The Haitian Boat
April 30, 2008 Posted by: ERIN

One of the best things about having visitors is finally doing all the "touristy" things that you haven't gotten around to otherwise. You know, the things you've always wanted and been meaning to do, but living nearby makes doing them seem much less urgent because you have all the time in the world. Like living in Chicago for 3 years before ever going to the Sears Tower, or attending the University of Florida and only dragging yourself to one football game. Things like that. But having people come to visit you is a great excuse to finally do them, and you usually end up kicking yourself for not having done so sooner.

Well, such is the case with "The Haitian Boat", as it is called in these parts. I had heard about it and wanted to check it out since coming to San Sal, but never did until giving my parents the island grand tour. About 2 or 3 years ago the boat washed ashore on the northeast coast of the island, with a group of Haitian refugees on board. I don't know the specifics of the landing, whether it was bad weather or they were running low on supplies or whether this was their actual destination, but eventually the passengers ended up being deported back to Haiti. Now all that remains of their brave trek is their handcrafted boat. A few years of sun, wind, and rain have taken their toll on the wooden craft, but even in its weathered state it is still very beautiful to see.

One man's trash...
April 28, 2008 Posted by: TOM

One fun thing to do is head to the east side of the island and walk the beach looking for treasure. If you check out a map there is no land east of San Salvador for quite a long way, and so there is a decent chance that when anything that falls off a ship or is thrown into the sea in Europe or Africa hits land, that it might be on one of our east beaches. Most of the items are pretty ordinary with plastic food containers, any kind of bottle, and bouys being quite common (sometimes people even find letters in bottles). Plastic crates, rope, wood, construction helmets, and amazingly light bulbs are also very common. The light bulbs in particular amaze me. They wash up intact all the time, including 4 foot long flourescents, big reflector floodlights, and ordinary incandescents....On second thought, maybe intact lightbulbs on the beach aren't so impressive.....I guess it makes sense that light bulbs that don't get broken are the ones that can float and make it to shore somewhere, the broken ones must just sink to the bottom and eventually get worked into the sediment....I guess I am not amazed by lightbulbs....So anyway, this past Saturday we had a great find: a bowling ball!! I carried and /or bowled it back two miles. Erin has named it "Homer" in reference to "The Simpsons" episode "Life in the Fast Lane" (#7G11, original air date 18 March 1990). The ball is mostly intact, with some of the outer portion missing, especially by the two finger holes--thumb hole is intact, and the finger holes are still present in the cork center. The words "Black Beauty" can still be made out on the ball, though no brand name is present. A very brief Google search turns up that its a Brunswick model, and apparently somewhat of a classic, as I found a 25th anniversary model available. The ball, though still somewhat water logged weighs in at about 9 lbs. It rolled pretty well on the firm wet sand of the beach with a nice hook resulting from its damaged exterior being less than perfectly round. Our quest is now to find some pins, though I have to admit to being less than optimistic about our chances.

Long time, no recipes
April 26, 2008 Posted by: ERIN

Basil Pesto
Adapted from Epicurious.com

I recently harvested a bunch of my basil bushes to make several batches of this deliciously fresh pesto. Luckily, trying (and failing) to find pine nuts in the local grocery store was not a problem, because the former field station director and his family had left several pounds of them in our freezer. I'm assuming they must have been pesto fans too. I've been using it as both a tasty pasta topping and a peppy pizza sauce. At first Tom thought he was going to hate pesto, but he quickly overcame that foolishness.

3 large garlic cloves
1/2 cup pine nuts
2/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, coarsely grated
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 cups loosely packed fresh basil
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

With food processor running, drop in garlic and finely chop. Stop motor and add nuts, cheese, salt, pepper, and basil, then process until finely chopped. With motor running, add oil, blending until incorporated.

Erin's Notes:
Freezes very well. One batch fits perfectly in a quart-sized freezer bag. Freeze it flat and it'll defrost in no time for a quick dinner.

Baked Baby Back Ribs
Adapted from Recipezaar.com

As most people know, I am a HUGE fan of ribs from WAY back. As a child, I learned to love ribs from my grandma. She and my grandpa would take us to a restaurant near their home called Kirby's where she taught me the joys of ribs and cheesecake. As a smug teenager, I made my sister's future husband eat his words after he scoffed at my ordering a full rack. It was my family's first time out to dinner with him, and he still brings up how shocked he was that I polished off the whole thing. There was also a subsequent family rib outing where I may have belittled him for ordering a smaller portion than me. (Sorry Adam!) Then as a college student in Chicago, I perfected the fine art of barbequing ribs. There was many a weekend afternoon spent in the dorm courtyard over a vat of bubbling barbeque sauce and several slabs of mouthwatering baby back ribs. And then as a bride, our wedding was catered by the Dinosaur BBQ, home of the best darn ribs New York State has to offer. These days the only problem with making ribs is that I personally prefer a gas grill, and here on the island Tom and I only have charcoal. So I went in search of an oven-baked recipe that would work for nights when I was doing the cooking. We were both very pleasantly suprised when I found this one. The ribs come out moist and tender, and I'm embarassed to admit how many we can eat ... so I won't.

3 racks of baby-back pork ribs
Salt and pepper
2 cups of prepared barbecue sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Sprinkle ribs with salt and pepper, then let the ribs sit out for 30 minutes at room temperature before baking. Meanwhile, heat the barbeque sauce on the stovetop. Grease a large baking sheet/s. Place the ribs (meat side up) on baking sheet. Bake the ribs for 30 minutes.

Remove the ribs and brush about 1/4 cup prepared barbeque sauce over each rack of ribs; return to oven and continue to bake for 20 minutes longer. Remove and brush another 1/4 cup over each rack; return to the oven for another 20 minutes. Repeat again using 1/4 cup sauce, and bake for a final 30 minutes (100 minutes baking time in total).

Cut the racks into thirds and arrange on a serving platter. Brush a bit more sauce over the top and serve.

Erin's Notes:
We usually use a store-bought barbeque sauce that we've made a little more interesting by adding sauteed onion, garlic, honey, brown sugar, and/or hot sauce.

Lamb and Two-Cheese Quesadillas
Adapted from Food & Wine Magazine

I made these for the first time on my sister's birthday when I was visiting Baltimore in February. Actually, that is the only time I've made them, since I don't happen across very much ground lamb and feta down here. But that doesn't mean I don't dream about them. And don't you dare leave out the cucumber-yogurt dipping sauce.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pound ground lamb
1 tablespoon chopped oregano
3 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup plain whole milk yogurt
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 medium cucumber, peeled and coarsely shredded
Four 10-inch flour tortillas
1/4 pound fresh mozzarella, sliced
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil until nearly smoking. Add the ground lamb, oregano and 2 of the minced garlic cloves, season with salt and pepper and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Spoon some of the fat out of the skillet.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix the yogurt with the remaining minced garlic and the scallions and season with salt and pepper. Working over the sink, squeeze the shredded cucumber until it is fairly dry, then fold the cucumber into the yogurt.

Preheat a large nonstick griddle. Place 2 tortillas on the griddle. Top each with one-fourth of the mozzarella, feta and lamb and cook over moderate heat until the tortillas are lightly browned. Fold the tortillas in half and cook, flipping once, until browned and crisp and the cheese is melted, about 4 minutes. Transfer the quesadillas to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while you make the rest. Transfer the quesadillas to a platter and serve immediately with cucumber-yogurt sauce on the side.

Erin's Notes:
Great as an appetizer, or with a little Greek sald on the side these quesadillas are hearty enough to be a whole meal. If you're having trouble finding ground lamb, try using lamb stew meat diced into small chunks instead.

Dixon Hill Lighthouse
April 25, 2008 Posted by: ERIN

The very first stop on our tour of the island with my parents was the Dixon Hill Lighthouse. Completed in 1887, it is the last remaining kerosene lit, hand-operated lighthouse in the Bahamas and is one of a handful of its kind still in operation worldwide. It is 163 feet tall and its beam can be seen from as far as 19 miles out to sea. The lighthouse is also commemorated on a Bahamian first-class postage stamp. The two buildings on either side of the lighthouse are actually the homes of the two lighthouse keepers, who share the responsibilities of its the daily operation.

Climbing to the top of the lighthouse offers great views of both the coastline and island interior. Tom and I thought it would be a great way to give my parents an overview of the local geography, before setting off to see all the sights. There were a lot of steep, tiny steps, but we all made it to the top and had a wander around outdoor walkway. My mom enjoyed the spectacular scenery, while my dad really liked checking out all the mechanics and inner workings. And as always, my dad and I both took advantage of the great photo opportunities.

Kima goes home
April 24, 2008 Posted by: ERIN

Not only was last week notable for my parent's visit, but it also marked Kima's departure from the island. Our 9-week-old little lady made the long haul to her new home in California. She has joined a very puppy-friendly household, with another dog, two cats, and a dedicated "doggie-couch". She'll be living a life that most Potcakes have never dreamed of. While I was so excited and gratfeul that she was going to such a wonderful home, it was very hard to see her go. I won't pretend there weren't tears. I miss her sass and spunk, and her love of a good belly rub. Of course, it has been especially hard on Joba. He is missing the constant companionship of his sister on all of their adventures.

It makes me sad to think that she probably won't remember ther first part of her life here with us. She was certainly loved. I just hope we were able to give her a good foundation for living a long, happy, and healthy life.

Here we are on one of our last romps at the beach:

And this is Kima with her new momma, Annette:

Annette and her husband have decided to change her name to Savannah, after a favorite song of theirs. I completely understand her fresh start including a new name, especially since she is too young to really know the difference. But here on San Salvador, she'll always be Kima to us.

They came, they saw, they conquered
April 23, 2008 Posted by: ERIN

Last week my parents were here for their very first visit to San Salvador. Tom and I have a lot of fun introducing them to the our home, and I'm pretty sure they had an excellent time. We all agreed that they'll have to come for longer stay next time. It seems like they were just getting settled into island life when they had to pack up and leave again. I plan to post separately about some of the specific things we did while they were here, but for now I'll just let you check out the photos from their vist.

The Amazing Race
April 9, 2008 Posted by: ERIN

Abandoned Values
April 8, 2008 Posted by: ERIN

This past Saturday, Tom served as a judge for the First Annual James Carter Williams Memorial Speech Competition. There were both junior and senior high categories, and the assigned topic was 'Abandoned Values -- How is this affecting the moral fabric of San Salvador and the Bahamas?' Each participant spoke for 5 minutes and was awarded points for delivery, language usage, knowledge and interpretation, factual content and support, deportment, and poise.

I was really blown away by how great these kids were, even those who were as young as 12. Such composure and conviction, no one showed an ounce of nervousness. For such a mature and somber subject matter, they were all very eloquent and made excellent arguements. Common themes included rising crimes rates, social disrespect, and the break-down of the family unit as they correlate to decreased parental involvement and discipline, declining church attendence, and community complacency.

But what was even better than the speeches themselves, was the outpouring of support for all of the participants. The competition took place in a church that was packed with friends, family, and community members. At the beginning, each participant was individually announced and then proceeded to bow or curtsy their way down the aisle. It reminded me of announcing the starting line-up at a basketball game, complete with jock jams and thunderous applause. Each speech was met with very enthusiastic cheering, and when the winners were announced the crowd literally went wild. It was really inspiring to see all the community interest and encouragment for these talented kids.

A young man named Javier won the junior category, while Michelle took first place in the senior category. Javier had a very impressive stage presence and made his talk interesteing by including quotations from interviews her had conducted with local law enforcement and community elders. Michelle gave a very convincing and heart-felt speech that included a creative and distinctive opening in which she described community, church, and government as being on trial for the abandonment of values.

The competition was named in honor of James Carter Williams, a recently deceased San Salvadorian who was committed to investing himself in the economic and community development of the island. It seems that showcasing such dedicated young people is a wonderful way to honor his memory.

From left to right in each row: Nariska, Meghan, Kenrea, Javier, Stansheker, Ashley, Creswell, Kendrea, Michelle, and the lovely array of trophies.

The Adventures of Joba and Kima
April 5, 2008 Posted by: ERIN

You can see more of what the disgustingly cute dynamic duo have been up to below. I plan to update the photo set as the adventures continue, so don't forget to check back.

Two Journeys to the Interior
April 3, 2008 Posted by: ERIN

Over the past few weeks the field station has hosted a couple different groups of researchers. Since people are studying a variety of subjects in different parts of the island, tagging along on their expeditions is a great way to see the less-traveled parts of San Salvador.

One morning Tom and I both accompanied John, an acheologist, to the interior of the island to see the yet unstudied plantation site he had discovered on a previous trip. Given that it is a new find, we had to promise John that we wouldn't show anyone else where it is, his concern being that people would damage it before it could be properly mapped and documented. He needn't worry though, I'm pretty sure I couldn't find my way back to the site if I tried. After almost an hour of bushwacking through the dense forest, we came upon this:

It is the ruins of a slave house from a 1790s plantation. The entire complex included several slave houses, an overseer's house, separate kitchen buildings, and what John believes are either animal pens or storage sheds. All that remains of the sructures are mostly fireplaces, chimneys, and the lower parts of walls. But what seems to be the main house also had some intact doorways and windows, along with what seems to have been a veranda.

The most amazing thing to me is how the forest has grown up around and within the ruins. It is hard to imagine that it was once all clear cut and used for farming. But I guess two hundred years is plenty of time for the island to reclaim itself.

That is John reluctantly posing with his find. This guy is basically the Indiana Jones of San Salvador. He has a reputation for tramping off into the bush and making great finds. Many of the island's archeologic sites can be attributed to his discovery. And for a self-described "old man" let me assure you that he is hardcore. He's got an impecable sense of the direction, can wield a machete like a ninja, and weaves his way through the forest such that I was having trouble keeping up at times. But the best part was when we stopped to have lunch. Tom and I were ravenous after the morning of hiking, and gorged ourselves on leftover pizza and dried mango. Meanwhile, John just had grape jelly. Not a grape jelly sandwich, just jelly. In fact, you know those little jelly cups they have on the table at restaurants during breakfast? He ate five of those like they were shots, tossing his head back and all. When I tried to offer him some pizza, he declined saying all he needed was the sugar rush from the jelly. I was kind of in awe.

A few days later I got to join Eric, a biologist, and his crew from St. Olaf University on their trip inland to Majors Cave. San Sal has many caves that have been eroded into the limstone bedrock as sea level has fluctuated over the course of geologic history. Several of them, including Majors, have both dry and wet (underwater) conduits. The plan was to hike to the cave, were Eric and his crew would scuba dive down about 30 feet to take some video footage of the underwater passages. I would make myself useful by snorkeling at the surface and holding a flashlight.

For me, the hike to the cave was actually one of the highlights of the trip. We had to cross this really strange, almost otherworldly, terrain of limestone karst and muddy wetland. The mud was so deep and sticky between the intermittent outcroppings of rock that we basically had to hop along from jagged piece of karst to jagged piece of karst.

It was a really cool landscape and actually really fun to cross, especially since I didn't fall and end up torn and muddied. Here is a shot of me not so deftly traversing one of the deeper areas:

When we got to the cave, Eric's crew suited up for their dive and I slapped on my snorkel. This is the cave entrance:

And this is a shot of one of the dry conduits. On the right is a butterfly that kept swooping in and out of the entrance:

At first I was kind of scared to be snorkeling in the cave. It was dark and spooky, and I wished I had a stronger flashlight. It didn't help that right before we went in Eric told me that this is one of the cave sites that has a really rare marine species that is basically a centipede that swims. He said that if I saw one to be sure to let him know. I said okay, but was actually really really hoping that I didn't see one. (Having unexpected things startle me in the dark is one of my biggest fears. And who isn't creeped out by a swimming cave creature with lots of legs?) But once we got going I relaxed and saw that there was nothing to be afraid of. Aside from all the bat poo, it was actually pretty neat. Not that I want to spend all my time paddling around in dark caves, but I can see myself enjoying the adventure every now and again.

That's me on the left!