friday feast: tamalitos: un poema para cocinar/a cooking poem by jorge argueta and domi

March 15, 2013March 16, 2013 ~ jama ~ 59 Comments

First there was a warm, comforting bowl of Sopa de frijoles (Bean Soup), followed by creamy dreamy Arroz con leche (Rice Pudding), then a savory batch of Guacamole so delicious you danced around the kitchen with a “green avocado laugh” printed on your face.

Sí, Amigos! It’s time to celebrate the fourth delectable book in Jorge Argueta’s bilingual Cooking Poem series, Tamalitos, illustrated by Domi (Groundwood Books, 2013). Estupendo!!

jorge and cooking poems — Poet Chef Jorge Argueta

Most of you already know how much I adore these books, written by a poet who sees magic in each ingredient and every utensil and says, “the whole kitchen is a cooking poem.” *swoon*

This time we read about a brother and sister making tamalitos, or “little tamales.” I want to hug myself just thinking about these mini corn masa and cheese-stuffed pillows wrapped in cornhusks (little pillows! a lot like dumplings!). As with the other cooking poems, there is reverence for Mother Earth, a lively, joyous total immersion in every step of the process, lots of sensory detail, and great anticipation at eating the final product and lovingly sharing it with the rest of the family.

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tasting the abc’s of fruits and vegetables and beyond by steve charney and david goldbeck

March 4, 2013March 4, 2013 ~ jama ~ 25 Comments

#46 in on ongoing series of posts celebrating the alphabet.

Food + ABCs together in one book — what could be better?

Steve Charney and David Goldbeck serve up a fun and delectable two course meal sure to satisfy a variety of appetites in The ABC’s of Fruits and Vegetables and Beyond (Ceres Press, 2007). This alphabet book with extended activities contains just the right ingredients to feed hungry minds and hopefully get kids excited about incorporating more fruits and veggies in their diet.

In Part One, (the first “course”), Charney presents a chewy, crunchy, giggle-inducing platter of rhyming alphabet poems (E is for Eggplant, K is for Kiwi, W is for Watermelon). Each page turn showcases one letter/one fruit/one veggie with a photo set against a bold-colored background on one side, and the illustrated poem on the other.

The focus is on familiar, kid-friendly produce as well as the more elusive Jicama, Quince, Ugli®, and Xemenia (a wild yellow plum from Africa). Food-related extras like Vanilla, Herbs, Farmer, and Organic round out the menu. Littlest munchkins will enjoy the lively, comical poems and poring over the cartoony illustrations, perhaps not realizing they are consuming lots of ‘good-for-you’ facts at the same time.

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celebrating george washington’s birthday with hoecakes and hospitality

February 20, 2013August 28, 2017 ~ jama ~ 47 Comments

This year, we celebrated President’s Day with a return visit to Mount Vernon and by whipping up a batch of George Washington’s favorite hoecakes.

After reading Dining with the Washingtons: Historic Recipes, Entertaining, and Hospitality from Mount Vernon (Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, 2011), I was especially anxious to check out “Hoecakes and Hospitality: Cooking with Martha Washington,” a special exhibition at the new Donald W. Reynolds Museum and Education Center, a truly fabulous place with its many galleries and theatres, interactive displays, fascinating exhibits and 700+ objects illuminating the style, taste, and personalities of the Washingtons, their life at the Estate, the presidency and the Revolutionary War.

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♥ love me some latkes, part one ♥

December 10, 2012August 27, 2017 ~ jama ~ 57 Comments

Oy! It’s Hanukkah already and though I’ve been waiting patiently for a nice Jewish grandmother to adopt me, she hasn’t come forward yet. Cornelius suggested we should just go ahead and make our own latkes while we’re waiting.

Mmmm, latkes — the mere thought of crisp, golden potato pancakes with dabs of sour cream and applesauce makes my mouth water. I can picture mothers and grandmothers busy in the kitchen preparing their special recipes for loved ones, happy families gathered around the table eager to try the latkes first despite all the other delicious dishes being served. And why not? Latkes are irresistible and so comforting, a perfect ode to oil for the Festival of Lights!

Since I really wanted to impress any grandmotherly prospects, I decided to forego the classic white potatoes recipe in favor of something a little different. Actually, I got a special request from poet friend Gail Gerwin to share the Sweet Potato-Apple Latkes recipe from The Apple Lover’s Cookbook which I reviewed recently. I was only too happy to oblige, despite the fact that Gail is too young to be my grandmother (she’s a terrific cook, though, if you remember the delicious Stuffed Cabbage she made for Passover Seder this past April).

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totally kewl: fork, knife, spoon

September 12, 2012September 26, 2017 ~ jama ~ 32 Comments

#45 in an ongoing series of posts celebrating the alphabet.

Confession: I LOVE to set the table.

Even more than cooking the food that goes on it. Not quite as much as I like eating the food, but still. Give me soup bowls and cups and saucers and teapots and little dessert plates and best of all, dishes with words on them. Let me stack them, place them, wink at them. Shiny dishes, see-yourself-in-their-reflection dishes, the promise of sustenance-to-come dishes.

And what would these peachy keen dishes be without cute cutlery? Only some of us lick our plates, but most of us lick our spoons and forks (at carefully prescribed times after licking our chops). Ecstasy!

I’m here today to tell you word lovers who revel in fine flatware that it’s possible to kick up your enjoyment yet another notch: behold vintage silverware you can actually READ! Oh sweet literary feasting!

Bella Jackson Studios of Napa, California, lovingly hand stamps delicious bon mots on silver knives, forks and spoons. They’ve got something for everyone — lines of poetry, witticisms, puns, nursery rhymes, holiday greetings, expressions of endearment, names of cheeses and spices. And of course they’ll custom stamp anything you like to fit the occasion. I like the idea of pieces selected for their charm and uniqueness, each with a distinctive patina and the “imperfections” resulting from hand-stamping one letter at a time.

These make such fun gifts; something for the birthday girl, the bride and groom, the coffee or tea lover in your life. Have a friend who fancies gardening? Check out these cool garden markers. Love them!

Visit the Bella Jackson Studios Etsy Shop for lots more! Their repurposed silverware is a cut above (sorry, couldn’t resist).

What’s your favorite table utensil? I love spoons spoons spoons. “SPOON” is a perfect word, when you really think about it. Say it. Notice how your lips tap together gently like a little kiss and teasy pout. Perfect!