T'antawawa Breads - Andean Bread Babies - and the Day of the Departed in Peru

ANDINA/Carlos Lezama 01/11/2011


ANDINA/Carlos Lezama 01/11/2011


ANDINA/Carlos Lezama 01/11/2011

Shortly before we left Peru,  t'antawawas began to appear in outdoor markets and bakeries around the city of Cuzco. Wawas are Andean bread figures that usually resemble swaddled infants. Companion breads shaped like ladders (so the souls of the dead can climb up to heaven), stars, crosses, or angels with wings to help children and babies to rise to heaven were also available . The breads are made from a sweet brioche-like dough and they are an important part of family rituals that are associated with All Souls and All Saints Days in Peru. On Novemeber 1 (Día de los Muertos), native customs mix with religious beliefs and some families visit cemeteries carrying a feast for the dead that includes the wawas, tamales and roast pig.. There is a belief that the dead will return to earth if they see they are being remembered by their families and friends. A picnic, with a place set for the dead, is held at the grave site in the hope of enticing the dead to return. Celebrations in areas outside of major cities are even more tied to superstitution and can be quite festive because some Andean villagers believe the dead will rise from their graves at midnight to join in the feast. While city dwellers are less enthusiastic, they, too, visit the cemeteries and leave small offerings for their dead. Bob and I were not able to extend our visit to observe the ritual, so I'm truly grateful to Stuart Starrs at en Peru for giving me permission to use the cemetery photos you see in today's post. I'm including a recipe for t'antawawas that those of you who love to bake might want to try. The recipe was developed by Marion Blazes and it can be found at About.com - South American Foods. Here's how the bread babies are made.

T'antawawas - Andean Bread Babies...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Marion Blazes and About.com South American Foods

Ingredients:
2-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1-1/2 cups bread flour
2/3 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon powdered yeast
1 egg yolk
raisins and sesame seeds for decoration

Directions:
1) Add flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and cloves to bowl of a standing mixer and mix briefly. Make a small well in center of flour, and add water, milk, egg, butter, shortening, vanilla, and yeast. Knead, using dough hook attachment, for 5 to 10 minutes, until dough is smooth and elastic and does not stick to side of bowl. If dough appears dry or crumbly, add water, a teaspoon at a time, and knead until it's smooth. If the dough appears sticky, add small amounts of flour and knead, until dough is smooth and elastic. Place dough in an oiled bowl and let it rise in a warm place for 1-1/2 to 2 hours (or overnight in the refrigerator).
2) Divide dough into four parts and shape each portion into a ball. Roll balls of dough on the countertop until they are smooth. Let dough rest for 10 minutes. To shape dough: Pinch a small part of ball of dough and shape it into a head (it should stay attached to the bigger piece). Press dough onto a cookie sheet, flattening and shaping it as you go, so that it resembles a large circle topped with a small circle. Press a small round cookie cutter into the smaller circle of dough, to make the outline of the "face". Using scissors, snip pieces of dough partially off of body, stretching and curling them decoratively, and press them back down into dough. Using a skewer, poke two holes for eyes and fill each one with half of a raisin. Let dough rise for 30 minutes to an hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of water and paint breads with the egg wash - on the body and lightly around the face. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Let cool and serve. Makes 4 small wawas.

Machu Picchu

It is customary to have photos taken with the weavers of the articles you purchase.







It took 72 years, but I finally made it to Machu Picchu.











As you climb in elevation the type of housing, food and dress change. The air thins and many of the communities still routinely dress in the fashion of their ancestors. The old ways are cherished and despite the onslaught of tourists, these people remain insular and seem unaffected by most Western influences. Their diet is vegetable based and while cows, sheep, and alpaca are present, the only animal protein consumed is guinea pig. Stilt houses are replaced with stone and adobe structures that are better suited to the cooler temperatures and altitude. Here, as in other areas of Peru, the unemployment rate is zero. Jobs do not pay well, but work is always available. Major occupations are farming, weaving and jobs that service the tourist industry. The air in these communities is thin and becomes rarefied as you ascend into the Cloud Forest and reach Machu Picchu. It is a mystical place and as you walk and climb through its terraces you're hit with recurring waves of awe and a heightened respect for the ancient people who created this fortress so high in the Andean mists. It is an experience I certainly will never forget.

Cappadocian Cave Houses - Turkish Chickpea Stew with Squash, Potatoes and Baharat

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...My father's prediction haunts me, and, despite his admonishments, I must admit I've become a troglodyte. As a young man, the Silver Fox was a spelunker and had heated discussions with my father regarding his predilection for sometimes daring adventures. My daddy was a practical man and couldn't understand why anyone would venture into a cave that it had taken his ancestors millions of years to escape. They never resolved the issue, but had my father been with us in Cappadocia I think he might have cut Bob some slack. Volcanic eruptions here have created an almost lunar landscape that is stark, spare and stunning. The area is also a study in the adaptability of man and his ability to harness the environment that surrounds him. In Cappadocia, the lack of standard building materials caused inhabitants to dig and tunnel into the soft rock and make their homes in the caverns they hollowed out. The homes and underground cities they built still stand and welcome visitors to the area. Most of these homes have been turned into hotels and residents also serve set meals to adventurous tourists who find there way here. We had a lovely meal in one of the caves. Our hosts were a Muslim family and they prepared a typical vegetarian meal for us.

I wanted to share a recipe for a stew that's similar to the one they made for us. It uses an intensely flavored spice mix, called baharat. The mixture is used with regional variations throughout the Middle-East. The Turkish version is unique because it includes dried mint in the spice mixture. It can be found or ordered from any spice emporium, but I included a recipe for those of you who prefer to make your own. The stew itself is an eye-opener and is definitely not for those who prefer more mildly seasoned food. It is easy and inexpensive to make and not much can go wrong with it. You will, however, want to make sure the vegetables are cooked to your liking before serving the dish. View the cook time in the recipe as a suggestion rather than fiat. I like to serve the stew over rice with a cooling dish of raita on the side. Here's the recipe.

Turkish Baharat - A Spice Mix

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1-1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1-1/2 teaspoons ground mint
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Store in an air-tight container for up to 6 months.


Turkish Chickpea Stew with Squash, Potatoes and Baharat...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Michael Natkin at Herbivoracious

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons Turkish baharat
Optional: 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (15-oz.) can crushed tomatoes
3/4 pound Yukon gold potatoes, cut into bite-sized chunks
3/4 pound winter squash or pumpkin, cut into bite-sized chunks
1 teaspoon Kosher salt + salt to taste, divided use
1 cup water or vegetable stock
2 (15-oz.) cans chickpeas drained and rinsed
Minced fresh mint or cilantro for garnish

Directions:
1) Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add onion, sliced garlic and a pinch of salt. Saute over medium-high heat until they begin to soften, about 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes more.
2) Add Turkish baharat and, if using, cayenne pepper. Cook, stirring, for about 1 minute, or until spice mixture is fragrant. Add crushed tomatoes, potatoes, squash and 1 teaspoon of salt. Add water or stock and stir to mix in. Cover pot and bring mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat and cook until potatoes and squash are nearly tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.
3) Mix in chickpeas and simmer until vegetables are fork tender but still retain their shape, about 10 minutes longer. Taste and adjust seasonings. Garnish with fresh mint or cilantro and serve hot over rice. Yield: 5 servings.








One Year Ago Today: Blue Cheese Dip













Two Years Ago Today: Crock-Pot Yellow Pea Soup

Turkish Delights - Lokum

Hot air ballooning in Cappadocia just after sunrise in Turkey.




Turkish Delights

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We are home and ever so slowly coming down to earth. It's been a wonderful holiday and I'll be sharing some of our adventures and food discoveries with you over the next few weeks. I thought I'd start with two of the Turkish delights we encountered while we were traveling. One, of course, is the confection immortalized by C.S. Lewis and used to tempt Edmund in "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe." The other addresses an adventure that's been on my bucket list for years now. Time and place finally coincided, and I was able to join a sunrise balloon squadron that soared over the near mystical topography and rock formations of the Rose and Pigeon valleys in Cappadocia. This part of the country is riddled with underground cities and outcropping that have been hollowed out to form churches and homes originally built to protect inhabitants from marauding invaders. It is also home to thousand of pigeon houses and roosts. If you look closely at the bottom of the second photo, you can see an example of this. At one time, pigeon droppings were used as fertilizer and area farmers made life as pleasant as they could for the birds whose waste was used locally for crops or sold and transported elsewhere. Most of the pigeons are gone now, but enough remain to provide some local color and allow the imaginative to journey back in time. As it happens, Turkish Delight, the confection, was served with champagne at the end of our flight. It was a very civilized way to begin the day and a great way to introduce today's recipe.

This candy has the consistency of Gummy Bears or Chuckles and it will not be to every one's liking. It is made from sugar and cornstarch and is chewy, even when fresh. I've chosen the most basic of recipes for today's post and used rosewater and creme de menthe to flavor my candy. The addition of fruit and nuts would produce a more sophisticated confection that is more like a nougat than a jelly. It would also make the candy more difficult to prepare. I'm going to follow the line of least resistance and stick with the more simple application. You will need a candy thermometer to make this and it is important to follow instructions exactly. The finished candy has a tendency to weep, so it is important to make sure it is dry before you coat it with confectioners' sugar. I let mine sit for two days before I coated it. While this will be nothing more than a curiosity for some, those of you who like to make candy for the holidays might like to give this recipe a try. Here's how it is made.

Turkish Delight...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
4 cups granulated sugar
1-1/4 cups cornstarch
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
4-1/4 cups water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1-1/2 tablespoons rosewater or creme de menthe
Optional: 2 to 3 drops red or green food coloring
1 cup confectioners sugar
Vegetable oil or shortening

Directions:
1) Grease sides and bottom of a 9 x 9-inch baking pan with vegetable oil or shortening. Line with wax paper or foil and grease pan again.
2) Combine lemon juice, sugar and 1-1/2 cups water in a saucepan set over medium heat. Stir constantly until sugar dissolves. Allow mixture to boil. Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer, until mixture reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat and set aside.
3) Combine cream of tartar, 1 cup corn starch and remaining water in saucepan over medium heat. Stir until all lumps are gone and mixture begins to boil. Stop stirring when the mixture has a glue like consistency.
4) Stir in lemon juice, water and sugar mixture. Stir constantly for about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and allow to simmer for 1 hour, stirring frequently.
5) Once mixture has become a golden color, stir in rosewater or creme de menthe and food coloring if using. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Spread evenly and allow to cool overnight.
6) Once it has cooled overnight, sift together confectioners sugar and remaining cornstarch.
7) Turn over baking pan containing Turkish delight onto clean counter or table and cut with oiled knife into one inch pieces.
8) Coat with confectioners sugar mixture. Serve or store in airtight container in layers separated with wax or parchment paper.







One Year Ago Today: Cherry Cupcakes















Two Years Ago Today: Chicken Pot Pies








You might also enjoy these recipes:
White Chocolate Pumpkin Fudge - Flour on My Face
Pumpkin Macadamia Fudge - The Domestic Mama and Village Cook
Candy Corn Snack Mix - Jane Deere
Pumpkin Fudge - Brown Eyed Baker
Turkish Delights - The Royal Cook

Gallipoli Food for Thought

Journal October 5th.....

It is deadly still here. The silence is broken only by bird songs and the waves that lap against these once bloody shores. There are better than a hundred of us on this beach head and all of us are silent. Bob and I have crossed the Dardanelles and are in Gallipoli at a place called Seddulbahir which is the final resting place of ANZAC forces who tried to land here in 1916. Those of us who love words and understand their power suddenly have none. As you walk the rows of well kept graves the headstones tell the story of what happened here. These boys, fighting for a king and country they had never seen, were canon fodder on a beach whose cliffs could not be scaled. James McElroy age 18. Thomas Shoemaker age 19. Johnny McBride age 17. The oldest in this cemetery is 32.  The old lie...Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori...was repeated on this beachhead and young men again died in a war not of their making. Before this eight month battle ended 552,000 young men would lose their lives and leave wives and mothers to grieve their loss. Half were Aussies and New Zealanders. The other half were Turkish. Mustafa Ataturk, who would become the leader of the new Turkish nation, left this memorial for all who died at Gallipoli.

"Those heroes that shed their blood
And lost their lives.
You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country.
Therefore rest in peace.
There is no difference between the Johnnies
And the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side
Here in this country of ours.
You, the mothers,
Who sent their sons from far away countries
Wipe away your tears,
Your sons are now lying in our bosom
And are in peace
After having lost their lives on this land they have
Become our sons as well."

Take care and stay well. Blessings......Mary