A Christmas in Colombia

This was the first Christmas that I have ever spent away from my home and family. It was a year of trials and tribulations, and I was in serious need of sleep, sun, and a chance to recharge. So where did I go? Brushing off a flurry of well intended warnings, I flew to Colombia to spend the holidays. Despite being in a tropical climate and not seeing the white stuff, I was still in the holiday spirit as the streets, restaurants and public spaces are all ornately decorated and twinkling lights dance down the sides of walls, and hang from the trees. 

So the obvious question….what did I eat on Christmas? After a long night of dancing till sunrise, the logical decision for the day was to head to the beach for some seafood soup to recover, which is what we did. The restaurant I was taken to, is beautiful. Open air, thatched roof, and huge tables and chairs out of repurposed tree stumps. 

Since my Spanish is beyond elementary, I have been treated to a surprise at every mealtime as my food is ordered for me. This has worked out quite well as I have been exposed to items that I might have otherwise stayed away from. Such as the seafood soup that was placed in front of me with the head of a crustacean staring back at me. Just call me Anthony Bourdain (who also recently visited Colombian btw). 

Hot sauce was drizzled liberally, lime wheels squeezed, and with a plate of warm coconut rice handed to me, I grabbed a fried plantain and used it to scoop out a healthy first bite. While I call myself “a recovering vegetarian”, and still am getting used to funky textures and tastes that are new to my palate, I enjoyed the soup very much. The consistency was more of a stew, and reminded me of a super sized ceviche. I polished off 90% of the soup easily, but when faced with the task of consuming the little guy on top, I had to admit I wasn’t ready for the challenge and passed him on to my obliging dining companion. 

The remains….

During the course of the meal, a woman selling homemade candy passed through the restaurant. She carried them in a large and heavy bowl which she balanced skillfully atop her head. We got two different varieties. One was a sticky ball of molasses and a grain that I couldn’t identify, my best guess is amaranth or sorghum. The other was a slice of toasted coconut skin, filled with a sticky grated coconut mixture. 

All in all, my Christmas breakfast was all that this foodie could have asked for this year. 

Why not be different and make it a "green" holiday season???

Try as I might this year, I just cannot seem to get into the "holiday spirit" of being a consumer and trolling the malls, waiting in lines, and stressing out over finding that perfect gift for people. Maybe it's the fact that the holidays seem pushed upon us sooner and sooner each year, making me subsequently rebel so that my disinterest in the holiday gradually increases so much that I wait till a few days before Christmas and then I run around in a mad dash. Maybe I have simply become such a fan of "un-cluttering" my life, that the idea of filling my life and others with more stuff seems so wildly unappealing. Or it could just be my inner hippie consciousness rising to the surface again thinking about everything that is going on in the world. Whatever the reason, I started thinking about previous posts that I wrote on gifts to get a foodie. I wondered if I could still write that post this year. I realized I could, but with a slightly different slant. Here are some beginning ideas that have been formulating in my mind for what to get the foodie in your life this year.

A $12 pack of seeds? $50 to send a goat to a family? $100 to support a woman entrepreneur? Even a gift a little as $20 could irrigate a farmer's land for 2 months! Oxfam America is a global organization working to right the wrongs of poverty, hunger, and injustice. As one of 17 members of the international Oxfam confederation, we work with people in more than 90 countries to create lasting solutions. Oxfam saves lives, develops long-term solutions to poverty, and campaigns for social change. More gift ideas: https://www.oxfamamericaunwrapped.com/all-gifts/
 

 Or spend $20 on a "Foodie's Delight" at Natural Resources Defense Counsel to help grow the local and organic food movement. Keep the foodies in your life happy and healthy with this mouth-watering gift! You’ll be helping NRDC to grow the local and organic food movement and ensure that all of us have access to an abundant supply of healthy, locally-grown food, free of pesticides and other toxins. It’s the perfect way to honor your loved ones’ commitment to delicious food that’s good for us and good for the planet. Check out this and other ideas at: https://www.nrdcgreengifts.org/gifts