La Antigua, Guatemala Pt 4-COFFEE

one of the things this regions is best known for, is it's coffee. being a lover of the bean, i was very excited to try the nectar straight from it's source! sunday morning we met up with a small group to go on a tour of one of the local coffee plantations in the neighboring town of san miguel escobar. 

de le gente roughly translates to "of the people". it is a co-op of coffee farmers that share a large plantation just outside of antigua, on the slopes of volcan agua. 

our farmer/tour guide's name was freddy (on the right). joe (on the left) was his translator. they walked us through the fields of coffee bushes. they explained the process of growing coffee from seed to harvest.

workers returning from the fields with their crops. to keep the fields as useful as possible, the workers will plant crops such as corn, beans, citrus and (yay) avocados amongst the coffee bushes. this ensures that all year round there is a viable food and money source.

i hav absolutely no clue what this tree is called. but it provided an absolutely lovely splash of color!

a scenic view over the forest of coffee bushes. blue skies. mild weather. the peak of a volcano in the background. another gorgeous guatemalan day!

most of the coffee berries were still to green to be picked. we were a few weeks shy of harvesting season. here one lone ripe berry shows the ideal color the farmers will be looking for.

a basket of coffee beans after they have had their shells removed, and have been dried by the sun.

this is what the coffee bean looks like after the husk has been removed. it's ready for roasting!

tony roasting beans old school....on a stone plate over a wood stove.

tony grinding the beans on a granite slab. most of these steps are done off-site with more modern machinery. but....they like to teach the tours to do it the traditional way.

the fruits of our (well, tony's) labor! a very rich dark coffee. freshly roasted/ground and brewed. now i'm going to expect tony to go through the same level of effort every morning for my coffee. no more k-cup nonsense. i want the real thing.

i will say the experience has given me a new appreciation for what goes into a cup of coffee. something so simple that people take for granted.

La Antigua, Guatemala Pt 3-The Zipline

saturday in antigua was one of the things i was looking forward to the most. ziplinning!!! it's been on my list of "things to do before i die" for quite some time. and this was my chance. 

we took a little shuttle up to a hill top restaurant/resort just above antigua. the company has set up a course with 11 ziplines, various rope bridges and some rather intimidating ladders. now, i've never had a fear of heights. so the idea of dangling off of a wire 300 meters above the ground didn't really bother me. but the sight of the ladder going up  those 300 meters? that i had to climb? in hiking boots? THAT freaked me out. but one rung at a time.....i managed to get from the bottom to the top. and from there could hook onto that wire, and fly!

here we are all suited up and ready for flight! the team that ran the operation was efficient and thorough. i always felt safe under their care. they were very careful to explain the entire process to us, and ensured us that safety was their number one priority!

it's hard to see, but that little dot in the middle of the trees? that's me! i'll admit the first of the 11 zip lines i was so worried about getting everything right, i hardly had time to enjoy the experience. but i quickly got the hang of it. where to put my hands, how to hold my legs, how to stop. it all happens so fast that it's like a blur. but after that first one? i was able to fully enjoy that feeling of speed and momentum. and it was wonderful!

here's tony, coming in just behind me. he may have enjoyed it even more than i did!

landed safe and sound! this course had a break system that made stopping pretty fool-proof. most places you have to manually slow down and stop at the end. it was a relief not to have to think about the mechanics!

he managed to get a little video clip of me landing after one of the rides.

the last of the 11 ziplines was the longest/highest. 600 meters long. it offers a beautiful view of the surrounding areas. the skies were clear, so you could see all three volcanos in the distance. and the lush canopy of trees below.

La Antigua, Guatemala Pt 2-Pacaya

friday morning, our first full day in antigua, we met with a group of about 20 (other wedding guests from out of town) to take a bus to the nearby volcano "pacaya". we drove for about an hour to get to the start of the volcano's summit.

the parking lot was filled with locals who were offering horses to the tourists. they called them "taxis". and these guys were AGGRESSIVE with their offers. they would look for the most out-of-shape gringos in the crowd and stalk us the entire way up the mountain. the elevation is pretty high up here, around 7,000ft above sea level. so my weak virginia lungs needed to take frequent breaks. every time i would stop a young man on a horse would appear at my side saying "taxi? you look like you need a taxi.....". they underestimated my stubbornness. and i'm happy to say i made it up the volcano horse-free!

there were also small children crowded around the bus offering walking sticks as people got off. probably a dozen kids, under the age of 12. all chanting "stick? stick?" as we walked towards the trail.

here's the map of our trek. 2.8 kilometers doesn't seem so far. and it's not SUPER steep. but it is uphill. and that air gets pretty thin pretty quickly. so it took our group about an hour and a half to get to the top.

the vegetation is lush and the soil is dark. pacaya is an active volcano, it's last eruption was just last year. you can still see remnants of the ash as you walk along.

stopping at one of the overlooks for a photo op!

it was rather misty that day, but we lucked out and had a few breaks in the clouds to get pictures of the scenery.

there are expansive stretches of lava fields. dark and crumbling rocks with vents of steam coming through. at this point you have to be careful of where you step. the lava rocks give out under the feet easily. it's like walking through aquarium gravel. and some of those spots are definitely hot enough to burn you if you fall into them.

the vents are so hot, you can roast a marshmallow in them!

snacking on an ooey gooey marshmallow toasted in the steam vent of a lava field on the side of an active volcano. that moment? totally makes the hike worth it!

this side of the volcano is completely devoid of vegetation. it is an eerily beautiful and alien landscape. i will never know how our guide knew where he was going. there are no landmarks and the mist was rolling in pretty thick. but he marched us through the loose rock and took us on a little detour to show us something new.

this is the start of a lava tube, a sort of cave that is formed when lava flows slowly underground. this one has been cool for centuries, but the cave remains!

this was taken inside the lava tube looking up. 

it was an amazing hike, full of wonderful sights and experiences. we got back to antigua tired, sore and HUNGRY. we ended our afternoon with the most amazing black bean soup and quesadillas at a little restaurant called "cafe sky". they have a rooftop deck that offers a beautiful panoramic view of the city and it's surrounding hills. a fantastic way to end a fantastic day! 

La Antigua, Guatemala (Pt 1)

we've recently returned from another amazing trip. this time to antigua, guatemala! admittedly, guatemala was never on my list of places to visit. and that is a very long list. we were invited down as guests at the wedding of our friends shandy and dennis (shandy has family in guatemala). and i'm never one to turn down an invitation to someplace new! but if i had know about the volacanos, the spanish ruins, the colorful buildings and the coffee? i would have added this gem of a city to my list years ago.

tony and i were only there for five days, but it was packed full of activities, sight seeing and (of course) food! there's too much to write about in one post....so i'm breaking it into multiple parts.

day one we most spent getting our bearings. antigua is actually fairly easy to get around. it's a basic grid system, so easily navigated on foot.

we stayed at a lovely b&b on the south side of the town. "casa encantada".  we had the top suite and a quaint little courtyard. 

antigua is a UNESCO world heritage site, which means everything has to look exactly as it has a hundred years ago. so the streets are cobblestones, and the buildings are vibrant colors. it has a combination of influences from the local mayan population as well as the spanish (who set up a colony there).  the city has been victim to earthquakes, so many of the catholic churches set up by the spanish now sit in ruins.

it sits amongst the central american volcanic arc, and just south of the city towers the beautiful volcan de agua. when they skies are clear, it makes for a gorgeous backdrop. a geographical photo bomb....

this is a local fountain where the women used to come and wash their clothes. now, it's pretty much the local "make out spot" for teenagers....

the city center, or "central park" of antigua. that's the town cathedral on the left, and the start of the weekend markets being set up on the right. here they sell anything from mayan embroidered textiles, to jade jewelry, to carved wooden toys. 

a view of the park itself, and the central fountain. 

the view from our little rooftop courtyard! a very nice greeting first thing in the morning.

tony and i signed up for a street food tour offered by "taste of antigua". i highly recommend this to anyone traveling here. not only did we get some amazingly tasty local cuisine, but it gave us a good tour of the city.

fresh chuchitos con pollo. a chuchito is very similar to a tamale, cornmeal stuffed with meats aand vegetables and steamed in a corn husk.  it's served with a pickled cabbage and onion slaw.

"canalittas de leche" or "little milk legs". a local candy that is similar to a fudge, but WAY creamier and smoother.

these two women run a little shop tucked between buildings. they have a grill set up at the front where they make their pupusas, doblados, tacos, and whatever else they have on hand daily.

we had the pupusa con queso and the doblados con carne. so good!!!!!

rellenitos de plantaos. this was one of my favorite "street eats". we had this in the back of a little tienda (think a small convenient store). it was dimly lit and looked like someone's run down kitchen. but filled with locals who come here for the pepin (stew). these are mashed plantains wrapped around mashed blackbeans sweetened with sugar and chocolate. sounds like a strange combination. but they were fantastic! not overly sweet, and just a few bites made a wonderful end to a day of snacking.

i didn't get a picture, but we also had the most amazing smoothies. so simple. pineapple and water. that was it. but the pineapple was so fresh and sweet? it was delicious and refreshing and wonderful.

here we have "gaio for gallo". gallo is the local beer present just about everywhere you look. think bud lite in the states. tony says he doesn't really recommend it by taste. but, when in rome, drink as the romans do!

i love, LOVE that pretty much anything you order here comes with guacamole and mashed black beans. this is a plate of grilled chorizo. not as spicy as what i'm used to. apparently they aren't big on "heat" in the food here. but still tasty!

fresh corn tortillas are offered with almost every dish. and i do mean fresh.

this little lady makes them as soon as you order them.

this was our typical morning breakfast (we had access to the neighboring hotel's buffet, which was a generous offering of fresh foods). tamales, chorizo, pupusas, plantains (i do love plantains, so was very happy to see them daily), papaya juice and (of course) coffee.  we needed the big breakfasts to get us through our very busy days. which i will write more about in the upcoming posts!!

The Best Laid Plans of Mice and SJ's.......

i am by no means an athletically minded person.  i am clumsy to a point that would be comical...if it wasn't so often painful. i never played sports in high school. any time i've gone to the gym it was like i was possessed by a demon. with a bad temper. that had tourette's.

yet somehow, i convinced myself that pedaling my way across the eastern shore of Maryland seemed like a good idea.  so a few months ago, tony and i signed up for the "seagull metric century".  100 km....or 62 miles (i know my limits, and a full 100 mile century is a little beyond my feeble grasp).

those of you who know me are right now asking yourself "is she serious? a bike ride? over 10 minutes? impossible".  but for serious. i've been training since july for this ride.

now you're probably asking the next logical question "why? why sara jean would you do this?" well i'll tell you. two words. two words that i feel are the answer to many of life's problems. peanut butter. i love peanut butter. and will do pretty much anything for it. (mahjong and i are alike in that)

a peanut butter and jelly sandwich is one of those wonderful things in life that we are blessed to have in childhood, but rarely allow ourselves to indulge in as adults. so i promised myself...for every training ride i did that was over 30 miles? i got to have a peanut butter jelly sandwich. whole wheat bread. peanut butter on both sides. blackberry preserves in the middle. putting the peanut butter on both sides solves that pesky problem of the jelly soaking through the bread. genius. that's how i roll.

i was like putting a carrot in front of a horse. all those hills. all those aches. all those pains. i pushed through them thinking about my wonderful pb&js.

but alas, mother nature had other plans for me. for the first time in it's history.....the seagull ride was cancelled!!!!!!! heavy rainfalls and strong winds made the conditions too hazardous for wimpy little bike riders like me....so my daydreams of sitting on the roadside noshing on my sammiches....were dashed.

but i am way too stubborn to let something this go without a fight. as soon as the skies stopped crying on northern virginia, i got on that bike, and pedaled back and forth on the trails here until i hit my goal of 62 miles. AND I HAD MY VICTORY PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY!!!!!!!!!

one of the luxuries of living where i do is access to the W&OD trail. it runs about 44 miles from arlington to purcilleville in virginia. many moons ago it was a train route, and now makes for a most convenient bike/running path. and the towns it runs through have been smart enough to set up small cafes and breweries along the way.

the weather last sunday was perfect riding weather. blue skies. crisp enough to wear long sleeves, but not yet chilly. the leaves were just starting to change their colors, and a few are even falling onto the paved bike path.

here's the bib from our registration that i SHOULD have been wearing the weekend before. i'm keeping it for bragging rights.

this is photographic proof....i can balance on a bicycle! for at least a little bit....sorry world for showing you pictures of me in bike shorts.....

we stopped at one of those great little restaurants off the trail i mentioned for a bite to eat. doner cafe in leesburg serves authentic german street food. here we have curry wurst with pommes and kartoffelpuffer (potato pancakes) with apple sauce. soooooo tasty. and just what i need to fuel the last dozen miles of our ride!

here's a picture of me and my boo (for this day he was serving double duty as personal trainer and motivational speaker) with the odometer proving that we accomplished our goal! and with two added miles for extra credit!!!!

and finally me in my "victory stance". i made it!!!! and am still standing!!!!!! and not in tears!!!!!! and am going to eat all the peanut butters and jellies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's the Great Pumpkin, Sara Jean

i love autumn. the colors, the smells, the crisp in the air. and with autumn comes pumpkin season!

i suppose i could eat pumpkin year 'round. i give it to mahjong daily with her food (greyhounds have very sensitive stomachs....trust me...you want the pumpkin in their diet....everyone is happier for it). but somehow it only feels appropriate for me to have it in the months of october and november.

once i see those bright happy orange gourds in the farmers markets, i put them in everything i can think of. and as i mentioned in my favorite thing.....orange is on the list of happy!

i have a variety of breakfast dishes to start the day. one of my go-to favorites has been pumpkin scones with spiced pecans and candied ginger. the pumpkin adds a nice moist texture to the scone so it's much better than the dry hockey pucks you find at most major coffee chains. and pumpkin pancakes. with rolled oats and whole wheat. so fluffy and flavorful, you don't taste the "healthy". pumpkin chocolate chip muffins for a quick grab-and-go breakfast on work days. and one of these days, when i'm feeling especially fancy, i'll be making pumpkin cinnamon rolls. maybe for thanksgiving. seems like a holiday type of breakfast.

i've also found the versatility of pumpkin in savory dishes. i took a three week trip through europe a few years ago during october, and noticed that every country i was in, they used pumpkin in their main courses. diced and tossed with pasta. pureed and used as a base for soups, mashed and used as the filling for dumplings. now i use it as a base for many of my favorite autumn main dishes. pumpkin risotto, pumpkin coconut milk soup, pumpkin polenta. and one of my all time favorites, pumpkin gnocchi with a sage brown butter sauce. i actually learned the recipe during that october european adventure. i spent some time at a cooking school in tuscany, and learned how simple and amazing the combination of pumpkin and sage can be. it makes the entire house smell wonderful!

and of course, desserts. pumpkin pie was probably the only way i had this amazing squash in my younger years. and pumpkin pie is amazing....but why limit oneself? now i make pumpkin cheesecakes (with gingersnap crust), pumpkin mousse, pumpkin cream cheese bars.

i've also started using the seeds as a base for snacking. i made a trail mix with spiced pumpkin seeds as a base. threw in some dried cranberries, almonds, golden raisins, peanuts and candied ginger. makes for a nice mid-day pick me up.

and now for the even better facts. beyond it's amazing taste, pumpkin has a stupid amount of fibre. also vitamin C and potassium, so i always feel a little better about dishes that i'm able to sneak it into. there's a study that shows the carotenoids in pumpkin keeps the elastin in skin strong, and helps prevent wrinkles! so for the vanity's sake.....load up on the pumpkins!!

there is one minor problem with all of this pumpkin. as i mentioned, i use pumpkin daily in mahjong's kibble to keep her digestive system healthy. so.....when she smells that i'm cooking with pumpkin? this is what i deal with in my kitchen:

neediest. hound. ever.