Haitian Mango Pie from Simpson-Fletcher Soul Food Recipes

Tommy Atkins Mangos are in season now. I enjoy a Mango more than a Peach. And I love Peach. We do grow them in the United States. And we import some as well. They make a luscious Pie. You can find some variety of Mango year round.

Haitian Mango Pie

4 cups chopped Mango

1 cup Brown Sugar

1 teaspoon grated Lime Peel

2/3 cup Flour

1/2 cup Lime Juice

1/2 cup Butter

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 unbaked Pie Shell

Combine the Flour, one half of the Sugar, Lime Peel, and Salt with the Butter. Mix until they are like crumbs. Chill. Toss the chopped Mango with Lime Juice and the remaining Sugar. Mix the Mango mixture and pour into the Pie Shell. Sprinkle the chilled sugar crumbs over the fruit, covering well. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees continue baking until crumbs are brown and fruit is tender. 

This divine recipe is from Simpson-Fletcher Soul Food Recipes and Albert the Chef, who also gave us Fish Stuffing.

Never Fail Pie Crust
(makes 4 single crusts)

4 cups flour
1 Tbl sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 3/4 cup vegetable shortening (non trans fat, such as Crisco or other). 

1 Tbl vinegar

1 egg
1/2 cup water

Mix flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in the shortening with a fork or cutting tool (or you could give it a whirl in your food processor for a bit).

In a separate bowl mix vinegar, egg, and water. Add it to the flour mixture, stirring with a fork until moistened. Use your hands to mold into 4 equal balls. The dough may be frozen and thawed for future use. 

Salsa Criolla - Comida Latina

This recipe comes from a paperback cookbook Comida Latina published by Center for Latin American Studies at Stanford University.

A covered glass bowl of this condiment appears on the table of every restaurant in the Sierras. And you find it on the counter in every kitchen. This recipe came from Helene and Fredrick Kruger of the School of Earth Sciences.

Salsa Criolla from Peru

Onions, Pepper, Salt
Marjoram or Oregano
Ground Yellow Chili Pepper
Fresh Chilis
Bitter Oranges or Lemons
Olive Oil

Cut Onions in this slices and soak in heavily salted water for 10 to 15 minutes. Rub the onions lightly through the fingers to loosen the rings, then rinse in cold clear water and dry. Place onion rings in a china or glass dish. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and marjoram to taste. Add a pinch or two of ground yellow chili pepper. Cut fresh chilis, without seeds and fiber, into very thin strips. Add to the onions and mix gently. Pour juice of bitter oranges or lemons to barely cover. Set aside for a couple of hours, then add a little olive oil, mix and serve with boiled potatoes, fried fish, salad, etc.

Please Note: Ingredients may be adjusted in amount to suit taste and number of servings. Some add fresh chopped Cilantro or Marjoram to this condiment.

Reading to Cats

This is the feel-good Pennsylvania story of the month. I love cats.

The Animal Rescue League of Berks County PA has a program called “Book Buddies.” Children volunteer to read to sheltered cats. Via Reddit.

Have patience if you go to their website. Everyone is going there for more information, more pictures and to donate to this great program. The boy in the photo thought he was "too dumb" to learn to read. Nope. His reading and grades have improved tremendously. And the cats are finding forever homes. 

Since You've Been Gone Valentine

since you’ve been gone

since you’ve been gone, I’ve been alone.
like an arm without a bone.
dangling limply like a phone that’s out of charge.
like homer without marge.
like an egg without a spoon.
like a dugong on the moon.
like a clownfish without nemo.
like twilight without emo.
like hardy without laurel.
like high ground without the moral.
like disney without walt.
like battery without assault.
like a pet shop without gerbils.
like hitler without goebbels.
like a dilemma without the di,
just a lemma and a sigh.
like déjà without vu,
I am nothing without you.
till the day that you come back,
I’m like whitney without crack.

- Bill Bailey (via acupofpoetry)

Food and Artists

I have an ongoing interest in Food Art. Food Artists continue to redefine the relationship between Art and Food. It is not just about the plate and the table anymore. Or even the advertising business. It seems like a culture shift. We are looking at food itself in new ways.

I thank Providence for visually oriented folks like Ms. Alice Yoo who created Fine Art of Food.  Go there for more images that will startle and amaze.

Fantastic Food Photo Manipulations by Jean Francois De Witte

Incredible Food Landscapes by Carl Warner

Hyperrealistic Food Paintings by Tjalf Sparnaay