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The rainy season arrived this week! As we were holding hands
before having a warm lunch of chicken soup, we heard the first
real patters of the season. Since then we have had a pretty
heavy rain shower every afternoon, but still we are enjoying
very warm sunny mornings.
We are starting to set up a rhythm here on the farm, and we
are all proficient cheese makers and we are milking the cows
and gathering vegetables from the garden everyday. Unfortunately
a few of us were sick this week. Eric, and Hannah suffered
from a feverish stomach illness and we have missed them at
some of our meals and activities. I also missed a couple meals
and things in bed with a staph infection on my leg. Fortunately
we are all getting much better and by the time of this update
we are all back to work!!
This week we worked on a traditional Ecuadorian clay oven.
Thus our kitchen area smelt quite pungent from the horse manure
in the mortar, the oven is near to be being done and only
needs a few more layers of mortar and a door. It looks beautiful
and I am looking forward to writing in the future about all
the delicious things we bake in it.
We also worked with clay. Adela taught us how to make bowls
and many of us had a hard time deciding how our bowls should
look, I know I made at least six different styles before deciding
on one shape!
We had a wonderful experience this week at Papallacta hot
springs, about an hour away from here. The water was so pleasantly
hot and it was so nice to feel that every pore in our bodies
were finally clean. It is an Ecuadorian healing tradition
to jump in cold water and then submerge again in hot water
and to repeat this seven times! We attempted this couple times
(didn’t quite make seven personally) and it was very
cleansing.
Yesterday we climbed Pichincha (4780m), which is a mountain
we can see from Palugo Base Camp. We took a gondola up and
had a four hour walk and scramble up the ridge to the top.
The walk was the hardest part for me, as we were at about
4000 meters and the air felt thin and made every step ten
times harder and the journey far more exhausting. The walk
became rock scrambling about 1 ½ hours in. It was very
high and exposed climbing and it was really fun to look for
the perfect little hand holds here and there and to look out
at the sometimes incredible and far view. We gradually climbed
higher and higher towards the top and eventually arrived to
have lunch on the summit.
In this next upcoming week we hope to work on more projects
such as drums and felting. We are also hoping to make a cabin
near our lodge this week.
Making Arepas
Although our kitchen here in Ecuador is drastically different
than our beloved one in Vermont, we still have found ourselves
creating just as many appetizing dishes as we were able to
before. This week we learned to cook a traditional corn patty
called arepas from a recipe our friend Marcella gave us. As
the arepas proved to be particularly appetizing, we thought
that it would only be fair to share the recipe with you all…
To start the process, you begin by mixing together corn flour,
water, and a few pinches of salt until a nice doughy consistency
has formed (yes- this isn’t the most straightforward
direction but if you just feel and work the dough you will
know when it is ready!).
Next, you should begin to form the dough into medium sized
round patties. Place a slice or two of your favorite local
and/or organic cheese on top of the patty, roll it up so the
cheese is inside, and then flatten it again.
To cook, place patties on a frying pan with a bit of vegetable
oil and flip multiple times until cheese is melted and both
sides of each patty are slightly golden brown.
Serve and enjoy these few bites of Ecuadorian cuisine with
breakfast, lunch, dinner, or simply as a snack!
If its yellow, let it mellow. If its brown, flush it down.
Help cut down on the countless amount of fresh, clean water
wasted each year down the toilet.
| Estamos en Ecuador! Estamos sur del Equator, y todo
esta por abajo. Las estrellas y las constelaciones están
por abajo. Las casas, los árboles, y los montañas. La
gente camina en sus manos todo el tiempo. No se porque
la sangre no sube a sus cabezas, y viven vidas sin dolor
de cabeza. |
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Kundalini Yoga…
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