According to my recollection, there wasn’t a single book in my house growing up. The only book I recall seeing—when I was already beyond childhood—was an old English-Spanish dictionary and an illustrated bible for adolescents, which, if I recall correctly, was missing its cover and had dog-eared pages.

So I’m not sure where my tremendous appetite and great love for books came from. I read books for pleasure, no matter the subject: math, history, religion—they all give me great pleasure, and I submerge myself for hours and days in their pages, studying a subject without the obligation of doing so for a test or a class. My intention isn’t to prepare for a university admissions test or for work.

The ability to travel to other places and to know other histories is both refreshing and strengthening. When I travel in the city, I’m always accompanied by at least one book… usually two. I recall a time when I encountered a friend I hadn’t seen in many years, who said that the first image that came to his mind when he thought of me was a book. “Surely you’re a professor of something!” he said. Well, not exactly… I don’t have to teach anyone anything.

A few weeks ago, I got together with some friends. In their work and in their spare time, the computer is their inseparable companion, just as a book is for me. In one of our conversations, they argued that computers—and the Internet in particular—had given the kiss of death to the written word and the book industry. They went on to profess the innumerable benefits of the Internet, citing that it was better for the environment and for trees, was more democractic, more accessible to the people, more convenient, etc.

As they talked with such certainty, confidence, and determination, I was consumed by each blow they were giving to books, to my books, to paper. It was a surprise attack, and it took some time for me to recover before I could defend against it. I felt like a lawyer must feel before a judge when incriminating evidence is introduced at the last minute. I had to look for a defense while walking from one side of the courtroom to the other. My mind wandered at an extraordinary rate, looking for satisfactory evidence to save the book. I knew that books were at risk because of people like my friends.

“That will never happen!” I told them.

“It already is,” they replied. “Look how many newspapers have gone under. You don’t see that newspapers are online because nobody buys them!”

That was the spear that pierced my vital organs. “Yes, yes, but…” I said, fumbling for words.

They’re young, in their 20s, born and raised in the cyberage, with different concepts of books. All the information they want is at their fingertips, on their computer screens, whether at home or outside.

I think back to my experience in my old school. I remember seeing the writings of Che and copies of Jose Marti’s writing in Havana. The letters of Frida Kahlo to Diego Rivera in Mexico City. Post cards and photos of Pablo Neruda, with his own signature, in the house of a friend in Puerto Rico. Letters, notes, and documents of Bolivar in Colombia. Kerouac’s “On the Road” manuscript in New York. And many more….

It’s true that you can find all these online, but you won’t get the same feeling as will come over you when you’re standing face to face with the original. You can see the stains, erasures, the creative process of the writer right in front of your eyes. There’s something indescribable in the experience of paper and ink. There’s something of intrinsic value in the printing of words on paper. Perhaps that’s why it was so important for me to get copies of The New York Times when Barack Obama was elected president. I wasn’t satisfied with simply keeping a copy on my computer’s memory.

After exchanging so many ideas, we all agreed that paper and computers serve different functions. We decided that some things will change, while others will remain with us for posterity.

Before parting, we assured one another that our friendship would last for many more years, that we’d always continue to look for a way to get together and share the same spirit of joy, but I wanted to ask just one favor. “What is it?” they asked. “Whatever happens,” I said, “just don’t send me an e-card! I detest them!”

**
Que yo recuerde en mi casa de nino no encontre ni un libro. De hecho, el unico libro que recuerdo haber visto despues de grande fue un viejo diccionario Ingles/Espanol y una biblia ilustrada para adolescentes que si mal no recuerdo sus hojas estaban maltratadas y su caratula desaparecida.

No se por donde me viene ese tremendo apetito y ese amor tan grande por los libros. Leo los libros por placer, no importa el sujeto que este trate: matematicas, historia, religion, todos ellos me dan un profundo placer y me sumerjo por horas y dias estudiando el sujeto sin que tenga que estudiarlo para un examen o un trabajo de clase. No intento prepararme para un examen de ingreso en la universidad y mi trabajo no se relaciona con nada de esto remotamente.

La habilidad de viajar a otros lugares y conocer otras historias es tan refrescante y fortalecente a la vez. En mis viajes diarios por la ciudad los hago siempre acompanado de un libro o a veces dos para ser exacto. Recuerdo que una vez un amigo que hacia mucho tiempo que no veia me recordo en Nueva York que cuando se recordaba de mi lo primero que le venia a la mente era la imagen de un libro y me comento que ya a estas alturas deberia ser profesor de algo! Bueno, no exactamente, no le tengo que ensenar a nadie.

Hace algunas semanas me reuni con unos amigos que en sus tiempos libres y en su trabajo la computadora es un companero inseparable de la misma manera que el libro es para mi. Recuerdo que en una de las conversaciones que tuvimos mencionaron que las computadoras y el internet en especial le habian dado un golpe de muerte a la prensa escrita en papel y la industria del libro. Pasaron a profesar los incalculables beneficios de la red electronica, citando que era mejor para el medio ambiente, los arboles, mas democratico, mas accesible a las masas, conveniente, etc.

De hecho mientras ellos hablaban con tanta firmeza, confianza y determinacion yo me iba consumiendo con cada punalada certera que les daban al libro, a mi libro, al papel. Fue un ataque de sorpresa que me tomo tiempo en recuperarme para defenderlo. Me senti como se siente un abogado ante un juez cuando a este le introducen evidencias incriminatorias que le fueron escondidas hasta el mismo dia del juicio final. Tenia que buscar una defensa mientras caminaba de un lado a otro en la sala de juicio. Mi mente vagaba a una velocidad extraordinaria para buscar una evidencia satisfactoria que salvar al libro, al papel. Sabia que era en personas como mis amigos que todo lo que se habia hecho en papel hasta hoy estaba en peligro!

-Eso nunca va a pasar!-les dije.
-Ya esta pasando- fue su respuesta. -Mira cuantos periodicos se ha ido a la quiebra. Tu no ves que los periodicos ahora estan en la red porque nadie los compra!- Ese fue un lanza que me atravezo los organos vitales con un certero disparo. Si, si pero…..les dije mientras me recuperaba.

Ellos son jovenes, en sus 20 a mas decir, crecidos en la cibernetica con diferentes conceptos del libro. Todas las informaciones la tienen en la punta de sus dedos y en la pantalla de su computadora, en su casa, o fuera de ella. Yo pienso en mi experiencia con la vieja escuela. Recuerdo haber visto la muestra de los escritos del Che y copias de Jose Marti en La Habana, las cartas de Frida Kahlo a Diego Rivera en La Ciudad de Mexico, postales y fotos de Pablo Neruda con su firma original en casa de un amigo en Puerto Rico. Cartas, notas y documentos de Bolivar en Cartagena, el manuscrito de Jack Kerouac cuando escribio “On the Road,” entre muchos mas.

No es menos cierto que todos estos los podrias obtener en la red, pero no obtendria esa sensacion de estar frente a frente con la original, poder ver las manchas, los borrones, el proceso creativo de su creador delante de tus ojos. Hay algo indescriptible en esta experiencia de papel y tinta. Hay algo de valor intrinsico en la impresion en papel. Quizas fue para mi imprescindible obtener copias de “Los Tiempos de Nueva York” en su edicion en papel de la victoria de Barack Obama. No me conformaria yo en guardarla en la memoria de mi computadora.

Al final de tantas ideas, acordamos todos que los dos cumplen funciones diferentes. Decidimos que algo va a desaparecer pero otras se quedaran con nosotros para la posteridad. Les deje saber a manera de cierre que nuestra amistad seguiria por muchos mas anos y que estaria siempre buscando una manera de reunirnos de nuevo con el mismo espiritud alegre y jovial pero, le pedia una sola cosa de favor- Que es?-me preguntan- -Que pase lo que pase no me envien una postal electronica; que a estas las detesto!-

]]> http://collazoprojects.com/2009/03/02/in-defense-of-booksen-defensa-de-los-libros/feed/ 5 http://collazoprojects.com/2008/12/06/one-ingredient-four-recipes-grapefruit/ http://collazoprojects.com/2008/12/06/one-ingredient-four-recipes-grapefruit/#comments Sat, 06 Dec 2008 16:54:26 +0000 julie http://collazoprojects.com/?p=165 Text & Photos by Francisco Collazo

There are some foods we become so accustomed to using in one way that we have a hard time thinking of other ways to use them.

One of my favorite things to do in the kitchen is experiment with these ingredients, pushing them to their limits to see how they can be used.

People love seeing these foods presented in ways they’ve never seen them before, with combinations that have never touched their palates.

Today, I’m starting an occasional series called “One Ingredient, Four Recipes.” I’ll be taking a single item and sharing four recipes I’ve invented or modified to use that ingredient in surprising and delicious dishes.

The first ingredient is grapefruit.

This week, Julie and I are in Puerto Rico, where our friends’ yard is full of fruit trees: plantains, mangos, papaya, and more. It’s grapefruit season, and the round sun-colored fruits are falling from the trees, leaving a blanket of yellow on the grass each morning.

Julie goes out and collects the grapefruit and makes fresh-squeezed juice. But since there are so many and we don’t want them to go to waste, I started to think of other ways to use them. Here are 5 recipes:

Grapefruit Martini

(serves 2-4, depending upon the size of your martini glasses)

-4 shots of vodka (Absolut has Ruby Red Grapefruit Vodka, but that’s not necessary)
-2 shots of Cointreau
-juice of 1 or 2 grapefruits (will depend entirely on how much juice each grapefruit has; if the grapefruit seems rather dry, use the juice of two).
-ice

Put all ingredients in a shaker. Shake well. If you don’t want any pulp in your martini, put a fine mesh strainer over the martini glass and pour the mix through it. You can garnish with a half slice of grapefruit or a cherry. I also really like to garnish martinis with wild hibiscus flowers, which impart a nice garnet color to the drink and surprise people because they’re so unusual. You can order tWild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup on Amazon.

Grapefruit Garlic Chili Marinade

Citrus juices form the base of many marinades, and fresh squeezed grapefruit juice makes a great marinade for fish, chicken, and pork. This recipe for a spicy, tart marinade gives you enough to coat two pieces of fish, chicken, or pork; double the recipe for four.

-juice from 4 grapefruit
-3 cloves of garlic, chopped fine
-1.5 heaping teaspoons of chili powder. Alternately, if you have fresh jalapenos, I’d recommend roasting them on the stove top, deseeding them, chopping them finely and then adding to the marinade.
-If you happen to have any fresh herbs like cilantro or flat leaf parsley on hand, chop a generous handful and add it to the mix.
-2 teaspoons of honey (honey helps balance out the tartness of the grapefruit)

Once you’ve made your marinade, put it into a flat plastic or glass container and lay your fish, chicken, or pork on the bottom. Cover with marinade and let it sit for 3-24 hours. Then, remove the meat from the marinade and grill it to taste, either on a BBQ grill or on your stove top in a grill pan.

Grapefruit Ginger Vinaigrette

Like marinades, citrus fruit juices make good bases for salad dressings. One of my favorites at any time of year is a grapefruit ginger vinaigrette. Serves four.

-1 cup of olive oil
-1/2 cup of white balsamic vinegar
-Juice of 2-3 grapefruit (again, depending on how juicy your grapefruit are)
1/2 teaspoon of fresh grated ginger
-White pepper to taste

Mix well and toss salad with light coating of the dressing.

Baked Grapefruit

I was determined to come up with a way to use grapefruit for dessert!

Did you know you can actually bake grapefruit?! Yes, you can! It’s the simplest dessert but because few people have ever thought about baking grapefruit, they’re totally impressed!

-Cut a grapefruit in half.
-Sprinkle each half with brown sugar or drizzle lightly with honey.
-Sprinkle some cinnamon or cardamom over the top. You could also place a cinnamon stick in the center of each grapefruit half while it bakes, and the essence will seep into the citrus. For an easy but impressive touch, trade the cinnamon for a piece of star anise, placed right on the top of the grapefruit, in the center.
-Bake the grapefruit for about 10-15 minutes on 375F, or just until golden, then serve on a plate or in a bowl.

Do you think you might try these recipes? You don’t have to be in Puerto Rico to find grapefruit this time of year; citrus is one of the few fruits available in winter that is consistently good. Can you think of other ways to use grapefruit? Share your ideas below!

]]> http://collazoprojects.com/2008/12/06/one-ingredient-four-recipes-grapefruit/feed/ 6 http://collazoprojects.com/2008/12/01/passports-with-purpose/ http://collazoprojects.com/2008/12/01/passports-with-purpose/#comments Mon, 01 Dec 2008 19:54:19 +0000 julie http://collazoprojects.com/?p=163 Text & Photos: Julie Schwietert Collazo

Francisco and I are always interested in people who are able to transform an amazing idea into an even more amazing project that makes a tangible, positive difference in people’s lives.

So we’re proud to be participating in Passports With Purpose, which starts today and runs through the end of December.

Passports with Purpose is the idea of four travel bloggers who got together for coffee and a chat about how they wanted to use the blogging platform to support a cause they all cared about.

A few hours later, they’d mapped out a plan: they’d contact their readers, fellow bloggers, former employers, and other people in their vast networks, and engage them to participate in a raffle, with all proceeds going to the organization, Heifer International.

Heifer International is a cause we’re happy to get behind, as the organization is committed to ending hunger through sustainable, poverty-fighting practices.

All the prizes in the Passports with Purpose raffle are donated, all raffle tickets cost $10, and all transactions take place online through the site First Giving.

Right now, 49 different prize packs, ranging in value from $20 to more than $400, are up for grabs; raffle winners will be drawn on December 29 and notified on December 30.

To support the project, Francisco is offering a cooking class and dinner for four to raffle participants from New York City!

If you didn’t already know this, Francisco is a private chef. This year alone he has cooked his way around Cuba, Colombia, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and New York, teaching cooking classes or making amazing meals in kitchens as diverse as the Whole Foods Culinary Center, Villa Sevilla, Casa Amarilla , and the Southern Food and Beverage Museum.

To win, just visit this page and look for the code that matches Francisco’s prize pack. Then, make your donation through First Giving, and be sure to enter that code!

Questions? Leave a note in the comments below!

]]> http://collazoprojects.com/2008/12/01/passports-with-purpose/feed/ 6 http://collazoprojects.com/2008/11/08/cream-of-basil-soup-recipe/ http://collazoprojects.com/2008/11/08/cream-of-basil-soup-recipe/#comments Sat, 08 Nov 2008 17:13:46 +0000 julie http://collazoprojects.com/?p=155 Text by Francisco Collazo
Photo by Julie Schwietert Collazo
*
With all the excitement of our election night blogging experience at NPR, it’s taken us awhile to follow up on a request from a student in my cooking class to post a recipe for my cream of basil soup.

We first tasted cream of basil soup at the extraordinary Hotel Villa Ganz in Guadalajara, Mexico a couple months ago. At the time, we weren’t sure what the soup was. We spent 10 minutes guessing the ingredients and finally realized that the unexpected flavor of the soup was attributable to basil. An easy soup to make, and one that’s surprising and pleasing to guests because of its uniqueness, I decided to replicate the soup by devising my own recipe…and adding a final flourish.

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons of olive oil
3 cups of broth (vegetable or chicken)
1 clove of garlic, minced (or in a paste after roasting in the oven, which is even better!)
1 cup of heavy cream
1.5 cups of basil leaves, chopped fine
1 medium onion, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon of anise seed (optional)
chile serrano to garnish (1 per serving) (optional)
*
Directions:

1. In a saucepan or soup pot, sautee the minced onion and the garlic in the 2 Tb. of olive oil just until golden.
2. Add basil to the onion and garlic mixture; sautee for two minutes.
3. Add broth to the basil/onion/garlic mixture. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat. Simmer for five minutes then remove from heat and allow to cool.
4. Once the soup is cool, puree in a blender or using an immersion blender.
5. After blending, return the soup to the pot and heat on medium.
6. Add the heavy cream and anise seed. Cook until the soup thickens somewhat; stir continuously during this process.
7. Remove from heat and serve.
8. If you’d like to make the dish slightly more impressive, roast serrano chiles on the stove and garnish each bowl of soup with a single chile (uncut and unseeded).
9. Serve and enjoy!

]]> http://collazoprojects.com/2008/11/08/cream-of-basil-soup-recipe/feed/ 7 http://collazoprojects.com/2008/07/07/where-in-the-web-are-we/ http://collazoprojects.com/2008/07/07/where-in-the-web-are-we/#comments Mon, 07 Jul 2008 02:48:48 +0000 julie http://collazoprojects.com/?p=75 It’s been a busy week for CollazoProjects!

If you’ve missed any of these projects we’ve just finished, just click on over and get caught up!

Why Travel is the Most Patriotic Act You Can Do: In celebration of July 4, Julie reflects upon why she travels to Cuba (hint: it’s not the rum or the sun) and why travel is the most patriotic act an American can make.

From the article:

“I believe that the act of traveling and then sharing is the most American, the most patriotic, the most democratic act an ordinary citizen can take.”

On another Cuban note, we want to give you advance notice that Francisco will be teaching a Cuban cooking class at the Whole Foods Culinary Center on Bowery Street in New York City on October 24.

The three hour class (6:30 PM-9:30 PM) promises to be informational, hands-on, fun, and tasty– all in Francisco’s usual signature style! Be sure to keep your eye on the Culinary Center’s calendar and sign up page: tickets are sure to go fast and there are only 12 spots in the class!

Top 10 Tips for Stretching Your Travel Dollar : A two-part series on MatadorPulse with Julie’s suggestions about how you can make your vacation dollar go the extra mile. Part 1 is here; part 2 is here.

Tips for Traveling in “Dangerous” Places: As we get prepared for a Colombia trip and hear “Be careful down there!” one too many times, Julie offers some practical tips for traveling safely in “dangerous” areas… and anywhere, for that matter. From the introduction to the article:

“…our perceptions of what make a place seem dangerous are shaped by many factors—the hyper-dramatic media more interested in getting a quick and juicy story rather than sticking around to figure out the complicated dynamics of a place; government agencies driving their own political and economic agendas; and rumors that have taken on a life of their own. All of these are dubious sources of useful information for the traveler getting ready to depart for a place that’s perceived as having a high danger factor.”

Finally, Julie’s guest blog about living your dream life appeared on Christine Gilbert’s website earlier this week. Be sure to check it out!

Thanks for visiting and have a great week!- Francisco & Julie

Cuba postcard photo: wedgienet
Colombian girl photo: Philip Bouchard

]]> http://collazoprojects.com/2008/07/07/where-in-the-web-are-we/feed/ 0 http://collazoprojects.com/2008/07/05/rice-riot/ http://collazoprojects.com/2008/07/05/rice-riot/#comments Sat, 05 Jul 2008 20:53:57 +0000 julie http://collazoprojects.com/?p=74

Over at MatadorPulse, my buddy and co-editor, Eva Holland, recently posted a collection of photos of Japanese rice field art.

In a matter of hours, Eva’s photo blog attracted more than 50,000 visitors, many of whom have been hotly debating whether the rice fields are a miracle of planters’ hands or the skillful mouse-work of a clever Photoshop user.

Most of the commenters have been dubious that the cool designs could be man-made, citing as evidence that there’s no such thing as black, yellow, or brown rice.

Actually, there are more than 40,000 kinds of rice that are grown on this big blue planet, among them the Bhutanese red, the Japonica black, and Emperor’s Green Rice (yes, the grain is green, and no, it’s not dyed), which I’ve only seen for sale once: at Kalustyan’s in New York City.

In honor of the rice riot over at MatadorPulse, Chef Francisco is sharing one of his favorite rice recipes with you. Read on!

Indian Style Saffron Rice
While saffron is often associated with Spanish style rice dishes, it can also be incorporated quite well into Indian rices. In this recipe, I use saffron in jasmine rice and help the distinct flavors of both pop with some other unexpected ingredients. Since this rice is so flavorful, it’s best to serve it alongside a tamer flavored steamed chicken or fish.

INGREDIENTS
*1 cup jasmine rice
*1/2 teaspoon saffron (threads, not powder) that have been steeped for 5 minutes in 2 tablespoons of boiling water
*2 cups stock (you can use chicken or vegetable)
*6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
*1/2 cup of red onion, minced
*1 cinnamon stick
*2 cloves (whole)
*1-1/2 tablespoons brown sugar (preferably packed granulated, rather than turbinado or mascarbado)
*1 tablespoon honey
*1 teaspoon salt
*1 pinch of ground coriander
*1 pinch of ground cardamom

DIRECTIONS
1) Place the rice in a colander and run cold water over the rice until the water runs clear. Shake the rice a few times to release the extra water and set aside.
2) Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a heavy-bottom sauce pan (preferably one the size of your burner). Once the oil is hot, add the cinnamon stick and the two cloves and stir them around until they begin to release their aromas. Once you’re smelling the rich spices, add the onions and continue sauteeing until these are soft and golden.
3) Once the onions are ready, add the rice and stir constantly for five minutes using a wooden spoon.
4) Add your stock, brown sugar, honey, salt, coriander, and cardamom. Continue stirring until the sugar and honey are dissolved.
5) Once the sugar and honey are dissolved, bring the rice mixture in your pan to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and allow the rice to simmer.
6) As the rice begins to simmer, add the saffron (leaving it in the water in which it’s been steeping).
7) Cover your pan with a tight-fitting lid and allow to cook for 25 minutes. Then, test the rice. If it’s tender, remove from the heat and fluff the rice with a fork. If the rice is not tender, simmer a bit more.

Serves 4.

Rice Art Photos: ayuko106 (creative commons)
Saffron Photo: Mar Mar (creative commons)

What’s your favorite rice recipe? Do you have a hard time cooking rice perfectly? Send Francisco a comment and he’ll help you troubleshoot your rice woes!

]]> http://collazoprojects.com/2008/07/05/rice-riot/feed/ 3 http://collazoprojects.com/2008/07/01/say-si-to-summer-shrimp-ceviche/ http://collazoprojects.com/2008/07/01/say-si-to-summer-shrimp-ceviche/#comments Tue, 01 Jul 2008 05:54:14 +0000 julie http://collazoprojects.com/?p=71

There’s nothing we crave more in the summer than something refreshing and cool but that also has the depth and complexity of a spicy dish.

Fortunately, ceviche satisfies both desires.

Ceviche is a general term used to refer to any variety of fish (generally white meat fish) that is marinated—either raw or after being flash cooked– in citrus and served cold. The citrus juices that are used “cook” the fish, making it safe to eat.

Ceviche is often served as an appetizer, but if you’d like to build a heavier plate around it, consider serving the ceviche in an avocado half.

Ingredients:

*1/2 pound of shrimp, deveined but with tails on.
*1/4 cup of finely diced jicama (see photo)

*1/4 cup of finely diced red onion
*1/4 cup of finely diced pineapple (fresh is definitely preferred over canned)
*1/2 cup lime juice
*the juice of half a lemon
*1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped fine
*1 jalapeno, seeded & finely diced

Directions:

Step One: Place all of the ingredients except the shrimp in a plastic or glass bowl. Do not use an aluminum bowl, as it is likely to transfer a metallic taste.
Step Two: Toss all of the ingredients together with a fork or spoon until they are mixed well. Set aside.
Step Three: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
Step Four: When your water is boiling, add the shrimp.
Step Five: After 40 seconds in the boiling water, remove the shrimp from the pot and place them immediately in an ice bath.
Step Six: After a minute or two in the ice bath, remove the shrimp and add them to the mix. Toss and then cover and refrigerate for an hour. Serve cold.

Ceviche Photo: joe.routon (creative commons)
Jicama Photo: PinchMySalt (creative commons)

]]> http://collazoprojects.com/2008/07/01/say-si-to-summer-shrimp-ceviche/feed/ 2 http://collazoprojects.com/2008/06/28/the-well-stocked-kitchen-tips-from-chef-francisco/ http://collazoprojects.com/2008/06/28/the-well-stocked-kitchen-tips-from-chef-francisco/#comments Sat, 28 Jun 2008 16:38:59 +0000 julie http://collazoprojects.com/?p=70

In this top 10 list, Chef Francisco shares his tips for 5 pieces of must-have equipment and 5 spices that should have a place in every home kitchen.

And come back tomorrow… Chef Francisco will be sharing his homemade shrimp ceviche recipe, perfect for a hot summer day!

Equipment

5. Cast iron skillet: Though true cast iron skillets are harder and harder to come by, Chef Francisco swears by his cast iron, saying that it outperforms any other skillet for most stove-top tasks. Don’t balk at the price: a cast iron skillet will last a lifetime if cared for properly.

4. Mortar & pestle: You may have a spice grinder or a food processor, but some dishes require the fine grind that you can only achieve with a mortar and pestle, known in Spanish as a molcajete. Most kitchen supply stores sell mortar and pestles at a reasonable price; if you can’t find one, though, check Amazon or Ebay. Chef Francisco prefers the granite over the marble version.

3. Bamboo steamer:

If you don’t invest in any other item on this list, buy a bamboo steamer. It’s cheap, for one thing, it will save you lots of time in the kitchen, and it will help you turn out healthy, delicious dishes. The bamboo steamer sits atop a boiling pot of water and can cook vegetables, chicken, and fish quickly and thoroughly. For fast, tasty poultry or fish, line the bottom of the steamer with thin slices of grapefruit, orange, or lime; the meat will absorb the citrus flavor. Chef Francisco buys his bamboo steamers at Pearl River in New York City, but they are also available online.

2. Microplane grater: Chef Francisco uses this handheld grater to produce zest, chocolate shavings, and grated ginger and garlic in record time. Lightweight and easy to use, this is another inexpensive investment that will make your food-prep more pleasurable.

1. Clay pot. While the clay pot has been used by other cultures for centuries, its use is still fairly limited in the U.S. Chef Francisco promises that once you try the clay pot, it won’t be your last time. Incredibly diverse in its uses– you can bake bread, roast meats or vegetables, cook beans, and even make desserts in it–the clay pot is an almost-foolproof piece of cooking equipment, whether you use it for slow cooking (ideal) or quick cooking.

Spices

5. Nigerian cayenne: You probably know cayenne and maybe even have this slightly dusty, musky spice in your cabinet. Nigerian cayenne, however, has a distinct flavor and adds depth and stability to heavier poultry and meat dishes.

4. Star Anise:

You may have anise in ground form, but star anise (so named because the seed pod is in the shape of a star) is fun to use for soups because it packs its usual fennel-esque punch and makes a nice visual impression floating around in each serving bowl.

3. Garam masala: Essential to many Indian dishes, garam masala is a blend of coriander, pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, caraway, cloves, ginger and nutmeg. While you can make it yourself, a homemade blend will be unlikely to have the same depth and complexity as a blend made of the whole spices roasted and then ground to a fine powder.

2. Bay leaves: Often dismissed as a “boring” spice cabinet space-waster, Chef Francisco uses bay leaves to flavor soups, rice, and beans. Be sure to buy good bay leaves… they make all the difference!

1. Berbere: This African spice blend, also referred to as the African masala, is comprised of red chilies, fenugreek, ginger, pepper, coriander, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, cardamom, and ajowan. It can be difficult to find–not the least reason being that the spice goes by other names, including pere pere and peri peri–but Chef Francisco’s favorite blend is made by Seasoned Pioneers.

Do you have any of the equipment or spices on Chef Francisco’s list? What else would you recommend? Share your comments below.

Bamboo steamer photo: Lianne Kang (creative commons)
Star anise photo: canelaycomino (creative commons)

]]> http://collazoprojects.com/2008/06/28/the-well-stocked-kitchen-tips-from-chef-francisco/feed/ 8 http://collazoprojects.com/2008/06/26/5-reasons-to-shop-cook-eat-fresh/ http://collazoprojects.com/2008/06/26/5-reasons-to-shop-cook-eat-fresh/#comments Thu, 26 Jun 2008 02:33:05 +0000 julie http://collazoprojects.com/?p=68 We’re turning the corner from June to July soon, which means it’s peak of the season for some of summer’s greatest fruits and vegetables. The corn is at its sweetest and juiciest and greens of all sorts radiate vivid lushness.

Whether you’re a devoted foodie and home cook or a budding, bumbling amateur in the kitchen, there are at least five compelling reasons to shop, cook, and eat fresh:

5) Cooking fresh is actually easier. Many people believe–incorrectly– that cooking with fresh foods is somehow harder than cooking with canned or packaged ingredients. The reason may be that most fresh foods don’t come with instructions. Cooking with fresh foods is actually easier and faster, though, than cooking with packaged foods. Besides, there are lots of recipes online.

First of all, think about how much time you spend just opening and eventually discarding the packages in which processed foods are sold. Huge time waster! Fresh food takes very little effort to get from market to table. With fresh ears of corn, for example, you can just pop the ears–leaves and all–into the oven (350^F) and 20 minutes later you’re enjoying the tastiest roasted corn you’ve ever had. If you’re having company and want to impress them, pull the leaves back (but not off) and tie them together with one extra leaf.

Vegetables are just as easy. Wash, cut, and toss some broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms, and eggplant with olive oil and spices; place in an oven pan and roast. This is much easier than thawing out vegetables or opening up cans!

4) Shopping fresh produces much less inorganic waste. Sure, you can recycle plastic bottles, aluminum cans, and cardboard boxes in many cities, but what about all that plastic wrap? 60% of the 30 million tons of garbage produced in each developed country every year is packaging waste. (Seen those plastic-wrapped apples and oranges at airports?!). When you buy fresh, you’re almost always buying zero packaging. The waste that is produced is organic (leaves, cores, seeds, etc.), and can be composted… even in the city!

Counter-top composters are great for disposing of fruit and vegetable waste, producing soil that can be used for planting (donate the soil to a local school if you can’t use it). They’re also cheap. Models start at $8.00 USD . They’re not messy and because they have carbon filters, don’t produce bad odors.

3) Shopping fresh means you actually develop relationships with people. Whether you shop at a local farmer’s market or participate in a community-supported agriculture (CSA) fresh vegetable and fruit delivery program, shopping fresh will almost always result in striking up friendships with other folks… from the farmer who planted and harvested the food you’re about to eat to the community organizer behind the scenes who makes markets and CSAs possible. These people will get to know you and will be happy to teach you more about fresh food. They also tend to have the unfailing ability to keep your preferences in mind. If you can say that about your local big-box grocery store, let us know.

2) Eating fresh makes you more conscious of the seasons. Try this experiment: between now and late August, buy fresh corn once a week. Each time you eat it, note the difference in taste. As the season peaks and then progresses towards its end, your awareness of flavor profiles will expand dramatically.

1) Shopping fresh stimulates the local economy. When you shop at a farmer’s market or participate in a CSA, you’re supporting your own community’s economy. You also become much more aware about the practices that local farmers use with respect to their employees… which is more than you can say for those grapes from Chile.

Do you cook fresh? What are your reasons? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Corn photo: smcgee (creative commons)
Onion photo: gregkendallball (creative commons)
Compost photo: dkhlucy (creative commons)
Local economy photo: Fabbio (creative commons)

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