Surviving Off Talent

Passport & Plate - Colombian Tamale

cbos — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 13:48:58 GMT

Ingredients
Meat, red wine, Adobo, chicken, white wine, pork, garlic salt, plantain leaves, garlic, onion, tomato, garbanzo beans, carrots, black and green olives (with the pit), chorizo, mini sausages, raisins, capers, water, bacon, squash, can of red salmon, vinegar from the jar of green/black olives and capers, and a bottle of chardonnay wine.

How to prepare this recipe
First marinate the meat in red wine and Adobo, the chicken in white wine, and the pork in garlic salt. After the meats marinate overnight, the masa is prepared by adding masa flour to a large pot of cooled water where bacon was boiled and the following had been added: chopped squash, a can of red salmon, the vinegar from the jar of green and black olives and capers, and a bottle of chardonnay wine. The tamale making begins by getting a sheet of aluminum foil and placing a plantain leaf over it. Then all of the ingredients are added in this order: garlic, onion, meat, pork, chicken, tomato, garbanzo beans, pour some masa mixture, carrots, green and black olives, two slices of chorizo, two mini sausages, more masa mixture, raisins, and capers. Close the leaf and aluminum foil so that the tamale is wrapped completely. Place in a special tamale boiler for 3 hours and serve hot.

The story behind this recipe
This Colombian Tamale recipe has been in my family for generations. It is tradition for the women of the family to begin preparation of the tamales a day before Christmas Eve, so that on Christmas Eve, the tamales can be made and ready for dinner on the "Noche Buena" (Christmas Eve night). The preparation and making of the tamales allows for the women to spend time with one another and relish in the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. The meal is served before attending midnight mass with the entire family. My family acknowledges tamales as a demonstration of love which unites the whole family together. Members gather around the dinner table to enjoy each other's company and to savor the many flavors that one tamale has to offer. The tamale is a symbol of the beauty and perfection that can come with integrating a variety of distinct and powerful ingredients, such is that of joining a diverse assortment of people together.

Photos: Colombian Tamale

cbos — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 12:14:00 GMT

The family preparation of a culinary creation which unites Colombian families.

My Scholarship entry - A 'place' I have visited

cbos — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 08:55:17 GMT

Experiencing and capturing the elements that make up diverse cultures is exhilarating and rewarding. Seeing the poverty in varying places pushes me to expose pictures which capture the exact circumstance in which people are living in and sharing them with those unable to see it on their own. The only time I have traveled outside of the United States has been to Mexico and to Colombia. I appreciated the trip I took to Colombia much more than the vacations spent at a resort in Mexico because I was able to be in areas where the people of the country actually lived their daily lives. By seeing their circumstances, my worldview expanded and matured. I’ll do whatever it takes to get a good photo, even if it means going out of my comfort zone. I am willing to photograph for as long as it takes and get down on the floor or go on top of tables to get the best shot. Going to Oman would be an experience where I would be able to strengthen my knowledge in photography and experience the richness of an unknown culture. I still have so much to learn about photography technically and artistically and I know I would greatly benefit from this opportunity to go along side of an expert photographer.