Presenting Peppers and Hot Pepper Oil

Our peppers added to our neighbor's olive oil add punch to all manner of food.

Presenting this year's hot peppers, grown from seed, blooming on the balcony.

By the dozens.

Takes eating locally to a whole new level. And bringing the spice of this land to favorite foods.

Smoked Chicken, Plantain, and Rum Punch

 

Homes in the rainforest used to have outside kitchens with clay ovens (above) in order to cook without heating up the house. Now it's just my daughter and her husband's home that have one (as well as a kitchen inside). It's an oldtime, tried and true way of cooking for those who know the intricacies of cooking without a temperature gauge to guide the way. And it's a terrific way to smoke chicken (or other meat or fish) for a long period of time over fragrant wood until it's tender and yummy.

The chicken is on that grill platform (below) over the fire and covered with banana leaves. The fire is low and smoldering to cook the meat well while imparting that unique smoky flavor and unmatched tenderness. This was Christmas dinner after a few hours of expert care by son-in-law as taught by his grandfather. It tasted scrumptious.

He also grows plantain (look like bananas, only bigger) which are known far and wide for their particularly sweet taste and are specially prized in the holiday season. We in the family get to enjoy it sliced and fried lightly with a pinch of salt as often as we want, lucky us. The sweetness is remarkable.

And for juice each day, my daughter goes out to the yard and picks whatever oranges, grapefruits or limes are ripe, adds water and maybe a little sugar and we drink it. In the evening, add rum and it's a rum punch. I'm getting spoiled and becoming a rum afficianado. El Dorado12 year or 1919 anyone?

Can You Relate?

I really laughed when I saw this on a blog! I was looking at a photo of my grandson, ever the curious explorer, and thinking that curiosity about life is such a great attitude to foster. Then I saw this and a blog idea was born! I mean, I like a clean house and I like to eat but everything else seems more important to me in terms of how I allocate my time. I'm not curious about cooking or cleaning and I am about so many other things. I live in Italy and want to explore Italy and Europe now that I'm here. So when I think about what I want to do for the day, or weekend or any stretch of time, it's not cooking and cleaning.



My husband does the cooking in our family and he reads cookbooks and magazine recipes, thinks about food combinations, plans meals, shops for the food and prepares delicious meals spiced with love. I don't, ever. When he's away and I run out of the meals he's left for me, (I know, I'm REALLY fortunate) I do something quick and easy, mostly salads.

My way around the cleaning is to keep our home neat, nicely decorated and homey. I actually enjoy going through home decorating magazines and stores and getting ideas to try. So, it looks clean if you don't look too close. Good enough for me. Of course, when company is coming or when it really needs it, we clean the house together, but quickly, and move on to other more important activities.

Current activities more important than cooking and cleaning: reading, writing, talking with family, talking with friends, outings with family or friends, walking, running, hiking, gardening, going to the beach, going for adventures of any sort, traveling, exploring, seeing new places... well, you get the picture!

Is it a case of defective girl genes or do other women resonate with this?