EAT YOUR COLORS- Dec Jan 2024 by H. Luiz Martinez

H. Luiz Presents…

EAT YOUR COLORS Dec / Jan 2024

Hosting Travelers Easy Cola Ham Recipe The Power of Citrus Linzer Cookies Recipe New Year’s Traditions

THE COVER: The Power of Citrus is Incredible (page 6 )- from Decorating to cleaning to Many Health Benefits

Hospitality: With Lots of Us Hosting Family and Friends this Season- Here are Some Tips to Make You the Host(ess) with the Most(ess)

Cola Ham: A Holiday Ham Prepared and Cooked with 2-Liter Cola, Sounds Ridiculous- but Boy is It Delicious

Pernil Asado: Latin Americans Like to Have a Pork Roast for the HolidaysHere’s How I Make Mine

Costly Travel Mistakes: How to Avoid Travelling Traps

My Favorite Soup: Homemade Chicken “Any” Noodle Soup

Linzer Holiday Cookie My Favorite Linzer Cookie Recipe

New Year Traditions: May 2024 be the Best Year Ever

Happy Holidays

a letter from the editor H. LUIZ MARTINEZ

This holiday issue is packed with goodies. From Christmas, the Power of Citrus, Cola Ham and Pernil Asado to Crafted Cocktails, Travel Tips and New Year’s Eve Traditions. The Winter Holidays (and my Birthday) are here and I’ll show you how we like to celebrate them- most times, it’s just Henry and I and that’s how we enjoy it, especially these past years. Get into the Power of Citrus- from adding that extra citrus boost to cocktails and drinks, decorating the tree & gifts to all the medicinal properties of citrus. Makes a great cleanser too. I have a new cocktail book coming out soon as wellSip Your Colors! There are about 20 cocktails or so that I have created and crafted for the past 20+ years. According to Henry (my #1 Test Taster), friends & family- they cocktails arevery delicious. Also, have you heard of the Gift Card Scam? Be sure to read all about it before you buy your next gift card.

Plus, travel mistakes that you want to avoid the next time you board a plane. As always, we have great holiday foods to share with you as well as New Year’s Eve traditions found all over the world. Happy Holidays! Now- get in here!

The power of citrus is just incredible. We use the properties of citrus as a cleanser, astringent (citric acid), antioxidant, a natural preservative, a natural sweetener, a deodorizer, an amazing flavor agent and many health benefits including vital vitamins, folate, vitamin C, thiamine and potassium. Citrus slices can also make an appealing visual impact. That’s why I use it to decorate my tree, make holiday wreaths & garlands, and even tuck into my wrapped holiday gifts.

Whether it’s fresh or dried, citrus slices not only impart flavor and color, but they make cocktails and fresh pressed juices appear more appetizing. I’m partial to blood oranges. However, in my neck of the woods, they’re very seasonal and hard to come by sometimes. When I do get my hands on some, I make all kinds of citrus-waters, juices, and cocktails. Then I slice up 3 more blood oranges (or any citrus), set to air dry and placed in a jar in the fridge. I do not use ovens or dehydrators because those methods are costly, since they take about 10+ hours of our energy bills.

I love to wrap my little holiday gifts with parcel paper as you know, but if I have some leftover citrus slices (and I always do), I like to tuck them in with some twine and some cinnamon sticks or star anise. I actually tie the sticks through the citrus to hold it in place. With the trees out back, I’m able to tuck in some evergreen sprigs or some herbs. Here are some rosemary sprigs I had left over- these little packages smell good from the outside. Inside, I have either biscotti, Christmas chocolate bark or oatmeal cookies. 6

*reprinted from EAT YOUR COLORS 2022 with an afterword following

I’ve learned waaaay before I was 23 years old to not accept any explanation that simply translated to “because I said so” – unless my Mother said so! I could totally disagree with my Mami, but I was smart enough to keep those disagreements inside my head. Everyone else though? I needed more. If it didn’t sound right or ring true, I would research or figure things out on my own. I also despised adults who were dismissive of young adults who had questions. It just made me feel like they thought I was dumb. When I was in 5th grade, they sent me home with a note saying I was being disruptive in class. My parents asked me to explain the note. I remember (‘til this day) that my teacher Ms. Spyer said something to the effect of because I said so when she could not explain to my satisfaction something about history (I think.) What I do remember is raising my hand and asking, “Are we not allowed to disagree with you?” Seconds later, Ms. Spyer was writing that note for me to take home. The letter stated that I was questioning authority. I told my mother that I was not questioning Ms. Spyer’s authority, I just had questions and she just did not have convincing answers to and she kept saying things like “well it’s in the book” or “because I said so, that’s why” and it just did not sit right with me. Needless to say, my Mother was not impressed with my stance either. And I must tell you, there were lots of letters sent home that school year by Ms. Spyer. But I learned a valuable lesson, just because some one has authority over you (teacher, parent, boss, police, government, etc.,) it does not mean we have to accept their answers because they “said so”. That knowledge has served me very well over the years. 7

Merry Citrus The very 1st issue of Eat Your Colors magazine featured my beautiful Citrus Christmas tree. I remember writing how I used to dry the slices- in the oven, later with a silica solution, blah blah blah… I wasted money and time. The gas bill alone was crazy! I figured out about 6 or 7 years ago that the easiest way to go about it, is to let the slices just air dry right on the tree. That’s It- slice, hook and place on the tree. The fragrance is exactly as you can possibly imagine. And like I always say, when the light shines through the slices, it looks like painted glass or leaded glass. This tree is the Slim Alberta. I wish I still had that tree. It would have been great for the dining room, kitchen or in our bedroom. 8

At Cas Sol, we now have this Beautiful Beast! She is very tall and full (7 x 5 Feet) and loves citrus. She originally was found in the living room. We had to move 2 wing-back chairs to make room for her. We scrunched the thick branches in the back against the wall and she was still too big for the living room. Now in the Sun Room, she Looks MAGNIFECENT! All of her branches are fully stretched and she looks very beautiful there.

Speaking of Citrus- I’ve created a beautiful cocktail coffee-table book filled with beautifully crafted cocktails- many of them contain citrus fruit or juice. There are about 20 cocktails I’ve created over the last 25 years. According to Henry (my #1 TasteTester) and my Friends, these cocktails are delicious. I also like to offer a Nibble to accompany a drink as well. A small bite that compliments the flavors of whatever it is I’m serving.

I have learned the art of accompanying Cocktails with Nibbles from my visits to Spain. Recently on streaming TV, I saw a bartending competition show doing the same exact thing. My Mixologist friends inform me that upscale Taverns & Bars in NYC, LA, ATL and New Orleans usually pair a drink with something to eat too and that is how they get away with $35-$45 cocktails. Now you know me, I rather show you how to make your own Cocktails and Nibbles and save you dome money. So, I decided to create a Crafted Cocktails Book where I show you step by step how to make these delicious wonders and tasty small bites. I’ve been working on this project for a few months now and I am in the process of deciding if it’s going to be a digital and print book or just a digital one. If it’s just digital, the book may come out in February- just in time for Valentine’s Day. But if it’s also going to be “in print” and I have to take out my Canon Camera then we’re looking at Spring. Either way, I’m excited enough to tell you about this little project. Most of my books come with a great story attached and you may have heard one, two, three or five of them already. If you follow me on TIKTOK then you definitely heard a few. jajajajajajaja!

Harlem Coffee Tour Common Good Harlem 2801 Fredrick Douglas Blvd. (917) 261-6996

The Chipped Cup 3610 Broadway (212) 368-8881

HEX & Co. West 2911 Broadway (212) 439-1008

Dear Mama 611 West 129th St https://dearmama.speedetab.com/

La Columbe Coffee Roasters https://www.lacolombe.com/ 11

HOSPITALITY

We love to travel, especially when we can afford the time & money to splurge during the holidays. But every now and then you may have family and/ or friends stay in your home for the holidays. How well you treat your Guests, depends largely on how you like to be treated when you travel. Do you want to be catered to or be left alone? Do you need assistance in organizing your entertainment or do you prefer to see the town and find those hidden gems on your own? Being the perfect Host or the perfect Guest does not exist. Some folks have no business hosting others and other folks may overstay (or abuse) their welcome as guests. Let’s not be those people. If Hosts and Guests have a clear understanding of expectations while visiting, then all should run smooth and well. You may even look forward towards the next visit… maybe.

Here are my top 5 hospitality tips “Sorry to bother you, but I forgot my…” Travelers are forgetful bunch and so your Guests may forget a few essentials as well. Put out an amenity kit of all those items we're most likely to forget- toothbrush and toothpaste being the top items on that list. Pack a little box or basket with tooth brushes, tooth paste, mouth wash, nice soap, hairbrush, a little sewing kit (now you can make use of those kits you’ve taken home with you from the hotels you stayed in,) some aspirin and other health aids. Place some shampoo & conditioner, deodorant, earplugs, cottonswab tips and some band-aids too. I also would include shaving razors, lotions and even feminine products- you never know.

“Hey- may you give me that WIFI password again?”

WIFI: CasaSol Guest

password: PuertoRico

How many times have your friends come over and asked for your WIFI password? It’s annoying, especially if you have to repeat it 10 times! And maybe you don’t want others having your private password anyway. But did you know that it’s very easy to create WIFI guest-accounts and tailor the password(s) to your Guests? For instance, if my cousin Samantha were to visit me from Puerto Rico, I can create a password on my WIFI Guest account that reads: Samantha or maybe PuertoRico. If I have a holiday party, I can create the password to read: MerryChristmas . Post it near where Guests sleep and / or in the kitchen too. 12

“What do you got to eat??” Setup a Breakfast Buffet- stack up little bowls with spoons and have great quality cereals on a tray with a sign that says: Help Yourself! Milk(s) and Juice are in the Fridge. For an extra touch, have clearly marked dairy and plant-based milks in glass containers in the refrigerator for your guests. Put some great-tasting juices in there as well. Try to figure out what your Guests like to drink / eat. You can also create a Continental Breakfast Buffet at home. Just place a cutting board near the toaster with bagels, breads, butters, jams and / or muffins. I like to put pastries out in a basket. Be sure to put out the freshest pastries you can make or find. Your Guests will love this. If you want to go that extra mile, setup a breakfast fresh-fruit smoothie bar. Pile a cutting board with fruits like bananas, apples, blueberries, strawberries, almond/peanut butter, dates, sugar, agave or maple syrup and whatever fruits you’d think they would enjoy. Have a blender near that fruity cutting board (NOT fruity? jajajaja!) and leave a note telling them that milks (dairy and plantbased) are in the fridge. I also leave a note saying that the Fresh Fruit Smoothie Bar opens at 8am. This way the noise of the blender doesn’t disturb the entire house in the wee hours of the morning. Most of our coffee machines today have timers on them so set it for early hours and set the duration for the lengthiest time- ours is up to 4 hours of heating time. Have some teas on hand as well for those tea-lovers too. These kinds of setups allow your Guests to help themselves and free you up of valuable time you may not otherwise have to spare. At least for one weekend morning during their stay, offer to make your Guests breakfast- blueberry pancakes and / or some great frittatas or omelets if that’s your thing. Or take everyone out to a great place you know of- everyone loves brunch!

1 3

“What are we doing today?”

WELCOME

I'd like to create a concierge listing for my Guests. I’ll use a whiteboard, chalkboard or have a printout that they can take a quick pic of for use when they’re out and about. On there, I list some wonderful restaurants, movie houses, local gyms with day passes, places to shop and other spaces of special interests like great museums and beautiful parks. Sometimes, I’ll include handmade maps. I’ll also list local emergency numbers and all the ways I can be reached if needed. Clearly mark your address at the top. Guests usually have no idea of the actual address they’re staying at. This will come in handy if and when they use their ride-share apps. This listing also lets my Guests know that they will be on their own to entertain themselves, while I work, cleanup and maybe make lunch and / or dinner for them. It’s also a good idea to set certain days or nights that you will spend together out on the town or having a great time in the home with dinner and maybe a party in their honor.

“Make your own damn bed.” I don’t make the bed for my Guests. Instead, I have clean, neatly folded sheet(s), blankets, comforters and 2 great pillows atop of the bed- already outfitted with a fitted sheet. It lets my Guest(s) know that they have fresh sheets and that they will be responsible for making their own bed. For Guests staying longer than a few nights, I attach a note stating which day is for laundry so that they may have clean sheets during their stay. They may want to launder their clothes too, but nobody is allowed to touch Henry’s Washer & Dryer- nobody. Also on their bed, I place a fluffy towel and maybe some spa slippers so that they don’t wet my floors, coming from the shower. If I’m able to provide Guest(s) their own bathroom, I’ll place the bathroom items on the toilet seat cover or hanging over the side of the tub. On a nearby table/ dresser, I place the amenity basket or tray that I’ve prepared. Like Travelers, Guests are very forgetful. Oh and be sure to have lots and lots of toilet paper in the bathroom. Nobody wants to ask for toilet paper. 14

Guest Be A Great

When staying at someone’s home, especially for the holidays, there are house-guest etiquette rules (some spoken, some unspoken) that really matter. If you've ever hosted family or friends, you know just how refreshing a great house guest can be. You may also know how not so great it can be when someone doesn’t follow house-guest etiquette rules. Here are some guest etiquette rules to follow, no matter who you're staying with or how long you plan to be there. Follow these rules and you may be invited back for the next year’s holidays.

Be Clear of the Dates Make sure you clear the duration of you stay with your hosts as far in advance as possible—at their invitation, of course. Yes, there is a chance you may want to extend your stay for a couple of days and/or they might extend an offer, but don't make any assumptions. If your Hosts take PTO (Personal Time Off) from work, be sure to be out of their home a full day or two before they return to work so that they have some time to themselves. The last thing you want to do is monopolize your hosts’ time.

You May Be Family but… now you’re a house-guest. Do not take advantage of your family and friends. Just because you’re staying at Aunt Julia’s for the holidays, it doesn’t mean you don’t have house-guest rules. Let me just be very clear, when I visit my Mother, I follow house-guest rules. Yes, in Latino Cultures, your parents’ home is your home and your children’s home are like your own- but let me try to creep into my mother’s house after 10p. If I’m visiting my mother and I want to hang out with some buddies until 3 or 4am, then I’m staying at my buddies’ home overnight. But I make sure that I’m back at my mother’s house by 8am to have breakfast (and I better not act like I’m tired either.) Let me try to leave my sister’s house for an afternoon out, without making up the bed in the room I’m staying in. And I wish my son would blast his music apps to concert level volumes while I was trying to sleep. Yes, we are all family, but there are rules- spoken or not. What we may or may not do in our own homes, may very well be different when we visit others. If the house rules are that everyone takes off their shoes before entering the main house, then that’s what you do (and please don’t ask to keep your shoes on). If dinner is served at 7pm, then make sure you’re where you are supposed to be when the household your visiting gets ready to eat.

Phones Down

Spending too much time on your phone, while a house-guest, is just bad manners. Your hosts may feel like you rather be somewhere else or stay someplace else for that matter. Limit your screen time and only check emails, texts, and social media in private. That being said, do not stay held up in the room assigned to you on the phone all day or locked up in the bathroom, trying to read your TikTok comments or check your Instagram DMs either. At my last Holiday party, my friend was on his phone for like hours. I asked this grown-ass man: is there someplace else you have to be? Now he was just my party guest, imagine if he were to be my houseguest? Don’t make it awkward in any home that you are visiting.

Be A “Helping Hand” Helpful guests are often invited back. You should help prep meals or at least do the dishes. If the host has a dishwasher, help rinse the plates off and let them load (people are fastidious with their dishwashers.) Maybe you can pay for dinner one night out on the town. I like to join my Host(s) if they go grocery shopping so I can purchase some things instead of eating them out of house and home. If they don’t go shopping, I’ll take an Uber to the nearest grocery store. There I’ll pick up seltzer water and whatever fruit I like to eat- making sure I buy enough for the entire household. Then I make sure to pick up a few things for me to cook while I stay with them. I make sure beforehand that it’s okay to cook for them for at least one night. Getting that “OK” is very important. Not everyone wants someone else up in their kitchen cooking meals even if that person can cook. (I may be one of those Hosts jajajajaja!). Offer to help mow the lawn, shovel the snow, help kids with homework, or maybe tackle some odd jobs around the house that you’re good at. Ask to take the kids out of the house- walk to the park, catch a movie, get some treats at the ice cream shop or anything that gets the kids out of the house to give your Host’s a break. Even if you’re turned down, your Host(s) will appreciate it. Things you should do without asking, clear your dishes, buy some spirits for your host’s favorite cocktails and take out the garbage and/ or recycling. If they rather do it, they’ll let you know.

Be Modest

Before you walk out of the bathroom in only a towel and into common areas of the home your visiting, take a second to realize that you are not in your home. It is very inappropriate for you to do so, no matter how good you look. Also, before you arrive at the breakfast table in your PJs, take cues from your host to see if that’s what they do or are they fully dressed? When in doubt, err on the side of modesty. I remember in my early teens, my Uncle (my Mother’s brother) eating lunch in the kitchen with his tighty-whiteys, an ill fitting tank top and black dress socks pulled all the way up to his knees (I still can’t get the image out of my head, 40+ years later)- my siblings and I didn’t know where to look or what to do as he asked us about school. My Mother came down the stairs and practically threw him out of the house in his underwear. That being said, again- err on the side of modesty.

Don’t be a Pig If there's one essential thing or two to take away from these tips, it should be these: respect the household’s space and leave the place as clean as possible- perhaps cleaner than you found it. Do not wait for your last day to start cleaning after yourself. Trust me, your hosts are watching. Make up your bed every day before you leave the bedroom or sleeping space. Do no sleep-in unless you inform your hosts first- but this should not be everyday. Try to be “up and at ‘em” around the same time as the household. Your Host(s) don’t want to tiptoe around you or wait for you to get up to start getting ready for their day. Triple check the bathroom (especially the sink for gobs of toothpaste) and remove all debris like cups, loose hair and nail clippings. Do a quick wipe-down of the counters and the mirror too. The last thing you want is for your host to have to clean up your mess after your stay. And of course, return any items to their proper place. You don’t want your Host(s) thinking that you borrowed their things, like that bedside novel or those fluffy towels they let you use.

Thank You Thank your host at least three times- when you arrive, when you're about to leave, and once more after you've gone. I leave behind a handwritten thank-you note or I’ll send a postcard to the Host(s) with some Meditative Art tableau on it. Write about a specific event or party or write about a detail regarding a great meal you’ve shared. Express how much you’ve enjoyed your stay and thank them again. Appreciation goes a long, long way. If you want to go the extra mile, leave behind flowers with a sweet note or maybe a nice bottle of bubbly/ wine. Leave behind a token of appreciation. I like to leave a gift card to their favorite coffee place or some meditative art.

“Have you ever made a Holiday Ham using a 2-liter bottle of Cola?” You should really try it, but fair warning, you may never make your Holiday Ham the same way again. I was watching one of my favorite Foodies on TV and she brings out this 2-liter bottle of cola. I was like, “Huh??” She poured in the pan with the ham. I thought, this time she went to out there for me. But the color and I imagined the flavor as she described it, to be very worth a shot. But then she moved on to another step- she took the cola-infused ham shank and took off the outer rind. She then made criss-crossed lines over the exposed fatty layer.

“Between those marks, she studded it with cloves.”

After that, she moved on to yet another step. She poured a thick molasses glaze over the ham. To that she sprinkled on some English powdered mustard over that glaze.

“I thought, maybe that’s a bit too much.” But she was not finished. She then sprinkled on a couple of handfuls of brown sugar on top of the powdered mustard. For crunch, she said- I thought, maybe that’s a bit too much.

Into the oven for 10 minutes was the last of the steps. Right away, I thought to simplify it and have it work for me.

Just like this Food Goddess from the UK explained- you must use fullbodied and very caffeinated, sugary cola. This is not the time for diet or zero-calorie anything. Grab a pot large enough, or nearly large enough, to hold your ham shank. Place some oil on the bottom of it (I use a couple of turns of avocado oil and then place your ham on top of that. Chop and drop (peel and all) 1 large onion into quarters, 1 orange into quarters, 2 limes cut in halves and about 8 garlic cloves right in. Salt and pepper to taste and maybe a touch more oil.

“I use a very large pot but at times, the ham shank is just too large to fit inside.” If this is the case with you too, just turn the ham over halfway through the 1 - 1½ hour cooking times where the bottom will be on the top. That’s it, that’s it for me anyway. I’ve been cooking my holiday ham this way for almost a decade now. I don’t have any other steps.

I do reserve the cola liquid and use that as an au jus and I can also add the sweet stuff to it- like apricot jam and maybe some dry mustard for great flavor. Then I can pour that over my ham slices instead of doing all those other steps. This saves so much on time too.

*Cola Ham VIDEO

The

Gift Card

SCAM This Holiday Season, be very wary of the GIFT CARD SCAM. These would-be thieves are getting more clever than ever. They used to tamper with the gift card’s packaging by putting barcode stickers over actual barcodes but now they are going even further with their schemes. Bogus git cards have become so sophisticated, you simply can't tell which ones are legit and which ones are ticking time. Compromised gift cards lost consumers over $228 million last year and there was very little they can do to recoup their money. This year, consumers will lose much more, authorities report. Police from coast to coast are warning about a surge in what is called gift card draining. They want to let everyone know that scammers steal these gift cards, copy the card number and the security code. Then they reseal it- so you can't even tell it has been tampered with. Most gouge out the pin number but you would not know that until you open the packaging. And you have to put money on the card at the cashier first before you open the packaging. When you load money onto that card, the thieves pounce and drain the very funds you just put on the card. The police urge the public to report any fraud to police and call the number on the back of the card. They also urger the public to buy gift cards that are located behind the counter- but even that’s not tamper proof. I would personally open the package before I place money on the card. The store may frown upon that but let them frown- it’s your money at risk, not theirs. If it’s legit, then you’ll pay it of course, but if it’s not legit- then you saved yourself lots of aggravation and money. Because once your money is gone, it’s difficult to get it back from these clever thieves. You definitely would want to pay for these gift cards with a credit card. That way at least it would offer some protection- but even that’s not guaranteed. Some say that you should digitally purchase gift cards direct from the gift card’s website. That does sound like a better idea- but you have to make sure that the website is authentic to the gift card’s manufacturers. Scammers fraudulently setup websites that look like the actual sites that you are putting your payment information on- if you’re not careful. Be sure that you’re on the right websites before you purchase. Now personally, I will not be purchasing gift cards, a $288 Million in fraudulent loss last year is hard for me to argue with or wrap my head around. Whatever you decide to do, please be careful.

COQUITO

Coquito is a very traditional coconut cocktail found in most Puerto Rican and Latin American homes during the holidays. It’s made with all kinds of dairy, coconut “milk” and lots of rumpa’ que lo sepa’ !!

Coquito is NOT Egg Nog! It is usually our American Anglo folks who describe coquito in this way. Do NOT be that person anymore.

Dairy-Free Coquito Recipe I make a dairy free version of the delicious COQUITO- don’t get me wrong; coquito is delicious as is! But some folks, like my aunts, make it with Tres Leches and my stomach can’t take it! In my 20s, I could barely take it, imagine now in my 30s? Okay 50s, but you know what I mean. Click the picture to see how I make a very delicious dairy-free version. These also make great gifts. Enjoy!! 21

I have not used Holiday Paper for my Christmas gifts in decades. First of all, Holiday paper is expensive, some have ugly prints and garish colors, they’re very seasonal and stores can’t seem to keep them in stock. And if you’re lucky to find some inexpensive beautiful paper, the colors clash with whatever ribbon you may use. I use parcel paper- you may know it as craft paper or shipping paper. It’s that beautiful brown khaki colored paper, very neutral and just like khaki pants goes Parcel paper is very inexpensive and can be use for any gift- not just holiday ones. I use them for birthday gifts, Mothers & Fathers Day gifts and Valentines Day gifts as well.

I even used it on a beautiful wedding gift too. I wrapped a book about Puerto Rico with parcel paper and had fresh white gardenias tied up with white silk ribbon. I wrote a beautiful handwritten note in the inside cover and enclosed two tickets to Puerto Rico and my travel agent’s card inside as well. xoxo

This style of wrapping gifts may be customized for any recipient. For a friend who was having a baby, I brought her a beautiful coffee table book with amazing photographs of babies inside. I tucked in an antique baby rattle that I’ve found with blue ribbon- she was having a boy. For another couple, who was having a girl, I did a similar gift, but that time I tucked in an engraved silver spoon with pink ribbon. The first thing most people say is, “Ahhh this one’s definitely from H. Luiz.” You see, if you do this often enough and beautiful enough, you don’t even need a card. I prefer hand-written notes anyway. Have you ever received the same exact card / wrapping paper for Christmas? I have… at a party. My way, that’s never an issue.

Pernil Asado (Pork Roast) In my childhood home, a pork roast in the oven was what we had, along with pulpo (octopus) salad, chicken & rice, lasagna, and every else. But somehow, pernil asado was and still remains the star of the holiday. Pork shoulder, a primal cut category, is further broken down to two or more subcategories- the picnic shoulder and the pork butt (also known as the Boston butt.) The butt has nothing to do with the hindquarters of the pig, it really is all about the shoulders. Cheap “cuts” were packed into barrels called butts for storage. In fact, “hams” are what we get from the hindquarters. Now a “picnic” shoulder cut is from the lower part of the shoulder butt and includes all of the leg until the hock. The inexpensive picnic shoulder is what pernil asado is made from. The reason why it’s so cheap is because it’s a tougher meat. However, it is the best cut to make this dish because it requires slow-roasting methods. The fatty top layer assists in keeping the meat moist, as well as providing another highly praised pork treat. We call it cuerito but you may know it as fried pork cracklings. There are many ways to prepare a picnic shoulder, from the marinade to the method of cooking. A picnic shoulder roast will feed a small army- trust me on that. The meat is usually prepared with a sofrito and mojo criollo (creole garlic sauce) as a marinade, braising liquid and post-braising dressing. Now I make my homemade mojo criollo but there are some quality-good brands out there to choose from. It gives the pork the herbs, spices and acidity that it really needs. Rice & beans or rice & gandules (pigeon peas) with slices of avocado (or an avocado salad) are the usual accompaniments to the pork roast. Then there’s the fried plantains (unripen salty tostones or ripen sweet maduros), macaroni salad and a bevy of other starches for the holiday in most Latino and Latin-American homes. In my home, I make just the pork roast, white rice & black beans, avocado and a little cherry-tomato salad. Sometimes, I’ll add plantain chips to give a nod to tradition, but other than that, that’s really all you need on a Christmas plate. 25

mojo criollo (garlic creole marinade) & pork prep • • • • • • • •

picnic pork shoulder (a small one can feed 6-8 people) olive oil garlic oranges lemons/limes (juice) cilantro (or parsley if you prefer) cumin (dry seeds crushed or powdered cumin spice) paprika (smoked or regular) salt & pepper to taste (I use kosher salt and cracked pepper) *or buy a store-bought brand labeled Mojo Criollo instead

Preheat the oven at 350 degrees In a bowl, combine the juice of 1 orange and 1 lemon or lime with ¾ cup of olive oil. Chop 5 garlic cloves into shards and 1 bunch of cilantro. Crush a handful of cumin seeds or add 2 tablespoons of cumin. Smoked paprika, salt & pepper goes in next. Add more splashes of olive oil to the mix and stir well. Set aside. In a roasting pan, place the pork with the fatty skin on top. Carefully slice back that fat but do not cut it off, just peel it back with your knife. Salt the pork on all sides. Take a sharp knife and poke holes into the pork, be careful of the bone. Stick the shards of garlic in the holes then slather the rest of the marinade all over the pork. Place the fatty layer back over the meat- salt and slather that too. Add orange slices on top, then cover tightly with foil. The orange slices prevent the foil from sticking to the pork. Place in the oven at 350 degrees for about 3 hours. Take the pork out of the oven and raise the temperature to 400 degrees. Discard the foil and orange slices. Salt the fatty layer again. Return the pork uncovered for another hour. Then take the pork out of the oven and slice off the now crispy fatty layer. Cut the meat off the bone, then slice and shred it into smaller pieces. Add a pinch of salt, a splash more of olive oil and the juice of a lemon or lime. Return to the oven (cracklings on top) for the last 20 minutes. I serve my pernil asado with white rice & black beans, avocado slices and a tomato lettuce salad. To give it a nod to traditional tostones, I add some natural plantain chips.

Pernil Asado / Roast Pork Video Recipe 27

Costly Travel Mistakes You Want to Avoid People today, especially avid travelers, are quite good at the art of booking plane tickets, creating itineraries and leveraging their time in away places. Even if it’s just sitting by the pool or relaxing at the beach, it takes planning. Now if you don’t know exactly what you’re doing, you could be making costly mistakes. The biggest loss is not only money spent but time wasted too. Here are some costly mistakes you want to avoid.

Try on your stuff for more than 30 minutes. You’ve bought all the clothes, gear and products that you (think you) need for your trip and you may have even tried on that jacket or those new shoes. But just trying it on isn’t enough — have you tried it out? You need to test it out in the real world for comfort, know-how and actual need. Find a way to simulate what you’ll be wearing/ doing on the trip so you can use the stuff you bring before you leave for your trip. If you’re planning to spend your vacation trailing hikes or walking around a historic city, go for a hike or walk around your own city- wearing your new sneakers and/ or carrying your own gear. I remember the 1st time I’ve travelled to the Dominican Republic on my own. I was there for Activism but also to explore one of my now favorite historical cities. I renamed the Colonial City Land of the “Firsts” of the New World. I saw the 1st Cathedral of the New World (The Americas), the 1st Fort, the 1st Bridge. I even saw the 1st paved street- Calle De Las Damas (Street for the Ladies) in the Colonial Zone of the capital city, Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. I was so excited to see it all. I brought my brand new sneakers and camera backpack, that I tried on in the store and modelled for Henry in our home. However, while walking in the Land of the Firsts, toes on both feet felt pinched and the heel of my left fool felt painful- in the first few minutes. Also, the camera equipment I was carrying in the back pack, felt like a pile of boulders. When I finally got back to my beautiful room, I removed my backpack and felt 2 large welts on my shoulders where the straps were. As I took off my sneakers, I noticed my blood-soaked socks. I was almost afraid to remove them off my feet. When I did, I saw bloodied, bruised and blistered feet. I picked up the sneakers and noticed that the inner lining was very thin, that the structure off the outsole tip were penetrating the sides of my Big and Pinky toes. The heel lining was also very thin, giving me blister one one foot and two blisters on the other. I felt uncomfortable with my backpack and sneakers within the first 20 minutes. Imagine the pain I could have saved if I wore them for just a half hour walking in my own city. I would have know to bring something else and to not pack so much camera equipment with me. I spent the rest of that day and part of the next off my feet- not a good way to start any trip. 28

Stop booking flights too far in advance- you are not getting a better price deal because of it. While it’s important to not wait until the last minute to book a flight, you can actually book up to 5-7 days before your date to get the same deal as someone who booked a month earlier. You may even get a better deal. Besides, book too far in advance and your plans or circumstances may change affecting your future travels. Where did we get this notion of booking way in advance anyway? I blame some of the Travel Agents of yesteryear, trying to secure some income. Alert your Bank and Credit Cards Co.’s that you’ll be travelling. If you begin using your debit or credit card as soon as you land, your bank or credit issuer might see the charges racking up in a foreign city and freeze your account. To prevent this from happening, let your bank know that you’ll be traveling before you leave. Most banks/ CC companies make it easy to notify them digitally or a call. I tried to take out just $40 (20,891.242 Colones) from an ATM in Costa Rica. It let me go through the whole process and just before the money was to be dispensed, the machine ate my bank card. I quickly called my bank (should have done that before I left The States) and they thanked me for letting them know and told me there’s absolutely nothing they can do about the card. I explained that I didn’t want them to do something about my physical ATM card, I just wanted to inform them that when I get the card back, I will be using it. They asked how much longer is my stay in Costa Rica. I replied that I leave… tomorrow morning… <gulp!> on Sunday. As I said the words, I realized that I would not be getting my ATM card back on a Sunday in Costa Rica, the very morning of my 8am return flight back to JFK New York. My bank quickly cancelled my card and expressed me a new one so that I’d have it by Monday morning at my home address. I thanked them profusely and was told: next time, Mr. Martinez, please let us know when you are leaving the country for travel. “Yeah, yeah I think I got it!” <click!> Don’t let this happen to you. Carryon luggage only. Avoid checking your bags and just stick to carryon luggage. Trust me on this. I have travelled to Europe for 10 days with just a carryon. I know what you’re going to say: I’m a dude, I’m also bald and have no need for lots of hair products or a collection of strappy heels. (You don’t know what I wear jajajaja!) Airlines have improved and only 30% of passengers lose their checked luggage as opposed to 42% ten years ago- but 30% is still too much. Also, learn to carry your essentials (meds, valuables; change of clothes) if you insist on checking in your luggage. The time alone spent checking / retrieving luggage is around 35-50 minutes each way- and they may lose it? No thank you!

CHICKEN “ANY” NOODLE SOUP When making chicken soup, there’s an ingredient that’s most often overlooked- the chicken broth or chicken stock. Chicken stock is best when you make it yourself because you can control the quality of the ingredients but there are some great alternatives out there. I use the caucus or 2 from whole chicken(s) for stock. But sometimes, even I have to buy a can or two of chicken stock when I run out of my homemade liquid gold. I don’t use those powdery stale cubes- they’re mostly MSG and salt. Nowadays, if I need a quick stock, I use a concentrated paste of chicken meat that’s made with real chicken meat. To Shred or Not to Shred that is always the question with chicken breast. Why? Because the whole point of soup, besides being delicious, is that it can stretch your meat. Shredding the chicken is the way to go when feeding a crowd. However, my family is small, so there’s no real need to stretch the food to feed us- we’re just two. Keep your family’s size or the group your feeding in mind when you think about slicing or shredding your chicken. That being said, I usually shred the chicken anyway because it ensures that every spoonful has some chicken meat. It’s also easier to just boil the chicken in a separate pot of salted water, shred it, then add it to your stock pot. The herbs I use are fresh parsley or cilantro (one or the other, but not both) and fresh dill. I use a dry bay leaf or two and my powdered cumin and coriander as well. The vegetables for any of my chicken soup recipes start with a mirepoix (onions, carrots, and celery) and some frozen peas. I also use other root vegetables like turnips and parsnips. As well as lots and lots of garlic. Now for the “any” noodles, I usually have short pasta like orzo or ditali- even minitortellini. Then at times, I go traditional with regular egg noodles. However, if I’m out of any noodles (see what I did there?), I add 2 cups of jasmine white rice. We Latinx folks call that sopon, sort of a stoup- not quite stew but not really soup either. But this recipe is for chicken soup- Chicken “Any” Noodle Soup.

INGREDIENTS * 1 or 2 chicken breasts (1 feeds 4-5 people, 2 feeds 5-8 people) * 2 onions (any variety, I use either Spanish onion or white onion) * 3 to 4 carrots (or use a bag of shredded carrots) * 2 to 3 celery stalks (remove the leaves and use for garnish) * 1 cup frozen peas * 1 parsnip * 1 turnip * 4-6 garlic cloves to taste * olive oil * 1 bunch parsley or cilantro (not both) * 1 bunch dill * 1 or 2 dry bay leaves * powdered cumin to taste * powdered coriander to taste * 1 pound of “Any” short pasta (or substitute 2 cups of rice) * whole lime or lemon * 4 cups (32 ounces) chicken stock or broth

DIRECTIONS Fill a pot with salted water and drop in your chicken breast(s). Throw in a couple of garlic cloves and the juice of half of lime or lemon. Then throw the half in the pot of water (saving the other half for later.) Bring to a boil for about 15 minutes. Remove and set aside- you’re halfway done already. Grab another large pot and add about a half-inch of olive oil to coat the bottom. Let the oil heat up and add the mirepoix of diced onions, carrots, and celery (remove the delicious celery leaves for a pretty garnish later.) Sauté the mirepoix for at least 5 minutes on medium flame. Then add your diced turnip and parsnip for another 5 minutes. Dice your garlic cloves and add that to the pot- sauté another 2 minutes. Add your chicken broth and dry bay leaves. Bring to a boil (10 minutes). Shred or dice your chicken breast and add it to the pot. Squeeze in the juice of the other half of lime or lemon- salt and pepper to taste. Bring up to boil then add 2 cups of salted water. Add 2 cups of pasta / pastina or 2 cups of rice if you want to make Chicken and Rice instead. The pasta you’ll add will absorb a lot of the chicken stock. Add powdered cumin and / or coriander to taste. I use 2 tablespoons of each. Bring to boil for another 10 minutes. Lower the heat, cover the pot and simmer for another 10-15 minutes.

Just before serving, remove your bay leaves and add the frozen peas. Then add your fresh herbs of dill and parsley or cilantro. Stir for about a minute or so then taste to see if you need to adjust for more salt, pepper or lime juice.

To serve, I use a slotted spoon to bring the hearty ingredients to a bowl or cup. Then I ladle the broth to cover the delicious ingredients. This method ensures that every one served receives the same delicious ingredients to stock ratio. My family will point out if someone else received more ingredients than them jajaja.

Garnish with the reserved celery leaves (ooh they’re so pretty) and sometimes I sprinkle over some red pepper flakes. A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil on top is optional. Since my soup includes a short pasta like mini tortellini (my goodness- they quadruple in size!) or rice already, I don’t serve it with bread. If I know I’m going to serve my soup with bread, then I omit any pasta or rice when making the soup.

This Chicken “Any” Noodle Soup recipe takes about an hour to make but it tastes as if it’s been cooking all day on the stove, just like Grandma used to make it.

*Speaking of Grandmothers, I remember helping mine make her chicken noodle soup. I asked her how she wanted me to cut the carrots- chopped, sliced, diced, julienned or minced? She gave me such a look and said, “Just cut the damn carrots into little pieces, Sweetie. There’s no need to get fancy with all that foolishness.” I think I caught her for the first and only time, rolling her eyes at me that day. jajajaja

The Holidays are Coming

Linzer Cookie Recipe

Linzer Cookies Linzer cookies have been very popular for hundreds of years. It’s basically a mini version of the famous Linzer torte, originating in Austria. Traditionally, a Linzer Cookie is made of simple, buttery shortbread (made with almond flour) that are then filled with delicious raspberry or apricot jam. Then another cookie is placed on top, usually with a cutout, to make the jam peer through. You can also make thumb print cookies- an American version of hallongrottor (which means “raspberry cave,” traditional to Sweden) and is basically a Linzer cookie without a top cookie.

Now for me, Linzer cookies are dry, so dry and too dry in most cases for my tastes. The shortbread cookie to jam ratio has to be just right to achieve the not-too-dry and not-too-sweet perfect cookie. And the use of ground almond flour just makes it too, too dry for me. And the jam, well there are times when people bake the jam with the cookie dough- a real mistake. This just makes the jam way sweeter than it already is- and gives it a dry pasty texture. I like to bake my cookies using all-purpose flour instead of almond flour with lots of butter and citrus zest (lime and orange) in the dough. I also try to make the actual cookie as thin as possible. Since it is two cookies, sandwiching the jam (or lemon curd), two thick cookies will no-doubt cause it to be dry. I then assemble the cookies and fill them with the very best jam I can make or buy. There are great quality jams out there for purchase. However, if I have the time, I prefer to make my own jams and jellies. I can control the quality and sweetness of the jams in this way. But during the holidays, I barely have time to whip up some fresh fruit jams. And who says that you have to use raspberry jams and apricot preserves anyway? Sometimes , I like to use my homemade cranberry sauce for a real festive holiday. You can also fill and stuff your cookies with lemon curd or orange marmalade. Hazelnut spreads are enjoyable too. Even chocolate can be a tasty variation to the famed Linzer cookie. You’re as limited as your imagination!

Ingredients You’ll Need: •2 ¼ cups of all-purpose flour •¾ cup (90g) powdered sugar* •¼ teaspoon salt •¾ cup (200g) unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch cubes and chilled •1 large egg yolk •1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract •Filling: ½ cup raspberry jam, apricot jam or jam of your choice (I’ve use strawberry jam, lemon curd, hazelnut spread and even chocolate

Here’s What to Do: Make sure your butter is very cold. I’ve been using plant-based butter (just to avoid milk-fat solids) and I can’t tell a difference between that and dairy butter- use what you like. Cut the butter into cubes and place in the freezer for a few minutes before processing with the rest of the ingredients. Put your flour, sugar and salt in a food processor until combined and then add in the chilled butter. Pulse the mixture several times, until it becomes crumbly. Add in your egg yolk, vanilla extract and keep pulsing until the mixture comes together into a dough. Scrape the dough onto a floured surface and form it into a disc. Wrap with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour (an up to 3 days if you want to bake off the cookies later). The dough really needs time to chill before you roll it out and shape your cookies. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and prepare your baking sheets so they’re ready by the time you have cut out your cookies. On a floured surface, roll out the chilled dough until it’s about ⅛ to ¼ inch thick. I prefer to keep these cookies thin, since you’ll have two layers in each final cookie. Cut out your cookies. Using a 2-inch or larger cookie cutter, (I use round, heart and star shapes) cut out 60 shapes and set on the lined baking sheets. Cut a hole (or smaller cutter shape)I n the center of 30 of the cookies- these will end up being the tops of your cookies. Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Let them cool in the pan for 15 more minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely. Once cooled, sift powdered sugar on top of the cookies with the holes / cutouts. Sometimes, I omit the powdered sugar altogether. Fill the other cooled solid cookies with about ½ a teaspoon of your favorite jam in the centers. Then place the cookie with the cutouts on top of the filled solid cookies. Press gently, being careful not to squeeze any jam out of the center.

These Linzer Cookies are best eaten right away but can also be stored at room temperature in an air-tight container for up to 7 days. These are not the type of cookies to keep in a cookie tin or pastry box. You may also keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks too, but they won’t last that long. This recipe (although untraditional because of the all-purpose flour) is buttery, tender and meltin-your-mouth deliciousness. They’re a must for the holidays and especially for a cookie swap party- I used to host a couple of those during the winter holiday season. These Linzer cookies also make a great gift. Just be sure to gift a nice air-tight container with every full batch.

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Meditative Art and Positive Vibes by H.Luiz Martinez

Meditative Art, Art Therapy, Mindful Art or simply just Doodling has been around since forever- they're found in caves for goodness sakes. Don't let anyone tell you any different. Create fun, easy patterns and create beautiful designs- I call them tableaus. Inside, I'll tell you how I got started (40+ years ago) and how you too can benefit from creating your own tableaus. I even show you how you can make one-of-a-kind gifts with your artwork.

Over 40 years ago, I used to doodle on everything I can get my hands on. It wasn't until I started doodling on my homemade book covers (I started with brown paper bags but graduated to white kraft paper) that people really started to notice my artwork.

*available exclusively on AMAZON

Happy New Year 2024

In Latin American and Hispanic countries, many cultures welcome the change of the calendar with unique New Year’s traditions. Here in the United States, we like to throw elegant parties and see big displays of fireworks. We also like to see a ball drop, counting down the final seconds of the old year and into the new year. We also like to kiss our loved one(s) at the precise moment, showing our love for one another. Then start the phone calls- calling our parents, siblings, children and best friends. Happy New Year, Happy New Year- we shout into the phones. Now that was the H. Luiz & Henry of years ago. Now we call our loved ones around 910pm. We wish them a very Happy New Year and remind them not to call us a midnight- please. Although I will more than likely be up until around 2am as usual (I have lots to do), I really don’t want to talk to anyone. Henry definitely does not want to start the NEW Year tired (Henry gets up around 430a every single day.) Although we love traditions, we’re just not into the late calls anymore. We enjoy traditions found in many of the countries that we have travelled to over the past 25 years. Here are some of our favorite New Year’s traditions found around the world. Spain In Spain, it is customary to eat 12 grapes – one at each stroke of the clock at midnight on New Year’s Eve. Each grape represents good luck for one month of the coming year. In bigger cities like Madrid and Barcelona, people gather in main squares to eat their grapes together and pass around bottles of Cava (sparkling wine). Henry and I really like this tradition and we race to see who can eat the most grapes. We’ve experienced this tradition in Mexico as well. Colombia In hopes of a travel-filled new year, residents of Colombia carry empty suitcases around the block. Many neighbors would ask: and where are you going or where are you off to? The reply is often the same: why, into the New Year of course! Panama To drive off evil spirits for a fresh New Year’s start, it is tradition to burn dolls (muñecos) of well-known people such as negative TV characters and/ or corrupt political figures in Panama. Like Voodoo dolls, the practice is meant to have a better year by getting rid of these bad-spirited folks. Ecuador / Peru / Paraguay Many people make or buy año viejos (effigies of the “old year”) and burn them in the street at midnight on December 31st. This is a symbolic custom to receive new hopes of change and let go of all that happened in the previous year. Bolivia / Venezuela It is thought to be lucky to wear special underwear on New Year’s Eve. The most popular colors are red, thought to bring love in the New Year, and yellow to bring money and prosperity. Pink for joy and happiness. 48

Dominican Republic When the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve, that’s known as “Cañonazo” in the Dominican Republic. Hugs, kisses, toasts and often tears of joy are exchanged to start the year off with friends and family. Throwing sugar on the outside grounds is said to help sweeten the new year with lots of sweet things to come in the Dominican Republic. It’s also said that throwing sugar out the window may also sweeten a family member’s or a neighbor’s sour disposition.

Haiti To celebrate the new year, Haitians make a special dish called soup joumou. This soup, made with squash, was originally only allowed for the Haitian colonial masters, so it became a way for the newly freed slaves to celebrate their liberation. Now it is made every new year in honor of their struggle. Haitians (like Brazilians) are not Hispanic because their native language is not Spanish. But they are part of Latin America because of their location (geography) and thus Latino. *A lot of people confuse the terms Hispanic (language) and Latino (geography) still to this day. Cuba Throwing a bucket of water out a window or door in Cuba, signifies renewal and rejuvenation. Extra points if someone who slighted you in the last year is standing below.

Mexico In Mexico, it's customary to hang a wool toy lamb from your front door for good fortune. It’s a symbol of the blood of a sacrificial lamb found at the door to protect those inside fin the coming year. This one has religious implications. Brazil In Brazil, dressing all in white, jumping seven waves, and placing flowers in the ocean is a way to wish for good luck in the new upcoming year. Many proposals take place Chile Lentils symbolize prosperity and good fortune in Latin America. Folks eat them at midnight on New Year’s Eve in various countries throughout the region and/or slip them into their pockets for safekeeping. In Chile, people wrap 12 lentils in a paper bill to improve financial prosperity for the 12 months of the coming year. 49

Feliz Año Nuevo 2024

Puerto Rico (wepa!) Puerto Rico has many traditions for New Year’s Eve, but one popular tradition is cleaning the inside and outside of the home before the New Year arrives. It is believed that the condition that you welcome the new year will be the condition that will prevail in the new year. This is why many people also choose to wear new clothes to receive the new year with new and better things. Just like Christmas and Three Kings Day, special meals, singing, dancing and church services are part of the New Year’s Eve / Day traditions too.

MAR – APR 2022

AUG 2022

NOV 2022