WHITE CHEESE, OUR CHEESE

Whenever a Latin-American finds himself living in one of the industrialized countries of the world, in Europe, north America or Asia, the one product he will be nostalgic about is White Cheese, to grill, to eat with plantains, to stuff a corn bread, to spray on some refried beans, Etc. In the industrialized countries all one finds are aged cheeses, you have to be a dairy farmer to taste some fresh white cheese in Europe. Thanks to immigration the availability of fresh cheese has been improving, now a days one can find pasteurized White Cheese in grocery stores of major cities of industrialized countries. The word in Spanish for cheese is "queso" and in Portuguese is "queijo", often these words will be followed by words describing the type, region or brand of the cheese, "queso prensado" or "Queijo coalho", which in Spanish and Portuguese means 'pressed cheese' after the way the cheese is made. Now a days in Latin America there is production of very good aged cheeses, often with European recipes but the cheese that is most often consumed is white cheese, of which there are 5 major classes in Latin America:

CREAMED CHEESES: these are not necessarily cheeses that contain the full cream of the milk, although some of them do, instead their main identifying feature is that they are spreadable. Their texture goes from small grain Ricotta, through large grain Cottage cheese, in Spanish they are called "ricota", "requeson" or "cuajada", in Portuguese they are called "ricota" or "Requeijão". Some of these cheeses have the full cream of the milk and have a texture similar to Cream Cheese but have more salt and stronger flavor; some well known cheeses of this type are Queso Guayanes (Venezuela), Queijo Catupiry (brazil), Queso cremoso (Argentina).

STRING CHEESES: these types I considered the most unusual and delicious of the local cheeses in Latin America, except for the Italian Provolone there are no cheeses in the industrialized countries that come close to the texture and flavor of Latin American string cheese. They are referred to as string cheese because with fingers one can pull strings or threads, sometimes sheets, from the cheese. They taste very creamy and melt easily. Some well known cheeses of this class are: Queso Oaxaca (Mexico), Queso Crineja (Venezuela), Queso de mano (Venezuela), Quesillo (Argentina), Queso Pera (Colombia).

SOFT CHEESES: As their name indicates these cheese are pressed to remove some but not most of their moisture, the pressing is done relatively quickly usually less than hour. The cheese is very white, can be crumbly, they can be sliced or cubed but are difficult to grate because they are too soft. Their flavor is rather bland but that is convenient when used in cooking because they easily acquire other flavors, such as curry, pepper, oregano, basil, Etc. Some well know cheeses of this type are: Queso Blanco (Mexico, Venezuela), Queso Palmita (Venezuela), Queso prensado (Panama), Queijo coalho (Brazil), Queijo-de-minas frescal (Brazil), Queso Campesino (Colombia), Queso Criollo (Argentina), Queso de Freir (Dominican Republic).

HARD CHEESES: These cheeses are pressed for hours to remove most of their moisture. They are usually salty but that is convenient when used on sweet or semi-sweet dishes such as fried ripe plantains, a very typical Latin American food. Since these cheeses are firmer they can be cubed, sliced and grated. Some well know cheeses of this type are: Queso Chontaleno (Nicaragua), Queso Seco (Mexico), Queso Costeño (Colombia), Queso Duro (Venezuela).

AGED CHEESES: In Latin America white cheese is aged to produce very hard cheeses, which when grated have a powdery texture similar to a very dry Parmesan. These hard cheeses usually come with a colored cover made with spices, pepper, dry chilies, Achiote, Etc. to protect them during the aging period, from 6 months to a year. They are salty and have strong flavors. Some well known hard cheeses are: Queso Cotija (Mexico), Queso Añejo (Mexico), Queso de Año (Venezuela).

White cheese is a very versatile ingredient, which can be used for snacks, side dishes, main dishes or desserts. Below I will show you some simple recipes but in the cuisine of each particular country in Latin America you will find many recipes.

ENGLISH NAME: farmers cheese, fresh cheese, pressed cheese, white cheese

LOCAL NAMES: Queso blanco, queso fresco, queso prensado, Queijo coalho (brazil), Queso Añejo, Queso de Año

PRODUCTS: Pressed cheese, cottage cheese, ricotta, string cheese, hard cheese

NUTRIENTS: White Cheese is a very good source of calcium and it has less calories and cholesterol than aged cheeses. It is a form of protein that can be consumed instead of meat.


PROCESSING: White cheese should be kept refrigerated in chunks until ready to use, then one would slice it, cube it, coarsely grated or finely grated depending on the texture of the cheese and the recipe where it will be used.


STORING: White cheese will keep in the refrigerator for weeks, it may age and darken in color, usually to yellow, it will become creamier inside, may develop a dry crust, and a stronger taste, but it will not spoil, one can always use it in different recipes.

GRILLED CHEESE: This is the simplest application of white cheese, just rub a few drops of oil over a pan, make it hot, place a 1/2 inch slice of soft white cheese and cook no more than 1 minute on each side, to serve spray some black pepper and oregano while still hot. If you want to avoid using oil at all, pad the slice with rolled oats so that the oats will stick to the cheese then cook over a hot pan, season before serving. You can cut it in small squares as a snack or serve it over corn tortillas. Another way is to eliminate the seasonings and serve it with a dipping sauce made with brown sugar syrup (panela, raspadura) and hot sauce.

BBQ CHEESE: This is a typical snack in northeastern Brazil, it is a piece of cheese on a stick, which is cooked over charcoals until golden and dipped in dry oregano or other seasoning. One can use either a soft or hard white cheese, the latter requires more time over the charcoals. It is delicious with a cold beer.


 
 
 

CHEESE & TOMATO PUDDING: This preparation can be used as a side (small portion) or main dish (large portion). In a bowl place 1 egg, 1/2 cup of oil, 1 small onion finely chopped, 1/4 cup of milk, 1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese or queso añejo, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 1/2 cup of all purpose flour, salt and pepper to taste; beat well to form a uniform mixture. Into the liquid mixture fold without much beating, 3 plum tomatoes chopped, 1 cup of soft white cheese in cubes and some chopped basil. Place mixture into an 20x 10 cm (8 x 4 in) mold which has been buttered and floured. Bake in oven preheated to 200C (400F) for 35 minutes until knife inserted comes out clean. To serve spray with some chopped fresh tomatoes and basil.

SWEET CHEESE NUGGETS: This is a typical Costa Rican candy, often made at home. Place 1 piece of "panela" (local brown sugar) broken in pieces in a pot, add 1 tablespoon of water some cloves and a squirt of vanilla, heat over high heat stirring until it starts boiling, reduce heat to medium and add some 15 large (about 2 cm, 3/4 in) cubes of hard white cheese, turn the cubes to coat until syrup starts drying and sticks to the cubes, keep turning until syrup is dry and cubes are well coated. Let cool completely before serving. These things are addictive you will not stop eating them.

CREOLE CHEESE CAKE: This is the Latin version of the cheese cake, it is sweeter and richer. Take 6 eggs and separate then into yolks and whites, in a bowl beat 2 sticks of butter with 3 cups of sugar until very creamy, add egg yolks and 1 cup of milk, add one yolk and some milk at a time while beating; stop beating and with a spatula fold in 1/4 cup of all purpose flour; in a separate bowl beat the egg whites until very stiff, fold in 500 g (1 Lb) of soft white cheese coarsely grated or crumbled; fold in the egg whites mixture into the egg yolks mixture, place in a well buttered and floured cake mold; bake in preheated oven at 175C (350F) for 30 minutes until top is golden, reduce temperature to 120C (250F) and bake for 1 hour until a knife inserted comes out clean. Let cool completely before taking out of the mold. It tastes best after 1 day in the refrigerator.

CHILI PEPPERS, OUR GIFT TO THE WORLD

Chili peppers have been a part of the human diet in the Americas since at least 7500 BC. There is archaeological evidence at sites located in southwestern Ecuador that chili peppers were domesticated more than 6000 years ago and is one of the first cultivated crops in the Americas. Chili peppers were domesticated in various parts of South and Central America.


Christopher Columbus was one of the first Europeans to encounter them in the Caribbean, and called them "peppers" because of their similarity in taste with the Old World black pepper. Chilies were cultivated around the globe after Columbus. Diego Álvarez Chanca, a physician on Columbus' second voyage 1493, brought the first chili peppers to Spain, and wrote about their medicinal effects in 1494. From Mexico, at the time the Spanish colony that controlled commerce with Asia, chili peppers spread rapidly into the Philippines and then to India, China, Korea and Japan. They were incorporated into the local cuisines of Asia and Europe. Some countries like Hungary excelled in their cultivation and today produce the best paprika (dry peppers powder) in the world, a product of local varieties of Peppers.

Chilies peppers come in many sizes (tiny to double fist), shapes (long and thin, to round and thick), and colors (green, orange, yellow, red, purple, multi-colored). They are also classified according to their heat into sweet, mild, hot and extreme. The heat classification is done using the Scoville scale established in 1912 by an American chemist, this scale measures the content of capsaicin, this is the substance that produces the heat sensation in mammals, birds are not affected by it and that is why they spread the seeds of chilies. In the Scoville scale bell peppers and sweet chilies are close to zero, Jalapeños measure about 25,000, Tabasco pepper around 250,000, habaneros about 500,000 and the hottest pepper in the planet is the Bhut Jolokia from India measuring over 1,000,000 in the Scoville scale, this pepper is so hot that the Indian army manufactures a hand grenade that sprays an extract from this pepper, it has proven very successful at getting enemies out of enclosures such as caves.

Capsaicin has been proven as pain killer when used externally on the skin, particularly for joints pain such as arthritis. When ingested capsaicin accelerates the metabolism, it increases the heart's rhythm and makes you feel hot and sweaty all over, this helps you burn some extra calories.

Growing chili peppers is very easy, you have to collect the seeds, carefully if it is a hot pepper, and dry them over a paper towel then spread them over good soil and cover them with a little more soil to avoid birds picking them. In a matter of weeks you will be harvesting chili peppers.

The following links will show the variety of culinary chili peppers:
 Fresh Chilies,
 Dried Chilies,
 Sweet Peppers

ENGLISH NAME: Chili pepper, sweet pepper, bell pepper


LOCAL NAMES: Chile, Aji, Malagueta (Brasil)

PRODUCTS: Dried chilies, canned chilies, bottled hot sauces

NUTRIENTS: Chili pepper contain many useful vitamins but most important they are a good source of anti-oxidants to slow aging and the contain capsaicin that accelerates human metabolism and burns extra calories. For a detailed nutritional analysis follow the link: Chili pepper's nutrients

PROCESSING: Peppers are deseeded according to their size and shape. Small ones are better cleaned under a bowl of water, you first remove the stem, submerge it in the water, pierce it with your fingers and scrape the seeds out, these will stay in the water and the peppers can be accumulated in a dry bowl for further cutting. For large peppers you first cut off the top and push out the green stem, then with the knife you cut out the seeded heart and veins, this hollowed pepper can be accumulated for further cutting. For hot peppers the same principles apply but you must use gloves.


STORING: Fresh peppers must be refrigerated for future use, however they usually do not last more than 2 weeks. An option is to dry them by placing them in a warm, dry place, somewhere under the sun can be such a place, overnight in an oven at a minimum temperature can also be used. Another option is to turn the peppers in to a paste to be used as needed in recipes, for this you deseed the pepper then cook them no more than 5 minutes in boiling water, then blend them into paste combining them with salt, a little garlic and just enough oil to allow liquefying them in a blender, the paste should be kept in a glass jar in a cool place.

HAM WRAPPED PEPPERS: Prepare a stuffing mixture using 1 cup of a cheese that will not melt, such as cottage cheese, ricotta, or one local fresh white cheese (queso prensado, queso del pais), add 4 tablespoons of parmesan cheese, a pinch of black pepper and nutmeg, add 1/2 cup of chopped fresh basil, mix well all ingredients and add salt if needed. Take 12 sweet peppers about the size and shape of your middle finger, cut the top off and scrape out the seeds and veins to hollow the peppers; stuff them with the cheese mixture; cut some strips of ham, wrap the peppers in the strips and secure them with a toothpick, brush with a little olive oil and grill or bake in 400F oven until ham starts cooking and turns slightly golden, about 20 minutes. For extra flavor you can use a cured or smoked ham.

CHILI STUFFED GREEN PEPPERS: take 5 large green, cut the top off, carefully remove the seeds and veins to avoid piercing the skin; stuff them with a thick chili stew, from a can if necessary; place in a deep baking dish, cover and bake at 350F for 25 minutes; spray with grated cheddar cheese or other melting cheese, some chopped fresh cilantro and serve.


 
 
 
 
 

RED PEPPER SOUP: take 4 red peppers, remove stem and cut in half to deseed and devein; char the skin of the red peppers over a grill, under a broiler or on stove, while hot place in plastic bag to cool, it will help to remove the charred skin; once cooled remove as much skin as possible, coarsely chop and reserve; in 4 cups of water boil a peeled and coarsely cut carrot until tender; cut a cross on top of 3 ripe plum tomatoes and boil in the water for 2 minutes, let cool and remove skin; in 1/4 cup of oil heat 1 small onion and 2 cloves of garlic coarsely chopped; when onion and garlic release aroma add red peppers and stir to heat thoroughly, turn off heat and proceed to blend with boiled water, carrots and tomatoes, you may have to do it in batches, return to pot, reheat, add salt, pepper and hot sauce to taste and to serve spray some chopped fresh basil.

BACON WRAPPED JALAPEÑOS: Take 20 jalapeño chilies, cut then im half lengthwise, scoop out the seed, veins and reserve; take 1 package (0.5 Kg, 1 Lb) of sliced bacon and cut in thirds, reserve; mix thoroughly 2 packages (0.25 Kg, 8 Oz) of softened cream cheese with 1 tablespoon of oregano, 1 teaspoon each of blackpepper and hot sauce; stuff all jalapeño halves with the cream cheese mixture, wrap snugly with piece of bacon and secure with toothpick; bake over baking sheet with a rack at 375F for 25 minutes. Be warned these things are addictive.

CILANTRO, OUR HERB OUR FLAVOR

The Italians have their basil, the Greeks have their Rosemary, the French have their Thyme, the Scandinavians have their Dill, the Spaniards have their Parsley and us Latin Americans have our Cilantro and its cousin Culantro. In Latin America I can not think of any typical  dish without some Cilantro, every time we need to spice something up, we will chop some fresh Cilantro and throw it in.

Cilantro originated in the middle east and has been used since pre-historic times, it still grows wild in that area. Cilantro seeds have been found and dated to pre-historic time inside caves located in Israel where pre-historic men lived, so it seems our ancestors had a taste for it. Cilantro first arrived in the Americas at the British colonies of North America where it was one of the herbs commonly used by the early colonials, from there it spread south and conquered the palate of Latin America. There was not much to conquer really, since the natives were already great consumers of Culantro, the native American cousin of Cilantro. Culantro is native to the Caribbean and has a similar, but stronger, flavor to Cilantro even though the plants have completely different shapes.

Cilantro/Culantro do not cook well so they should be consumed raw or added at the last moment to any cooked dish. The leaves, seeds and roots have different applications; the chopped leaves are the main flavoring agent; the root has a similar, but milder, taste appropiate for grating into a sauce or spice paste; the seeds have an anise like sweet flavor and are better used in spices mixes or desserts.

Cilantro/Culantro are very easy to grow from seed, just spray the seeds over some loose soil and cover them with some more soil to avoid birds picking them. Keep the soil moist and you soon will see something sprouting; in a month you will start harvesting leaves. Culantro even grows wild in humid locations, very often you will find it around your garden or in the plants you buy from a nursery.

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Coriandrum sativum (cilantro), Eryngium foetidum (culantro)


ENGLISH NAME: Coriander, Cilantro, Culantro

LOCAL NAMES: Cilantro, Culantro, Recao (Culantro), Coentro (Brasil, cilantro), Coentro-bravo (Brasil, culantro)

NUTRIENTS: Cilantro/Culantro are a very potent cocktail of vitamins, minerals and anti oxidants, so its regular consumption is good for you. Medical studies in Japan have shown that regular consumption of Cilantro/Culantro helps the body excrete heavy metals such as mercury. For a more detailed analysis of nutrients follow this link: Cilantro's nutrients

PROCESSING: Cilantro/Culantro are used after finely cutting them with a sharp knife or kitchen scissors. The root is better processed by grating it with a lemon zester. The seeds should be coarsely crushed using a mortar.


STORING: Cilantro/Culantro dehydrate very quickly once they are harvested. If you have them in your garden pick only what you are about to use. If you must keep them in the refrigerator place them in a sealed bag with a little water for moisture.

CILANTRO RICE: Very common side dish for saucy beef recipes in Central America. Make a sofrito with 1 finely chopped small onion and clove of garlic with 3 tablespoons of oil, cook over medium heat until aromas are released, add 1 cup of rice, salt and pepper to taste, stir well and add 1 cup of finely chopped cilantro, add 1.5 cup of water, stir well and bring to boil, then lower heat to minimum and cover, cook until all liquid is absorbed (about 15 minutes), turn off heat and let rest 10 minutes before serving. To serve mold with a cup of coffee and spray with finely chopped green onions or fresh Cilantro.


 
 

CILANTRO MILK BROTH: Very typical for breakfast in dairy farms across Latin America and very easy to make at home. Per person take 1 cup of milk, 2 tablespoons of fresh finely chopped Cilantro/Culantro, 2 tablespoons of coarsely chopped green onions, 1 egg, 6 small cubes of pressed white cheese, this is the common white cheese found in markets; over medium heat bring the milk to boil and add green onions, salt, pepper and stir, with the milk boiling add eggs and let harden, turn off heat and add Cilantro; place cheese cubes in soup dish and serve hot broth with 1 egg per dish.

CILANTRO PESTO: in a food procesor or blender place 1/2 cup of oil, 2 cups of packed Cilantro/Culantro (stems and leaves), 1/4 cup of salted peanuts, 1 clove of garlic, 2 sweet green chilies de-seeded, chilies can be hot if you like some heat in your pesto, process to a paste adding more oil if necessary, add salt and pepper to taste and a few drops of hot sauce. You can eat the pesto with bread, chips, vegetables, with pasta, or over fish, chicken or pork seared on a hot pan with a little oil.


 
 
 
 

CREAMY CILANTRO DRESSING: 1/2 cup of mayonaisse, 1 tablespoon of mustard, 1/4 cup of tighttly packed cilantro/culantro (stems and leaves), 1 teaspoon of sugar, juice of 1 lime, 3 tablespoons of white vinegar, salt, pepper and drops of hot sauce to taste, process with a blender to liquefy. Serve over a fresh garden salad that has some avocado slices in it.


 
 
 

MAIZE, OUR BREAD

Maize, known in many English-speaking countries as corn, is a grass domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The Aztecs and Mayans cultivated it in numerous varieties throughout central and southern Mexico, to cook or grind in a process called nixtamalization. Later the crop spread through much of the Americas. Between 1250 A.D. and 1700 A.D. nearly the whole continent had gained access to the crop. Any significant or dense populations in the region developed a great trade network based on surplus and varieties of maize crops. After European contact with the Americas in the late 15th and early 16th centuries, explorers and traders carried maize back to Europe and introduced it to other countries through trade. Its ability to grow in distinct climates, and its use were highly valued, thus spreading to the rest of the world. Maize is the most widely grown crop in the Americas with 332 million metric tons grown annually in the United States alone.

Nixtamalization typically refers to a process for the preparation of maize (corn), in which the grain is soaked and cooked in an alkaline solution, usually limewater, and hulled. In the Aztec language Nahuatl, the word for the product of this procedure is nixtamalli, it is a compound of nextli ""ashes"" and tamalli ""dough"". This process is indispensable for the use of corn as food because without it the nutrients niacin and lysine are not released, which in a corn intensive diet leads to a malnutrition illness called pellagra.

The term maize derives from the Spanish form of the indigenous Taino word mahis, which means sustenance. The Greek word zea means life, therefore the scientific name of corn, Zea mays, means life's sustenance to refer to the importance given to its cultivation by pre-Columbian societies. Maize originated about 9000 years ago in what is today the state of Oaxaca in southeastern Mexico, most of the scientific evidence points to a process of hybridization of wild species of plants carried out by indigenous populations.

Throughout Latin America corn can be found in many forms: corn on the husk (jojoto, elote, choclo), fresh corn kernels, fresh corn dough (masa de maiz), corn flour, corn meal, corn starch and canned corn kernels. There is an enormous variety of recipes with corn as the main ingredient, here I will give you some that are very simple and very common throughout Latin America.

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Zea mays

ENGLISH NAME: Corn, Maize

LOCAL NAMES: Maiz, elote, choclo, sara, milho (brazil)

PRODUCTS:

Fresh masa (dough)

corn flour, mix with water and you get masa

corn starch, the best thickener



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

  PROCESSING: Fresh corn is processed by simply scraping the kernels with a knife, then kernel can be ground for cooking. Dry corn has to be boiled in lime watern to make it tender for grinding into a usable dough (masa) for further cooking. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
STORING: Fresh corn kernels do not keep long, they can spoil easily unless they are freezed. Dry corn kernels can keep a long time in a cool dry place, to keep bugs away you place black peppercorns or hot chilies in the grain.

CORN CAKES: This is the most traditional form of corn bread throughout Latin America they may be called different names, in Colombia/Venezuela they are called Arepas; in Panama Tortillas, in El Salvador Pupusas; in Mexico Gorditas; but they are all very similar, a round flat cake of varying thickness made from corn dough (masa) and cooked over a hot flat pan to develop a crust and bake, sometimes they are deep fried. Once they are cooked they are stuffed with all kinds of things, from a simple butter and cheese, to very complex stuffing such as chicken and avocado salad, they are Latino fast food. They are usually shaped by hand but there is an electric cooker for the home called Tosti-Arepa that will shape and cook them.

MANDOCAS: This a is corn version of a donut which are very popular in the city of Maracaibo, Venezuela. You need 2 cups of prepared corn masa, 1 ripe plantain slightly cooked in boiling water, 1 teaspoon of salt, 4 tablespoons of brown sugar (raspadura, panela), 1 teaspoon of anise seeds, 4 tablespoons of coarsely grated white cheese, any of the local brands will do. Place all ingredients in a bowl and knead until they are well blended and divide in 16 more or less equal round balls; wet your hands and shape each ball into a long piece about as thick as one finger, join the tips to make a round shape and deep fry until golden, keep warm over absorbent paper and serve to eat with a slice of white cheese.

FRESH CORN PANCAKES: These are made with fresh corn kernels which are ground using a corn mill or with a food processor, you process 4 cups of fresh corn kernels, the kernels should be coarsely ground so that the mash will have a thick texture; add 1 teaspoon of salt and a tablespoon of sugar and mix well; over a hot and well greased pan drop 1/2 cup of corn mash and spread with a soup spoon to create a round shape, when it sets turn over to cook other side, it should be a dark golden color. Serve warm with a piece of white cheese, you can spread butter, marmalade, honey or even cream cheese on top. These are usually referred to as Tortillas de Maiz Nuevo, in Venezuela they are called Cachapas. You may add 1 egg to the mash to make a richer mixture.

CORN AND COCONUT PUDDING: A very simple and tasty dessert, in Venezuela is called Majarete and in Brazil Canjica de Milho, it requires the coconut milk obtained from the flesh of the coconut, not the water contained in fresh coconuts which should not be used in this preparation. The coconut milk is obtained by liquefying the flesh with a enough hot water and pressing it through a cheese cloth. Canned coconut milk can be used instead of fresh. You need 1 cup of prepared corn dough (masa), 4 cups of coconut milk, 2 cups of brown sugar (raspadura or panela), 1 teaspoon of salt, 4 tablespoons of cornstarch (maicena), 1 tablespoon of cinnamon powder. In a heavy pan place 3 cups of the coconut milk and the brown sugar stir over medium heat to dissolve all the sugar; in a blender liquefy the corn dough (masa), the cornstarch with the remaining cup of coconut milk; bring the sweetened coconut milk to boil and slowly add all the liquefied corn dough, keep stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until you get the texture of a thick marmalade, while hot pour into a shallow mold and shake to level and let cool completely. To serve unmold and spray with cinnamon.

RUM, OUR SPIRIT

In this blog I have written on many local ingredients to sustain your body and I think is time to write about a very common local ingredient to sustain our spirit: Rum the ubiquitous liquor throughout Latin America. I love to cook with Rum, I find its flavor combines very well with fruits, nuts, butter, pork or chicken. The variety of cocktails with rum is huge and for the tropical heat there is nothing better than a cold rum cocktail.

Rum is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from sugarcane by-products such as molasses and sugarcane juice by a process of fermentation and distillation. The distillate, a clear liquid, is then usually aged in oak and other barrels. The majority of the world's rum production occurs in and around the Caribbean and in several Central American and South American countries, such as Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Colombia, Venezuela, Jamaica, Guyana, Puerto Rico, Brazil, and Cuba.

There are many explanations for the origin of the word Rum but the most probable origin is as a truncated version of rumbullion or rumbustion. Both words surfaced in English about the same time as rum did, and were slang terms for "tumult" or "uproar", which usually occurred in places where rum was served. The precursors to rum date back to antiquity. Development of fermented drinks produced from sugarcane juice is believed to have first occurred either in ancient India or China and spread from there. An example of such an early drink is brum, produced by the Malay people, brum dates back thousands of years. Marco Polo also recorded a 14th-century account of a "very good wine of sugar" that was offered to him in what is modern-day Iran. The first distillation of rum took place on the sugarcane plantations of the Caribbean in the 17th century. Plantation slaves first discovered that molasses, a by-product of the sugar refining process, can be fermented into alcohol. Later, distillation of these alcoholic by-products concentrated the alcohol and removed impurities, producing the first true rums. Tradition suggests that rum first originated on the island of Barbados.

Rum played a vital role in the economic development of the European colonies in the American continent since it was one of the first locally manufactured products. When the European governments tried to tax the trade of rum and its ingredients, it led to protests and eventual rebellion for independence, such was the case of the Sugar Act passed by the British government to tax its American colonies. Rum was a very popular drink in 18th century America, at its inauguration George Washington insisted on having a barrel of fine Barbados rum.

There are 3 main styles in the production of Rum, which can be grouped by the language that is traditionally spoken where it is produced:

- Spanish-speaking islands and countries traditionally produce light rums with a fairly clean taste. Rums from Guatemala, Cuba, Panama, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, Colombia and Venezuela are typical of this style. Rum from the U.S. Virgin Islands is also of this style. Due to the overwhelming influence of Puerto Rican rum, most rum consumed in the United States is produced in the Spanish-speaking style.

- English-speaking islands and countries are known for darker rums with a fuller taste that retains a greater amount of the underlying molasses flavor. Rums from Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Saint Kitts, Trinidad & Tobago, the Demerara region of Guyana, and Jamaica are typical of this style.

- French-speaking islands are best known for their agricultural rums (rhum agricole). These rums, being produced exclusively from sugar cane juice, retain a greater amount of the original flavor of the sugar cane and are generally more expensive than molasses-based rums. Rums from Haiti, Guadeloupe and Martinique are typical of this style.

The terms used to describe rum depend on the location where it was produced. Despite variations the following terms are frequently used to describe types of rum:

- Light Rums, also referred to as silver rums and white rums. In general, light rum has very little flavor aside from a general sweetness, and serves accordingly as a base for cocktails.

- Gold Rums, also called amber rums, are medium-bodied rums which are generally aged. These gain their dark color from aging in wooden barrels (usually the charred white oak barrels that are the byproduct of Bourbon Whiskey). They have more flavor, and are stronger tasting than Silver Rum, and can be considered a midway-point between Silver/Light Rum and the darker varieties.

- Spiced Rum: These rums obtain their flavor through addition of spices and, sometimes, caramel. Most are darker in color, and based on gold rums. Some are significantly darker, while many cheaper brands are made from inexpensive white rums and darkened with artificial caramel color.

- Dark Rum, also known as black rum, classes as a grade darker than gold rum. It is generally aged longer, in heavily charred barrels. Dark rum has a much stronger flavor than either light or gold rum, and hints of spices can be detected, along with a strong molasses or caramel overtone. It is used to provide substance in rum drinks, as well as color. In addition to uses in mixed drinks, dark rum is the type of rum most commonly used in cooking. Two Central American countries, Nicaragua and Guatemala, produced two of the most award-winning dark rums in the world: Flor de Caña and Ron Zacapa Centenario, respectively.

- Flavored Rum: Some manufacturers have begun to sell rums which they have infused with flavors of fruits such as mango, orange, citrus, coconut or lime. These serve to flavor similarly themed tropical drinks which generally comprise less than 40% alcohol, and are also often drank neat or on the rocks.

- Over proof Rum is much higher than the standard 40% alcohol. Most of these rums bear greater than 75%, in fact, and preparations of 151 to 160 proof occur commonly.

- Premium Rum: As with other sipping spirits, such as Cognac and Scotch, a market exists for premium and super-premium rums. These are generally boutique brands which sell very aged and carefully produced rums. They have more character and flavor than their "mixing" counterparts, and are generally consumed without the addition of other ingredients.
 
ENGLISH NAME: Rum


LOCAL NAMES: Ron, Añejo

PRODUCTS: Bottled Rum, canned cocktails, Liqueurs


NUTRIENTS: Rum like any liquor has almost no nutrients for the body, however mixed with fresh fruit juices it can help you get some vitamins and consumed in moderation it will relax you and that will be good for your heart. The American Medical Association in a long term study on the effects of alcoholic beverage consumption, concluded that people who drink in moderation have better health than those who drink in excess or those who do not drink at all, moderation being no more than 2 drinks a day. So set yourself up for a couple of Rum cocktails, put some pleasant music, have a nice chat with your espouse or a friend, have a healthy protein snack like a fish ceviche or morsels of grilled chicken, these will lower the glycemic index of the moment. In your cocktails try to use the natural sweetness of ripe fruits to minimize the use of sugar.


STORING: Once bottled Rum will last pretty much for ever, however it will not improve with time and if the bottle is capped with a cork, this may deteriorate and spoil the Rum; bottles with screw cap are better to keep. Bottled rum should be stored in a cool dry place, there it can last years without loosing its bouquet.

DAIQUIRI: This is the foremost Rum cocktail, the name Daiquirí is also the name of a beach near Santiago, Cuba, and an iron mine in that area, it is a word of Caribbean indian origin. The cocktail was supposedly invented about 1900 in a bar named Venus in Santiago, about 23 miles east of the mine, by a group of American mining engineers. Among the engineers present was Jennings Cox, General Manager of the Spanish American Iron Co. Although stories persist that Cox invented the drink when he ran out of gin while entertaining American guests, the drink evolved naturally due to the prevalence of lime and sugar.


Consumption of the drink remained localized until 1909, when Admiral Lucius W. Johnson, a U.S. Navy medical officer, tried Cox's drink. Johnson subsequently introduced it to the Army and Navy Club in Washington, D.C., and drinkers of the daiquirí increased over the space of a few decades. The daiquirí was one of the favorite drinks of writer Ernest Hemingway and president John F. Kennedy.

The drink became popular in the 1940s, wartime rationing made whiskey, vodka, etc., hard to come by, yet because of Roosevelt's Good Neighbor policy (which opened up relations with Latin America), rum was easily obtainable. The Good Neighbor Policy helped make Latin America seem fashionable. As a consequence, rum-based drinks became fashionable, and the Daiquirí saw a tremendous rise in popularity in the US. The recipe for the classic Daiquiri is 1 shot (2 Oz) of white rum, 1 Oz of lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon of sugar put everything in a cocktail shaker with lots of cracked ice, shake well and pour over a chilled flute or martini glass decorated with a slice of lemon. One can use dark rum for a little color and put a maraschino cherry in the glass.

RUM BALLS: Process enough Graham Crackers (galletas Maria) for 3 cups of crumbs, in large bowl add 1 cup of powdered sugar, 1 cup of chopped Walnuts, 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon of instant coffee, mix dry ingredients well; in a pan over low heat melt 1 stick of butter, remove from heat, add 1/4 cup of dark rum, 2 tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk, mix well and add liquid mixture to dry mix, knead to form bite size balls which can be rolled in various covers, powdered sugar, powdered cocoa, dry coconut, finely chopped nuts, Etc. If mixture is too dry to form balls add a little more condensed milk.

BANANAS FOSTER: This famous dessert was invented at Brennan's restaurant in New Orleans. In the 1950's, New Orleans was the major port of entry for bananas shipped from Central and South America. Owner Edward Brennan challenged his talented chef, Paul Blangé, to include bananas in a new culinary creation as a way of promoting the imported fruit. In 1951, Chef Paul created Bananas Foster. The scrumptious dessert was named for Richard Foster, a frequent patron, who was chairman of the New Orleans Crime Commission. Take 3 semi ripe bananas, peel, cut lengthwise and then in half, steep in 1/4 cup of dark rum for at least 30 minutes before cooking; in a pan over low heat melt 1/2 stick of butter, increase heat to medium and stir in 1/2 cup of dark brown sugar (panela, raspadura), stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, drain rum from bananas into pan and stir until mixture is bubbly, then add bananas and 1/4 cup of coarsely chopped walnuts. Cook turning over bananas until they are hot, about 3 minutes. Serve over balls of vanilla ice cream.

SHRIMP IN ONION RUM CREAM: Take 1 Kg. (2 Lb) of peeled deveined shrimp place in sealed bag with 1/2 cup of dark rum, refrigerate for at least 3 hours before cooking, turn occasionally to steep well all shrimp in the rum. Over low heat mix 2 tablespoons of butter with 4 tablespoons of olive oil until all butter is melted; increase to medium heat and cook stirring 1 small onion minced and 1 clove of garlic finely chopped, cook until they are soft, do not brown; add 1 cup of chicken broth, the rum from the shrimp, 1 tablespoon of teriyaki sauce, 1 cup of half milk & half cream, reduce heat to low and cook stirring for about 10 minutes until it thickens somewhat; add the shrimp and cook for 3 minutes stirring until shrimp turn pink, do not overcook. Decorate with some chopped red or yellow peppers, serve over pasta or with white rice on the side. Half & half can be replaced with evaporated milk or 3/4 cups of whole milk blended with 2 tablespoons of cream cheese.

HIGH FOOD PRICES? NO PROBLEM! MARKET CUISINE TO THE RESCUE

Lately the most frequent topic of conversation seems to be food cost inflation, I often hear people in shock over prices at supermarkets; in the news I often hear charity organizations and commodities traders warning of famines and other disaster because of increases in the cost of basic staples.  The UN's Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) keeps a world food price index chart that shows an ominous trend, it has a tendency to rise under conditions of extreme volatility,  which occur due to sudden scarcity of basic food staples, like corn, soybeans and wheat.

The causes of food inflation are diverse and often beyond our control, population has increased, there are now 7 billion of us in this planet and in the next couple of decades we are going to be 9 billion and we all have to eat something, this is bad; a lot of people has joined the middle class around the world, particularly in Asia and Latin America and they are eating more and better, consuming more proteins for instance, this is good;  Energy cost have risen considerably and they have multiple impacts on the cost of food, first because fertilizers are often manufactured from energy staples like oil and gas, second because transporting food requires energy and third because in the search for alternative fuels some manufacturers are using food staples like corn to make bio fuels, this is bad.

Fortunately there are solutions on the way but they will take a while to have a positive impact; Population is expected to stabilize around 9 to 10 billion and then start decreasing but this will happen in the next 50 to 100 years, this is good; the next generation of bio fuels already coming out of labs will use organic waste instead of food staples and will be generally available in the next 10 to 15 years, this is good; agricultural production will rise for  traditional staples like wheat, corn, rice and soy, but more important we will see new staples coming into the market, like Yucca, air potatoes, chayotes, quinoa and many other interesting vegetables and cereals from the tropical jungles of the planet, this is good; for proteins we will see improved farming of traditional and new species and we will have the vast field of insect species which through the science of Entomophagy will contribute to feed the world; cooks all over  the world are busy learning from ancient cultures in Africa, Asia and Latin America how to prepare certain species of insects, this is good; I had a couple of sauces from Amazon Indians, Catara and Cumache, which are delicious; Catara is made from the tail of a specie of giant ants mashed with Yucca juice, tamarind and lots of chili peppers and other seasonings, it tastes like a hot Worcestershire sauce; Cumache is made from the body of a specie of big termite, mashed with yucca juice, hot peppers and other seasonings, it tastes like a hot sauce with a slight pine resin flavor; Catara has been industrialized and you can buy it in supermarkets in countries around the Amazon river basin.

In order to do something about food cost you have to understand the processes involved in food consumption: Production is what the farmer does and it has a cost, usually high, and a profit, usually low, I have not seen many rich farmers; Distribution is the process that gets the food to you, it involves transporters, wholesalers and retailers, it has a high cost but it can be optimized through economies of scale and improved logistics to produce low unit costs, well optimized operations can produce high profits; Preparation is what you do to eat the food, you use energy for storage and cooking, you use additional products to make food tasty like seasonings and oils, this process has costs and if you are not a smart cook you may add a lot of cost without realizing it.

You cannot do much about Production, except to produce some food yourself and it is easier than you think, herbs like basil, oregano, mint are easy to plant around your home, even in a pot inside an apartment, chili peppers are frightfully simple to grow, just dry the seeds and throw them over some soil, any soil, they will sprout, grow and provide you with peppers in a few weeks. The bottom part of green onions and leeks usually have some roots and if you plant the bottom half inch they will grow back and produce some small but very tasty leeks and green onions, if you provide a good soil they will grow bigger. Garlic and onions sometimes sprout leaves, if you carefully cut through the sides of the bulb to extract the sprout, you can plant it, you will not grow a full garlic or onion bulb but the leaves of the growing plant can be harvested and they are delicious, I think garlic leaves are sweeter and tastier than garlic itself. Some tropical vegetables like Chayote or Air Potatoes will sprout and then you can stick them in the ground next to a fence or stone wall or tree and they will grow like crazy and give you lots of fruits.  Plantains and bananas are very easy to grow, you dig shoots from the base of an existing plant and sow them in your garden, they will grow forever and bear fruit every 6 months. Look around your home region and find things that sprout and grow, you will be amazed of all the stuff you can produce without being a highly skilled horticulturalist. For protein you can grow grains like Guandu that have protein or you can raise Rabbits in cages, they reproduce like crazy, are clean and easy to keep, when I was a kid I raised rabbits and my mother prepared them in all kinds of delicious recipes, grilled, stewed and fried. In the Andean countries of south America families often keep guinea pigs for protein, they eat anything,  produce 2 offspring every 3 months and are quite tasty, we should not be concerned that Guinea pigs are cute little creatures, they are food and lean protein at that; after all Rock Cornish Hens are also cute little birds and they have been industrialized and are delicious.

To reduce distribution costs try to consume food that is produced close to where you live, the farther away your food is produced the stronger the impact of any increase in fuel costs. There is also a hidden cost in food from far away places, it has been longer since it was harvested and spoils faster once you get it. Find out what is produced in your region and find recipes for it, the Internet is a great help to find recipes. Distribution costs can also be reduced by buying from producers directly, sometimes farmers sell their produce directly at their farm or in a farmers market or cooperative, in this way you eliminate the costs and profits from some intermediaries, their costs and profits are your costs.

In the process of food Preparation you can do  a lot to reduce costs and maximize the nutritional value of the resulting dish, for that you must adopt the strategy and tactics of Market Cuisine, whose motto is: "If we have lemons, let's make lemonade"; in traditional cooking you find a recipe for a dish then you search for the ingredients for such a dish; in market cooking you come across some attractive ingredients (cost, looks, availability, Etc.) and then you search  recipes for such ingredients. The Internet is a great help, just a simple search on for example "Recipes with Chayotes" will return thousands of entries, if you qualify your search to "Recipes with Chayotes, lime juice and Chili Powder" you will get more specific recipes.  Food Preparation has 3 sub-processes: Storing, Seasoning and Cooking; to reduce cost of storing food you can increase the use of dry ingredients which do not require refrigeration, spice mixes are very easy to make and keep, they add lots of flavor to dishes and are good for your health since they reduce the use of salt; for fresh produce that require cooling you may use Pot-In-Pot refrigerators, which are an ingenious African invention that do not use any electricity and they really work, they can generate temperatures in the low 10's Celsius (low 50's Fahrenheit) good enough to keep tomatoes for 2 weeks, even to cool white wine to perfection, these refrigerators are easy to built and work best when placed in a sunny, well ventilated location like a balcony or terrace. To optimize seasoning, spices or herbs should be added at the very end of preparation, they always loose flavor when heated too long. When Cooking you should strive to minimize or optimized the use of energy and added ingredients like oils. Here are some tactics to minimize or optimize the use of energy and ingredients:

- NO HEAT COOKING: It is possible to cook chemically without using any heat, the Peruvian dish Ceviche is the best example of this method. If you search the Internet for "no heat cooking" you will be amazed at all the recipes you can find and this is the most nutritious method since nutrients are not degraded by heat.

- RESIDUAL HEAT USE:  this tactic refers to using the heat that remains in the pot after the heat in the stove is turned off. For example if a recipe calls for cooking vegetables for 10 minutes in a covered pot, turn the heat off after 5 minutes and let the vegetables stay in the pot for 10-15 minutes, the residual heat will finish cooking them to perfection and you saved half the energy. You can do the same while baking, turn oven heat off at some point before recipe's time and let baked goods stay longer; ovens heat are often not very precise and insulation varies, sometimes ovens lose residual heat very fast, you would have to experiment with your oven until you get a feel for its residual heat, does it last or is it lost rather quickly?

-HEAT USE MAXIMIZATION: this tactic refers to cooking the most products with the available heat, a good example is a completely oven baked meal, if your main dish is a roast cooked in the oven, then make your side dish and dessert also in the oven, a good side dish to bake are scalloped potatoes with some tasty seasoning like mustard or cheese, the dessert can be a fruit pie, set the oven at the average temperature required by the dishes and raise or reduce the baking time for each dish. When grilling on a BBQ you can cook your meat, sides and dessert on the grill, corn on the cob or potatoes in foil can be cooked while grilling your meats, sweet fruits like mangoes, papayas or pineapple can also be grilled for dessert; with yogurt, nuts and sweet spices grilled fruit are delicious, even a dessert pizza can be cooked on the grill; you can also grill products for later use as ingredients, for example some chicken to make burritos the next day, some jalapeños to make some chipotle sauce for later use. When making soup you can place a steamer on top to cook some vegetables with the soup's steam.

-NATURAL FAT USE: some meats like chicken or pork have fat in their tissue, you can use this feature to avoid using oil or other fat in their cooking. Season your chicken or pork meat place them in a pan with a little water and start cooking over low heat, the meats will release some of their own fat and after a while the water will evaporate and you can raise heat to medium to brown and cook in their own fat, in this way you will avoid the cost and extra calories from external fats.

The above strategies and techniques when adopted as habit will reduce the overall cost of your food consumption while increasing the nutritional value of your meals. Below I will point you to some recipes found in my blog that are very economical and tasty:

CHAYOTE MATCHSTICKS WITH LIME AND ADOBO

FISH CEVICHE

SHREDDED BEEF

GUANDU EN ESCABECHE

PINEAPPLE RICE DRINK