WE WERE ONLY MISSING THE MAYFLOWER!

There is nothing like visiting Manhattan during the Thanksgiving Holiday.  This is the time to pay respect to our forefathers and conduct the annual pilgrimage to reminisce about the hardships they endured.  As the name clearly states “Thanksgiving”; we should do as stated and recreate the same steps they took on this glorious day!  Talking of hardships, have you tried to navigate yourselves through the streets of Manhattan during this holiday weekend?  I am sure the Pilgrims, or as we call them today, “illegal immigrants”, “aliens”, or just “foreigners” did not have to deal with so many people on the streets.

As we all know a ritual is a set of actions performed mainly for their symbolic value. It may be prescribed by a religion or by the traditions of a community.   And as I will call them… or “US”, “The Manhattanites Thanksgivingners” (people that visit New York during the Thanksgiving holidays) have their own rituals.  Every religious ritual has specific steps to follow and this group is no exception! The flocks of “Thanksgivingner’s” start arriving into the “Big Apple” by Wednesday morning in order to enjoy and participate in all the ceremonial activities. 

THE FIRST STOP must be “The Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular”:  This is an annual musical holiday stage show presented at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The show features over 140 performers, lavish sets and costumes, and an original musical score. The 90 minute revue combines singing, dancing, and humor, with traditional scenes in spectacular stage settings. The star performers are the women's precision dance troupe known as the Rockettes. Since the first version was presented in 1933, the show has become a New York Christmas tradition seen by more than a million visitors a year.   Yes, a million people; and all are travelling store to store through the congested streets … well, not on the same day! There we were, Carrie, Eric and Me between thousands of Out-of-Towner’s and children, enjoying the pre-show; the organ man on the far left corner of the stage and all of us ready for the grand entrance of the “Rockettes”.  Every year you can imagine what is coming next on the show; and it never disappoints you. It’s like you are seeing it for the first time!  The Nativity Scene at the end of the program is always breathtaking and yes, it has live animals; this is Eric’s favorite part.  It is great that this country celebrates the Pilgrims, and dedicates a special day for them.  But, I cannot understand why they are the ones who were working on this Holiday… Yes, they were everywhere! Cooking at the restaurants, selling food on the street, attendants at the stores, and even at the skating rink at Rockefeller Center! Pilgrims are very industrious people.

SECOND STOP - the windows at Saks Fifth Avenue, St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Rockefeller Center.  I remember going to these same sites with my family when I was a young lad.   It is always exciting, no matter how old of a child you are, to go from window to window to see the new decorations, walk around Rockefeller Center and see the skaters, the million of lights twinkling all around you and the enormous tree standing strong. In order to escape from the cold for a few minutes, we will visit St. Patrick’s Cathedral, light a candle and thank the Lord (whomever you pray to) for the blessings of life.

THIRD STOP Macy’s It is traditional to go to the shrine to pay your respects before visiting the Animated Balloons at Central Park.  Considered one of the wonders of the world, this ten floor store, plus a basement sanctuary, houses miracles produced by the world’s top designers.  Remember in order to have a pleasant experience you have to know where to locate the sale tables and purchase plenty of newspapers for the 50% off coupons.  The balloons for the parade are inflated the night before the parade on both sides of the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. The balloons are split between 77th and 81st Streets between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue. The inflation team consists of various volunteers from Macy's as well as students from Stevens Institute of Technology, a local university in Hoboken, NJ where the balloons and floats are designed and built. Dubbed "Thanksgiving Eve Inflation Celebration", the lines to enter the site goes for miles during the day, we always go late at night and have no problem; lines are short and you are able to see all of the balloons at once.  This year the newcomers were the Millennium Snoopy (5th version), Honey Nut Cheerios Bee, Blue's Clues, and Petulia Pig.

Last Stop of the night Fourth Stop:  After walking all day among the Pilgrims and the “Manhattanites Thanksgivingners” we stopped at a local Bistro for a nice cup of hot chocolate…. It sounds nice, but it’s really not. We stopped at the Russian Tea Room for pome-fritz and a large glass of iced Coca-Cola.  Yes, it was freezing outside and we needed something cold to equalize the body temperature.   Everybody was so elegantly dressed, with their vintage faces, stomping up and down the restaurant with their pickle-stabbers(stiletto heels), bespoke formals, (made-to-measure tuxedos), minks, diamonds, and emeralds. It was the Mecca of the glamouristas, and Eric and I, always on trend, were modeling the latest fashions from a sales rack…we were the envy of the room. Wait!…. I see a pilgrim! He is clearing table number five…. what a holiday!  Well in the true sense, the Pilgrims were the English Puritans who sailed on the Mayflower to New England, where they founded Plymouth Colony in SE Massachusetts (1620).  In modern days, they come from all around the world, work extremely hard, trying to achieve the American dream, sometimes shipping their belongings using the Mayflower Moving Company and settle all around the United States.

THANKS GIVING DAY we made our tribute to the local Goldenberg’s Bagel shop to meet with the local scholars(erudite).  It is common to hear a conversation that goes like this:

            Shop attendant: What are you having today?         

            Scholar: not sure!

            Shop attendant: What about a bagel?         

            Scholar: not sure

            Shop attendant: What about a bagel?         

            Scholar: could be

            Shop attendant: What about a bagel?

            Scholar: maybe

            Shop attendant: What about a bagel?         

            Scholar: that might be interesting

            Shop attendant: What about a bagel?

            Scholar: that sounds good!

            Ten minutes later…….

            Shop attendant: What about a bagel?         

            Scholar: not sure

            Shop attendant: What about a bagel?         

            Scholar: could be

            Shop attendant: What about a bagel?

            Scholar: maybe

            Shop attendant: What about a bagel?         

            Scholar: that might be interesting

            Shop attendant: What about a bagel?

            Scholar: I will have one of those!

            Shop attendant: Would you like that bagel toasted or not toasted? We have plain, cinnamon raisin, Russian, salt, sun dried tomato, asiago, sesame, poppy seed….would you like cream cheese or butter, lox, veggie, Honey walnut, scallions…..and so on… I imagine the scholar is still at the shop!

We had matinee tickets for the recently released holiday movie “Sleepy Hollow” directed by Tim Burton. Based on the Washington Irving story, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”, the film starred Johnny Deep and Christina Ricci. The plot follows the curse of the headless horseman in the small town of Sleepy Hollow.  The historic Village of Sleepy Hollow is located on the eastern shore of the Hudson River, 25 miles north of Manhattan.   And that is where I was going to have Thanksgiving dinner!!!!

The sun started to set and we needed to arrive at Sleepy Hollow by 4:30 PM. We were going to Fred’s and Georgettes (Eric and Carrie’s cousins) for dinner.. Excitement was in the air, it was my first Thanksgiving at the Historical Village of Sleepy Hollow. What could be better for this modern day Pilgrim!  Carrie wanted it to be as authentic as possible; she wanted everything home cooked, and from scratch! So she ordered the pies from the fund raiser at her school and the soup was coming from the local Diner just like they did in the original dinner at the Plymouth Colony.  Eric and I went to hunt a fruit salad and pastries at the recently opened “STEW LEONARD'S” in Yonkers. And yes I saw the baker scratching himself!

We arrived to the Meyerowitz Manor, the sun was almost consumed by the earth; slowly the fog was rising in the stillness of the night. At a non recognizable distance you could see the silhouette of a non identifiable object; a screech was heard and a deafening Boom, Boom, Boom, just like the galloping of a horse… TERROR…well not really, it was not a horse; it was more like a kid in a Chevy Camaro!  And the galloping was more like a super hyped sound system in the car.  But so far, there were no headless horseman, angry natives, or people in black and white outfits.

 As we approached the door, we were greeted by three beautiful “Stallions”…. ok…..they were big dogs!; Fred and Georgette, Sharon and Steven, Fred’s sister, son and husband (the plot thickens) …..a Native American …”wow.. A real Native American… I was in awe…pinch me… a child’s dream come true! Well, he was from Canada; that is just on the other side of the border; well, we can’t have it all and Canada is just attached to the north.  Sir Seymour Jaffee, and his wife,  (Stephen’s parents) (Seymour was talking about the old country…MMM); cousin Steven and Nancy, his girlfriend, had just come back from New Orleans (that is like a foreign country).  I see a common thread…

OK, let’s recap:  We were among family and friends (like at the original Thanks giving) at Sleepy hollow (like in the movie), galloping horses were all around us…(ok it was just the dogs)…. We had a Native American sitting at the table (WOW) and Pilgrims!; yes Pilgrims! We were at the table (me and all the others that came from another country or New Jersey), and an amazing dinner that was prepared with love and served with the upmost care! What a perfect day!… The only thing that was missing was the Mayflower! We only saw a moving truck named “Father and Son Movers” I guess this will suffice.  We had an old fashioned, original and autochthonous Thanksgiving Dinner!  Arriving to a house of friends that you have not yet met and to be received with open arms and hearts; it’s the best gift anybody can receive and it is the real meaning of Thanksgiving!  And there was a real Native American…Sweet!

Spiced Cup Cakes

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 cups bleached all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup milk

3 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup unsalted butter, softened until easily spreadable

2 cups dark brown sugar

Directions

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare Cup Cake pan with liners. Whisk dry ingredients and spices in a large bowl. Mix milk, eggs and vanilla extract in a 2-cup measuring cup.

Beat softened butter into dry ingredients, first on low, then medium, until mixture forms pebble-sized pieces. Add about 1/3 of the milk mixture and beat on low until smooth. Add remaining milk mixture in two stages; beat on medium speed until batter is just smooth. Add the sugar; beat until just incorporated, about 30 seconds. Pour batter into pan.

Bake until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the cake's center comes out clean, about18 - 20 minutes. Set pan on a wire rack; let cool for 5 minutes. Let cool.

Butter Cream Frosting

      1/2 cup Crisco

      1/2 stick butter.

      I cup Powder Sugar

      2/3 cup canned milk

      1 tsp. vanilla

      3 Tbls. flour

      Cream butter and Crisco.

      Add sugar and beat for 12 minutes.

      Then add remaining ingredients and beat well.

     

Old Fashioned Puerto Rico's Turkey Stuffing (Mom’s recipe)

This “Relleno Para El Pavo” (Turkey Stuffing) is a basic rendition of the recipe we use in Puerto Rico. It can be prepared on the evening before Thanksgiving, and removed from the refrigerator early the next day, to give it time to return to room temperature before stuffing the turkey with it.

Ingredients: (For a 12-16 pound turkey)
3/4 lb. ground beef
3/4 lb. ground pork

½ lb. ground Ham

½ lb. ground Veal
1 onion, chopped up

½ green pepper chopped

½ yellow pepper chopped

½ red pepper chopped
½ cup seedless golden raisins
1 small can (4 oz.) pimientos, chopped up
1 tablespoon salt
¼ cup chopped up olives, discard the pits
¼ cup alcaparras (capers)
1/2 cup Achiote Tinted Oil (you can use a mixture of olive oil and an envelope of Sazón con Culantro y Achiote) or tomato sauce
½ a cup of White dry Wine

2 cups of whole almonds (your favorite flavored or plain)

1¼ lbs. regular potatoes (NOT baking potatoes).After the 60th my mother used bread stuffing that was sold at the newly inaugurated supermarkets.

Method:
a) - Cut the potatoes in half each, leaving the skin on.
b) - Bring to a boil and continue cooking until tender but still firm.
c) - Place in cold water to cover, to stop the cooking process. Remove the skins from the potatoes and discard. Now cut the potatoes into small cubes. Leave in water until you're ready to use them.
d) - In a bowl, mix the ground meats, salt, pimientos morrones, raisins, olives and capers.
e) - Place the oil in a heavy pot, over medium heat. Add the onions and stir-fry until almost translucent (about 5 - 6 minutes).
f) - Raise the heat to medium-high, and add the meat mixture. Continue cooking and stirring for 5 more minutes, uncovered.
g) - Add the completely drained cubed potatoes, and when the mixture has begun to bubble again, lower the heat to medium. Continue cooking, uncovered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
h) - If you are preparing this stuffing on the same day that you're going to roast the turkey, just make sure the mixture is completely at room temperature before stuffing the turkey with it.

Adobo Rub for Roast Turkey - Adobo Para Pavo Asado

Here is a basic Adobo Rub for Roast Turkey, using the signature Puerto Rican blend of seasonings, vinegar and oil. Just weigh the Big Bird, and multiply the following ingredients by the total pounds. Then allow the magic of an overnight marinade to turn this into a Tropical paradise.

Ingredients: For each pound of turkey:
1 pinch of salt
1 small whole black pepper
1 small clove of garlic
1/8 teaspoon dry powdered oregano
1 pinch of cumin
1 teaspoon oil
1/2 teaspoon vinegar
Achiote Tinted Oil (you can use a mixture of olive oil and an envelope of Sazón con Culantro y Achiote to rub the turkey for color

Method:
a) - Using a mortar and pestle, crush up the garlic, and then pepper. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend very well. Test the salt content by using the tip of your finger. Adjust to your satisfaction.
b) - Rub this adobo all over the turkey, including the inside cavity.
c) - Do NOT puncture the skin. Remember, the turkey meat gives the juices, and the skin contains the fat. So keep the skin as intact as possible, to help moisturize the turkey meat.
d) - Refrigerate overnight, and take it out with about an hour's anticipation before roasting. This will warm up the chill factor to room temperature.
e) - I've heard of the variation that adds Sazón packets to the adobo rub, to give the turkey color. I add some Bijol (ground annato seeds) to the mix.

Turkey Injection Solution

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 can chicken broth
• 3 fluid ounces infused garlic/olive oil
• 1 tablespoon salt
• ½ cup white dry wine
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

PREPARATION:

Mix all ingredients. Using a coarse needle inject liquid into the turkey throughout all the meaty portions. Do this about 24 hours before you cook the turkey.

Coconut “Cuatro Leches”

This super easy cake, soaked with a milky mixture laced with brandy and coconut milk, is one of our most popular recipes. We’ve tested it at several parties and have yet to take home anything but an empty baking dish and a whole bunch of recipe requests. So here it is! Be sure to make it well before you want to serve it—the longer it sits, the better it gets. And don’t skip the toasted coconut!

INGREDIENTS

• 6 large eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 box of instant flan
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 2/3 cup evaporated milk (not nonfat)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened canned coconut milk
• ½ cup of heavy cream
• 3 tablespoon brandy
• 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon of brandy
• White vanilla (or regular)
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat oven to 325°F. Butter a bundt cake baking pan. Separate eggs, and place yolks in a large mixing bowl. Reserve whites in a separate mixing bowl.
2. Add sugar to yolks, and beat on high speed with an electric mixer until pale yellow and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Clean beaters, and whip egg whites to medium peaks, about 1 1/2 minutes.
3. Using a rubber spatula, stir about 1/3 of the egg whites into the yolk mixture to lighten it. Then gently fold in remaining whites.
4. Add 3 tablespoon of brandy
5. Whisk flour with a dry whisk to aerate and break up any lumps, then sprinkle it over egg mixture. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold flour into egg mixture, just until there are no more white flour streaks. Don’t over mix.
6. Pour batter into the buttered baking dish, and bake until cake is puffed and golden and the edges pull away from the sides of the pan, about 20 to 25 minutes.
7. Remove cake from the oven and place on a wire cooling rack. With a toothpick, poke holes all over the cake. Allow to cool for 15 minutes.
8. In a medium bowl, whisk together four milks the instant Flan mix and the rum, and pour mixture evenly over cake. Continue cooling cake, about 45 minutes more, then cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
9. For toasted coconut, heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add coconut and spread it in an even layer. Cook, stirring often, until coconut is lightly toasted and browned. If coconut begins to burn, reduce heat. Remove from the pan immediately.
10. To serve the cake, whip heavy cream, white vanilla, 1 tbsp brandy and powdered sugar to medium peaks. Top each cake slice with a mound of whipped cream, and garnish with toasted coconut. 

Do we really leave?

Since I can remember, I have always been connected with people older than me.  I would go to my friends’ houses and I would spend more time talking with their parents than with my friends.  I preferred a good conversation in which I would be able to learn something new vs. talking to my friends about child’s play.  I remember going to my grandparents’ farm and sitting with my grandmother Flora and asking her about her childhood, her wedding, what they did for Three King’s Day or about her grandparents.  I believed that the experiences from the past would permit us to have a clearer vision of the future to come.  Many times I say to myself; “what would my grandfather say if he could see what his grandchildren are doing today; how would he react if a cell phone would ring beside him; if he saw a plasma TV or a computer?”  Trying to understand what part of his DNA I inherited, or my nephew or my niece’s child.  Sometimes I do something or say something and I tell myself that is not me that just did that! That was Dad or I see my uncle “Jose” (Che) when I see myself in the mirror.  So many times I am at the house and suddenly I breathe in; and the air; the perfume; the essence… I close my eyes… and it is my grandmother’s scent.  I say a prayer, remember a happy memory and wish her a kiss, my mother’s mother loved me dearly, she always told me that I came to her in a dream before I was born; and she will always be by my side; she will always be part of me...  This week we celebrated all souls day…”Dia de Todos los Difuntos” or “Fieles Difuntos” or “Dia de Los Muertos”, and my mind just goes to the past. 

November 1, All Saints Day, and November 2, All Souls Day, are marked throughout Spain, Latin America The Caribbean and Puerto Rico where I come from, with a plethora of intriguing customs that vary widely according to the ethnic roots of each region. Many resemble the traditions of the pharaohs of Egypt or the African Yoruba religion. Common to all, however, are colorful adornments and the preparation of special foods, offerings laid out for the departed on commemorative altars and religious rites that are likely to be included in some countries but all entitle lively reunions at family burial plots, the lighting of candles for the departed love one and a nocturnal mass at the cemetery.

At the family burial plot in the local cemetery, relatives spruce up each gravesite. In rural townships this may entail cutting down weeds that have sprouted up during the rainy season, as well as giving tombs a fresh coat of paint after making any needed structural repairs. The graves are then decorated; the tomb may be simply adorned by a cross formed of “claveles” (clavel) or elaborately embellished with colorful coronas (wreaths) and fresh or artificial floral arrangements. In many areas, children's graves are festooned with brightly colored paper streamers, these days’ balloons, toys or plush stuffed animals.  These items are called “Ofrendas” (Offerings). The offerings placed on the grave for Dia de los Muertos usually consist of pictures of the deceased as well as personal favorites that the deceased may had enjoyed such as a “Puro” Cigar or a “Caneca” bottle of Rum. Candles are used to help guide the path for the spirits and the sound of bells will awaken their souls as well as other items such as incense and, coffee. Certain Dia de los Muertos dishes are also placed on the grave to help feed and nourish the traveling souls.

On November 2 family members gather at the cemetery for gravesite reunions more festive than somber. Some bring along picnic baskets, bottles of rum for toasting the departed or even music that was favored by the departed.  Local merchants set up provisional stands outside the cemetery gates to sell food, drinks and flowers. The loud speakers and the ringing of bells may announce the commencement of an open-air memorial mass, the occasion’s most solemn interlude.  I remember leaving the Corozal’s (my parent’s town) cemetery that night and at the entry gates finding a lot of kids with lanterns and dressed as death asking for a kind token to help their souls leave purgatory and lead them to heaven. Dad put coins in their bags they laughed and giggled; screamed thank you, and ran to the next person exiting the cemetery!

As I mentioned before, around the world November 1^st “All Saints Day” is set aside for remembrance of the Saints.  In Puerto Rico this day will include deceased infants and children, often referred to as angelitos (little angels) who have died.  In the past it was said that children would go straight to heaven, and being pure souls they would not have to go through purgatory. 

That night my mother would take out all of the small bowls, plates and nonflammable containers and place them on the dining room table and each vessel will have a white candle dedicated to a departed soul.  The image of “Our Lady of Sorrows” and a crucifix would be placed among the candles and any picture of a departed love one.  My mother and father would pray the rosary as they do every night and at the end of the rosary they would dedicate the lighting of a candle to each relative or friend that had passed by calling out their name.  At the end of the service a candle would be lit for all souls that are still in purgatory, another one for those that don’t have families that could pray for their souls and a last one for those that have died and are unknown. 

The remembrance of deceased ancestors and loved ones is traditional among diverse cultures around the globe, often marked by lighting candles or lamps and laying out offerings of food and drink. Such celebrations can be traced back as far as the glory days of ancient Egypt when departed souls were honored during the great festival of Osiris.

Last year I visited the King Tutankhamun’s traveling exhibit in Fort Lauderdale and out of all the gold, jewels and fabulous riches that were in exhibition, there was a phrase that was placed at the entrance of his tomb and loosely translated, read like this: “Once my name is spoken I will always be alive”.  Following King Tutankhamen’s spirit into the afterlife where the eternal existence of his Ka can only be assured if his name is spoken by the living.  The ka is usually translated as "double"; it represents a person's double. It is what we would call a spirit or a soul. The ka was created at the same time as the physical body. It was believed that the ram-headed god Khnum crafted the ka on his potter's wheel at the time of a persons birth. A person’s ka would live on after their body had died. It was thought that when someone died they "met their ka". The ka existed in the physical world and resided in the tomb (House of the Ka). It had the same needs that the person had in life, which was to eat, drink, etc. That is why the Egyptians left offerings of food, drink, and worldly possessions in tombs for the ka to use.

I remember sitting at my grandfather’s farm on top of a mound of grain rice, watching my dad and “abuela” (grandmother) Flora toss the rice grains they had in a blanket in the air so the wind could blow away the loose membrane that covers the rice.  It was a snow storm of white particles floating in the air, navigating themselves onto the flowers, the grass, and to sights our vision could not reach; landing to fertilize the soil that would produce brighter flowers and juicier fruits.  I imagine that we are very similar to these grains of rice; we receive particles of DNA from our forefathers; characteristics; gestures; personalities; features and particles of their soul.  Do we really leave or are we displaced through this universe in different vessels. 

Hot Ginger Tea “Jengibre Caliente”

Take one section of ginger root grated

3 cinamon sticks

12 cloves

1\2 anise

2 cups of water

Boil all ingredients for 10 minutes until the water turns tan

Heat condensed milk (I can of milk to one can of water ratio)

Add the ginger to taste

Sweeten with sugar and a pinch of salt

Puerto Rican Hot Chocolate

Bar of Chocolate
Condensed Milk (I can of milk to one can of water ratio)
“Queso de Bola Holandes” (hard Eddam or Gouda Cheese from Holland, try a Hispanic foods store)
Chop Cheese into small pieces
Dissolve the Chocolate over the heat in 1\4 cup of water until you have a thick syrup
Add the Chocolate to the Milk and Stir
Simmer over low flame for two minutes
Add Cheese to the serving cups and cover with the chocolate
Serve and enjoy.

Churro Recipe

Makes about 2 dozen, 4 inch churros

Ingredients:

1 cup water

2 Tbs brown sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/3 cup butter

1 cup white flour

2 eggs

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 cup sugar

• 1/2 to 1 tsp. ground cinnamon, depending on taste

Directions:

Preheat 1 1/2 to 2 inches of vegetable oil in a 10 to 12 inch frying pan to 375 degrees F. In a separate dish mix the 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon and set aside.

In a 3 qt. sauce pan add the water, brown sugar, salt, and butter and heat to a good boil. Remove from the heat and add the flour. Stirring in the flour will take some muscle. Mix it in until well blended.

In a separate bowl, mix the eggs and vanilla together and then add this mixture to the flour mixture. Stir until well blended and all the egg is completely mixed in.

Fill your decorating tool with the churro recipe dough and attach the largest star tip you have.

Test your oil by placing a small amount of dough in it. The dough should bubble up right away or that means the oil is not hot enough and a soggy churro is on the way.

Once the oil is hot enough, squeeze some dough (with decorator) into the oil about 4 inches long. I used my finger to release the dough from the decorator. Careful not to burn yourself.

You should be able to cook 4 or 5 churros at a time. Cook them about 1 minute and turn them over with a slotted spoon. Cook an additional minute or two. You're looking for that nice golden brown color.

Remove the churros with the slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel-covered plate to absorb excess grease.

While still warm, roll each churro into the dish with the sugar and cinnamon until coated.

Almojabanas (rice fritters)
Serves: four to six
Preparation time: Thirty minutes
Ingredients:
1/2 cup wheat flour
1/4 cup water
1 cup rice flour
4 whole eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoonfuls salt
4 tablespoonfuls melted butter
2 teaspoonfuls baking powder
1 cup grated queso blanco (Puerto Rican white cheese)
2 tablespoonfuls grated parmesan cheese
1 pint frying oil

Almojabanas are delicious, cheese-flavored rice fritters. You may substitute the Puerto Rican white cheese for Swiss or mozzarella, and the taste will be slightly different.
Mix water and wheat flour, blending thoroughly. Add whole eggs, one at a time, blending in. Slowly add the remaining ingredients, blending thoroughly to assure an even paste. Allow to rest for about thirty minutes.
Fry in a deep frypan by dropping in spoonfuls in very hot frying oil. Remove when golden brown. Remove excess oil by blotting with absorbent paper. Serve warm.
Yani Clecas
(Fried Biscuits)

4 cups of all purpose flour
3 tablespoons of vegetable shortening (I use Crisco the one that taste like butter)
2 tablespoons of butter or margarine (butter is best)
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 egg
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoon of salt
a pinch of nutmeg (optional)
3 cups of corn or vegetable oil for frying (350° to 375°)

Sift the flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl add the milk, egg, sugar, salt and nutmeg and mix well with a wire whisk until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Cut the shortening and butter into the flour and work the flour until it turns into little pea size objects.

Add the milk mixture to the flour and work it well then onto a floured surface. Work well and add a bit of flour if the dough is to sticky. Cut half of the dough and set it aside. With a rolling pin roll out the other half of the dough like when you are making cookies. Use a large round cookie cutter to cut out the Yani Clecas. Once cut fry them in the hot oil, turning and basting them with the oil until they become puffy and brown. Serve them hot at once.

Note: If you have some left over sprinkle them with confectionery sugar, children love them this way.

BUÑUELOS DE VIENTO

• 1 cup water
• 1/4 pound butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup flour
• 4 eggs
• 3 cups sugar
• 4 cups water
• Peel of 1 lime

 Procedures

·         Put water butter and salt in a saucepan and bring to the boil.  Once boiling, remove immediately from the heat. 

·         Add flour all at once, stirring vigorously to mix well.

·         Add eggs one at a time, mixing well before adding the next.

·         Have paper towels spread out to absorb oil.  

·         Heat oil in a deep fry pot to 370°F.  working in batches, so oil does not lose its heat, drop dough by tablespoons

 into the hot oil.  Fry to golden, remove and drain on paper towels.

·         When frying is done, let cookies cool while preparing a syrup.  Put sugar, water and lime peel in a saucepan

 and heat to  222°F on a candy thermometer.  Pour over the cooled cookies

Yield: About 16 - 18 buñuelos.

Pan de Muerto

adapted from Fine Cooking

The Bread:

1/2 c whole milk

5 1/2 T unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Two 4×1-inch strips of orange zest (use a vegetable peeler; avoid the white pith)

1 t finely grated orange zest

1 t vanilla extract

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

1-3/4 t active dry yeast

3-1/2 c unbleached all-purpose flour; more as needed

1/4 c granulated sugar

1 t kosher salt

Vegetable oil as needed

The Topping

4 T unsalted butter, melted

1/4 c granulated sugar

Warm the milk, butter, and orange zest (both strips and grated) in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the butter melts, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool until just warm.

Discard the orange zest strips (leave the grated zest!), add the vanilla and whisk in the eggs.

Dissolve the yeast in 1/4 c lukewarm water and let stand until the mixture slightly thickens and begins to bubble, about 10 minutes.

Mix the flour, sugar, and salt on a work surface. (I found a board scraper to be a good tool for mixing the dry ingredients.  If you’d prefer, you can make the dough in a bowl just as easily.  I haven’t tested, but I have a feeling the dough hook on a stand mixer would work fine.)  Make a well in the center.

If you’re wearing any hand-jewelry, take it off.  This bit is tricky: Pour the yeast mixture and the milk mixture bit by bit into the well while mixing with your hand (I poured with my left and mixed with my right, stopping the pouring every once in a while to make sure things weren’t getting out of hand.) Knead until you have a smooth, but still slightly sticky dough, about 10 minutes. If you feel like the dough is too sticky, add a little flour.  Be careful – adding too much flour will make the bread tough.

Oil a large bowl and place the dough in it.  Cover with plastic wrap and leave it to rise in a warm place until it’s doubled in size – that took mine 1 hour and 15 minutes.  (My warm place was on top of the stove with the oven set at 200 degrees.

To shape four small loaves: cut off about 1/8 of the dough and save it for your decorations.

Divide the remaining dough into four equal pieces and shape them into round loaves.  I found that flattening the dough slightly and tucking the edges under was the easiest way to make a nice looking round.

Prepare your baking sheet(s):  Either oil a baking sheet or line it with parchment.  Place the dough rounds on it.

To make traditional bone-style decorations, basically you roll out cylinders of dough, but roll from the center toward the edges to create the knobby look of bones.)  For my skulls and crossbones, I roughly shaped two discs of dough and cut slits for the eyes.  I then used my fingers to shape the slits into open holes, then used a sharp knife to carve out cheekbones and then cut the bottom for teeth.  Place the decorations on top of your dough rounds, then press lightly to make them adhere.

Cover the loaves with plastic wrap and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 45 minutes

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350.

Bake until the loaves are golden in color, 30 to 40 minutes. The original recipe suggested covering them with foil and continuing to bake for another 10-15 minutes (until the bottoms are browned), but mine were DONE after 40 minutes in the oven.

Remove from the oven and cool for a few minutes on a wire rack.

While they’re still warm, brush the loaves generously all over with the melted butter. Then, sprinkle them all over (on all sides) with sugar.  This is  easiest if you tilt them up – using a towel to protect your hand, tipping them up with a spatula or a piece of cardboard.

Cool to room temperature before serving. The bread is best eaten within a day of baking.