Cinque Terre

Did you hear about the UCI World Cycling Championship? It was hosted by the city next door: Varese, which meant that all streets were closed to general traffic and that there was no way for children to get to school. So Nico was on vacation for a week, and we just had to take the opportunity and get away when all the rest of Italy was not on vacation.


We left early friday to the cinque terre, or the five lands. This five little towns hang precariously from the hills bordering the Ligurian coast. Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore are a world onto themselves. You can easily arrive by car to Monterosso al mare, and from there you can choose to take the train between the towns, or sail away on one of the many boats that connect this area, but the best way as far as we are concerned is to hike the gorgeous trails by the sea. This is a hiker's paradise, so you better be prepared. The most challenging trails are those connecting Monterosso with Vernazza, and Vernazza with Corniglia. These trails are narrow, steep, challenging, but oh, so beautiful.



The last part of the trail between Manarola and Riomaggiore is a wide, well maintained path, mostly flat, and it is know as Via dell'Amore or Lover's Walk. This twenty minute walk gives you easy access to some of the most romantic views of the Sentiero Azzurro or the Blue Trail. There is a little nook with a modern statue of a couple, and next to it the rail is crowded with locks left there as a promise of everlasting love! I have seen these locks before, but I never understood their meaning until this trip. Next time I am bringing my own to leave at such a privileged place.


I cannot finish this post without talking about the delicious food we had. Superb Troffie with pesto (you know what they say? that the only basil worth eating is that grown with a sea view!), fish, clams, anchovies, etc. My favorite has to be the cinque terre wine, a dry and tangy wine. We loved it. Salute!

La Cucina di Nicola: Julie's no egg - no butter chocolate cake

And you thought that we were not going to cook anymore! Well, you were wrong!
I have to admit that we are having a difficult time finding a regular day for our cooking adventures, so I will publish the new recipes as they come.

The other night Nicolas ate over at his friend's, and he had a "really good cake mom!" The little, experienced cook that he is cleverly asked for the recipe. His friend's mom: Julie, was kind enough to share it with us. She said that this family favorite came their way serendipitously, as she was trying many cake recipes that did not call for eggs (her oldest child was allergic to eggs.) Julie does not remember where the original recipe came from, so we are just naming it after her. Fair enough?

JULIE'S NO EGG - NO BUTTER CHOCOLATE CAKE


1 1/2 Cup flour
1 Cup sugar
1/3 Cup cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

1 Cup cool water
1/2 Cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp vinegar

Preheat oven to 180 C. Mix all dry ingredients in a medium size bowl, then mix all the liquid ingredients in another bowl. Mix everything together and pour into a small pan (this was fine for our family of three, but you might want to double the recipe.) Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.


For the frosting:
2 Cup powdered sugar
1/4 Cup softened butter
3 Tbsp milk or cream
Cocoa to taste

Mix all ingredients with a hand beater, and adjust ingredients to taste. Personally, I could use less sugar, and a little bit more milk, but I am not a big fan of frosting. Next time I might apply a thick layer of Nutella instead!

My friend Debby says that recipes such as this one where first created during WWII, in times of rationing. Creative cooks, don't you think?

Looking for El Dorado?

You may or may not know the legend of "El Dorado." Remember all those Spanish sailing half way around the world to the new world in search of gold? El Dorado was never found, but gold? Yes, they found a lot of it! Most of the gold objects found were taken back to Spain. Colombia kept some of its precious patrimony where it belonged, and if you ever go to Bogotá, you must visit the Museo del Oro (The Gold Museum). It hosts the largest collection in the world of pre-Hispanic gold-work (34,000 objects.) I wish I had pictures of the museum, but please follow the link if you are curious. Gold objects aside, you can truly find your own dorado in the streets of Bogotá.


I moved to Bogotá in 1984 to study at the Javeriana University, my father's Alma Mater. I can truthfully say that the following 5 years were to shape me for the rest of my life. I love Bogotá, the city and its people. I like the weather, the shy sunshine behind the clouds, the torrential rains in the afternoons, the bright sunsets in the mountains. While in school, I learned a lot about architecture (as it was my major), but I also got involved in the school's drama group and the mountaineering club. I met many of my dearest friends there, we traveled all over Colombia together, discovering the landscape and each other. I met my husband then.


If I am getting sidetracked here is because it is impossible for me to talk about this city without talking about myself. This immense city of seven million residents, with abundant parks, museums and restaurants is like no other place I have been. There are cycle-routes all over the city so that thousands ride their bikes to work (move over Holland!); in addition to the established roads, 75 miles of urban streets are turned to bicyclists and pedestrians alike every Sunday. Restaurants abound from the posh and fancy to the unique and memorable. Culture permeates everything, and you can easily find a museum worth your while, or just meander through the streets of the well preserved colonial downtown.


While in school, I used to spend a lot of time in little bars, salsa dancing the night away. I remember how cold it was by the time we decided to head back home, I remember the empty streets, the lights of the city all around, my friends singing and laughing. It was the eighties, and we were going through one of the most violent periods in our history: the cartels were fighting extradition, and they were doing everything in their power to make us afraid. They had the money and the power, and they decided to show the later by detonating bombs in our cities, our neighborhoods, our streets. When it all started, we used to stay home, we did not go out, we hid. Then, we went back to the streets, we were no longer afraid, we were living and not hiding. It was somehow empowering to be so careless.

Today Bogotá enjoys a renaissance of sorts. Violence has taken a plunge, and the world is noticing. The New York Times recently placed Bogotá on its list of top places to visit in 2008. Unesco awarded it the City for Peace Prize for 2002-3, given for developing ''a true urban conviviability,'' and named it the World Book Capital in 2007. Bogotá is definitely a treasure, and I miss it dearly.

Happy Birthday Nicolas!

We have been busy, really busy! We had a marathon of a celebration for Nicolas' birthday. He is eleven years old now, but he likes to think that he is sixteen...

My son likes to play the electric guitar, he is not alone in this as many of his classmates play the drums, or the bass, or the electric guitar. They have bands (one band with different members each time) and they love to play together. He and his friends had been practicing for his birthday concert for a while, talking about it for ages... this concert was meant to be the centerpiece of the celebration! What is a mother to do? Well, in my case, I cleaned out the garage for the performance, arranged for husband to go pick up a drum set, and held a general practice on Saturday morning. Then on Saturday afternoon all the guests (eleven of them, including three girls) arrived for a day of fun.


First, they had to go down to the nearby farm, to look at the animals, hide around the buildings, and feel completely independent... the farm is down the road from the house, and to hear them talk about it you would think that Disney missed out on something... They love the fact that they can go on their own to the place, and they can explore, and roll on the hay, and chase the chickens, and pet the horses, and who knows what else. After the farm, it is time to explore the nearby trail, as it is quite isolated, and surrounded by forests...


Tired from the walk we headed down to the town for the best gelato around, and then we went back home. It was concert time -but it was not to happen- as Nicolas' guitar broke a string! Nick decided to sit with everyone else and watch his friends play... but wait, his good friend Sam's dad gave him the best gift of the day, as he found out what had happened and came to the house with a brand new set of strings!!! What kindness!

The concert went on for a while, until they took a break to dance the night away after eating... and dance they did... the whole house danced with the beat! Just loud, delicious fun.

They settled for a while to watch a movie, some left at eleven or so, and some others stayed the night. I wouldn't dare call this a sleep over, because we did not sleep much. Pancakes for breakfast gave a sweet end to our all around celebration.

Home

I promised I would continue with our virtual trip of my Colombia, and here I am, back with a lot of pictures and a few words. I grew up in Popayan, a beautiful colonial city in the southwest of Colombia, with its white facades, and spanish architecture. I was influenced early on by the beauty around me, the green mountains in the horizon, the orderly balconies above my head, the great spaces inside the churches. Popayan is a city known for its traditions, and its culture. We have a spectacular Easter celebration that involves everyone living in the city. Some are protagonists, and some are there to see it all. You should think about a visit!


Our house sits in the outskirts of the city, and it has always felt like a world away. When we moved to the neighborhood, there were few houses in it. I remember climbing trees, looking for frogs with my best friend, having the largest backyard a child can dream of. The house stands in the same place, overlooking the Cauca river, surrounded by old oaks, and enjoying an enviable solitude, even today.


My mom lives here by herself, but she is not alone, as there are many birds making the rounds to have some plantain at the feeder she placed in front of her bedroom window. There were so many of them and with so many different colors and shapes, that we kept ourselves busy just looking at their comings and goings.


This is a little peak at my mom's house. What a peaceful and beautiful place. We made sure to stay in the house most of the time, reading in the hammock, sunbathing, going for a run at the nearby sport center, talking, and eating. But we also took sometime off to visit nearby towns. Like a Tuesday morning, when we left Popayan before 5:00 AM, and we rode north on a small bus, up and up the mountains we went, until we got to Silvia. Tuesday is market day in Silvia, and since the town sits nearby several indigenous reservations, it is quite an interesting place to visit.


Silvia is at an altitude of 1947 mts (6391 feet), temperatures are usually low:12 C (53 F) and most produce grown here is limited to strawberries, onions, potatoes (You wouldn't believe how many different potatoes there are), flowers, and some fruit. Most of what you see in this photo had been hauled up the mountain to diversify the local's options. As Colombia is near the Ecuator, temperatures are relatively the same all year round, and climate changes with altitude. All those mangoes, papayas, oranges, etc, come from towns in the valleys bellow, a couple hours away.


The Guambiano people have inhabited these region since the time before the Spanish conquerors. As I mentioned above the Guambiano people have a series of reservations (resguardos) where they have been able to keep their cultural traditions, and language almost intact. Women and men alike wear the traditional woven attire (anaco) with the same traditional colors. Women wear black skirts with blue tops, and the men wear blue skirts with blue, sometimes grey tops. The traditional straw hat has been replaced with a wool one. All these details a feast for the senses.


I leave you with a couple of smiles. Next a peek at Bogota, my husband's hometown and where we met.

O Foods for Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month

I know I promised to write about my hometown on my next post, but sometimes we deviate from our plans because we know that there is something really important that requires our attention. I read about Gina de Palma via Bleeding Espresso, and I wanted to help with my two cents (metaphorically speaking)

Please read the following and help if you can. Thanks.

September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. In honor of Gina DePalma, author of Dolce Italiano: Desserts from the Babbo Kitchen and Executive Pastry Chef of Babbo Ristorante in NYC, who was recently diagnosed with ovarian cancer, Sara of Ms Adventures in Italy, Jenn of The Leftover Queen, and Michelle of Bleeding Espresso are asking you to donate to the:

Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (via FirstGiving.org)

and then, out of the goodness of your hearts and to be eligible for the O Foods for Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month Contest, please do the following:

1. Post a recipe to your blog using a food that starts or ends with the letter O (e.g., oatmeal, orange, okra, octopus, olive, onion, potato, tomato) and include this entire text box in the post;

OR

2. If you’re not into the recipe thing, simply post this entire text box in a post on your blog to help spread the word about the event and Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month.

AND

3. Then send your post url [along with a photo (100 x 100) if you've made a recipe] to ofoods[at]gmail[dot]com by 11:59 pm (Italy time) on September 30, 2008.

We will post a roundup and announce prize winners on October 3.

Prizes:

1 Recipe Prize for best “O food” concoction: $50 gift certificate to Amazon;
1 Awareness Prize for only publicizing event: Copy of Dolce Italiano cookbook.
———

From the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund:

Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death from gynecologic cancers in the United States and is the fifth leading cause of cancer death among U.S. women; a woman’s lifetime risk of ovarian cancer is 1 in 67.
The American Cancer Society estimates that 21,650 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer in the U.S. in 2008 and about 15,520 women will die from the disease.
The symptoms of ovarian cancer are often vague and subtle, making it difficult to diagnose. There is no effective screening test for ovarian cancer but there are tests which can detect ovarian cancer when patients are at high risk or have early symptoms.
In spite of this patients are usually diagnosed in advanced stages and only 45% survive longer than five years. Only 19% of cases are caught before the cancer has spread beyond the ovary to the pelvic region.
When ovarian cancer is detected and treated early on, the five-year survival rate is greater than 92%.
Please donate to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund
and help spread the word!

Where does coffee grow anyway?

It has been a long time my friends. As you all know, I went to Colombia, and we had the time of our lives! We arrived on a Saturday nigth to Bogotá, and we traveled most of Sunday on the gorgeous Colombian roads, up and down mountains, until we arrived to the coffe growing region (Zona Cafetera.) We rented a farm house for all the family (there were 18 of us.) The house sits on a working farm, so it is surrounded by coffee and plantain plants. The coffee plant is usually no taller than a man, and the plantain tree grows alongside the coffee to provide shade. The views from the house and the surrounding areas were spectacular, as were the birds that came everyday to the garden. We were dazzed by all the different colors, sounds and smells around us. The gorgeous vegetation, the flowers, and the always available fruit were a treat every single day.


We took MANY pictures, wich will be available in my flickr account as soon as I have time to upload everything. Besides relaxing by the pool, listening to music, eating traditional food, and playing cards and table games, we visited El Parque del Cafe which is an unusual theme park. You can find traditional rides like roller coasters, karts, and water rides, but there are also areas focusing on regional architecture, food and dances, as well as a coffee museum . The children had a blast, and the grandparents were able to enjoy leisure walks amongst the luscious vegetation of the region, and a slow train ride -pulled by an antique locomotive. You cannot go to a coffee themed park and not meet our most famous Colombian, so we headed to the Juan Valdez coffee house, where we enjoyed great coffee and bought some great signature t-shirts.


This area of Colombia has become a tourist destination for Colombians, so there are a lot of different activities available for those in search of adventure: You can go rafting down the La Vieja river, or go canopying (pulley-flying on native forest, and over coffee plantations.) You can hike up the mountains to the Parque Nacional Natural de los Nevados, which occupies 58,300 hectares at the top of the highest branch of the Colombian Andes, the Cordillera Central. The park includes several snow peaks and five volcanic necks: Tolima, Quindío, Paramillo de Santa Rosa, Santa Isabel, and Ruiz. This type of excursion is not something everybody can do, as the altitude of the park ranges from 12,000 ft/4,000 mts. to the highest peak (Nevado del Ruiz) which stands at 17,750-ft-/5,325 mts. Both my husband and I have been to the top of this giant, but that was a long time ago, when we were dating, and we did not have our boy. It would be great to go back one day with our son, but I do not know if he will be able to carry us both to the top!


We had our share of adventure with the canopying! The grandparents did not come to this activity, everybody-else did, and we enjoyed every second of it. I can recommend wholeheartedly Los Caracolies as a place to go for a little adrenaline kick with a shot of beauty. The owners live there, and they are involved in making your experience a memorable, safe one.


We spent ten great days without a TV, or a computer. We told jokes, family stories, and we sang to our hearts content! We enjoyed every minute of our shared time at the farm, the two families (mine and my husband's) got along pretty well, and we were all sad to go... Off we (the three of us) went to Popayán, my hometown, and where my mom still lives. My next post will be about that little corner of the south-west of Colombia. Until then...

I am back!

It is difficult to come back to a blog after a couple months of nothingness...
I considered the option of just letting it lie as it was and to never look back. I also thought about how liberating it would feel to not obsess over what to write every day. Yet, I still have so much to write about, and I enjoy doing so. Then what to do?
I am still thinking about change, a new format perhaps? A change of content?
All I know is that I will focus on La Cucina di Nicola and our traveling adventures on this blog, while I will start a new blog just for my creative side (not too many words, mainly images.)
We are busier this school year, and I find my free time slipping away in a blink of an eye. I need structure to make things happen, hence my new blog. It will be my virtual sketchbook, a place for my ideas to take place. Somedays it might be an interesting place to visit... For now, it is up, and I am happy.
I will be back soon with some posts about our LONG vacation.
It is good to be back.