La Fiesta Cafecito is owned by Jose and Sonia Valdez who are from El Salvador.  Since Daughter #2 travelled to El Salvador to do humanitarian work a couple of years ago, we were happy to learn more about their regional cooking.  Pupusas are at the top of the list of their signature platters so we knew that would be one of our selections.  But because we love to try little tastes of lots of things we decided to order a combination platter that included two Pupusas, one chicken burrito and one beef enchilada.  The meal started with a chicken tortilla soup which satisfied my craving for a comfort food because I was nursing a cold. 

We are accustomed to this recipe with lime, chiles and cilantro but this was a savoury alternative.  We detected a sprinkling of Tajin Classico in the bottom of our bowl which is one of our regular purchases on trips to Mexico. 

We were quite sure that Jose indicated that we were getting one Queso Pupusa and One Chicarrones y Queso (pork and cheese) Pupusa but when we forked into the non-Queso one, it was definitely filled with Frijoles (beans).  I preferred the Queso one and my bean-loving (and deprived) husband preferred the Frijoles.  The chicken burrito was stuffed with a savoury mixture of onion, rice and chicken.  The beef enchilada though was unusual with a ladle of a “beef bolognaise style” sauce on top of a flaky pastry shell style base.  On top of this sat a wedge of hard boiled egg!  When in Rome….  Daughter #2 returns from South Africa in the next couple of weeks and we plan to return to La Fiesta to recreate her El Salvadorian adventure.

Kath’s Quote: “This recipe is certainly silly. It says to separate the eggs, but it doesn’t say how far to separate them.”-Gracie Allen

The first dumpling that I ever tasted was made by my Grandma Felicia.  She was a little Polish lady and my Dad says I am most like her.  When I reach for another helping of potatoes or noodles, my husband remarks “That’s my little Polak”.  Her dumplings had a prune inside and she served them with hot butter and cinnamon and sugar. 

Dumplings Previous to Boiling

My second dumpling exposure was when my husband owned a family restaurant.  One of their weekly specials was chicken stew with dumplings which he thinks had an Austrian origin. The technique was really unusual because the raw dumpling dough was dropped right on top of the stew and then covered.  The steam from the stew would cook the dumpling.

The first time I had Chinese dumplings was when my husband and I had just begun our family life.  We took our new born daughter with us for dim sum and I had taken her to the Ladies Room to change her diaper.  When I returned, the table was covered with food, we ate and were back in the car in 10 minutes!  Needless to say, we had to learn the fine art of dim sum dining.   When the kids were still little I would buy dim sum in Chinatown (The Oriental Market on King St.) and take it to the lake for a special dinner.  My son would ask for more of the pork dumplings by saying “Can I have more of those little brains?”

 My Chinese Dumpling recipe in Part 2.

Kath’s quote: “The fricassee with dumplings is made by a Mrs. Miller whose husband has left her four times on account of her disposition and returned four times on account of her cooking and is still there.”- Rex Stout

Open 2 ripe avocados as above. Take a paring knife and score the inside of the avocado into small squares, then use a spoon to scoop avocado into a bowl.  Add 5 slices of white onion which have been chopped, the juice of 4 key limes, half a bunch of chopped cilantro, salt to taste and 1 t of milk, plain yoghurt or sour cream and mix well. Serve immediately with taco chips.

 Kath’s quote: “If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion, and avoid the people, you might better stay home.”-James Michener

The Don is a little place at the base of an apartment block at 120 Donald St. near Broadway Ave.  There are extra tables by the grocery store as well.  It would be ideal if you worked in the area.  Daughter #1 and I had breakfast there on a recent Sunday and the place was filled with regulars.

They serve Farmer’s Sausage in a variety of ways.  I had mine with eggs and hash browns. You could request the hand cut hasbrowns with onion and to be crispy-cooked (the mark of a fine breakfast establishment in my opinion).  Farmer’s Sausage is a local treat.  It is also called Mennonite Sausage because of its origins.  If you have never tasted a barbequed Farmer Sausage Burger you absolutely must.  I understand that the sausages (or patties) are made from smoked pork.  They contain little or no fat and stay together obediently on a grill.

Sister #2 has been making this super easy Farmer Sausage dip for years.  It is great to have when watching a football game or on the deck at the lake with ice cold beer.  Don’t be scared off by the processed ingredients-once isn’t going to hurt you (and in this case it is worth it!)

Place 8 oz. of Velveeta cheese, 1 can or cream of mushroom soup, 1 c of salsa, 1 Farmer’s Sausage that has been browned and crumbled and 1 can of pork and beans into a crock pot and heat on high heat until melted through, then keep on low heat all afternoon.  Serve with a sturdy taco chip.

If you are interested in more ways to cook with Farmer’s Sausage check out “Mennonite Girls Can Cook”.  I discovered this site when I was looking for a Blueberry Platz recipe.  I always wondered if the title is meant to be a declaration or a surprise.

Daughter #1 had a veggie burger which was made from scratch and had a cottage cheese base.  I MUST find out what else is in the patty because I love cottage cheese and the texture combination of creamy and crunchy.

Kath’s quote: “A daughter is the happy memories of the past, the joyful moments of the present, and the hope and promise of the future.” ~Author Unknown

Today while enjoying a delicious lunch at the Winnipeg Winter Club, the conversation turned to food yearnings.  Winnipeg is just about as far away from Mexico as you can get in North America (except The Northwest Territories perhaps) and yet the entire table was in need of a  Mexican food fix.  That was when one person mentioned a place that I have never heard of.

I headed right down to the El Izalco Market at 696 Sargent Ave. (at the corner of Toronto St).  There I met Sarah Esperanza who has owned the shop for 11 years.  Sarah is delightful and so helpful.  She was so ready to find the products that I came for and to share her recipes with very little prompting. 

I purchased a package of her frozen homemade Chiles Relleno and when I asked her what kind of a tomato sauce that I should use, she said “Just wait, I’ll get you some of mine.”  She recommended that they be defrosted (in the mic) but then oven baked.  My husband and I went for a walk while they were in the oven and when we got home-the aroma in the house was intoxicating.  I topped them with cubed feta cheese and served them along side a mixture of rice, corn and red peppers.

I am familiar with a recipe when they are just stuffed with cheese-these also had a spicy sausage meat.  Oh my goodness-Sarah your Chiles Relleno are divine!

Kath’s quote: “There is no love sincerer than the love of food.”-George Bernard Shaw