Organic Mexican Food Lovers Zoo Discussions - Zoobird2024-03-29T06:58:53Zhttps://www.zoobird.com/group/organicmexicanfoodlovers/forum?feed=yes&xn_auth=no5 Cheese Habanero and Guinness Mac and Cheesetag:www.zoobird.com,2010-12-11:2129360:Topic:316272010-12-11T19:59:48.761ZMichael Levinhttps://www.zoobird.com/profile/MichaelLevin
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2310079301?profile=original" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2310079301?profile=original" width="640"></img></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.zoobird.com/profile/AlexisDold" target="_blank">Lex</a> posted this on his website, so I am sharing it with you Zoobirds! It's perfect for a cold, winter day!</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span><span style="font-size: medium;">5 Cheese…</span></span></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2310079301?profile=original" target="_blank"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2310079301?profile=original" alt="" width="640"/></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.zoobird.com/profile/AlexisDold" target="_blank">Lex</a> posted this on his website, so I am sharing it with you Zoobirds! It's perfect for a cold, winter day!</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span><span style="font-size: medium;">5 Cheese <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCAQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FHabanero_chili&ei=AdYDTb_XCMSAlAeNvrT-Bw&usg=AFQjCNEyNuWp6QYwd5S3dyrCeniG4dUtHw&sig2=p8KLdKm0Qa02Bo9rjrCYTA" target="_blank">Habanero</a> and Guinness Mac and Cheese ala Alexis Dold of <a href="http://www.villincycleworks.com/" target="_blank">Villin</a> Cycles</span><br/> <br/> 5tbl spoons butter<br/>5tbl spoons all purpose flour<br/><span>...</span><span>3 1/2 cups milk<br/>60 oz cheese (What ever you like)<br/>2 large habaneros<br/>1-2 cans of beer<br/> salt and pepper to your liking<br/>2 boxes pasta (your choice)<br/><br/>Preheat oven to 350<br/>First, boil the pasta<br/>Next, continuously stirring over med hi heat, <br/>melt the butter in a large pot then slowly add the flour till the mixture is thick and creamy with no lumps then slowly add the milk being careful not to add to quickly. <br/>then slowly add the shredded cheese, till the mixture is completely melted.<br/>Then add salt, pepper, habanero and beer to taste<br/>Pour over pasta in large baking thingie, top with bread crumbs or grated Parmesan and bake for 45min<br/> The last 5 min of baking should be switched to broil to crisp up the surface. May be less in your oven keep an eye on it.<br/>Allow to cool for a half hour or so <br/>Enjoy!</span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span><span>===</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>Thanks, Lex!</span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span><span>Hey, all you Zoobirds: have you got good recipes that use ingredients we love like habaneros and Guinness?<br/></span></span></p> The Farmtag:www.zoobird.com,2010-07-05:2129360:Topic:264842010-07-05T13:55:55.614ZMichael Levinhttps://www.zoobird.com/profile/MichaelLevin
<p style="text-align: left;"><img alt="" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2310078234?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="721"></img></p>
<span id="internal-source-marker_0.2536517613489212" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I remember the house next to Lucy Brown’s. She and I would drop by as we<br></br>
ran around playing back in the 60’s. We’d go inside and he’d be playing<br></br>
Janis Joplin on the record player. The door was always open.…</span>
<p style="text-align: left;"><img width="721" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2310078234?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" alt=""/></p>
<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" id="internal-source-marker_0.2536517613489212">I remember the house next to Lucy Brown’s. She and I would drop by as we<br/>
ran around playing back in the 60’s. We’d go inside and he’d be playing<br/>
Janis Joplin on the record player. The door was always open. My next<br/>
door neighbor’s name was Janet Joplin, so I always was intrigued by<br/>
Janis’s gravely voice. I listened to the lyrics over and over again. I<br/>
began to understand them on about the 50th or 60th time. I could feel a<br/>
different feeling in Lucy’s next door neighbor’s house. The people who<br/>
visited had been in Vietnam. I listened to the stories as they looked<br/>
back. I heard them, felt them enjoying similar feelings. I tried to<br/>
understand what they were talking about as they looked for jobs. They<br/>
talked about the hospital where they got help. Sometimes, I didn’t see<br/>
any bandages. I wondered what they were talking about. After a while, I<br/>
realized they were getting help there by talking, just like in the<br/>
house.</span> <br/><br/><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Nobody
called themselves a hippy. It’s taken me a while to figure out why<br/>
people these days refer to hippys disparagingly. Back then, there<br/>
weren’t a bunch of bumper stickers, patches and people who purposely<br/>
wore worn out clothes. I still have a hard time with the concept of<br/>
buying something new that’s stone washed or torn.</span> <br/><br/><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I
met <a href="../../../../profile/JoseCaraballo">Jose</a> the other day in a local restaurant through mutual friends. I<br/>
spoke a little Spanish with him when we met. I said “Mi llamo Miguel,<br/>
como esta?” and “Mucho gusto”, things like that. Lots of people who<br/>
speak Spanish as a first language don’t like to speak Spanish here in<br/>
America. But, Jose realized that I was trying to practice one, and two,<br/>
enjoying his fine accent and diction. We both chose</span> <a href="http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=argentina+chimichurri&aq=2l&aqi=g-l10&aql=&oq=argentineal+ch&gs_rfai="><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">chimichurri</span></a> <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">with tempeh from an array of choices on the menu...<br/><br/>Stay tuned for the rest of the story!<br/></span> Why I Don't Eat Organic {inspired by Elephant Journal}tag:www.zoobird.com,2010-06-06:2129360:Topic:254472010-06-06T13:53:18.195ZMichael Levinhttps://www.zoobird.com/profile/MichaelLevin
<p style="text-align: left;"><img height="600" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2310078117?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="450"></img></p>
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<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Photo by Michael Levin</span></p>
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<p style="text-align: left;"><br></br></p>
<br />
<p style="text-align: left;">There's an eye catcher on Elephant Journal entitled <a href="http://www.elephantjournal.com/2010/05/daily-dilemmas-of-a-householder-why-i-dont-eat-organic/">"Why I Don't Eat Organic"</a>. The answer, of course, is because it's so expensive. The recent freeze has thrown tomato prices…</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><img width="450" height="600" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2310078117?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024"/></p>
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<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Photo by Michael Levin</span></p>
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<p style="text-align: left;"><br/></p>
<br />
<p style="text-align: left;">There's an eye catcher on Elephant Journal entitled <a href="http://www.elephantjournal.com/2010/05/daily-dilemmas-of-a-householder-why-i-dont-eat-organic/">"Why I Don't Eat Organic"</a>. The answer, of course, is because it's so expensive. The recent freeze
has thrown tomato prices skyward. $5.99/lb? What better reason do you<br />
need to grow your own!</p>
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<p style="text-align: left;"><br/></p>
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<p style="text-align: left;"><img width="450" height="600" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2310078143?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024"/></p>
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<p style="text-align: left;"><br/></p>
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<p style="text-align: left;">I grew these in my community garden patch. They taste delicious. <br/></p>
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<p style="text-align: left;"><br/></p>
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<p style="text-align: left;"><img width="360" height="241" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2310078359?profile=RESIZE_480x480"/></p>
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<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Photo by <a href="../../../../profile/Jennifer">Jennifer</a></span><br/></p>
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<p style="text-align: left;"><br/></p>
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<p style="text-align: left;">If I can beat the human deer to 'em they add up to all sorts of tasty stuff, like pizza!</p>
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<p style="text-align: left;"><br/></p>
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<p style="text-align: left;"><img width="737" height="552" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2310078509?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024"/></p>
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<p style="text-align: left;">Imagine walking out to your garden one dewey, cool sunset evening. It's been a hot day (here in Florida, that
is). The birds are singing their day end songs. Bees are buzzing. You<br />
reach down and pluck a ripe cherry tomato. Wash it off and pop it in<br />
your mouth. Just imagine...</p>
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<p style="text-align: left;"><br/></p>
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<p style="text-align: left;"><br/></p> Tomatillos Rock the Free Worldtag:www.zoobird.com,2010-03-05:2129360:Topic:234002010-03-05T18:12:50.613ZMichael Levinhttps://www.zoobird.com/profile/MichaelLevin
<p style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomatillo"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2310077922?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500"></img></a></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><br></br></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">I love salsa verde. You know, green sauce. Being of the Southwest US persuasion, and some people call me <span style="font-style: italic;">Miguelito</span> to boot, it's just a part of my blood. So, here in the Swamp, I get these cravings for Tex Mex, Latino, Southwest fare, call it what you like, these little boogers are what you…</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomatillo"><img width="500" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2310077922?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024"/></a></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><br/></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">I love salsa verde. You know, green sauce. Being of the Southwest US persuasion, and some people call me <span style="font-style: italic;">Miguelito</span> to boot, it's just a part of my blood. So, here in the Swamp, I get these cravings for Tex Mex, Latino, Southwest fare, call it what you like, these little boogers are what you need to make the sauce you and I love.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><br/></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">How do you do it? Acquire some tomatillos. That ideally would originate in your garden, but I notice them at every grocery store I visit. They taste like a mixture between a mild pepper, a lime or lemon and a tomato. <br/></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><br/></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Next, get some onion, some cilantro, lime juice, sugar and salt. Grab some of your favorito peppers. Put it all in a blender, mortar and pestle or a mighty bowl and grind it all up. Hay caramba! It's so good, you'll slap your ass and call it Sally...</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><br/></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">(It's Friday. Forgive me...)</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><br/></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">I know this sounds simple. But, it's not rocket science. It's just something you might not have the first clue how to do, like me. Once you've made it for the first time, you can begin refining it. And, that's what takes some finesse. It's a lot like tortillas. No biggie. They're these corn or flour things you don't pay much attention to. You might not even be sure whether you like corn or flour tortillas. But, soon as you start eating them, you'll know. <br/></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><br/></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">I like flour tortillas wrapped around smoking hot fajitas (skirt steak). I like putting sauteed peppers, onions, guacamole, and guess what? I love putting salsa verde in it. They even make tortilla warmers, if you must know. And, yes, they also rock the free world. This whole subject makes me hungry. <br/></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><br/></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">It also reminds me of a recent trip my hombre amigo Chris and I took to Big Bend, deep in the heart of my homeland, Texas. We drove out thar, as they say, and parked it right up in a campsite with a view to die for...</p>
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<p style="text-align: left;"><br/></p>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikelevin/4023236150/" title="Big Bend by mlevin77, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3533/4023236150_713040cae1.jpg" alt="Big Bend" width="500" height="375"/></a><br/>
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There's what I was thinking of, above. Luna's Jackal.<br/>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikelevin/4022473931/" title="Big Bend by mlevin77, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2669/4022473931_04cba5de2f.jpg" alt="Big Bend" width="500" height="375"/></a><br/>
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You better believe old Luna made some salsa verde. Maybe he had some tortillas? Ya think? Tortilla warmers? Maybe not. Definitely no electricity. I'm guessing he had a mortar and pestle.<br/>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikelevin/4023231118/" title="Big Bend by mlevin77, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2761/4023231118_3fb0466372.jpg" alt="Big Bend" width="500" height="375"/></a><br/>
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There's Luna. He had a great life. The desert in Southwest Texas is beautiful, rugged and gave Luna all the character you see in his face. Now, remind yourself, this man was around at a time cameras were around, so it wasn't really that long ago. He chose the life he led.<br/>
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That camping trip, my friends, was an experience I am ready to do again. Just about every Friday I think about it. If you care to relive some of it with me, a compulsive photographer, just click <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikelevin/sets/72157622487405831/">here,</a> take a big scoop of salsa verde with a stalk of celery or something, and browse my pictures. It was one big time. TGIF! Jalapeño Days at the McRorie Community Gardentag:www.zoobird.com,2009-10-21:2129360:Topic:215022009-10-21T18:43:06.143ZMichael Levinhttps://www.zoobird.com/profile/MichaelLevin
<p style="text-align:left"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikelevin/sets/72157622604999720/" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2564/4019317815_c9054348eb.jpg"></img></a></p>
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There's something about hot peppers, especially jalapeños, that just makes me feel great. It all goes back to my days growing up in the Southwest. Peppers are such a part of the culture in Mexico, Texas, New Mexico, Louisiana, and Colorado (to name just a few places) that its impossible to ignore them. You just get involved to one degree or another.<br />
So, being…
<p style="text-align:left"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikelevin/sets/72157622604999720/" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2564/4019317815_c9054348eb.jpg"/></a></p>
<br />
There's something about hot peppers, especially jalapeños, that just makes me feel great. It all goes back to my days growing up in the Southwest. Peppers are such a part of the culture in Mexico, Texas, New Mexico, Louisiana, and Colorado (to name just a few places) that its impossible to ignore them. You just get involved to one degree or another.<br />
So, being around the peppers in the McRorie Community Garden is a real delight. And, it's a trip down memory lane. Those peppers in the photo above are probably Blake's. Some plots have changed hands recently, so I'm not sure. I know Blake's grown peppers in this patch before, so they're probably his prizewinners.<br />
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<p style="text-align:left"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikelevin/sets/72157622604999720/" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3489/4020079770_37908635b8.jpg"/></a></p>
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I looked for a photo of Blake in the collection of <a href="http://zoobird.wordpress.com/category/human-beans/" target="_blank">Human Beans</a> on the Zoobird blog I started before Zoobird proper, but couldn't find one. (Later...) Here's Blake, below:<br />
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<p style="text-align:left"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2416/2414020821_419c187a62.jpg?v=0"/></p>
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The last time I saw Blake was a momentous occasion...<br />
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<p style="text-align:left"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2630/4019319259_639a7322fd.jpg"/></p>
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I just looked for the photos of the "momentous occasion". I couldn't find them, either. I'm kind of rushing here, because...well, places to go and people to see. I don't want this to take all day. So, I'll have to rely on my razor sharp powers of description with the written word to tell you all about these peppers, the momentous occasion, and digress a bit to say that the photo above is all about the wonderful feeling and sensuality the garden imparts.<br />
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Those bamboo chimes in the photo above have a distinctive sound. Can you remember ever hearing some? I love that sound, which is shared by some chimes at <a href="http://www.zoobird.com/profile/MichaelHauser" target="_blank">Michael's</a> house in Berkeley. Yes, I have a recording of them from my last visit to the Bay Area...but, you'll have to forgive me because I'm in a rush.<br />
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How about that "Harvester" wrought iron Blake has up thar? Visually, it's a durable reminder that we come from an agrarian background. Yep, we were mostly farmers once. OK, I'll dig up a favorite photo...hang on...<br />
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<p style="text-align:left"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikelevin/212557652/" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/60/212557652_815fbf03e7.jpg"/></a></p>
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That's what I'm talkin' about! It's the <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/place?oe=utf-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=Dudley+Farm+Historic+State+Park&fb=1&gl=us&hq=Dudley+Farm+Historic+State+Park&hnear=Dudley+Farm+Historic+State+Park&cid=5795939061748471660" target="_blank">Dudley Farm Historic State Park</a>, just down the road from here. Yes, it's a perfectly preserved farm in Gainesville that reminds us of how most people lived not so long ago. I took that photo with my little Audiovox SMT5600 cellphone, by the way.<br />
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<p style="text-align:left"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2757/4019320053_bf250e3ae6.jpg"/></p>
So, here are a few of Blake's other fabulous peppers. Let me explain what I meant by "momentous occasion". A while back, Michelle Obama came to Gainesville to give a speech at a real, live rally at the <a href="http://thehipp.org/" target="_blank">Hippodrome Theater.</a> Well, that was so cool.<br />
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<p style="text-align:left"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3606/3383420832_bb5ff74046.jpg?v=0"/></p>
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I saw a few McRorie-ites there, a few Zoobirds! <a href="http://www.zoobird.com/profile/RonChandler" target="_blank">Ron Chandler</a> was there...That's him in the photo above. Well, after the rally, I rode my bike to the garden, just a few blocks away.<br />
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<p style="text-align:left"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2470/4019320965_479d7ec534.jpg"/></p>
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I was standing there, right about where I took the photo of greens you see above, taking to Blake. Along comes some big black <a href="http://www.houstoncars.org/wp-content/uploads/2007/01/WindowsLiveWriter/2afbc714089a_CD3A/2007-cadillac-escalade%5B3%5D1.jpg" target="_blank">Escalades</a>, and the window rolls down on one and guess who it was, smiling so big you couldn't miss it? Michelle Obama!<br />
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Sweet!<br />
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<br/><small><a href="http://www.zoobird.com/video/video">Find more videos like this on <em>Zoobird</em></a></small><br/>
Speaking of Ron Chandler, here's a little video above of him describing "McRorie Community Garden Stew". You may have to turn up the volume a little to hear him, since I used that same cellphone to record the video!<br />
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I wish I recorded Ron describing his McRorie Mango Jalapeño Salsa. That's got a little ring to it, doesn't it? Does that just make you want to sing and dance? Good! You just get some mango and some...yes, jalapeños! Put them and maybe some cilantro (Ron, help me here) in a blender. Grind up to the desired chunky or smoothness. Plenty good.<br />
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Just a bit of pepper culture now, I will share with you. There's New Mexico Green Chili culture. There's Terlingua Pride, the chili festival in Texas that would be nothing without jalapeños.<br />
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<p style="text-align:left"><a href="http://www.elephantjournal.com/2009/08/the-ginger-cafe/" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3328/3329857339_bb7f88a9d6.jpg"/></a></p>
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Now, if you really want to see what can be done with peppers, and live to tell what they taste like, persuade yourself and any lucky friend you have to travel out to the little town at the base of this majestic mountain, Mt Crested Butte in Colorado. And, yes that's the sun glowing all over the snow capped mountain at sunset, looking like <a href="http://www.candysnob.com/archives/pictures/candy-corn-1-thumb-400x300.jpg" target="_blank">halloween candy</a>. Thank you, mister cellphone camera, because I was lucky enough to be there that crisp, cool evening in the thin, mountain air when the sun did that to Mt Crested Butte. I smelled spruce trees. My breath froze as I just stood there, awestruck. The beauty of that sunset rivals any I've ever seen. And, just check out my <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikelevin/sets/72157615680791249/" target="_blank">sunset collection</a>. I've seen a few nice ones!<br />
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<p style="text-align:left"><a href="http://www.elephantjournal.com/2009/08/the-ginger-cafe/" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.elephantjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/img_0900-225x300.jpg"/></a></p>
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That's Spencer Hestwood, chief chef and owner of Crested Butte's <a href="http://www.elephantjournal.com/2009/08/the-ginger-cafe/" target="_blank">Ginger Cafe</a>, in the photo above.<br />
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<p style="text-align:left"><a href="http://www.elephantjournal.com/2009/08/the-ginger-cafe/" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.elephantjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/img_0002-225x300.jpg"/></a></p>
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Spencer and his staff do amazing things with the humble pepper, and he uses locally grown produce. Click on any of the photos or <a href="http://www.elephantjournal.com/2009/08/the-ginger-cafe/" target="_blank">here</a> to read a little about the Ginger Cafe.<br />
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There are chipotles, which are dried, mesquite smoked jalapeños that have a distinctive taste you never forget. There's Louisiana Pepper Sauce and a host of other pepper sauces, like the old "<a href="http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_does_the_phrase_Slap_my_ass_and_call_me_Sally_mean#" target="_blank">Slap My Ass and Call Me Sally"</a> <a href="http://www.hotsauceworld.com/smacmyassand.html" target="_blank">sauces.</a> One of my favorite Mexican dishes is <a href="http://mexicanfood.about.com/od/techniques/ht/chilerelleno.htm" target="_blank">chile relleno</a>, which even feels good just saying!<br />
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<p style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.bk.com/en/us/menu-nutrition/index.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2310078387?profile=original" alt=""/></a></p>
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Allright, I could go on and on...but like I said, people to see, places to go. Did I mention that the latest Burger King creation is called an Angry Whopper? Why? Because it has jalapeños!<br />
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<p style="text-align:left"><img width="450" height="600" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2310078716?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024"/></p>
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I'll leave you with this shot of my jalapeños. It's a good thing. Makes me happy. I hope you consider planting some. They survive pretty much anything. And, they have more flavor than most anything you'll grow in your garden. Happy gardening! Using peppers in cookingtag:www.zoobird.com,2009-03-23:2129360:Topic:151412009-03-23T13:14:27.912ZMichael Levinhttps://www.zoobird.com/profile/MichaelLevin
<p style="text-align:left"><img height="479" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2310076991?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="640"></img></p>
<i>Peppers on display at town square in Amalfi, Italy - photo by Mike Levin</i><br />
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Recently, I was at the Crested Butte Hostel in Crested Butte, CO and had several conversations about peppers and cooking. Jose' is from Guatemala. He shared some chicken stew with rice with me that he's cooked with some kind of pepper that tasted fantastic. I can't remember the name, but <a href="http://www.zoobird.com/profile/Alina96">Alina</a> promises me she'll ask Jose'…
<p style="text-align:left"><img width="640" height="479" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2310076991?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024"/></p>
<i>Peppers on display at town square in Amalfi, Italy - photo by Mike Levin</i><br />
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Recently, I was at the Crested Butte Hostel in Crested Butte, CO and had several conversations about peppers and cooking. Jose' is from Guatemala. He shared some chicken stew with rice with me that he's cooked with some kind of pepper that tasted fantastic. I can't remember the name, but <a href="http://www.zoobird.com/profile/Alina96">Alina</a> promises me she'll ask Jose' and find out.<br />
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Another guest at the hostel described how it is a tradition in New Mexico to buy a bushel of green chile peppers and use them all season. Yes, a bushel! Green chiles have a delicious, cool, spicy flavor. He said you could mail order them. I tucked away the web address for the mail order place, but I am sure it will turn up.<br />
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If you have some good green chile or recipes that use peppers, please tell us about them here. Cactustag:www.zoobird.com,2008-09-03:2129360:Topic:44492008-09-03T17:23:23.012ZMichael Levinhttps://www.zoobird.com/profile/MichaelLevin
<img width="171" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2310076754?profile=RESIZE_180x180"/><br />
<p>Cactus is a Mexican food staple. Go to any Mexican shop and you'll probably find some in the produce section. I tried cooking with it. It tastes a lot like green bell pepper once it's cooked.
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It's great on sandwiches, salads or anything that you'd put green veggies in.<br />
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Have you cooked something special with cactus?</p>
<img width="171" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2310076754?profile=RESIZE_180x180"/><br />
<p>Cactus is a Mexican food staple. Go to any Mexican shop and you'll probably find some in the produce section. I tried cooking with it. It tastes a lot like green bell pepper once it's cooked.
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It's great on sandwiches, salads or anything that you'd put green veggies in.<br />
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Have you cooked something special with cactus?</p> Mango Jalapeno Salsatag:www.zoobird.com,2008-07-10:2129360:Topic:20222008-07-10T17:57:44.506ZMichael Levinhttps://www.zoobird.com/profile/MichaelLevin
The last time Zoobird member <a href="http://www.zoobird.com/profile/RonChandler">Ron Chandler</a> and I talked, he was about to make some Mango Jalapeno Salsa. Near as I can remember, he said to just take a couple of mangos and dice them, add a little jalapeno, add some chopped cilantro, some lime juice and a bit of cardamom. We have nearly all of the ingredients growing naturally at McRorie Community Garden! Have you got a variation on this salsa you can share? Inquiring minds would love to…
The last time Zoobird member <a href="http://www.zoobird.com/profile/RonChandler">Ron Chandler</a> and I talked, he was about to make some Mango Jalapeno Salsa. Near as I can remember, he said to just take a couple of mangos and dice them, add a little jalapeno, add some chopped cilantro, some lime juice and a bit of cardamom. We have nearly all of the ingredients growing naturally at McRorie Community Garden! Have you got a variation on this salsa you can share? Inquiring minds would love to know...