Last night I made my first batch of Cola de Mono, a traditional Chilean Christmas cocktail. After nearly 12 years, I decided it was time to give it another go.

Back as a student here in 1997, I imbibed a little too much of this potent drink, and let me tell you, the hangover was more memorable than any of the Christmas festivities on the following day…

The name of the drink literally means, “monkey’s tail.” While the exact origin of this unusual title is unknown, one theory is that this potent Christmas drink will have you swinging from the rafters …like a monkey! Another story links the name to former Chilean President, Pedro Montt and his pistol (let your imagination wander there).

This creamy creation is very much like the tradition of eggnog during Christmas in North America. As far as texture and taste, though, it’s on par with a White Russian. It’s a milk-based punch made with sugar, spices, coffee, and spiked with a hearty dose of aguardiente (a distilled grape spirit, similar to brandy). Beware. Aguardiente is 50% alcohol and could no doubt be used to clean a wound, replace your lighter fluid, get a barbeque fire under way, and oh, poured into this drink.

However, when combined with the milk, the result is way lighter than eggnog, as it’s served cold.

Perhaps I should repeat this so you do not all have to learn the hard way: Do not underestimate the powers of this drink. It packs a serious punch. In addition to my hazy 1997 Christmas Eve, I am positive many Chilean families have stories about the time that one Tía got a little wasted on the good ole “colemono,” as Chileans often pronounce it.

What to eat with Cola de Mono? Not Christmas cookies! Oh no. Down here, it’s all about pan de Pascua, yep, the ubiquitous fruitcake that gets re-gifted every year. Similar to panettone in Italy, it’s in every supermarket and bakery right now.

Wherever and however you guys choose to celebrate this weekend, I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas. Big hugs from Chile!!! Feliz Navidad.

Liz’s Cola de Mono
4 cups whole milk (for non-dairy, use almond milk)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
5 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
1 teaspoon good Madagascar vanilla extract, or ¼ vanilla bean, scrapped
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons instant coffee (I used decaf)
1 cup Chilean aguardiente, white rum, brandy or vodka

• Combine the milk, water, sugar, cloves, cinnamon stick, vanilla, and nutmeg in medium saucepan.

• Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves.

• Add the instant coffee and stir to dissolve.

• Remove from heat. Cool to room temperature. Remove cloves and cinnamon stick.

• Add brandy. Chill for at least four hours, or ideally overnight. Pour into an empty bottle and serve with Christmas cookies or pan de Pascua

Makes 6-8 portions.

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I have a confession to make. We don’t have a TV. Yes, it is by choice. (You can gasp now.)

After the initial shock, most people grapple with the idea of how I can survive, let alone function without a TV. It’s not hard, I swear. In fact, getting rid of the boob tube was the best thing I have done for my mental sanity, emotional health, marriage, and personal life.

Ninety-nine percent of North American households have a TV, and I would bet that is true in Chile, too. Many households have more than two or three. Now here is what is disturbing…the TV is on an average of six hours per day in most households. Think of all the things you can do in six hours per day, 25 percent of your whole day, instead of watching TV. You could write a book probably in a month, pursue a new hobby like yoga or cooking, you could play with your kids, get in shape, endless possibilities.

I gave up TV a long, long time ago—like when I moved to college. My parents declared that there was no way they’d be buying me one while they were footing my tuition bill. “Who has time to watch TV when you should be studying?” they said; and somehow, I coped and adapted to life without TV (they were right, don’t you hate when your parents are right?!). Ever since, it’s never really been too much of a priority to sit in front of a screen and surf when I can be out living life.

Ironically, folks like my mother (who just installed a flat screen in her kitchen and to her dismay, had it creamed with mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving), don’t understand my perspective. Now that I am an adult, I should somehow own a TV right after buying my own bed. “How do you stay informed?” That’s precisely why I don’t have TV. I went on an Information Diet and never looked back.

Let’s face it, is the programming on TV, cable, and even special channels really all that great? There are, no doubt, some good shows, but mostly we sit down to flip around 1,000 channels and cannot find a thing to watch. Seriously? Then, people automatically, without thinking, turn on the nightly news in an effort “to stay informed.” Have you ever noticed all the news tends to be bad? A laundry list of daily local and world disasters, the latest political fight, another murder, another war, another bleep in the global economy, and other scary things. I would love to turn on the news just once and have them applauding how the number of entrepreneurs in the country has grown in the past year. I would love to see Nobel-Prize winners be mentioned in the first five minutes of headlines. No, no, no. That doesn’t sell. Remember, watching TV is being spoon-fed what the channels want you to hear, see, and influence how you feel. It’s all reactive and driven by commercial interests to instill fear in people. While it’s simply a point of view, many rarely stop to question what they are taking into their precious minds. So do I want to subject myself to that? NO WAY.

Ask yourself this. Is watching this “news” going to let you sleep easier at night? Does it inspire you creatively? Does it give you faith in humanity? If not, I suggest you go on an Information Diet.

Just because I don’t watch the news doesn’t mean I am not informed. I surf my Google reader and headlines of my favorite international papers in the morning and afternoon. I only click on headlines that inspire me and will add to my day. It is a self-edition to ensure that I live a happy, healthy life on all levels.

At night, instead of endlessly surfing, hoping for something, I read a novel, business or self-improvement books, or occasionally watch a movie from sites like Cuevana. I still enjoy following some TV series and have a serious addiction to Mad Men, Curb Your Enthusiam, and Pan Am, but I treat them like short movies. And I choose. Not somebody else.

We all have the choice to control what goes into our minds. TV is a powerful medium and is often taken lightly. Just like the food we eat nourishes our body, what we feed our mind can greatly impact our quality of life. For me, ditching the TV habit was like ditching processed food. I got back to basics of what made me be the best, most vital, and happiest Liz.

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I feel somebody studying my face; it feels like a test. I feel them examining me, not so subtlely, every angle and pore on my body. I sense him waiting for me to say a couple words to jump out and say what he cannot apparently control…; I feel it coming. It seems inevitable. Here we go, he’s going to say it: “¿Eres chilena?” Am I Chilean? This has been the long agony of a waiter who has taken at least 2-3 minutos of deep introspection and debate, in silence, as to whether or not he can and should ask me this.

“Depende,” I say, with the best Chilean accent I can muster. And I am not lying when I say it depends. I am in the process of getting my dual citizenship with Chile.

¿De dónde eres?; Where are you from? It seems to be the million dollar question for Chileans towards foreigners, country folk, or anybody they would consider an outsider. It’s a habit, a local ritual. During my daily errands I must answer this question at least twice per day from buying ingredients at the corner almacen to refilling my metro card. If I head out for lunch, get a manicure, head for a party, or take a taxi, the rate increases ten-fold.

This question appears to be innocent and overly simple. Some consider it friendly. But imagine how you would feel if they asked you, after 11+ years where you live, the same thing every single day. A “simple” question that comes even before saying hello, asking my name, or inquiring how I am doing.  As an example, one of the gals in our office, who is over 6 feet tall, has Chileans ask to take photos with her (in the street) as if she was from another planet. This habit is programmed on the hard drive of all of Chile (or so it seems) and quite frankly, it gets old. It seems like such a totally irrelevant detail for two sentences of necessary dialogue between two perfect strangers. It mostly feels like an interrogation more than a showing “interest” and “curiosity” as many Chileans suggest. Yes, being foreign is a special “condition” here. If I don’t answer the question, the conversation cannot continue. The self-destruct button is pushed. Interacting becomes imposible.

For a long time, this habit really bugged me. More than anything, it pained me to be separated and identified as a weird “species.” On top of everything being different: language, traditions, being far from friends and family, etc. I was put in this category apart from everybody else. I obviously understood I was not going to pass as a native Chilean with my dirty blonde hair, light accent (for some reason everybody here thinks I am French…), my face and VERY white skin that are clearly northern European roots. But come on guys, don’t judge me and categorize me as “aaah, esa gringa” without going deeper. I adopted Chile, and all of South America, as my country and culture with my whole heart. I love it to pieces, it makes my soul sing. I feel more at home here than in the US. The constant greeting of “where are you from?” is not a proper greeting wherever you live to whomever you are. I don’t get how my (one) Passport is more important than what I think and how I am as a person. Like I said, it’s apparently a special “condition”.

After many years in Chile, I think I get what’s behind all this. Chile is an island culture in every sense but especially culturally speaking. It’s isolated, at the end of the world ( or beginning, depending on which way you look). It’s cut off by mountains, ocean, ice, and desert. Obviously, a small, enclosed, homogenous community here has been created where everybody knows each (and is in each other’s business I may add). The big wave of Basque, British, and German immigration happened generations ago and those descendents are assimilated now as Chileans. Of course, given the “small town factor” somebody from the outside is obviously going to be noticed. I understand that the “where are you from” question is to be expected from time to time. But the norm? Not cool.

But, hold on!! How is Chile NOW? What’s going on with the cosmopolitan, prosperous, developed Chile that’s becoming a player on the world stage and opening up to the world economically, gastronomically, culturally? Many visitors, investors, new immigrants (now from China, Palestine, USA) are coming to settle. Isn’t it time to become aware of this island mentality and not-so-nice custom of interrogating anyone perceived to be foreign? Isn’t time to change this and evolve into a tolerant melting pot culture that embraces other cultures instead of questioning them? Isn’t it time to first ask the name of somebody you just met instead of rudely assuming them to be a foreigner? Let’s look to other melting pot cities where it does work like New York, London, or Berlin where immigrant communities are a fact of life. Chile, I adore you, but this is an intrusive, unnecessary habit. I want to suggest that people (everywhere) put themselves in the other person’s shoes before probing. I promise that the answer will naturally come through the course of human conversation. Not a forced interrogation at the onset to satisfy one’s own curiosity.

I am not from another planet. I was born abroad. I am a foreigner in Chile. A foreigner/expat who’s going to have dual citizenship in the future. A foreigner who married a Chilean and chose to make her home, life project, and business in Chile. A foreigner who’s totally in love with Chile, the people, the food, the wines, the place. It’s like no other place on earth for me.

Now, when I am asked the “where are you from” question, I try to laugh. I see it as an opportunity to open somebody else’s eyes. Instead of getting frustrated or defensive since there must be something wrong with my accent, I simply ask, “sorry, you asked my name?”. I usually get a confused look first and then they get it—I am person first and foremost. Please do not reduce me only to a nationality. Please avoid making a snap judgment about where you think I may be from, who I without first recognizing me as a fellow human being. I am not a nationality. I am Liz. I am a gringa. That’s right, a gringa chilena.

Placeres Magazine column published in the May 2011 issue.

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The first (white) strawberry on Earth was discovered in the south of Chile in the 16th century by the Spanish. Today, all berries are an integral part of the Chilean diet and fruit abundance found throughout the Southern region and Central Valley. The berries reach their sweetest peak in the summer months from January to March when you can even see gatherers filling buckets with blackberries by country road sides. This simple dessert is a perfect “make ahead” dish that also incorporates Chile’s flagship wine varietal, Carmenere. Here, we pair a Natura Carmenere from Emiliana Organico which has inherently spicy notes on the nose with homey notes of cloves and cinnamon. The wine reduction sauce steps that up a notch and intensifies the lush fruit flavors. The exotic addition of basil adds pizzazz to the palate although grated dark chocolate is another tempting alternative. If you want to mix it up, try it with a Malbec.

Serve it in a wine glass for a stunning presentation. Best part? You can make the sauce up to 2 days ahead and the cut up the berries the night before. Easy entertaining. Did I mention that leftover wine sauce is REALLY good on dark chocolate, dulce de leche, or even vanilla ice cream? Que disfruten chicos.

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Francis Mallmann. If you don’t know his name, take note. He’s South America’s most famous “celebrity chef” with restaurants in Mendoza, Buenos Aires, and outside José Ignacio in Uruguay. He’s well known yet low profile. A seemingly chilled out, laid back guy who prefers to be in the Argentine or Uruguayan countryside than amist all the fanfare. He may be a cooking icon in these latitudes but he’s not opening a restaurant on the strip in Vegas, nor in New York, nor anywhere in the US. Perhaps he shares more in common with kindred spirits in Texas who proclaim love and dedication to the sacred art of barbecuing. That’s right, he likes to play with fire – seven of them to be exact – as is portrayed in his book Seven Fires: Grilling the Argentine Way. Mallmann is truly the “man” when it comes to the art of cooking over fire.

Born in Patagonia and trained in France’s top restaurants, the fact that he abandoned the fine dining scene is a testament to his love for the elemental fire-driven cuisine that is such an integral part of Argentina’s food culture. His style is refreshingly simple.  Stripped down. “Barbaric,” in his words and ultimately driven by the top-notch, whole food ingredients we are so blessed to have in this corner of the world: grass fed meat & game, trout from Patagonian streams, calamari and brotola (a white fish similar to grouper in Uruguay), along with ethereal seasonal produce. While flavor influences may nod to the European ancestry from Spain and Italy, his attempt to achieve the pinnacle of flavors through the use of fire, whether the massive heat of a bonfire, the slow steady warmth of dying embers, cooking in a mud oven, over a spit, in a disc or cast iron skillet, to name a few, pay homage and keep alive the ancient traditions in the region.

Mallmann’s world is one to you have to experience first hand to truly understand. For those of you in the US, if you cannot jump on a plane to Argentina or Uruguay in the near future, I suggest getting his book and finding an afternoon to pop open a Torrontes or Malbec and read it. Its photography is as compelling as the writing and recipes. While some of the outdoor cooking ideas are projects that you may logistically not want to undertake (barbecuing half a cow? Hmm…), you can take away inspiration, ideas, and a kinship towards charcoal grilling and the social unity around grilled meat that is so embedded in South American culture. It’s the social ritual around the preparation, not just blazing something out back on a gas grill for dinner.

Try some of the signature Mallmann dishes like Whole Boneless Ribeye with Chimichuri; Salt-Crusted Striped Bass; Whole Roasted Andean Pumpkin with Mint and Goat Cheese Salad; Killer tapenade and chimichurri recipes; and desserts such as Dulce de Leche Pancakes.

Want to come experience Mallman first hand? We dine in his flagship restaurant on many of our journeys in Mendoza.  We also visit  Garzón, Mallman’s gourmet outpost 30 minutes from the chic beach resort of José Ignacio east of Punta del Este in Uruguay. More than a restaurant, his style of cooking is evocative of a lifestyle; a way of being. That’s right, grilling the Argentine way.

Join us on the Age of Argentina where we’ll be dining one evening in Francis Mallman’s flagship restaurant in Mendoza, 1884 in the historic Escorihuela winery.

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Let´s start this week with a savory, creamy, Chilean-style crab pie baked to perfection.

Blue crabs are abundant year-round on the rocky shores of Chile’s rugged Pacific coast, fed by the chilly Humboldt Current. Purplish blue and about 4 to 6 inches long, their white meat is commonly eaten in a rustic “pie” form with a creamy filling known as pastel de jaiba. Restaurants up and down the coast serve this in clay pots along with a chilled glass of Chardonnay from Chile’s coastal valley, Casablanca.

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1⁄2 cup onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound fresh crabmeat
1⁄2 tablespoon paprika
1⁄2 teaspoon dried oregano
3 slices white bread or baguette, without crust y exterior
1⁄2 cup half-and-half
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
Black pepper to taste
1⁄4 cup grated Parmesan

Check with your local fishmonger about the types of crab that are in season to buy the freshest picks. If buying whole crabs to prepare the meat yourself, be sure they have leg movement when purchased. You can also buy pasteurized or fresh shredded crabmeat, preferably back-fin quality.

Crab Pie:
• In a pan, heat oil and butter; fry onion and garlic until onion is transparent.
• Add shredded crabmeat, paprika, and oregano; cook 4 to 5 minutes.
• Soak bread in half-and-half. With an immersion blender, puree till smooth. Incorporate the creamy mixture into the crab sauté; season with salt and black pepper.
• Divide the mixture into 4 individual, greased clay pots or soufflé dishes. Sprinkle with Parmesan and bake at 350ºF for 15 minutes until top is golden.

Soak the Bread:
• Remove the crusts from the bread to create a smooth, white paste.
• You can use day-old loaf bread.
• If you would like a lighter texture and flavor, use whole milk instead of half-and- half.

Combine and Bake:
• Be sure to pick over the crabmeat very carefully. Small shells can lodge in the meat.
• For a sweeter-tasting pie, substitute 2 shallots for the onion.
• Fold the mixture together with a spatula to thoroughly incorporate it.
• Make this savory main course ahead of time without baking then pop it in the oven.

GREEN light
Recalibrate your oven every few months to guarantee that it is set at the correct temperature. Even a few degrees variation can alter the success of your cooking. See if the temperature is correct by using an internal thermometer, testing to 350ºF. If altered, reread your oven manual to adjust the calibration unit, or contact the manufacturer or a service provider in your area to help you.

RED light
It is recommended that you fully cook all crustaceans before ingesting. Raw crabs are carriers of a worm that can cause potential health problems. Better to simply poach, blanch, or pasteurize the meat so that it can be used in any preparation.

This is an original recipe and photography from Liz Caskey & Francisco Ramírez’s cookbook, Knack South American Cooking. To get your copy, click here.

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Tonight, I jet north to the USA on a three-week whirlwind tour for our business, Liz Caskey Culinary & Wine Experiences.  I will be traveling across the Northeast starting in my hometown of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, followed by Washington DC, New York City and Chicago. It’s a busy agenda, full of amazing wines and people, to spread the love of everything food, wine, and travel from Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay. There will be plenty of private client events, wine tastings, a top brow charity wine auction and wine pairing dinners at some fantastic restaurants.  I look forward to reconnecting with alumni groups from my alma mater, University of Pennsylvania as well. Of course, it wouldn’t be a business trip without a lot of meetings and some blessed time to see my family and friends in between.

I am very much anticipating indulging my passion for ethnic food on this trip, the kind we just don’t see here in South America. I want to ask you all a favor as fellow foodies and wine lovers. Could you please share your recommendations of your favorite places on my tour stops to eat and drink? Here’s my not-so-short list of preferences: Real Chinese (Chinatown NYC!?!), Ethiopian, Indian (Northern & Southern), Vietnamese, Thai, Turkish, Malaysian, American-style brunch (with Bloody Marys please), some great New American cuisine in Chicago, and wine bars that are NOT South American-driven. I am smitten with European wines: French, Austrian, Italian, German, Croatian (that’s right), Spanish, Portuguese.  Since all we get in these latitudes are local wines, I find these trips are a wonderful opportunity to expand my own palate as a constant student of wine.  Don’t we all dream of traveling the whole world, learning about other cultures, foods, wines and countries this way? I do at least!! The US market certainly is fortunate to have such variety in this department.

While on the road, keep up with me on a daily basis via Twitter and our Facebook page. I will be tweeting my experiences, musings, event happenings, and more. The Eat Wine blog will continue to post three times per week with more Emiliana Orgánico wine pairing videos with recipes, additional new recipes from our Knack South American Cooking book,  and the inside scoop on South American travel destinations as you all plan your dream trips in 2011-12. For now, I am signing off and saying, Adiós amigos. More from up north!

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Let´s continue where we left off yesterday, moving deeper into Montevideo culture, because who doesn´t love killer architecture, delicious food (hello medialuna!) and beach heaven?

Parque Rodo and Punta Carretas

 Parque Rodo refers to the neighborhood and the park that occupies much of the surrounding area.  The name honors a prolific Uruguayan writer, Jose Enrique Rodo, and his statue rests at the South side of the park.  The space is sprawling and lovely – the Central Park of Montevideo.  Under the leafy, green trees you will find an artificial lake with lazy paddle boaters, numerous places to eat and drink, and child friendly zones.  The park also sports a vintage amusement park complete with everything from a Ferris wheel to rollercoasters and bumper cars.  The popular Sunday market boasts nearly 900 vendors selling everything from antiques, to fresh vegetables, to used clothing. On a sunny day, pack a picnic and enjoy the sun and views of the river on the grass. Here, elegant apartments line the grassy spaces with tall trees and flowers. It is an oasis only a few minutes from the downtown.

 South of the park to the water´s edge, jutting out into the Río de la Plata, is a massive rocky formation known as Punta Carretas. The famous Punta Carretas lighthouse, built in 1876, is located on the jetty and plays an instrumental role in the navigation of ships going into port here, as well as other nearby ports in Montevideo like the port at Buceo.  One of the most posh and expensive areas in Montevideo, you’ll find luxury apartments and converted mansions alongside fashion boutiques, top restaurants and parrillas like Francis (seafood), classic bars such as Tabaré, and the famous Punta Carreta Shopping, the mall, which oddly enough, used to be a jail. If you have to pick a nice area to base from hotel-wise, I recommend here at places like the Sheraton Montevideo or Regency El Golf.

Buceo & Pocitos

 Buceo, the small curve of coast and interior that sports a stunning beach, is the up and coming barrio in Montevideo.  Buceo literally means “diving,” a fitting name for the once small cove that was home only to lowly fishermen and local lavanderas, cleaning women.  The name Buceo was coined after a large shipwreck off the coast when the cargo was saved by the local diving team.

The area is anything but modest and lowly now.  Building development has been steadily growing in the past years. Here is the World Trade Center, a business-cum-gastronomic hub with world-class restaurants like Gardenia. In this restaurant, a Spanish & Brazilian chef, husband-wife team pump out some of Montevideo’s most original, fine cuisine with killer views and wine list. Want to sail? There’s a private Yacht Club here, where you can lunch with their daily menu overlooking the pretty marina. Elite schools dominate this area making Buceo a popular option for families living in Montevideo.  Despite its suburban resurrection, Montevideo is never forgetful of its colonial history.  The aptly named British Cemetary, founded in 1828, is located in Buceo, originally a Protestant cemetery where many 19^th century colonizers were buried.

 Just next door along the curving coastal highway, is another one of Montevideo’s most pleasant, delightful residential neighborhoods:  Pocitos.  Pocitos literally translated means “little holes”. The Rambla cuts right along the sand forming a sort of boardwalk along the beach. Here upscale apartments have majestic views of the River with tall apartment buildings. Wander deeper into its streets to discover the charm of Uruguay. Take a walk and dodge couples strolling, dogs walking and barking (watch out for dog droppings!), and kids running with ice cream. Hungry? Just follow the sweet, yeasty smell of fresh medialunas, local-style croissants or nosh on a piece of spinach-laden pie known as pascualina. Kick back at any café on the corner to recharge your batteries with a strong, Italian-style espresso, many with water views. On Wednesday’s and Saturdays, shop at the Feria Villa Biarritz, where farmers from the surrounding countryside hawk their fresh vegetables. Stop at the cheese wagon to savor some of the glorious Swiss, gouda, and provolone cheeses from the Colonia province. Or sink your teeth into a pancho, hot dog, with the works. In the warmer months, take your mate and a book to the pristine beach where montevideanos will be engaging in all sorts of activity: soccer, volleyball, or sun worshipping.

Carrasco

 Further to the east, Carrasco resembles many high-end suburbs in the United States.  Located just far enough away from the center, this fashionable neighborhood has a long beach promenade where joggers and bikers head out to exercise, wide shady streets, large affluent homes, and many upscale restaurants and shops.  It is one of the most luxurious areas in Montevideo with many closed communities and schools.

Named after one of the first settlers in Montevideo, Salvador Sebastian Carrasco, he donated some of his land for development.  Though the city eventually grew beyond his land (in fact, it grew a larger amount than anyone at the time predicted) but the name remains in his honor. The famous Hotel Carrasco, built in 1912 by French architect Charles Thays, was once a lavish resort for the elite.  Located in this barrio, the Hotel is supposedly undergoing a major renovation to regain its status as a landmark 5-star. Its two unmistakable domes are often photographed as the symbol of Carrasco.

Take a walk through any of these neighborhoods, and lose yourself in Montevideo!

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