An Empty Chair

An Empty Chair

He has a presence.
It leaves a shadow on the empty chair.
Shimmering.

A fleeting memory sees him sitting there.
Tall and broad, you see him stand, strong back above wide hips.
Sleek.

Two hundred pounds stretched smooth over six feet of bone.
Your eyes are drawn to his face.
Wavy grey hair, wild and tame, sculpts softly along scalp and brow.
His mouth curved in a smile foreshadows sensuality.
Rows of ivory teeth glimmer.
Electric.

The whites of his eyes circle dark, cold pupils.
His glance penetrates your core, knowing you want to dance with death.
Fascinated by my fascination, I flounder seeking the proper social graces.

Changes are coming

A lot of changes are coming to the RiaStoneBlog.

More interviews with authors and artists.

Bollywood Movie Reviews

and more....

Family Visits and Food

Family Visits and Food

Boy, when they say, food is a big part of vacations, they aren't kidding. On a recent family visit, I cooked, family members cooked and we went out to eat, alot!!!

We had deli sandwiches. Top chef dishes at great restaurants. Great cookout food. Starbucks drinks and more. One of my favorite finds was a Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream shop.

When we went grocery shopping, I enjoyed looking at how American and Mexican food choices differed. While Mexican chain groceries continue to offer a wider variety of choices, America seems to offer 10 flavors of just about everything.

One thing is amusing is when trying to adapt a Jack Monroe UK recipe using American or Mexican grocery choices. It is fun to look items like pease pudding or mushy peas and other things not typically found in America or Mexico, then wondering what to use as a substitute if you can't find an item.

 Then, I am amused by products that are new to me.

Gosh, you would think I knew how to cook. I was cooking up a storm. Some of the recipes were a success i.e. liked by others, and some were not.

Both my sister and my nephew have gardens. With my sister and her husband, we were overrun by tomatoes, at my nephew's we had loads of cucumbers.

My sister made BLTs with the fresh tomatoes.

At my nephews', I picked fresh cucumbers. I did not know cucumber had spikes.

My sister, my nephew and I made: pickled cucumbers; six-hand salad and other variations of a cucumber salad.

 

Fresh fruits and vegetables are wonderful!

I introduced my sister and nephew to Peanut Butter Mousse and dragonfruit.

Also, I made "Godzilla" Meatloaf. I used my meatloaf recipe and tried to double it. It came out a bit funny looking but still tasted good.

I also made two crockpot dishes, one with chicken from Mabel Hoffman's Crockery Cookery and Mushroom Sauce Pork Chops from The Big Book of Crock Pot Recipes. My nephew and his family liked them.

Recetas de Una Mujer Maya Moderna Delivery to Mexico

Recetas de Una Mujer Maya Moderna Delivery

Shipping to and from Mexico

I am using this situation to illustrate some of the difficulties in receiving or sending packages internationally to or from Mexico.

I have used Amazon and received about half of my orders. So, I no longer have my orders shipped to Mexico, they are shipped to my U.S. address. 

On 3/13/19, I ordered two copies of Recetas de Una Mujer Maya, a small cookbook, from Blurb/MagCloud (http://www.magcloud.com/). One was shipped to a U.S. address, the other to Mexico.

The U.S. delivery was received on 3/16/2019 and the book arrived in good condition.

In regards to my copy of Recetas de Una Mujer Maya Moderna, Blurb/MagCloud used the U.S. Postal Service to ship the package.

According to Blurb/MagCloud's tracking function, the package did arrive in Mexico but I never received it. Plus, I could never find a way to locate the package through the Mexican Post Office, Correos de Mexico.

I contacted Blurb/MagCloud via email on 7/12/2019. They shipped me another copy via UPS and I received it on 7/24/2019. It arrived in good condition.

I have used Fedex for many years and have had numerous issues with deliveries and shipments in Mexico. While I have received all my packages, most get held up at a customs office where I have to go and have them examine the contents.

This month Fedex held up a package and did not notify me. I only discovered the problem after contacting the recipient to find they had not received the package.

After using Fedex's tracking function which gave me no useful information. I had to contact the Fedex help number three times. One, to find out where the package went and two, to find out why it was never shipped. The situation got so complicated, I had to take the package with me to the states and have it sent from there.
It is important to learn the intricacies of sending and receiving packages in Mexico. Things are always changing.

Fedex Mexico - https://www.fedex.com/es-mx/customer-support.html

Correo Mexico - https://www.correosdemexico.com.mx/Paginas/Inicio.aspx

UPS - https://www.ups.com/mx/es/Home.page

Recetas de una Mujer Maya Moderna

Recetas de una Mujer Maya Moderna:

Easy Modern Mayan Recipes

by Sokky Yah

TrueBluePress
PRESS  RELEASE
1/4/2019

Now available from Smashwords at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/915152.

With over 35 simple recipes made in the tradition of the Mayan in the Seye Pueblo in Yucatán, México. Also, included are a few short stories by the author about her life in the pueblo.

Included are recipes for pork chops, chicken, spaghetti, desserts, soups, eggs, sandwiches, potatoes, and salads. Find recipes for Cotzitos, Gorditas, tortas featuring chaya, corn, and vegetables. Also, included are two recipes by the author's friend, Alan van Bogegraven.

Más de 35 recetas sencillas hechas en la tradición de los mayas en Seye Pueblo en Yucatán, México. Además, se incluyen algunos cuentos del autor sobre su vida en el pueblo.

Se incluyen recetas para chuletas de cerdo, pollo, espaguetis, postres, sopas, huevos, sándwiches, papas y ensaladas. Encuentre recetas para Cotzitos, Gorditas, tortas con chaya, maíz y vegetales. Además, se incluyen dos recetas del amigo del autor, Alan van Bogegraven.

Scrambled Egg with Spinach, Guacamole and Salmon

Scrambled Egg with Spinach, Guacamole and Salmon
(Adapted from WW Egg and Avocado Toasts with Smoked Salmon, p161)


Ingredients:

1 Slice of multi-grain bread
Olive oil
1 Egg
1 Can salmon, drained
4 TB frozen spinach
2 TB Guacamole, from a jar
Paprika
Ground black pepper
Parmesan cheese

Note, there will be leftover mixture.


Process:

Toast bread in skillet, first.

Wow! I toasted my bread differently this time.

I used a quarter of a clean cloth napkin, I had cut into four pieces. I don't use paper towels. I poured a small dollop of olive oil onto the cloth and smeared the skillet bottom with the cloth to spread the oil in a thin layer.

I set the hot plate on 2 which is medium-low heat and toasted the bread on both sides and it came out evenly browned and not overly oily.

I thank Yasmeen for this tip.

 

Place toast on plate.
Microwave frozen spinach in a small covered dish on high for about 3 minutes.
Add a dollop of olive oil to the skillet.
Crack the egg into the skillet, add spinach and guacamole.
Scramble mixture until egg is cooked.
Top toast with layer of egg/spinach/guacamole mixture.
Add about 2 TBs of salmon on to top layer.
Sprinkle paprika, ground black pepper and Parmesan cheese over toppings.

This was delicious. I think it is partly because I used olive oil to make the toast, and the guacamole and salmon added a lot of flavor.

Updated: 12/17/18

Toast Toppings - New Food Craze

 Note: Look for updates below.

Instead of posting each new Toast Topping combination separately, I will just add them here.

I am into a new food craze, Toast Toppings. I eat them mainly for breakfast and/or late evening meal.
 

Like Crazy Salads, you can get inventive with the various toppings.

Toast Toppings are like a mini-meal or half a sandwich. What I like is I feel I can get essential vitamins, minerals and healthy herbs and spices without having to eat full portions or three-course meals.

Toast Toppings
(Adapted from: https://www.positivehealthwellness.com/diet-nutrition/14-fillings-toast-toppings-100-calories/ , https://www.rd.com/food/recipes-cooking/toast-topping-snack-recipes/ , https://www.buzzfeed.com/tashweenali/energy-boosting-breakfast-toasts?utm_term=.jujMxRb9n4#.rx1ZPvO0KE, https://mykidslickthebowl.com/healthy-toast-toppings/, https://spoonuniversity.com/recipe/10-unique-toast-toast-toppings-that-aren-t-avocado)

Basically, toast a slice of bread, any kind, and top with a variety of topping choices.
 
I don't have a toaster. I use a skillet. I add a bit of oil and then toast slices of wheat or integral bread on both sides.

Then, I spread 1-2 Tablespoons of the following items or mixtures or other items:

Peanut Butter
-with banana slices with cinnamon
-with blueberries or other fruit slices

Beans on Toast

Black Beans and Salsa
 
Refried Beans with salsa, topped with poached egg
 
Cream Cheese with
-cucumber slices with basil
-blueberries or other fruit
-banana slices with cinnamon
 
Mozzarella Cheese slivers placed on bread slice while toasting the bottom to soften and warm, then remove and top with 1-2 tspns of canned salsa and a sprinkle of dry crushed basil
 
Scrambled eggs
 
Poached Egg with or without salt and Matcha mixture

Avocado mash with lime, garnish parsley

Avocado mash, topped with poached egg and Garam Masala

Avocado Mixture
Pseudo Pesto Mixture
Hummus Mixture
Eggplant Mixture
Mushroom Mixture
Mashed Baked Potato Mixture
 
Pictured: Toast Toppings - Mozzarella Cheese with salsa; Poached Egg with Matcha; Scrambled Egg with salsa and Matcha; and Hummus.
 
See blog for recipes for above mixtures.


Toast Toppings Updates:

12/15/18

Cream cheese with a layer of canned salmon, topped with some leftover slaw from carryout, a sprinkle of onion powder, and a few capers.
(Adapted from: https://bestfriendsforfrosting.com/smoked-salmon-and-cream-cheese-toast/)


1/23/19

Small, thin wedges of cheddar cheese, spinach, bacon bits, ground black pepper, strips of slice of jamon lunchmeat, Chile Chipotle Mayonesa, paprika...Add cheddar cheese wedges on top of one side of toasted bread while toasting other side in skillet, cover, cook less than a minute to avoid burning toast. Add cooked spinach, sprinkle with bacon bits and ground black pepper. Top with jamon strips. Add a bit of Chipotle mayonesa, sprinkle with paprika.

 Types of "Toast":

Bread, various types
Tostada
Fried tortilla, flour or maize
Pre-toasted pan/bread

1/23/19

Toast Topping: Cottage cheese, cucumber slices, onion powder, black pepper, paprika, parmesan cheese

BoomerRadio Ceased Broadcasting June 30, 2018

On June 30 2018, Boomer Radio went off the air.

(http://www.boomerradio.com/)

For several years, I enjoyed listening to Boomer Radio. Boomer Radio had several collections of songs from the 1950s to today.

Thank you, Boomer Radio, I spent many hours listening to Classic Mix, Soft Oldies, Acoustic Cafe and many of the other music collections. They even had a collection of Christmas music.

Smashwords 2018 Summer Sale

Smashwords 2018 Summer Sale!

 July 1, 2018 to July 31, 2018

https://www.smashwords.com/books/category/1/newest/1

Smashwords authors have selected books and reduced their price from free to 75% off.

Get 25% off the eBooks by Ria Stone below:

Harlan Ellison

Harlan Ellison

(May 27, 1934 – June 28, 2018)

 Harland Ellison, Science Fiction Writer and more.

Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harlan_Ellison
http://www.treknews.net/2018/06/28/harlan-ellison-dead-84/
http://www.sfwa.org/2018/06/in-memoriam-harlan-ellison/
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/harlan-ellison-dead_us_5b3592eae4b0f3c2219f7463

(Photo Source: By Pip R. Lagenta (cropped from)

[CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons)

Seven+ Free Cultural Activities in Mérida, México

When you visit Mérida, México, there are plenty of cultural sites, events, and activities for you to enjoy.

Some the many free cultural activities, the city of Mérida, Mexico offers are:

Monday
Regional Dance
9:00pm
Palacio Municipal
Plaza Grande

Tuesday
Musical Memories
8:30pm
Parque de Santiago

Wednesday
Cemetery Tour
Cementerio General
8:pm-9:00pm

Thursday
Serenata Yucateca
9:00pm
Parque Santa Lucia

Friday
Video Mapping Cathedral
8:30pm
Cathedral

Saturday
Noche Mexicana
8:00pm
Paseo de Montegjo y Calle 47

Juego de Pelota Maya "Pok ta Pok"
8:30pm
In front of the Cathedral

Sunday
Merida en Domingo
Plaza Grande
All day
 
Bic Ruta
8:00am-1:00pm
Start from Gran Plaza or Paseo Montejo y Calle 35

Vaqueria Regional
1:00pm
Plaza Grande
All day

Anthony Bourdain on Learning to Cook

Anthony Bourdain
6/25/ 1956 - 6/8/2018

On learning to cook: “Basic cooking skills are a virtue... the ability to feed yourself and a few others with proficiency should be taught to every young man and woman as a fundamental skill. [It’s] as vital to growing up as learning to wipe one’s own ass, cross the street by oneself, or be trusted with money.”

Source: https://www.eater.com/2018/6/8/17441238/anthony-bourdains-most-memorable-quotes

Other sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Bourdain

I Ate the Whole Thing -- Dragonfruit

Dragonfruit

Dragonfruit or Pitaya was the first fresh fruit I met when I arrived in Merida. It was growing on a vine in the backyard of the house where I rented a room.

I was fascinated by the fruit. It was uniquely strange and beautiful. The fruit itself has a mild sweet taste which I liked. You eat the fruit and the seeds.

 

(Dragonfruit or Pitaya, Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pitaya)

(By SMasters [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], from Wikimedia Commons )

After washing the whole bulb, I sliced off the end.

Then, I made a slice through the skin with the tip of my knife and cut the skin to the top of the fruit bulb. I peeled away the skin and cut off the tip, pulling the whole skin off. This left a bulb of fruit. I cut the fruit into thin slices and ate whole thing.

Estética de Belleza Princess - Beauty Salon

Estética de Belleza Princess

C 41 x 66 y 64
Centro, Mérida, México

99 923 37 74 telephone

Just got my usual Pedicure with a French Gel nail polish for $280.00 Mx.

The Star of My Kitchen -- the Mabe Refrigerator

 III.
ROUGE ET NOIR.
Soul, wilt thou toss again?
By just such a hazard
Hundreds have lost, indeed,
But tens have won an all.
Angels' breathless ballot
Lingers to record thee;
Imps in eager caucus
Raffle for my soul.
--Emily Dickinson
     via Project Gutenberg

The Star of My Kitchen
The Mabe Refrigerator

I rent an apartment. It came furnished. But, I don't have an oven. I am on my fourth two-burner hot plate and it doesn't always work right.

I have few fancy gadgets.

(Manufacturer: Mabe)

But I love my Mabe Refrigerator. Without a refrigerator, I would be lost.

While I rely heavily on canned goods and my pantry, I marvel at the invention called a Refrigerator.

Where would we be without refrigeration?
Plus, ice cubes!

I try to freeze a lot of leftovers, homemade desserts and chopped vegetables. Plus, I keep some spices in the freezer as well as crushed crackers and cookies for casserole toppings, dessert crusts, and more.

When people say "fresh" fruit or vegetables, those items would have a short-shelf life without the refrigerator.




Source of interest:

Food Storage: Cupboard, Pantry, Refrigerator, Freezer -- University of Nebraska - Lincoln
https://food.unl.edu/food-storage-chart-cupboardpantry-refrigerator-and-freezer

The History of Refrigeration, Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refrigeration

Peg Bracken -- I Hate to Cook Book -- 50th Anniversary

"I Hate to Cook Book" by Peg Bracken

I remember when I saw Peg Bracken's "I Hate to Cook Book" because it made me feel like I was not alone in my dislike or inability to cook.

While I never mastered her bulk cooking methods, I still appreciated her approach.

I had her book in mind when I wrote "Recipes from the Kitchen of a Frugal Non-Cook" knowing there had to others who struggled to cook healthy meals for themselves and others.

So, I was sad, I was late in seeing the revised I Hate to Cook Book for the 50th Anniversary of her first cookbook.

(Source: Barnes and Noble)

So, better late than never!

Thanks Peg Bracken.

 

Some of My Favorite Mexican Treats

Some of My Favorite Mexican Treats -- Updated 6/6/18

Mazapan de la Rosa -- Chocolate covered marshmallow

(http://dulcesdelarosa.com.mx/producto/mostrar/caja/12)

Chocolate and Vanilla Shortbread Cookies with Chocolate Creme Filling

(Manufacturer: http://www.gamesa.com.mx/marcas but this item not shown.)

Nut Bread, Sliced

(Bimbo Nuez Pan. Manufacturer: https://www.grupobimbo.com/es)

Happiness is Cake

Happiness is Cake

When you move to another country, you make alot of adjustments. One is finding a favorite snack. In Mexico, these cakes are called Pinguinos. Chocolate Cake with chocolate frosting with a little white icing inside.

(Brand: Pinquinos. https://marinelausa.com/en)

New Hot Plate

My Hot Plate died.

The apartment owner replaced it with a new hotplate:

We shall see how this affects my cooking. I will test some previous recipes to see if there are any differences.

My 1st Three Course Meal and More...

Cooking is so frustrating for me.

I had been planning a casual get together for about six friends and I wanted to attempt my first 3-course meal.

I researched recipes for days, several days, many days.

I tried to develop a menu with appetizers, a main course, a side dish, a salad and dessert to be served buffet style.

I settled on stuffed cherry tomatoes, tuna & bean bruschetta, and cucumber topped with cheese and grated carrots for appetizers.

I thought I would make a slow cooker stew as the main dish but changed it to meatloaf at the last minute because I did not want to deal with soup bowls.

The side dish was going to be pasta, a fall back dish.

Oh, and there were no cherry tomatoes at the store and the cheese topped cucumber slices was abandoned due to lack time and energy. That left blue-cheese stuffed olives and tuna & bean dip as appetizers.

A salad of onion, tomato, and cucumber slices with cheese cubes was another fall back.

Dessert kept changing because on my first grocery shopping trip the store did not have whipped topping in a container (spray can only). I settled on peanut butter balls.

I had selected so many recipes and saved them on various devices in various ways (email, bookmark, photo, reading list) that finding the one I wanted became a problem, more frustration. Solution was to email the pertinent recipes to my mobile and flag them and then delete the ones that I would probably not use.

Well, I had to get a loaf pan for the meat loaf and I got a 7 x 5, not a 9 x 5, so I tried to reduce the recipe and failed. I cried so much cutting the onions, I couldn't see what I was doing with a very sharp knife.

Waiting to see if the first mini-meatloaf comes out before I go forward. I cooked it too long, while it was tasty, it was dry. Luckily, I had accidentally made too much loaf mix, I had enough for another batch.

And all I could think of was, I am not ever doing this again!

I reduced the cooking time from 15 to 10 minutes in the microwave. This time I also added the tomato sauce topping I forgot on the first one and this one came out great!

Then I tried a new recipe, Vegetarian Nut Loaf. I should have tried it first when I wasn't so tired. I forgot to cut the recipe in half, then half way through I tried to cut it half by dividing the half-done mixture into two bowls while attempting to finish one-half.

The thing was pink because I used colored bar nuts.

It just came out of the microwave. It is still pink. It is crumbly but tasty. I have enough mix for probably three more loafs. If I make another one, I will add another egg and maybe another cheese. (Note: only used one pkg of cream cheese and one egg).

While I bought a sharper knife thinking I would be able to "mince" onions and such better, all it did was make cutting onions more dangerous. I never got past dice.

Ok, it's late and I am tired. I thought making the hard-boiled eggs would be easy. Something went wrong, maybe I cooked them a minute or two too long, or maybe because I was using eight eggs contributed to this disaster. The eggs were overlooked and so hard to peel I lost two eggs because most of the egg came away with the shell. I salvaged six eggs but cut myself in the process and could not stop thinking of all the illnesses you could get from eggs.

I couldn't find my original peanut butter ball recipe and took a chance on trying to remember how it went. It was another failure, I tried to salvage by making a "peanut butter" pie topped with crushed cookies. As another attempt to make a dessert, I tried Stove Top Coffee Cake, but I could tell I was done because I forgot to grease the pan and I suspected it will turn out to be just one big pancake, I think I tried it before.

I still have to make the tuna and bean something and peel the cucumber etc.

Dread, dread, dread....

Ok it's 3:00 pm and I am exhausted/ The frig holds three ground beef mini meat loafs, 1 nut loaf, 1 plate of deviled eggs, 1 bowl of pasta, 1 bowl of salad and a stone top coffee cake.

It was funny. After it was all done and the table was set, I did not feel so bad.

I had three disasters, the Vegetarian Nut Loaf (a bit dry and still pink),  the peanut butter balls became a pie. The Stove Top Coffee Cake was ok (next time, I will use a different pan and more baking soda).

I managed to salvage the deviled eggs instead of 16 halves, I had 12 and they were tasty but next time I need to remember to cover them in the frig.

Please ignore the Mercado/Discount/Mom's items/Recycled mix & match table settings.

While everyone enjoyed the meal, there was plenty left over. I had made two extra mini-meat loafs, so I was eating meat loaf and pasta for a week.

While it was both a disaster and a success, I now have a good fall back main dish -- mini-meat loaf.