El Connoisseur

6/15/08-I was thinking of going to the Puerto Rican parade in
Manhattan andthen reporting here my adventures, but it is
so incredibly hot today that I decided I would have first
row seat from my apartment and watch it on TV.  It is
a lot more fun... of course I'm missing the
possibility of sweating profusely, but just for fun I
opened my window and turned off the air conditioner
while I write this, to feel it more “real”.

Basically is the same thing as every year.
Politicians and VIPs marching down, trying to get the
support of the nearly 2 million people that are on
Fifth Avenue.  And thousands of people marching with
flags, representing the different coalitions and
organizations.  

Something I didn't see before, was a
group of old but restored cars, practically looking in
mint condition.  I guess that is another stereotype,
that Latinos are very good at restoring old cars.

I'm watching it with the hosts from channel 9.  They
are really talented people, but they fell for some
kind of mistake from their producer and started
following the beat of the music with some sticks and
maracas. Then they got up and danced to something
that was definitely not the rhythm of the music in the
background and they had NO rhythm whatsoever.  Then
the flutist Nestor Torres joined them and “taught”
them how to create some music with the sticks and the
maracas while he played a little melody with the
flute...  I am sorry to report that it was very
pathetic!

Why do people think that with sticks and maracas they
can create Latin sounding music?  Tito Puente is
probably turning on his grave if he is listening to
that!

I think everyone should feel free to do what they
want, and be as bad at it as they are (I'm a terrible
dancer, but I dance every once in a while and don't
care what people think), but I guess I wouldn't do it
on TV, specially if everything seems so stereotyped.
On the other hand, if I was getting paid for that,
then I would have to dance to my terrible rhythm!

The food they showed on TV looks so nice that it made
me hungry for some Pastelón, or empanadillas... well,
I guess I have to go and get dinner at my Puerto Rican
friends.  They are also at home avoiding the heat!

Sally de la Puerta

5/18/08-By Sally de La Puerta

El Barrio…“In the Heights” is a Broadway musical

that got 13 nominations to the Tony Awards, including

Best Musical, here in New York.  The story is about the
life in the very Latino neighborhood in the upper side
on Manhattan, Washington Heights.

It is an original musical conceived by Lin-Manuel
Miranda that was staged first in his college years.
After his graduation he came back to New York, and
worked with some people to adapt the musical to bigger
and wider audiences.  It was in an Off-Broadway
theater, and got enough success to make the move to
Broadway.

I haven’t seen the musical yet, but I am looking
forward to it, since I actually know one of the cast
members, Olga Merediz, who happens to be also one of
the nominees to a Tony Award.  For what I was told,
the play is basically the story of the life in the
barrio, where everybody pretty much knows everyone
else, and the realization of the American Dream.  The
music is fantastic, and it is hard to keep
seated and not get up and dance to it.  I’m really
looking forward to see it.

My last visit to Washington Heights was very
interesting.  I was with a couple of friends.  We saw
the people chatting on the streets, we saw a young
mother leaning on a pillow over her window, chatting
with her friends who were on their way to a party.

We also saw an older woman walking with a couple of
bags when a younger man approached her and helped her
into a building.  One of my friends told us that when
she was a kid, she went to visit her grandmother, a
Cuban matron that knew everybody in the barrio in
Brooklyn, and proudly screamed to everyone she saw:
“my grandoter! My grandoter!”  

Later she told us that her grandmother was a very

known woman, because she was the “loan shark” of

her barrio.  Just that image made me laugh a lot!

So, if you are in the New York area, make sure to
check out the musical In the Heights.  After all,
coming to New York and not going to a Broadway play or
musical is not experiencing the city as it is meant to
be!

Sally De la Puerta

5/08/08-by Sally de la Puerta

In the last few years, perhaps because I had a lot
more time to be surfing on the net, I’ve noticed that
every Cinco de Mayo, many websites and main pages,
have available a special Guacamole recipe. I always
thought because they wanted to match the fact that it
is avocado season, and Mexicans celebrate an important
day.

So, this year I did a little bit of searching and
found out that Cinco de Mayo, a typical holiday
related to Mexican Heritage, is basically celebrated
in the United States, because in Mexico, is just a
local holiday, celebrating the victory of the Mexican
army in the Battle of Puebla against the French army.
I am happy that at least there’s a day where everybody
coming from Mexico or of Mexican descent have a
special day to celebrate.  Here in New York, there
were even some little parties and parades, and in most
restaurants there were specials on Mexican beer and
special dishes.  And then, there is the Guacamole.
I have to admit, I love Guacamole!  Once I found a
recipe and made it while I was in Germany, and it was
a total success! Everybody was asking me how to make
it.  I felt very proud of finding that recipe.

But then one day I went to a Mexican restaurant here
in Manhattan, where they made Guacamole right in front
of you, and actually I was very disappointed! It was
bland, no much of a flavor whatsoever! What happened?
Did I find the wrong recipe?

The Hispanics in this country are the biggest minority
to this date.  Most of us are coming from Mexico and
Puerto Rico, but there are so many more nationalities
involved that I am sure there is a special Guacamole
recipe from every single person that knows how to make
it.  I was born in Venezuela, so my Guacamole might be
slightly different from others, even though I got my
recipe on the Internet.

The Recipe: Here’s what I make:
For 1 avocado, I put one tomato, 1 small onion, 1
garlic clove, all together cut very small.  As
seasoning, I use salt, a little bit of pepper,cilantro,
cumin, and lemon juice. And the SECRET?I let it rest
for at least one hour before serving it.  Of course I
make more or less depending on the avocados, which
have to be very ripe.

Am I wrong? It tastes delicious, really! But now I
have my doubts if it is made “the right way”.  So,
this is my quest for the perfect Guacamole recipe!  If
you know how to make it, or have a better one, please
let me know!

-Sally de la Puerta

Sally de la Puerta
5/4/08- A couple of months ago I moved back to New York City
after almost 5 years of absence.  I know the city
pretty well and I can get around all over without any
problems except for Queens.  I’ve got lost so many
times in Queens is not even funny!  But I’ll tell you
about Queens some other time.

I went with few of my friends to a place in Washington
Heights (the upper side of Manhattan), to have a drink
and have fun.  The place is called Fibe and it is
located on Broadway and 171st street.  The food is
pretty good the prices are not too expensive, the
service is very good, and the ambiance was great!
The best part, it was filled with Latinos/Hispanics
that were there to enjoy the music and the Saturday
night Karaoke.

From the DJ (I can’t remember her name) to the people
singing and dancing, we all had a pretty good time.
Since I don’t need to be drunk to make a fool of
myself, I was one of the first people to sing a song
in Karaoke, which by the way, offered songs in English
and in Spanish!

There was a table with like 10 people, most of them
women, and they were singing most of the songs.  As
time was passing, one could see the liberating effects
of the alcohol, seeing that more and more singers were
up to the microphone.   In between singers, there was
“dancing” music, and it was a great pleasure to see
real Bachata dancers!  There is a trick on the feet
that not everybody knows how to do it!
So, if you are in New York, or you plan on coming any
time soon, this is a great place to party
Latino/Hispanic style.

The best thing for me was to see real women.  I mean,
women with real curves! They were not afraid of their
few extra pounds, and definitely not ashamed of moving
to the rhythm of whatever music was on!  Those Latinas
were shaking everything and having so much fun!  I
wish these women were the ones we could see more as
role models and in the cover of magazines.  I wish I
could be more like them…  because I might be able to
carry a tune every once in a while, but when I try
dancing, I’m a sack of potatoes!

-Sally de la Puerta.

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 4/29/08- It's the 2nd most southern most city in the world...and some call it...the end of the world. 

 Ushuaia, Argentina is a beautiful town located on the island of Tierra del Fuego.  Hispanic.com's blogger Joel is on a Latin American trip and sent the below photos.

 
The night before these pictures were taken it had just snowed, so the snow on the mountains was powdery fresh. 
 

Lots of skiing is to be had in Ushuaia as the climate is very chilly.  Temperatures generally range all year  long falling between 33-48 degrees Farenheight.

 Cruise ships visiting the Falkland Islands and Antarctica dock at Ushuaia so tourists can take in the beautiful dockside and visit natural parks where penguins, seal lions, and birds frolic.  Animals don't mind humans coming close as you can see by the closeness of these pictures.

 

-El Connoisseur     

All comments are moderated- To add your comment on this article, register with Hispanic.com and click on the confirmation email to activate your account. 

4/28/08-What makes you a Latino/Hispanic?  Is it the color of your skin? Is it your accent while speaking? Is it the way you dress? Perhaps the foods you eat? Or maybe you area Latino/Hispanic because you know how to dance Salsa and Merengue, you grew up eating Tacos made by your abuela, or you know that the Adobo is the best thing to cook and get that flavor of home cooked meals?  Perhaps is the fact that you knew more than your
classmates in Spanish class? Or is it a combination of
all of the above?

Hispanics/Latinos usually speak Spanish, but Italians,
Portuguese and Brazilians are also considered Latinos,
and technically French people should be considered
Latinos too, although they are “colder” on the
personal exchange.

As a Hispanic/Latino, you talk using your hands and gesturing,
the space between you and your Hispanic/Latino friends is
closer than with other people, and you feel free
giving hugs and kisses instead of shaking hands.
All of these things are only the tip of the iceberg.
Being a Latino/Hispanic, is much more than defining it
by race.

Have you ever filled up a survey or an application
where one of the questions is about your ethnicity?
For the multiple options about race there are
Caucasian/White, African American/Black, Asian, Native
American, and in many occasions, Latino/Hispanic is
included as a race.  So what race would you choose if
your skin is white, your mother is Mexican your father
is Puerto Rican, you grew up eating Tacos and Arroz
con Gandules, you spoke Spanish at home, you know how
to dance Salsa and like to listen to the Spanish
radio?  You can’t fit in just one box.

Being Latino or Hispanic is all of that and much more!
So, whatever your background, embrace it! That makes
you a unique person in a universe of diversity, and
that variety is what makes life more interesting!

4/22/08 - Hola damas y caballeros! I just saw the movie, La Misma Luna, (or as it is called in U.S. theaters, Under the Same Moon) which is about immigration. To quickly summarize, nine-year old Carlitos crosses the Mexican border in search of his mother in Los Angeles after his grandmother dies. Carloitos mother, Rosario, traveled to California in search for a better her life for her son, but four years later she is still far from bringing Carlitos to the America.

Pues, when I saw this movie, I lost it. I was bawling and cursing myself for wearing so much eyeliner (yes, I am one of those chicas, who wears a bunch of black eyeliner). True, not everyone will love this movie, but it is a great movie, en mi opinión. Yes, it is the classic immigration story, but it is a story that is still very real. La Misma Luna hits a certain group of Latinos like very few movies do. The music is the same music from our (people living in the southwest part of the U.S.) pasts, and the Latino relationships were so real. When I saw the Carlitos’ abuela, I saw my abuela. When I saw the relationship between the boy and his mother, I saw my relationship between my mama and I.

I wish every single person who thinks of immigrants as criminals, or people who need to be deported, would see this movie. Immigration is a tough issue and there is no clear right answer, but one thing is for sure, immigrants never want to leave their home. They do it because the need to survive. I am sure when I say all this, I am preaching the choir, no? But hey, we still need to support this movie. It is a Mexican movie (with actual Mexican actors) and Hollywood needs to feel our presence in this country. This movie represents us in a positive manner and we should hope that more Latino movies like, La Misma Luna, are yet to come.

-Melissa Ruiz

Guest Writer 

Entonces, we've all been there.  Caliente!  You've gotten a bumper crop of chiles, and while they are muy sabrosos, ya probably can't eat them all at once.  So how can we store these babies to help them last as long as possible?

Avocado Ice Cream  

Sounds crazy but this is in fact delicious. I whipped up a test batch yesterday and just fell in love.  Smooth, silky, with jut a hint of Tequila...Bailey's flavored ice cream ain't got nothing on this!

Ingredients
2 large avocados, peeled, seeded, and sliced
4 cups medium or whipping cream
3 tablespoons tequila or light rum
3 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Instructions
Combine the avocados and 1 cup of the cream in the container of a blender or processor. Add the liquor and whirl until smooth. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Beat the egg yolks with another cup of the cream. In a saucepan, combine the flour, sugar, and salt and whisk to blend thoroughly. Slowly whisk in the remaining 2 cups of cream and stir over medium heat until slightly thickened. Whisk half the hot mixture into the egg yolks. Pour the mixture back into the pan and stir over medium heat for 1 minute. Remove from the heat, stir in the vanilla, and chill for 2 hours. Combine the avocado mixture and the egg yolk mixture in the container of an ice cream machine and process according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Yield: 8 servings.

Credits
From: Judy Gorman's Vegetable Cookbook

8/12/07- Has Medellin turned a corner and become the new hotspot to hang out in?

In the 1980s Medellin was famously home to Pablo Escobar's cocaine cartel and was internationally recognized for its status as home to the world's bloodiest cocaine battles.  I grew up in the 80s and 90shave long associated Medellin with drugs and crime.

But over the last 10 years, it seems the city has been cleaning up its act.  The gangs, cartels, and battles are gone: replaced by outdoor cafes, museums, libraries, and parks.

Would you feel safe visiting Medellin?  I wonder how it would feel.  It'd be interesting to hear from those who have been to visit lately about their perspectives of the city. 

Botero donated over a 100 of his paintings to a Medellin museum not long ago, and it'd be fascinating to go see those.  But for me personally, It'd be hard to get Medellin's history out of my mind.

-El Connoisseur     

5/28/07-I chat with Malanie da Trindade-Asher, founder & CEO of Macchu Pisco.

 

What is pisco?  And why should we be drinking it?

Pisco is an ancient Peruvian liquour made from grapes- it's been around for 400 years.  Pisco's a white spirit and it sits under the brandy category actually.   Some folks in the younger age groups are surprised to learn that.  Did you know cognacs also fall under the brandy category?  

 

What does it taste like?

It is actually much "grapier" than a vodka.

 

I hear alot about the famous "pisco sour"...what is that?

The pisco sour is Peru's national cocktail. It's made of pisco, lime, and sugar with just a bit of egg yolk.  (It is so good!  Don't be afraid of the egg yolk.)

 

Why is drinking pisco hip all of a sudden?

Well I think its becoming part of that growing popularity spike of Latin American spirits like the caipirinha or the mojito.  

 

Okay, so where does pisco get its name?

Pisco is the name of the port where pisco is exported from.  It's an area, really a small city of Peru.  

 

What makes pisco….pisco?

Peru has very strict laws about where and how pisco is made.  You may see spirits from Argentina or Chile try and call themselves pisco, but pisco was born in and is governed by the laws of Peru.

 

How else can we drink pisco?

Well you can use pisco anyway you would use a vodka.  But some of the suggested methods are:

-pisco with ginger ale or coke

-pisco punch with pineapple or passion fruit juice

 

You are the CEO of your own pisco company, Macchu Pisco.  Tell us about your products.

Our piscos, Macchu Pisco and La Diablada Pisco are made all naturally.  They don't require any added yeast, they have no sulfites…no additives…no anything extra. ..so no hangover the next day!  Macchu Pisco is for Pisco sours and La Diablada is our award winning sipping Pisco. 

 

Macchu Pisco's two brands: La Diablada & Macchu Pisco can be found in Massachusetts, the District of Columbia, Virginia, Maryland, and Nevada.   Soon you'll also be enjoying it in Chicago, New York, and California.  Also check out their very feisty and attractive Peruvian pisco girl: Lizzie Puell. www.macchupisco.com

 

-El Connoisseur 

 

We had the great opportunity to talk with the “Master of Whisky” for the DC, Virginia, Maryland region, Kristina Sutter.   The Master of Whisky is the regional Diageo spokesperson for brown spirits. Masters of Whisky undergo extensive training to develop expert knowledge in the products of scotch, Canadian, Irish, American, and other whiskies.

 

 

Q: Let's talk food pairings…specifically pairings with spicy, flavorful ethnic-style food such as Mexican, Spanish, Southwest cooking etc.

A: Food pairings are one of my favorite things to talk about.  Whisky was actually the original spirit used to pair with food for ages.   Wine pairings didn't start happening until the 1980s. 

 

It's a similar thought process as pairing wine. You can do flavors that will complement or match food in flavor and texture or conversely pairings that will contrast.   We'll talk about both methods. And remember it's about experimenting and having fun with it!  

 

Q: Okay for instance lets talk about matching a whisky to a spicy, peppery dish.

A: It's very interesting pairing ethnic food such as Hispanic foods. A spicy peppery dish would go well with the Talisker 10-year singe malt or the Talisker 18 year old single malt. The 10-year old is known for being peaty and smoky and it also has a pepperiness to the scotch as well.  (The 18-year old would be richer, smoother, and tad spicier.) So that's an example of matching flavors and textures. (Talisker is from the Isle of Skye which is known for its peaty soil.) The bold flavors of Talisker will be able to stand up to a spicy dish and each flavor set will enhance the others.

 

Q: So what might be an example of contrasting flavors with the spicy, peppery dish?

A: Take Glenkinchie 10-year old single malt, and that same dish…that spirit will do something very different because it is a lighter, sweeter whisky.  Glenkinchie is our lightest single malt from the Lowlands of Scotland which produces the light fruit forward scotches.   So pairing Glenkinchie with a spicy, peppery dish will make it appear even lighter...but it will bring out the sweetness in the whisky.

 

Q: Okay great.  Let's look at another dish such as something with a lot of queso, or perhaps something with a mole-style sauce.  

A: Yum.  With queso dishes, or white chicken, and mole-style or other thick sauces- that's when we are talking about texture.   You would not want to pair that with the Talisker.  All that's going to do is enhance the smoke in the Talisker.   The Cragganmore [single-malt] has a really light taste to it and it will pair wonderfully. That's a matching.   It's got a light maltiness, butter-biscuity, and light fruit taste to it.  It would pair really nicely with queso, white chicken, or with other thick flavorful sauces.

 

Q: Excellent.  Well anything else you'd like to share with us?

A: Yes, if you are looking for an affordable yet delicious and really all purpose whisky…go for Johnny Walker Black Label (JWB).   JWB is known as the benchmark for all scotch whiskies.  It represents every section of the scotch flavor wheel.   You have the general flavor characteristics.  These are smoke, rich dried fruit, light fruit, vanilla, and oak.  JWB has all of those flavors.   It's a blended scotch whisky and very affordable.  JWB’s a standard go-to whisky.  It's well-known and people are comfortable with it.   Also people are comfortable mixing cocktails with JWB.  Generally among Hispanics they are mixing Coke or Diet Coke with JWB. Other options are soda, ginger ale, a Manahattan, an Old Fashioned…and my list could go on.

 

Q: Thanks so much Kristina

A: Thank you.  It's been a pleasure.

 

El Connoisseur Note:

Talisker 10-year                   $40-55

Talisker 18-year                   $68-80

Glenkinchie                           $35-45

Cragganmore 12-year          $40-50

Johnnie Walker Black Label $18-30

 prices range depending on locality