Peach and Pitaya Sorbet - Nieve de Durazno y Pitaya

Finally, it is starting to feel like Summer here in San Francisco. What is better for Summer than some delicious iced treats? Recently I saw some luscious peaches and colorful pitayas side by side so I decided to make some cool Nieve de Durazno y Pitaya.



More often than not pitayas (also spelled pithaya) are associated with exotic, tropical or Chinese products but they are also abundant in Mexico. Some species of Pitayas are native to the Americas, and in Asian countries they are referred to as "dragon fruits", because they seem scaley, like a dragon's skin. They are rich in calcium and vitamin C. Pitayas are actually not tropical, they grow in arid regions. Like other succulents, like the nopal and the prickly pear, they are believe to regulate blood sugar in diabetics.


Here in San Francisco I found Pitayas on several groceries stores on Mission Street. They are also available at Rainbow Groceries. This being an artsy blog, I also wanted to mention that these curious fruits were a favorite painting subject of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. Here is one of Frida's paintings depicting pitayas!


In Mexico these fruits are not often eaten by themselves. They make wonderful Agua Fresca and nieve, a type of sorbet. I think that the species found here in the US are not particularly flavorful, they have the consistency of kiwi with crunchy little black seeds. The flavor some how resembles Jicama, with a hint of melon. I think the ripe juicy peaches marry well with the flavors of the pitaya. These recipe is super easy. You'll need the following ingredients:

• Two big, very ripe peaches. This recipe wont work if the peaches are not soft.
• Two red pitayas
• Fresh squeezed lime juice
• Sugar or sweetener of your choice to taste (optional)
• A splash of fruity liquor like Midori, Grand Marnier, or Triple Sec (optional)

Cut the pitayas lenghtwise and take the white flesh out of the peel carefully using a spoon. Save the red peel as a "cup" for presenting your sorbet. Cut the pitaya flesh in chunks and place them in a food processor.

Peel the peaches by cutting an "X" on their skin, then dunk them in boiling water for a few seconds. Dunk them on iced water and the skins should be able to come right off. Cut the peaches in chunks and add them to the food processor.

Add the lime juice, the liquor and a little bit of the water you used to peel the peaches. The peaches I used were very sweet so I didn't use any sugar, but you can add the sweetener of your choice at this point. Process until you have a soft puree. Don't process the fruit too much, or the little seeds of the Pitaya will pulverize and discolor your sorbet.

Freeze the puree in an ice cream maker until you reach a sorbet consistency. It wont take too long to churn, so check often. I use cuisinart model 21. If you don't have an ice cream maker you can freeze the puree in a tray until it is partially frozen. Scrape the sides with a spatula and freeze again - it will be more icy, like an Italian Granita, but still good! Serve in the hollowed out peel of the pitaya and enjoy!

Palomitas de Colores: Colorful Fruity Popcorn

So...A recipe for popcorn in a Mexican food blog? Of course! Corn is a quintessential Mexican food, with lots of symbolic meanings, check the previous post. Back in grammar school my friend's mother made colorful popcorn like this. The first time I saw it in his lunchbox I found the colors fascinating! My friend's mom used a syrup made out of hard candy (similar to jolly ranchers) to color the popcorn. This version uses less sugar and fresh fruit to flavor it, and it uses stovetop popped popcorn. It is crunchy, toasty and better than the microwave kinds, that are full of hydrogenated fats. Let's get cooking! You'll need the following ingredients:

FOR EACH BATCH OF POPCORN

• Half a cup of Maiz Palomero, divided into eights of a cup (or any quality brand of popping corn)
• Vegetable oil, two tablespoons
• Salt, just a pinch (optional, it just brings out the flavor)
  
• A sauce pan with a lid (it should hold at least 3 quarts)

Add the oil to the pan, and heat on high, together with one fat kernel of popcorn to test. Once the kernel pops, you are ready to add one eight of a cup of popcorn to the pan, and a pinch of salt. Shake it a bit so it divides evenly into a single layer. Cover and let it rest for about 15 seconds away from the heat - then place it over the flame once again. The popcorn should start popping, go ahead and hold on to the lid and shake the pan vigorously over the stove to prevent burning. Once the popcorn is almost all popped you won't hear rattling. Open the pan halfway so the steam escapes, that way you'll have crunchy toasty popcorn. Place the popcorn in an oven so it stays warm and crunchy, before covering it with the flavored syrup.

FOR EACH CUP OF SYRUP

• One cup of flavoring agent. In this case I used fresh blue berries, raspberries, vanilla, fresh lime and lemon.
  
• One cup of organic, evaporated cane juice sugar or piloncillo (Note: using piloncillo will result in darker colored popcorn).
  
• Three quarters of a cup of water
• A drop or two of vegetable coloring (optional).
  

Fruit syrup is created in a similar manner as the one used for this Agua Fresca, but it uses less water. Combine the water and the fruit of your choice in a blender, strain in a fine sieve. Combine the sugar and the flavored water in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. You can add a couple of drops of food coloring at this point, if you are using it. Boil and stir until the sugar has thickened. This is the tricky part! If your caramel is too tick, you'll end up with a messy sugary clump. If the syrup is too thin, it will shrivel your popcorn. You'll know your syrup is the right consistency if you pick it up with a spoon and it falls back to the pot in the shape of a ribbon. Put the warm popcorn in a bowl and cover with the syrup evenly, using a wooden spatula to carefully coat it. The correct ratio of popcorn to caramel is about half a cup of syrup to three cups of popcorn, depending on taste. Place the finished product on a sheet of wax paper and let dry.


If you are making different flavored popcorn I recommend you have your fruit flavor based prepared ahead of time, before making the syrup. That way your warm popcorn doesn't have to sit in the oven for a long time. Once the popcorn is dry and cool to the touch, it is ready. Put it in a pretty bowl and serve. Oh wait...It doesn't matter where you'll put it, it usually gets eaten right the way! Enjoy.

Doves and Hail: Secret Meanings of Popcorn

During the Mexican conquest, Spanish historian Fray Bernardino de Sahagun described a curious dance performed by young women on the Mexica month of Toxcatl:

"....Young maidens dance shaven, with arms and legs covered in red feathers, wearing capillejos composed of toasted corn called momochitli, that was a grain resembling a very white flower. These capillejos were made in the same manner as the ones created out of flowers, [worn] by young Castillian maidens during the month of May..."

Those capillejos (a type of bonnet) mentioned by Sahagun were actually made out of popcorn. To the Mexica ("Aztecs"), corn was an important grain that held important socio-religious significance, much like chia and amaranth, that I have mentioned on previous posts. Corn was central to the native culture of the Americas, but only Zea Mays Averta had the ability to pop when heated.

Tlaloc, God of Rain, from the Codex Rios

In other writings, Sahagun mentions that momochitli was also offered to Tlaloc, the Rain God, due to its resemblance to hail, that was also attributed to this deity. To this day, some Mexicans say "Tlaloc must be angry" every time it hails. Other writings by Sahagun allude that popcorn was an important offering due to its resemblance to stars - it was a divine reminder of the constellations, that helped the ancient Americans develop the calendar.

Indigenous communities like the Mazahua in central Mexico create simple offerings for religious ceremonies composed of strands made out of popcorn, small biscuits and marshmallows. Thanks to El Bable, you can see the following image showing a Mazahua altar adorned with fruit and popcorn garlands. Mazahua women also create long popcorn garlands that are strung around crosses and images of saints, at times completely covering them. Some times a piece of bread is hung in the middle of the popcorn strand, symbolic of the holy spirit.


The word for popcorn in Mexico is "palomitas" - a word that literally means "little doves", maybe because the popped grain resembles tiny white doves. The name could also be an attempt to scyncretize religious beliefs associated with popcorn. An offering to Tlaloc, the god of rain could be sincretized as an offering to the holy spirit, also symbolized as a white dove in Catholic belief. According to Genesis 8:11, a dove released by Noah flew back to the ark carrying back an olive branch after the flood, a sign of peace and divine reconciliation.

Noah releasing a dove.
Mosaic, Basilica de San Marco, Venice Italy

It is impossible to decipher the exact meaning and associations hidden behind a certain food, but popcorn offers a few clues. Popcorn could be seen as one of the basic miracles of nature: Life trapped inside a seed, just waiting to pop out. It is energy flying in all directions, in the shape of tiny white doves. It sounds like furious hail that destroys crops, both a gift and a warning from divine forces. It could also be a representation of the stars above us - a reminder that we are small among the planets, like a grain of corn. Such are the mysteries of food mythology and syncretism, and some things to ponder next time you to to the movies..! Enjoy the following recipe for Colorful Popcorn.

Animal Free Mexican Chocolate Drinks, Hot and Cold

Dear bloggeritos, I was unable to post for the month of January due to a busy schedule and a spotty internet connection. I'm still around and ready to share some information and ideas for chocolate drinks! It is amazing to think that almost a third of the US is blanketed in snow right now...Here in San Francisco we've been having almost Summer like weather! What could be better than a cool licuado for hot day? Or a cup of hot cocoa, for chilly weather? Read on!

Cool Chocolate Licuados.
I used to drink a heavenly chocolate licuado sold at the Tapachula market when I was a kid. It was advertised as "Choco 1000" (choco mil). It was a play on words on the popular powdered drink called Choco Milk. This drink was cleverly marketed by the super healthy and butch little Mexican boy known as Pancho Pantera. Here's Pancho, courtesy of -U! (Uriel Duran).

This licuado of my childhood was made using fresh non-pausterised milk and a raw egg. It made it really thick and rich, but it would be considered dangerous by today's standards! See the advertising? It was recommended kids drank it three times a day in order to tame tigers, stop trains on its tracks and...Garden.


Amazingly enough, ancient Mexicans blended cocoa water and spices for a chocolate drink that was naturally animal free. The word Chocolate is actually a derivative of the ancient Nahuatl for Xoco Atl, meaning bitter water, a drink that was sacred. The Spaniards turned the word "Xocolatl" into "Chocolate", the term encompassing both cocoa solids and the original frothy drink. Of course, the Aztecs didn't have electric blenders but here's some ideas for making chocolate drinks in the ancient Mexican tradition. I use unsweetened powdered cocoa by Ghirardelli.

• Almendrado. Use two cups of almond milk, a handful of peeled slivered toasted almonds and two heaping tablespoons of powdered cocoa. Add ice cubes, sweetener of your choice and blend.
• Azteca. Two cups of almond milk, a handful of peeled slivered toasted almonds, two tablespoons of chia seeds, and two heaping tablespoons of powdered cocoa. Add ice cubes, sweetener of your choice and blend.
• Chango Marango. Two cups of coconut milk, a very ripe banana, berries of your choice, two heaping tablespoons of powdered cocoa. Add ice cubes, sweetener of your choice and blend.
• Abuelita's. Two cups of almond milk, a handful of peeled slivered toasted almonds, two heaping tablespoons of powdered cocoa, powdered cinnamon, and a tablespoon of Mexican Vanilla (I use Xanath's). Add ice cubes, sweetener of your choice and blend.
• Manicero. Use two cups of rice milk, a ripe pear, two heaping tablespoons of peanut butter, and two heaping tablespoons of powdered cocoa. Add ice cubes, sweetener of your choice and blend.
• Choco Chispas. Use two cups of almond milk, a scoop of soy based frozen dessert (I use the one made by So Delicous), two heaping tablespoons of powdered cocoa and fresh chopped mint. Add ice cubes, sweetener of your choice and blend. The mint will create refreshing little "chips".

History of Hot Mexican Chocolate
The image above comes from Peaton, it shows a chocolate pyramid created for a competition in Germany. Emperor Moctezuma would finish his meal with a frothy gourd full of "Xocolatl" and a nice smoke perfumed with liquidamber resin. The drink was traditionally served cold. During colonial times the original bitter drink of the Aztecs became fermented, sweetened and seasoned with vanilla, sugar, almonds and cinnamon - what it is now known as "Mexican Chocolate" immediately caught on in Europe and became very popular. Certain convents in colonial Mexico experimented with chocolate, creating famous recipes like Mole Poblano, yet the church forbid nuns from drinking chocolate because it was considered too voluptuous for them. Here's a recipe for animal free Champurrado, a hot chocolate drink that can be enjoyed by everyone!

Champurrado
4 cups of Almond Milk
4 tablespoons of cocoa powder
2 small lumps of piloncillo (Mexican Raw Sugar)
2 sticks of Canela (Mexican Cinnamon)
1 cup of corn masa (corn dough used to make tortillas)

Heat the milk, add the cinnamon and the sugar until the lumps dissolve completely. Remove the cinnamon sticks. Add the masa and the cocoa and stir often. Use a blender to combine everything and to make sure your champurrado is nice and frothy. Process in small batches, at the slowest setting. Place a thick cloth napkin on top of the blender so you don't burn yourself. Serve in individual cups and enjoy.


Spicy Hot Chocolate
Finally, if you want your hot chocolate to be hot in more ways than one try adding some dry chiles to it. The picture above is from a spicy Venezuelan hot chocolate taken at Christopher Elbow, in San Francisco. They use a nice blend of chiles, spices and Venezuelan chocolate for this delicious drink. I've used all kinds of chiles in hot chocolate, but I think the best tasting are the raising like pasilla, robust ancho, or smoky chipotle. If you use chipotle use the dry variety - the canned chiles have added spices and salt that won't add much to the chocolate. Here's some notes on spicy Mexican hot chocolate that I served during a recent chocolatada party:

"No chocolatada can be complete without some hot chocolate. I used tablets of Chocolate Ibarra and Chocolate Abuelita and mixed them with hot low fat milk or soy milk. A little bit of the pasilla and negro chiles was added to the blender in order to make a delicious spicy and sweet drink. A little bit of Mexican vanilla also gives the chocolate a wonderful scent. Please make sure you get authentic Mexican vanilla, it really makes a big difference. One of my guests said it was the best hot chocolate she had ever tasted! You can get Ibarra and Abuelita hot chocolate tablets at MexGrocer, I get my vanilla from Xanath in San Francisco."

One last note: Most processed chocolate has milk added to it. If you want your drinks to be animal free, use powdered cocoa, and make sure to read labels carefully for commercially bought blends. Generally, the darker the chocolate, the less likely it is to contain milk. Enjoy your chocolate, and stay cool...Or warm!!

Chocolatada: Day of the Dead Chocolate Party

I threw a chocolate party last Friday to commemorate the Day of the Dead holiday. Why chocolate? Well, everyone loves chocolate! Chocolate was also a sacred food to ancient Mexicans so I found it very appropriate to celebrate this ancient holiday using a chocolate theme. Here's some tips if you want to organize a Day of the Dead chocolatada (chocolate feast) of your own:



Start your party late in the evening so your guests get a chance to eat dinner on their own, if they choose to. Any time after 7:00 or 8:00 pm should give your guests plenty of time to eat a light meal.



I set up two food tables: one with dark chocolate and vegan alternatives, and a more festive "ofrenda" (offering) with more traditional Mexican elements and milk chocolate. My ofrenda had the customary pan de muerto (pictured above), fruit, paper cutouts and traditional marigolds that have been used to honor the dead in Mexico for centuries. I baked two batches of chocolate cutout cookies the night before for both tables. They are relatively easy, and a lot of fun to decorate.


I served two kinds of chocolate fondue with fruit skewers for dipping. Chocolate melts better if you apply even heat slowly. Start melting your chocolate at least an hour before the party starts on a double broiler. Make sure all your utensils are dry and no moisture gets in the chocolate or it will clump. In order for your guest not to get overwhelmed with too much sweetness its a good idea to serve some savories. I made some black bean guacamole and mango salsa and served them with blue corn chips and beet chips. I also had mini pastry shells with mole sauce and roasted veggies. To complete the dark chocolate table I added cascades of black lace, dry pasilla and negro chiles, figs, black grapes and plums. A chocolate cake and brownies completed the table.

No chocolatada can be complete without some hot chocolate. I used tablets of Chocolate Ibarra and Chocolate Abuelita and mixed them with hot low fat milk and soy milk. A little bit of the pasilla and negro chiles was added to the blender in order to make a delicious spicy and sweet drink. A little bit of Mexican vanilla also gives the chocolate a wonderful scent. Please make sure you get authentic Mexican vanilla, it really makes a big difference. One of my guests said it was the best hot chocolate she had ever tasted! You can get Ibarra and Abuelita hot chocolate tablets at MexGrocer, I get my vanilla from Xanath in San Francisco.






MORE RESOURCES:
The black clay skull and candle holder come from Oaxaca, but any dark hued pottery or tarnished silver will do if you want to create a dark table. The man shaped candle comes from a botanica on the Mission district. I also found several goodies and decorations in my neighborhood and on-line. The chocolate cosmos and dark dahlias are from Birch. The chocolate skulls and licorice/chocolate lentils are from Miette. The plastic plates and cups are reusable. I got them from Smarty Had A Party. Have a safe and fun holiday. And remember to brush your teeth!

(:= X

Coconut Horchata - A Recipe from Tapachula

Finally, blogeritos and blogerinas! After a cold Summer seems like we have some sunshine in San Francisco. Like I always say, warm weather reminds me so much of Tapachula, in Chiapas. I lived in Tapachula for only a year, but I used to visit often way before hurricane Stan destroyed the Soconusco region in the Southern most region of Mexico.

Tapachula's cuisine is very alluring, mixing Mayan and Spanish traditions, with some touches of African, Chinese and Japanese influences. The cuisine is not what folks usually think of as "Mexican Food" north of the border. It includes exotic local vegetables and fruits, savory tamales and unusual seafood and game (wild boar, iguanas, round water crustaceans called chiquirines, and turtles).


Tapachula is sweltering hot! Hence the tradition of cooling and nourishing drinks all over the coast of Chiapas. This is a recipe to prepare a refreshing, milky Horchata de Coco. To prepare it, you'll need the following ingredients:

• A fresh coconut
• A dry coconut
• One cup of rice
• One cup of slivered almonds
  
• A stick of cinnamon
• Lemon peel
• A vanilla bean
• Sugar, or agave nectar to taste

Start by soaking the rice, almonds and Cinnamon overnight in six cups of water. The next day, you'll be ready to start adding the flavoring ingredients.

Split the vanilla bean in two. Using a dull knife, scrape the inside part as shown in the picture. Add some lemon peel as well to your previously soaked ingredients.


Add all your ingredients to a pot and bring to a boil. Boil only for one minute so the rice has softened a bit but it is not mushy. If the rice cooks and it gets very soft it will change the texture of the rice and the flavor of the horchata.


Let the rice mixture cool. In the mean time, prepare some coconut milk by combining the water of a fresh young coconut and the fleshy white part of a dry coconut. You can open the young coconut with a very sharp knife or a cleaver. You can also use the thin, gel like coconut to flavor your drink.


Check out my instructions on how to split a dry coconut on my previous post - Fear, gifts and Sacrifice: When the Coconut Cracks

Combine the coconut water, the coconut flesh and the young coconut gel using a blender. You now have coconut milk ready to use!

Process the rice mixture in the blender as well, in small batches and strain*. Add about four more cups of water, the coconut milk and sweeten to taste. That's it - serve very cold!

*Note, according to your taste, you may need to strain the horchata again after you add the coconut milk.

Red Hot Chile Salt

Hello Blogeritos! I've been busy but I have lots to share! Stay tuned. I hope everyone is having a great Summer. One of the things I love about the Summer is the produce. Corn, tomatoes, Summer squash and so many other fresh veggies are in season. I saw some juicy red chiles at the farmer's market the other day, so I decided to make this delicious red hot chile salt!

Street vendors in Oaxaca and Chiapas make chile salt similar to this one to season peanuts, pepitas (roasted pumpkin seeds) and fresh fruits and veggies. It is super simple! You'll need the following ingredients and utensils:

• A cup of salt
• 5- 6 fresh red peppers, like Thai, Mirasol or Tabasco
• Mortar and pestle
• Salt shaker
• Coffee grinder (optional)

Grind the chiles and the salt together in the mortar. I'm using a small marble mortar and pestle, but traditionally this is done in a volcanic stone molcajete. Choose only the freshest, juiciest chiles, or you'll have a hard time flavoring the salt and breaking the chiles apart. Work the skin and seeds into the salt, so everything starts to break down.


Transfer the chile salt to a plate and spread it evenly. Let it dry on a sunny window for a couple of days before you store it in a salt shaker. Look at the picture below. The salt on the right was ground twice, the salt on the left is a bit more chunky. If you want a finer salt, grind the skins and the seeds in the mortar once again, or process it in a coffee grinder. I have two coffee grinders, one for coffee and one just for spices (let the salt rest for a minute before opening the coffee grinder! The salt may become airborne!)

Enjoy this red hot salt over roasted corn, pico de gallo, crispy jicama or any dish that needs a little spicing. Have a fiery hot summer!

Fear, Gifts and Sacrifice: When The Coconut Cracks

Do you know the name in Spanish for the bogeyman, the legendary monster of childhood nightmares? South of the border the bogeyman is known as "El Coco". This nondescript creature used to scare children is also known as "El Cuco", the same name given to the devil. The word "coco" also alludes to the head. In Mexico, the saying "Le patina el coco" (his coconut slides) roughly translates as someone that has a few loose crews. A good knock to the head is also known as a coco or coscorron. "Dale de coco" means to use your brain, to put some effort into something. When the Spaniards saw coconuts they believed them to resemble little heads - so "Coco" is also the name in Spanish for delicious coconut fruits. Yes, botanically coconuts are fruits, not nuts. How nuts is that? And have you ever noticed how coconuts have "eyes" and a "mouth"?

Coconuts as Offerings and Sacred Guardians
For many cultures, the effort it takes to open a coconut is a symbol of overcoming difficulty and obstacles. It also teaches humility. Have you ever met a person that is never wrong? Their heads are hard as coconuts! Many cultures use coconuts as divine offerings. The picture below comes via Sri Karunamayi's page. It shows fresh coconut water used as an offering during a ritual. Sri Karunamayi (also known as Amma) is a spiritual leader that is also known as "the hugging saint". During Thaipusan , a festival in India, people also perform a coconut smashing ritual.


In Santeria, coconut shells are used for divination. Coconuts are also offered to Elegua, the deity that resides between crossroads. Elegua (also known as Eshu) is a mysterious fellow that is congruent to Hermes and Loki from Greek and Norse mythologies. He is the messenger of the gods, a trickster, and a road opener. In the Santeria tradition Elegua controls both fortune and misfortune. In her book Jambalaya, author and ritualist Luisah Teish describes the preparation of a coconut that serves as a protective guardian to be kept behind a person's front door. Writer Migene Gonzalez-Whippler also narrates a ritual that prepares a coconut ebbo (a gift) for Elegua, that also serves as a love spell. Five different liquors and candies are used to stuff a dry coconut. It serves as a symbol for making a person's head "drunk" with love for the one preparing the coconut. The following image of a coconut offering to Eleggua comes via Year in White, a site about news and general discussions about the Santeria faith.


Not too long ago, while visiting the big Island of Hawaii I was lucky enough to visit Kalapana, what once was a famous and beautiful black sand beach called Kaimu. The eruption of the Kilauea volcano in 1990 and 2008 destroyed most of the Hawaiian village and buried the beach under petrified lava. A local woman mobilized the community to create a new coconut grove. New coconut plantings will replace the ones destroyed by the lava. In a way, her efforts served as coconut gifts for future generations to enjoy. At the new Kaimu beach I took a photo of a simple offering that was left on the beach. It was a coconut and a flower lei, possibly for Kali, Goddess of the volcanoes. The lava flow has not stopped. That night me and my boyfriend hiked to see the lava flow at Kalapana. The stars shone bright, and the red river of lava was both creation and destruction. It was an experience I'll cherish for the rest of my life.



The Challenging Art of Opening a Coconut
Coconut is one of those foods that people either love or hate. I get a feeling that if people really dislike the sandy, extremely sweet and dry coconut bought out of bags - or they are reminded of the smell of the chemical synthetic coconut used in lotions. Fresh young coconut is really delicious, and coconut water is clean and refreshing. I'm not going to lie to you - opening a coconut is hard work. It is better to do it at your leisure, not while you have guests waiting for cocktails. See is a challenge - anyone can open a can, but opening a fresh coconut is a ritual, a metaphor for overcoming obstacles. You'll need the following materials:

• One dry coconut, clean of mold or other impurities
• A large clean napkin
• A clever or a large knife
• A mat or towel
• A canvas bag (for an alternate method)
  

So, going back to the "little head" I described at the beginning of this post: The "mouth" of the coconut is the softest part, it is located right at the seam below the "eyes" of the fruit. You need to locate that seam and crack it open by hitting it really hard with the cleaver. In order to not hit your hand by accident, wrap the napkin around the coconut and create a "handle" as shown in the picture.


Now, follow the seam you located earlier to the equator of the coconut. Using your cleaver, start hitting the seam all around. If you don't have a cleaver, use the blunt side of a large knife.


Place a mat or towel on your counter, for stability. You can also work on the floor, outside. Continue hitting the coconut choosing the weakest part - the "mouth", located right below the "eyes" and following the seams all around. This may take time, but you will eventually weaken the seam. Start hitting the coconut with harder blows using the clever, you could also use a hammer. After several vigorous blows, the coconut will crack.

A word of caution: If you have absolutely no practice in the kitchen (or using tools like hammers) don't do this! For an alternative method place the coconut inside a sturdy canvas bag, go outside, and smash the coconut against the floor (or a wall or a rock) until it cracks open. You may loose the coconut juice, but you'll be less likely to hurt yourself.

Usually fresh young coconuts have lots of clear juice. This juice is combined with oil and flesh from the coconut to create what is often considered "coconut milk". Dry coconuts may have some juice left before all the water has fully been absorbed into the flesh. You can use this water for drinks and for cooking. Be careful - if the coconut smells sour, don't drink the juice! Once the shell has cracked, you can drain it as shown in the picture and save the coconut water for later. You can also drill a hole in one of the "eyes" and drain the coconut beforehand.


Enjoy your reward - using a spoon separate the white flesh from the shell using a spoon or a knife. Bake the coconut halves for 15 minutes If you are having a hard time taking the flesh out. Clean the coconut flesh by separating the brown spots from the shell with paring knife.


So, don't be afraid of El Coco. With some planning, patience and practice, you'll overcome obstacles in no time.

Abstract Expressionist Amaranth Candy

Inspired by the traditional Mexican candy called "Alegria" (See my previous post - Eternal Amaranth) and Jackson Pollock's paintings, I created these abstract amaranth candy spider webs. Now, this is art you can eat! Pollock was introduced to liquid paint after attending a workshop lead by Mexican muralist David Alfaro Siqueiros in 1936. He later experimented with dripping liquid paint directly over canvas to create his signature pieces.


Do you want to give it a try? You can buy amaranth seeds in Latin American produce stores, or on-line. Amaranth is highly nutritious, and once popped it has a mild nutty flavor. You can use these abstract caramel "webs" to decorate ice cream, fruit salad, cup cakes, or any other dessert. You'll need the following ingredients:

• 1/4 cup of raw amaranth seeds
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• cooking spray
• Dessert of your choice
  

You'll also need:

• A good non-stick pan
• A sheet of aluminum foil
• A cookie tray, or flat pan
  

Start by popping your amaranth seeds in the microwave, like you would do popcorn. Measure two tablespoons of amaranth inside a deep bowl. Toast in the microwave under the "popcorn" setting for about 12 - 15 seconds. Keep an eye on your amaranth seeds, if the dish is too shallow only a portion of the seeds may pop, like in the picture below.

If this happens, choose a bowl that is not quite so shallow. Don't return the un-popped amaranth to the microwave or it will burn. Continue popping the amaranth in small two tablespoon batches until you have a quarter cup. You are looking at light, fluffy amaranth like the one pictured on the left

Line a cookie tray with aluminum foil. Spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Spread half of the amaranth all over the foil, making sure they are evenly placed all over the pan. Save the rest of the seeds for later. Keep the pan near your stove before you start the next step...

Next, you are going to make some dry caramel. You are going to melt the sugar in a good non-stick pan over medium/high heat, stirring often with a wooden spoon. The sugar will melt and turn into liquid once you heat it, you just need to be patient and stir often. I don't use a candy thermometer, or time myself. Just pay attention and stop heating the sugar once it completely dissolves and turns into a nice, golden brown caramel. Be careful! It is going to be VERY HOT!

This is when the fun begins. Turn the heat off, and place the hot pan on a trivet. Using a spoon, start pouring and dripping the caramel over the amaranth seeds. Do it quickly before it starts getting hard. Pour the rest of the amaranth seeds on top of the warm caramel.

Refrigerate the tray for about an hour in order to solidify the caramel. Start picking up the caramel in pieces, and use to decorate your favorite dessert. The caramel webs will keep in an air tight container for about a week, if you store them between waxed paper. Enjoy!

LINKS
Learn more about Amaranth by visiting my previous post here
Visit Jackson Pollock's paintings at the artist's tribute page