Monday, November 26, 2007

the finale...

This is my official signing off blog, because Lord knows I can’t leave my throngs of fans just wafting alone in the breeze with no explanation of my disappearance.
I’m graduating from college in two weeks. Just two little bitty weeks and my higher education is complete.

One of the most valuable skills I’ve picked up through this education came through having this blog. For a struggling journalist who’s trying to make it in an industry that is ever-changing thanks to rapidly growing technology, knowing as much as possible about new media is key. At this point, though I’m not sure if I would want to tout my work here, I could at least say I’ve done it. It needs some finessing, sure, but blogging has been done. And best of all, things have been learned. I know the simplest (at least it’s a start) HTML tags, which is huge. I know what embedding something means. I have made an online poll. Wow.

It’s not that impressive or astonishing by any means to a normal person, but for me, it’s both. I’m so glad I know how to do the limited things I now know how to do. Zing!

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Time to actually learn something!

Since I have been little more than informative over the course of this blog, I decided this time around I would give you the necessary tools to discover more information about Mexico, its food, culture and what to expect if you ever travel there.

At the same time though, I'd like to hope the little I have provided will maybe serve as inspiration. I had never tried horchata or making my own guacamole before this experience, and I'll tell ya, there's something about going through the motions and making something yourself that you can’t pay for in a store or at a restaurant. So instead of only perusing the websites I’ve listed below, get out there and get your hands dirty. You might be surprised at what you learn about yourself.

But, for knowledge’s sake, some websites:

If your looking for info about food, down to specific breakfast choices, you’ll want to check out the Mexican food page at differentworld.com . You getting started on that page learning about how to avoid being a tourist (sort of) and finish up with “safe” choices for any occasion.

The next site, though a tad biased, has a lot of good info. At sallys-place.com’s Ethinc Cuisine: Mexico page, you can find a serious history lesson, a breakdown of regional cuisines, recipes and specifics about commonly eaten foods.

This could potentially be the most useful of all the sites; it will help you get the Mexican ingredients needed for all the recipes you’re inspired to try ... right? It’s called MexGrocer.com and you can get anything from special spices to chipotle chiles to a tamale making kit, as well as other utensils like a molcajete (mortar and pestal).

I hope you enjoy learning about our neighbors to the south.

p.s. - I know the avocados don't specifically relate to this blog, but I just like the image, so I decided to leave it up.

Monday, November 12, 2007

Guac it to me

Guacamole. Two years ago, I would have told you it looks like baby poo on a bad day, in other words, no thanks. But because I have a new-found appreciation for the oddly colored dip/condiment, I felt I should try my hand at a home-made version and report the results. Aside from providing myself with a tasty snack for the next week, I figure avocado, tomatoes, onions and fresh herbs (main ingredients in most guacamole recipes) are mostly good for you, so I can pretend I’m doing my part to help curb the obesity epidemic happening in America right?

In any case, my results were pretty amazing and buying the materials at the store and making your own concoction is bound to be cheaper than buy the pre-bought stuff and it'll have less preservatives. What’s important to know about guacamole… well I’m drawing a blank. It was a creation of the Aztecs , that’s kind of interesting, if you like history. If not, then just be happy knowing it tastes good and is fun to make (you get to mash up the avocado)and not only can you use it as a dip, but you can spread it on burgers, sandwiches or salads. What's better than versitility?