Cooking in Colorful Oaxaca

 

                                                                                               

                Oaxaca is the kind of place where people celebrate every occasion with a parade.  You might come upon several in a day:  brides and grooms sashaying out of churches surrounded by marching bands, twirling dancers in colorful skirts and giant puppets.  There are vibrant murals of playful skeletons painted on houses, streets strung with cut paper banners and thriving artisan traditions that stretch back centuries. 

                Oaxaca, Mexico is also famous for its cuisine which has roots in pre-Hispanic Zapotec culture.  Fascinated by the flavors and unfamiliar ingredients, Mark and I booked a day to cook with Chef Miguel Alvarez at Quinta Brava. He’d returned to his home town to start this cooking school after working in several restaurants around the world. “I decided to go back home and continue learning about my heritage and about proper Oaxacan cooking cuisine like in my grandmother’s cooking.  I traveled around the state of Oaxaca to learn about techniques, flavors, and procedures to try to go back to the roots of…ancient Oaxacan cuisine cooked like in the villages in generations before.”

                 His large compound, just outside of town, has been in his family for generations.  Next to his house are gardens of fresh herbs, goats, chickens and a fat pig named Bacon. Dogs roll in the grass. There is an indoor kitchen with an electric stove and an outdoor kitchen with fire pits topped by comals (huge flat griddles).  Shelves are stacked with tortilla presses and walls are full of hanging utensils.  We joined ten other visitors at a shady table and talked about what we hoped to cook.  Miguel took notes and sent us off to the neighborhood market to shop. 

        Tables overflowed with a kaleidoscope of colorful vegetables and fruits: varieties of bananas in shades of yellow, huge green cactus leaves and orange and red tomatoes. We gathered up bunches of cilantro, tomatoes, garlic and several kinds of chili, peanuts, plantains, limes, quesillo cheese and squash blossoms.  We asked the vendors about pitayas, a red fruit with a spiny skin, dared each other to try the chapulines (grasshoppers) and bought handfuls of pale yellow sugar mangoes to take back to the hotel.  We learned that the white limestone rocks that were piled on tables are used to soak corn kernels to make them digestible before they’re ground.

                When we returned, wood fires were burning.  First we learned how to grind the corn into masa on a flat stone called a metate.  It’s a tricky technique that looks simple when the Mexicans do it.  Then the masa was formed into tortillas in a wooden press and laid on the very hot comal.  “Flip it once to seal in the water and a second time to puff it up,” we were told.  We stuffed our tortillas with squash blossoms and cheese.  They looked like art projects.    

                “Mole is a sauce… it was an offering for the Gods in pre-Hispanic time,” Miguel explained as he pointed out the ten little bowls stretched along a table.  Each was for a different mole or salsa we were going to make so we divided into small groups and proceeded according to his instructions.  My group had an unusual assortment of peanuts, sesame seeds, tomatoes, onion and a variety of peppers and spices.  He showed us how to toast the spices and then the nuts very quickly in a hot pan.  We charred the tomatoes by putting them right onto coals in the fire.  “The kind of wood you use becomes part of the recipe,” Miguel said.  Once that was done, we boiled everything in a pot with some broth and then blended it until smooth.                 

                

We used the moles and salsas to top the tamales and tacos we made.   We also made pozole which turned out to be the class’ favorite.  It’s a rich soup made from prepared corn and a variety of peppers, broth and spices.  It took hours to make and eat the wonderful feast.  But there was still a dessert made from mashed plantains and bread crumbs along with our choices of nuts, chocolate, coconut and cinnamon, rolled into balls and deep fried. 

                Quite full and happy, we poured toasts of mezcal and relaxed in the lovely garden.  A few days later Miguel sent us the recipes.  I’ll do my best to replicate them but without the colorful town of Oaxaca surrounding my kitchen they may not taste the same.  

For More information please see Quita Brava

The Sharing Economy is Changing Travel

 

 

                “Port wine is like men, the older they are, the more complex.”  Sergio was waxing philosophical between sips.  My husband and I had booked a private wine experience at his shop (“it’s my wife’s shop”­) in lieu of one of the tourist-packed Douro River vineyard cruises in Porto.  While we selected our favorite vintages we were charmed by Sergio’s love of his city’s “aging elegance” and how he’d won the nation’s blind wine tasting contest. Being with him was emblematic of our trip  .Portus Wine

                Throughout the month we used the sharing economy to book several experiences that brought Portugal’s culture alive and helped us avoid the forced march of large group tours that we abhor.  We cruised the river with Sylvia Tomas and Pedro Lemos, an ambitious young couple.  They’d found a neglected boat and fixed it up for tours. As we waved to passengers crowded onto the decks of passing ships, Sylvia told us, “The difference is we don’t want to seem like a business.  We want to seem like

we opened the door to our house.” Pedro grew up in a family of sardine fishermen so his stories of the city’s history were enlivened by childhood memories.   Meanwhile, we became fast friends with the 3 other passengers on the tour, fascinating young women who’d emigrated from the U.S. to Israel.  It was a great choice among the many river tours offered on Airbnb Experiences Porto

                 In Lisbon’s “Onion Square” we shared a dramatic moment with our tour guide Beatrice. “We are standing where people greeted the ships returning from the Far East with new foods, exotic animals and spices….To them this ocean was a vast scary place where you might fall off the edge of the Earth. When they tasted onions they ate them like apples…. Pepper made them sneeze.  Chocolate was a revelation, magic.” Then she compared it to our current perspective on exploring outer space.  “What magic will we discover there someday?”  We

booked that memorable experience on a Free Walking Tours  site where you pay what you will.  They’re available in hundreds of cities worldwide.

                On the site  Go With Guide we arranged an informative Jewish History Walking tour where we walked through historic neighborhoods and heard about the Inquisition.  We became acquainted with the cuisine of Portugal on a food tour that we booked on Airbnb Experiences. “We have 365 recipes for cod, one for each day,” our guide Eloise began.  Then she led us to a dozen small restaurants where we tried everything from fish to cheeses to flaming pork. 

        

        The food tour ended with the ubiquitous pastel de nata pastry so I was delighted to attend a cooking class to make them that I booked on Get Your Guide.  What a wonderful afternoon.  The 6 other students were from around the world and shared their stories as we baked and our teacher Katia was the real deal: “My grandma used to bake 100 natas each day and I was the delivery girl.  So I’d deliver 95 or 96…”

                A big highlight was sharing a meal at João’s apartment that we booked through Eat With This website offers dinner parties in local’s homes all over the world.  The lavish meal he prepared for the 8 of us was delicious and the international company was very lively.   João offers his dinners quite often and it was apparent that they were an important part of his income which we were happy to support.

         

       The sharing economy is changing the way we travel.  It’s a lot more than Airbnb and Uber. You can rent everything from a parking spot to ski equipment or travel for free by trading work, pet sitting or house swapping. It’s a great alternative to either being with a group the whole time or being on your own. 

Surprises in Portugal

 

 

        It seems like everyone is going to Portugal, just got back or wants to go.  No wonder.  Renowned for its beauty, cuisine, culture and history, it’s an attractive destination.  My husband and I spent a month there this summer and found all of that to be true but there were some surprises.

        Getting there and getting around was very easy.  A quick Charleston to Philadelphia flight and a redeye to Lisbon got us there at 9AM. The return flight was even quicker. We planned our itinerary around the train system which is the best in Europe.  They’re comfortable and efficient and a great way to meet people. It was easy to not have a car since UBERS came in an instant for very low cost.  Furthermore, pedestrian safety is among the best in the world.  Cars always yield to crosswalks.

        The food was diverse. They say that Portugal has 365 recipes for cod, one for each day. Stacks of dried cod (which is imported from Norway nowadays) are in every store.  But our food tour guide Eloise introduced us to excellent Iberian pork, cheeses, chorizo and octopus.  There’s wonderful seafood of course but also plenty of ethnic cuisine.  And how nice that it’s safe to drink the tap water.

Dried cod for sale

        It’s both modern and historic.   While we sat in a square surrounded by churches built centuries ago, a busker sang and asked for requests.  Soon the crowd was singing Barbie movie songs, complete with dialogue! But pride in cultural runs deep. In Viana do Castelo we were entranced at a week-long festival that began in 1772.  Saints were carried from  church altars and put onto ships to be blessed at sea.  Citizens walked four hours in parades dressed in traditional clothes and stayed up all night to cover the streets with pictures made of rock salt.  “I get tears in my eyes every year,” our new friend Rosa told us.

Decorated streets in Viana do Castelo 

        And then there’s the politics.  Portugal banned the importation of slaves in 1761, almost 100 years before the U.S. (although it continued in their colonies).  But the Inquisition lasted decades longer, until 1821. We were struck by how democracy was won during a peaceful, one-day coup in 1974 known as the Carnation Revolution where the citizenry flooded the streets and put flowers into gun barrels, ending over 40 years of fascist rule.  It was the first country in the world to decimalize drugs and has one of the lowest drug usage rates in Europe.  Interestingly, a Portuguese man who works for a U.S. company told us that work-life differences create some friction.  Portuguese have 3 weeks of paid time off by law.  U.S. bosses are sometimes annoyed that their European employees don’t take work with them.  A waiter shared that he and his wife enjoy a nice standard of living due to the guaranteed minimum income laws and expats were eager to  boast of receiving medical care for a fraction of the U.S. cost.          

        And then there’s the wine.  No surprise that it’s so wonderful, but it’s surprisingly inexpensive.  Another delight:  tiny chocolate cups of ginjinha (a cherry liquor) sold from doorways all over the country.  

Chocolate cups of ginjinha

        And then there’s the pastry.  How many bakeries can one country support?  Apparently one on every block.  People linger over cappuccino and conversation so we made it our daily ritual too.  It was our duty to compare the ubiquitous pastel de nata (little custard tarts) that every city creates its version of.

Pastry for miles!

        

Portugal’s tourism is increasing and it’s easy to see why.  Vacationing there is comfortable, interesting and easy.  Compared to other European countries, it’s less expensive and it’s full of delightful surprises. 

       

       

       

       

 

      

       

Chasing the View

The view from our penthouse overlooking the Malecon. 

               My brother David is a man who appreciates luxury. “It’s all about the view,” he kept saying as he enticed my husband and me to join him and his wife in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. To prove his point he rented a penthouse condominium to share and insisted we take the master suite. From the bed, all we could see was the ocean. Even the shower had a picture window above the sea. The view below the expansive deck was the Malecón, the city’s 1 kilometer promenade. From our 3-story perch we watched it come alive each morning: stands sprang up selling crafts and colorful shish kabobs of fruit; a guy hawked Herbalife; a man painted completely brown posed as a human statue; break dancers drew crowds. When we watched the moon rise above the Pacific, it transformed into a dessert buffet: beautiful cakes, homemade ice cream and distinctive dishes from elotes to crepes. All set against the backdrop of the majestic Sierra Madre Mountains that span to the rocky shore.

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The view from the shower.

            A picturesque walk up the Malecón is the city’s “Romantic Zone” where traditional houses sit beside trendy bars. At dark it comes alive with the city’s best nightlife. The area calls itself “a true gay village” because the LGBT community owns many businesses. Gay marriage is legal here. Thriving destination wedding venues advertise with photos of couples against a backdrop of the Bay of Banderas surrounded by mountains.

            Our cousins Ellen and Bobby have spent several vacation months at the Shangra-La, a high rise near the marina. From the 12th floor of their 2500 square foot apartment they have a magnificent view. Downstairs there’s a mile-around swimming pool, a welcome alternative to the chilly ocean. Now they’ve made friends with other couples who come often. All-inclusives also rise along this part of the shoreline where you can enjoy your view from a swim-up bar if you’d like.
        I was fascinated by the dozen sculptures erected along the Malecón so I took a free walking tour one morning to learn more. There’s one of a whimsical unicorn that brings good luck if you rub it; a gluttonous man eating negative emotions; the iconic boy on a seahorse. They’re large, bronze and often attract mischievous children or drunks who climb on them. “What’s the liability issue if someone falls off?” a tourist asked the guide. “There is none,” he replied. “If people get injured it’s their problem! In Mexico (unlike in the U.S.) you are responsible for your own safety.” Art thrives throughout the town. In Lazaro Park I encountered a community group on their knees chatting while they added yet more tiles to the kaleidoscope of mosaic benches and walls.  
                                                                                                        

                           

               Following David’s quest for luxury with a view, we celebrated our anniversary at the beautiful Café de Artistes. I actually gasped when we entered the astonishing courtyard garden where tables are nestled on stone ledges surrounded by statues and glittering lights. Our celebratory dessert was plated upon a mirror with a flower pot of chocolate mousse and a standing spun sugar heart. Another night our view was of a beautiful sunset from under a thatched roof while eating lobster on the beach. Puerto Vallarta is in Jalisco where blue agave is grown. Throughout the town there are small shops offering tastings of small batch tequila brands. You can also book a tour to visit the farms.

            Cousin Ellen says, “Half our friends go to Florida to get a view of the ocean and half go to Arizona for views of the mountains. In Puerto Vallarta you can have both.” For us it added to the list of wonderful Mexican getaways. We were surprised to learn that we could have breakfast in the Lowcountry and be in Puerto Vallarta enjoying the view by lunchtime.

Greenville Takes Center Stage

 

The Liberty Bridge

            I keep returning to Greenville, S.C. I used to think of it as Charleston’s understudy but no more.  Like the colorful students from the Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities that add energy to the city, it has written its own script.

            The dynamism of the city was shaped by Max Heller who was mayor in the 1970’s.  His life reads like a Russian novel. As a teen in Austria prior to World War II, his family was saved from the Holocaust by a chance meeting Max had with a young woman travelling from Greenville.  Her family ended up sponsoring the Heller’s immigration and he repaid that debt by orchestrating the city’s revitalization with a diverse group of business and political leaders.  A series of placards along Main Street recount his gratitude to the country that saved them and the generosity of his legacy:  "I was never interested in being the richest man in the cemetery."  

Yvette learning about Max Heller

            Downtown Greenville is designed for walking.  Set against the backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Main Street is lined with local shops, cafes, art galleries theaters, comedy clubs and restaurants. Money Magazine called it “Picture Perfect…a landscape that launched a thousand Instagram photos,” Over 200 events are hosted downtown each year including dozens of performances at 2,100 seat Peace Center.  More than seventy pieces of public art adorn the streets.  Just up Main Street is Falls Park on the Reedy, a 32-acre urban oasis.  The park’s centerpiece is the pedestrian Liberty Bridge that was built (with much controversy) after tearing down a four-lane thoroughfare.  Today it overlooks a rushing waterfall.  My girlfriend Yvette and I took in the scene from the balcony of the newly built (for $100 million) Grand Bohemian Hotel whose majestic lobby displays a fabulous collection of Native American jewelry. We sipped cocktails and watched barefoot students fly fishing and bicyclists heading to the Swamp Rabbit Trail which runs for 21 miles along the Reedy River. On another visit my sister and I explored that trail with electric bikes from Reedy Rides which zipped us all the way to Traveler’s Rest and back.

              Several dining experiences have proved why the New York Times wrote, “Though small…Greenville may be the next major food destination.”  One reason may be Aryana Afghan Cuisine where Yvette and I were greeted by exotic scents and the gorgeous proprietor Nelo.  Soon our table was full of dishes made from family recipes.  

Kabob dinner at Aryana

At Fork and Plough Restaurant we learned of their pandemic pivot:  an innovation to sell take-and-bake meals.  The chicken pot pies proved so successful they still make them by the dozens.  Greenville even has its own food festival Euphoria started by another of Greenville’s impresarios, Edwin McCain, who often plays at the riverside amphitheater.  Every September Euphoria fills restaurants and hosts dramatic meals in unique venues like the Wyche Pavillion, an upcycled a warehouse.  A couple we chatted with over hors d’oeuvres there said that they had moved from Charleston and were happy to enjoy a lower cost of living near the mountains.   

            Not far from Main Street is Heritage Green, Greenville’s art and cultural campus of museums, theaters and the county library.   Yvette and I were headed to Chautauqua Greenville.  But we stopped first for a stellar exhibit of Andy Warhol lithographs at the History Museum next door to the theater.  Chautauqua is an American tradition where actors portray notable historic characters and lead compelling discussions. It’s produced in many places across the country, 35 years in Greenville. The performance we saw featured festival founder George Frein portraying Mark Twain known as “the greatest humorist the United States has produced.” It was hilarious: “Clothes make the man. Naked people hardly ever have any influence;” and feisty: “Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason.”

            The realization of Greenville’s vision has attracted many fans and accolades.   Polls have praised its unrivaled friendliness and proximity to outdoor adventures.  LinkedIn voted it the “most optimistic city in the U.S.” Edwin McCain says,

“Greenville is everything. It’s why I still live here. I love all of the people. We have a diverse young city.” It’s certainly ready for its moment in the spotlight.

If You Go:

Greenville tourism: https://www.visitgreenvillesc.com/

Euphoria: https://euphoriagreenville.com/

Restaurant suggestions: https://aryanagreenville.com/

https://www.forkandplough.com/

Chautauqua Greenville: https://historycomesalive.org/

Bike Rental: https://reedyrides.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

             

Imagining an Expat Life in Mexico

 

 

Adrian Otto at home in San Miguel de Allende

        Adrian Otto had recently moved to San Miguel de Allende Mexico when she was awakened by a loud noise:  Bang, bang, bang.   “I dived under my bed.  I thought it was a drive-by shooting,” she said. No. Just some of the town’s frequent fireworks.  After being there a few years she told me, “I feel safer here than in the U.S.”  I heard that repeatedly from ex-pats that comprise about 10 percent of the town’s population. Adrian was inspired by environment there: “Everywhere I looked was full of natural beauty.”  It’s a UNESCO Heritage site.  But the pace of life took some adjustment.   “I took a taxi ride and wondered, ‘why is this taxi going so slow?’ No one is in a hurry here.”  I was astounded to see that in the historic town center (population 60,000) there are no stop signs.  Cars approach intersections and patiently take turn; no one honks and pedestrians are always afforded the right of way.

                When Adrian lived nearby on Sullivan’s Island, we loved watching her pet guinea pigs scampering around her yard.  Some play in a cage on her courtyard now where passersby stop to say hello. She’s continued to invest in real estate and now owns 2 houses in the Guadeloupe neighborhood which is famous for its colorful murals. Her renovated home is filled with local art, much of it depicting animals in reference to her careers as a veterinarian and horse jockey. 

                 The popularity of San Miguel for expats is attributable to Chicagoan Stirling Dickinson who wandered into El Jardin, the town square,  in 1937 and thought “ My God, what a sight! What a place. I’m going to stay here.” He cofounded an art institute.  After World War II he recruited hundreds of veterans to study there.  The G.I. Bill afforded them a much better lifestyle than in the U.S.  That art center became the Allende Institute which continues to offer a large variety of classes that contribute to the city’s sophisticated arts scene.

                During the month I spent in San Miguel I asked many expats why they’d moved there.  Chiefly the reason was financial.  The cost of living is much lower than the U.S.  That’s very appealing to digital nomads and to retirees who make up 80% of the ex-pat community.  Many are single women.  Girlfriend groups are apparent at restaurants and events.  Several told me how easy it is to make friends since everyone crosses paths at the numerous concerts, plays, tours and classes. There’s a huge English language library and over 100 nonprofit organizations where many volunteer. 

                It’s an easy place to live.  The climate is temperate. The tourist infrastructure is developed.  People walk the steep cobblestone streets everywhere or take inexpensive transportation.  There’s a notable absence of pushy street vendors.  Like Charleston, San Miguel has been voted #1 in the World in magazines but they seem to have handled it gracefully.  

     

          Another reason people cited for the move is politics.  One woman was caring for her aging mother several years ago and researching an affordable place to relocate when her mother was gone.  “Then Trump got elected and we both moved to San Miguel,” she said. Many told me they’d left the U.S. because of gun violence.  In fact, violent crime is very low in San Miguel. There are no drug cartels there. When I told people where I was going many said to me, “You’re going to Mexico!  Isn’t it dangerous?” And here were expats saying they’d moved to Mexico because it’s safer.  How ironic. 

 

Choose your size music festivals

 

                The horn section was starting to groove as we set up our chairs in the festival tent early one morning “Yes!  Funk music! My favorite way to start the day,” I told my husband.  If music feeds your soul as it does mine, book a festival get-away.  You’ll return with legs tired from dancing and a playlist of new favorites.

The Blind Willie McTell Festival in Thomson, Georgia  

This small (only 2,000 attendees) 1 ½ -day celebration of roots music and blues near Augusta, Georgia is a gem.   Namesake William Samuel McTell was born here in 1901.  He lost his sight in early childhood but learned to read and write music in Braille and composed some of Blue music’s most recorded songs including Statesboro Blues.  Since 1992, locals of this quaint town have produced this “love fest” featuring Grammy and American Music award winners.  The friendly crowd punctuated their applause with shouts of “Mighty fine!” and “Amen!” Jerron Blind Boy Paxton added some folksy humor: “Do you know the difference between a fiddle and a violin?” “You can’t spill beer on a violin.” It’s a real bargain at just $40-50 a ticket which includes the Kick Off Party on Sept. 23, 2022 and all day on Sept. 24.  You can stay nearby in hotels and buy food on site.   https://www.blindwillie.com/

 

LEAF Festival

Taking our children to the LEAF Festival throughout their childhoods was one of our best parenting decisions.  As adults, we all still go. These October and May weekends filled with world music, dancing, slam poetry, crafts and healing arts in the beautiful setting near Black Mountain, N.C. are a balm for the soul.  This October 20-23, 2022 the festival will celebrate its Golden Anniversary with a “Best-of” line-up from the previous 50 festivals including Anjelique Kidjo, Rising Appalachia and Donna the Buffalo. The Rwanda Jr. Troupe of drummers will come to represent one of the many culture keeper programs that LEAF supports throughout the world. Fire dancers, jugglers, puppeteers, and an electrifying drum circle on the mountaintop add to the family-friendly atmosphere.  Held on the site of a boy’s summer camp, the festival offers tent sites and bunk-house accommodations.  Tickets are capped at 6,000 so there’s room to roam among the several stages in the lakeside setting of the Blue Ridge.  Sure to sell out:  https://theleaf.org/

The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival presented by Shell  

photo by Joshua Brasted

I recently watched the documentary JAZZ FEST: A NEW ORLEANS STORY which celebrates the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival’s 50th anniversary. It reminded me of the exultation of being there: like falling into a musical gumbo. When jazz impresario George Wein began the festival in 1970, there were more performers on stage than in the crowd. Not anymore. Over 475,000 people attended over ten days last year. It was belly-to-back crowded at the main stage each of the years we attended. But there are 12 stages of jazz, gospel, Cajun, zydeco, blues, R&B, rock, funk, African, Latin, Caribbean and folk music where you can enjoy smaller crowds and excellent performances. And where else can you get festival food like alligator pie, crawfish sacks, cochon de lait po-boys and muffuletta? The foundation that produces the festival ensures that New Orleans’ culture lives on through its educational and charitable work and it was a pivotal force in the city’s recovery from Hurricane Katrina. Although it’s not until April 28 to May 7, 2023, advanced planning is required since hotels, especially those near shuttle sites, fill early. https://www.jazzandheritage.org/



I recently learned a new work: tripophobia, the fear of not having any trips booked. Don’t suffer. Plan ahead. You’ll get the best accommodations, early ticket pricing and the added joy of anticipation.

photo by Joshua Brasted