The Great Cassoulet Challenge of 2012 has concluded. The last of the candles illuminating a cheerful gathering sputtered one final time, before the flame drowned in molten wax. Sated guests mingled, music playing softly in the background … Much earlier in the day preparations for the last round of bean baking got underway, after the cassole […]
Read more "Feasting and Judging"Allow me to introduce to you the main implement of cassoulet cooking. Voilà, la Cassole or the caçola, a casserole or earthenware terrine in the shape of an inverted cone with it’s tip cut off. Traditionally, it is glazed only on the inside and along the rim. This interesting term, caçola, is Occitan or òc, the indigenous language of […]
Read more "Actualité 2e Journée du Defi Cassoulet !"Ayocote blanco The beans, having soaked overnight, are ready to go – the challenge is on! Today is prep day. Assembling and preparing all the different ingredients for the main event tomorrow. Most importantly, making the savory stock, in which to cook six cups or 1360 grams of white runner beans (dry weight), then simmering those beans in said […]
Read more "Day One – The Great 2012 Cassoulet Challenge"… let’s see, what will appear here today … playing my favorite recordings of cherished Costa Rican band ‘La Gaviota’ – those muchachos can sing! – for inspiration as I write. Sometimes I like to fill my room with music. It’s a small room, easily filled to overflowing with harmonies. I remember my grandmother enjoying […]
Read more "Moses and the Cassoulet Challenge …"Can facebook friends become more real, than real friends? Is it possibly real friends aren’t any more real, than virtual friends, just more solid? Not in the sense of a solid friendship, but rather as an observable physical object, which has mass and occupies space. This spur of the moment musing has been prompted by the realization […]
Read more "To ‘Friend’ or not to ‘Friend’ – in Life and Facebook"Actually, our local Texan Santa was coached by Ms. Patrizia M., who, only last year, successfully trained one of the Costa Rican Santas to deliver Lebkuchen and Dominosteine with only the slightest delay (see post: Ho Ho Ho – sólo un poco tarde! January 12, 2012). This year, Santa brought food for thought, shipped with […]
Read more "Sankt Nikolaus Brought an Early Present"