Breakfast at Dream Sea

So my most recent global escape brought me to the jungle where I have been teaching yoga at Dream Sea, a glamping (i.e. glamorous camping) experience for surfers. For somebody who is mostly a city /  museum / coffee shop kinda girl, I slightly questioned myself after accepting the month long position. But I was up for the challenge, and ended up surprising myself and thriving in the jungle. After a few nights, I stopped paying attention to the incessant Howler monkeys that are dead set on partying above my tent between 5-7am and make a noise that reminds me of my stomach growling. With the help of the neighbor's cow and rooster, the dogs in camp, wild turkeys and monkeys, I had no need for an alarm, as it was impossible to ignore this cacophony of sounds.

And thus this night owl became an early bird, waiting cheerily to greet my bleary eyed yoga students for our 7am practice under the mango tree. But wait, this blog is supposed to be about food! So here it is. Here in camp, we eat breakfast and dinner communally. The chef and rotating volunteers prepare the food and we all wait eagerly to hear the rousing call to grab a plate.

Breakfast staples are freshly cut fruits, cereal, yogurt, scrambled or fried eggs, and rice and beans. We are sometimes treated to extras such as fried plantains, roasted marinated potatos or slices of white queso cheese. There is always freshly made coffee (it is Costa Rica!) and a pitcher of freshly blended juice of papaya and lime or pineapple. On occasion there is a batch of warm avena made which is oatmeal blended with cinnamon, cloves, sugar and water. After choretime, everyone heads to the beach where we surf or practice yoga. It's a rough life...

The best coffee...

A love of coffee, ideally organic and with artisanal drinks is something that guides me in much of my explorations. Recently, this led me to Finca Riveroll in Guadalajara, Mexico, and after I had made three visits in three days, I decided it was best to share my “secret” find. My first visit was to share a turkish brew and sample a chile chocolate torte  (amazing) which nicely accompanied a philosophical discussion about life. Second time I stuck to cappuccinos and conversation about photography and public spaces. The third time, I met the owner, and took all of his recommendations until my heart started to race from the caffeine. 

Oscar Riveroll owns a finca (farm) in Veracruz where he grows his beans under a cloud forest in the mountain region of Cofre de Perote. The beans are 100% arabica. While I am a coffee lover, and not necessarily a coffee expert, I have had my share of coffee knowledge classes during my barista training. For example, your beans should not be stored in such a way that they lose their natural oils. When they do, they become bitter. I have found that the coffee I like the best, doesn’t require any sugar, or even any milk. There is nothing to cover up and hide with flavorings. The coffee here is all organic, and prepared in a plethora of different ways. 

When you stop adding all the extras to your coffee, you can really let the beans shine, and slowly sip, enjoying the richness. As I did, when Oscar poured steaming milk over my espresso with such gusto that I laughed out loud from the sheer pleasure of the moment. The shop is such a wonderful place to spend a morning, and I quickly lost track of time. There are portraits done in coffee on the walls, books to borrow, and interesting people to practice Spanish conversation with.

On my next order, I tried a french press in which the beans were combined with cardamom. I was thrilled. What a wonderful combination of flavors. Side note: if you happen to be looking at the money on the counter, and thinking it’s a lot...think again. The exchange rate in Mexico is extremely favorable for the dollar. It’s approximately $25 for $500 pesos and that can go quite far. I probably spend more money on coffee than anything else. 

If you ever find yourself in Guadalajara, or Veracruz for that matter...this is one place to seek out! You will know you have found it, when you see the brightly colored building on the corner with the faces of Frieda Kahlo and Diego Rivera! 

Website: http://fincariveroll.com

Weird Foodie News: James Ostrer’s Food Art

Call it wonderful. Call it weird. But to this foodie, English artist, James Ostrer’s series of junk food portraits called “Wotsit All About” makes some deeply profound and darkly humorous observations about our consumption patterns and health. The anthropological candy colored photographs are a fashion spread of the junk food that is killing us. And instead of ranting at us, instead of shaming us, Ostrer revels in it. His cathartic experience in kicking a life long battle against junk food meant eight hours at a time for models, breathing out of a single nostril, and an $8,000 investment in candy, cold cuts, fast foods. Sugar coated bare breasted models are slathered in a sugary appearing cream cheese plaster and fatty adornments. We are reminded of tribal images of the past, where proud warriors and leaders presenting dramatic headdresses, or elaborate ceremonial masks to a unflinching camera. While these models display a different pride, one of everted consumption. The messages here are hugely relevant in our consumerist culture. Sugar highs and fast food lows are an epidemic, obesity runs rampant and children can’t recognize vegetables, but easily recite the jingles of favorite food commercials, and much like the popular adage, “you are what you eat” has literally come to life. 

Pizza war winner: Sally's Apizza

Anybody from Connecticut, and perhaps New England, is aware of the pizza wars originating in New Haven. Who makes a better pie? Is it Frank Pepe? Or Sally's Apizza? If we were judging by volume, then it might be said that Frank Pepe is the clear winner, and pizza devotees don't need to travel to New Haven to enjoy. They can stop by West Hartford, Manchester, or other locations to enjoy their favorite. But is that the end of it? Recently a friend and I decided to go and find out. Although it was a wednesday night, Sally's Apizza was humming and we were considerably lucky to get the one table that had opened up, close to the tantalizing smell of the ovens, and within sight of the steady line of hungry customers at the front door.

So what is the secret? Well, honestly, I think it's in the pie's simplicity, and in the deeply flavorful sauce. We decided that it made most sense to do a 50/50 split so that we could try both styles. Maybe the secret lies in the fact that the same coal fired oven has been used for over eighty years, and there is some sort of flavor infusion effect happening. While we pondered this, and sipped on our white birch beer sodas, we looked around the place and admired the photos. At the time, we were not sure if the photos were of actual patrons, but a glance at their website says that they are! "Many dignitaries, athletes and stars have dined on Sally's over the years. Pictures and memorabilia from these visits line the walls. Notables include Frank Sinatra, Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Kathleen Turner, Don Rickles, Jimmy Durante and Gary Trudeau (look for the Doonesbury tribute to Sally's the next time you are there)." 

We anxiously watched as pie after steaming by came out on rectangular metal sheet pans, to other eagerly waiting patrons. We made a quick mental note to ourselves that we wouldn't arrive at the point of starvation on our next visit. Conversation at this point strayed to references to the Chinese food restaurant episode of Seinfeld, and the eggroll dare.

We were almost to that point when our pie was placed down. Ignoring the fact that it was steaming hot, I quickly folded up a slice (like a New Yorker) and savored the tang of the tomatoe sauce. That sauce. It is like eating fresh tomatoes, with that lingering acidity on the tongue. Fellow diners appeared to be as won over as I was, and "this is the best pizza I have ever tasted" resonated from several booths. The half with the mozzarella cheese was a close second, and soon the pie had disappeared in front of us. I know pizza preference is a personal thing. But for me, Sally's Apizza is the clear winner of the pizza war. I have tried Frank Pepe's on three separate occasions and been under impressed. Every time, the pies lacked in flavor, had a soupy and rather uncooked center, and too much crust. But maybe that's how other people like their pies.

If you are in New Haven, and have time to wait in the line, give Sally's a visit. But be prepared. It is a cash only establishment, no credit cards accepted. Personally, I am ready for another.

237 Wooster Street, New Haven, CT
http://sallysapizza.com/index.html

HOURS:

Monday        CLOSED
Tuesday        CLOSED
Wednesday   4:00 to 9:00
Thursday      4:00 to 9:00
Friday          4:00 to 10:00
Saturday       3:00 to 10:00
Sunday         3:00 to 9:00

Roti, Roti...

If there is one place on this earth that I could call a home-away-from-home, that place would be the Virgin Islands. The effects of an island childhood has irrevocably shaped the kind of woman that I have become. Wherever my life takes me, I walk to a reggae beat, heal myself with local plant wisdom, keep myself open to new cultures, and crave the flavors of the tropics. These flavors are unforgettable. 

On my last trip to the islands, my father had a surprise for me. He had scouted out a local food destination on the way from Charlotte Amalie to the ferry at Red Hook. He pulled our jeep over at “We Never Sleep” food truck which consisted of a refurbished school bus, painted bright red with a eating area created immediately behind it. I was immediately excited because their main dish is roti, something that I have been curious to try. Roti, which is also known as chapati, is an unleavened flat bread. 

It is made from stoneground wholemeal flour and originated in India, but became popular as well in Guyana, Pakistan, Nepal, Maldives, South Africa, Suriname and the Caribbean. Most notably, roti got an upgrade in Trinidad and Tobago. Here the bread, which had been used to accompany meals or sop up soups with, became transformed into a carrier vessel and roti became known as a sandwich! 

Of course the options are endless for filings. We were lucky that day to have been offered saltfish, which wasn’t on the menu. The roti bread is too thick to roll, so it is folded loosely over the abundant filling. Our filling consisted of saltfish with potatoes and garbanzo beans with rich and slightly curried flavors. 

Another pleasing discovery for me was that they sold Moringa tea. Recently I had been studying up on this “miracle tree” which is a virtual powerhouse of nutrients. The leaves contain more than 90 nutrients 46 antioxidants! The list of benefits is almost too long to mention, but it has been used for ages with traditional healing methods, with great success. So naturally, we had a cup. That’s my medicine for the day! 

If you happen to find yourself visiting the Virgin Islands, and specifically St. Thomas, look for We Never Sleep on the way to the ferry. It is very close to the Coki Beach area, on the side of the road.