April 2019 – Page 4 – Sugar And Spice… Among Other Things

Of Empanada, Origin and Evolution

Posted on April 9, 2019April 9, 2019 by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

“If you were a Colombian, you would have your version of an empanada. If you are an Argentinean, you might find a dough that’s baked and has a butter sheen on it. And then in Ecuador, you’ll find more crispy-fried empanadas. So, yeah, every culture has their own version of empanadas.” Jose Garces

Derived from the Spanish verb “empanar” which translates to “wrap in bread”, these fried or baked pastries stuffed with sweet or savoury filling, known as empanadas have enjoyed widespread global popularity. Across the Caribbean, Latin America, Portugal, Spain, Italy to as far as Philippines; this dish has its’ own local blends that make it delectable and adaptable to every local cuisine.

“You are the olive in my empanada.” Brazilian Saying

Originally believed to be from Galicia, Spain; the empanadas of today may have been the brainchild of the Moors who had occupied Spain for hundreds of years. The idea of wrapping a hardy filling in pastry dough had led to this little delight. Fillings including seafood have been documented in a cookbook published in Catalan, Spain (1520). With the spread of civilization, trade as well as colonization, this savoury delight had travelled around the world. In fact the first empanadas in Western Hemisphere are credited to Argentina with the US celebrating the National Empanada Day on April 8th. While empanadas are a traditional Christmas treat in New Mexico, they’re known as creoles(southwest and south) or as fried pies (southeast) depending on the locality.

strawberry-empanada-recipe-vianneyrdoriguez-sweetlifebake

SourcE:https://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/banana-empanadas/fb39f21c-687a-4ab1-8743-b1b1faf25123

Source:https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/empanada-dough-230786

Similar to cut-up pies, empanadas are typically savoury often filled with cod fish or chicken. They are made by folding a disc of thinly rolled dough over the filling into a semicircle and then crimping the edges to seal it. The dough is often made with wheat flour, but can be substituted by corn flour, cornmenal, plantain or potato base, depending on the locally available ingredients. The content of the dough varies on whether the empanadas are to be baked or fried. The art of to make a perfect empanada is to hold the dough spread open, in one hand; while using the other hand to fill it and to crimp the edges. Homemade sweet varients of the empanadas are present in many local cuisines. For instance, the Gujiya is a traditional Indian crescent shaped dessert, similar like a sweet empanada.

There have been various variations similar to empanadas. Catibías, similar to empanadas are made with cassava flour dough with common fillings include ground beef, chicken, guava, and cheese. Pastelitos are similar to empanadas, too, but they’re made with a lighter pastry dough and they can be either baked or fried.

Source:https://www.curiouscuisiniere.com/empanadas-de-pino/

Source:https://poojasharma.online/2018/02/20/homemade-gujiya-recipe/

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Travelling across the various countries, the ‘Mpanatigghi of Modica (half moon-shaped panzarotti filled with a mixture of almonds, walnuts, chocolate, sugar, cinnamon, cloves and minced beef), meat empanadas (“de pino”) of Chile , panades of Belize and so on, have been the varied presentations of the empanadas. Certain eateries in order to distinguish the varieties, develop a pattern on the pastry fold, crimping style of the edges or burn a letter(an abbreviated indication of the filling) into the dough.

Either way, one of the most easiest delights to be made for a novice cook, are empanadas which serve as quick bites, starters, breakfast, desserts or even for brunches to lunches.

“Don’t be afraid to adapt new ingredients into your own techniques, and traditional ingredients into new recipes.” Jose Garces

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Daily, Life, Photography Art, poetry, Quotes, Reflections

Rise of Spring

Posted on April 8, 2019January 29, 2019 by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

“Just living is not enough… one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.” Hans Christian Andersen

With the fresh fragrance of spring in the air, early mornings beckon the restless mind for a moment’s peace. For those of us caught in the daily melee of chaos, where everyday turns into routine; taking ten minutes into the sun, before the morning chores brings a new perspective to life.

“In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.” John Muir

Source:https://vk.com/veruj

Looking into the hue and colours of nature, it’s quite startling to believe that this was the same brown, wintry landscape a few months ago. As colours are brought to life, nature teaches us a few simple but pertinent lessons of life.

Events will happen by choice or against our will. Time always moves on. But by staying in the rut, we get left behind and no amount of cribbing will get us across those days. Instead buckle up and take one step at a time. Looking back on those days of the past, one will realize that things aren’t that bad, when viewed from far.

The harsh winters of nature brings forth beautiful spring and joyous summer. The distraught of then bears fruit now, as long as we never forget to toil keeping one’s hope, kindness and spirits in tact.

Every tree’s loss of winter doesn’t reflect in its’ branches through spring. Instead new shoots and leaves come to life. Forgive and let go; but learn from it. The pain will lessen with time, but let it not be the cause of the future.

“Knowing trees, I understand the meaning of patience. Knowing grass, I can appreciate persistence.” Hal Borland

Source:https://vk.com/monahos

I Have Come to You

I have come to you, delighted,
To tell you that sun has risen,
That its light has warmly started
To fulfil on leaves its dancing;

To tell you that wood’s awaken
In its every branch and leafage,
And with every bird is shaken,
Thirsty of the springy image;

To tell you that I’ve come now,
As before, with former passion,
That my soul again is bound
To serve you and your elation;

That the charming breath of gladness
Came to me from all-all places,
I don’t know what I’ll sing, else,
But my song’s coming to readiness.

Afanasy Afanasyevich Fet

“There is pleasure in the pathless woods, there is rapture in the lonely shore, there is society where none intrudes, by the deep sea, and music in its roar; I love not Man the less, but Nature more.” Lord Byron

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Family and Society, Life, Personal Musings, Quotes, Stories Around the World

To Just Stay

Posted on April 7, 2019February 21, 2019 by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

“Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.” Maya Angelou

One of the reasons’ why man needs his social surroundings be it family, friends or community is largely based on his ability to love and be loved. Here the aspect of love doesn’t focus solely on the relationship between two people, but between a network of people whose happiness are directly or indirectly influenced and dependent on the other. For “love” encompasses kindness, understanding, mutual respect, forgiveness and empathy.

“Love is a friendship set to music.” Joseph Campbell

Source:https://vk.com/public75290000

Source:https://vk.com/welive_a

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One never realizes the intricate role that he or she may play in the life of the other. While it may seem trivial or a passing touch for one, it drastically change the life for the other. Learning to be gracious and kind is one of the facets of love. Love isn’t simply declared by showering of gifts, spending time with only those one knows or granting favours sometimes beyond one’s reach. Love also includes just being there and listening.

“The art of love is largely the art of persistence.” Albert Ellis

Source:https://vk.com/monahos

While doing the preparatory lessons on the aspect of biblical love, I had read an encounter based on events in the hospital room of a retired service man. What struck my mind on reading “Love Stays” was the fact that “human love” for the fellow being goes beyond boundaries, imagination and guidelines set by man. Even though for one it may be trivial and require very little effort and time on their part, for the other it would be a life changing moment. Choosing to spend our time with love, kindness and empathy would go a long way, especially when one knows that life has a boomerang effect, when we least expect it.

“And now these three abide: faith, hope, love; but love is more of them.”
(1 Corinthians 13:13)

Source:https://vk.com/monahos

Love Stays

A nurse took the tired, anxious serviceman to the bedside. “Your son is here,” she said to the old man. She had to repeat the words several times before the patient’s eyes opened. Heavily sedated because of the pain of his heart attack, he dimly saw the young uniformed marine standing outside the oxygen tent. He reached out his hand. The marine wrapped his toughened fingers around the old man’s limp ones, squeezing a message of love and encouragement. The nurse brought a chair so that the marine could sit beside the bed. All through the night, the young marine sat there in the poorly lighted ward, holding the old man’s hand and offering him words of love and strength. Occasionally, the nurse suggested that the Marine move away and rest awhile. He refused. Whenever the nurse came into the ward, the marine was oblivious of her and of the night noises of the hospital – the clanking of the oxygen tank, the laughter of the night staff members exchanging greetings, the cries and moans of the other patients.
Now and then, she heard him say a few gentle words. The dying man said nothing, only held tightly to his son all through the night. Along towards dawn, the old man died. The marine released the now lifeless hand he had been holding and went to tell the nurse. While she did what she had to do, he waited. Finally, she returned. She started to offer words of sympathy, but the Marine interrupted her. “Who was that man?” he asked. The nurse was startled, “He was your father,” she answered. “No, he wasn’t,” the marine replied. “I never saw him before in my life.”
“Then why didn’t you say something when I took you to him?”
“I knew right away there had been a mistake, but I also knew he needed his son, and his son just wasn’t here. When I realized that he was too sick to tell whether or not I was his son, knowing how much he needed me, I stayed.”
The next time someone needs you … just be there. Stay.

Note: This is not a true story, but an incredible work of fiction written by Roy Popkin in 1964. It was published under the title “Night Watch” in the September 1965 edition of Reader’s Digest. Due to its highly emotional pull, the story has been re-circulated online since the 1990s under a variety of titles such as “Just Stay” and “He Needed a Son.”

“Everyone has a purpose in life and a unique talent to give to others. And when we blend this unique talent with service to others, we experience the ecstasy and exultation of own spirit, which is the ultimate goal of all goals.” Kallam Anji Reddy

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Daily, Family and Society, Life, Personal Musings, Reflections, Stories Around the World

From One’s Perspective

Posted on April 6, 2019January 19, 2019 by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

The Minister travelled for days by train and car and boat to one of the furthest islands in the nation. As he surveyed the bleak but inspiring landscape, he turned to a local villager and said: “You’re very remote here, aren’t you?” She responded: “Remote from what?”

The scenario of the glass being half empty to half full, or the grass being green on the other side; have been faced by most of us at some point of time or the other. The common thread of thinking running through these moments is “our perception and the reality of what happens”.

“There are things known and there are things unknown, and in between are the doors of perception.” Aldous Huxley

Source:https://vk.com/slideshowarts

Perspective has been one of the concepts, since the early days, which has been studied and attempts have been made to quantify or qualitatively assess it by mathematicians, philosophers, scientists as well as artists. Despite all the theories proposed, research as well as insight; till this day perception doesn’t exist by itself but leans heavily on our innate beliefs, opinion, experience and knowledge.

“No man has the right to dictate what other men should perceive, create or produce, but all should be encouraged to reveal themselves, their perceptions and emotions, and to build confidence in the creative spirit.” Ansel Adams

Source:https://vk.com/slideshowarts

While one’s perspective may be right for some, it may be wrong for the other. Then the question arises, how do we draw the limits or the line? The practical aspect is possible as long as we ground ourselves in reality and lean on the principle of “to do unto others as one would want to be done unto oneself”. Simply put, as long as we learn to treat others with mutual respect, equality, freedom, justice, kindness and understanding; all the perspectives would reach the common target and purpose of doing good.

“What I need is perspective. The illusion of depth, created by a frame, the arrangement of shapes on a flat surface. Perspective is necessary. Otherwise there are only two dimensions. Otherwise you live with your face squashed up against a wall, everything a huge foreground, of details, close-ups, hairs, the weave of the bed-sheet, the molecules of the face. Your own skin like a map, a diagram of futility, crisscrossed with tiny roads that lead nowhere. Otherwise you live in the moment. Which is not where I want to be.” Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid’s Tale

Source:https://vk.com/slideshowarts

Daily, Food, Uncategorized

Going “Carrot” All the Way

Posted on April 5, 2019March 2, 2019 by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

Being parents or guardians of little children, the most lovable yet tiring and troublesome phase is making them eat their vegetables. The beginnings of this battle with the “veggies” starts when they reach the toddler age, often progressing onto their years, even till high school and beyond.

“When a man is small, he loves and hates food with a ferocity which soon dims. At six years old his very bowels will heave when such a dish as creamed carrots or cold tapioca appear before him.” M. F. K. Fisher

Source:https://www.mandy.com/news/bugs-bunny-cartoon-tv-news#

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Source:https://vk.com/monahos

With the advent of various art forms, school activities, newer recipes, extra seasonings and the magic of Bugs Bunny and Popeye the sailor man among others, have brought down the fervor of this battle. Among the various projects among play-schoolers to get them to eat their vegetables was observing special days like the International Carrot Day (4th April). While for the toddlers, activities range from supervised game activities, music, model art with play dough fun and costume art; parents have been tasked with preparing any carroty dish. Ranging from meal based recipes, of soups and main course (pies, curry, sandwiches) to snacks or desserts (“gajjar halwa”, carrot cake or sweet carrot tarts) and juices, the list of recipes is quite extensive. In the course of cooking, there was a couple of “carrot trivia” which make for an interesting read.

“Carrots are devine… You get a dozen for a dime, It’s maaaa-gic!” – Bugs Bunny

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Belonging to the family Apiaceae, “Daucus carota”, whose common names include wild carrot, bird’s nest, bishop’s lace, and Queen Anne’s lace (North America), is a herbaceous, mostly biennial white flowering plant native to temperate regions of Europe and southwest Asia, and naturalized to North America and Australia. Interestingly both the words ” Daucus” and “carota” mean orange. Ironically carrots are not always orange, but can also be grown as purple, red, white or yellow variants. Known by the Ancient Greeks as “Karoto” with the plant called as Philtron or “Bird’s Nest”, they were initially grown as medicines, and later as food, also used as insecticidal agent as well. In fact, the Victorians had a carrot based recipe to destroy crickets especially as it was discovered that they were very fond of carrots. The mix was a paste of flour, powdered arsenic with scraped carrots, placed near their habitations.

Source:https://vk.com/slideshowarts

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The role of carrots go beyond the kitchen, with their part cited in the “Trojan War”. As far as legends go ( no documented evidence), the Greek foot soldiers who hid in the Trojan Horse were said to have consumed ample quantities of raw carrots to inactivate their bowels. However, this tale contradicts the fact that carrots are good for constipation. Being a mythical tale, did the soldiers of the Trojan War eat lot of carrots before the fight to clear their intestines and avoid any problems during the important moment ? Most likely, this apocryphal tale was conjured or circulated due to the Hollywood scenes, fiction writers or as a result of the “toddler veggie battles.” Yet their mention in literature is present with the Early Celtic citing them as “Honey Underground”.

“The day is coming when a single carrot, freshly observed, will set off a revolution.” Paul Cezanne

Source:https://www.bunch-of-carrots.co.uk/gallery/

The Wild Carrot is called Queen Anne’s Lace. The reason being Queen Anne of England wore a lacy headdress which some people thought resembled the delicate flower cluster of Wild carrot, giving it its more poetic name, Queen Anne’s lace.

One of the first vegetables to be canned commercially, carrots were marketed on a wide scale. Additionally tobacconists in France used to put a carrot in their bins to prevent their tobacco from drying out. With the progress of preservation and brewery, carrots today, produce more distilled spirit than potatoes. To add on carrot as a sweet snack food, try the “carrot pie flavour jelly bean.” As far as the future holds, carrots are here to stay with their in the market as “bio-fuels“, especially as the oil runs out. So going “carroty” is the theme for now, especially today with trying something “carroty” as a special treat.

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Daily, Family and Society, Life, Personal Musings, Photography Art, Quotes, Reflections

Of Butterflies, Spring and Change

Posted on April 4, 2019January 12, 2019 by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

With Spring in full force, the fields become rich with various hues and shades of colours; leaving behind carpets and patches of vibrant flowers. Amidst this mosaic of colours, few winged beauties are seen in the landscape, adding a potency, luster and liveliness to life; never ceasing to amaze man with the marvels and wonder of God’s creation. Come spring and summer, the focus is on the winged patterned coloured “Rhopalocera” species, more popularly known as the “butterflies”.

“As with the butterfly, adversity is necessary to build character in people.” Joseph B. Wirthlin

Source:https://vk.com/monahos

In grade school, we had studied the life cycle of the butterfly from the caterpillar stage. From a grubby sickly green or brown coloured caterpillar, emerged a magnificent winged delicate specimen of sheer beauty, design and style; though this happens only after the caterpillar undergoes its’ own struggle and transforms. No matter how young we are or how old we become, the delight of a butterfly still holds true, then and now.

“There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it’s going to be a butterfly.” R. Buckminster Fuller

Source:https://vk.com/monahos

Nature teaches us many lessons from the life of a butterfly and here a few pertinent ones that has been observed. First is to be open to change and transformation. From the ugly scrawny state to the winged stage, developing in its’ own chrysalis and then breaking out on own helps develop the wings of courage, beauty and honour. As the story where the caterpillar was helped goes, the butterfly never survived but crumbled down.

“Adding wings to caterpillars does not create butterflies. It creates awkward and dysfunctional caterpillars. Butterflies are created through transformation.” Stephanie Pace Marshall

Source:https://vk.com/veruj

Second, butterflies never chose to focus on fame and glory. They are pretty not vain, instead they go about the flowers, quietly displaying their colours and spreading happy vibes. They delight in their surroundings embracing each new change as they come, not sticking to one zone but exploring each day as it comes.

“Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.” Nathaniel Hawthorne

Source:https://vk.com/veruj

Third and most important is to carve one’s niche for oneself. For a caterpillar to transform, it needs to wrap itself in the silky shroud of chrysalis and go through the change. The caterpillar does it alone, embracing the quiet to think and then under the metamorphosis. The journey in our life too is mostly ours. Though we do delight in the company of others; each one has their own inner struggle to overcome and new horizons to brave. What might be easy for one, mayn’t be so for other. Yet to learn to accept others’ as well as to change oneself for the better, is an art of life and pre-requisites for staying alive and happy.

“The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough.” Rabindranath Tagore

Source:https://vk.com/veruj

We all have our own allotted time in this world. For some of us, along the journey; losses became too many and gains too few. Nevertheless, things will work out eventually. For like the butterfly, time allotted is less but learning to work as well as enjoy the flowers alone will happen once we build the courage to move on. We are all butterflies in the making. When its’ time to fly, remember to use the wings we were blessed with after our change. The world has its’ own share of butterflies among the fireflies, moths, ladybugs and the rest; and we will learn to belong to one when the time is right as long as we believe we can.

“Everyone is like a butterfly, they start out ugly and awkward and then morph into beautiful graceful butterflies that everyone loves.” Drew Barrymore

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Daily, Family and Society, Life, Personal Musings, Quotes, Reflections, Stories Around the World

Like A Child’s Love

Posted on April 3, 2019January 12, 2019 by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

“Just imagine becoming the way you used to be as a very young child, before you understood the meaning of any word, before opinions took over your mind. The real you is loving, joyful, and free. The real you is just like a flower, just like the wind, just like the ocean, just like the sun.” Don Miguel Ruiz

Children are simply beautiful. Interacting with children all day long, one is always fascinated by the numerous expressions, emotions they undergo, the innocent laughter and their mischief. A child’s love is always untainted at heart. Unfortunately as they grow from toddlers to adolescence, we adults and collectively society as well as media influences them, such that they lose their own selves and plunge into the niche that society carves for them. As parents, it is difficult to fight against this phenomenon as this has become the way of life and children will eventually grow, evolve and develop. Which is why, the growing years of a child are the most precious ones for parents and guardians.

“What it’s like to be a parent: It’s one of the hardest things you’ll ever do but in exchange it teaches you the meaning of unconditional love.” Nicholas Sparks

Source:https://vk.com/monahos

The concept of unconditional love is witnessed very often through parenting. A child’s love is never labelled nor constrained. In their very early years, their unblemished minds and hearts have no limits or barriers or categorization on their love, kindness and care. A child’s reasoning mayn’t be understood by adults. Yet as we wait to see the turn of events, one realizes that their acts of childhood are always based on their untainted guileless love and kindness. To be like a child, is a gift for the mind, body and spirit.

“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.” Lao Tzu

Source:https://vk.com/monahos

“Some time ago, a man punished his young daughter for wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper. Money was tight and he became angry when the child tried to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree. Nevertheless, the girl brought the gift to her father on Christmas day and said, ‘This is for you, daddy.’
The man became embarrassed by his overreaction a few days before, but his rage continued when he saw that the box was empty. He yelled at her, ‘Don’t you know, when you give someone a gift, there’s supposed to be something inside?’
The little girl looked up at her dad with tears in her eyes and cried; ‘Oh, daddy, it’s not empty at all. I blew kisses into the box. They’re all for you, daddy.’The father was devastated. He put his arms around his daughter, and begged for her forgiveness.

A little while later, the girl died in an accident. Her father kept the gold box by his bed for many years and, whenever he was feeling down, he would take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there.”

“The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved; loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves.” Victor Hugo

Source:https://vk.com/monahos