Most of Russia's food consists of beef, pork, potatoes, sour cream, cheese, and more potatoes. There are very few vegetables that the Russians have at a convenient and reasonable price. Since the climate is so harsh in the north it is difficult to grow many lush vegetables. They are also practically land-locked with no main shipping lanes, which makes import a hassle and very costly. The only vegetables they eat somewhat regularly are cabbage and cauliflower.
With these key facts in mind I chose to create a dish with pork, potatoes and mushrooms, a cauliflower casserole and strawberry custard (desserts are really the only dishes that fruit is found in).
First the custard was created since it had to set up in the refrigerator. I began by boiling about two cups of strawberries in four cups of water. After it started to boil, I simmered them for about fifteen minutes until the berries were thoroughly mushy. The aroma by this point was heavenly, yes it was just strawberries, but it smelt amazing.
Then I used a strainer to separate the flesh of the berries and the juice. After a bit of confusion of what to do with the meat, I placed it back into the juice. This seems silly, but in doing so I was able to make the meat of the berries into miniscule pieces while keeping the flavor. It took a long time to thicken the custard, with many consultations with my mom and many "Is it almost done yet?" Finally with the extra cornstarch added and the heat on medium high for thirty minutes, it started to get slightly thicker. I took it off the heat and began my second dish.
The cauliflower was very simple in comparison to the rest of the meal. Simply cook the vegetable for five minutes in boiling water, make a cream sauce with soymilk, flour, margarine and diary-free sour cream (one could use the "real" dairy if their diet permits). After the sauce was done and the cauliflower some-what cooked, I placed the vegetable in a baking dish and poured the sauce over the top, sprinkling with dairy-free shredded cheese. It was placed in the oven at four hundred degrees for about thirty minutes.
As the cauliflower went into the oven, the strawberry custard went into the fridge, and the pork chop dish was started. A light spraying of oil in a skillet and barely browning the potatoes was the beginning of the recipe. Then I set the potatoes aside and browned the pork chops for two minutes on each side. After the pork chops were browned about three table spoons of water was added and they cooked for ten minutes. After the time was up, the potatoes and mushrooms went in and the dish was cooked for ten more minutes. Finally, the sour cream (dairy-free) was added and the dish was supposedly done. But, the potatoes were still quite hard so I let it cook until it was soft.
The result was a delicious cauliflower casserole that was filling and creamy. The custard, to my surprise, set up beautifully and was an unusual delicious creamy dessert and mostly healthy (except for the extra sugar we added)! The pork chops tasted okay. I prefer shake-'n-bake and don't think it was worth the trouble. However, the potatoes were tasty. I served with a pitcher of peach tea, because tea is the most common drink in Russia. After two and a half hours in the kitchen, the result was overall impressive. However, the hardest dish was the least exciting. I would make everything again, except the pork chops.
Friday, May 24, 2013
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Lifestyles of Argentinians
Most of Argentineans are descendents from European immigrants. They brought with them the architectures, clothing, and traditions with them from Europe. In the large cities these immigrants merge the traditions of their ancestors with the customs of the local Indians, which over the years, have developed into a unique lifestyle.
Argentineans' occupations normally require them to arrive by nine A.M., sometimes later. They will work throughout the day until the lunch hour, where they will normally return home for lunch and rest, occasionally they will visit a local cafe. After they return to work, they may take breaks in the local cafe for a European custom of tea in the afternoon, or coffee. In the cafe, they will talk about various topics, art, music, sports - the favorite being soccer, or football - politics, and life as an Argentinean. Returning to work, they stay until seven pm or longer, sometimes they do not leave until ten P.M. Argentineans will eat an extremely late supper when they return from work. It is common to eat at a restaurant for dinner past twelve A.M. In fact, some restaurants do not even open until midnight.
The nightlife is when Argentina comes alive. It is very safe to travel in a large city like, Buenos Aries (the capital), until the wee hours of the morning. Most Argentineans do. They shop, eat, socialize, dance, listen to music, and sing in local cafes with friends and many other small activities out on the town. It is surprising to foreigners how Argentineans can run on such little sleep, but the slow breaks throughout the day help, and the mattè does not hurt.
Mattè is a caffeinated tea drunk from a gourd with a metal straw. The straw sifts the loose tealeaves so that the partaker does not get a mouthful of bitter leaves. This straw emits a loud slurping sound. Most of the time people drink the tea without sugar, however sometimes people will add a bit to cut down on the bitter flavor.
Mattè is something both the city people and the Indians have in common. There are few Indians left, only about twenty percent, but those live mostly in the rural parts of Argentina. Here they farm, ranch (as gauchos or cowboys), and try to retain some part of their distant history.
There has always been a tension between the European immigrants and the Indians. There used to be riots and violent clashes that caused much heartbreak in Argentina. Now both groups of people recognize that they are different and that they need each other. They still try to keep their distance from one another and find the other's lifestyle odd, but violence has become less frequent.
Both the Indians and the immigrants’ lifestyles are fascinating with some allure. To live in the beautiful rural Argentina and tend the cows, feed alligators (like ducks), listen to the hawks, and live life sounds amazing. While the fast paced, and yet slow, life of the city dwelling Argentinean sounds interesting in its own right. The philosophical discussions over a cup of tea, the long nights out on the town listening to music and discussing what it means to live in Argentina sounds stimulating.
If I lived in Argentina I would not quite know what to choose, but I have a similar decision to make in America. As I am getting ready to go to college, do I want to pursue a life that entails the stimulating inspiring city, or the peaceful country? Nowhere is perfect, and maybe in our vast country there is a place where the two merge. If they do not yet, with a little changing of our personal customs maybe we could incorporate both. Slow down our hustle and bustle of everyday life; put away the cell phones for a minute. Sit next to someone at a coffee shop and talk to him or her. Really, talk. The first step in getting a community of people is talking, sharing, and stepping out of the comfort zone, even in a large city. That is what Argentina has most, community.
Argentineans' occupations normally require them to arrive by nine A.M., sometimes later. They will work throughout the day until the lunch hour, where they will normally return home for lunch and rest, occasionally they will visit a local cafe. After they return to work, they may take breaks in the local cafe for a European custom of tea in the afternoon, or coffee. In the cafe, they will talk about various topics, art, music, sports - the favorite being soccer, or football - politics, and life as an Argentinean. Returning to work, they stay until seven pm or longer, sometimes they do not leave until ten P.M. Argentineans will eat an extremely late supper when they return from work. It is common to eat at a restaurant for dinner past twelve A.M. In fact, some restaurants do not even open until midnight.
The nightlife is when Argentina comes alive. It is very safe to travel in a large city like, Buenos Aries (the capital), until the wee hours of the morning. Most Argentineans do. They shop, eat, socialize, dance, listen to music, and sing in local cafes with friends and many other small activities out on the town. It is surprising to foreigners how Argentineans can run on such little sleep, but the slow breaks throughout the day help, and the mattè does not hurt.
Mattè is a caffeinated tea drunk from a gourd with a metal straw. The straw sifts the loose tealeaves so that the partaker does not get a mouthful of bitter leaves. This straw emits a loud slurping sound. Most of the time people drink the tea without sugar, however sometimes people will add a bit to cut down on the bitter flavor.
Mattè is something both the city people and the Indians have in common. There are few Indians left, only about twenty percent, but those live mostly in the rural parts of Argentina. Here they farm, ranch (as gauchos or cowboys), and try to retain some part of their distant history.
There has always been a tension between the European immigrants and the Indians. There used to be riots and violent clashes that caused much heartbreak in Argentina. Now both groups of people recognize that they are different and that they need each other. They still try to keep their distance from one another and find the other's lifestyle odd, but violence has become less frequent.
Both the Indians and the immigrants’ lifestyles are fascinating with some allure. To live in the beautiful rural Argentina and tend the cows, feed alligators (like ducks), listen to the hawks, and live life sounds amazing. While the fast paced, and yet slow, life of the city dwelling Argentinean sounds interesting in its own right. The philosophical discussions over a cup of tea, the long nights out on the town listening to music and discussing what it means to live in Argentina sounds stimulating.
If I lived in Argentina I would not quite know what to choose, but I have a similar decision to make in America. As I am getting ready to go to college, do I want to pursue a life that entails the stimulating inspiring city, or the peaceful country? Nowhere is perfect, and maybe in our vast country there is a place where the two merge. If they do not yet, with a little changing of our personal customs maybe we could incorporate both. Slow down our hustle and bustle of everyday life; put away the cell phones for a minute. Sit next to someone at a coffee shop and talk to him or her. Really, talk. The first step in getting a community of people is talking, sharing, and stepping out of the comfort zone, even in a large city. That is what Argentina has most, community.
Friday, May 3, 2013
Folk, Rock and Tango!
Music in Argentinean has a verity of European influences. Due to the fact, most of Argentina's population is immigrants from Europe. It is common to hear an accordion in their folk music, a steel guitar in their rock, and a verity of instruments in their tangos.
Argentina's folk music is quite popular. Instead of the songs being about their loves in the past, most of them have to do with problems facing Argentina. One song comments on the large amount of homeless children, another on how life caries on after disastrous times, these songs make the listener think about their world. It also drives them to consider if the impact they are making is positive or negative.
As one can imagine, the rock music is quite different from the folk. Argentinean rock music was first developed and successful in the mid 1960s. It was the first Spanish speaking rock music to be a hit outside of its nation. The words are less poetic than the folk music, and the focus is given mostly to the instruments. Most of the bands are hard rock, steel guitars, heavy drums, and very loud. There are a few, however, that tend to lean toward soft rock. Fito Paez, is one of the most successful rock musicians. His music is a blend of soft rock and techno.
Opposed to rock music, which had a relatively new appearance on the scene, the tango has been around for much longer. The tango dwells on the heartache of the people, mainly love gone wrong. The dance is a key part of the tango, although people listen to tango without dancing. The dance is in a way a story, like a hula dance. The graceful, strong, yet sorrowful movements propel the heart into sadness. This art form is taught to generation after generation. The tango is a key part of Argentinean life.
The music of Argentina falls into those three main categorize. The success of the latter two have leaked out into the rest of the world and influenced the music that they listen to. The folk music leaks into the heart of listeners making them discern what needs to be done in their nation.
Argentina's folk music is quite popular. Instead of the songs being about their loves in the past, most of them have to do with problems facing Argentina. One song comments on the large amount of homeless children, another on how life caries on after disastrous times, these songs make the listener think about their world. It also drives them to consider if the impact they are making is positive or negative.
As one can imagine, the rock music is quite different from the folk. Argentinean rock music was first developed and successful in the mid 1960s. It was the first Spanish speaking rock music to be a hit outside of its nation. The words are less poetic than the folk music, and the focus is given mostly to the instruments. Most of the bands are hard rock, steel guitars, heavy drums, and very loud. There are a few, however, that tend to lean toward soft rock. Fito Paez, is one of the most successful rock musicians. His music is a blend of soft rock and techno.
Opposed to rock music, which had a relatively new appearance on the scene, the tango has been around for much longer. The tango dwells on the heartache of the people, mainly love gone wrong. The dance is a key part of the tango, although people listen to tango without dancing. The dance is in a way a story, like a hula dance. The graceful, strong, yet sorrowful movements propel the heart into sadness. This art form is taught to generation after generation. The tango is a key part of Argentinean life.
The music of Argentina falls into those three main categorize. The success of the latter two have leaked out into the rest of the world and influenced the music that they listen to. The folk music leaks into the heart of listeners making them discern what needs to be done in their nation.
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