PALETAS

This month has just about come undone. I’ve been on the road, away from cold weather for two months, almost; another 3 days it will be 2 months exactly. It’s kind of like when the flight attendant  reminds you to return your seat back and tray to the upright position. I would rather have another destination or just some open road with a question mark but it’s time to maintenance possessions, pay bills and start calculating taxes. So I’m reflecting a little bit. 

In the last few days I did some good work in the kitchen. A box full of mangos at the open air market left me with the task of preparing them. I had never cut open a mango so I learned. Sufficiently ripe and properly peeled, I set about to make wine poached mangos as a desert. It’s not difficult but I think it’s important to use the right wine. I used a cheap, white Moscato which was perfect. Half an hour in the boiling bubbly rendered it tasty enough but some vanilla ice cream took it over the top. Two days later I made mango chutney, to be eaten with baked salmon. I didn’t have all the ingredients so I improvised. Raisins, red bell pepper, brown sugar, coconut oil, vinegar, curry, ginger, crushed red pepper, a little salt & pepper and of course, two diced mangos. It called for pineapple juice that I didn’t have so it just cooked covered over a low fire. When everyone takes seconds you know it’s alright. 

We did more of the corn on the cob. The vendador at the market suggested we cook corn in the microwave with the husks left on. What a great way to do roasting ears! At about 2 minutes per ear, (6 min for 4) turning every few minutes. When finished you peal back the husk, one at a time. It gets hot and hard to handle but the husks are a handy handle. At the end, the silk comes off clean and easy in one firm motion. While we’re in a culinary mode, the first thing we craved when we pulled into Baton Rouge yesterday was a deep fried, oyster po-boy which really hit the spot. Then we drove across town to the Mexican mercado for desert. Paletas are Mexican popsicles but they use something to make them creamy. I have trouble choosing between coconut, pineapple and mango; I did the coconut and unpacked the car feeling full. It is mid morning and I’m not hungry yet. Afternoon will change that I’m sure but right now, nothing sounds good.