THE SCENE

I was happy.

I drank frothy hot cocoa.

It was rich and sweet and I could see the sun peeking through the grey clouds. The breeze smoothed my hair back like an old friend.

And then I looked. The picnic table was moving – marching, marching, marching.

I focused my eyes.

Ants. Headed straight for the hot cocoa bars. Ready to carry mountains on their backs. Ready to eat sugar until they were too full to fit into their tunnels. Into the cracks and grass and wherever else ants march.

I took another sip of my hot cocoa. I thought about cleaning them up. Shooing them away. Spraying, wiping, swiping.

But the ants would just keep coming. I looked down at my cup and watched the frothy bubbles pop.

I shut my eyes and took another sip. Sweet, sugary goodness. Oh, how it tasted exactly like “good.”  All I wanted in that moment was to enjoy the cocoa. It was divine. I peeked over at the ants, now nibbling the chocolate. That’s all they wanted, too.

“Fine. So be it,” I whispered, with a little smile.

THE FOOD

Pepian Sauce for Stewed Chicken or veggies [Recipe]

What I liked most about this dish:

Pepian is unlike anything I’ve ever eaten. The smooth, almost creamy sauce, has a hint of nuttiness, thanks to the seeds, but it also has deep character thanks to the roasted veggies and peppers. I love how the sauce is equally good over vegetables or meat – and it makes enough to divide up and freeze for several smaller meals.

What I liked least about this dish:

Depending on how good your blender is, you might need to add extra liquid. You can always cook it off when you add it to the chicken. Just do what it takes to blend it into a totally smooth sauce.

Homemade Corn Tortillas [Recipe]

What I liked most about this dish:

I am not typically a fan of corn tortillas, but homemade (and our secret ingredient) makes all the difference. We even used the leftovers to make tortilla soup later in the week which was delicious.

What I liked least about this dish:

Watch the dough – it dries out quickly. In fact, so will the cooked tortillas. Keep them covered.

Guatemalan Hot Cocoa [Recipe]