Travel with JoY

 This is my watercolor rendering of Noah, our youngest grandchild, Nick & Maggie's. Although I think it almost looks more like Ian, his older brother. I've also been working on more books and paintings while here in Dominica. I have made a habit of doing an annual self portrait and a grandchild portrait while I'm away for the winter.  I have an exhibit coming up at the   LE Phillips Library in EAu Claire, WI  April 17th to May 27 with the reception on April 20th at 7-8pm.   I'll be featuring my work completed during our annual global forays. Black Bean Pitas with Hot Creamy Sauc e      4 cups cooked black beans 2 T vegetable oil 1/2 diced red onion 2 large cloves garlic sliced thin 1 tsp toasted ground cumin seeds 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp cayenne 1/2 tsp pepper 1/2 small green bell pepper diced 1 med. tomato diced 1/2 cup water 4 oz. cream cheese 1/4 c. milk 3 T or more of hot sauce (to...

One third of a five foot by one foot acrylic of Dominican Sunset. We’ve had an eventful week.  I think the last time we blogged, we were at the Sisters Sea Lodge at Picard Beach in Dominica. Our room at Sisters Sea Lodge with new painting. We are still in Dominica.   Spesh, as in special, had taken us up to see the spectacular Syndicate Waterfall. An old cottage used in Pirates of the Caribbean He also  rowed us up the Indian River where we saw a setting for the second Pirates of the Caribbean movie and introduced us to a new habitat. The river carries salt water quite far up the river and results in an unusual mix of plants and animals. The twisting roots of a particular tree resemble the arms of a swarm of octopi. We also saw a Yellow Crowned Night Heron, a Green Heron and more.  We planned to drive to our next destination and enroute, go to the Kalinag...

One day while in Dominica we decided to take one of the local buses, a van, to Scott’s Head at the southern tip of the island, where the Atlantic and the Caribbean meet.  There is a striking promontory at the very point that we wanted to hike and scope out for future snorkeling.  From Scott's Head looking north up the Dominica coast. We rode there from the next village, Soufriere, where we were staying for the week. We were deposited in the small town center and were heading toward the point when I saw a good photo subject and, reaching for my phone, realized that it was missing.  Panic! Then ,”No I probably just left it on the table back at the apartment”. But we saw another bus driver across the street so I thought maybe he could just check with the other driver. This is a pretty small island and I figured he probably knew who that driver was. Sure enough, Donkey, as his name was lettered in large silver foil across the top of his windshield, did know who t...

Week five Antigua. Feb 5th-12th This is our last week on Antigua. Sunday we fly to the country/island of Dominica.  Sounds quite different than this island, a tired money-laundering (historically) over used tourism country. Out for an evening walk Do I sound a bit jaded.  I know it may sound like all our travels are fun and games, lying in a hammock strumming a guitar or cooking up some gourmet creation but one must take the bad with the good.  We love this style of travel;  booking rooms, apartments, cottages and all the unique travelers and hosts that we meet from around the world.  But of course once in a while you get the bad that I mention. This home we are staying in is lovely, on the internet, on AirBnb's website. It shows a swimming pool through a pair of palm trees, a large bedroom and modern bathroom en suite as well as a large open plan living room, kitchen.  It is surrounded entirely by a ten foot wide veranda and it is up the hill a ...

Looking at the menu for one of the best restaurants in Grenada I noticed that they offered Butternut Squash Ravioli with Brown Butter Sauce.  I've made this a few times in the past and always enjoyed it, improving on my technique each time.  I had some Brie cheese that was near expiration so I ventured that that might be nice to incorporate into the ravioli as well. It was a great combo! Butternut and Brie Ravioli Makes about 20 to 24 raviolis 1 small Butternut Squash (when cooked you'll need about 3 cups of squash) Wonton or Eggroll Wrappers (you can make four raviolis with 2 Eggroll Wrappers 1/4 pound of Brie cheese salt to taste 1/8 tsp fresh grated nutmeg 1/2 tsp ground ginger 1 egg Olive oil 1/2 stick of butter Steam squash until soft. Mash it in a bowl adding the spices and mix well. Drop 1 heaping tablespoon of the squash mixutre in each corner of the Eggroll wrapper. Place a thumbnail sized slice of Brie on each squash.  Make an egg wash with the...

 This recipe is almost entirely from the book The Spice Necklace by Ann Vanderhoof 4 Tuna Steaks cut about 3/4 inch thick 4 T ground cocoa powder ( I used the cocoa balls which are infused with spices and used for a 'tea') 1/4 tsp cayenne 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp black pepper 1/4 tsp cinnamon 1 T brown sugar 1 T coconut oil Rub steaks with the spice/cocoa mixture. Heat pan with the coconut oil. Sear steaks to desired degree.  Turning once. (about 2 minutes per side for medium/medium well) Passionfruit ginger sauce: 4 T butter 2 finely chopped garlic cloves 2-3 inches peeled and finely chopped fresh ginger root 3 T coconut milk powder 2 T flour 3/4 c. passionfruit juice 1 T dark rum 1/4 tsp tumeric Saute garlic and ginger in the butter until lightly golden. Add flour and coconut powder and stir the resulting paste until it's a nice dark gold.  Then add the juice, rum and tumeric and cook until it thickens.  Serve over or alongside the steaks. Thi...

Stovetop Key Lime Pie Yesterday was Valentine’s Day.  It was a Sunday. We decided to take a bus to the Carenage and treat ourselves at the Grenada Chocolate Company Shop.  We got off early when we saw the gates to the Botanical Garden were open and we’d not been there yet.  We’ve seen some great botanical gardens over the years but this one we would not recommend for any reason. It didn’t even have much in the line of picnic benches to sit in the shade under while escaping the sun’s rays.  It had no labelled specimens, nor collection of native trees.  It essentially was the groomed front yard to a number of government buildings. We left there and walked through the Marryshow area to the shore, a two or three block stretch which was the site of the riots and rebellions of the youth groups and nurses during the 1960’s led by Maurice Bishop.  Like current day Tunisia and other countries of the Spring Revolution, the revolt is usually led by the young ...

This recipe is originally from Tunisia and I altered the ingredients  to turn i into a West Indies style dish.  The curry replaces paprika and the coconut milk replaces water.  Cilantro for parsley (which I'm allergic to anyway).  Otherwise it's pretty similar. West Indies Shakshuka [Eggs Poached in Spicy Tomato Sauce] Adapted from  S mitten Kitchen Serves 3-4 2 T coconut oil 2 green peppers sliced 1 med yellow onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed then sliced 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 tablespoon West Indian Curry powder 1 tsp tumeric powder 1/4 tsp cayenne 2 T tomato paste 4 medium tomatoes chopped 1 cup coconut milk salt, to taste 3 eggs 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro Warm pitas, for serving Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add peppers and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, curry, tumeric, cayenne, and cook, stirring ...

My paintings as well as my cooking suffer from a bit too much inspiration and possibilities. My pantry is well stocked now and I've been reading a travel book with recipes that takes place in the Caribbean including Grenada, The Spice Necklace. The following recipe is an amalgam of her Starburst Salad and a Yummly recipe I saw.  The Tropic of Pasta I avocado 2 T fresh lime juice 1 chopped tomato 1 c chopped cucumber 1 T banana ketsup 1 T pepper sauce (opt) 1/2 cup fresh coconut meat coarsely grated 1/2 c cilantro chopped 1/2 pound cooked and cooled pasta 1/2 cup or more dry roasted salt peanuts Mash the avocado adding the lime juice, banana ketsup, pepper sauce and cilantro. Combine well with pasta. Add remaining ingredients and top with crushed peanuts. 

Lunch today for the two of us Combine 1 1/2 cups black beans slightly mashed 1 egg 2 slices white bread crumbled 1/4 c West Indies green seasoning 1 large clove garlic minced very fine.  Form into patties and fry in coconut oil medium hot. Turn after a couple minutes and cook until both sides are golden crisp. Plate and top with Avocado Salsa Combine gently 1 lg avocado cut into 3/4 in cubes 1 tomato cut into 1/2 in pieces 3T Tabasco or other hot sauce 1 T honey

Oh, my...fresh tuna!  Brian, the handyman on the property where we're staying, got us some fresh Tuna today.  Lots of it, about 8 pounds of fish for only $24!!  So I froze some and tonight made: Fresh Tuna with Golden Apple Salsa Saute with 2 T butter and 2 T canola oil: 1/4 c. red onion and 1 lg. clove of garlic When onions are softened and oil is med high, sear the tuna (1 1/2 to 2 pounds). Lower temperature to low and continue to slow cook for about 5 minutes, turning once. Meanwhile plate up lentils: 2 1/4 c. broth (chicken/celery/onion/asstd. herbs) 3/4 c lentils simmer til liquid is absorbed (about 30-40 min) Place tuna on 1c. of cooked lentils, top with 1/2 c. salsa Salsa: 2 Golden Apples (Pomme Cythre) or peach/pineapple/mango 2 T lime juice 1/4 diced red onion 1/2 t. salt 1/2 t. sugar/honey Chop Top all with chopped fresh mint leaves.