As Colombian as coffee

Sometimes when I start speaking passionately about coffee, I invoke the Colombian defense. Every once in a while someone will point out that Colombians don't drink coffee, or that Colombians don't drink good coffee.

Yesterday I attended a social media event (my very first industry conference!) and during the break I talked to someone who mentioned that. According to him, and he knew this because of a friend who had been to Colombia, Colombia has no coffee culture.

It's true. At least if you're going by American standards. You're not going to find a coffee shop per corner with long lines. You're not going to see people heading to work, travel mug in hand.

When I first came to New York, a friend from Brazil was showing me around. It was a snowy winter (remember those?) We were freezing in Times Square. He wanted to show me something weird, so we walked over to a street cart and bought coffee. It came in a cup, and it had a lid.

It was one of those tabbed lids that you fold back to open. The warmth in my hands my welcome, but I couldn't figure out the lid. Was it to keep the coffee warm while to you went with it somewhere?

No. More often than not the lid is just so you can drink coffee while walking. That's the part that doesn't make sense.

Handmade cup by Ming. This is what I use everyday for my morning coffee.

Coffee is more than a jolt of caffeine. Coffee is to be savored. Coffee is to be had fresh and in ceramic cups. It's best with family or friends. A close second is to have it in the morning, at home, while listening to chirping birds. That's how I have it most days.

You stop what you are doing, and you enjoy your coffee. 

Who needs coffee shops or fancy equipment when you've got Arabica beans and a pot of boiling water?

If your lifestyle doesn't allow that, then you wait for the coffee man. He'll come around at some point. He walks with a set of coffee thermoses on his shoulder. He'll be calling out his song. When you hear the song, you flag him down and he'll come to you. He'll pour you a cup and sit with you until you're done. You'll have your coffee. He'll pack up his things and go his way after having enjoyed coffee together.

Coffee man rounding up my parent's block. 

Fruit

No. I did not bring you any. I already told you that even if I had managed to keep from eating it all, customs wouldn't have let me so stop pestering me. But I do have some answers for you. (The questions are here.)

Colombia has amazing flora and fauna diversity and will knock any country's socks off in terms of butterflies, flowers, fruit, and coffee - plus some other more famous exports that shall not be mentioned. This is just the tip of the fruit basket.

A.


Anna's Guess: Rainbow Olives
Brian's Guess: Applegrape. Great for making wine!

They are ciruelas. Wiki thinks they are similar to jocote.

I've never heard of anyone using them to make wine, but it might not be a bad idea. I imagine it would taste like a light dry plum wine with a hint of citrus. They are vaguely similar to large green olives in terms of size and different textures, with they have a large hard pit. The red ones are ripe, juicy and sticky. The green ones are harder and best eaten with a dash of salt. Delicious in all stages of ripeness.



B.


Brian: Nougatberry. It tastes like candy with nuts in it!
Anna: Eggplant Turnips

It's a Mangostín. It's definitely eggplant colored and it does taste like candy. Ever had Trader Joe's freeze dried mangosteen? Worth the check-out line but it is highly addictive so be careful

C.




Anna:Poppy Thornberries
Brian: Colombian pricklypear. Like the one from the American southwest, but sweeter, with hints of vanilla.

It's a pitaya - a kind of yellow dragon fruit. I've seen red dragon fruit at the co-op but I've never tried it so I can't compare, but if you ever bump into a pitaya, just grab it, cut it open, scoop it out and eat it before anyone steals it from you.

The flesh is firm but soft like a medium ripe banana, but it is refreshing and the tiny seeds make it crunchy. Lightly sweet with a cherry lemonade aftertaste.

D.





Anna: Slimy Sesame Oranges
Brian: Mandrita. A cross between a pomegranate and a durian. Only smells a little bit funky.

Think sweetly fragrant oysters with a light taste and you're on the right track.

I once met someone who worked as a private chef in Colombia. When he found out I was from there, he grabbed my arm and asked me if I had ever been able to find granadillas here. He'd been haunted by their taste and had been unable to find anyone who had even heard of one and was starting to think he had dreamed it.

Nope. It's real. And it's real good. I've never had it anywhere else, but Wiki doesn't seem to think it's that rare.



E.


Brian: Revolution fig. Like a large mission fig, but more tangy.
Ann: Mini Melon Raisins

Níspero - I hear it is similar to sapodilla.

Though not quite as furry as a kiwi, the skin has a similar texture and you eat it in a similar way. The flesh is very soft and melts in your mouth. It tastes almost like caramel.

Off to have second breakfast - this post left me hungry.

I've seen mangosteen and red dragon fruit at the co-op and in Chinatown. Has anyone else had any of these, found them here, or have the scoop on other amazing fruit?

Prizes and Winners

There is a moment in a blogger's life when the compulsion to have a contest or a giveaway might strike. If the blogger is the kind to get carried away by ideas regardless of practicality or potential embarrassment like yours truly (see The Great Jell-o Wrestling Adventure), the post might go up before panic strikes: what if no one participates?

Thank you all contest participants for saving me from that fate: both of you! I am happy as an iguana on sun-warmed roof tiles (trust me on this one, they love it).

And now, the lucky winners.

Top Entry Winner: Brian
Random Grand Prize Winner: Anna

Congratulations and thank you for participating! I will contact both of you to arrange for prize delivery. You'll be receiving a handmade goodie bag filled with Colombian snacks including but not limited to:

1. Coffee Delight - exactly that
2. Tamarind balls - tangy concentrated sunshine
3. Frunas - sweet gummy chews
4. Bom Bom Bun - the best gum filled candy on a stick
5. Mani Moto - peanuts covered in a sweet and salty hard shell
6. Manjar Blanco - there are no words
7. Arequipe - Colombian version of dulce de leche

Thanks all for participating and stay tuned for when I reveal the real names of these fruits.

A cat walks into a plane...

The journey started at 3:30am fueled by pinta’o coffee my mom made to get me out of the hammock. The Barranquilla to Panama leg of the trip was sleepily uneventful, but the volume got turned up Tocumén Airport. There were screaming children at the gate and we hadn’t even begun boarding.

After noticing the facebook and twitter New York snow reports, I had packed my carry-on so I could comfortably survive the day if I got stranded in Panama or if my flight got re-routed to Wasilla but I had failed to pack noise canceling devices.

When I got to my seat at 28E – back of the plane, wedged between aisle and window seats – I found one of the screaming children placed on 29E, and a large man whose leg was spilling out of the confines of 28F and encroaching into 28E territory.

I took my place hoping the flight might not be full and I’d be able to move a seat over. My seatmate was a chatty Spaniard. While he was sharing with me the outrages of Panamanian customs taxes I might have missed the arrival of my other seatmate if I hadn’t heard her.

She was Canadian and was carrying a mewling case.

Don’t get me wrong. I like cats, I like children, and I have nothing against chatty Spaniards or even Canadians, but not all at once and definitely not while flying and within a one seat radius of me.

When I realized my seat didn’t recline and that I was stuck with an elbow rest hogger (the Spaniard) I was ready for the longest five hours. Maybe I’d get a funny story out of it.

No such luck.

Rufus the cat quieted when he was placed under the seat. The Spaniard and the child both passed out after take-off. Elbow hogging was controlled after I staked my rightful claim on it when they distributed the meal. Whip it, Where the Wild Things Are, and Dexter helped kill time.

The plane landed, customs didn’t even sniff my bag for all the edible goodies I brought back (want some? There’s still time to enter the giveaway - the odds of your winning something are high!), and I had an easy commute home from Newark.

The problem? Now I want to play (?) roller derby.

Sleep in a warm climate

Dear Bed,

The hammock days are over. See you soon.

Sleepily yours,



Majo

It's a bird! It's a plane! No... It's a planter!

Dear tiny garden,

I know you're sleeping now under your blanket of snow, but I just wanted to let you know that I'm thinking of you. Every once in a while I take a peek and imagine what you'll look like next spring.

Unfortunately, I can't bring you anything from Colombia - immigration won't allow it - but I'll be back soon and once the growing season starts I'll do my best to get you looking this luscious.

Greenly yours,



Majo

PS. That fancy planter pictured used to be a tire.

Plane food

Dear Pantry,
I never thought I’d say this on a trip to Colombia, but I miss you. I should know better than to refuse food on a plane, but when they came around offering waffles or chicken tacos my stomach was confused.

My stomach has Indiana Jones delusions, but the truth is that it can’t handle too much change or excitement. Needing to be at the airport at 3:30am, it seemed best not to go to bed. My stomach hates it when I skimp on sleep. An anvil of tiredness hit me in the head the minute I got to my seat, but I woke up when we were taxiing and about to lift off: my favorite part.

That moment when the plane starts going down the runway as fast as it can until it feels as though it can’t go any faster and then it daintily stands on tiptoe. For a second it feels like just that, a light tilting, and the stomach does a little flip of joy and you know the improbably has happened: you are flying in the belly of a great big hunk of metal.

As soon as I made sure we were safely in the air, I fell right back asleep and woke up parched, to the waffle or taco question. I was too thirsty to even consider a sweet waffle, so taco it was. But when I lifted the lid I knew I couldn’t do it. A chicken taco at 5:30am and without drinking. Wasn’t happening.

Taking the taco out of the equation left me with a small serving or fruit and a dinner roll, which I ate. But now it’s nine am and I’m starving. Thinking of you, dear Pantry.

Once I get to my parents (late lunch!) you won’t hear from me much, Pantry. But I’ll bring you something yummy!

Hungrily yours,



Majo

PS. Camera says hi. Slept the whole way, resting up for Colombia. Not much to see on the plane anyway.

Update: after almost missing my connection in Panama City due to excessive blogging, I made it home. Glad to report there have been no more hunger incidents since then.

Come back to me

You thought you were so clever, leaving like that to see how long it would take me to notice you were gone.

I know I haven't been spending as much time with you as I should, as I said I would, but that's no excuse for leaving without a word, or an image as is more your style.

Last Sunday I looked for you. Yes! I had a Valentine for you. It was something worthy of sharing with you, but I already ate it. Sorry. It was delicious.

You're going to miss even more if you don't come back soon, Camera. Either you turn up by tomorrow evening, or I won't take you to Colombia.

Have you forgotten what it's like in Barranquilla? Remember the sun? It's bright and it spills light everywhere making colors come out of hiding. Green in particular. Remember green? You used to love it, Camera.

Then theres all the food. Forget apples and bananas. Think níspero, maracuyá, corozo, guayaba, curuba, tamarindo. Do you really want to miss all that? It used to make your shutter tremble in excitement.

Look, Camera. I understand you're upset. I'm sorry. I promise things will be better once things calm down at work come spring.

It looks like you're going to miss The Frosty Ball tonight, but don't let pride come between us. You know you want this as much as I do. We'll go to the beach and you can take some panoramic pictures of the Caribbean Sea.

You'll be able to let your focus play with close-ups of ginger blossoms, and I promise to let you zoom all you want.

I miss you. Camera, please come back.