LUST LIST #2: NEW VINTAGE RECORD CONSOLE

 This ol' soul of mine needs an afternoon where the kids are sitting down & being quiet, the "media naranja"* is occupied with something constructive, no yapping from the dogs, the chickens keep quiet, A really, really, TALL glass of  My Mixture**, my hardback of "I Know This Much Is True" by Wally Lamb, a soft breeze, comfy spot on the outdoor bed, and a stack of good vinyl to play! Oh that would be paradisaical... Music is always the final touch and the sound of my records is ASTOUNDING!!! If only because my taste in music is flawless. To improve on the perfection of my music, one needs an equally impressive machine to play the music on. I'm currently using an adequate Crosley player but "adequate" is not good enough! My LP's deserve only the best and the best is the "Symbol Record Console" . It's a sleek & modern record player that gives a nod to the old school all-in-one console hi-fi's. The Symbol has the brains & brawn. The walnut is warm & dreamy.  The metal base has this industrial chic thing going for it. Did I mention the 2 full range speakers? Or the hidden amp and subwoofer? Oh what about the built-in Wi-Fi? Let us not forget the hand-built tube amplifier and turntable! I love the way it pays homage to the fabulous record players of our past but offers up all the modern touches that make it irresistible. Your Grandma's player couldn't stream from an iPhone, iPad, iPod, or computer! 

*"Media Naranja"-Instead of saying "my other half",  Ticos often refer to their significant other as their "media naranja" or the other half of their orange. Cute huh?

**"My Mixture"- My favorite cocktail of course is a combo of pineapple juice, lemon-lime soda, and rum....lots and lots of rum ;)

Construction Debris = Papaya

HUGE, MASSIVE, GARGANTUAN,  MAMMOTH….well you get the point.  That is exactly what this pile of construction ish I have is. Remodeling a house is always a big undertaking and so is the garbage that goes with it. In Costa Rica most of the homes are constructed of concrete, unlike back in the states. So knocking out a wall entails ALOT more work. The overhauling of our home here has been our life for the past 2 years and will continue to be until “Casa de Kelley” is “listo”!

So the other day I was pulling up tile from the dining room. For some reason this is one of my favorite demo jobs! It’s just something about popping tiles up that does it for me… Ok sorry for being weird. Well, once they are all popped up it is time to take the ones that I couldn’t get up whole to go to the debris pile.  It was so random to find  that in my pile of concrete and tile a papaya tree had sprouted up!

I have heard people joke about being careful about where you spit in Costa Rica because the next day a “Spit Tree” will take root! The land here is just that fertile! I think it’s a combo of the volcanos, rain, and warm weather. That unique fusion has made Costa Rica an agricultural wonderland.

One ingredient to this concoction of perfect soil is the heavy rains that fall for about half of the year keep the soil moist and provide the vital water that all plant life needs to thrive.

People have flocked to Costa Rica for years because of the temperate weather. It is always warm and welcoming. Guess what? Plants like it too!

Lastly, the volcanos work wonders! The volcanos are one of the top tourist attractions here. Even scientist around the world come to research them. The many eruptions over the past millennia have dispensed a plethora of minerals into the dirt. The rich volcanic soil that was produced has contributed to Costa Rica’s lush landscape and fabulous forestation!

Sweetly Southern

A big fat slice of Red Velvet Cake and “Driving Miss Daisy” on dvd help to cure a bit of homesickness.  I love my life in Costa Rica but I have my moments when I miss the south.

Hearing the twang in folks voices…

The smell of fried food…

Southern hospitality…

Feeling the excitement of a high school football game…

Waving at folk’s, even if you don’t know them…

Sitting in a rocking chair on the porch, sipping on the perfect glass of sweet tea while watching the fireflies go by and listening to John Lee Hooker…

God I love the South! So when I am feeling all nostalgic there are a few ways to bring the south all the way to Quebradas! One of my favorites is Red Velvet Cake, even the name is decadent! It’s not quite chocolate, not quite vanilla. Imagine the perfect yellow cake that’s been given the most gentle kiss by chocolate. That’s Red Velvet Cake! There is still the mystery of why its red, but I don’t give a damn. Its great cake and great cake can work wonders!

List O’ Stuff: Red Velvet Cake

2 ½ Cups of AP Flour

1 ½ Cups of Sugar

1 Teaspoon of Baking Soda

1 Teaspoon of Salt

1 Teaspoon of Cocoa Powder

1 ½ Cups of Vegetable Oil

1 Cup of Buttermilk *

2 Large Eggs

2 Tablespoons of Red Food Coloring

1 Teaspoon of White Vinegar

1 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

      How To

• Pre heat your oven to 350˚
• Grease and lightly flour 3 9 inch round cake pans.
• In a stand mixer combine  flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside.
• In a large bowl mix together the vegetable oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla extract.
• Slowly pour the wet mixture into the stand mixer bowl until the batter is smooth and well combined.
• Evenly divide the batter between the 3 pans.
• Place the pans into the over spaced evenly apart.
• Bake for about 30 minutes. Halfway into the cooking time rotate the pans.
• The cakes are done when they pull away from the side of the pan and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the cake.
• Remove the cakes from the oven and run a knife around the edge.
• Allow cakes to cool.
• Once cool, remove the cakes from the pans.

List O’ Stuff: Cream Cheese Frosting

1 Stick of Butter, Room Temp.

4 ounces of Cream Cheese, Room Temp

2 Cups of Powdered Sugar

1 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

      How To

• In a large bowl combine the butter and cream cheese. It’s a lot easier to use an electric mixer.
• Add in the powdered sugar gradually.
• Add in the vanilla extract.
• Mix  until the frosting is smooth and creamy.

        Tips

• For the life of me I have not been about to find buttermilk in Costa Rica so I use a little trick to make my own for recipes. Simply combine 1 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar.
• It’s also better if the ingredients are all at room temperature before starting.

Adult Milk & Cookies

Hormigas Are Not Amigos

I'm no meteorologist but I know the rain is about to dominate the days! Want to know how I know? The "Hormigas" told me. Every year before rainy season starts my property is suddenly littered with little trails of "leaf confetti". The leaf cutter ants make these trails while starting to prepare for the winter. These pequeño pest cut the leaves from trees and haul them back to their nest. There something sort of special happens. The ants don't eat the leaves, instead they use them to create a compost to grow a type of fungus that doesn't grow anywhere else. The fungus is then used as food for the ants. The whole business is pretty cool & yucky all at the same time.

Now I'm all for the "Hormigas" doing their thing to support their colony, but I draw the line when they begin to attack my fruit trees. Our first attempt to thwart the leaf thieves was to spray the trails and anthills with an organic pesticide. That did diddly-squat. It was sort of insulting to see them continue on their business as if I had just offered them a spray of perfume to make their journey more pleasant. We were stumped until one day a neighbor with a finca schooled us. He informed us that the best way to rid ourselves of the ants was NOT to kill the ants. Instead, we should kill the fungus. Genius!!!

Lust List: #1. Tortoise Table Lamp

We all want stuff. Trinkets, Baubles, Knick-Knacks, It's all Stuff.  Stuff can do just about anything! And in this world if there is stuff folks want, then there is somebody somewhere selling that exact stuff. I know, AMAZING isn't it!  Now the only problem with stuff, is that sometimes Stuff cost too much! This problem has become the driving force behind one of my favorite past times, Creating the "Lust List"! The "Lust List" is a cool lil' compilation of all of stuff I see & want. Getting these things is a whole other issue. My husband is a miserly man. To convince him to buy something that is not an essential need, ie. food and shelter, one must be prepared with an entire dissertation, complete with a power point and statistics from a verifiable source. Oh and Wikipedia doesn't count.

Ok, now we all know what the lust list is... Allow me to begin the list....(insert drum roll) Presenting the Tortoise Table Lamp by Z Gallerie!  It would be such a subtle, sexy nod to the beaches of Guanacaste. Now I have started formulating my plan of attack by playing up how this particular lamp fulfills both "form & function". It's a beautiful sculpture, but it's also a light! How novel! I already have a spot picked out for it in my living room.

The Color Purple Eggs

Easter is now all but an afterthought and we are left with only our fond memories & a gang of hard-boiled eggs. I for one enjoy partaking in some good eggs for breakfast, but there's no way we can down the dozens of eggs that we dyed. As a family we have taken on a "waste not, want not" attitude. So regretfully the hubby and I could not have our "Eggtravagant Explosion". What is the "Eggtravagant Explosion" you ask? Well, its only one of the best traditions in the Kelley household. I am BIG on holidays, my better half... not so much. He does however love me and will do anything within reason to shut me up. We would decorate and dye eggs to celebrate the Easter holiday. After the delight of decorating was over...we were left with a basket of eggs that neither of us wanted to eat. Now this is where the some of the details get a bit fuzzy, but somehow we came to the BRILLIANT conclusion that watching the eggs explode into colorful bits would be AWESOME! We gathered up our ammo and proceeded to the back yard. Once on the scene we would take turns throwing the eggs into the branches of this great old tree we had. The sight was one of glorious gore. All of those brightly colored egg bits would shower down upon the earth. Our smiles were ones of mischievous children. I miss those days...Now we are all grown up and have to act like if most of the time. So instead of having "Eggtravagant Explosion" we have to settle for "Pickled Eggs". Bit of a let down, huh? I will be the first to tell you that "Pickled Eggs", while not as cool as the "Eggtravagant Explosion" are pretty dern good with lunch.

List O' Stuff

12 Hard-Boiled Eggs, Peel 'em Please

2 15 oz can of beets in juice

1 Medium Onion

2 Cups of White Vinegar

1 Cup of Sugar

1 Teaspoon of Black Pepper

1 Teaspoon of Salt

1 Teaspoon of Garlic Powder

 How To:

• In a saucepan combine the vinegar, sugar, pepper, salt, and garlic powder. Bring to a boil until the sugar is dissolved. Allow to cool.
• While cooling, cut the onions into rings and set aside.
• In a large container/jar combine the canned beets, eggs, and onions. ( I used a big old pickle jar)
• Pour the vinegar solution into the container over the eggs.
• Place in to the fridge overnight. (If you are in a rush you can serve after being refrigerated for at least 2 hours.)
• The longer these soak the better they get!