without holes). This can be fixed once some new supplies get in, I hope. But then, also, the restaurant is open from the time staff get in (7am) until 10pm, leaving no time for any prep. The menu is WAY too big and kind of all over the place. Every staff member kind of helps with everything, leaving dishes and prep constantly (and overwhelmingly) behind. The crew is constantly running, and now I’ve joined them. 

Today I started my morning, in at 7am to help with the fish order that Felix is going to put together. Felix “pops” (as fast as a broken jack in the box would) over to the local fishing village to buy fish for the next few days and then comes back to filet it. I prepped the specials for lunch and found out that our dinner cook has a doctor’s note for 2 days, so decided to take a quick break before going back in for the long haul of the night. When I come back, Felix is still hanging around, still not fileting the fish he bought, for reason that, he is about to. Give me a break. Serenity now.

did I mention that I couldn’t find my flip flops this morning? Turns out some animal came by at dragged them to the other side of the house and ate the straps. This place is rural. Rural like the Caribbean, but there’s not even a pulperia within walking distance (That’s one of the reasons the menu is so big, because it tries to accomodate every whim of diners and homeowners nearby without focusing on quality food leaving the kitchen. In my meager opinion.).

what ate my flip flops? IT'S NOT EVEN MONDAY!

The night was a trainwreck... which I foresaw as soon as the unexpected party of 20 walked in. Woooonderful. Electricity coming and going... obviously. The front of house staff is nice and all, but, professional? Well, they tuck their shirts in! That’s a start. 

YES we now serve fresh lobster for grilling and salad (now I am working through using the last 40 pounds that we have frozen for a puree’d soup). The staff is now being trained in sanitation, from raw meats, washing veggies, and washing hands! We label products with the date made and I will not rest until we use FIFO (first in, first out) for each item. As I explained today, if I see two open vinegars again, one almost empty right next to the almost full, I may have no more hair because I will have pulled it out. There is a new, amazing and huge kitchen being built to open in November, but for now, I’ve got to make this small, crowded, semi-functional space work.

I have a smaller menu ready to print, but with 8 million (like, 15) servers and 10 people in the kitchen to train, it is a small feat to change. Not to mention the guests. It seems absurd that people wouldn’t mind some change to have delicious and timely food, but what do I know. yada yada, yada...

Gordon Ramsey has a team. A few teams. They revamp, modify the actual restaurant and layout half the time, then have a new team to come in, prep, train... and Ramsey deals with the deliquence and showtime-type stuff. I don’t have a crew to come in and take care of the dirty work, or access to equipment and tools to get in a day's notice. I do have wonderful family and friends supporting me, as always, and thank you for that.

But still, why do I keep doing this? This is the fourth spot in Nicaragua that I’ve helped, and they are all different and great and frustrating in their own way. I feel like I am a birthmother in the Giver (Lois Lowry, advanced kid’s book? anyone?)... like, I have the dirty work duty, then, when things are fixed up and rockin’, I’m on my way! I suppose I do it for the challenge as well as teaching what I know, and growing as a person and chef along the way, too. Maybe it's more like Mary Poppins.

Yeah, I’ll have to sing more.

(ps THIS VIDEO I don't have access to in Nicaragua, but it’s in my head, anyway). 

6 foot, 7 foot, 8 foot, bunch!

Plantains. Wow. I use these suckers all the time. Plantains are one of the few items of produce that is available year-round, whether it is rainy or dry. There's only so many plantain chips that I can handle, so, time to get creative. 

The recipe in this blog is a fusion of Nicaraguan and American comfort. The people I've cooked for are excited to try new things, but don't want to jump out of the plane without a parachute. Also, tourists to Nicaragua are increasingly more 'crunchy' and/or health conscious and/or simply vegetarian, so they appreciate the thought that goes into creative and local vegetarian plates. Down with the "grilled vegetable medley!"

The lasagna I make with the ripe, sweet plantains is simple and vegetarian. It's easy to adapt and modify, and always tasty! The key is cooking it covered long enough to make sure that the starchy plantains cook all the way through.

Plantain Lasagna

2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

1 cup grated Nicaraguan “queso seco”

1 recipe of Simple Tomato Sauce, below

3 ripe, yellow plantains, sliced 1/8” thin on a mandolin

2 cups arugula

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a 9 inch loaf pan by lining it with foil overhanging the edges. This will create a sling to remove the finished lasagna. Next, lightly oil all 4 sides of the pan.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the mozzarella and queso seco.
3. Using about 1/8th of each ingredient, begin to layer the food. Begin with a few spoonfuls of sauce along the bottom. Next, place a layer of plantain, followed by arugula and cheese. Repeat 7 more times, ending with the cheese.
4. Cover pan with foil and place in center of oven. Bake for about 30 minutes, until a knife can be inserted into the lasagna without feeling any resistance. This means that the plantains are fully cooked. Remove foil and broil for about 5 minutes, until top layer of cheese is bubbling and golden brown.
5. Let cool for about 20 minutes before removing lasagna from foil. Slice into 4 portions and serve with a fresh herb salad.

serves 3 as a second course.

Simple Tomato Sauce

1/4 cup olive oil

2 cups diced onion

2 Tbs. finely chopped garlic

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 cup red wine

1 Tbs. finely chopped basil

1 Tbs. finely chopped (Cuban) oregano

1 tsp. chile flake

4 cups canned, diced tomato with juice (about two 16-ounce cans, I like Muir Glen)

salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add onions and garlic and sweat for about 10 minutes, until tender and slightly browned.
2. Add tomato paste and stir until incorporated. Next, add red wine and reduce until almost dry.
3. Add the basil, oregano, chile flake and tomato. Reduce heat to low and cook for about 20 minutes more, until sauce is thick and tomato flavor is rich. Season with salt and pepper.

traffic report

... for this morning's commute:
"road" conditions moderate to muddy.
accident of unknown origin caused 1 fatality (see photo). due to this obstruction, traffic both east and westbound has been diverted to the shoulder.

this guy did not survive last night's heavy rains, and became a major road block that "everyone" was talking about

just another day's walk to town on the dirt path to work. it's about 20 minutes to think about the day. I'm currently training an existing kitchen staff of a local cafe- expanding the menu, working on hygiene, sanitation, food costs, etc. and organization. The more places I work at down here, the more I feel like GRN (gordon ramsey of nicaragua). I'm constantly learning and pushing my patience threshold. In addition, I am teaching a lot, and learning from each person that I encounter. As usual, it's a lot of work, but a lot of fun.

this evening's commute home: light traffic in both directions, one bike and 3 carpenters westbound, just me heading eastbound. Just another day in paradise...

delicious broken record

our farm is about a 2 minute walk from my front door. This morning really brought a whole new meaning to "farm to table" for me. The process was respectful, educational, and some laughs, too. Staff each took some home, and the rest is for meals this week!

First meal: Carolina Pulled Pork with habanero cornbread, mango chutney and thai basil 'slaw. A guest from North Carolina wore his "BBQ t-shirt" in honor of the event, and I quote; "from a man that knows his pork, this was guuuud." 

I only know one song with "pig" in the lyrics, hence the "broken record" title, but, delicious. It's a little weird, I know, but the outcome was quite tasty! 

for probablycooking's sensitive followers, i delicately cropped the butchery photo...

it's going to be a tasty week!

it's all fun and games...

on my time off, i head out of the kitchen, and onto the sand. Snorkeling, SCUBA, swimming, walking the beach, these relaxing beach activities have been great. Volleyball's fun, too, but a bit too strenuous (and sweaty in the midday sun) for my current lifestyle to make it a daily habit. My island world has been missing something, something along the lines of lawn games.


project: coconut bocce! 


After some rough planning, I sought out Marlon, ones of the groundskeepers. He's worked with boats before, and I had an idea. He'd never heard of bocce ball or seen a photo, but after explaining the game, was right on board with me. A few details slipped through the cracks during the creation process, for example, I had to demonstrate (by chucking the ball) that without proper weighting, the balls would be useless. 


The dried coconut shell is cut in half (to remove any extra meat), filled with sand and sealed with a thick layer of boat resin. Marlon's final prototype was great- the finishing touch was to add the painted details to create the different teams. Throw them in a sugar sack and head to the beach! The coconuts are not all the same size, but Marlon had the foresight to pair similar sized balls for the same team. He even found a plastic ball washed up on the beach and sealed it to use as the jack! The one concern was: would the balls crack if they hit each other during an intense game?

inaugural game of bocce on playa iguana

the answer: nope! The jack got a good crack in it during a heated round, but the set is holding up really well! Also present: plenty of opportunities for (in)appropriate coconut jokes. Grab a Toña and meet me at the beach! 


coming soon: other uses for coconut (like, say, cooking with it)

rules and ranch dressing

A few weeks back when I was shopping for kitchen supplies in Managua, I came across a great find- cooler bags! Because we don't have refrigeration, the bags I got help store produce with (some) ease, without soaking it or using disposable plastic bags arranged carefully in coolers with ice each day. I also use them for transporting and storing chicken. That's right, raw chicken au jus all over the other foods is a thing of the past! We pour the ice directly on top of the bags, plus they are reusable!

Thelma, a great new addition to our kitchen team, came in the other afternoon noting, "Calley, one of the cooler bags is on top of the laundry bodega." She continued to talk about a story of how a gardener brought it down to get washed, yada yada yada... say what? Enough. Why on earth was that thing even out of the kitchen? Washing it with the laundry, which is about 300 yards away, and not in our kitchen sink? Luckily, I was in a good mood so could laugh about this weird occurrence,Thelma is very proactive and got it down right away, but not without some video footage!
The video displays island-themed reggae by Jimmy Cliff... and also showcases our brand new vintage-style chef coats, sewn by a neighbor of ours. Thanks again, Thelma!

The next day I had a meeting with the head of the grounds' crew to confirm that no one should be taking anything out of the kitchen without my permission, be it cocoa powder for a fresco, plastic wrap for their extra lunch, or an expensive bag from PriceSmart. I'd been telling the guys individually, but a little support always helps. WIP.

In other news, for dinner, that same evening we served a green leaf lettuce salad (hard to come by 'round these parts) with fresh tomatoes and an "island style" ranch dressing. eat your heart out, Hidden Valley! For me, it's a touch of home with a dash of Little Corn flair.

island ranch dressing
1 Tbs. minced garlic
1 1/2 Tbs. fresh squeezed lime juice
1/2 Tbs. white vinegar
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup crema acida**
1 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 tsp. iodized salt

Mix all ingredients with a whisk, or shake in a plastic bottle or jar. Use liberally on salads, or, if in the USA, pizza. Or anything.
** (Nicaraguan loose sour cream- it can be simulated by adding 2 Tbs. water to 1/3 cup sour cream)

plantains gone bananas!

any good chef knows how to cook with plantains. so says Lisa of Top Chef: Chicago. 

I use the bananas out of plantains because they are so plentiful here in Nicaragua (at some point, I'll post my recipe for plantain lasagna). After leaving Granada and the mainland, I’ve been on Little Corn for about 2 weeks. If you were overwhelmed reading about my last post regarding getting products to a small lake resort, multiply it by 5 and you’ve got the jist of getting products to the Caribbean (for example, don’t order papaya, because it smushes all over every other item. fail.). One treat (and source of chaos) is the farm on our property, products that I can get without ordering them 10 days in advance. The most plentiful products are yuca, coconuts, and plantains. I have devised a list of what products we can get, and the grounds crew picks the goods up for us in the morning. 

Pablo and his garden crew help me out by helping to harvest any products I need each morning. Most of the time we can get everything on the list, but it depends on how busy the day is and whether different plants are fruiting. Because some of the guys can’t read, I had to reorganize my list system: the template has pictures of each item as well. The guys pick green plantains by the bunch (day-o?). For this recipe, I ripen them under a towel for a few days and they turn yellow and soft, perfect for dessert!

Chocolate Crisp with Plátano Maduro

Topping:

3/4 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup whole oats

6 Tbs. flour

3 Tbs. cocoa powder

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

pinch of salt

3 ounces of cold butter, cut into cubes

For the filling:

3 cups chopped yellow plantains, boiled until soft

2 Tbs. dark Flor de Caña rum

1 tsp. lime juice

2 Tbs. brown sugar

1 Tbs. flour

pinch of salt

For the topping, combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Using cold fingers or a fork, cut the butter into the dry mixture to create a crumbly mixture with small balls the size of peas. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to use.

For the filling, I used ripe plantains, but they were still a little starchy and raw. I steamed them cut up pieces in a pot with a few inches of water in it until they were bright yellow and soft. Next, combine the cooked plantains with the remaining ingredients and toss well. 

Place filling in a greased baking dish (a 9” round or 3-4 quart pyrex will work just fine). Gently layer the topping over the filling without packing it down. 

Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for about 20 minutes, until topping is dark and crispy. Let cool for 20 minutes before serving.

this recipe is versatile for any tropical fruit. mango season starts soon! *i did not make up the topping for this dessert, it is from a dessert cookbook.

¡Feliz Año Nuevo!

the bacon of Nicaraguan cuisine

added to so many things to improve the meal... the secret ingredient: framboise! it is put in to 'enhance' just about anything...

photo by Caroline: thanks! I wasn't in the mood to brave the market with my camera.

iced tea, pineapple husk horchata, desserts, homemade candies, frostings, mystery baggies lining the marketplace, all tinted (or extremely) neon pink. At work, I have to keep it on hand to prevent riots amongst the staff for our homemade frescoes.

For guests, I keep our beverages and desserts natural... for example, much to the dismay of staff, we don't even put sugar in our juices! gasp (sarcasm=high)!

My staff explained to me that the framboise is used for color, not flavor. The tradition is reminiscent of the neon green relish on Chicago hot dogs, or amount of dye put into a southern red velvet cake. For me, besides the alarming color, the flavor of framboise adds a hint of bubblegum/bay that I could do without.

a little more on the fascination with pink down here...
fact: The head of maintenance at work is having a birthday party for his 12 year old daughter, piñata and all! When I asked if there would be many pink decorations, he informed me that only at the 15th birthday is the theme pink.
fact: pink is the new red for the Sandinista political party... apparently, this soft touch is to evoke memories of "Give Peace a Chance" by John Lennon.
fact: click here for more on the bacon of American cuisine

montage! we're gonna need a montage!

I can't believe there was a time in my life when I did not make corn** tortillas on a daily basis.***

our fancy tortilla press. that's right; we use an imported baggie! ziploc, available in Managua.

Sandra, amazing kitchen assistant, hard at work, practicing her smile with teeth

tortillas ready for service; huevos rancheros, shrimp tacos... we make smaller ones for quesillo, and tiny ones for bocas with papaya salsa

employee soup; chicken with handfuls of mint, large cut vegetables; served with thick, hearty tortillas

this photo is actually promoting the pair of jeans hanging off the chair in our thatched roof spa

**That is not to insinuate that I was too busy making other types of tortillas, but, rather, to clarify what type of tortillas are most predominant here.
***I can believe it, actually. There were times of sushi, salads, sandwiches on sourdough; foods that I love, that aren't necessarily enhanced by corn flour patties. I miss them.