How to turn an Aztec aristocrat into a purple cow

What you and I know as chocolate, began its life as a drink made of water and ground cocoa beans, referred to by a Nahuatl (Aztec) word xocolatl. And in Nahuatl it meant no more, no less: bitter water. But since cocoa beans were also used as currency, it was an extravagant drink - sort of like burning money just to show off. The surprising adventures of words are sometimes quite surprising: I hate to break it to you, but xocolatl is not the only Nahuatl word whose offspring is to be found at the grocery store.

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I love it. I hate it. I love it. ...

I discovered it by chance at the local grocery store (Woodman's). It looked sort of cool. I was out of Parmesan. I thought "why not try something new?." It is called Schabziger / Sap Sago. It is dryer, and more intense than any cheese I have ever tried and has a very distinctive smell and aftertaste which makes my mouth sore instantly (like eating walnuts, only 20 times faster). I love it. Or maybe I hate it. I tried it several times, but I am not sure yet...

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The making of Ratatouille (the recipe, not the movie)

So, inspired by the film (read my review), I decided to make ratatouille. My version did not look anything like the elegantly presented dish that Remy, the rat,  serves to the cold and evil critic, Anton Ego, in the movie. No, mine was a truly peasant dish, and looked like it too.

It turned out to be super-quick and easy to make, and not bad at all. I might make it again, since it is soooo quick to make! (the recipe follows)

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Time for lunch...

Yes, these are mice on a stick. Alex Renton, writing for Guardian's "Word of Mouth" blog, has a photo and blog post that reminded me of my own trip to Asia 2 years ago now. He specifically mentions Hanoi market (one of my least pleasant food experiences during the trip) and the food that made him sick (mashed fermented crab); I will admit I didn't try any food - the smell of the Hanoi seafood market alone was quite enough to almost make me sick (a small bump on an otherwise wonderful and unique trip). Renton's piece is also interesting for me since it makes direct reference to one of my all-time favorite non-fiction books. But one of the most interesting things about his post (as often happens) are the readers' comments: one cleverly puts in perspective our food preferences, cultural biases and the fact that it's all relative... A good read.