Sabor de México (Taste of Mexico)

My husband and I have now been in Mexico for a week and time is flying by far too quickly. We neither one are into lounging by the pool and baking in the sun so we’ve been immersing ourselves into as much of the Mexican culture as we can, while still enjoying all the perks provided in a lush, plush resort. I have to admit that the extensive pools, the palm trees and the jungle-like plants surrounding us helps to remind us that we are “not in Kansas anymore, Toto”.

Our immersion has included tastings and classes providing us with stories of food and drink traditions, and culture as well as taking private classes in Español by the pool. Our Spanish classes aren’t meant to be our own little private sessions-it’s just that we seem to be the only two people who are interested in learning. I've also made up challenges such as food shopping from a list that's entirely in Spanish. That shopping list combined with shopping in an unfamilar store is a great challenge.

Our food and drink classes started off with a cocktail making class just a couple of days after arriving. Our Bar Chef, Rene Ramos, has created several cocktails that you’d never think of drinking in Mexico. He mixed six of his favorite recipes, all made with fresh local produce without the aid of a blender and only half of which were based around the infamous Mexican Tequila. Each of his drinks contains two of the same basic ingredients, fresh lime juice and simple syrup. Rene entertained us with a story for each of the recipes; he certainly was charming. It didn’t hurt either that he was young and very cute!

Our second class was the Tequila tasting a couple of days later. Our Tequilier (who knew there was even such an occupation) led us through the history and culture of making Tequila. He covered the two types of agave-the green and the blue plant. For the novices, agave is the cactus that lies at the source of tequila's euphoric buzz. We learned that the best Tequila uses 100 per cent agave and uses the blue plant, which is between five to seven years old. Our Tequilier gave us loads of information along with our tastings but his accent was so strong that we had a really hard time trying to understand him so I’m sure that I missed a great deal. Never mind, I got the most important bits such as the number of distillations needed for a good Tequila, the reasons behind using the salt and lime, and the use of a sangrita along with a younger Tequila. Although the salt and lime are tradition is used with younger Tequilas, the salt is placed around the mouth and followed by the lime. Both are taken after drinking the Tequila, not before as in the shots of Tequila that are often played out in American Bars. A good Tequila should be sipped the same as a good whiskey or cognac.

 

Our third class was a Mexican cooking class starting at 9am. Cooking is a great way of learning about the culture and history of the food that we American’s think of for its hot, spicy kick. It can be hot and spicy but we learned that the foods have much more to offer than just the “heat”! The recipes that the Chefs demonstrated can be made by a complete novice; however, maybe the Shrimps Flambés with Tequila and the Napolitan Flan might require a bit more experience in the kitchen. We definitely shouldn’t have eaten any breakfast because our “tastings” of the recipes were fuerte (hearty helpings)! I loved all the tastes and also loved the Chefs’ explanation of the chiles. I learned that it’s not just the seeds in a chile that makes it so hot, it’s also the veins. So you can use a chile to make a dish as hot as you want or you can just use a bit to give it flavor. The Chefs prepared, and importantly we got to sample, five dishes ranging from the world’s best guacamole to the flan and each one was paired with a vino excelente. Can’t think of a better way to start our day.

We have another week to explore and immerse ourselves in Mexican culture and we have trips to Mayan ruins planned. We’ve been to most of the ruins before so our visit this time will be a revising and a refresher in Mayan history. I have to say that this coming week is going to be hard to surpass this past week in tastes and experiences. 

 

Buenas nochés -- happy hour and a sunset are both calling!

 

Choose a Charity and make a Difference

Autumn is definitely here but our crazy weather can’t decide from day to day if it will be tropical summer or crisp, breezy, fall. Here on the Eastern Shore, we went from incredibly hot to needing a jacket and then back to hot and unbearably humid. You can tell, though, that it’s definitely October because everything in the stores has been decorated for Halloween for at least two months and the enormous bags of candy beckon as soon as you walk into any store (super-size me comes to mind).  I’ve bought into the Halloween hype in a small way so I have a pumpkin and jack-o-lantern next to my front door, plus a “Witch is in” sign in my front window.  My husband and I will be in Mexico on the 31^st so unfortunately, I’m going to miss all of the cute ghosts and goblins who usually come by, although these days they are usually avatars, aliens or zombies.

October is probably best known for Halloween but I found out through some recent Internet research that it’s one of the most popular “official national months” for all sorts of charities. Unless you’ve been hiding in a cave this week, you’ll know that it’s National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and there are all sorts of aggressive campaigns. But did you know that it’s also “National Bullying Prevention Month”, “National Popcorn Poppin’ Month”, “National Book Month”, “National Cyber Security Awareness Month”, “National Window Coverings Safety Month”, “Domestic Violence Awareness Month” and “National Adopt-a-Shelter-Dog Month”? And all of these popped up before I found the site that I was looking for, The Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s. This is the nation’s largest event that helps raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. (Sorry, I had to get my plug in!) Last year, my husband and I did a 5K walk to help the Eastern Shore chapter but we’ll be away this year so I was trying to find out how to help by just giving a donation.

Every time I check out at a store these days, the clerk asks me if I’d like to donate to a specific charity. While I feel guilty for saying no, there are only so many that I can support and I do have my favorites. I usually have a very good reason to support my choices so I choose those which I have some sort of personal connection. Some of these include: The American Heart Association, and in particular the Go Red for Women, because my family has a history of heart disease; I support the Alzheimer’s Association because an aunt, my husband’s uncle and my son-in-law’s grandmother suffered with Alzheimer’s. Actually, in the end, it was their care-givers all of whom were family members who suffered the most. I also support the (WWF) World Wildlife Foundation because my favorite animals, the cheetahs and polar bears, could become extinct if we humans don’t step in to help. My husband and I support our local animal rescue because the volunteers there do a thankless and endless job of caring for animals that have been abandoned. And our two incredibly spoiled cats came from there. Without ARF (Animal Rescue Foundation) we wouldn’t have Sadie and Ali.

There is another one that I’d like to comment on, yet again, and that’s supporting our troops. One of my blogs last month mentioned several ways you can support them and their families but since Halloween is coming up, I’d like to remind you of the Halloween Candy buyback program. Check to see if your dentist will buy back your left over Halloween Candy – your body will thank you for it. The troops who are keeping you safe will appreciate it too. If your dentist isn’t buying back candy, visit halloweencandybuyback.com for more information.

I guess my concern and question is - "how do you choose which charities you support"? The above list is an amazing one and every single one is a good cause and they all need our support. I’d just urge you to choose those that you are really committed to and give what you can. Every little bit helps.

 

"Generosity consists not the sum given, but the manner in which it is bestowed"

Mahatma Gandhi
"Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions"

Dalai Lama