FOOD FRIDAY - GUACAMOLE

“The kitchen is where we deal with the elements of the universe. It is where we come to understand our past and ourselves.” - Laura Esquivel 

We had some avocadoes ripening in the kitchen and our next door neighbour asked if we could use some green tomatoes that she had picked (she/we usually make chutney with them). As we had the avocadoes, we decided to make guacamole with a couple of them. The recipe was given to us by a Mexican acquaintance. 

Guacamole with Green Tomatoes
Ingredients
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
3 ripe avocados; peeled, stones removed
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 red birdseye chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped (optional)
1 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon salt
small handful chopped fresh coriander
2 green tomatoes, seeds removed, diced and drained
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper (optional) 

Method
Heat the olive in a frying pan over medium heat and fry the cumin and ground coriander for 1 minute or until aromatic. Transfer to a bowl. Add the avocado and mash until smooth. Add the onion, garlic, chilli (if using), fresh coriander, salt and lime juice. Add the diced tomatoes and stir to combine, sprinkle with cayenne (if using). Season with salt and serve with corn chips.

FOOD FRIDAY - GRILLED ACHIOTE CHICKEN

“Mexico is a mosaic of different realities and beauties.” - Enrique Peña Nieto 

Yesterday’s blog entry was about annatto and today I give you a recipe where the annatto contributes greatly to the flavour of the dish. It is a Mexican dish and the chicken develops a wonderful texture and aroma because of the achiote (annatto) marinade. 

Grilled Achiote Chicken

Ingredients - Marinated Chicken

2-3 tbsp achiote (annatto) seasoning

1/2 cup white vinegar

3 tbsp olive oil

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (each about 180 g)

Ingredients - Citrus Sauce

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1/3 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Chopped fresh coriander 

Method

Dissolve the achiote seasoning in vinegar and oil and beat with a fork to homogenise. Add chicken, turn to coat well, and marinate in the fridge 1 hour.

Preheat the grill. Remove chicken from marinade, reserving the marinade. Grill chicken until done, about 7 minutes per side. Remove chicken to platter, and cover with aluminium foil to keep warm. I usually split the chicken fillets in two to make them more presentable.

To prepare the sauce, pour reserved marinade into a saucepan; add garlic and juices. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook, stirring, until sauce is the consistency of a thin cream sauce (thin sauce with a little water if it gets too thick). Add the salt and pepper. Pour sauce over chicken and serve chopped fresh coriander garnish in a separate bowl so diners can help themselves (some people do not like this herb).

ALL ABOUT ANNATTO

“Red is the ultimate cure for sadness.” - Bill Blass  

Annatto is an orange-red condiment and food colouring derived from the seeds of the achiote tree (Bixa orellana). It is often used to impart a yellow or orange colour to foods, but sometimes also for its flavour and aroma. Its scent is described as “slightly peppery with a hint of nutmeg” and flavour as “slightly nutty, sweet and peppery”. The colour of annatto comes from various carotenoid pigments, mainly bixin and norbixin, found in the reddish waxy coating of the seeds.

The condiment is typically prepared by grinding the seeds to a powder or paste. Similar effects can be obtained by extracting some of the colour and flavour principles from the seeds with hot water, oil, or lard, which are then added to the food. Annatto and its extracts are now widely used in an artisanal or industrial scale as a colouring agent in many processed food products, such as cheeses, dairy spreads, butter and margarine, custards, cakes and other baked goods, potatoes, snack foods, breakfast cereals, smoked fish, sausages, and more.

In these uses, annatto is a natural alternative to synthetic food colouring compounds, but it has been linked to cases of food-related allergies. Annatto is of particular commercial value in the United States because the Food and Drug Administration considers colourants derived from it to be “exempt of certification”. 

Achiote or the annato tree (Bixa orellana) is a shrub or small tree originating from the tropical region of the Americas. It is 6–10 m high and bears clusters of 5 cm diameter bright white to pink flowers, resembling single wild roses, appearing at the tips of the branches. The fruits are in clusters: Spiky-looking red-brown seed pods covered in soft spines. Each pod contains many seeds covered with a thin waxy blood-red aril. When fully mature, the pod dries, hardens, and splits open, exposing the seeds.

North, Central, and South American natives originally used the seeds to make red body paint and lipstick, as well as a spice. For this reason, the achiote is sometimes called the lipstick tree. The species name was given by Linnaeus after the Spanish conquistador Francisco de Orellana, an early explorer of the Amazon River. The name achiote derives from the Nahuatl word for the shrub, āchiotl [aːˈt͡ʃiot͡ɬ]. It may also be referred to as aploppas, or by its original Tupi name uruku, urucu or urucum (“red colour”), which is also used for the body paint prepared from its seeds.

The natural orange-red condiment (also called “achiote” or “bijol”) is obtained from the waxy arils that cover the seeds of the achiote tree. The ground seeds are widely used in traditional dishes in Central and South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean, such as cochinita pibil, chicken in achiote and caldo de olla. 

Bixa orellana originated in South America but it has spread to many parts of the world. It is grown easily and quickly in frost-free regions, from sub-tropical to tropical climates, and thrives if sheltered from cool winds. It prefers year-round moisture, good drainage, and moderately fertile soil in full sun or partial shade. It can be propagated from seed and cuttings. Cutting-grown plants flower at a younger age than seedlings. The main commercial producers are countries in South America, Central America, the Caribbean, Africa, and also India and Sri Lanka, where it was introduced by the Spanish in the 17th century.

Ground B. orellana seeds are often mixed with other seeds or spices to form a paste or powder for culinary use especially in Latin American, Jamaican, Chamorro, and Filipino cuisines. The seeds are heated in oil or lard to extract its dye and flavour for use in dishes and processed foods such as cheese, butter, soup, gravy, sauces, cured meats, and other items. The seeds impart a subtle flavour and aroma and a yellow to reddish-orange colour to food.

The seeds are used to colour and flavour rice instead of the much more expensive saffron. In Brazil, a powder known as colorau or colorífico is made from the ground seeds combined with filler seeds like maize. This powder is similar to and sometimes replaces paprika. The Yucatecan condiment called recado rojo or “achiote paste” is made from ground seeds combined with other spices. It is a mainstay of the Mexican and Belizean cuisines. A condiment called sazón (“seasoning” in Spanish) is commonly used in Puerto Rican cuisine for meats and fish. Sazón is made from achiote seeds, cumin, coriander seeds, salt, and garlic powder.

In the language of flowers the annatto flower conveys the meaning: “Your exotic beauty is captivating”. Annatto seeds given in a small box mean: “You may kiss my lips”.

FOOD FRIDAY - EMPANADAS

“Barriga llena, corazón contento.” (Full stomach, happy heart) – Mexican proverb 

I got this recipe from a friend of ours who gave us some of these empanadas, which she makes. She is an ovo-lacto-vegetarian and has modified the traditional meat filling with a mushroom-based one. They are quite delicious! 

Mushroom Empanadas
Ingredients - dough
110 g butter
1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt
700 grams flour (and a little more of needed)
50 g butter for glazing
Ingredients – filling
450 g mixed fresh mushrooms
Olive oil for sautéing
1 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced capsicum
60 g grated hard cheese
200 g potatoes, peeled and diced
4 garlic cloves, mashed to a paste
2 teaspoons chopped thyme
2 teaspoons chopped marjoram
1 teaspoon dried epazote (can substitute with oregano)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon paprika
Large pinch cayenne
Vegetable broth, as necessary
1/2 cup chopped Spring onions, white and green parts
1/4 cup chopped, pitted, green olives
2 boiled eggs, diced 

Method
Make the dough: Put 2 cups boiling water, the butter and salt in large mixing bowl. Stir to melt butter and dissolve salt. Cool to room temperature. Gradually stir in flour with a wooden spoon until dough comes together. Knead for a minute or two on a floured board, until firm and smooth. Add more flour if sticky. Wrap with cling film and refrigerate for one hour. 

Make the filling: Season chopped mushrooms generously with salt and pepper and set aside for 10 minutes. Heat three tablespoons olive oil in a wide heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and fry until nicely cooked, stirring throughout, about 5-10 minutes.
Turn heat down to medium and add onion and capsicum. Keep turning mixture with a spatula, as if cooking hash, until onion is softened and browned, about 10 minutes. Add potatoes, garlic, thyme, marjoram and epazote, stirring well to incorporate. (Add a little more oil to pan if mixture seems dry.) Season again with salt and pepper and let mixture fry for 2 more minutes. Stir in tomato paste, pimentón and cayenne, then a cup of broth. Turn heat to simmer, stirring well to incorporate any caramelised bits.
Cook for about 10 more minutes, until both meat and potatoes are tender and the sauce just coats them,  juicy is what you want. Taste and adjust seasoning for full flavour (intensity will diminish upon cooling). Stir in spring onions and cheese, allowing to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Divide chilled dough into 30 g pieces and form into 5 cm diameter balls. Roll each piece into a 12 cm circle. Lay circles on a baking sheet lightly dusted with flour.
Moisten outer edge of each round with water. Put about 2 tablespoons filling in the centre of each round, adding a little hard-cooked egg to each. Wrap dough around filling to form empanada, pressing edges together. Fold edge back and finish by pinching little pleats or crimping with a fork.
Heat oven to 190˚C. Place empanadas on an oiled baking sheet, about 3 cm apart. Brush tops lightly with melted butter and bake on top shelf of oven until golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve warm.

ALL ABOUT EPAZOTE

“There are poisons that blind you, and poisons that open your eyes.” ― August Strindberg 

Dysphania ambrosioides (formerly Chenopodium ambrosioides), known as wormseed, Jesuit’s tea, Mexican-tea, payqu (paico), epazote, or herba sancti Mariæ, is an annual or short-lived perennial herb native to Central America, South America, and southern Mexico.

It is an annual or short-lived perennial plant growing to 1.2 m tall, irregularly branched, with oblong-lanceolate leaves up to 12 cm long. The flowers are small and green, produced in a branched panicle at the apex of the stem. As well as in its native areas, it is grown in warm temperate to subtropical areas of Europe and the United States (Missouri, New England, Eastern United States), sometimes becoming an invasive weed.

The generic name Dysphania traditionally was applied in the 1930s to some species endemic to Australia. Placement and rank of this taxon have ranged from a mere section in Chenopodium to the sole genus of a separate family Dysphaniaceae, or a representative of Illicebraceae. The close affinity of Dysphania to “glandular” species of Chenopodium sensu lato is now evident. The common Spanish name, epazote (sometimes spelled and pronounced ipasote or ypasote), is derived from Nahuatl: epazōtl (pronounced [eˈpasoːt͡ɬ]) meaning “skunk sweat”. 

D. ambrosioides is used as a leaf vegetable, herb, and herbal tea for its pungent flavour. Raw, it has a resinous, medicinal pungency, similar to oregano, anise, fennel, or even tarragon, but stronger. The fragrance of D. ambrosioides is strong but difficult to describe. A common analogy is to turpentine or creosote. It has also been compared to citrus, savoury, and mint.

Although it is traditionally used with black beans for flavour and its supposed carminative properties (less gas), it is also sometimes used to flavour other traditional Mexican dishes as well: It can be used to season quesadillas and sopes (especially those containing huitlacoche), soups, mole de olla, tamales with cheese and chili peppers, chilaquiles, eggs and potatoes and enchiladas. It is often used as a herb in white fried rice and an important ingredient for making the green salsa for chilaquiles.

The essential oils of D. ambrosioides contain terpene compounds, some of which have natural pesticide capabilities. The compound ascaridole in epazote inhibits the growth of nearby plants, so it would be best to relegate this plant at a distance from other inhabitants of the herb garden. Even though this plant has an established place in recipes and in folklore, it is wise to use only the leaves, and those sparingly, in cooking. Do not use the flowering shoots or the seeds! Overdoses of the essential oil have caused human deaths (attributed to the ascaridole content). The symptoms including severe gastroenteritis with pain, vomiting, and diarrhoea.

Epazote contains an extensive array of vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A,B and C, as well as calcium, manganese, copper, iron, magnesium, potassium, phosphorous, and zinc. It can help relieve cramping, bloating and constipation in addition to enhancing the immune system and protecting the body’s cells against free radical damage to lower the risk of a number of certain cancers and other chronic diseases.

In the language of flowers, epazote sprigs mean: "I am not who I seem." Flowering sprigs carry the message: "Associate yourself with me at your risk."

ALL ABOUT MEXICAN TARRAGON

“A Béarnaise sauce is simply an egg yolk, a shallot, a little tarragon vinegar, and butter, but it takes years of practice for the result to be perfect.” - Fernand Point 

Mexican tarragon (Tagetes lucida Cav.) is a perennial plant native to Mexico and Central America. It is used as a medicinal plant and as a culinary herb. The leaves have a tarragon-like flavour, with hints of anise, and it has entered the nursery trade in North America as a tarragon substitute. Other common names include sweet-scented marigold, Mexican marigold, Mexican mint marigold, Spanish tarragon, sweet mace, Texas tarragon, pericón, yerbaniz, and hierbanís. 

Tagetes lucida grows 45–75 cm tall. Depending on situation and plant type, the herb may be fairly upright, while other forms appear bushy with many unbranching stems. The leaves are linear to oblong, about 7.5 cm long, and shiny medium green, not blue-green as in French tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus var. sativa). In late summer it bears clusters of small golden yellow flower heads on the ends of the stems. The flower heads are about 1.5 cm across and have 3-5 golden-yellow ray florets. The flowers are hermaphroditic (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by insects.

Fresh or dried leaves of this herb are used as a tarragon substitute for flavouring soups, sauces, salads etc. A pleasant anise-flavoured tea is brewed using the dried leaves and flower heads. This is primarily used medicinally in Mexico and Central America. The tea is digestive, diuretic, febrifugal, hypotensive, narcotic, sedative and stimulatory. 

Use of the plant depresses the central nervous system, whilst it is also reputedly anaesthetic and hallucinogenic. It is used internally in the treatment of diarrhoea, nausea, indigestion, colic, hiccups, malaria and feverish illnesses. Externally, it is used to treat scorpion bites and to remove ticks. The leaves can be harvested and used as required, whilst the whole plant is harvested when in flower and dried for later use.

A yellow dye can be obtained from the flowers. The dried plant is burnt as an incense and to repel insects. Tagetes lucida was used by the Aztecs in a ritual incense known as Yauhtli. The Aztecs allegedly used Tagetes lucida as one of the ingredients in a medicinal powder which was blown into the faces of those about to become the victims of human sacrifice and which may have possessed stupefying or anxiolytic properties. The plant was linked to the rain god Tlaloc.

The plant is also used by the Huichol, mixed with Nicotiana rustica (a potent wild tobacco), for its claimed psychotropic and entheogenic effects. In one study, methanolic extract from the flower inhibited growth of Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli, and Candida albicans cultures. This effect was enhanced with exposure to ultraviolet light. The roots, stems, and leaves also had the same effect when irradiated with UV light.

In the language of flowers, non-flowering sprigs of the plant carry the meaning: “You soothe my spirit”. Flowering sprigs indicate: “Your refusal will be the cause of my death.

Béarnaise Sauce
Ingredients
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 sprigs Mexican tarragon, leaves finely minced, stems reserved separately
1 small shallot, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2 egg yolks
1 cup molten butter
Salt to taste 

Method
Combine vinegar, wine, herb stems, shallots, and black peppercorns in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and lower heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook until reduced to about one and a half tablespoons of liquid, about 15 minutes. Carefully strain liquid through a fine mesh strainer into a small bowl, pressing on the solids with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible.

Combine vinegar reduction, egg yolk, and a pinch of salt in the bottom of a jug that just fits the head of an immersion blender. Melt butter in a small saucepan over high heat, swirling constantly, until foaming subsides. Transfer butter to a one cup liquid measure. Place the head of immersion blender into the bottom of the jug holding the vinegar/yolk mixture and turn it on. With the blender constantly running, slowly pour hot butter into the jug. It should emulsify with the egg yolk and vinegar reduction. Continue pouring until all butter is added. Sauce should be thick and creamy.

If the mixture is thin and runny, transfer to a large bowl set over a pot of barely simmering water. Whisk constantly and vigorously until sauce is thickened. Season to taste with salt. Whisk in chopped Mexican tarragon leaves. Serve immediately, or transfer to a small lidded pot and keep in a warm place for up to 1 hour before serving. Béarnaise cannot be cooled and reheated.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

TRAVEL TUESDAY #88 - PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO

“Mexico is a mosaic of different realities and beauties.” - Enrique Peña Nieto

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Puerto Vallarta is a Mexican beach resort city situated on the Pacific Ocean’s Bahía de Banderas. The 2010 census reported Puerto Vallarta’s population as 255,725 making it the fifth largest city in the state of Jalisco, and the second largest urban agglomeration in the state after the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area. The City of Puerto Vallarta is the government seat of the Municipality of Puerto Vallarta, which comprises the city as well as population centres outside of the city extending from Boca de Tomatlán to the Nayarit border (the Ameca River). The city is located at 20°40′N 105°16′W.

The municipality has an area of 1,300.7 square kilometres. To the north it borders the southwest part of the state of Nayarit. To the east it borders the municipality of Mascota and San Sebastián del Oeste, and to the south it borders the municipalities of Talpa de Allende and Cabo Corriente. Puerto Vallarta is named after Ignacio Vallarta, a former governor of Jalisco. In Spanish, Puerto Vallarta is frequently shortened to “Vallarta”, while English speakers call the city P.V. for short.

Puerto Vallarta was once named as La ciudad más amigable del mundo (The Friendliest City in the World), as the sign reads when entering from Nayarit. Today, the presence of numerous sidewalk touts selling time-shares and tequila render the city’s atmosphere more akin to tourist-heavy resorts like Cancun and Acapulco, but overall the city’s reputation remains relatively undiminished.

Tourism in Puerto Vallarta has increased steadily over the years and makes up for 50% of the city's economic activity. The high season for international tourism in Puerto Vallarta extends from late November through March (or later depending on the timing of the college Spring Break period in the USA.) The city is especially popular with US residents from the western U.S. because of the sheer number of direct flights between Puerto Vallarta and Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Denver and Phoenix. The city is also popular with tourists from western Canada with a number of direct scheduled and charter flights from western Canadian cities.

Puerto Vallarta is also a highly popular vacation spot for domestic tourists. It is a popular weekend destination for residents of Guadalajara (tapatíos), and a popular national destination for vacations such as Semana Santa (the week preceding Easter) and Christmas. Also in recent years Acapulco has experienced a rise in drug-related violence and consequently Puerto Vallarta has absorbed a lot of the Mexico City resort vacation business (Acapulco has long been a common destination for tourists from Mexico City). Puerto Vallarta has become a popular retirement destination for US and Canadian retirees. This trend has spawned a condominium development boom in the city.

The city has dozens of nightclubs, hundreds of restaurants and some of Mexico’s best beaches. The original colonial town with many historic landmarks still shines through an endless selection of shopping, art galleries, water and land activities, and hotels. Walk the malecon (boardwalk) and enjoy the views, holiday atmosphere and the numerous pieces of public art and sculpture. Museums, historical sites, interesting architecture and cultural activities will also tempt the more discriminating traveller.

This post is part of the Our World Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Ruby Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme.

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ART SUNDAY - FRIDA KAHLO

“I never painted dreams. I painted my own reality” – Frida Kahlo

Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo y Calderon, as her name appears on her birth certificate was born on July 6, 1907 in the house of her parents, known as La Casa Azul (The Blue House), in Coyoacan. At the time, this was a small town on the outskirts of Mexico City. Her father, Guillermo Kahlo (1872-1941), was born Carl Wilhelm Kahlo in Pforzheim, Germany. He was the son of the painter and goldsmith Jakob Heinrich Kahlo and Henriett E. Kaufmann. Kahlo claimed her father was of Jewish and Hungarian ancestry, but a 2005 book on Guillermo Kahlo, ‘Fridas Vater’ (Schirmer/Mosel, 2005), states that he was descended from a long line of German Lutherans.

Wilhelm Kahlo sailed to Mexico in 1891 at the age of nineteen and, upon his arrival, changed his German forename, Wilhelm, to its Spanish equivalent, Guillermo. During the late 1930s, in the face of rising Nazism in Germany, Frida acknowledged and asserted her German heritage by spelling her name, Frieda (an allusion to ‘Frieden’, which means ‘peace’ in German). Frida’s mother, Matilde Calderon y Gonzalez, was a devout Catholic of primarily indigenous, as well as Spanish descent.

Frida’s parents were married shortly after the death of Guillermo’s first wife during the birth of her second child. Although their marriage was quite unhappy, Guillermo and Matilde had four daughters, with Frida being the third. She had two older half sisters. Frida once remarked that she grew up in a world surrounded by females. Throughout most of her life, however, Frida remained close to her father. The Mexican Revolution began in 1910 when Kahlo was three years old. Later, however, Kahlo claimed that she was born in 1910 so people would directly associate her with the revolution.

In her writings, she recalled that her mother would usher her and her sisters inside the house as gunfire echoed in the streets of her hometown, which was extremely poor at the time. Occasionally, men would leap over the walls into their backyard and sometimes her mother would prepare a meal for the hungry revolutionaries. Kahlo contracted polio at age six, which left her right leg thinner than the left, which Kahlo disguised by wearing long skirts. It has been conjectured that she also suffered from spina bifida, a congenital disease that could have affected both spinal and leg development. As a girl, she participated in boxing and other sports. 

In 1922, Kahlo was enrolled in the Preparatoria, one of Mexico’s premier schools, where she was one of only thirty-five girls. Kahlo joined a gang at the school and fell in love with the leader, Alejandro Gomez Arias. During this period, Kahlo also witnessed violent armed struggles in the streets of Mexico City as the Mexican Revolution continued.

After the accident, Frida Kahlo turned her attention away from the study of medicine to begin a full-time painting career. The accident left her in a great deal of pain while she recovered in a full body cast; she painted to occupy her time during her temporary state of immobilisation. Her self-portraits became a dominant part of her life when she was immobile for three months after her accident. Frida Kahlo once said, “I paint myself because I am often alone and I am the subject I know best”. Her mother had a special easel made for her so she could paint in bed, and her father lent her his box of oil paints and some brushes.

Drawing on personal experiences, including her marriage, her miscarriages, and her numerous operations, Kahlo’s works often are characterised by their stark portrayals of pain. Of her 143 paintings, 55 are self-portraits, which often incorporate symbolic portrayals of physical and psychological wounds. Kahlo was deeply influenced by indigenous Mexican culture, which is apparent in her use of bright colors and dramatic symbolism. She frequently included the symbolic monkey. In Mexican mythology, monkeys are symbols of lust, yet Kahlo portrayed them as tender and protective symbols.

Christian and Jewish themes are often depicted in her work. She combined elements of the classic religious Mexican tradition with surrealist renderings. At the invitation of Andre Breton, she went to France in 1939 and was featured at an exhibition of her paintings in Paris. The Louvre bought one of her paintings, ‘The Frame’, which was displayed at the exhibit. This was the first work by a 20th century Mexican artist ever purchased by the internationally renowned museum.

As a young artist, Kahlo approached the famous Mexican painter, Diego Rivera, whose work she admired, asking him for advice about pursuing art as a career. He immediately recognised her talent and her unique expression as truly special and uniquely Mexican. He encouraged her development as an artist and soon began an intimate relationship with Frida. They were married in 1929, despite the disapproval of Frida’s mother. They often were referred to as The Elephant and the Dove, a nickname that originated when Kahlo’s father used it to express their extreme difference in size.

Their marriage often was tumultuous. Notoriously, both Kahlo and Rivera had fiery temperaments and both had numerous extramarital affairs. The openly bisexual Kahlo had affairs with both men (including Leon Trotsky) and women; Rivera knew of and tolerated her relationships with women, but her relationships with men made him jealous. For her part, Kahlo became outraged when she learned that Rivera had an affair with her younger sister, Cristina. The couple eventually divorced, but remarried in 1940. Their second marriage was as turbulent as the first. Their living quarters often were separate, although sometimes adjacent.

Active communist sympathisers, Kahlo and Rivera befriended Leon Trotsky as he sought political sanctuary from Joseph Stalin’s regime in the Soviet Union. Initially, Trotsky lived with Rivera and then at Kahlo’s home, where they reportedly had an affair. Trotsky and his wife then moved to another house in Coyoacan where, later, he was assassinated.

A few days before Frida Kahlo died on July 13, 1954, she wrote in her diary: “I hope the exit is joyful - and I hope never to return – Frida”. The official cause of death was given as pulmonary embolism, although some suspected that she died from overdose that may or may not have been accidental. An autopsy was never performed. She had been very ill throughout the previous year and her right leg had been amputated at the knee, owing to gangrene. She also had a bout of bronchopneumonia near that time, which had left her quite frail.

Later, in his autobiography, Diego Rivera wrote that the day Kahlo died was the most tragic day of his life, adding that, too late, he had realised that the most wonderful part of his life had been his love for her. A pre-Columbian urn holding her ashes is on display in her former home, La Casa Azul, in Coyoacan. Today it is a museum housing a number of her works of art and numerous relics from her personal life.

The painting above is the “Self-Portrait on the Borderline between Mexico and the United States”, painted in 1932. Kahlo depicts her place as Mexican cultural renaissance overlapped with the promotion of regionalism in the United States. Her powerful and stoic portrayal of her own pain and the redemptive power of the feminine offered a peculiarly surrealist modernism to North America. Kahlo stands on the border of Mexico and the United States and pitched pre-Columbian society against Fordist industrial advance.

TRAVEL TUESDAY #24 - TIJUANA, MEXICO

“Mexico is a safe, as well as a beautiful and warmly gracious, place to visit.” - Margaret Chan

Welcome to the Travel Tuesday meme! Join me every Tuesday and showcase your creativity in photography, painting and drawing, music, poetry, creative writing or a plain old natter about Travel!

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The Tijuana Cultural Centre (CECUT) is a cultural centre in the Zona Río district of Tijuana, Mexico. The centre opened 20 October 1982, and accommodates more than a million visitors per year. A major feature of the complex is an OMNIMAX cinema designed by architects Pedro Ramirez Vazques and Manuel Rossen Morrison. It is the only IMAX cinema in Tijuana, and has come to be popularly known as La Bola (“The Ball”). The cinema, which uses a 360-degree projector to surround viewers with a panoramic image, has 308 seats. The OMNIMAX cinema has been part of the cultural centre since the complex first opened in 1982. In October of that year, it premiered the film “El pueblo del sol”, which was made especially for the cinema’s opening. The film presents images from the most representative regions of Mexico, and got very good reviews. It was the cinema's only film for 13 years. Today, the centre offers a daily selection of films; it premieres about four films per year.

The centre encompasses a large esplanade that accommodates up to 6,000 people. The esplanade is a venue for performances, festivals, and expos. There is also permanent exhibition, called “Museo de las Californias”, which stores over 200 pieces and is a walk through the history of the Baja Peninsula and the state of California from the prehistoric period until the first half of the 20th century. Also a pre-Hispanic garden, called “Jardin Caracol” (Snail Garden), that contains sculptures from the different regions of the mesoamerican cultures that inhabited south Mexico before the arrival of the Spanish Army. Visitors can have the experience of going through the exhibition while enjoying a coffee since there is a little coffee shop in the garden.

There is also a scenic theatre, which has a room for around a thousand visitors and it is mostly used for private concerts and plays. There are also lecture rooms, video room, café, and a bookshop. There are several spaces for temporary small exhibits. In September 2008, on the eve of its 26th anniversary, CECUT opened its doors to a brand new building called “El Cubo” (The Cube), so named because of the contrast between the nickname of the OMNIMAX cinema “The Ball”. This represented the very important opportunity for CECUT to start receiving International Exhibitions, and since then it has been the home for exhibitions that have traveled from other countries including Buda Guanyin, Gabriel Figueroa, Alice Rahon, Venus en Tijuana, Proyecto Civico, and Animated Painting among others.

Nowadays this important institution has different programs for all ages, since classes for early stimulation for kids around 2 months and 2 years, plastic arts and artisan workshops for children from 5 to 15 years and concerts, conferences, movies, documentaries, exhibitions, and all kind of services for the whole family to enjoy the day and spend a nice time learning. CECUT is a short distance from the Mexico–United States border at San Ysidro, San Diego.

This post is part of the Our World Tuesday meme,
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MUSIC SATURDAY - MEXICAN BAROQUE

“Mexico is a mosaic of different realities and beauties.” - Enrique Peña Nieto

The Colonial Mexican Period lasted from 1521 to 1821 during the Vice-Regency of New Spain. The cultivation of European music began soon after the arrival of the Spanish, during the Late-Renaissance period of Western Music. Musical practices continually coincided with European tendencies throughout the subsequent Baroque and Classical music periods.

It is important to note that while much music was fashioned in European style, uniquely Mexican hybrid works composed of native Mexican language and European musical practice, appeared as early as the sixteenth century, and throughout the colonial period.

Much of the surviving music is sacred music for choir and orchestra that was found at the cathedrals of Mexico City, Puebla, Oaxaca, and Guatemala City, when it formed part of New Spain. Collections of secular music also survive such as the Códice Saldívar of guitar music, and the Eleanor Hague Manuscript housed at the Southwestern Museum in Los Angeles.

Here is some of the Mexican Baroque music by Ignacio de Jerusalem and Manuel de Zumaya performed by Chanticleer.

Ignacio de Jerusalem: 1. Responsorio Segundo de S S José.

Ignacio de Jerusalem: Dixit Dominus, for 2 trebles, 2 violins & continuo.

2. Dixit Dominus: Dixit Dominus Domino meo

3. Dixit Dominus: Virgam virtutis tuae

4. Dixit Dominus: Judicabit in nationibus

5. Dixit Dominus: De torrente in via bibet

6. Dixit Dominus: Gloria Patri, et Filio

7. Dixit Dominus: Amen

Manuel de Sumaya: 8. Sol-fa de Pedro.

Manuel de Sumaya: Mass in D minor.

9. (Polychoral) Mass in D major: Kyrie

10. (Polychoral) Mass in D major: Gloria in excelsis Deo

11. (Polychoral) Mass in D major: Gloria agimus tibi

12. (Polychoral) Mass in D major: Qui tollis peccata mundi

13. (Polychoral) Mass in D major: Quoniam tu solus

14. (Polychoral) Mass in D major: Cum Sancto Spirtu

15. (Polychoral) Mass in D major: Amen

16. (Polychoral) Mass in D major: Credo in unum Deum

17. (Polychoral) Mass in D major: Et incarnatus est

18. (Polychoral) Mass in D major: Crucifixus etiam pro nobis

19. (Polychoral) Mass in D major: Et resurrexit tertia die

20. (Polychoral) Mass in D major: Sanctus

21. Hieremiae Prophetae Lamentationes.

22. Celebren, publiquen.

FOOD FRIDAY - CHILLI SENZA CARNE

“I’d like to have any sort of Mexican or Italian food any time of the day!” - Brenda Song

This is a dish that I had at a friend’s place a couple of times and which I liked. When I asked for the recipe she said that there wasn’t one and that she improvised with whatever was around at the time. So I took her example and tried it at home with whatever was in the pantry/fridge – with the exception of taco shells and avocados that were bought specially! It was very tasty, so I jotted down the recipe!

CHILLI SENZA CARNE

Ingredients

Olive oil for frying

250 g chopped mushrooms (morels would be nice!)

1 large onion, chopped

2 capsicums (1 red and 1 green), diced

100g corn kernels

250 g boiled white beans

1 can peeled tomatoes

Pinch curry powder, Tabasco sauce (to taste), mixed herbs

1.5 cups grated tasty cheese

Taco shells

3 cups steamed rice

1/3 cup butter

Sweet paprika powder

1 ripe avocado, diced fresh tomatoes, sour cream

Method

Heat the olive oil in a wok and fry the chopped mushrooms until cooked.  Remove from the pan and drain them.  Brown half of the chopped onion in the oil in which the mushrooms were fried and then add the diced capsicum, corn, beans and tomatoes.  Season with paprika, curry, Tabasco sauce, mixed herbs. Cook thoroughly and add the cooked mushrooms. Heat the butter until it is just beginning to turn golden and add the chopped onion and paprika, until onion is golden. Add the steamed rice, stirring it in.

Arrange the rice on a plate next to a taco shell and spoon the vegie chilli mixture over it. Sprinkle the cheese on the tacos. Garnish with sour cream, avocado slices and diced tomatoes dipped in vinaigrette sauce.

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MOVIE MONDAY - REVENGE

“Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.” – Confucius

At the weekend we watched an old film, which we were unaware of until I found it in the “specials” bin of our DVD shop. It was Tony Scott’s 1990 film “Revenge” based on the novella by Jim Harrison and starring Kevin Costner, Anthony Quinn and Madeleine Stowe. This was a film showcasing Quinn’s veteran actor talent and providing a platform for Costner to show his developing acting skills.

Costner plays US Navy pilot Michael “Jay” Cochran who is retiring after 12 years in the service. He seems to have lost direction and wants to take some time out for himself. He plans to go and see his old friend and tennis partner Tiburon “Tibby” Mendez (Anthony Quinn) who is a powerful mob boss in Mexico. Tibby owes Jay a debt for saving his life at some point in the past. Once Jay arrives at the Mendez hacienda he meets Miryea (Madeleine Stowe) Tibby’s young and beautiful wife. Instantly attracted to one another and although initially fighting the chemistry between them, they begin an affair, which comes at a great cost.

There is a resemblance to “The Wild Bunch” (1969) and the location shooting in Mexico contributes greatly to the atmosphere and tenseness of the plot. The themes of love and forbidden love, versus friendship and loyalty are at the base of the plot, but there are also subplots relating to corruption, conjugal relationships, motherhood and pride. Tiburon Mendez  feels he has been doubly betrayed, not only by his wife, but more importantly by his friend. Despite the fact that Cochran once saved his life, he shows no mercy for him or for his wife.

There are many tense and some extremely violent scenes, which are enhanced by the background, the sets and the score. The score especially is a great plus and the use of Mexican music in moderation adds so much to the action. The acting is nicely understated, Costner displaying a barely restrained anger throughout the second part of the film and Anthony Quinn playing a role that seems to have been written for him as the superficially charming but totally ruthless mobster. Madeleine Stowe is cast well as the female lead and the chemistry with Costner is good. The cinematography is excellent and the camera is used well to the advantage of the leads.

The ending of the film is one of its strengths and after Quinn and Costner “fight it out” so to speak, Costner’s scene with Stowe at the very end is both tragic and touching. There is a lot of emotion and deep feeling that manages to come out in what essentially is a very violent and grim, western-like movie. The rating for this movie in IMDB is 6.2/10, but I give it a 7.5/10. Certainly an underrated and under-appreciated movie.