Cranberry Sherbet

 

This Thanksgiving I had a much smaller crowd, only four of us so I decided to make some changes to my regular Thanksgiving menu.  One was the dessert, Cranberry Sherbet along with Shortbread Bars.  And it was a big hit.   Easy and so refreshing.

CRANBERRY SHERBET

3 cups unsweetened cranberry juice

 1 cup sugar

3 T fresh lemon juice

dash of salt

1/4 cup cold water

1 (.25 oz) envelope unflavored gelatin

1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream

In a large bowl, stir the cranberry juice, sugar, lemon juice and salt together.  Chill for an hour.  Put the cold water in a small sauce pan and add the gelatin.  Over low heat, stir the gelatin until dissolved.  Stir into the cranberry mixture.  Add the cream and beat until the mixture is foamy, about 2 minutes.

Put in a container with a lid and place in the freezer. About every 30 minutes, stir with a spatula, scraping the sides.  Do this until the mixture starts to set up.  Freeze overnight before serving.

A variation on the recipe would be to substitute cranberry juice for pomegranate juice and garnish the sherbet with pomegranate seeds. 

 

Tomato Galette with a Buttermilk Biscuit Crust

This galette is a bit different from the standard galette made with a pastry crust.  What sets this apart from the others is the crust is made from a buttermilk biscuit dough!  With the sudden abundance of ripe tomatoes in the garden, this was the perfect recipe.

Buttermilk Biscuit Dough:

1 3/4 cups flour, plus more for dusting/rolling

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small slices

 3/4 cup cold buttermilk (make sure to shake the carton well)

 Semolino flour

Combine all the ingredients except for the buttermilk.  Using the whisk attachment on your mixer or a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles a course meal with pea size lumps of butter.  Place bowl into the refrigerator.  While chilling, prep the filling for the gallette.  Then stir in the buttermilk using a spatula.  Do not over mix.  The dough will be slightly sticky.  Knead a few times on a floured surface and roll out to around a 15" round.  Transfer the dough to a large piece of parchment paper that has been dusted with semolino flour.  Place on a large baking sheet.  Sprinkle the center area of the dough with more semolino.

Filling: 

6 - 8 medium size tomatoes, cut into 1/2" slices and placed on paper towels and        lightly salted.

4 oz. Gruyere cheese, coarsely grated

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup of finely chopped herbs (combination of basil, parsley and chives) 

Ground pepper to taste

Mix together 2 oz. Gruyere cheese, the mayonnaise and herbs along with the ground pepper.

Arrange the tomatoes, slightly overlapping on the dough, leaving a 1 1/2" border.  Sprinkle with 2 oz. Gruyere cheese.  Arrange another layer of tomatoes.  Dollop generous portions of the cheese, mayo and herb mixture over the tomatoes.  Fold the dough border over the edges of the tomatoes, pleating the dough as you go.

Bake in a 425 degree oven for 30 minutes or until the crust is golden-brown.  Let cool on a wire rack before cutting into wedges.

 

 

Two of my all time favorite cities!

In the November issue of Conde Nast's Traveler magazine, two of my favorite cities were voted "Best of the World Small Cities". 

San Miguel de Allende in Mexico came in first and San Sebastián in Spain came in third.  

My first encounter to San Miguel de Allende was the summer of 1974 when I went to the Art Institute and that same summer my parents bought our first house right in the historic center of town.  And that is when my love affair with Mexico, especially San Miguel started.  I am leading another tour there in July which I filled immediately.

Once you visit San Sebastián, you will immediately fall under its spell because of its charm, the best cuisine in the world and its magnificent La Concha Bay.  I took this photo from my room's balcony at the Hotel de Londres y de Inglaterra, one of my all time favorite hotels.   My husband and I will be there next August along with a week in Barcelona.  Both places I have been countless times over the last twelve years.  When there, I will be fine tuning my "favorite lists" of restaurants, museums, sites...  For in 2024, I am planning to lead a two week tour to Barcelona and San Sebastián starting in mid August.  It will be a smaller group of six.  If interested, let me know and I will put you on the list.  I plan on having the itinerary and pricing put together once I return from Spain next September.

I may have other trips planned for next fall and 2024.  Stay tuned.

 

 "TRAVEL IS THE ONLY THING YOU BUY THAT MAKES YOU RICHER"

 

 

Carla Fernández Collection at the Denver Art Museum

 

There is a very interesting exhibition at the Denver Art Museum and one that I can personally identify with.  Not only are the clothes imaginative, the displays are stunning.  If you love textiles like I do, you can not pas this up.

Carla Fernández Casa de Moda: A Mexican Fashion Manifesto is the first exhibition to fully explore the career of Mexican artist and fashion designer Carla Fernández, founder of the eponymous fashion brand in May 2022. 

Carla Fernández is a fashion house based in Mexico City dedicated to preserving and revitalizing the textile legacy of indigenous and mestizo communities of Mexico.  Her traveling studio allowed her to meet with Indigenous artisans throughout Mexico who create textiles and other crafts.  Many of the places visited are places I have spent time in and reveled in the textiles and crafts.  Over time, Fernández has learned and witnessed how these master artisans draw upon oral history and transmission of techniques. She collaborates with the artisans in the creative and production processes, creating contemporary designs for the global market.

"Spirit Cape" made in collaboration with Arisbeth Gonzales, San Pablito, Puebla.

"Chicomecoatl Plumas Tunic" made in collaboration with Feliciana Hernandez Bautista and Gilberto Nuci, Ahuiran, Michoacan.  A black and white Ikat-dyed cotton woven on a back-strap loom with a guinea fowl feather hem.

Chamula Dress made by Juana Lopez Santis, San Juan de Chamula, Chiapas.

On one of my tours to Chiapas.  We were in San Juan de Chamula during Carnival which is an exciting time to be there.  You can see the men dressed in there wool ponchos.

 

"Molinillos Vest and Pants" made in collaboration with Juan Alonso, Santa Maria Rayon, State of Mexico.  I particularly loved this piece especially with the use of the Molinillos.  

 

In the photo above (taken in the Friday market in Patzcuaro, Michoacan), on the left, is the traditional wooden utensil, molinillo, that is used to mix the chocolate and milk together for the hot chocolate. They are made from one piece of wood and there are loose rings that spin when rubbing the handle back and forth between your palms.

Since Fernandez's childhood, she was always a fan of the Mexican culture, something she was exposed to at home for her father was a historian who visited many indigenous villages while her mother sought out international fashion centers. 

 

When I think of Crotoneria (paper-mache), I think of the Linares family from Mexico City.  Carla worked with Pedro Linares's grandson, Leonardo Linares, who reinterperted dsigns by his grandfather from the collection of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera.

The use of Cortoneria (paper-mache) was used for these masked figures.  A homage to the celebrations that are so prolific through out the year in Mexico.  Cortoneria is used in creating effigies of Judas during Holy week and skulls and skeletons for Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead).

The Chuspata hats and bags are made from natural fibers from Ihuatzio in Michoacan. 

One of my favorite pieces for I have many rebozas similar to this pattern and weave.

"Poema Pncho" made in collaboration with Rosa Hernandez, Hueyapan, Puebla.  Indigo hand dyed wool with tree-of-life cross-stitch embroidery woven on a foot loom.

Talk about a funky pair of sandals!

Creations of the artisans from San Juan de Chamula in the state of Chiapas. 

Carla paid homage to the livestock herding competition, La Charreria, which was popular during the colonial period.  The horse riders are referred to as Charros.   The charros wore elaborate outfits adorned with silver conchas and calado (fretwork) as you can see represented in the pieces above.

"Milagros Tunic"  (miracles) in collaboration with artisans from Oaxaca, Oaxaca.

At the end of the exhibition, there is a gallery showcasing the different techniques found in creating many of the pieces on display.  The first hand is "Raised Embroidery" - "Bordado Elevado".  The middle hand is "Filled Otomi Embroidery" - "Bordado Rellenc Otomi".  The right hand is "Double-Sided Embroidery" - "Bordado de Doble Vista".  Intrigued in learning a bit more on the Otomi embroidery, check out my post on my Blog dated August 16, 2018.  If you love textiles like I do, I know you will find it very interesting.

DENVER ART MUSEUM

Exhibition ends October 16, 2022

 

It's a wonderful exhibition and worth checking out.

August Celebrates Chiles en Nogada, a celebrated dish in Mexico!

Chiles en Nogada is a celebrated dish especially in Puebla but can be found in many other states, like Guanajuato.  They are roasted poblano chiles stuffed with picadillo (a mixture of minced meat, mostly beef and pork, fruits and spices) bathed in nogada, a walnut cream sauce and garnished with pomegranate seeds and parsley.  It is a festive dish typically served in the month of September to celebrate Independence Day (September 15 - 16) because the colors of the dish are said to resemble the colors of the Mexican flag, green, white and red.   But it is in August that the pomegranate trees are prolific!  And how ironic that this dish is about independence from Spain and many of the ingredients came from the old world.

Above is the massive kitchen with its walls lined with Talavera tiles at the Ex-Convento de Santa Rosa in Puebla.

According to Puebla legend, and there are many, it was the Augustine nuns from the Convento de Santa Rosa who were called upon to prepare a special feast for General Agustin de Iturbide who was the commander in charge of the Mexican War of Independence when victory was achieved.  He later became Mexico's first emperor.   After signing the treaty that gave Mexico its independence, he stopped in Puebla on his way to Mexico City from Veracruz for a celebratory dinner in his honor.  

In Spanish, the word for Pomegranate is Granada.  Love the sound of that. 

If in San Miguel de Allende this month or next, visit Gombos Restaurant.  They make one of the best Chiles en Nogada in town!

 

 

Artisans & Architecture Tour in Michoacán, Mexico - May 12 - 22, 2023

Morelia, Patzcuaro and the surrounding artisan villages have been dear to me ever since I started exploring the area over 20 years ago.  And an area where I have acquired the majority of my folk art.

The capital of Michoacán, Morelia, is one of the most Spain-like of all colonial cities in Mexico.  Morelia has a certain air of elegance, rich in history and the pinkish quarry stone structures are as majestic today as they were in the 16th century.   

Patzcuro is a small colonial gem, a land of immense natural beauty. 

Michoacán’s countryside is a vast expanse of rolling hills, deep lakes, winding rivers and green valleys.  Volcanic activity and the state's latitude position helps create a setting not unlike Hawaii.  Rich soil supports lush  vegetation, with spectacular mountain landscapes, and velveteen pasture lands.

The state has few large cities, but rather is a quilt of small villages and towns that have changed little since the early 1800's . Its pace is leisurely, its people friendly, and its Spanish colonial and indigenous heritage rich. 

We will start this 11-day adventure in Morelia.

We will stay right in the heart of the city, two blocks from the zocalo, in a hotel that was originally a private mansion built in the 17th century.

We will explore the  many museums and numerous churches.  The Casa de Artisanias, the Ex-Convent of San Francisco, contains an impressive collection folk art and crafts of the state.

We will visit the Ex-convent de Santa Maria Magdalena in Cuitzeo.  This priory is among the most sumptuous 16th century monasteries in Mexico, the sculptured Plateresque church facade front being its most prominent feature.  The frescoes in the interior are just as magnificent.  

 

Our first destination after leaving Morelia is the incredible grounds and studio, Candelaria, of Juan Torres Calderón.  This exceptional and highly prestigious painter and sculptor, born in Michoacan, has always been fascinated by Death.  Death is a constant in his work, it appears everywhere in the shape of symbolisms or skeletons and skulls. In 1982 Juan discovered the wonders of clay and started creating "Catrinas".  

Today, he's primarily a painter, but his footprint in Capula is seen in every corner of this small town today.   

About an hour away, we will travel into the wooded mountains of Patzcuaro with its whitewashed houses with red tile roofs.  

 

 

We will stay a block from the main zocalo at a small hotel near the Basilica.  We’ll visit 16th century painted chapels, old monasteries and

 

the library that has a massive mural by Juan O’Gorman depicting the history of the state.  

 

 A must is to go to the San Francisco market on Friday morning, one of my all time favorite things to do when in Patzcuaro.  Artisans come in from the countryside with their ceramics, basketry, plants... You can not help but buy something.  Last time I stocked up on these colorful salsa bowls with their own lids.  Besides buying for yourself, they make great gifts.

One morning we will be transported to another part of Michoacan when we take a boat over to a few of the islands on Lake Patzcuaro.  One of them being Janitzio, an island solely inhabited by the indigenous people.  

An afternoon visit to an incredible enthralling 18th century Templo de Santiago in Tupataro 

 

with its coffered wood ceiling entirely covered with a cycle of 47 painted panels illustrating the “Life and Passion of Christ.” 

 

We’ll go out to small villages where you will meet many of the artisans.  It was Don Vasco de Quiroga who came from Spain in 1531, who was  influenced by the teachings of  Thomas Moore’s Utopia, for he created villages with hospitals and community centers. Crafts were established in each village, making them self supporting.  Woodworking, copperware, weaving, pottery,

lacquerware continues to this day.

A visit to Tzintzuntzan noted for its clay pots, adornas de popote (straw decorations), wood, hand-embroidered textiles and stone carvings. 

Above is Angelica Morales Gámez a 4th generation Master Ceramist, following in the tradition of her Mother Doña Ofelia Gámezz.  She creates old-style Tzintzuntzan pottery, simple decorations in manganese black over a background of kaolin white with a lead free glaze.  Her painted figures depict activities of every day life in rural Mexico.

Luis Manuel Morales Gámez, Tzintzuntzan native, artist, and master potter, has created high fired ceramics for 25 years.

He was influenced by the great Mexican painters Diego Rivera, David Siqueiros, José Clemente Orozco, Rodolfo Tamayo, and Pablo Picasso.   His work, sold in a very few exclusive Mexican shops, is often shipped to Europe and the United States for sale. 

A stop in Santa Clara de Cobre where copper work has been its main craft since the       Spanish arrived.  I have only touched on a few of the artisans that we will visit, the crafts and talented artisans are endless.                   

The typical foods of Michoacán include their famous carnitas, 

corundas (tamales) and tarasca (tortilla) soup, known in all Mexico. It is one of the most varied gastronomy of the country, with many different dishes.  It is a cuisine very attached to the products of the land, such as corn or beans, to which meat has been added by the Spaniards, along with pork.  Nearly every town and its surrounding region is known for a culinary specialty or agricultural product. Uruapan’s avocados and macadamias, Apatzingan’s pork, rice and melons, and the seafood of the area around Lazaro Cardenas are only a few of the gastronomic wonders of Michoacán.
                         

In Morelia, we will dine at La Azotea de Los Juaninos which serves phenomenal cuisine with breathtaking views of the Cathedral.  And that night you will be in for a special treat, there will be a magnificent display of fireworks over the Cathedral!

 

Comida (lunch) one day at Chef Blanca Villagomez’s who was awarded outstanding traditional cook of Michoacan.

We will have lunch at the Hotel Boutique Hacienda Ucazanaztacua, where we will enjoy a delicious meal accompanied by a beautiful view of the Lake Patzcuaro.  

 

Outside of Capula, we will dine at one of my favorite spots that serves some unbelievable salsas with their entrees.  A place frequented by locals far and near.

Our last night we will dine at the number one rated restaurant in Morelia and one that has received three Michelin stars, La Conspiracion de 1809.  I have only touched on a few of the places we will dine at.  Believe me, you will not be disappointed.

The colors, textures and imagination of the indigenous are resplendent in all of Michoacán.  
 

Please join me for an adventure of a life time!

 

 May 12 - 22, 2023

 

If interested, please email me your contact information and 

I will send you the detailed itinerary, flight info and deposit request.

robindsg@aol.com