¡Micheladas! The perfect recipe for Mexico’s (unofficial) national drink

by Aaron Hotfelder on

“Want to order some micheladas?” my Mexican friend Gustavo asked me as we sat down for breakfast one morning in the beachside village of Mahahual, Mexico.

“What’s a michelada?” I asked.

Gustavo gave me the look a school teacher might give a student after he asks a particularly dumb question– a looked which seemed to say, “Don’t you know anything about Mexico?”

“Mexican breakfast,” he told me. “Let’s get two.”

After the first sip of my michelada— a disturbing-sounding but great-tasting concoction of beer, Tabasco sauce, and Worcestershire sauce– I was hooked. Like a soccer mom sampling a delicious casserole at a dinner party, I just had to get the recipe.

So here, without further ado, is a simple recipe for the perfect michelada:

Ingredients

2 tsp. Tabasco sauce (more or less to taste)
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
half of 1 lime
pinch of salt
1 beer (I prefer Negra Modelo or Dos Equis, but most lagers work well.)

Rim a glass with salt. Squeeze juice from the lime into the glass and add a pinch of salt. Fill the glass with three or four ice cubes. Add the Tabasco and Worcestershire sauces. Finally, pour in as much of the beer as will fit into the glass. Give it a stir and enjoy your breakfast.

There are dozens of michelada variations– a popular one uses tomato juice or (yuck) Clamato as well as the ingredients above– so feel free to experiment with any of the recipes found here.

After all, there’s no wrong way to get drunk in the morning.

Undiscovered New York: Top 5 breakfasts

by Jeremy Kressmann on

To truly experience New York during your next visit, you need to start your day with a good breakfast. No meal better epitomizes the different attitudes and moods of the city’s residents then this first (and sometimes last) meal of the day. Whether we’re talking about the quintessential lazy weekend brunch, a bacon egg & cheese from a deli or a strong cup of joe from the street cart, New Yorkers’ breakfast choices are about as diverse as the city itself.

You’re probably already familiar with the old standbys – New York bagels are legendary the world over. And New York’s iconic paper coffee cup never seems to go out of style. But for everything you think you already know about what New York likes to eat for breakfast, there’s plenty of surprises. Breakfast here includes everything from your standard omelette to Chinese Dim Sum to Dominican Mangu and Italian breakfast panini.

With all these choices, where exactly does a breakfast-lover get started? Breakfast is, after all, the most important meal of the day, and who can stomach such an essential daily ritual becoming something bland or boring? This week Undiscovered New York is here to get your New York morning off on the right foot. We’ve compiled a list of our top five breakfasts from across the city. Step away from that yogurt and see what we picked…
Breakfast Five – Barney Greengrass
It would be downright sacrilegious to leave the classic lox and bagel off a New York breakfast list, and Barney Greengrass is arguably one of the best places to get it. Located well off the beaten path on New York’s Upper West Side, this delightfully old-school institution has been slinging some of the city’s best cream cheese, bagels, smoked salmon and whitefish since way back in 1908. Enjoy your bagel with some schmear and the Sunday New York Times in the restaurant’s old-school wood-panelled interior.

Breakfast Four – Joe Art of Coffee
New York could not function without caffeine. The self-proclaimed “city that never sleeps” seems to be mainlining a constant IV drip of the brown stuff. The problem is most of it sucks. The scalded, bitter excuse for caffeine you’ll find at most delis simply won’t do. Instead head to Joe the Art of Coffee, one of the city’s growing range of quality coffeeshops. In addition to a zealous dedication to a quality cup, Joe also offers in-store classes to help take your appreciation and coffee brewing skills to the next level.

Breakfast Three – Chinese Dim Sum
Consider this while you’re crunching that morning bowl of Special K – breakfast around the world is as different as the people that eat it. And in many countries, the typical yogurt, fruit and cereal is not on the menu. New York’s large population of Chinese residents happen to enjoy Dim Sum for their weekend breakfast, a leisurely meal that consists of many small plates chosen from constantly moving food carts. Though there’s no one typical dish served at Dim Sum, the meal usually includes staples like dumplings, spare ribs and sweets filled with bean paste. Try Chinatown spots like Jin Fong, the Golden Unicorn or Flushing’s Ocean Jewel.

Breakfast Two – Alpha Donuts
Way out in the Sunnyside section of Queens, they take their breakfast seriously. That is to say, they don’t mess around with fancy-pants breakfast food like brioche french toast or omelettes filled with goat cheese. What they are serious about is donuts – the ultimate sugary breakfast favorite. That’s why Alpha Donuts leads the pack. In a city filled with fancy breakfasts, Alpha Donuts stands out for its simplicity and commitment to this classic American staple, which they’ve been making since World War II.

Breakfast One – Shopsins
There’s no easy way to explain what to order at Shopsins, a hilariously quirky breakfast establishment located in Manhattan’s Essex Street Market. The correct answer is probably “What do you want to eat?” Not only does Shopsins serve all the classic breakfast favorites like skillets, sausage and cereal – they’ve also got plenty of one-of-a-kind morning meals prepared by the surly owner Kenny Shopsin. How about some “Slutty Cakes” made with pumpkin, pistachio and peanut butter? You also can’t go wrong with the “Jihadboy Sandwich” topped with beef, pomegranate, olives, sheep feta and tahini.

Sustainble Farming Program in Uganda Offers Hope and Help

by Kendra Bailey Morris on

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (BINP) in Uganda is well-known throughout the world as the home for nearly half of the world’s population of critically endangered mountain gorillas. However, gorillas are no longer the only entity on Uganda’s endangered list. Bwindi’s local people have also felt the brunt of years of illegal logging and other activities which have slowly degraded the area.

Fortunately, the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park was established as a national park in 1991, and was initially designed to protect both its treasured gorillas along with its precious and deteriorating forestland, and as of today, the program has been a great success. Yet, while the park itself has benefited from a surge in tourism (thousands of visitors pass through the park every year on pricey gorilla treks), Bwindi locals have not been able to reap much financial benefit from the increased tourism, which in turn, has caused considerable conflict amongst the community.

Much of this socioeconomic dichotomy has been contributed to revenue loss due to the procurement of food products designed for local lodges and restaurants coming from outside the area (as far as a ten hour drive away). Considering the most common livelihood for locals is subsistence farming, and that the area’s soil is extremely fertile, developing a farmer’s association where locals could gain cash income by supplying fruits, vegetables and other products to a growing tourism industry seemed a natural solution.

Thus, the Bwindi Advanced Market Grower’s Association (AMAGARA, which means ‘life”, in the local language Rukiga) was born, and it has been evolving ever since.

Situated only four kilometers from the BINP gate, visitors can get a firsthand glimpse at the association’s gardens, which boasts everything from fiery red chili’s to sweet honey (harvested from their own bee hives). Guests of AMAGARA can take a personal tour led by on-site team members which offers education on how the association operates and how a wide range of growing techniques are taught to local farmers. Cooking classes featuring the traditional cuisine of Uganda are also offered daily, and are led by the institute’s professionally trained chef, Moses, who shares his personal recipes and cooking tips, including a few rather interesting twists on classic dishes.

An on-site garden shop sells a wide selection of gifts including packaged honey and tea from Bwindi. Purchases from the garden shop directly support the work of AMAGARA as well as that of the local community.

For traveler’s looking for a complete African Mountain Gorilla safari, Volcano Safaris, a company that specializes in great ape ecotourism and who is a well-known leader in its industry, has recently partnered with AMAGARA. As part of their gorilla trekking safari, which already includes tracking in the BINP and lodge accommodations, guests can also tack on a visit to AMAGARA when staying at the Volcanoes Bwindi Eco-Lodge. The lodge, which overlooks the forest, features eight bandas and utilizes only local materials and solar energy. Meals are prepared on-site and highlight produce purchased directly from AMAGARA.

–Kendra

Don’t be “that” tourist – things to avoid when you are abroad

by Scott Carmichael on

We all make mistakes – but when you are heading abroad, little mistakes could mean the difference between being a prepared tourist, or a pompous jackass.

It isn’t too hard to look like a well traveled jetsetter, and it only takes a couple of common sense measures.

After the jump, you’ll find a list of things (I think) you should avoid if you plan to go abroad. Some of the items are quite logical, others may be things you’d normally overlook.

Feel free to add your own “don’t do’s” in the comments at the end of the article.
Leave the stupid T-Shirt at home

Your “Female body Inspector” T-Shirt may be a riot back home with the guys and girls, but when you are heading abroad, you may want to leave it behind.

A trip abroad doesn’t mean you need to dress up in your best tux, but remember that you are representing your country. A little respect and good behavior goes a long way. Plus most stupid t-shirts make you look like an immature jerk.

Loud and obnoxious

Speaking loud and slow is not a sure way to make people understand you. And no – this isn’t just something from the movies. I have witnessed plenty of people doing it.

Picture someone speaking Chinese (assuming you don’t speak any Chinese) – if they talk louder and slower, does it help you understand what they are saying?

Do keep in mind that foreigners may not always be able to keep up with your tempo or accent, so slow things down a little.



Don’t be the unprepared one


Before you leave, spend some time getting to know your destination. Investigate simple things like airport to hotel transportation, and the local voltage (that Travelocity gnome was onto something). Other things to keep in mind; will your phone work, can you get any required medications abroad and will your credit card be accepted.

Brush up on your geography

When you travel the world, you’ll come across people who are doing the same thing – so try and brush up on your basic geography.

I know it’s been ages since you had to learn the world capitals at school, but if you come across someone from Copenhagen, you’ll look like an ass if you tell them you’ve always wanted to see their home country of The Netherlands. And trust me, I’ve met people like this a lot, you’ll be amazed how quickly people forget basic geography as they grow older.

Learn the language (a bit)

Even if your only phrase is “do you speak English?”, speaking some of the foreign language will always show you put some effort into visiting their country.

English may be one of the most popular languages in the world, but to many people so is their language. Even with just a couple of hours practice a week, you’ll learn some of the basics of other languages.

Eating at US restaurants

Resist the temptation to ignore foreign foods by sticking to US restaurants when abroad. The only exception is when your favorite fast food chain offers something particularly local (like the Maharaja Mac in India). Try that once.

If you don’t want to eat all that icky looking foreign food, stay home next time. Part of heading abroad is adapting to their culture, which includes food.


Wearing a fanny pack

Seriously, just don’t do it. Very few people can pull it off without looking like a complete fool. If you need to carry that much crap with you, get a backpack or cargo shorts with big pockets. Nothing screams “rob me” like a loud tourist with a fanny pack.

Counterfeit products

You may think you look cool with your new Looey Vuitton luggage, or a nice Shannel handbag, but remember that anyone who knows a thing or two about luggage or handbags will spot you from a mile away.

Do you really want to be walking through the airport with people staring at you because they think you can’t afford the real thing? Just don’t do it – if you really want a piece of exclusive luggage, save some money, but don’t fall for the temptation of a counterfeit product.

The same goes for counterfeit watches, perfume or electronics. When you get back home and show off your new Roleks watch, do you really think your friends will think it is real? Another risk is the risk of being caught at the border – US customs and immigration will seize counterfeit products.

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And the award for best domestic airline food in the world goes to… Virgin America!

by Scott Carmichael on

Travel + Leisure’s September 2009 issue is completely dedicated to food and travel. In that edition, the results of an in-flight food survey will be revealed, crowning the food on Virgin America as the best domestic airline food in the world.

This is a pretty impressive prize to win, especially for such a young airline. Then again, when you are up against some of the legacy carriers in the US, it isn’t that hard to serve an impressive dish – the competition isn’t exactly stiff. Anyone who has been served a “breakfast sandwich” on one of the big 5 will know what I mean.

Food on Virgin America won not only because of the quality and assortment, but also because of the ease of ordering. Unlike some airlines, where you either need to wait for a flight attendant to push their cart down the aisle, Virgin America allows passengers to order what they want, when they want, through their Red in-flight entertainment system.

After the jump, a list of the food for sale on Virgin America. These menu options cost between $7 and $10 in the Main Cabin, and are complimentary in Main Cabin Select. One word of warning though – don’t read the menu if you are feeling hungry, cause it is a very appetizing list!

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Fruit and Cheese: Hand-cut imported brie, pepper Monterey Jack and aged cheddar paired with clusters of sweet red seedless grapes, sun-dried cranberries, pecans and crisp multigrain crackers.

Hummus and Pita Chips: A healthy selection of Mediterranean hummus and baba ganoush served with crisp fresh carrot batons, broccoli and cauliflower florets, sweet red bell pepper, cucumbers, red radish, sugar snap peas and a stuffed grape leaf, served with Stacy’s Pita Chips.

Wild Berry Parfait: A light yogurt parfait layered with vanilla yogurt, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries, served with a crunchy chocolate granola.

Southwestern Chicken hand Roll: Zesty roasted red pepper tortilla rolled around strips of grilled chicken, green leaf lettuce, chipotle cream cheese spread, fire roasted corn and black beans, and a colorful trio of red, yellow and green bell peppers. Served with a side salad of orzo pasta with Southwestern vegetables and red pepper pesto and a Toblerone chocolate for dessert.

Black and Blue Steak Sandwich: Basil and cheese focaccia loaded with blackened flat iron steak, gorgonzola cheese spread, balsamic glazed onions, arugula, sliced Roma tomatoes and fresh red and yellow roasted tomatoes. Served with a Toblerone chocolate for dessert.

Turkey Florentine Hand Roll: Spinach tortilla wrapped around hand shaved turkey breast, herb cream cheese spread, feta cheese, fresh baby spinach, romaine leaf lettuce, sliced artichoke bottoms, yellow bell pepper strips, Roma tomato, and Belgian endive. Served with a side salad of gemelli pasta with Italian vegetables, sun dried tomatoes and creamy basil pesto, with a Toblerone chocolate for dessert.

Muffaletta Sandwich: Hearty Focaccia bread stuffed with shaved honey ham, Genoa salami, shaved turkey, Swiss and provolone cheese, spicy olive salad, green leaf lettuce, and sliced tomatoes, paired with Italian dressing on the side, and a Toblerone chocolate for dessert.

Thai Vegetable Salad: Refreshing Asian-style salad of romaine lettuce, Napa cabbage, julienne carrots, curly daikon radish, sliced cucumber, green onion, julienne tomato, red and yellow bell pepper strips, cilantro, mint, and chopped cashews. Served with sesame ginger vinaigrette dressing on the side and a Toblerone chocolate for dessert.