Cocinando

What better time is there than a sunny Sunday afternoon to eat warm gooey chocolate chip cookies? For me any time is a good time, and it seems the kids and staff at the hogar are in agreement now that they have tried them for the first time. Since it is practically impossible to find light brown sugar in this country, I had mom and dad send me brown sugar and chocolate chips in the mail. I received the package yesterday and I figured I better put it to good use. I whipped up a double batch of chocolate chip cookies to share with all the kids and it was more of a success than I thought possible. With all the sweet treats that exist in this place, I thought my cookies would just be another one on the list. But all day long I have had people asking me to make more, to write down the recipe and to ask for more ingredients in the mail! I had fun cooking and it was another step towards integrating myself into the house. Just a few minutes ago I was sharing a cup of tea and some chocolate chip cookies with one of the women who comes later in the evening and we got a chance to talk and share a little bit more, all thanks to the cookies. One thing she said to me was that it seemed to her like I was feeling much more comfortable in the house. This is true. I have taken a certain ownership in this place and feel like I can finally call it home... one of the many places I call home. I don´t think I could survive a year if I didn´t at some point feel like I had a home here. It takes time and energy to create that kind of space and feeling, especially when you are thrown into a house where 30+ people are already living and moving in their own routine. I am extremely thankful for the opportunity I have been given to jump into their world, and I am especially grateful that they have opened their hearts and their home to me in such a way I feel welcomed and loved.

FOOD: Hopefully this update will give you an idea as to what I have been eating since I arrived here in Uruguay!

Yerba Mate: I don't even know where to start when it comes to explaining Mate. First of all, yerba mate is a green leafy tea that is very common in South America. The people here drink it out of a fancy hollowed out gourd (which they call a mate) with a metal straw that has a filter at the bottom (bombilla) to keep the leaves from coming up. There is a whole tradition around drinking mate, it is more than just having a cup of tea. Mate can be consumed alone, but it is much more common to drink mate together in a group. Usually there is one person who serves the mate. this person has the mate and the thermos full of hot water, which is normally carried under one arm with the mate in hand or in one of the many fancy carrying cases that you can purchase to hold all of the things necessary to prepare a good mate. There is a correct way in which mate is prepared and served, and there are certain unspoken rules as to how the mate is shared among the group as well. I never thought I would really enjoy drinking mate since I am not a huge fan of green tea, but the taste has grown on me in the last couple of months. Now I find myself really looking forward to my mornings at La Obra because I know that there will be mate shared among those who are working in the tutoring center with me. The most important rules that I have learned about mate drinking are as follows: 1) you must drink all of the hot tea out of the gourd when you are served. It is inpolite to leave it half empty. 2) Do not move the bombilla or straw. If you move it you could offend the server who has arranged the yerba and placed the straw for you. 3) If you say gracias or thank you when you hand the mate back to the server, it isn't very likely that you will receive the mate again. Thank you means that you have had enough. 4) Do not hold on to the mate for more than a few minutes or the server and the other people in the circle will get antsy! People need their mate here. It is a way of life, the same way some people just can't function without a cup of coffee in the morning! What I like most about mate is the fact that it is something shared among groups. At meetings, hanging out with friends and even at church services you will see mates being passed around among the people. It brings people together in a tangible way to share something in community. It can really change the mood of a setting when the mate is brought out!

Asado: This Uruguyan BBQ is the traditional, most common and most desired meal among the Uruguayns that I know. They BBQ just about any kind of meat that you can think of over the coals of a wood fire. It is a great excuse to get together with friends and family on the weekends or any day of the week for that matter. The one thing that I am certain of is that I have eaten many different cuts of meat, mostly cow, but surely other things as well. I know the first week I was here I ate either stomach or intestines that they cooked and put into a soup. I just had to close my eyes and chew. The texture was the worst part; it was kind of like chewing on a rubberband. But I guess that is besides the point. Anyway, these BBQ's are fun, but I feel like i need a dictionary just for all the different kinds of meat and the way they are prepared. For now I will just have to go on trying new things and finding out later what it was that I ate...

Pizza: Okay, so I was really excited when I frst got here because everywhere you went there were resteraunts called Pizzarias. But the pizza here isn't quite how I know pizza at home. It is common to serve just crust and sauce... yes, that is what they call pizza. You are getting really fancy if it comes with mozzarella, and you are probably eating in a nicer restaurant if it comes with ham or green olives on top. I think they are truly missing out when it comes to toppings like pepperoni, but who am I to judge!?

Pollenta: This is my least favorite meal that I have eaten here in Uruguay, and the best way I know to describe it is corn meal mush with red sauce. I can hardly stand the texture and the flavor is nothing special. I am getting pretty good at predicting when it is coming and then finding alternatives on those days!

Fideos: These are noodles or ravioles that are served with many different sauces just like we eat pasta at home. Pasta is pretty much a staple in the diet here and they do it up right. It's hard to go wrong ordering pasta in a restaurant. Some people like pasta, some say it's alright. Thank God for our uniqueness, for God made us right!

Pan Frito: Ooooooh this fried bread makes for a great snack any time of the day! There are street venders that make it fresh right before your eyes and you walk away with something similar to what I would call an elephant ear, but without all of the sugar. It is tradition to make pan frito on rainy days, and the venders always do better when the weather isn't so great!

Dulce de Leche: This caramel like sweet treat can be found just about anywhere and is put on and in just about everything here. At first I wasn't the biggest fan, but it has become a nice addition to cookies, an interesting flavor of icecream and it makes for a great apple dip. When I tell the kids that dulce de leche isn't really common at home, they just can't believe it. What else would we use for frosting cakes or to put inbetween alfojores?

Alfajores: I wish I could send one of these cookies to each of you so that you could try one. They are two or three layers of cookie tradiitionally filled with dulce de leche. Now a days you can find them packaged in just about any flavor, dipped in chocolate, white chocolate or whatever your little heart desires! Mmmm Mmmmm good!

Biscochos: These are little baby croissants that you can find at any panaderia, or bakery, for just a few pesos a piece. They come sweet or salty... you can get them filled with dulce de leche (surprise surprise), dulce de membrilla, ham and cheese, or just plain. They make for a great quick breakfast or a snack any time during the day. They are addiciting though, so you have to be careful.

Panchos y Hamburguesas: Hamburgers and hotdogs... Instead of finding taco trucks on random street corners, here you find hamburger and hotdog trucks. The first time I realized thats what they were I couldn't help but smile. I do miss the giant burritos from home, but I guess a hamburger will have to do for this year. Mexican food or really anything spicy is hard to come by.

Noquis: On the 29th of every month people all over the country make noquis for dinner. It is ususally some kind of potatoe noodle from what I understand. I liked them when I had them, but wasn't around to pay attention to how they were made. I just thought it was interesting to have a food to eat on a certain day of the month!

Vegetables: Well, the truth is that they just don't consume a large amount of vegetables here. Meat and pasta really are the main dishes. If you get a salad, most often it includes lettuce and tomatoes. The dressing is oil and vinegar. It is kind of boring if you ask me, but I try to make an deffort to get some greens in me once in a while anyway!

I'm sure I am forgetting something, but these are some of the foods that have stood out to me the most so far. I have probably gained about 10 pounds since I have been here because the sweet treats are too good to refuse and I just want to try everything! Good thing I just found a volleyball team that practices three days a week! I am going to join them and hopefully stay healthy doing something I love.

Fiesta de Canto

I spent this past weekend getting to know a new part of the country! The choir I am singing with at the Valdense church in Montevideo was part of a choral festival that was held in Miguelete, a tiny town about 2.5 hours from Montevideo. I left a day early because I was invited by Lucia, one of the girls who sings in the choir with me, to spend Saturday with her and her family in their home town Colonia. Colonia is the oldest town in Uruguay and is full of history. I got a quick tour and history lesson, but I am anxious to go back with more time to explore and take photos. It was truly a beautiful place! However, my main objective for the weekend was the choir festival on Sunday... We met in Miguelete with 8 other choirs from different parishes of the valdense church from Argentina and Urguguay. There was a church service in the morning followed by lunch and then the festival began. Each choir performed between 2 and 6 songs and then we all sang 3 different songs together for the grand finale. It was the longest choir concert I have ever been to. One of the churches did quite the rendition of "Oh when the Saints go Marching in" :) Any time they sing in english it makes me smile because of their accent... Overall it was really great to see so many people involved and excited about music and the church. At times it felt like I was at a giant family reunion because everyone seemed to know everyone. It was an exciting weekend and I am thankful for the hospitality that Lucia and her family offered me as well as the opportunity to meet new people, see new places and to continue learning new things!
I have a busy week ahead, but I am hoping to get some more photos posted soon!