WHEN THREE IS BETTER THAN TWO

Posted in General by sallybr

Last October we brought young Oscar to our home in L.A. From a scared, insecure dog, he slowly changed into an amazing companion, sweet, playful, obedient, and with more energy than the Energizer Bunny on caffeine. That energy poses a small problem: Chief, our aging Jack Russell, simply cannot keep up with him. We discussed the possibility of getting a third, young dog to be playmate with Oscar. It happened a little sooner than we thought. Meet Bucky, a 4 year old Jack Russell with a lot of personality, but quite a bit of sweetness mixed in.

Buck is another rescue dog, who was living under pretty bad conditions, kept outside without much human contact or affection. We thought he was a different type of Jack Russel, with a tan color, but after his first bath, we discovered he is in fact snowy white, and the previous “color” was just Oklahoman dirt ingrained in his fur for years! Because he had never been inside a home, he was afraid of everything: doors, appliances noises, TV, but got better each day. We’ve had him for almost 3 months now, but unfortunately the journey has not been bump-free. Chief won’t accept the newcomer, and we’ve had to deal with some intense fighting, some quite scary.
Do you think I look like my brother Chief? Well, that’s because we are half brothers, same Mom, different Dad!

We are committed to keeping this family together, and hope that with time they will learn to co-exist. Buck (aka Bucky) is a very calm Jack Russel, and the only dog we’ve been able to take with us golfing. He sits in the cart, patiently waiting while we are on the green, and rides along with us through great shots and bad shots (those, for the most part, are mine… ;-))

But, bring on a hose into the equation, and off he goes!

How could we possibly let this dog find another loving home? No way!

ONE YEAR AGO: Grating Tomatoes (and loving it!)

TWO YEARS AGO: Peach Pie

28Aug2011

IN MY KITCHEN – AUGUST 2011

Posted in General, In My Kitchen by sallybr

…. a Brazilian extravaganza!

Celia, from Fig Jam and Lime Cordial, is the inspiration behind “In My Kitchen”, as she started this type of post in her blog many moons ago, and now many bloggers are doing the same. 😉

These are just some of the goodies we brought home with us from our trip, and most of it brings back memories of my childhood. You ‘ll notice that I definitely had more appreciation for sweets then.

To start off… Bombons Sonho de Valsa (A Dreamy Waltz). These (in the pink wrappers) are by far the most popular chocolate concoction in Brazil. They were created in 1938 by Lacta, and the label hasn’t changed much since then. Kraft Foods later acquired Lacta, and the new company came up with a few variations, but none as popular as the original. It has a center of cashew nut cream, surrounded by a thin layer of waffle crust, and the whole thing covered in milk chocolate. I grew up savoring these, and my favorite part was the creamy center, so if no one was around I’d carefully nibble the chocolate and the waffle, to enjoy the cashew nut filling all by itself!

Later, much much later, the same company created “Ouro Branco” (White Gold), the exact opposite of Sonho de Valsa, in that white chocolate forms the outside layer, with a dark chocolate/nutty cream lays inside. Ouro Branco arose in the mid 70’s, and die-hard fans of Sonho de Valsa (me included) would not touch one. But, one day I happened to try it, and concluded that they have their well-deserved spot on Earth! With their older brother they make a great yin-yang pair… 😉

Ovinhos de Amendoim (little peanut eggs). You can’t give these little delicacies enough praise. It’s impossible to eat just one. They are addictive and incredibly delicious! But don’t just take my word for it, here’s what an American traveling for the first time in Brazil had to say about them… 😉

They were a mandatory snack at my parents’ home to nibble before a Sunday lunch, or when friends came to visit. Japanese immigrants deserve all the credit for these little jewels. The outside layer is made of manioc (cassava) flour, which crumbles in your mouth and dissolves with a salty/sweet taste that’s perfect for the roasted peanut inside. They bring me memories of my Dad, because we’d sit down to watch TV and share a bag, fighting hard for the last ones. 😉

BANANA-PASSA (Raisin Banana) – Or, as Phil calls them “bananinhas.” Don’t hold their look against them. Ugly? …maybe, but sooooo tasty! Each one is a full grown banana, dried down (with or without additional sugar, depending on the brand), until they are about 1/5 of their size, and each packs a ton of banana flavor. They’re perfect for a hiking trip, but don’t forget each one you wolf down is an entire piece of fruit. Imagine what will happen if you eat 6 bananas! So, pace yourself, and stay with a maximum of two of these.

BALAS DE LEITE KOPENHAGEN. I have very few addictions. Nutella, Haagen Dazs Dulce de Leche ice cream, and Balas de Leite (milk candy) from Kopenhagen. When I was young all the products from Kopenhagen were too expensive, and not a good match for my allowance. But when I had a little bit of extra cash, I’d indulge myself and buy a small bag of these candies, which put me in personal heaven for a while. Every time we now land in Brazil my sister gives me several bags to bring home!
The outer shell is hard; you can either bite it right away or let it slowly dissolve in your mouth until it breaks and releases its treasure: sweetened, condensed milk! I’m partial to the second protocol, but sometimes I’ll devour one just to get that mixture of crunchy shell with the condensed milk… aaahhh the simple pleasures…

CHA’ de CAMOMILA & ERVA DOCE. My Mom’s evening tea is a new found love. When I tried it I thought it was the best I’d ever had, but I could not figure out what kind it was. She finally told me her “secret recipe” – a mix of two herbal teas, chamomile and fennel, brewed together. Their flavors combine into something else, something soothing and smooth, a perfect way to end the day. I’ve been making it before going to bed, so me and my Mom share a similar routine, only a few thousand miles apart from each other…

and, finally, also in our kitchen, precious gifts from loved ones….
A painting of a Brazilian flag, which was a gift from my niece and her daughter. The center of the flag shows a flowering tree called “quaresmeira“, typical of Brazil, that is thought to bring everlasting happiness…

A beautiful tablecloth made by our friend Alice….

A nice kitchen towel made by my Aunt….

Wooden items, salad servers, lime mashers for caipirinhas, drink stirrers, all sitting on a beautiful wooden tray, a gift from my sister.

I hope you enjoyed the glimpse into our kitchen this month…

ONE YEAR AGO: A Journey to a New Home

TWO YEARS AGO: Pork medallions in mustard-caper sauce

15Aug2011

A TROPICAL STREET MARKET

Posted in General by sallybr

From fruits to flowers… a little bit of everything!
Street markets – or “feiras” in Portuguese – are a big tradition in Sao Paulo. Each neighborhood has its own weekly market, with the same vendors arriving early in the morning to set up their shops, with their voices getting louder and prices getting smaller as the hours pass. Usually it’s over by 1 or 2 pm. Near my Mom’s house the street market happens on Wednesdays, and she recalls that when she moved from Rio to Sao Paulo back in 1953, the feira was only a few years old, and only had a handful of stands. Last Wednesday our stroll through the market left us both amazed by the variety of vendors and the quality of their produce. Keep in mind that this trip took place during the dead of the Brazilian winter, which means the thermometers might drop to about 60F. These temps drive paulistas to heavy scarves and jackets, and then they still walk around shivering and chattering their teeth… We couldn’t believe our eyes when we were jogging in the park early that morning, and saw a few dogs wearing jackets to protect them from the cold (a bone-chilling 61F. ;-))

But, back to the important stuff. Each market, no matter the location, has two mandatory stands by the main entrance: one selling freshly made pasteis (for a flashback click here) and right next to it, one selling “garapa,” a refreshing, sweet drink made from pressed sugar cane. The vendor has a machine that literally presses the sweet juice from the sugar cane. It’s incredibly delicious! When I was a child, garapa was just that, pure cane juice, served over ice. Nowadays, one finds many variations, with fresh pineapple juice, lime or lemon juice, sometimes mint leaves. Each glass is made to order, and in the Summer the trucks selling garapa are surrounded by bees, going crazy by the scent of sugar, often trying to land on your glass to steal a taste. Here you see a garapa truck waiting for customers…

Pasteis also changed substantially from my youth, from two kinds (meat or cheese), to the many variations found today: three cheeses, hearts of palm, chicken, spicy sausage, shrimp, pizza, portuguesa (spicy sausage, hard-boiled egg and cheese) … the imagination is the limit. They even sell tiny pasteis with nothing inside, called quite appropriately “pasteis de vento”, or “wind-filled pasteis.” They are often served as appetizers at cocktail parties, and each is gone in one or two small bites, leaving crumbs all over your lips. They are messy to eat, but oohh so very tasty! You can see pasteis de vento in the photo below, they are inside big plastic bags, each holding a few dozen of these delicacies.

and here you see the real pasteis, fried as the customer waits, with the filling of his/her choice…

Then, the fun begins! Take a look at the fruits and veggies, all available at this time of the year in my hometown (each photo can be enlarged by clicking on it).

Butchers are ready to prepare special cuts for you, or do jobs like cleaning livers – slivered liver sauteed with onions is a popular dish in Brazil, by the way. My Mom used to make it every Wednesday for my Dad to profit from the extra fresh liver always available at the street market.

If you want to see more, please take a look at the slideshow I set up at Picasa by clicking here. And if the photos got you wondering about cara’-moela, thanks to the help of my dear sister Norma you can learn about it here.

All I can say is that it was hard to be just an observer at the street market, as I had no opportunity to cook during our stay in Brazil. We were very spoiled guests for the whole 10 days: many wonderful home cooked meals with family and friends, home-made pizzas cooked in a wood-oven, desserts galore!

But the best of course, was spending time with my Mom, who even made pot roast for us, something she had not cooked in more than 5 years. Didn’t I say we were spoiled guests? 😉

ONE YEAR AGO: Groceries

TWO YEARS AGO: A Souffle to Remember…. Julia Child

4Aug2011

HEADED TO BRAZIL!

Posted in General by sallybr

A quick announcement, today we jump on a jet plane once more, and head to Brazil, to see family and friends. The Bewitching should go on, depending on internet connections, but we’ll be back to our regular spot on this beautiful planet on the 15th.

20Jul2011

IN MY KITCHEN

Posted in General, In My Kitchen by sallybr

One of the blogs I visit all the time is Fig Jam and Lime Cordial, hosted by Celia, a mother of two boys living in a wonderful spot in Australia, where she and her husband maintain a garden that provides almost all the vegetables they consume, raise chickens, and in her time off, she does trivial stuff like baking all the bread they consume, making cakes and tempering chocolate. Talk about impressive! Her blog is always a joy to read, and I particularly look forward to her posts under the category “In My Kitchen.” Check them out here.

Today I join her by sharing with you some of the highlights in my kitchen these days.

In my kitchen….
A brand new arrival! A Cuisinart ice cream machine, red, sexy, gorgeous… which was put to test with a chocolate sorbet, a favorite of my husband, who used to order it often at Sweet Harts, in Los Angeles. The enabler for this purchase was another favorite blogger of mine, Fer, from “Chucrute com Salsicha.” She always makes amazing concoctions with her ice cream machine, and I could not resist getting one myself.

Here it is, hard at work, it’s fun to watch the ice cream starting to form in front of your eyes

In my kitchen… serendipity…
When we lived in L.A., I used to visit an amazing Anthropologie store in Beverly Hills, and drool over their clothes and kitchen stuff. This set of plates caught my attention then, but the price tag left me cold, so I did not buy them. A couple of weeks ago, I logged into ebay and just for fun did a search for Anthropologie & plates. I felt a shiver up and down my spine (the good kind of shiver) when these plates were the third item, no bids, a couple of hours to go, great price… don’t you love when things work so well? 😉

In my kitchen…
A beautiful bowl, with my favorite colors, that I found over at Etsy, in this store from Kim Berger. Perfect to serve pasta, salads, stews, rice…

In my kitchen…. a little soba-obsession, maybe? 😉
I brought this “small sample” with us from L.A., from our favorite Japanese market. The green ones are made with tea, and I must use them instead of guarding the packages like a terrier with his favorite toy.