My Place in the Sun

I’ve had this bag since 1977. At the time, I was living in Mexico City, enrolled in the National University. During a school break, Ivan and I decided to head south and visit Guatemala and El Salvador. In Guatemala, we spent a couple of days in the mountain town of Chichicastenango, home to a fabulous market where I bought amazing textiles, very colorful wrap-around skirts and this bag.

While attending grad school, my Guatemalan bag became my book bag and I carried it everyday around the Mexican capital, on the subway and buses and on the university campus.

I keep this bag in my closet, inside a plastic container and once in a while, when I’m feeling a bit hippieish, I bring it out and wear it. The letters that wrap around on the top and bottom of the bag spell out Chichicastenango and Guatemala.

Happy weekend! :)

Our ingredient of the week was selected by Deborah of the blog Old Shoes - New Trip. Thanks, Deborah!

I chose to make a pumpkin chutney. This is an amazing recipe with a creamy sweet/savory combination. It can be served as an appetizer with crackers or with slices of baguette or saved for dessert, like we did with a bit more chutney on the side.

I have some leftover chutney and I’m thinking that it will go great with chicken or pork.

Pumpkin Chutney

Ingredients

1 pound pumpkin flesh, preferably a sweet type pumpkin (I used an organic sugar pumpkin)
2 tablespoons good quality extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 large onion, preferably Walla Walla, Maui or other sweet onion
1 clove garlic, well minced
3 tablespoons white vinegar
3 quarter-size slices fresh ginger
Dash cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup apricot jam
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup raisins
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 lemon, juiced
1 red chile, any kind or your preference, leave whole and pick out after cooking
Brie cheese

Directions

Put all the ingredients into a pot and cook slowly on low heat until thick. It will take between 2-3 hours for all the ingredients to become soft and blended together. Some pumpkins are dryer than others, so if it appears too dry then add no more than a 1/2 cup of apple cider or apple juice.
Cut off the top of a brie cheese. Top with the pumpkin chutney. Bake it in 325 degrees for about 5 to 10 minute or until the cheese inside the rind is melted.

Camel in Marrakech with a rope halter tied to his muzzle.

Happy hunting and a great weekend to everyone! :)