A AD D II S SE E A T TA AS S TTEE O O FF P PA AR RA Recipes&&Reflections Reflections from from the Pacific Coast Recipes theColombian Colombian Pacific Coast
“ May your kitchen be your temple, where you can connect to the portable paradise within, an instant vacation you can retreat to at any time and share with your loved ones in generous portions.� With love, Linsey Rankin.
A TASTE OF PARADISE
Content
CONTENT
1. The Journey: Discovering Paradise 2. Presenting: The Coastal Community Of Termales 3. The Craft Of Artisanal Fishing 4. Coconuts: The Treasure Of The Pacific 5. Wild Vanilla: A Precious Spice Found In The Jungle 6. Plants: Flavour Of The Pacific And Natural Medicine 7. Gastronomy Of The Pacific Coast 8. Presenting: The Black Mermaid 9. The Recipes: Culinary Creations From A Jungle Kitchen 10. Breakfasts 11. Spice Up Your Life: Salsas, Jams And Chutneys
12. Entrees I. Presenting: Diana Mendoza Tello And Her Tuna Empanada Recipe 13. Main Meals I. Pearl Of A Pasta Ii. Music With Soul And Saino 14.Chocolate: Gift Of The Gods 15. Desert: There’s Always Room! 16. Viche: Diy Distillery And Ancestral Traditions 17. Happy Hour: Time For Tropical Cocktails 18. The Just Coconut: A Word From Our Partner 19. Gratitude And Acknowledgments
Living on the Colombian Pacific coast and learning from it´s rich culture has inspired a fierce passion within my heart and kitchen. It’s with great pleasure that I share my recipes and experiences and hope that through the realization of your own culinary creations, you too can have a little Taste of Paradise.
A TASTE OF PARADISE
The Journey : Discovering Paradise
THE JOURNEY: DISCOVERING PARADISE
From the small 9-seater plane window I saw my first glimpse of Paradise. Endless stretches of rugged sandy beaches, layers of wild jungle foliage and the rich, murky grey of the Pacific ocean unfolded beneath me. As we leveled up to a small muddy airstrip flanked by Afro and Indigenous communities, I looked out over the shoulder of the pilot in front and braced myself for a bumpy landing. A round of applause as we came to a halt, the relic of a less fortunate flight at the end of the runway laid to rest, now reclaimed by nature, it’s empty shell serving for games of hide and seek by local children. As the door creaked open and I unfolded myself from the tiny seat, a wave of dense humidity hit and
the distinct smell of rain evaporating from the tarmac filled my nostrils, my hair instantly curling and sticking to the back of my neck. I stepped out of the plane and took in my surroundings, I had arrived to Nuqui. Since my first adventure in 2015, I have repeated that forty minute flight more times than I can count and it never ceases to lose its wonder. The feeling of leaving the concrete jungle in my wake and passing over the mountain range to discover a mass of untamed green vegetation and the lazy meanderings of brown rivers slicing through the landscape. It’s like crossing over to another world. I feel my heartbeat slow down, the buzz from
A TASTE OF PARADISE
the city leaving my system as I prepare myself for a different rhythm, the coastal rhythm. When I look back on what many would consider an adventurous life story, I know that every one of my experiences was preparing me and in fact guiding me to living off grid in the jungle of Choco. From extensive travel with my family as a child, I learnt to adapt to different environments, cultures and lifestyles. Seeing the beautiful simplicity of living off the land and moving with the rhythms of the sun, moon and tides inspired me to seek out that existence for myself. The concept of being self sufficient and leaving less of a destructive footprint on this Earth, propelled me to seek out opportunities to learn, grow and explore this alternative lifestyle.
THE JOURNEY: DISCOVERING PARADISE
To say that this chosen path was easy would be foolish! The things that we so often take for granted, like turning on the light switch and receiving instant illumination become luxurious, because off grid reality is often very different. There were countless nights sitting alone in Morro Terco, the abandoned treehouse property I discovered perched on top of a densely jungled island, in complete darkness, learning important life lessons such as how to embrace solitude and fix shonky generators. However, It was in those moments of literal and figurative darkness when I would appreciate the light, upgrade my toolkit of knowledge and adapt to the ever changing environment that I was now very much a part of. The kitchen became the
perfect place to practice that adaptability and resourcefulness. When your weekly grocery shopping depends on so many uncontrollable variables, it makes the perfect playground for creativity. On many occasions, my food delivery arrived in soggy boxes, veggies spilling out like runaways as I tried to carry them up 250 stairs to the house. If my boxes arrived at all that is! Far too many times the boat would simply keep on it´s course instead of pulling into the bay where I had been waiting for hours to receive them. After desperately screaming and waving for the boat to return, I would then have to resort to logistical wizardry to try and recoup my groceries and prepare dinner before my guests were any the wiser. At least the fish is easy to come by, I hear you say! Despite
A TASTE OF PARADISE
the abundance of the Pacific Ocean, there are often times when fish is nowhere to be found. The local fisherman and tidal currents completely unsympathetic to the imminent arrival of my guests expecting fresh fish dishes served for every meal. If I did find fish, it would often involve a 2km hike down the beach, returning with a bulky tuna slung over my shoulder, so recently plucked from the water, its blood running down my back as proof of life. It was futile to prepare a menu in advance and the majority of my culinary creations arose from what was available on the day. I was never formally trained as a chef, but started experimenting at an early age, replicating exotic recipes from my travels or tacky mid-day cooking shows as a university student. I had an
THE JOURNEY: DISCOVERING PARADISE
intuitive knack for portions, quantities and combining flavours which I developed through trial and error and numerous blunders, which always proves to be the best way to learn. As an adult, I thoroughly enjoyed playing the hostess, inviting groups of friends for fancy dinner parties, which as it turns out, was perfect preparation for the role I played in organising and catering retreats for three years with Prana Pacifico, the business i created to allow me to live and work in the jungle paradise I discovered on that first trip in 2015. To present a plate of food to a stranger is a vulnerable proposition. I remember peeking out from the kitchen when I served the first meal of the first ever retreat, nervous to see everyone’s reactions. Luckily for me, the
response to my creations was and continues to be very positive, which was what inspired this book. I wanted to share more than the recipes, I wanted to share what I have learnt from living remotely in the jungle and living alongside the local community, both of which have caused deep reflection of my core beliefs and values, but in doing so, has brought me back to my roots, to a life in Paradise.
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FULL BOOK LAUNCHIN SOON