Last Winter, December 2013: Part II - In Search for “Real” Mexico

Originally published on Endless Horizons; travel series commissioned by Fuzz

Travel is the quickest way to realign your perspective. Whether it’s a break-up, loss of job, or perceived life “rut,” hopping on a plane and saying “F@#& it,” is a perfect temporary cure. Early last winter, I did just that and headed off to Mexico with a bit of nudging from my fiancé. I was initially resistant to the idea fearing it would be a poor use of resources but warmed up to it after doing a bit of research about the beaches.

Arriving in Los Cabos was interesting.  We were welcomed by a patchwork of tourist spots and “real Mexico.” The tourist portions of the region were well maintained and resembled old Spanish palaces while the areas inhabited by locals seemed to be less glamorous. The drive between the airport and our hotel was very eye-opening; it further illustrated what I’ve heard about Mexico’s geography from travel literature.

“Mexico is a unique country, many of its urban environments transition seamlessly between shining examples of modernity and organized chaos.”

I took note of this while I drove between the regions small towns with no paved roads, modest structures, and taquerias. This differed greatly from the “tourist zone” which featured posh hotels, well maintained roads, and “sanitized” Mexican culture.

Admittedly I was a tad ashamed of our hotel when we first arrived. It was blatantly pandering to American tastes. Connection to local culture was faint at best. Pulling up to the entrance in my rental car I was confused by the look of our hotel. It looked like a mix between a Southwestern style cattle ranch and Spanish colonial outpost.

My skepticism faded once we were settled. While the hotel was divorced from the culture of the area, it did have a breathtaking view of the Sea of Cortez, had multiple pools and was remarkably empty the second week in December (see part I). The staff was also super friendly and helpful. My fiancé and I befriended the woman who ran the hotel’s pool house. She helped us find an awesome taqueria which served amazing baja style tacos and helped us navigate some of the areas outside of the “tourist zone.”

As I began to traverse Baja California Sur’s southern coast with my fiancé, I started to understand the allure of the place. It was far from perfect but the dry desert heat was very comfortable, people were friendly, and everyone seemed to be focused on celebrating the moment – something I took note of and brought home to Seattle after the vacation. At the time, I wasn’t sure what the trip would yield in terms of clarity about life goals or perspective but as always when I travel, I let my guard down, gave into the whims of the surroundings and was confident the area had plenty to teach and would provide ample moments of “ah” if I kept my eyes open.

To be continued… “Last Winter, December 2013: Part III”

Boudin Blanc History and Recipe

As a Northwestern with roots extending to the American South and Midwest, I've come to understand my family better through food. Last weekend I tackled making one of the Holland/Guillory Families’ more complex dishes, Boudin – a rice-pork sausage. The dish comes in a few varieties. The two most well-known are Boudin Noir (includes pig blood) and Boudin Blanc – the version popular with my family.

Boudin gained popularity in rural Louisiana as a method to preserve meat products. Traditionally the dish was made at a celebration called “Quedema –“a creole word roughly translating to fall harvest celebration. At the event 2 – 7 families would gather from around the area to help with the meat preservation. Starting as early as 4 AM, families would begin the process of butchering, cleaning, and cooking the livestock. Prior to the invention of refrigeration techniques all meat had to be salted following the butchering process to ensure it didn’t spoil.

After sitting down with my Granny to make the dish, I quickly learned how much labor Boudin requires. Minus the actual butchering of the animals and creating the base for the dish, it took my friend and me 3.5 hours to produce a handful of links. During the creation of the dish I was particularly astonished by the fact my Granny hadn't made Boudin her entire life. She only actively started making the dish when she migrated to Seattle in the 80s, encouraging words for amateur Boudin makers like myself.

If you’re interested in trying to make Boudin Blanc, I've provided a recipe below with instructions. Good luck; let me know how it turns out! 

[Recipe, backstory, and lessons provided courtesy of Mary Guillory, aka Granny – Matriarch of the Holland Family, Seattle Branch]

###

Boudin Blanc Recipe

Ingredients
Pork roast (7 lbs)
Pork fat (4 lbs)
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
2 cloves of garlic
1 onion
Rice (1 - 2 pots)
Cayenne pepper (add according taste)
Salt (add according taste)
Pepper (add according taste)
Sausage casings
Thread
***Optional***
Pork liver
Additional ingredients can be added to the mixture to enhance flavor (add according to taste)

Cooking Instructions
Approximate Time Required: Six Hours; preparation recommended in phases
1. Boil roast and fat until cooked (add liver if applicable)
2. Grind together

Roast
Pork fat
Bell peppers
Garlic
Onion
(Add additional ingredients if applicable)

3. Cook rice
4. If frozen, defrost sausage casings
5. Put all ingredients - expect rice, into one pot
6. Add enough water into the pot to cook
7. Simmer on stove for 2 ½ hours
8. Add salt and cayenne pepper to pot (add according taste)
9. Combine rice with grinded ingredients in one bowl. Mix until blended
10. Add mixture to the sausage stuffer machine (electric option optimal)
11. Attach casing to the spout of the machine
12. Fill sausage casing until full
13. Tie both ends of the sausage with thread and set aside on separate plate
14. Repeat steps 10 – 13 until you exhaust available ingredients
15. Boil a full pot of water
16. Submerse sausages into water for approximately 2 minutes
17. Serve sausages

Storage Notes
Eat within a week of making
Store in fridge
Freeze leftovers

Growing Up in Coffee Shops

As a Northwesterner raised by a Midwesterner and Southerner, coffee was a foreign substance in my household.  In its place was pop – a drink often rationed by my siblings and I. Coffee didn’t enter my life in a meaningful way until I returned to Seattle in 2007 for college at the University of Washington.

After years of drinking pop out of a fridge or vending machine, the notion of brewing coffee or going to get it from a shop seemed downright foreign, if not absurd. Venturing to shops with friends proved to be an interesting challenge. I’d often get to the menu board and be overwhelmed by the choices. It was a stark change from my standard options at home – Coke or Pop. Dazed and often very confused, I’d frequently leave shops with a mocha, my default/security blanket.

It wasn’t until I graduated from college when I truly started to appreciate coffee. Oddly however it wasn’t the taste which drew me in. No, instead it was the culture around the shops and its powerful distinction as an independent space for interaction, business, and relaxing. I hadn’t experienced anything like it before and was hooked by the notion.

Much of my experience with coffee came as a direct connection to the close of the Great Recession in 2009 – as documented by economists. During this time I found myself constantly hitting the pavement, making cold calls to potential employers, and emailing leads I’d discover through contacts. Responses were mixed. Many people were unresponsive, a few were downright rude, but remarkably I found a majority were actually very warm, friendly, and open to a conversation.

The receptive majority which I began to befriend always had a particular place they’d like to meet - coffee shops. Timid at first, I found myself bouncing from coffee shop to coffee shop meeting a variety of different professionals. During the meetings they’d provide in-depth insight into their lives, careers, and passions. The warmness I felt from those experiences still lingers with me today and is a major factor why I find myself frequenting coffee shops today.

Now at a new stage in my life as a budding freelance communications consultant/unemployed young professional I often find myself calling coffee shops home. It serves as a place to connect and work. In just a few years, this once foreign drink has become part of my natural routine. Happy to say I drink it mostly black with just a bit of sugar these days.

[Photo courtesy of Flickr user Nicola since 1972]

Obama II: Moving Forward

Movies by nature are designed to entertain but on a deeper level they carry subtle messages and themes, which explain the dreams, ambitions, and fears of the cultures that create them. I recently stumbled across an article in the New York Times titled, "Movies in the Age of Obama" The piece was placed in the entertainment section but provides a fascinating cultural analysis of American film under the Obama administration. In the past four years American film has painted a picture of a country struggling to redefine itself following economic turmoil and a decade of war.

During President Obama's first term the American public's perceptions on controversial issues changed drastically. These ideas were reflected in some of the big movies in the past four years. Topics top of mind included race relations, war, Black men, and climate change. Many factors contributed to the American public's new perceptions but most notably the Great Recession and the election of the country's first Black president played crucial roles in shifting ideology.

The most notable shift can be seen in the American public's view of Black men. Always a hot topic, Black men have evolved in film from savages in "Birth of a Nation" to become heroes and even sex symbols in modern day movies. America's complex relationship with Blackness reached a turning point in the election of Barack Obama and was the culmination of the civil rights movement and carefully crafted images displayed on silver screens.

A similar transformation is taking place for the LGBT community. Gay characters in film have begun to become more complex and are no longer limited to stereotypical representations. Given the country's rapidly changing perception on Gay rights and Obama's vocal support of LGBT issues, it wouldn't surprise me if queer ideas make a big splash on the silver screen in the next four years. Only time will tell but if history is any indicator, the cultural war surrounding LGBT issues is coming to a close. Similar to other cultural issues such as interracial marriage, race, and gender equality; media is helping reshape our values and creating dialogue about once difficult topics.

As a whole Obama's first term had the makings of a blockbuster movie itself. From the big bailouts in the beginning to the shooting in Newtown at the end, Obama like many characters in film changed significantly from when he first entered office. Now starting his second term, it should be interesting to see what his presidency brings the American people in terms of policy and film.

[Photo courtesy of Digital Traveler]

Analysis of “Weekend”

Plot Spoilers Below

 

This past Saturday I watched "Weekend," a gay romantic comedy about a hook up which takes place over a weekend. It's a relatively simple movie but it does a good job at explaining the complexity of relationships.

The film follows the life of Russell, a Gay man in the UK and his weekend in the city. During a random Friday night out at a gay bar, he meets Glen, a cynical artist with an appetite for challenging the status quo and relationship norms. They flirt momentarily in the bar and then end up at Russell's apartment later in the night where they end up making love. Their relationship starts out simple - nameless, emotionless and without much context.

Over the weekend it quickly evolves due to a series of conversations and outings. Towards the end of the film Russell and Glen grow close and develop a bond with one another. Unfortunately, halfway through the film we learn their time together is short because Glen is planning to leave for Portland, Oregon in just a few days. Russell is confused and heart broken by the news but tries not to get too emotional.

“Weekend” closes unceremoniously and leaves the story of Russell and Glen unresolved. Similar to real life, both characters have independent life paths which just happened to run together for a short while.

The film does a great job at not fetishizing the hook up. Instead it takes a more liberal stance and embraces the idea that love sometimes happens without much context; sometimes you have to live life in the moment and not obsess over the fine details such as “relationship status.”

For more info about “Weekend” visit http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2350554137/