4 • July 2014 • UPBEAT TIMES.com


quated king. Legend number two


O insists that


the god Quetzal- coatl gave them to the fi rst man and woman. Either way the thin, fl at, round cakes, baked on a griddle, date back approximate- ly 10,000 years be- fore Christ.


Agriculture be-


gan in the valley of Mexico in 7,000 B.C., about the


same time it arose along the Euphrates. A couple of centu- ries’ later, corn was germinat- ing, on the Mexican plain. The Aztec diet was based on maize which they devoured on the cob. The dried kernels, cooked in lime to remove husks, were ground into masa. From this corn fl our they made tortillas and tamales.


In 1519 the Spanish conquis- tadors found the Aztec’s mak-


Quesadillas


ne Mayan legend has the tortilla created by a pheasant for an anti-


Eat Well & Prosper! With Executive Chef Ron Skaar ~ ronskaar@comcast.net


ing the fl at maize bread and called them tortillas (“little cakes”). They also found an amazing array or condiments the natives made from their abun- dance of chili peppers. During this time, a com- mon everyday menu of the Aztec emperor, Mont- ezuma II, could include over 100 dishes!


The tortilla is the primary way maize is con- sumed in Mexi-


co. Golf-size pieces of masa dough are patted down into thin pancakes and crisped on a hot griddle. Before wheat was introduced by the European colonists, tortillas were made only from corn. The new, but mainly the old version, have created a versatile staple food for the entire population. Tortillas function as plates and eating “utensils” all rolled into one. The corn version is


commonly combined with meat or poultry to build enchi- ladas or tacos. Deep fried they are receptacles for layers of mashed beans, lettuce, cheese, guacamole and chili sauce to become tostadas. Flour tor- tillas are a stable of northern wheat growing Mexico and are used to wrap around hot fi ll- ings to create burritos, which are also deep fried, giving birth to the chimichanga. Making masa became eas- ier in the 1940’s with small gas engines powering wet- grain grinders to produce the fl our. Tortillas were still hand pressed until the 1960’s when small scale machines popped out a “disk” every 2 seconds. Now the tortilla is number two on the list of packaged bread products sold, losing out only, to the sliced version. The unique scent and taste


of warm, freshly cooked corn tortillas takes me back to my catering days in San Fran- cisco. At La Palma, on 24th Street, Armando, my boss, would order crisp mini taco


shells plus the masa we used to make cheesy deep fried mini- quesadillas. Near the back of the store stood the big round griddle, surrounded by ladies continuously patting the masa into those thin, fl at disks. With a smile they would offer you a hot one off the comal, a genu- ine gift from god. Tortillas bring endless pos- sibilities to the kitchen. Dur- ing the summer their versatil- ity shines. Use the fl our type for wraps, rolling up lettuce, crisp bacon, sliced deli turkey, and avocado, drizzling with a mayo-salsa mixture. Quesadil- las are quick and simple solu- tions to summer dining which can be fi nished on the grill or griddle.


Quesadillas with Brie, Barbequed Meat and Mango


½ pound barbequed chicken, pork or beef ¼ cup barbecue sauce ¼ pound double-crème brie


4 (10-inch) fl our tortillas 1 tablespoon unsalted butter


Mango, small tomato, scallion and cilantro for salsa


Dice mango, tomato, scallion and mix with chopped cilantro for salsa. Shred meat and mix with barbeque sauce. Cut brie into thin slices. Lay one tortillas on fl at surface and spread with barbeque sauce evenly. Layer half the brie and meat, cover with second tor- tilla and press fi rmly. Repeat for the second quesadilla. When but- ter bubbles on a hot skillet, cook until golden on each side. Cut into wedges and garnish with salsa. Serves 4. Oil grates liberally if us- ing a grill, checking often.


4 • July 2014 • UPBEAT TIMES


JOKES & Humor # 2 Appropriate


A couple of opposing candidates for county offi ce happened to be sitting next to each other in the local diner. One turned to the other and said, “You know why I’m going to win this election? Because of my ‘personal touch.’ For example, I always tip


waitresses really well and then ask them to vote for me.” “Oh, is that so?” replied the other. “I always tip them a nickel and ask them to vote for you.”


Fun Facts & Trivia #1 INTERESTING SALT FACTS


Petroleum geologists look for salt deposits to lead them to oil and gas. Because of its impervious nature, salt deposits stop oil and gas escaping, so form a natural underground reservoir.


The fi rst surviving record of salt usage is 4700 years old; the Chinese Png-tzao, one of the world’s earliest writings, notes more than 40 types of salt, and the methods of extracting and processing it are not far removed from those still in use today.


The sea holds around 26 million tons of salt per cubic kilometre.


There are around 40 million billion tons of salt in the worlds oceans. Enough to leave the world covered by salt up to 50 metres high if all the seas evaporated.


Little Stuff 1


I told my doctor that I broke my arm in two places. He told me to stop going to those places.


I used to be addicted to the Hokey Pokey, but I turned myself around.


Fitness - if it came in a bottle, everybody would have a great body. ~Cher


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