Cider House Rules

“Wherever Melony went, she would not be without guidance, she would not be without love, without faith; she had a good book with her. If only she kept reading it and reading it...” 
― John Irving, The Cider House Rules

There is a game I like to play called “The Library”. Every two months or so I take a trip to the local library and get ten or more books/dvds on anything I find interesting; any novel, cookbook, biography, travel book, children’s story or how to train your cat guide (there’s an impressive amount of people trying to train cats, we should probably all give up). I try to read or watch everything I get before that sad day comes when I get a bill in the mail from the library police. My last score was an impressive 10 to 1 in my favor (no time for salsa lessons). I usually win against the library, but what is even more rewarding is finding one of those books that changes your life.

Cider House Rules is a 1985 novel by John Irving that has been made into a major motion picture with actors Michael Cain, Charlize Theron and Tobey McGuire. But don’t even bother with the movie, the novel (as usual) is a thousand and one times better. It deals more deeply into the complexity of the characters, and the controversial situations that arise.

Abortion is one of the main themes in the story, which to this day is still very serious and argumentative. Every character will be very important, but our hero is Homer Wells. Homer Wells comes from an orphanage where the doctor in charge decides to perform illegal abortions to women who desire it. Homer Wells is never adopted by the right family and becomes a student of these practices, yet he refuses to perform such operation. A true inner conflict for an orphan's morals, should there be more orphans experiencing what I have? Or, should I put a stop to it? And who am I to decide? We grow and learn with Homer as he experiences   love, betrayal and friendship in a place where racism, sexism and even incest happen.  Homer Wells has a hard time deciding what is right from wrong, and even the reader will notice his/her opinion on characters and issues will change . This book is a masterpiece, something that will stay in your mind for a long time; a beautiful story about very different people trying to belong somewhere.

“The thing that is most hardest to accept about the passage of time is that the people who once mattered the most wind up in parentheses.” Dr. Larch 

TRUE STORY

1920’s Maine, USA- Abortions are illegal and the use of contraceptives is looked down by religious groups. Poor towns with prostitution had unwanted pregnancies by the baker’s dozen, and it was common for these women to seek abortion any possible way. Toxic medicines were sold over the counter, illicit doctors would charge a lot of money in unsanitary situations, and self-abortion was tried by many. In the late 1920's some 15, 000 women died from abortions. Doctors at orphanages saw firsthand the hard life of an orphan, and were known to perform safe abortions if the pregnancy was not too advanced. John Irving decided to give this grueling job to Dr. Larch, who speaks these wise words about abortion:

“Men who believe in good and evil, and who believe that good should win, should watch for those moments when it is possible to play God” 
 

Flowers and Chocolate

Flowers and Chocolate. Chocolate and Flowers. Flower Chocolates. Chocolate Flowers.

Anyway, anywhere, anyhow, I will take these two things from anyone who is offering. What girl wouldn't? 

And if you are ever wondering what to give to any female friend or relative for any special occasion, this is the perfect solution. I decided to make them more personal making homemade chocotejas for a very special aunt who recently visited South America and fell in love with these Peruvian treats. For all who don't know Chocotejas, these are chocolate covered dulce de leche and pecan balls; other fillings like dried figs, macerated raisins in pisco, lemon confit, and guava paste make it an even more exotic treat. I went a little gourmet and sprinkled Hawaiian Sea Salt before they hardened because salt makes life better. 

  

THREE STEP DULCE DE LECHE!

Dulce de leche is the most delicious thing that comes from a can, and these easy steps could even beat J. Timberlake's "junk in the box" recipe. Its a treat in a can, a treat in a can girl. 

 1)Buy a can of condensed milk.

2)Fill your crockpot with water on low setting and insert the can (take label off, duh) and put lid on. 

3)Wait 4-6 hours. 

And thats the way you do it...

Venting the can is the easiest way to getting your liquid gold. I have no pictures of this because I already had a full jar  reserved for sweet tooth attacks, and morning toast.

CHOCOTEJAS (for 24 chocolates)
- 1 can dulce de leche (you will probably only use about a third)
- 10 oz bittersweet chocolate (not chocolate chips!) chopped.
- 50 pecans (a small bag should be enough)
- Hawaiian sea salt (optional)








1) Once your dulce de leche is cool, lay out parchment paper over a cookie sheet and work with your hands making small (about half ounce) balls of it. Stick two pecans on each side and set on paper.
I added dried figs to half of mine, and only used one pecan on these.

2)Its time to temper your chocolate! Dont be nervous, its quite easy as long as you have the right equipment: a baine marie (a glass or metal bowl over a small saucepot with steaming water will work perfectly) and a thermometer. Melt your chocolate over your baine marie slowly and stirring frequently until it reaches 110 degrees, not more! Take bowl off heat and stir to cool until it reaches 80 degrees. Last step, put back on steaming water and let it rise to 90 degrees again. Ta-da! 

 3)Have another cookie sheet with parchemnt paper ready next to your melted chocolate and your pecan/dulce balls. Work fast with two forks dipping the balls in the chocolate, making sure you are covering all of it and carefully setting on the parchment. Sprinke with sea salt if desired and refrigerate for about 20 minutes.

4)There might be some chocolate spread on the bottom, use a small knife to cut the edges off. 

Yeah go ahead and try one, and that word you are trying to describe them with is mouthgasm (Auntie Meg's invention). I decided to go practical on the flowers this time and make a.....

FLOWER BOX!

-Chinese food take out box. 

-Old fake flowers from Goodwill or your grandmas house. 

-Glue 

-Scissors

Destem the flowers and cut most of the tip off trying to keep the flower together. Glue your big leaves on first, let try and then  glue your bouquet of flowers. 

Avoid temptation to eat half of them and wrap your chocotejas in parchment or wax paper. Once your basket is full you are ready to make a lady very very happy. Honestly, don't be surprised if the only thing she can do after the first time is to sigh and ask you for a cigarette. 

Merciless Words

Change is irrevocable; Change is necessary and Change is sometimes good. After all, living beings are adaptable; we are constantly changing physically and mentally according to circumstances.

Circumstance of my position could be what brought me today to sit in front of my computer, yet again, thinking of words. But I like to believe that its something else, something a little more interesting; like an inner compass that points you towards your true desires  (that sounds way better, doesn’t it?). That stupid compass took me through 3 years of Culinary achievements, from nailbreaking-potscrubbing moments to that rockstarfeel when customers and coworkers demand your recipes. All in all its been a great part of my life, BUT its time for a change.

Writing has always been there for me, to communicate, to express, to liberate and to be myself. So why not make a living out of it? This blog is a mere starting experiment to the field I would want to belong in the future. “Food, Books and other Drugs” is a suitable title since my main interests (food and books, of course) are its stellars, in addition, restaurant reviews, craft projects, pictures of baby animals, or really anything that I find interesting, will be here. Sorry.

Words are not quite compassionate and sometimes the time I spend begging for them to come to my mind is a long one, but once they make sense and are typed I loved those little suckers so much I cant help but come back for more. If you love them as much as I do, let me know through your comments that all that pleading was not only for my own satisfaction. That they please us all with that special merciless power.

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