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Gringopaisa comments on I need Help... Making Arepas for my Colombian wife tonight

¡Arepas! a recipe My wife can't live without them, and now I can't either. Try this recipe:

Ingredients:
2 cups milk
1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1.5 cups white arepa flour (masarepa or arepaharina)
1 teaspoon salt
1.5 tablespoons sugar
1 cup grated processed mozzarella cheese (not the fresh Italian variety)
Vegetable oil for the griddle
1.25 cups finely grated queso blanco for serving

1. In a small saucepan bring 1.5 cups of the milk to a boil. Stain into a bowl and add the butter. Let stand.

2. In a large bowl, stir together the masarepa, salt, sugar and mozzarella. Maek a well in the center and pour in the hot milk. Stir the "masa" and milk together until smooth. Knead the mixture, sprinkling the remaining milk, until the dough is smooth and sticky. This is about 5 minutes.

3. Roll the dough into a 1/2 inch thick sheet between 2 pieces of wax paper. With a cookie cutter or the rim of a glass, cut out approx. 3" circles. You should get about 8.

4. Brush a skillet/griddle lightly with oil and preheat over medium-low heat. Fry as many arespa as will fit, until they are soft within and golden and slightly crusty outside. About 4 minutes for each side. Keep separating the arepas from the grill so they don't stick. Put the finshed areas in a warm oven on low heat.

5. To serve, spear some butter with a fork and brush the arepas while still hot. Immediately sprinkle with grated cheese and enjoy!

– This recipe is from the book "Fiesta: a Celebration of Latin Hospitality" which I highly recommend.

Gringopaisa comments on philadelphia to medellin

Cheap ticket Try this website, I got a cheap ticket from them last year:

http://www.air-supply.com

Gringopaisa comments on SHOULD I BE CONCERNED GOING TO MEDELLIN BY MYSELF AND FOR THE FIRST TIME?

Cheaper Hotels When I was there last summer and more recently in February I noticed a lot of younger, backpacer types in the SurAmericana area. This is an older neighborhood, very safe and quite pleasant. There are a number of small hotels that seem to cater to Lonely Planet types. I would suggest you take the Metro Rail to the SurAmericana station. Upon exiting go in the direction over the little river and continue walking to Exito, which is a big WalMart type store. At the end of Exito, take a left and walk up this street (where all the taxis are lined up). If you walk a couple of blocks you will notice some little hotels, cafes and maybe you will run into another gringo who can help you out. As you will see there is plenty to do right in this neighborhood and if you walk on the other side of Ave. Colombia you can go to the Carlos C neighborhood, which has the modern art museum, some cool cafes and lots of young people. Have fun!

Gringopaisa comments on Coca leafs

Cocaine: an Unauthorized Biography Drink Coca Cola? Well, guess what? Even to this day part of its "secret" formula are "trujillo" Coca leaves, known for their strong taste. Of course the cocaine is elimanted but it speaks a lot of the long and critical history of the coca leave in South America and the world. I am reading the book "Cocaine: an Unauthorized Biography" and would recommend it highly to anyone interested in this fascinating plant. It holds almost Godly status amongst South American Indians, and for good reason. Not only does the very minute percentage of cocaine in a leave provide energy for arduous labor, it has been determined to be a supreme source of nutrition. Sadly, the coca leaf is viewed as evil, even though it has been a part of South American Indian culture for many thousands of years. This book delves deeply into the subject, as well as the role the leaf played in enslaving indians who worked the silver mines for the Spanish crown. It also provides a clear history of cocaine's role in laying the foundations for some of today's mega-corporations like Japan's Mitsubishi, Germany's Merck and of course Coca Cola amongst others. One forgets today that the forebearers of the existing cocaine black market were such nations as Japan, England, the Netherlands and the U.S. At over 500 pages "Cocaine: an Unauthorized Biography" dispells of many myths about coca and reveals the role this magical plant has played in international finance and nation-building. Compelling.

Gringopaisa comments on Road cycling/training in and in the hills above Medellin

Bicycling is very popular in Medellín Don't let'em scare you, if you can handle New Jersey, you can handle Medellín. There are many, many cyclists in this city and you will love it! Rio Negro is the best place and most beautiful. Imagine rolling hills in Virginia and you get the picture. The city itself is crazy, but that doesn't stop anyone. The roads above the city in the Poblado neighborhood are popular and the road to Sante Fe is very popular, especially on weekends. Sante Fe de Antioquia is awesome for cycling. I cycled all over the city, up the mountain roads, in the parks, no problem. Crazy, yes, but I lived in Manhattan and that was no different.

Gringopaisa comments on Seeking good website for buying Colombian music

Colombian music There are so many artists and CDs that are not available outside of Colombia, it's a shame. I would recommend the Universal music website or Disco Fuentes, both Miami based. I will be returning to Medellín in July to sell folkloric music from my websites, mundovibes.com and ricolombia.com so check them out in the future for exclusive releases.

Gringopaisa comments on Returning to Medellin, fiancee visa is close, but I want to move to Colombia!

Back to Medellín I am returning to Medellín to live until my spouses visa is resolved. I lived there last summer and another month this winter. I loved it, minor adjustments not withstanding. I am here in Miami now and I will say I would much rather be there. No body wants to be in Miami, it's all about the dollar here. Everybody hates being here. I am looking forward to returning to Colombia but I won't plan on working there. Will get a spousal visa, which is good for two years. Don't go on a tourist visa if you want to stay longer than 2 months. Seriously, don't even kid yourself into thinking you can work there. Just go with as much money as you can sock away (keep it in your US bank, use an ATM). ¡Suerte!