Tasty Guacamole

On July 25, 2018 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Mexico, Recipes5 Comments

Guacamole is a wonderful accompaniment to southwestern and Mexican food. It is also a wonderful dip on its own and can even be used as a spread on sandwiches as well. It isn’t complicated to make and you can make it spicy or not depending upon your taste. One of the things that makes it delicious is the use of fresh ingredients. We go to Mexico almost every year and we enjoy getting guacamole every time that we do and enjoy the large portions that we get.

INGREDIENTS

2 Avocados – diced
1 Medium Tomato – finely diced
1 Jalapeno – finely diced (seeds removed if you don’t want it spicy)
1 Garlic Clove – minced
1 tbsp Red or Yellow Onion – finely diced
Juice of 1 Lime
Salt and Pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Cut the avocados in half, using your knife to carve around the large seed. Twist the avocado to separate the two halves, the seed will remain in one of the halves. Using a knife, carefully chop into the seed so that the knife is slightly embedded. Twist the knife to remove the seed and carefully remove the seed from the knife blade. Use a spoon to separate the flesh of the avocado from the skin by tracing the spoon along the inside of the skin and place the flesh into a medium bowl. You can dice the avocado prior to removing it from the skin or after it is in the bowl. Add the rest of ingredients and mix thoroughly. If you prefer a creamy guacamole, you can mash the avocado dices as you stir, or leave some of the dices whole if you prefer a chunkier guacamole. Serve with chips.

Supporting a Local Cause

On July 16, 2018 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Colorado, Craft Beer1 Comment

Regardless of where you are, supporting a local cause is a great way to do something good and make yourself feel good in the process. When that support comes in the form of attending an event, then it is even better. Over the weekend, we went to an event called Pints for Paws Brewfest with the proceeds going to the local Humane Society. Several restaurants and breweries provided food and beers and there was a local band providing festive music as well. The cost of the event was reasonable and the cause was certainly worthwhile.

Pastrami Sliders from Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar

We have always been firm believers in getting a rescue animal if you are interested in getting a dog or cat as a pet. We have had several dogs and a cat that were all rescue animals throughout the years, although we don’t currently have any pets as we aren’t home enough to take care of them properly. Our last puppy lived to be 17 years old and we have very vivid memories of going to pick him out. At the time, our youngest daughter wanted to get a dog and she was hoping to get a golden retriever. We went to the animal shelter and there were a couple of retrievers, but they had a long list of names of people wanting to adopt them.

We kept walking around and then a cute little black and brown dog caught our eye. Our daughter knelt next to him and he raised his paw to give her a high-five. His description listed him as a Rottweiler Mix, but he was much more of an Australian Cattle Dog. Unlike the other dogs where we would have had to wait before we could take them home, he was available immediately, most likely due to people being fearful of adopting a dog that had been labeled a Rottweiler. He was one of the most loving and loyal dogs that we have ever adopted.

We had a great time at the event, tasting food from Ted’s Montana Grill, Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar, and P. F. Chang’s. It was a hot day, so tasting beers from Bristol Brewing
Company, JAKs Brewing Company, Black Forest Brewing Company, and Trinity Brewing Company. In addition to the beer, there were also a couple of wineries, Avanti Winery and Vino Passarelli, with wonderful wines to taste as well as a tent with Colorado Moonshine from 3 Hundred Days of Shine. We were pleased to see a good turnout to support the Humane Society and enjoy some lively music while enjoying excellent food and drinks. In many ways, it is like going to a local festival in Europe only the money goes to a worthwhile cause. If you find a similar event in your area, you should definitely take advantage of it and participate.

Black Forest Brewing Had a Wonderful Mango Habanero Wheat Beer

Learning Different Cooking Techniques When Traveling

On July 11, 2018 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Recipes5 Comments

Like many people, we not only like to try local dishes when we travel, but we also like to learn about how they prepare the food as well. Whether it is wrapping fish and vegetables in banana leaves, digging a pit, or using special pots like a tajine, the technique has as much to do with the flavor as the spices and meats. We can’t necessarily create all of the same techniques at home, but we try to whenever we can. We definitely love eating in small, family owned restaurants and if we are ever given the opportunity to eat with a local family, which happens occasionally, we absolutely enjoy that as well.

One thing that we have noticed through our travels is that we rely too much on modern technologies for cooking and they aren’t truly necessary. There is something special about a rustic meal prepared with traditional methods. The problem in today’s world is that people don’t have the time to prepare and cook meals in such a way that requires hours of time to prep ingredients or cook over open fires. Obviously we’re not suggesting that we turn back the clock to a time when there weren’t all of the conveniences and that a wonderful can’t be created by using them, just that there is something special about a meal made by hand and with love.