A Good TING is Hard to Find

I’m halfway through the A countries on this Global Table Adventure! Can I get an A-men? (Sorry – I couldn’t resist) Today it is freezing and rainy in Dallas, and I am making recipes from Antigua and Barbuda (islands in the Caribbean) … I would say the timing couldn’t be worse, but it actually couldn’t be better because Adam and I are getting ready to leave for a vacation in the Virgin Islands this weekend! Woot woot!! A blog post will surely come on that later, but for now, let’s focus on Antigua and Barbuda. A & B is a twin-island nation that lies between the Caribbean and Atlantic oceans. The islands are separated by a few nautical miles and situated in the middle of the Leeward Islands, part of the Lesser Antilles.

I’ve never been to A & B, but these people seem pretty excited about it:

This week I decided to make Spicy Mango & Avocado Salad and Sparkling Grapefruit Breeze cocktails. I also purchased a lemon herb rotisserie chicken from Whole Foods to serve with the Mango & Avocado Salad. The recipe mentions that Jamaican Ting (a carbonated grapefruit soda) is available at Whole Foods, but the one closest to my house didn’t carry it. The guy in the wine department advised me to try Central Market, but it was nearing rush hour and my rotisserie chicken was sitting in the car, so I decided against making the trip.

When I got home, I did some googling and couldn’t find a clear answer about where to buy Jamaican Ting, just a bunch of sites that were selling it in large quantities. I also asked my Facebook friends, and everyone suggested I substitute the Ting for Squirt or Fresca, which is what I decided to do. I’m sure there is a specialty store somewhere in Dallas that carries it, but I just want my Sparkling Grapefruit Breeze cocktail and I want it NOW, Ting or no Ting

The following ingredients are needed for these recipes:

Sparkling Grapefruit Breeze 

1 cup grapefruit juice
1 cup pineapple juice
1 cup coconut rum
1/4 cup grenadine
1/3 cup lime juice
3 cups Jamaican Ting

Spicy Mango and Avocado Salad 

2 large mango, cubed
2 large avocado, cubed
2 limes, juiced
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1-2 Tbsp minced jalapeño (mild-hot)
salt and pepper

Trouble in Paradise

The Spicy Mango & Avocado Salad turned out delightful. I was surprised by how well the mango mixed with the avocado and will definitely make this dish again. Unfortunately my recipe did not include red onion because the red onion I purchased at Tom Thumb (the day before) turned out to be rotten! I couldn’t believe it. I had literally JUST bought it… [sigh]. So not only did I go without Ting, I also went without onion. I also should mention that instead of buying limes, consider buying bottled lime juice for the Grapefruit Breeze (squeezing more than two limes is no fun). As uncomplicated as these recipes seem, they sure caused a lot of stress.

Notes to reader: 1) Ting is hard to find; 2) Whole Foods doesn’t sell hard alcohol or grenadine; 3) Take a good look at your red onions before purchasing!

✔ Antigua and Barbuda

Capital: St. John’s

Boundaries: Caribbean Sea & Atlantic Ocean

My Weekend in Hot Springs

Thermal cascade at the bottom of Tufa Terrace Trail

I’m just going to come out and say it: Hot Springs, Arkansas, is a weird place. Let me start from the beginning. Last weekend Adam and I woke up on Saturday morning and randomly decided we needed to take a road trip and get the heck out of Texas (which is not an easy thing to do – if you live in Texas you know what I mean). We discussed Little Rock, but decided Hot Springs was closer and seemed more interesting and less urban.

During the car ride, I googled for “places to stay” and “things to do” and made a mental note to check out Lake Ouachita, the Ouachita National Forest, Gangster Museum of America, and Arkansas Alligator Farm & Petting Zoo. My top three hotel picks were the Arlington Resort & Spa, The Springs Hotel & Spa, and Park Hotel. Upon arrival, we drove up Central Avenue and immediately saw the Arlington at the end of the street. The hotel is built into the side of a mountain (or large hill?) and was frequented by Al Capone back in the day, so we decided it was good enough for us. Sure enough, they had a standard room available.

Note: If you go, do not get a “mineral water” room. It’s pointless. The nice girl behind the desk kindly escorted us upstairs to view one of these rooms, and it’s basically a standard room with a normal bathtub that just so happens to spit out mineral water. If you weren’t already aware, the people of Hot Springs are gung-ho about their mineral water. The city is known for the natural spring water that flows out of the ground at a temperature of 147F (64C) – I touched it, it’s HOT!

Hot Springs, Hometown of Bill Clinton

Fun Facts:

• Hot Springs National Park is the oldest federal reserve in the U.S.
• About one million gallons flow from the springs each day and the rate of the flow is not affected by rainfall.
• Scientists determined through carbon dating that the water that reaches the surface fell as rainfall 4,000 years earlier.
• Hot Springs is the boyhood home of former president Bill Clinton. Of course, I had to get a pic with him.

In the 1800s people began to settle in the area and illegal gambling/the whole “gangster” thing became established following the Civil War. Bathhouses also started to spring up and tourists came from all over to bathe in the water and cure their ailments. During our stay, we were tempted to give the Arlington Hotel Bathhouse a go (a thermal mineral water bath is $28, and you can choose whether to have an attendant loofah you or not) — if not for the magical powers of the mineral water, just for the sake of experiencing the tradition.

Me in the tub at Fordyce Bathhouse

Behind the closed doors (there are separate quarters for men and women) it’s like a completely different time period. I took a peek at the accommodations and witnessed frumpy women in white towels scurrying from the locker room to their private baths, and then on to the lounging station where they would lie on a lounge chair covered in hot towels while an attendant stood by to monitor their comfort. Adam and I agreed that the place looked how we would imagine an old mental hospital would. Old stained walls, floors with cracked tiles and an old, near toothless African-American man attending to his patients (this detail came from Adam, so it may be an exaggeration). I tip-toed back to the reception area and thought to myself, I’m not really feeling it today … maybe next time.

We never made it to the Gangster Museum of America or the Arkansas Alligator Farm & Petting Zoo, but we did check out Bathhouse Row (a strip of eight bath houses along Central Ave). The historic Fordyce Bathhouse, which is now a visitor center, offers a free tour that includes a short film on the history of Hot Springs. Make sure to check out the basement where you can view the actual hot springs flowing beneath the foundation. Leaving town, we took a new (long!) route through the Ouachita National Forest before heading South into Texas.

Adam in front of Brau Haus

All in all, Hot Springs is a small town with an interesting history, and I think it was definitely worth the trip. Just beware that if you go on the weekend, many of the shops along Central Ave. are closed on Sunday. Also beware that smoking is legal inside the bars and it seems that almost everyone in Hot Springs smokes, so you may want to consider bringing an extra jacket or skipping the bars altogether. We opted to hang out at restaurants, specifically Brau Haus and Picante’s Mexican Grill. My advise is to skip Picante’s (sub-par Mexican food and margaritas) but definitely check out Brau Haus if you’re into good beer and live music.

Cheers!

Coo-Coo for Cocada Angolana

Just like raisins (see my last post), I sort of have mixed feelings about coconut. If it’s accompanied by chocolate (Almond Joy) or pineapple (piña colada), I’m all about it. But, the other day I tried O.N.E. Coconut Water and I was NOT a fan. I really wanted to like it, but it was just too weird for me. I guess if I was stranded on an island and the only thing keeping me from death was smashing a coconut against a rock and drinking the water, I’d do it.

Anyway, let’s get down to business. The fifth country on my Global Table Adventure is Angola, located in southern Africa. Angola is the world’s twenty-third largest country and is nearly twice the size of Texas. Over 12 million people live in Angola, and the country is still recovering from a brutal civil war that ended in 2002. Business men, tourists and paleontologists flock to Angola for its oil, diamonds, natural beauty and dinosaur bones.

For my Angolan dish, I chose Cocada Angolana – a sweet coconut dessert sprinkled with cinnamon. To make it, you’ll need:

Ingredients:

1 cup water
2 cups sugar
4 whole cloves
4 cups grated coconut
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1-2 Tbsp. cinnamon

Method:

1) In a large pot over medium heat, cook water sugar, and cloves. Stir until dissolved. Heat until mixture reaches soft-ball stage on a candy thermometer (about 240F).
2) Using a spoon carefully discard cloves.
3) Add coconut and milk. The mixture will clump. Continue to stir until smooth. Simmer for a few minutes.
4) Spoon into serving dishes and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
5) Sprinkle with cinnamon. Serve chilled.

This may be a silly question, but is there a difference between grated coconut and shredded coconut? OK, I admit it. I got a little lazy with this recipe! Instead of buying actual coconuts and grating them, I bought the shredded stuff that comes in a bag. This may be the reason mine turned out a little clumpy. Still delicious though (believe me, I wanted to drink that sugar-water!)

Warning: This stuff is super sticky! Make sure to have plenty of paper towels (or wet wipes – even better!) on hand to clean up. If you are someone who doesn’t like coconut, chances are you won’t enjoy this dessert too much. If you’re on the fence about it, I say give it a try. The recipe is extremely easy to follow and the ingredients aren’t too expensive so if you don’t like it, you’re not wasting too much time or money. You probably already have more than half of the ingredients on hand (water, sugar, milk and cinnamon). Good luck!

✔ Angola

Capital: Luanda

Boundaries: Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia and Namibia

I Hate Raisins

I don’t really hate raisins. I’m just annoyed with them. First of all, they aren’t grapes and they definitely don’t taste like wine, so they are pretty much a waste of time. Secondly, they are wrinkly and sort of resemble those nasty adult ticks I used to find on my dog growing up. Ew. And finally, every time I meet them I’m caught off guard and being caught off guard doesn’t make me a happy camper.

What’s that you say? You baked chocolate chip cookies for me?? How nice!! Oh wait … they have raisins in them. And you forgot to tell me before I took my first bite, so instead of enjoying the gooey bittersweet chocolate on my tongue I have this weird gummy thing stuck between my teeth. Thanks… thanks a lot.

Anyway, enough about raisins. Welcome to the fourth country on my Global Table Adventure: Andorra. A small landlocked country in southwestern Europe, Andorra is made up of seven parishes and its terrain is rugged (Coma Pedrosa is the highest peak at 9,652 feet). According to Wikipedia, Andorrans have the fourth highest life expectancy in the world — 82 years at birth. While Andorra is not a member of the European Union, it is treated as an EU member for trade of manufactured goods and the euro is the country’s currency. If skiing and shopping is your thing, you might want to plan your next trip to Andorra.

As much as I wanted to make Trinxat (an Andorran specialty made of potatoes, cabbage and bacon fried together in a hash pancake – how yummy does that sound?) or Brac de Gitano (a cake filled with apricot cream that is rolled and sliced), I opted for the healthier option — the Warm Spinach and Mushroom Salad. I’m not a big salad gal, but Adam is kind of on a health kick right now so I thought I’d let him pick the dish this time (and this time only!)

For this recipe, you’ll need:

12 oz. assorted mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 Tbsp. olive oil, plus 1 Tbsp. for the last step
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 lb baby spinach
1/4 cup slivered almonds
salt and pepper

Preparation is easy, simply 1) Saute mushrooms in oil over medium high heat until golden brown, add garlic and saute until fragrant; 2) Add raisins and deglaze with white wine; and 3) Add spinach, turn off heat and toss for a few minutes to wilt. Transfer to serving bowl and toss with salmonds, oil, and salt and pepper.

The salad turned out great and the raisins weren’t too bad after all! They actually added a nice sweetness and blended well with the other ingredients. I served my salad with spaghetti (because I just had to make the meal unhealthy somehow!)

✔ Andorra

Capital: Andorra la Vella
Boundaries: Spain and France

Men on Facebook vs. Women on Facebook

A typical guy’s week on Facebook:

Sunday 
Status Update: “Go [team]!”
Status Update: “[Insert smart ass comment about today's football game here]“

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday
Post: [Funny shared article]
Photo: [Showing car mileage]  

Friday
Checked in by [Friend]: [Sports Bar]

Saturday
Status Update: “What’s everyone getting into tonight?”

____________________________________________

A typical gal’s week on Facebook:

Sunday
Status Update: “Brunch with the girls!!”
Photo: Mmm Mimosas! ♥
Status Update: “Love spending time with my girls! I’m so thankful to have them in my life! Need to get together again soon!!”
Status Update: Did some laundry, cleaned the house, dinner is in the oven, now watching some TV and relaxing.”
Status Update: “I can’t believe tomorrow is Monday already. Boo!”

Monday
Status Update: “Ughh Monday”
Check in: Starbucks
Status Update: “I’m getting so much done today, yay!”
Post: [Music Video] ♥ Adele
Notification: Became a fan of Adele.

Tuesday
Status Update: “Is it Friday yet?”
Post: [Serious news article to make her look worldly or tech-savvy]
Photo: Greek Salad for lunch today – yum!
Status Update: “Enjoying a glass of pinot noir before sleepytime!”

Wednesday
Status Update: “Happy Hump Day!”
Post: [Funny shared article]
Check in: [Happy Hour Restaurant/Bar]
Status Update: Can’t wait for date night tomorrow with the bf! It’s been forever!

Thursday
Status Update: “Date night tonight ♥”
Status Update: “Hmm…sushi or Italian??”
Status Update: “T minus four hours til date night with [BF]!”
Check in: Date Night! @ [Restaurant]
Photo: [Plate of sushi]

Friday
Status Update: “TGIF!!”
Check in: [Bar]
Check in: [Bar]
Check in: [Taco Bell]
Status Update: “Had an amazing night, goodnight friends!”

Saturday
Status Update: “I love my life!”
Check in: [Nail Salon] Much needed pedi!
Check in: [Mall]
Status Update: Nap time… then movie!
Status Update: “What movie should I see tonight? Valentine’s Day or Saw VII?”
Status Update: “Valentine’s Day was SO cute! Definitely recommend!”
Status Update: “Great weekend so far! Totally sleeping in tomorrow!”

____________________________________________

*I wrote this post to make fun of Facebook habits and I’m not trying to be passive aggressive and call anyone out. In fact, I totally admit to doing/saying a lot of these things myself! No secret here! But, if these were MY posts, those of you who know me well know that they’d definitely include twice as many images featuring my kitties! Get used to it!! If I have to hear about your kids walking and throwing up 24/7, you are going to hear about my cats whether you like it or not.

Just sayin’ (>’.'<)