Worldbuilding Blogfest: A Puerto Rican Favorite

Hola, mi gente!  This translates to "Hello, my people!"  This blog post is part of the the Worldbuilding Blogfest hosted by Sharon Bayliss.

Today I will share a part of Puerto Rican cuisine.  Yes, I love food.  It is my friend and my nemesis.  However, like all cultures, we take our food, music and customs seriously (by serious, I mean we party).  During holidays, we particularly light up our kitchens with the smells of Spanish spices wafting through the air.  Not only are our colors loud and bright, but we love our food spicy and flavorful.  We love pasteles, sort of like a big tamale wrapped in banana leaves but made with plantains, yuca and pork.  No occasion is celebrated without red rice and pigeon peas, arroz con gandules.  And who can forget the platanos maduros, fried sweet plantains.  So come with me on this culinary journey of food, love and family.

Pernil (Roast Pork Shoulder) Recipe

Prep Time:  15 minutes
Cook Time: 3- 4 hours
Servings: 10-15, possibly more  :)

Ingredients:

1 Pork Shoulder (about 10-12 pounds)
1 cup of Adobo with Pepper (Seasoning Salt)
1/2 cup garlic minced
1/2 cup of vinegar
3 packets of sazon (make sure it is the one with achiote for good color)
1/2 cup of olive oil
1 cup of water

1. Preheat the oven for 350 degrees F.
2. So the first thing you want to do is take the fully defrosted pork shoulder out of it wrapping and give it a good rinse.  
3. I don't know about anyone else, but I don't know how many hands were handling that meat (that's what she said! Or he said!  I never really know).  
4. Then you want to place it on a large cutting board because it is going to get crazy.  You take a butcher's knife and you let out some aggression on the pork shoulder.  Stab holes into the pork shoulder approximately two inches apart.  Your spouse, or significant other, may look at you with fear.  That is okay.  
5. Set the pork aside in a roasting pan or large aluminum pan  
6. Take all of your spices and mix them in a bowl.  Make sure mix well.  
7. With your hands, take a scoop of the spice mixture and spread liberally all over the pork shoulder.  Be sure to get a sufficient amount of the spices into the holes created by the knife earlier.
8. With the remaining spice mixture, add water and pour into the bottom of the pan.
9. Place in the oven for approximately 3 to 4 hours.
10. Be sure to baste the pork every 30 minutes.  At the end of 3 hours, use a serving fork to poke the shoulder, through to the bone.  If the liquid runs clear then it is done.  If it is somewhat pink or red, then let cook for another hour.
11. At the conclusion of the 3-4 hours, let the pork sit for 15 minutes before cutting into slices.
12. Enjoy with a side of rice, beans and salad!!!!!

Don't be afraid to leave a comment.  :D

Please don't forget to visit the other blogs hosting the Worldbuilding Blogfest:

This is a Blog Hop!

---

1. James Wymore	2. Rebekah Loper, Writer
3. Katie Teller	4. Courtney Worth Young
5. Bookworms Multiverse	6. Ink in the Book
7. Thardrandian Thoughts	8. Story Multiverse
9. Squirrel Talk	10. The Scribbling Pencil
11. Thea Gregory: Zombie Bedtime Stories	12. From the Desk of Laura Stephenson
13. Candace Gauger: Thoughts of a Visual and Verbal Ar	14. Fel Wetzig @ The Peasants Revolt
15. Sue Ann Bowling: Homecomingbook	16. Loco for Libros: Connie Michael
17. Scribbles on the Page	18. Carrie-Annes Magick Theatre
19. Cornerofmadness	20. Welcome to the Nightmare Saloon
21. Evil_Little_Dog	22. Jamie Ayres
23. Andrew Q. Gordon	24. Lex Chase
25. James Erich Blog	26. Layla Lawlor
27. Andrea Speed	28. Torn World
29. LEncre	30. Hayley B. James
31. stephen Tremps Breakthrough Blogs	32. Disciple of the Fount
33. Writing Off the Edge	34. Defending the Pen
35. Writing the Other	36. Meredith Mansfields Blog
37. Lina Lamonts Write Club	38. J. Whitworth Hazzards Blog

Tunnels

Tunnels

Some journeys never end.  I wonder about the light at the end of the tunnel.  Is it getting closer?  Is it getting further?  Or worse, is the distance still the same?  Life seems like that sometimes, like getting stuck in a tedious routine.  However, one good thing about tunnels is that the path to the goal is direct.  Everyone knows that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, according to Euclidean geometry (may not work on a sphere).  Eventually, I'll reach that goal.  I may have to take some breaks along the way, but I'll get there.

Drabble- n. a story told in exactly 100 words.
Word Count Tool

False Start Friday: Moving

This is part of the False Start Friday from Subliminal Coffee.  I wrote a little drabble and then revised my old To Do List that never got finished.  


In approximately one month, my husband and I will venture on a new journey- homeownership.  Yes, we are purchasing our first home and I cannot be more excited.  However, packing is absolute hell.  You never realize how much crap you have until you have to move.  My living room looks like a storage facility with boxes stacked upon boxes.  There are always three piles, lying about, when sorting through all this stuff: purge, keep and donate.  The piles are lessening but the monumental task has not.  Thank goodness, we have approximately one month before closing.  Well, back to packing . . . *faints*

UHaul Moving Van

The old "To Do" list that never got finished:
To Do List

1. Boxes
2. Clean file cabinet
3. Pack nonessentials
4. Buy Packaging tape
5. Pack books
6. Bills- file, organize
7. Prescription refills
8. Begin packing linens in space bags
9. Sell washing machine and portable air conditioner
10. Find ASPCA for cat 
11. Petzyme
12. Paper towels, tissue, plates, and cups

The new "To Do" list:

1. Boxes
2. Clean file cabinet
3. Pack nonessentials
4. Buy Packaging tape
5. Pack books
6. Cry
7. Bills- file, organize
8. Prescription refills
9. Begin packing linens in space bags
10. Sell washing machine and portable air conditioner
11. Find ASPCA for cat 
12. Cry some more
13. Organize boxes in a logical manner in  the living room
14. Create three piles- purge, donate, and keep.
15. Disseminate the items and take to their various locations: Keep= box, Donate= Plastic bags for Donation bin, Purge= Incinerator/ Trash bin.
16. Passport (nothing to do with moving but mine has expired.  So sad.)
17. Get the "Moving Kit" from Post Office and begin forwarding mail to new address, one week prior to closing.
18. Get paint supplies.
19. Reserve a moving truck.
20. Cry again.
21. To be continued and revised as needed.

That is all for now because I will probably cry again.  :)

Please visit the other hosts of False Start Friday:

January's False Start Friday writers is as follows:

1. Stephanie of stephstuff

2. Loree of Stories and Scribbles

3. Geo of Trainride of the Enigmas

4. Lily of Wishbone Soup Cures Everything

5. Susan of I Think; Therefore, I Yam

Happy Friday Everyone!!!!  :D

Rings

Saturn's Rings From the Dark Side

Round and round they go, flawless.  Rings.  An incessant and infinite cycle of girth in a limitless darkness and composed of scattered debris.  Rings.  From afar, they are beautiful, pristine and divine with culminating arcs.  Rings.  From near, they are a gelid, craggy, and desolate space. Rings.  Like all things that are reminiscent of a double edged blade, the desire to observe, study and marvel are inexplicable.  Rings.  The perfect annular forms are compelling like the song of sirens.  Rings.  Saturn at the center, huge and magnificent,  with its rings crowning this concentric sphere.  Rings.

I really want a ring!

Drabble- n.  a story told in exactly 100 words.

This Friday I will be participating in False Start Friday bloghop hosted by Subliminal Coffee.

 
The final list of January's False Start Friday writers is as follows:

1. Stephanie of stephstuff

2. Shaharizan of Bronx Tales & Inner Musings

3. Loree of Stories and Scribbles

4. Geo of Trainride of the Enigmas

5. Lily of Wishbone Soup Cures Everything

6. Susan of I Think; Therefore, I Yam

Come see us and join the fun! 

Top 5 Favorite Toys From My Childhood

I often find myself reminiscing about my childhood.  One thing that brings that warm, fuzzy feelings is my nostalgia for toys.  For six years I was an only child, until my sister Tamika came along, and I was spoiled rotten with toys.  I didn't care if they were toys generated specifically for boys or girls; if it was fun, I was playing with it.  These were some of my favorites:

1.  Slinky- at age 5, I spent countless hours watching the slinky go down steps, piles of books and I even made the mistake of trying to straighten out its concentric rings.  I was so angry with myself when I destroyed it and threw it away.  Good times!

2.  Barbie Camper Van- I kept mine until my early teens.  It was the one accessory from Barbie that I wanted to keep.  Alas, there was no space in the tiny one bedroom apartment my mother rented in the Bronx.  I was sad to see it go.

3.  Lite Brite- I drove my mom crazy with these.  I remember waking up at 5 am and playing with the Lite Brite as I sang the theme song to The Great Space Coaster.  There is no news like Gnu News!  Oh man, now I'm dating myself.

4.  Legos- If you dreamed it, then you could build it.  I was never able to create a helicopter or Death Star.  However, I did make a few houses and even a small village.  I love legos even to this day.  

5.  The Cardboard Box- This box was the epitome of Dr. Seuss's Oh, The Places You'll Go! I traveled to fairytale kingdoms, set sail on pirate ships, traveled to galaxies far and near.  My mother was often upset with me because on Christmas, I would pay more attention to the large packaging rather than the toy itself.  Is it any wonder that my children did the same?  Boxes are the best!

What were your top 5 favorite toys when you were a child?

This Friday I will be participating in the False Start Friday Bloghop from Subliminal Coffee. 

These are all the participants:

 

The final list of January's False Start Friday writers is as follows:
1. Stephanie of stephstuff
2. Shaharizan of Bronx Tales & Inner Musings
3. Loree of Stories and Scribbles
4. Geo of Trainride of the Enigmas
5. Lily of Wishbone Soup Cures Everything
6. Susan of I Think; Therefore, I Yam

Come and join the fun!

Rhythm of the City

"Rhythm of the City"

Paul Kenton

Mind racing. Heart thumping. Rhythms pacing. Music bumping.

Horns blowing. People walking. Litter flowing. Shoppers talking.

Taxis zooming. Buildings rising. Business booming. Fashion sizing.

Lights blaring. Shoes tapping. Passers staring. Awnings flapping.

Papers flying. Fires stoking. Babies crying. Poultry smoking.

Dogs pooping. Children playing. Seniors stooping. Parents praying.

Meters running. Trucks parking. Cops cunning. Drivers barking.

Bikers peddling. Traffic moving. Vendors meddling. Dancers grooving.

Singles moping. Couples holding. Lovers groping. Marriages molding.

Card sharks shaking. Stocks falling. No money making. Sellers calling.

Liquors flowing. No one's buying. Discontent's sowing. People dying.

This is the pulse racing Rhythm of my city.

Drabble- a story told in exactly 100 words.

This Friday I will be participating in False Start Friday bloghop hosted by Subliminal Coffee.

 
The final list of January's False Start Friday writers is as follows:

1. Stephanie of stephstuff

2. Shaharizan of Bronx Tales & Inner Musings

3. Loree of Stories and Scribbles

4. Geo of Trainride of the Enigmas

5. Lily of Wishbone Soup Cures Everything

6. Susan of I Think; Therefore, I Yam

Come see us and join the fun!

Pay It Forward: A Day of Service

Civil Rights March on Washington D. C., 1963

As I rush through the revolving doors of the department store, I think about the young woman who let me have her taxi. She just saved my job. One more lateness this month and I would have been fired.

The store is crowded for the Saturday sale. A customer walks by, appearing quite disheveled and lost. Her purse and its contents cascade to the floor. I notice that her wallet is hidden under a display.

"Excuse me, Miss. You dropped this," and I hand her the wallet.

She looks at me with gratitude and simply states, "Thank you so much!" 

This drabble was part of The Burrowers writing project, approximately two years ago, called "Pay It Forward."  To read more drabbles, click here.

Drabble- a story told in exactly 100 words.

I spent my day of service helping the elderly.  How did you spend yours?

Yesterday

It was a simpler time but not a better time.  We weren't allowed downtown.  We weren't allowed to vacation on the shores of Staten Island like the wealthy.  We provided blue collar service , then we trudge back to the outskirts of the city.  Day in and day out, we worked for pennies.  

"Yes, sir."  "Thank you, ma'am."  "May I help you sir?"  "Can I get that for you ma'am?"  

Indignant attitudes as though it were a crime to be noticed, a felony to not be invisible.  Maybe one day, they will look me in the eye and say "Thank you."

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Drabble- a story told in exactly 100 words.

Again, Again

Inspired by your belief in me, I look up to the sky, dig in my heels and whoosh! I can fly. The air beneath me, my wings spread apart, the wide world is mine. My time in the air doesn't last very long. Landing clumsily, my feet come back down to Earth but my parents steady me. Raising my head again, the sky is a beautiful cerulean blue with puffy white cotton balls dotted here and there. My potential is limitless. I resolve to capture the sky and own it. Grabbing my parents hands, I take flight again and again.



Again, Again
Alexander Millar

Drabble- a story told in exactly 100 words.

Late Night

It's funny how we do the craziest things to get what we want.  I want higher pay.  The only way to obtain this is to go back to school.  So here, it's 10:00 pm and I'm waiting for the ferry.  I got out of class approximately an hour ago.  I'm exhausted and tomorrow there is more toil at my place of employment.  I'm just so tired all the time.  I want to step through the glass mirror in the puddle and transport to another world.  Perhaps there, life wouldn't seem so desolate.

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
Drabble- a story told in exactly 100 words.

Whose Round Is It Anyway? and Teaser Tuesday

There are times when I find myself between the devil and the deep spew. I'm a 13 stepper, you see and there ain't no amount of rehab that can help me. I can almost feel my lips now. You know what that means . . . its time for another round. By morning, I'll be job-sick playing hooky but bar-well, deep in the drink. There's my bar-mate, Danny. It's all nice that he keeps me company, talks about politics, sports and what not. But I digress. What I really want is a freakin' drink. Whose round is it anyway?

"Whose Round Is It Anyway?"

Alexander Millar

Drabble- a story told in exactly 100 words.

My Teaser Tuesday: Bloghop  from C. M. Brown


Percy had fought many battles. He’d even fought in a couple of arenas, but nothing like this. In the huge Colosseum, with thousands of cheering ghosts, the god Bacchus staring down at him, and the two twelve-foot giants looming over him, Percy felt as small and insignificant as a bug. He also felt very angry. Fighting giants was one thing. Bacchus making it into a game was something else.

Riordan, Rick (2012-10-02). The Mark of Athena (The Heroes of Olympus, Book Three) (Kindle Locations 7593-7597). Disney. Kindle Edition. 

Requiem

I never told you how young you look in the afternoon sunlight.  I never told you how much I love you. I never told you about the little lies.  I never told you that I'm sorry for any wrongs against you.  I never told you how every morning you were my first thought and that every night, you were the last image in my mind.  I never told you how much you meant to me and how much I would miss you if you were gone.   I never told you about the wonderful memories we created.  I never told you . . .


Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
Drabble- a story told in exactly 100 words.



This was written for my friend Doreen Romero.  In memory of her late husband, Jose Lebron.  Rest in peace.

Midtown Rush

"Midtown Rush"

Paul Kenton

"Taxi!" I yelled with my arm raised high. Hailing a cab in Midtown during rush hour is definitely ill-advised. I walked to the next corner. It begins to rain. I mumble about meteorologists and faulty forecasts and it dawned on me that I forgot the holy grail in business- my flashdrive with the PowerPoint presentation needed for the meeting. Thank God for cell phones.
"Mandy, bring my flash drive to 39th and Park. I don't care how you do it. . . Yes, I know the meeting is in fifteen minutes. Just get it to me. Now!" Time for a new assistant.

Drabble- a story told in exactly 100 words.

This is a companion piece to Colours- Violet by Natasha.

Land of Opportunity

The Big Apple.  Land of Opportunity.  City of Dreams.  The City That Never Sleeps.  The City So Nice, They Named It Twice.  The Capital of the World.  Gotham City.  

Today is the day that I will begin the journey to obtaining the American Dream.  Today is the day I acquire employment in the big city.   Two job interviews and one callback, I'm on a roll. The ferry travels across the harbor to Emerald City.  All I need is a job as an administrative assistant in one of those crystal high-rise buildings.  Everything is possible when you work in the city.


Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

City of Dreams

"City of Dreams"

Paul Kenton

City of Dreams, to some maybe. To me, not. 

The cacophony is overwhelming. Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge is a reminder of what we once were. The memories smother me. Desolate. Lonely. Inconsolable. That is all that is left of me since you've gone. In a city filled with people, I am alone. 

City of dreams, to some maybe. To me, not. 

I place one foot in front of the other until I reach the edge. Spreading my arms out, I am free and kiss the cool blue that greets me. 

City of dreams, to some maybe. To me, not.

Drabble- a story told in exactly 100 words.

What to believe?

As a child, I did as my parents told me and followed in their faith.  I went to Sunday school every week in second grade and completed my Communion.  I continued to go to church for two more years and then I stopped.  I got busy with school and friends and activities.  As I turned 16 and my life filled with pain, misery and sorrow, I directed my attention to God again.  I completed my Confirmation.  Twenty years later, I realized that as a child I needed something or someone to believe in.  As an adult, this no longer holds true.  


Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
Drabble- a story told in exactly 100 words.

Outlander in an Urban Jungle

Sometimes I feel like I just don’t belong.  The fast pace of working in New York City is daunting.  Weaving in and out of traffic on the sidewalk on a daily basis has become unbearable.  Once in the car, the panicky feeling does not abate.  The pressure in my limbs mount until it seems as though I have a vise grip on the steering wheel.  Through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel and the tension lessens.  As the car approaches the Verrazano Bridge, a sigh of relief escapes my lips.  Almost home.  Sanctuary.  No longer an outlander in an urban jungle.

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
Drabble- a story told in exactly 100 words.

Failure

Failure

I set out on my own and went away to college.  I thought I was responsible and wise.  I was wrong.  That first year away from any parental guidance was pure indulgence.  At first I put all my efforts into partying at every fraternity and sorority party.  It was a whirlwind of activity which lead to copious amounts of alcohol consumption.  Every Thursday through Sunday, parties and clammy, perspiring bodies undulating, doused in obscenity and promiscuity.  Gambling was another obsessive pastime.  The lesson in this- beware of lust, gluttony and greed- they all lead to a degenerate form of failure.

Image courtesy of Long Island University, C. W. Post Campus.

Drabble- a story told in exactly 100 words.

Temptations

Temptations

Just look at it, so beautiful and tasty.  The red tip is so sexy.  I must have some.  To touch it and taste it is divine.  Just one more.  No really just one more lick.  Okay, seriously, I need to stop.  Oh why can I not stop?  Such a sweet, delectable red pulp I have never tasted.  The throbbing temptation is so potent, I'm left breathless.  Again and again, the flavor bursts in my mouth like a kaleidoscope of savory tang.  I walk away and it pulls me back, seducing me with it's devilish appeal.  I. Just. Can. Not. Stop.

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
Drabble- a story told in exactly 100 words.

Mountains

Mountains

Majestic and supreme.  Regal and omniscient.  Sometimes unattainable but mostly a blocked path.  Goals are like that sometimes.  Do we look up from the bottom and stare at the monumental obstruction, paralyzed by fear?  Do we leap into the unknown with no forethought?  No plan or path to follow.  Possibly falling endlessly.  Do we trudge along with baby steps and slowly make our way to the top using small indentations and footholds to grab onto?  Perhaps, we simply use a grappling hook and cheat our way to the top.  Once at the top, what do we do to stay there? 

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
Drabble- a story told in exactly 100 words.