Recipes and Essays

Breaded and Baked Sliced Acorn Squash

Breaded and Baked Sliced Acorn Squash

Tonight’s post-salad entree was small and compact, slices of baked breaded acorn squash on a bed of spinach wilted with shallots and garlic. Steamed corn complements the sweetness of the acorn squash. The breading is a combination of panko and corn bread seasoned with fennel, 

Mazapán is native to Latin America

Mazapán is native to Latin America

I made this Mexican candy, mazapán, which was  shown as an art object, and eaten, at the collaborative art exhibit held February, 2010 in Houston, Texas,  “The Candy Shop.”  A cousin of marzipan (made with almonds and sugar) which originates in Asia and/or the Middle 

Alexandra Cuesta, “Piensa en Mí”

Alexandra Cuesta, “Piensa en Mí”

Because it’s difficult to put into words, I’ve waited two days to write about my experience seeing a film (not digital video) by Alexandra Cuesta. “Piensa en Mí” runs for 15 minutes and 6 seconds, and it is shot mainly from inside buses but also 

Cranberry Corn stuffed Squash with Quinoa

Cranberry Corn stuffed Squash with Quinoa

Tonight’s dinner was winter stuff. Roasted acorn squash, scooped out the sweet buttery center and combined it with not sweet southern corn bread, dried cranberries, sauteed onion/celery and a bit of cranberry juice. Quinoa with aromatic herbs atop leaf lettuce drizzled with a cranberry/black currant 

Grief with the families in Tucson

Grief with the families in Tucson

Why We Are Truly a Nation by William Matthews Because we rage inside the old boundaries, like a young girl leaving the Church, scared of her parents. Because we all dream of saving the shaggy, dung-caked buffalo, shielding the herd with our bodies. Because grief 

Tex-Mex is really “Coahuiltecan” Cuisine

Tex-Mex is really “Coahuiltecan” Cuisine

During my school days at the CIA we had an all too brief discussion about what is Tex-Mex cuisine. My view is to start with the peoples who were first settlers in the region that is generally recognized as the font of Tex-Mex cuisine: central, 

Rajas Poblanas

Rajas Poblanas

Made this for lunch today: Rajas Poblanas, a recipe from Chef Iliana De La Vega of the CIA. Poblano peppers are roasted then deveined, seeded and peeled. White onion slices are lightly sauteed in just a hint of Canola oil. Then both peppers and onions 

The Reality of Art and Imagination

The Reality of Art and Imagination

I’m taken aback by how clearly Robert Louis Stevenson describes the art process, be it a book, film, video, casserole, sculpture or other: To Any Reader As from the house your mother sees You playing round the garden trees So you may see, if you 

Film Makers Should also Cook

Film Makers Should also Cook

The Edible Metaphor is the title of a lecture given by Peter Kubelka at the Berlin Talent Campus. An avant-garde filmmaker, Peter Kubelka explores the relationship between food and film. According to Kubelka, “…everybody who makes films should also cook. Cooking is performing art, and 

Photography and Eating

Photography and Eating

In his paper, “Embodied Photography and Touring Food,” Sung-Yueh Perng makes the connection between taking digital pictures of food during a trip and then being able to taste that food again afterwards by viewing the pictures taken. He associates embodiment with visuality. “With the affordances