Hotplate / Microwave: Pasta, White Beans, Spinach With an Anchovy Sauce

Ok, here’s how it often goes with me. I wanted a pasta recipe that used anchovies. I found this recipe (Broccoli Rabe (Rapini) and Pasta with White Bean and Anchovy Sauce) on Recipeland and thought I’d use it as a guide. I wanted to make a singe serving among other things.

I made a small bag of ribbon pasta. I’ll use the rest of the pasta elsewhere.

The recipe called for Broccoli Rabe. I assumed it was a type of greens. Because I did not have Rabe, I used spinach.

Recently, I had made a small batch of anchovy butter, so I used about a 1/3 of a cup of the anchovy butter.

I made a cup of vegetable stock with a vegetable bouillon cube and a cup of water. I only used about 1/3 a cup of the stock, I'll use the rest of the stock elsewhere.

Beans are plentiful here but there are not many choices of white beans are available. I had made a small batch of white beans previously and wanted to use them.

Because I had made several changes to the original recipe, I wasn’t sure it would turn out. One bite told me, it came out great.

I thank Jack Monroe for introducing me to the varied uses of anchovies.

Normally, when I use garlic powder, I have no ill effects i.e. acid reflux, but because I made several recipes with garlic powder, lately, my system was overwhelmed. So, now, I will reduce the garlic powder to a hint to none.


Pasta, White Beans, Spinach With an Anchovy Sauce
(Adapted from: Recipeland, Broccoli Rabe (Rapini) and Pasta with White Bean and Anchovy Sauce)


Makes a 1 bowl serving.


Pre-Preparations:

Make Anchovy butter:

Drain 1 tin of anchovies.
Add anchovies to a container with a lid.
Add 1/2 Cup butter.
Mix and smash the butter and anchovies until they are thoroughly combined and the anchovies are in tiny pieces.
Hold off on adding spices. Add them later when using the mixture as anchovy butter.

Make Vegetable Stock:

Add 1 vegetable bouillon cube to a cup of water.
Microwave on high for 2 minutes.
Remove and stir until the bouillon cube has dissolved.


Ingredients:

1 Small bag of pasta
1 dab of vegetable oil
1/3 Cup of Anchovy butter
1/3 cup of vegetable stock
2 Heaping TBspns of canned (rinsed in the can) or cooked white beans (any type)
1 Small dessert bowl of frozen spinach
a hint of garlic powder
Ground black pepper to taste
Garnish: Parmasan cheese


Process:


Pasta

In a medium pan, add enough water to cover the pasta.
Add a dab of oil.
Add pasta and cook according to package directions.
When pasta is done, drain and set aside.


Anchovy, Spinach and White Bean Sauce

Add anchovy butter to a small skillet.
Simmer and stir until anchovies have “melted.”
Add vegetable stock.
Add beans.
Add spinach.
Add garlic powder.
Add ground black pepper.
Stir to mix ingredients.
Simmer for 5 minutes.
Check and stir occasionally.
Use a spoon to mash the beans.
Simmer until beans are so soft they are easy to mash.
Continue to simmer. You want the mixture creamy and hot throughout.

To serve:

Fill a bowl about 2/3 full of cooked pasta.
Add the sauce.
Stir ingredients to mix them thoroughly.
Add garnish.

#GERD-friendly
 

1/12 Staycation: Casa del Balam

Staycation - Casa del Balam

Casa del Balam 
https://www.casadelbalam.com/ 
Calle 60 x 57 y 55 Centro
Mérida, Yucatán, México
01 99 99 24 21 50
info@casadelbalam.com

Prices: Moderate

Accessibility: Non-ADA accessible but has entrance ramp, elevator, and safety rails in the bathtub.

Amenities: 

• Independent restaurant services including dining room lobby level, room and pool service
• Free wifi
• Pool
• Boutique and Silver Shop
• Convenience Store
• Business Center
• XBox
• Massage services
• Babysitting services
• 24 on-call medical services
• Laundry services
• Tours and rental car service assistance
• Security safe (not in room)
• Free access to Yucatan Golf Club
• Wake-up calls and 24-hour desk service

Cautions: 

Watch where you walk, the sidewalks vary in condition and size, they are often cracked and uneven.

For those with walking difficulties, while there are ramps and elevators in the hotel, many tourist sites do not have elevators.

There are touts, people offering items for sale or trying to encourage you to visit their store, restaurant or tour services, on many Calles and corners. Just say, gracias, no gracias, if you are not interested in their items.

There are few trash receptacles.


Advisories: 

Bring an umbrella, bug spray, and sunscreen.

Always carry a bottle of water.

On Sundays, several streets are closed for bici-ruta and pedestrians. Rent a bike and take a ride.

Note: Tiendas' hours of operation will vary.


Casa del Balam is a large, multi-story, renovated colonial home of the Don Fernando Barbachano family with an interior patio-garden area and easy access to Calle 60, a main street in Merida. The hotel is just two blocks from Plaza Grande, the parque in historic centro. The hotel room had a bathtub, a rarity in Merida apartments and casas. Plus, it had hot water, another rarity in apartments and casas.

The independent restaurant, Bistro 57, adjoining the hotel offers a buffet breakfast on Sundays from 7am - noon.

This is what I wanted to experience, Centro at various times of day from various perspectives.

While all throughout Yucatan, there are hundreds of places to see and learn about Mexican history. You can get a lot of history around Plaza Grande parque.

The quickest way to get tons of tourist information is to go to the Palace Gobernor's office, Palacio Municipal on the North side of Plaza Grande, Calle 61 x 60 y 62 and visit the Tourist Information Office.

Get a copy of the Yucatán Today, a magazine for tourists with lots of information and maps or visit online at https://www.yucatantoday.com.mx .

Check Olimpo's calendar for weekly events like free movies or art exhibitions, located on West side of Plaza Grande, Calle 62 x 61 y 63.

As you walk around Plaza Grande, look for the pictogram street signs on buildings at the corner of intersecting streets.

Ladvovesita at Calle 60 x 61, Centro.
This is a replica of the original sign. https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-corners-of-merida-merida-mexico
 
According to Atlas Obscura, these Calle signs were added to help people give directions and for the illiterate to navigate the city.

Around Plaza Grande, you can find familiar tiendas like 7-11, Subway or Burger King. Plus, there's Oxxo, the Corporate Mexican convenience store.

You can also find economica cocinas, I suggest trying Gorditas Bena Gorda or Las Quekas on the corner of Calle 61 x 60 across from the Cathederal.

I also recommend Cafeteria Pop on Calle 57 x 60 y 62. It has economical prices and a varied menu. I often go for my favorite meal, breakfast.

There are non-emergency medical services offered by Farmacias Similares on Plaza Grande, Calle 63 x 60 y 62.


Activities around Plaza Grande: 

City Walking Tour: Sign-up for tour at City Tourist Office at City Hall on the West side of Plaza Grande, Calle 62 x 61 y 63.

At the moment, there are three tourist offices around Plaza Grande, each one serves a different purpose.

On my city tour, the guide was bilingual in Spanish and English. His audience of about ten people, seniors, young people, and children, from around the world.

The guide lead us upstairs in the City Hall building to a terrace overlooking Plaza Grande. There he talked about the history of the Mayan and the founding of Mérida. He also explained the various stops along the tour: Casa de Montejo, MACAY, San Lidefonso Cathederal, ending at Parque Hildago across from Iglesia Tercera de la Orden. The tour took about an hour.

Mérida was founded upon the site of the older Mayan city 'Tho' in 1542 by the Spanish Conquistador, Francisco de Montejo and his son after suppressing and enslaving the Mayan through war, torture and abuse. They used the Catholic religion to criminalize Mayan religious beliefs, books and rituals.

Mérida's architecture reflects Spanish and French influences as seen in the use of arches and lattice ironwork on windows and doors.

Local lore says the name Yucatán is a Spanish corruption of Mayan words meaning I don't understand what you are saying.

The city Mérida is named after Merida, Spain which was named after a old Roman city.

As you learn more about Mérida, you will learn about the history of henequen, also called "Green Gold" or sisal that at one time, made Mérida one of the richest cities in México. Henequen is a rope-like material made from the Agave cactus plant (See picture below). Henequen was grown, harvested and processed on plantations around Mérida and the product was shipped around the world. Plantation owners built grand Haciendas on their plantations and mansions in the city, many along Paseo de Montejo.

Henequén, el oro verde en época prehispánica
(Source: https://www.gob.mx/firco/articulos/henequen-oro-verde-en-epoca-prehispanica?idiom=es)

Mayans worked the plantations and were treated as slaves. Often, they were fed and housed on the plantation and paid in script. They could only spend the script on the plantation.

http://www.travelmerida.com/henequen.php https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henequen_industry_in_Yucat%C3%A1n 

Casa de Montejo: Calle 63 x 60 y 62. Completed in 1549. Images on facade reflect roman mythological images like Hercules. Also, on the facade are images of Francisco Montejo, his wife, son and daughter according to the tour guide.

For more information, see: http://yucatantoday.com/museo-casa-montejo-2/ 

In 1542, the city of Mérida was only six blocks by eight blocks in size. Entrances to the city had arches built over calles. Only the Spanish lived in the city, Mayan workers had to get permission to enter. Later, other colonias like San Sebesian, and Santa Lucia were built for workers or slaves.

Macay Art Museum: Calle 60 x 61 y 63, is open Wednesday to Monday, 10:00am to 6:00pm. The walkway is always open where you can see the current sculpture displays.

San Lidefonso Cathedral: Calle 60 x 61 y 63. This is the oldest cathedral in the Americas. Completed in 1598. For more information, see: http://yucatantoday.com/san-ildefonso-cathedral/?lang=en

Above the altar is a larger than life-size wood carving of Christ. It is the largest wooden interior figure of Christ measuring seven meters.

Iglesia Tercera de la Orden (across from Hildago Parque with statue of Manuel Cepeda Peraza) - When the Spanish ruled the Yucatan, they dismantled many Mayan temples and structures and used the limestone bricks and blocks to build their own churches and buildings. Many tour guides point out various limestone blocks in the wall of this church to illustrate this fact.

On Friday, after many hours of walking and visiting various sites, I returned to my room just in time to catch an episode of Star Trek - The Next Generation on the cable TV. That was lucky because Star Trek did not show on the SyFy channel again over the weekend. There were lots of channels, lots of children's shows, history and nature shows, plus the usual reality, sex and violence shows.

Outside my room on the third floor, I had a view of the patio garden and a seating area to enjoy a drink and write.

Then, I went for a swim. You can get a towel from the reception desk and sign for it. The pool is large and clean. I was able to swim "laps" and do some in-pool exercises.

Saturday morning, I had breakfast poolside. What a delight! Then, I took a swim before going out.

I spent most of Saturday visiting shops in the local mercados/markets:

Mercado San Benito
Exterior Calle 54 x 67 y 69 Centro
Monday - Saturday
7:30am to 6:00pm
Sunday
7:30am to 3:00pm

Mercado Lucas de Galvez
Calle 56-A x 65 y 67 Centro
Open 5:30am to 6:00pm

When you visit the mercados, it can take hours because the mercados are large and spread out over many blocks.

I was looking for another pair of cancelas (sandals/flip-flops). In order to find what you want, you need to visit several tiendas.

I found my canceltas in a tienda inside one of the large mercados with hundreds of stalls. I won't be able to find that stall again.

Cancelatas can vary in construction, shape, color and style. I was looking for cancaletas that were firm with a slight arch. Then, once you have found what you want, you have to see if they have it in your size. In Mexico, my cancelatas size is 29. While you are out, you will often have a "Mexican Day" where something interesting happens.

After a long interesting day, I came back for a rest and a swim.

I love books so of course, I visited Dante, a bookstore at Plaza Grande. Although most of the books are in Spanish, I still buy some now and then.


Other Activities and Places to Go:

Palacio of Musica: Calle 59 x 58 y 60 Centro.

City Night Tour: Pick up at Teatro Peon Contreras.

City Bus Tour: Catch a Turibus on Calle 60 next to Plaza Grande.
https://www.turibus.com.mx

City Museum: Calle 56 x 65 y 65-A, Centro.

For Foodies: Enjoy a city tour and a visit to the local market. Select items for your meal and go back to the Chef's casa and help make your lunch. Try Adventures-Mexico Tour, see:  https://www.adventures-mexico.com
 

Casa del Balam's staff was very attentive and helpful.

Great visit, my only regret was there was no coffee maker in the room. Plus, three days and two nights was not enough time to see all the things I had planned, so next time, I will stay four days and three nights.

Buen Dia (Good Day)



8/10/18 Update:

Because I did not have time to do some of the other activities I wanted to do while staying at Casa del Balam, I returned to historic Centro over the next week.

I got lucky. I attended an Astronomical presentation "The Invisible Border" in Olimpo's planetario. This was part of a series of presentations by the Sociedad Astronómica UADY.

Then, I caught a movie, Bull Durham, at Olimpo during their tribute to Susan Sarandon.

After the movie, I walked up Calle 60, the street had been closed for pedestrians. It was a delightful night. Clear skies, cool breezes and the streets were full of happy people, walking, eating in the impromptu "popup" cafes in the streets, a spill over from the nearby restaurants.

Artists had their displays out in parques.

 

Annoucement: New Series, Staycations, Mérida, Mexico

Announcing a new blog series: Staycations in Mérida, México
 
I have always wanted to be a tourist in my own town and a Staycation is the perfect solution.

My plan is to stay at 12 hotels over a 12-month period. The hotels will be primarily in Mérida but a few will be outside Yucatán.

What is important to me, as a mature female with walking difficulties, is: budget to moderate pricing, accessibility i.e. elevators or ground floor units, ramps, attentive staff, security, cleanliness, and amenities like a pool, room service, room safe, and tour service assistance. Plus, I like knowing I am in walking distance or a short taxi ride to various services. I particularly appreciate on-call medical services.

Also, when making a reservation, I like hotels that have their own website. I do not use online booking services, often, because they don't offer enough information for me to make a decision. I generally contact the hotel directly by phone or email.

In each Staycation post, I will try to cover general hotel information such as location, price range, accessibility, amenities, transportation, cautions, advisories, and area sites and events.

Price range per night:

Frugal - Free to less than 100 pesos
Budget - 100 pesos to 900 pesos
Moderate . 900 to 3,000 pesos
Expensive - 3,000 to 5,000
Rich - 5,000+

Seasons: Mérida has four seasons, spring, summer, fall and winter which vary in temperature and precipitation. The rainy season is from May to October coinciding with the Hurricane Season. Some find November to April the best time to visit Mérida.

Tipping: I tip wait staff, taxi drivers, tour guides, room service attendants and grocery baggers.

Credit/Debit Cards: Make sure your bank knows when and where you are traveling, this will allow you to use your credit or debit card at ATMs, hotels, restaurants and more.

Transportation: Yucatán has great public transportation.

In Mérida, there are city buses, collectivos (vans), taxis, ADO and other long distance bus services, car rental services, and private transportation options. The current cost for a city bus or collective is 8 pesos.

Taxis - I do not use phone apps to get a taxi, I ask the concierge to call a taxi or I go to the street and hail a taxi. Then, I ask the driver the cost to my destination. This helps limit price scalping.

In general, there is a ADO Mérida Shuttle at the Cancun Airport International terminal as well as an ADO bus to Mérida in the city of Cancun. Check with your hotel to see if they will pick you up at an ADO terminal in Mérida.

Also, go online to Yucatán Today, http://yucatantoday.com/yucatan-bus-lines-and-taxis/?lang=en, to find much more information about various transportation options in Yucatán. Once you get to Mérida, pick up a copy of the current Yucatán Today, it has a wealth of useful information.

Tours: There are many tour services available. Many are affiliated with hotels. Ask at the reception desk about available tours. As a single person, it is easier to get added onto an existing tour from your hotel.

Special note: When visiting Mérida, México, if you don't speak Spanish, learn a few words before you come. Learning to say just a few words in Spanish like: Hola, Gracias, De Nada, Adios, Donde es el Baño (Hello, Thank you, You are Welcome, Goodbye, Where is the Bathroom?) for example, is considered polite. It shows that you are trying to speak the language of the country you are visiting,

Buen Dia (Good day).