Thursday, February 19, 2009

Today....

Today marks my one year anniversary of living in Chile....

And I'm leaving the country!

Don't worry, it's just a short trip to Argentina. I'll be back on Monday with a full one year blog report.

Yayyyy, South America!

Besos,
Allie

Friday, February 13, 2009

This is becoming a food blog, isn't it?

Chinese food in Chile. I've heard that it is pretty bad. On Sundays, nothing in Chile is open. Last Sunday there was no food in the house. Out I went in a desperate search for sustenance. All I wanted was an empanada. You'd think that wouldn't be too hard to find. Wrong. Everything was closed... except for a Chinese restaurant. In the US, you can always count on finding an open Chinese take out place when everything else is closed, like on Christmas day or in the middle of a deathly ice storm. Sundays in Chile have a similar post-apocalyptic feel and apparently, Chinese restaurants are into that kind of thing. So, I ate there and it was ok.

Sometimes wontons look like this....



or this....



but in Chile they look like this.



I have been told that this is the universal Chilean interpretation of a wanton. See that little folded over corner at the top? There is actually a tiny piece of meat in there! For as strange as they appear, they are actually not that bad. Unfortunately, the soy sauce on the table must have been watered down because it tasted like.... well, water. They would have been better with some condiments. For a Sunday, not that bad.

Besos,
Allie

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Allie+food processor=true looooooove

My love for my food processor goes beyond the affection that many people feel for their pets. I freaking love my food processor. I bought it for $3 at a garage sale when I was in high school and it has served me faithfully ever since.

When I was packing for Chile, I only took a backpack and a small rolling suitcase. This was a bad idea since I had to re-buy many things I already had in the states, like say most basic items of clothing. Even with this limited packing space, my food processor made it into the "maybe pile" on a few occasions. I just LOVE my food processor. I left it in Bob's hands and I hope that he is caring for it well.

After talking about all the fabulous things I could do with said food processor for months to one of my friends, he suggested that I buy one here in Chile. Genius! Then, I looked at the prices and was appalled. Considering that I've had pretty crap luck with the quality of items I've bought here, I was even more appalled. Then I was sad.

Months later, I was still sad. I had a dream about making hummus and decided that on that very day, I must go out and spend money that I didn't have on a food processor. Lack of patience coupled with lack of selection led me to buy a strange hand held kitchen multi-tool which included an attachment that vaguely looked like a small food processor. I made pesto once, was moderately pleased with it's performance and promptly forgot about the hummus, until today!

Yes! This thing makes hummus and it makes it well! But wait.... it is sweet. Strangely, the tahini that I have been buying here for months now has sugar.... a lot of sugar. So, I have sweet hummus, but it is hummus none the less. Garlicy, smooth, sweet, sweet hummus. And, it's not that bad.

After I finished the hummus, this conversation took place with my friend referred to above. I wont mention names in order to protect his privacy.

"Hey, do you want to try some hummus? It's sweet!"

"No!"

"Have you ever had hummus?"

"Hummus is for jews and gay people."

"... and vegetarians?"

"No difference, you are all evil! ...and the same!"


Isn't he sweet?

Hummus makes me evil and I love it.

Besos,
Allie

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Belated New Year Resolution

When I moved to Chile (gasp) almost a year ago, I accidentally gave up music.

This is how....
I bought a new laptop shortly before I left and had way (way way) more trouble than necessary copying my music onto it, especially considering that I had the help of a computer engineer! Then, what music I was able to actually transfer somehow became all out of order in iTunes. Mysterious. Well, it really pissed me off so I kind of just tried to forget about it. I did a really good job and forgot about music entirely! Oops!

It's decided. My belated new years resolution is to bring music back into my life.

Readers, I need your help! What have I been missing out on?

Thanks! Besos!
Allie