Part 2 - Sabor Latino

   I hope you enjoyed Part 1 of the blog. I will go on with the script that we were not able to read the night of the event. 
   Julián decided to feature a dish for vegetarians, something that is most important to remember when we have dinner guests. He prepared a Tortilla Española with a very special twist.

You are going to ask,Tortilla Española from Spain with Spinach and Manchego Cheese? Yes, not only will  you demonstrate creativity, but you will add nutritious elements to potatoes and eggs satisfying a vegetarian's palate...

Queso Manchego.
 ... from the region of La Mancha, the land of Don Quixote. In this famous book written by Miguel de Cervantes y Saavedra, Quixote talks to the shepherds and explains how to prepare cheese. It continues until today to be the recipe used by La Mancha cheese makers. I found the passage from the novel on many websites, but only in Spanish and with no reference where to find it in the actual book. I hope you will forgive me posting the text in the original version... 

“Sírvanse vuesas mercedes de ordeñar las ovejas manchegas a la antigua usanza y agréguesele flor de cardo manteniendo el condimento a una temperatura de 30 grados para obtener la cuajada. Sáquese del lebrillo con un cuenco o bacía y deposítese en los moldes de pleita, apretando para que escurra. Vuélvase a echar en su cuna y hágase preso de nuevo con toda fuerza posible hasta dejarlos cargados con pesos durante seis horas, al cabo de los cuales se se depositarán en el dornajo con salmuera , ahogándolos durante dos días. Cumplido este tiempo llévense al secadero, donde se mantendrán en asueto durante 60 días y el aseo que es menester  para las cosas del estómago. Al cabo de los cuales se retirarán de los vasares para el buen yantar en la mesa de canónigos y príncipes”.

According to this site the passage appears in the first part of the book published in 1605...




There are several dishes not described, but indeed savored by the audience, before and after the forum.

Among the Hors d'oeuvres Julián and his expert kitchen staff, prepared  Saltinas con Atún, Colombian style and Anticuchos de Cordero, very popular in Perú.

Let's enjoy the plentiful fish variety that offers the Pacific Ocean! 

I was also intrigued by two ingredients mentioned in the recipe:

1. Siracha or Sriracha - a Thai sauce 
2. Lavosh - an Armenian unleavened flat bread

This is another example on how we are able to enhance our meals adding ingredients from around the world!

LAWA - Sabor Latino - September 25th, 2014 - Mint Museum Randolph

Every year the Latin American Women's Association (LAWA) celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month with a Forum. It features some aspect of Hispanic culture, literature, art or folklore.

This year's forum centers around food!

 Months of preparation, research and planning brought a big success... 

font-size: small;">Thanks  Food Lion, this year's  sponsor

Ana Silva Rey and Ana Rivera Lemley were in charge of the general organization of the event, and created floral center pieces ...

Big flowers for the larger tables

Fresh flowers for the smaller tables

Enjoying meeting each other

LAWA volunteers Tere Vasquez and Erin Flynn
at registration table

LAWA member Mary Kielland with friends

        Aída Posada Bertsch, Diana Kielland Sanchez, 

                      Ana María Rivera Lemley, Concepción Vasallo Alemán,  

Cash bar with Latin American wines

             Eugenio Alemán, Luis Vasallo.

   After the first 30 minutes, guests were invited to attend the actual  one-hour-long forum: food preparation by Julián Grajales - Chef Segreto - cultural and literary comments by Dr. Magdalena Maiz-Peña and Anneliese Horst.

BUT, What happened half through the program?

...there was too much smoke in the back kitchen, the fire alarm started and everybody had to vacate the building!!!!
   
   That is one of the main reasons for this blog, I will post not only pictures, but also the script and recipes the guests never got to hear.

Script that followed the opening remarks delivered by Ana Silva Rey, LAWA board member:

   For more than 500 years the world has enjoyed the marriage of culinary ingredients; our kitchens have become more plentiful... Tonight you will experience this magnificent union of spices and food...
   Following his passion, Julián Grajales created Chef Segreto to assist friends like you with the preparation of delicious meals by creating menus that are deemed fine dining and home-style at the same time.

With over 10 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Chef Segreto has masterfully refined and developed cooking into an art. His mission is to educate our palate and simplify our life in the kitchen, while creating gourmet style meals that are outstanding when it comes to taste and elaborate presentation. 
   Specializing in Mediterranean and "Floribbean" style dishes, Chef Julián spices things up by adding an accent of Latin flavor...
His motto is

To dine well is to live well.