Mexico - Another Good Story...

In my intention to let Mexico shine for it's goodness and alter the negative public opinion - one reader at the time - I would like to share another good story. I really want to stress that I have been to the Yucatan peninsula many times, lived there on my own, went back for vacations with family and friends over the past 25 years. I always highly recommend traveling in that region, and I am always delighted to go back with people who have never been there before. Here is today's story...

1986 - I was 22, and had just returned to Cancun after spending a few months in Toronto to work on my English. I was with a good friend of mine, which was not always easy because I had to look out for her and she had a hard time adjusting. We both found work very quickly, one job each at the Paradise Beach Club - she was hostess at the restaurant, and I was PR for their new condo development. We also worked for the brand new Hard Rock Cafe, and we were both in charge of training the team of waiters. It was interesting to say the least... we basically worked in a construction site, and had little uniforms which made us look like a bunch of kinky fantasy nurses... but there was a big buzz in town about the place, and it was fun to be part of that. I had the honnor for driving the pink Cadillac to it's final destination in front of the main entrance - engine removed and lifted to rest on top of a big pillar.

With all the buzzing and booming developments, there was frequent cashflow glitches and our pay was often late by a few days. We were paid in cash because we were foreign workers. We were at the youth hostel and eventually, we had to consider moving out of there because they were getting nervous about our frequent lateness in paying the bill.
A good friend of mine, Luis Macuzet, was living in an apartment which a friend of his was letting him have for free (he owned the building), and had promised to live there on his own. When he learned of our situation, he decided to take a chance and invited us to move in, until we could find an apartment of our own. We had to be extremely discreet, and try to come and go unnoticed so that his friend would not know that we were there. He eventually found out, and evicted Luis at once.
I felt terrible of course, but luckily Luis found another place immediately (and my friend and I went back to the youth hostel...). He always told me that he did not regret taking us in, because he was lucky to have friends who did the same for him when he needed help. We tried to stay in touch over the years, but he got married and his wife is terribly jealous and would not tolerate it. He told me to pretend that I wa his cousin from Verracruz the last time I called him... it got him in a whole lot of trouble... and it was the end of that. It's sad... he was a good friend.

Luis had started a little business called 'Fumigadora Mac', an insect control and extermination service. He had invented the product he was using, got a tank and spraying hose which he carried on his back, and serviced as many hotels as he could - keeping the cucarachas in check. His nick name was the ghostbuster - because welll... he looked like one! Today, his little business has become El Grupo Mac, an international corporation specialised in chemical treatments, and with a division which manufacture ice cream machines (not sure why he operates that under the same company...). I ran into his brother in a grocery store in Tulum about six years ago, and Luis now has three children. I still hope that we can see each other again some day, and catch-up on the past 25 years. I would love that.

I share these memories because Luis's friendship also shaped my opinion of Mexico, and Mexicans. He's a great, kind guy, with an amazing sense of humour. Saludos!

Mexico - One of the Many Good Stories...

It's a fact that the Canadian and American press seem to relish in depicting Mexico as a very dangerous place filled with despicable individuals who will not hesitate to rob you blind or beat you up. Overtime, this unfair depiction has tainted people's opinion of course. That horrible place is NOT the Mexico that I know and love. I find this 'dirt campaign' very disturbing - because for every terrible story you hear on the news about Mexico, there are 100 beautiful ones which the press won't bother telling you about. So I decided to tell you the stories that shaped my opinion of Mexico - and Mexicans.

November 1985 - I was 21 years old, working in Cancun, which was still in the early stage of it's booming development. I was there on my own, and at the time I only spoke French, very little English, and I was learning Spanish fairly fast because people could not really speak English with me. I was the Public Relations for Royal Tour International, a corporation from Madrid who had just arrived on the coast to get their share of the booming Cancun tourist market. It was a dream job for me, which I had found 3 weeks after I landed. I had made some friends at the youth hostel, mostly Mexicans from various parts of the country, and there was an amazing culture developing with the local community. We were all helping each other - and if someone was looking for a job, or an apartment, furniture, etc. - the word would spread in a jiffy and amazing things happened which allowed many, many people to settle there in the early days. Like many others, that's how I found my job and eventually, my apartment as well.

So one day I was working at promoting our 'overbooking' rates to other hotels (so that overbooked hotels would send us their guest overload - which the overbooked hotel paid for) and I was in the area called Zona B - the newest hotel developments ( most of them not yet open to the public), and pretty far from downtown. I took a taxi to the last hotel in the zone, and I walked my way back from one hotel to the other and met the various managing team members. The hotels were sometimes up to 1km apart in Zona B at the time. When I finally got to the last one and finished my business, I was very much looking forward to going back to my home hotel just in time for siesta, and jump in the pool. Again, Zona B was new, with many construction sites, and very few taxis were going that far from downtown.
So as I walked out of the last hotel on the strip, I was delighted to see a taxi - and simply got in and instructed the driver on my destination. We didn't chat much along the way... I was tired and hot and didn't feel like making conversation. When we finally arrived I systematically asked how much I owed - and he turned to me with a big smile and said 'Nothing miss, I'm not a taxi' (his car was dark green, like all Cancun taxis at the time). I could not believe it. ' What? Are you serious? You just drove me all the way down the coast... you should have told me, I would have radio'd a taxi' (yeah... we used a CB to do that in 1986...). Still with a smile on his face, he said that he had plenty of time, and it was a good deed on such a hot day. We had a good laugh... what a funny story! He would not take money either. I thanked him for his amazing kindness, and he wished me well.

And this is one of the many stories that shaped my opinion of Mexico, and Mexicans. Stories of kindness and generosity.

Spring in Yucatan

I have been waiting for developments, and I was getting to the point where I was considering postponing my next trip to the fall of 2012. But in a couple of days (last Friday and Saturday) - it seems that the wind has turned for the better, and things are shaping-up nicely for my next trip to Yucatan in late April!

First, a had a surprise phone call from a French music teacher who just arrived in Toronto, and she is looking for work. This is fantastic news, and if it works out I will be able to have my business growth right back on track by January, and end the year as mapped out in my business plan. I am meeting her on Thursday, and I have to make sure that she is a good fit for this job. If that goes well, it will open-up a new zone of operation for my business - in the East end of Toronto.

Also, I had hired a friend to do some telemarketing for me in July, calling a bunch of daycare centres to find out if some would like to receive information about Le Petit Atelier's music programs. She sent me back a short list of interested prospects, which I followed-up by email. From that marketing effort I have one new client so far, and two other are now requesting to meet with me. Looking good! It's a very good approach which I plan on repeating when the time comes to increase my client base. It cost me $135 for the telemarketing project - and I recoup that cost right away only with the first contract obtained. It works just fine for my business, and for me!

The other nice surprise is that I have a friend who wanted to celebrate her birthday in Telchac, organise a big gathering and rent a couple of houses on the beach, but she was planning that for late February - which is not possible for me because of the structure of my work year. I felt very bad about that and it was like a little dark cloud over my travel plans. But she has decided to move it all to match my availability - so the party will take place at the end of April - and suddenly I foresee that my trip will be much more festive! This makes me very happy.... We have started to plan, and I LOVE that part of course.

So now that things seem to line-up, it's time for me to introduce my business to the beautiful city of Merida. I will be sending a bunch of email to seek opportunities to teach in English and/or French and/or Spanish. If I can book a teacher training or some music classes in a private school, it will make that trip a perfect one. I do have to cover the cost of my flight, the deal I was offered ($60 to Cancun) is far from being secured since it has to be a last minute, and stand-by arrangement.

And I keep moving forward, one step after another, and one day at the time. Let's see where this leads me : )

The Best Banana Bread Ever!!!!

Euraka! This is AMAZING Banana bread... and pretty simple... for a change : )

Banana Bread
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). With a wooden spoon, mix 1/3 cup of melted butter into 3 or 4 ripe mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in 3/4 cup of sugar, 1 egg, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of baking soda and a pinch of salt over the mixture and mix in. Add 1 1/2 cup of flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.

You can also ad some chopped nuts and/or chocolate chips when you add the flour. I always make a double recipe, and bake it in my 'crown' cake pan. It's super moist and yummy - enjoy!

Kids Lunches Galore - Calzone!

Okay okay. Sharing kids lunches tricks may seem a bit boring to some - but I will stick to it because food is a nice comfort zone to explore. As I work to settle my business with a solid start for this new school year, I find that cooking is a great escape from the sales forecasts and financial planning. It keeps me grounded and focused when I get overwhelmed with business stuff, and I feel it's a good place to invest some good loving energy in my day. So hopefully, you will feel the need to escape into cooking too!

Last weekend, I made and froze 18 lunch size calzones (aka pizza pockets). There is not much to it really, I buy balls of pizza dough at my local grocery store, and look for fillings that my boys enjoy - like sausage, salami, and bacon. My oldest likes pesto, so I make a few just for him with pesto, mushrooms and chicken.

The key to make this a healthy lunch is to prepare your own pizza sauce. I chop one onion, a couple of carrots, a sweet potato, a zuchinni, and brocoli stems - and roast it all in a pot with some garlic and basil, and salt to taste. When the veggies start to soften I put a little water, just to cover the bottom of the pot, cover and let it simmer for about 15 minutes.
I add 4 to 6 chopped tomatoes - or about a cup of tomato coulis, and let it all simmer until the veggies are cooked and soft. I let it cool a little, and put it all in the blender until smooth. It you find that the sauce is too clear or runny, return it to the pot and let it simmer some more - uncovered.

Separate the dough and form balls - a bit smaller than a tennis ball. Roll them to get nice circles of about 6" or 7" across.
When you prepare the calzones, spread one or two generous spoons of the veggie puree right in the centre of the rolled dough, instead of the usual pizza sauce. Add your favorite fillings - all meat must be cooked and chopped - and don't forget the cheese! (mozzarella). To seal them up, I always wet the border of the dough before I fold them, to ensure that it will seal properly and avoid possible content leaks. Poke the top so that steam can escape - and bake at 375 for about 20 minutes. I always use parchment paper to line the cookie sheet when I bake.

I let them cool - then I place them in zip locks bags - and I put them in the fridge. Once they are cold, I move them to the freezer.

To warm them up, I place two calzones in the micro wave for 5 minutes, and move them to the oven at 350F for 15 to 20 minutes for a golden and crisp finish. Kids love it!

Telchac Dream

I had a very nice dream a few nights ago... I was In Telchac Puerto. I was there with my mother who was spending one week with me, and I was to stay there for three months. I was Susan's guest (she is the home manager we rented a couple of houses from in January and February, and she is also the fundraiser for Telchac Education. We seem to hit is off and get along right away, one of these nice unexpected friendly encounters). We were in a beach house, and there was a strange routine that all the neighbours took part in... they would all go swimming at sunrise, and the town fishermen would gather nearby on their boats. They were trowing shrimps overboard to the swimmers, who were catching them with delight... a very strange playtime which I chose to not join for the moment. I was feeling very happy to just be there, so comfortable and relaxed... glad to be with people who share my fond interest and attachment to the place. And then I remembered that I had forgotten to tell Tim and the boys that I would not be home for three months. Big woopsy!

This dream has been on my mind since, and I think it's a very plain and simple picture of my reality. As much as I want to go back and spend more time in Yucatan in the coming years, I am very likely to do it alone. Tim is not into the idea, he did give it a good try - and I am grateful for the fact that he did step out of his comfort zone to follow me to Mexico for a 3 month trek. Tim and the boys would like to go back for visits of course, but not for the long stays I have in mind. It's difficult to not be able to share this goal with my family, but I will find compromises to still make it happen.

I am still hoping to go in late April, and I am waiting to see how my business year develops. The little kinks I encountered do have an impact on my overall revenue, and I am still working on bringing things back to normal. I'm almost there!

Kids Lunches Galore - Burritos!

And so the fall begins, and school days make our weeks seem like we live on fast forward again. So far so good!

I have prepared some lunches for the freezer to facilitate the daily routine, but also to make sure that our boys eat good home made and non-processed food. It feels good to know every ingredient they have in their lunch box... Here is how I make burritos - the longest of all recipes! A bit tedious because I make everything from scratch (no canned beans or commercial salsa), but once the fillings are prepared it's easy to make a couple of dozens.

Chicken Burritos
-First, I cook a whole bag of black beans. Make sure to not put any salt or spices in the water when you cook dried beans, it would prevent them from getting nice and soft. Once they are cooked and cooled, put the beans in your blender with a little water - start with about half a cup and add more if needed - you are looking for the consistency of a creamy hummus. Season with some lemon juice, salt, one or two cloves of garlic, cumin, and chili powder to taste - blend until smooth.
-While the beans are simmering, I cook one whole chicken in the oven. I fill it with chopped onions and two or three heaping tablespoons of salt - rubbing the skin as well with salt and a little olive oil. It will eventually be deboned when cooked, so there is no need to roast it - keep it covered until it's fully cooked, and debone it. Chop the meat in small pieces and set aside.
-Still while the beans are simmering, and while the chicken is cooking - I cook a pot of rice, parboiled is fine, and I also season the rice with salt, chili powder and cook it in half water or chicken broth, and half tomato coulis.
-Finally, I make my own salsa by simply pan frying one chopped white onion, and once the onion is starting to soften - I add four to six chopped tomatoes (which I have emptied). A little salt, a little origano, and a little lemon juice, et voilà! But commercial salsa is just fine of course, especially organic salsa.
-Grate some cheese (medium cheddar), and line-up all the above ingredients to get ready for the assembly!
I use the large tortillas - easier to manipulate. I place 4 tortillas side by side and fill them in this order :
-Spread a spponfull of beans in the centre of the tortilla, leaving a wide edge all around (to avoid messy rolling and folding...).
-on the half closer to you, form a thick line of rice, and chicken (much like a thick caseless sausage).
-Top the rice and chicken with some salsa, and cheese.
To roll them : Lift the edge of the tortilla that is closer to you, and cover the line of filling - tightening it by pulling delicately towards you - and roll it forward about half a roll. Now fold both sides inward to enclose the sides, and finish rolling - still tightening by pulling the roll delicately towards you. It might take a bit of practice... adjusting the amount of content as you progress from one burrito to another. Thick is good - but too thick is impossible to seal properly.
Once they are rolled, I place 4 to 6 burritos in a large zip-loxk bag, and cool them in the fridge. Once they are cold, I transfer them to the freezer.
To heat them up, I place two frozen burritos in the micro wave for about 5 minutes, and transfer them to the oven at 350F for about 15 to 20 minutes - for a golden and crisp finish.

Buen provecho!