ARMENIA-Next Stop on our Journey Armenia!

Located in the South Caucus region of Eurasia, Armenia is a country that has endured a tragic history. The first time I discovered Armenia was while watching a very powerful film, Ararat. It is a movie based on the tragic Armenian Genocide that occurred at the hands of the Ottoman Empire between 1915 and 1923. During this time, an estimated 1.5 Million Armenians died. Prior to watching this film, I knew very little about Armenia's rich history and certainly never learned about their wholesale massacre.
It is said that when Hitler decided to wipe out the Jewish People in his horrendous program, he announced his plan to his cabinet. "But", asked one officer, "if you wipe out all the Jews, what will history say about you?" Hitler replied without a moment's hesitation, "Who any longer remembers the extermination of the Armenians?" The cabinet agreed that no one remembered so they decided to go ahead with their diabolical plan. I believe the best cure for ignorance is Education. Although it is hard to hear stories like this, I believe we cannot move forward if we do not understand and learn from our past. Just prior to the great massacre, the immigration of Armenians to America began. The immigrants that arrived were known to be quite literate, artistic, and skilled.

Sources: "Encyclopædia Britannica: Researcher's Note: Armenian massacres". Britannica.com.
Jeff Smith-The Frugal Gourmet on our Immigrant Ancestors-Recipes you should have Gotten from Your Grandmother

ARGENTINA-Dinner is Ready!

It is time to bid Adios to Argentina, but I do feel that we saved the best for last! The girls and I cooked our Argentinian Higos Envueltos en Prosciutto(Figs Wrapped in Prosciutto stuffed with Goat Cheese and topped with Honey), Steak with Chimichurri, and Dulce de Leche Pancakes. We had fun going to our local grocery store and finding all the ingredients. Given our Latin Population here in Houston, it was easy to find Authentic Dulce de Leche in several items-cookies, ice cream, or just all by itself. My favorite part of tonight's menu was the wonderful Higos Envueltos! We took delicious Tiger Figs and Wrapped them in yummy Prosciutto di Parma,  where the very best Prosciutto is made. We stuffed them with Goat Cheese, then topped them off with Honey and a drizzle of Balsamic Vinegar de Modena. Absolutely delicious! As for the girls, you can probably figure out their favorite dish....The Dulce de Leche Pancakes!!! Thank you everyone for joining us on our trip to Argentina! Buenos Noches!

 

 

 

 

ARGENTINA-5 Interesting Facts

The girls and I really enjoyed discovering Argentina's rich cultural history this week! Here are 5 of our favorite facts:

1. The oldest known dinosaur species have been traced back to Argentina and Brazil, making both countries prime destinations for paleontologists. Species such as the Eoraptor are said to have walked the earth as far back as 230 million years ago! Well-preserved displays of their remains can now be found in museums such as the Argentine National Historical Museum in Buenos Aires. (We will definitely have to check that out in person!)

2.  Argentina was the first country to adopt fingerprinting as a method of identification. In 1925, the small Argentinian town of Necochea was rocked by the gruesome stabbing of two children. With no witnesses to the crime, local police were unable to tie the gory crime to any particular suspect. Utilizing a bloody fingerprint left on a bedpost, Detective Eduardo Alvarez was able to peg the murders on the children’s mother, who quickly confessed to the crime.

 3. We often associate Animated film with Walt Disney, but did you know the first animated feature film came courtesy of Quirino Cristiani in 1917? His film, El Apóstol, consisted of 58,000 frames and had a run time of 70 minutes. A satire, El Apóstol focused on the corruption and immorality that was prevalent in Buenos Aires at the time.

4. Home to 57,000 residents, Ushuaia, Argentina is the southernmost city in the world. Despite its unique geographical positioning, Ushuaia is not subjected to extreme weather conditions.

5. Argentina is now Ranked #2 for the most beef consumed per capita. Its neighbor, Uruguay, just surpassed Argentina's long reign at #1 in 2012. Argentines ate about 129 pounds of beef a person last year, far surpassing Americans, at a  mere 57.5 pounds by comparison. But Argentina’s current level is a pale shadow of its peak: 222 pounds of beef for every man, woman and child, achieved in 1956. Now that's a lot of beef!

Sources: NY Times, www.thinkglobalschool.com

ARGENTINA-Tango

Have you ever danced the Tango? I must say, this is one of the most beautiful, elegant, and seductive dances I've ever seen. Here is a clip of professional dancers doing Argentina's Tango! Enjoy!

ARGENTINA-Recipes

Here are the Recipes for this week!

Higos Envueltos en Prosciutto(Frigs wrapped in Prosciutto)

Ingredients

8 Tiger Figs
8 Slices of Prosciutto
4 oz Goat Cheese
1 Tablespoon Honey
1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Preheat Oven to 400 Degrees. Cut the figs in half and place a smear of goat cheese on fig, enough to cover one side. Wrap a slice of prosciutto around each fig half, with the ends of the prosciutto overlapping. Place each wrapped fig on the baking sheet. Drizzle each fig with Honey, Extra Virgin Olive Oil,  Salt and Pepper.

Cook the figs until the prosciutto is brown and crispy, 4 to 5 minutes. Serve warm.

Steak and Chimichurri Sauce

Ingredients

1 lb New York Strip Steak or Ribeye
Salt and Pepper to Taste

1. Season the steaks generously with coarse salt. Place the steaks on the grill, directly over the coals (high heat) and sear them, 5 minutes on each side.

2. Move the steaks to the side slightly, so that they are not directly over the coals, and cook at medium-high heat for 6 to 8 minutes more on each side, or until desired doneness.

3. Remove from heat and let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Dina's Tip*-Let meat rest for 10  minutes in a warm place. When one surface of the meat hits the hot grill, the juices in that surface are forced away towards the center, increasing the concentration of moisture in the middle of the steak. Once the steak gets flipped over, the same thing happens on the other side. The center of the steak becomes supersaturated with liquid—there's more liquid in there than it can hold on to—so when you slice it open, all that extra liquid pours out. Letting the steak rest allows all of the liquid that was  forced out of the edges and into the center time to migrate back out to the edges so your steaks will be very juicy!

Chimichurri Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 cup lightly packed chopped flat leaf "Italian" parsley

3 to 5 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon chili pepper flakes

2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves (optional)

2 tablespoons shallot or onion, minced

3/4 cup vegetable or olive oil

3 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar, or red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1. Pulse the garlic and onion in the food processor until finely chopped.
   
   
2. Add the parsley, cilantro, and oregano  and pulse briefly, until finely chopped.
   
   
3. Transfer the mixture to a separate bowl. Add the olive oil, lime juice, and vinegar, and stir. (Adding the liquids outside of the blender gives the chimichurri the correct texture. You don't want the herbs to be completely puréed, just finely chopped).
   
   
4. Season with salt and red pepper flakes to taste.
   
   
5. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Recipe courtesy of Marian Blazes
Panqueques de with Dulce de Leche

Ingredients

1 Can Dulce de Leche
1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup cold whole milk
2/3 cup cold water
3 eggs, lightly beaten
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter, melted [plus 1 tablespoon to grease the pan]
powdered sugar

1. Mix the flour, sugar and salt. Sift the mix with a sieve and add the eggs and yolk using an electric beater or mixer.

2. Mix the milk with the water and slowly add to the preparation. Let the dough rest for about 20 minutes.

3. Heat a Teflon pan (6 inch diameter) and put a little piece of butter to melt. Add a scoop of pancake dough to the pan while turning it in order to cover the pan’s surface without leaving any holes on it. The pancake must be cooked on both sides: to turn it around use a Teflon spatula.
Renew the butter on the pan every 2 or 3 pancakes have been cooked to avoid them sticking on the pan.

4. Once the pancake is rolled, fill with Dulce de Leche and finish with sprinkling powdered sugar on top.
Recipe courtesy of Buenos Aires Foodies

Bon Appetit!!!

ARGENTINA-Famous People

When I think of famous Argentines the first that come to mind are:

• Diego Maradona- soccer legend
• Lionel Messi-soccer legend in the making
• Gabriela Sabatini- Tennis great and my favorite player of all time.
• Juan Domingo Peron- Former President of Argentina
• Maria Eva Duarte de Peron- Former First Lady of Argentina

ARGENTINA-Cultural Traditions Shared by Native Argentine Dr. Pablo Adler

Thank you to Pablo Adler for sharing these cultural traditions of Argentina!
In Argentina, Christmas presents are give on 3 kings day, not Christmas.  This is celebrated is in the middle of the summer not December. Argentines are very family oriented and most gatherings have food associated, in particular an asado. Lastly, drinking traditional  mate for us is a sign of friendship. We fill the mate with water, drink, then fill it up and pass it to the next person. Lovely!