Sunday, April 08, 2007

Warning...Long Post...all is good...

Today marks the end of high season in Costa Rica...It is the end of
Semana Santa and I am so happy...Montezuma was so busy, you would
think I am working on Fisherman's Wharf...cars, cars, cars, loud
music, lots of Imperial and smoke...and of course my business is so
not catering to Imperial lovers and smokers....oh well...Larry is
still coming to work, to my surprise he didnt miss one day and we have
been more smart planning dinners that I sell as lunch specials the
next day. There are not much clients for dinner yet, but whoever
happens to be around, we call them lucky people, they are really happy
with the food...Two little guys got ice-cream yesterday and they said
these are really good (coconut and chocolate)....that makes me soooo
happy!

And then we have our own ice-cream parties, after work...best time of
the day, taking out the buckets and trying out ice-cream...commenting
on little differences between the chocolate day before or the amount
of mint in the pineapple ice-cream...or what the hell I was thinking
to make ice-cream from the cashew fruit...it really doesn't
work....good times, really...

I still have water problems on a weekly basis, but I am resisting to
buy a water tank...need to think about savings, but also need to plan
for the next season too...We had no water last night but it was
raining soooooo much outside. Larry took all the pots out and we
washed them in the rain! Dreaming about a dishwasher and the rainy
season is almost here....

I am hooked to a new shake. Noni Juice, parsley, spiriluna, mango and
orange juice... Viktoras tasted it today and said, this is a juice for
the "select"....He is really funny...Mercedes thinks I should marry
the guy who likes this drink...It is really not bad at all, but it is
not on the menu for now...:)

Including Larry, I have five people working for me now...Mercedes, she
is from Argentina, has been living in Costa Rica for the last 5 years.
I met her through my only Turkish friend in Costa Rica and she decided
to come to Montezuma and help me. She has been working from 7 am to 10
pm with me every day. So so lucky to have her...I am not sure how long
she will stay, as I realize this is really not that much fun if you
are on your feet 16 hours every day...and then we make her walk back
to home, up the hill and plus she is not a vegetarian YET...:)

Then I have Marlin...She is an angel and has been helping so much with
breakfast and lunch specials. We added waffles, tropical french toast
(all vegan) and grilled eggplant sandwich...empanadas, focaccia....

And what else, hmmm, I haven't written so long, it is hard to keep it
all together...but I have been experimenting with nut cheeses
lately...Pinenut Ricotta, Macadamia Feta and Sunflower Cheddar...all
very tasty and easy...I also started to make sour cream/yogurt from
coconut meat and lemon...we serve it with Muchacho Nachos...Tiana's
favorite on the menu...

There is also a new salad...Larry's Compost Salad...with coconut oil
dressing...carrots, beets, daikon radish, tomatoes, avocado, mango,
cashews, ginger and garlic...super tasty!

and last nights special for my only Greek friend, Costas...Doner
Kebap, (they call it gyro in Greece)...We made it from seitan, really
thin cut, marinated in thyme and onions..I stuffed a pita with the
seitan and put some hummus, tomatoes and cucumbers and served with
tomato cucumber salad and cacik (yogurt with dill and cucumbers)...The
verdict?

The Turkish vegetarian doner kebap got an approval from a Greek! All
systems green! Yay!

3 comments:

Nihan said...

Ozlemcim ya,
Whenever I read your blog I get hungry even I have eaten 5 minutes ago. Please please release some of your receipes. Ama tabii vaktin olursa, bu arada seitan da ne ola ki???

Anonymous said...

Hi
I enjoy reading your posts. You have a great passion and all those fressh ingredients make everything soo good. congrats and good luck
-h

country girl said...

I posted a photo and some thoughts on Organico today. More to come later. I love your food and your restaurant. I don't know where you find the energy.