1 six pack of your favorite beer or 1 bottle of favorite wine
1 cup rice
6 chicken thighs
8 oz tub of diced baby bella mushrooms
1/4 onion
2 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon minced garlic or 2 chopped garlic cloves
Olive oil
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream - optional
chopped parsley - optional
1 cup peas - optional
Salt and black pepper
Herbs (thyme, sage, tarragon, rosemary, paprika)
Preparation:
Pour your favorite beverage into a glass and collect your ingredients including pans and utensils. Remember to pick a pan large enough to hold everything at the end as we’re doing 1 pot style.
Open the package of chicken and individually rinse each piece in cold water and dry with a paper towel.
Season your chicken with salt, black pepper, herb mix. Some folks put everything in a bag and shake the dried chicken in the bag. Dealers choice here but if your chicken isn’t dry it just makes a mess. I prefer the sprinkle on both sides method. Also don’t neglect your drink. Your beer might be getting warm.
Pour enough olive oil to barely or lightly cover surface of pan and heat on medium-high heat. When oil is hot, carefully place the chicken thighs skin-side down in the hot oil and leave to fry for roughly 5 – 6 minutes. The chicken skin should not stick to the pan if cooked right. Flip and continue to fry on the other side for another 4 – 5 minutes. Both sides should be lightly crisped.
Remove seared chicken from oil, letting the oil drip back in pan, cover and set aside for now. Do not refrigerate the chicken. Now is a good time to sip your drink or refill if needed. I always keep my beer close so I am easily reminded.
Turn the heat down just a bit and in the still hot and now empty oiled chicken pan add garlic, butter, parsley and onions and simmer for 6 minutes or so. If adding peas add them now too. Still frozen is OK but I prefer if the peas have sat out on the counter for a bit and thawed. Once the peas have simmered for a couple minutes you can add the mushrooms and continue to simmer until the onions are soft and nearly clear.
Add washed rice on top of the simmering veggies and stir. After the heat has toasted the rice for a couple minutes pour chicken stock into the mix. The thing to do is de-glaze the pan as you stir in the added stock to the rice by giving it a gentle stir. Remember not to scrape metal spoons on pan bottoms when stirring. Use a wooden spoon to stir. I try not to use plastic utensils although I have a good one just in case.
After about 10 minutes or so place the chicken on top of the steaming rice in the pan and reduce the heat. Now would be when you would add the heavy cream if choosing to do so. Let the whole thing simmer together for another 20 – 25 minutes or until the rice is soft. Sprinkle some chopped parsley on top, stir, cover and let sit for a couple more minutes while you top off your drinks.
One of the things I noticed about people returning from the island of Ometepe was that they all projected a relaxed vibe. Being on vacation at the beach I was already relaxed but I was curious about this vibe other folks were experiencing. They all said they had just returned from visiting Ometepe and the surrounding areas.
Taking the ferry from Rivas to cross to the island is easy, inexpensive and takes an hour. The boats run pretty frequently and make it easy to get back to the mainland if needed during daylight hours. The town of Moyogalpa is there like a patient friend waiting to greet the arriving ferry travelers. The town is a neat little arrangement of approximately 6 square blocks that you can find nearly everything you might need. There are many places available to stay between the 2 volcanoes on this big island and everything can be arranged once arriving in Moyogalpa if a pick up hasn’t been arranged already. There are a bunch of places to choose from within steps to regroup, have a beer, get some food and/or contact folks for arrangements. Read on.
My arrangements were made for me. I needed to be 3 blocks up and 1 to the right of the port to a place known as Hospedaje Siero. The family that run this place are great. Lucy holds down the rentals while her husband Abraham is handling the remodeling that was going on. The photo below shows the old school material delivery happening one morning.
In the foreground you have the construction delivery going on and in the background you will see the orange canopy Krisdalia. I’d visit Krisdalia for instant mocha coffees in the early mornings. The mom and daughter team were nice people. Both the hostel and Krisdalia next door were easy to find and provided an excellent area to call home.
The island consists of 2 volcano cones that protrude through an enormous lake that feels like a wave less ocean whose perimeter claims roughly a 55 mile figure eight ride. Renting a motorcycle from Green Expedition was easy. They are reputable, trustworthy and came with a good recommendation which I share here. https://www.instagram.com/greenexpedition/?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D
Along the same main street from the ferry and steps from Green Expedition is El Picante Restaurant. They offer a knowing staff, pleasant atmosphere, good blended drinks and delicious food too. The owner Jan knows many things, is very helpful and a great host. Many hours were spent here. Visit here for sure. Even Kurt from Canada recommends El Picante as you can read below.
The next place up and on the same side of the street hosts a sign that says La Cocina de Mami and offers rooms to rent also. This is an awesome place to go for breakfast. The other thing I loved besides how nice the staff was is the chicken pasta.
The last place you should seek out is up the main ferry exit road and when you get to the island circle road which is about 5 blocks up go right. About 2 blocks down on the volcano side is a small sign letting you know there is delicious food waiting to be created for you at Comedor Alma. We were always welcomed warmly there and treated like family. Everything we had on the menu was good. It is as local as you can get when it comes to eating in Ometepe and added to a great experience while visiting the island. https://www.facebook.com/memitoelnica/videos/estamos-transmitiendo-desde-el-comedor-almamoyogalpa-isla-de-ometepe/376300624389041/
Thank you to all the locals whose paths crossed with mine and for sharing your beautiful place and vibes with me. Muchas gracias. The Dude of Food
Once you arrive to Playas Del Coco and get situated you will end up back on main street for one reason or another. It is the center of everything you will need whether it’s the beach, food, information, transportation, bank, doctor or whatever. The photo above shows the main street looking eastish. You’ll have a couple blocks until you are at the end looking this direction. The other direction in the above photo will send you towards the beach and a few more blocks of interesting places like more shops, quick eats, sports bars, etc.
Housing was at a place found on Airbnb called ‘Maria and Marios’ and I was very happy to have stayed there. They couldn’t have been nicer people and treated me like family. The walk from their home to the main road would take me past 2 stores and a fruit stand. Whether needing a refreshing coconut water straight from a coconut soaking in ice water or a cold beer on the walk I had options.
There are many fun looking places to enjoy around town and unfortunately I didn’t get to experience all of the ones that appealed to me but the following are a couple of the cool places I discovered as I wandered around Playas del Coco.
In the morning I would ride my borrowed bicycle the few blocks to the beach and get a coffee at a cool place called Cafe Corazon. They are located close to the water (50 meters) and provide good coffee in a smart zen atmosphere. The guy behind the counter was a welcoming host. https://www.instagram.com/cafe.corazon/?hl=en
Sal y Fuego can be found off the main road up the street from the sports bar and is a terrific find. If you love grilled meats and fish presented by a local trained in Argentina then you’ll love this place. The staff is friendly. I gave them a Venice Brand sticker. Worth the quick walk up the slight hill. https://www.instagram.com/salyfuegocr/?hl=en
At the corner where the sports bar and Mexican restaurant meet (the street you’ll walk up to find Sal y Fuego) is another new restaurant called Nakapasi. They are really new and I couldn’t find their social media but the man behind the bar, Abraham, was super cool. I gave him a Venice Brand sticker too. We tried to get the NHL Stanley Cup finals on which didn’t work but they did offer cold beers and really good ceviche. This would also be a good place to bring a date for dinner.
The Dude of Food really enjoyed the time chilling out around Playas Del Coco and thanks all the nice folks that taught me, shared with me and made my Costa Rican experience extra special. Thank you all. Pura Vida.
Recently, there was a 3 week period when my path stopped and all I did was hang out in the Popoyo Beach, Guasacate, Nicaragua area. The time was spent with a buddy either going to the beach, doing little things around the pad, eating or going to get some more beers before going out to eat again. It was pretty terrific and as much as the insects, reptiles, barking dogs and heat can be annoying it was far better than the traffic, homeless issues and silly political news games presented to US back home. My heart rate easily decreased by 15 beats a minute after a few days of adjustment.
As mentioned there are a number of really good places to eat in the area. They are all run by fine people who create quality foods of all kinds. There is a variety of places to choose from and below are some of the places that stood out the most to me. They are listed in alphabetical order and show no preference by the place in order. Read each listing to find out more about the places.
https://goo.gl/maps/aPEzYy5FLo8skJFi8 This link will take you to Guasacate’s main beach road on Google maps and will help guide to some mentioned eateries.
Amahula Hostel – This place is located on the south end of the main beach street. They have nice rooms, a cool staff, a big open bar/cafe/board stash-shower/hang out area and organize parties in the area. They can be found on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/amahulahostel/
Amaros – Amaro is a really nice guy who just opened a new restaurant in town. Located in a central spot on the main road near the salt flats this is a great place to eat breakfast. The huevos rancheros is the best in town. The staff is sweet and I loved going here.
Amaros kitchen
Huevos rancheros at Amaros
Casitas Pacific – This place offers nice rooms and has a cafe you’ll be happy you discovered. If you want to enjoy lunch at a table looking out to the beach while sipping a cool drink in the shade, then you should find your way to this spot and enjoy. https://www.casitaspacific.com/cafe-restaurant
Casitas Pacific
Dutchy’s Entrance
Dutchy’s Deli – Always cheerful and welcoming, this is a place I like to see the doors open at. You can change your spirit simply by walking in, saying hello and having a refreshing smoothie in the patio area. The tuna sandwich, roast beef sandwich and hamburger are all winners. If they have the homemade lox you must have it. They also make good fresh bread and have menu items for those who choose not to eat meat. There might be a dog sleeping in the bathroom and chances are he’s not gonna move so aim carefully. Lastly, if you notice the place has a nice charm, it is most likely because the owners wife is a very talented designer with a great eye. Both are very cool people who host an excellent staff that helps them run an awesome establishment. They can be found on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/dutchysdeli/
$1 taco at La Loma
La Loma Lobster plate
La Loma Del Sabor Restaurante – This was the first place I ate in the Guasacate/Salinas area and was always happy to return. The banana con leches were so good I would ask for 2 every time. The menu offered many good options and were more of a locally known spot. They aren’t on the main beach road but on the main highway. They are on Instagram too. https://www.instagram.com/la_loma_del_sabor/
La Tica #2 – This place is located at the end of the road and everyone knows Jessica. She is super cool and besides being the hostess that holds down the hostel she is the cook that manages the nightly BBQ on the grill outside that is a big hit for everyone in the neighborhood. They offer none meat, chicken, cow or fish options along with a plate full of salad and potato star things. The nights they offered Dorado as the fish option were my favorites. This place is just good all around. Not sure why Trip Advisor has the ratings it does but you can be assured Jessica has got it handled. Eat, drink, surf, sleep and be happy. https://www.instagram.com/explore/locations/1025477827/la-tica-playa-guasacate-popoyo-nicaragua/
Magnific Rock – This place is an awesome location perched on the point above the surf break and when the waves are firing this place would be the bar where the judges would be sitting. It is priced more on the higher end of the scale like a couple others on this list but what you get in return is worth the extra couple dollars when you are enjoying the coffee in the am or a refreshing drink at sunset. https://magnificrock.com/drink-dine/magnific-rock-cafe/
Restaurant Kathere Abierto – This one you may have to keep an eye out for as I don’t remember seeing a sign and it looks like it’s part of something else. It is located on the main beach road right next to and on the north side of Vibra Guesthouse. The patio, which from the street you enter the center, runs sort of parallel to the road with the kitchen counter towards the back of the patio away from the street. This place can seem odd at first but be cool, act patient and enjoy the food. Trying to get fancy or act touristy will not help. The menu is typical Nicaraguan food and is done properly. We ate here on several occasions and one night I enjoyed the fish special which was called like citrus fish or primo fish or something like that and it was worth every penny.
PIZZA – there are a couple of places you can find pizzas in town and all are pretty good. On the main beach road you will hear about pizza night and just follow the crowd. It can get crowded and you can wait an hour or they could even run out as once happened to us.
Farther away from the beach is Mad Dog’s Pizza. They are kind of located in a spot by themselves but follow the sign and you’ll easily find it. The owner is a nice guy and they had a pretty cool set up where we watched 2 periods of the NHL Stanley Cup Finals. The food was good, the beer was cold and the hospitality was genuine. https://www.facebook.com/maddognicaragua/
Well that is what I have to share. Muchas gracias to all the fine folks in the beach community of Guasacate y Las Salinas, Nicaragua.
One of the memories I carry from when I was a little kid is of my grandmother preparing tapioca pudding from scratch and it was the best. I always loved it warm and freshly made. She always made us stay out of the pool for 30 minutes after eating lunch. Anyways, the memory I have of those tapioca puddings is captured in a German dish known as Griesbrei. The flavor of Griesbrei reminds me of those early family days. My Bavarian friends always laugh at me and say that I like ‘baby food’ but it is what it is. If it tastes good maybe it’s worth overeating sometimes. Perhaps I will try to mix it with some grits, a couple eggs and a side of peppered bacon next to a buttered pancake splashed with maple syrup.
Dr. Oetker makes the package above and the one I originally fell in love with but you can prepare your own with the following recipe. I have some semolina left over from pasta making and will try this recipe soon.
Griesbrei –
Ingredients 3 ⅓ cups milk ½ cup soft wheat semolina 2 tbsp. sugar 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1 pinch of salt 1 large egg 1 tbsp. butter
Instructions Add milk and sugar to a sauce pan, mix well and bring to a light simmer. Gradually add the semolina while stirring. Bring to a light simmer, cover with a lid, and remove from heat. Allow to sit for about 5 min. In the meantime, separate the egg. Beat the egg white with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form. Add the egg yolk to the semolina pudding and mix well until fully incorporated. Stir in butter and vanilla extract. Fold in egg white.
You can purchase your Dr. Oetker’s Griesbrei on Amazon by clicking here.
Recently I spent a few days in Playas del Coco in northern Costa Rica before entering Nicaragua. I found a room named ‘Casa Maria and Mario’ and was happy I stayed there. Maria couldn’t have been a nicer lady and made sure I was comfortable there. Another discovery was an excellent restaurant called Sal & Fuego.
The town offers a number places to eat on the main street but what I discovered by walking up one of the side streets was a real find. Most folks are on the main strip so it gets quieter when you leave the main drag which was the case of this well put together restaurant I discovered. The sign in front read Sal & Fuego and the master chef, Arturo, and his helper, Sebastian, were warmly greeting guests, serving drinks and proudly displaying their tomahawk steaks.
Arturo is a native that learned BBQ techniques in a place known for great beef and meat cooking skills, Argentina, where he became an expert in South American meat cuts. He is now a youthful 50 years old, an awesome chef and great host of a fine restaurant located a short walk from the beach. Both Arturo and Sebastian will make you feel right at home and ensure that you have everything you need.
If you find yourself in Playas del Coco and are looking for an excellent dinner with a group of friends then you will need to wander up one of the side streets in Playas del Coco to discover the best steakhouse around, Sal & Fuego.
This 2022 holiday season I introduced a couple of new items to my kitchen tool box which is important as we grow as chefs.
The paella pan is made by Garcima from Valencia, Spain and is a traditional polished steel paella pan that I plan to use to prepare risotto. The pan seems well made and carries a 2 year guarantee. I look forward to cooking with it.
The Dutch Oven is called Pure Intentions ‘Ecolution’ by Epoca Int’l in Florida. This pan is also stainless steel with a tempered glass top. This item has a Limited Lifetime Warranty.
The wooden roller is an Everyday Living item distributed by Inter-American Products and was made in Taiwan. It has held up pretty well so far for helping to thin out homemade pasta for my noodle cutting machine. This item has a quality guarantee or receive a full refund. How can you go wrong?
Whatever your budget or skill level remember that joy comes from sharing and cooking is to be shared, so bring joy to the world and keep cooking. Happy holidays.
The Dude of Food grew up an only child with a working mom who disliked cooking. Her 3 motto’s in life to me were:
‘where there’s smoke, there’s dinner’
‘you can never be too rich or too thin’
‘go play on the freeway’
The refrigerator to me was something to go look in at someone else’s house. That is how I learned about food, by looking in other peoples fridges and lunch boxes to see what they ate like. It took me years to get over just casually opening and looking inside of someones fridge.
On special Saturday mornings as a kid I used to make a can of Spaghettios or Franco American Macaroni with cheese sauce as a treat.
One of the places I would wander over to visit was the house of the Italian family down the street. They had 3 older girls and a boy my age and they always had food. Their kitchen was the best. Something was always out on the table or on the stove top, warmed and ready to be eaten. Homemade pastas, sauces, pizzas, rapini and as we got older everything with onions in it so our lungs would stay healthier. This Italian mother even made liver taste good with thin slices and loads of onions.
When we would go back east to visit their Italian relatives I would be blown away that every Italian kitchen was the same, warm and full of food. We couldn’t go anywhere without eating a plate of food and sipping some homemade wine. By the third or fourth visit you’d be pretty full but the hosts would get offended if you didn’t eat their food and thought you liked the other family better so you had to eat, drink and be merry. It was great.
When I went to visit the youthful home of my buddies father in Italy I was blown away at the genuine love, hospitality and meals shared with me.
This love of family and food has never left me and recently I began preparing homemade pasta noodles after a lesson from my friends father’s sister, Aunt Mary, whom I’ve known since I was in 5th grade. I’m now 56 years old. In researching how to make a better noodle I was directed to Youtube and discovered the next best thing since beer was created. The name of this Angel is Grandma Gina Petitti. She has a food channel that you must see.
Grandma Gina is precious and I instantly fell in love with her. She speaks just like everyone in my buddies family and reminds me of the best of my childhood. If you are still reading this then you must go to visit Gina https://www.youtube.com/c/BuonAPetitti/videos and see for yourself.
Grandma Gina Petitti
Learn to make noodles, ravioli or whatever else you might be interested in preparing but be ready to get sucked in. You will learn to cook and have your heart warmed at the same time.
M & W Gourmet Foods of Oxnard, CA was begun in 2006 at 3 Farmers Markets with the desire to create “a healthy snack alternative.” Over the last 16 years these snack makers have grown into a really good thing keeping many people happily snacked up.
photos: P. Pearce
The Dude of Food discovered these tasty snack treats while being on set and finding his way to the craft service table. These roasted almond filled snack bags are a great replacement to donuts and potato chips. Over time more and more flavors became available with 11 roasted almond flavors currently available at their web page (https://www.mwgourmetfoods.com) including many creative tasty flavors. Some of the Dude of Foods favorites include Coconut Macaroon, Honey Cinnamon and Cappuccino.
One of the latest things the Dude of Food has experienced is this food called Califlower Hot Wings. When my buddy said we were going to a vegan place to have a couple beers because they had a good selection, I felt my enthusiasm drop a bit. ‘I’m not a vegan’ I thought to myself. ‘this has the potential to really suck.’
Upon entering the room, Sage Plant Based Bistro in Echo Park, the place was as full as any good happy hour should be and everyone seemed to be having a genuine good time. Not a bunch of folks looking around gauging how the cool people act, but real folks having real conversations. It was starting out great. So far so good.
We found the last 2 seats at the bar and asked for a couple of IPA’s on tap. The beer choices were decent. Then we requested the Califlower Hot Wings. I wasn’t totally down with these by the way they sounded but when they arrived at the table and I tasted one, I was addicted. These things are good. The vinegar was strong and burned the senses just like they did at the old Garcia’s or the original Anchor Bar (home of wings) in Buffalo, NY.
If you are trying to stick to your New Year’s resolution by eating better, than get yourself and some friends over to try one of the Sage Plant Based Bistro’s in Los Angeles and enjoy something delicious.
If you are interested in having your restaurant, bar, club or food reviewed please write to the Dude of Food or Yelp – Dude Food G.
