batidos. batidos. batidos! (the latin american milkshake!)

In total, I've spent about a year of my life living and working in Latin American countries, learning to live life at a different speed than we do here in good ole' America. I've brought a laundry list of life lessons and cooking skills home from these adventures, but the simple joy of fresh fruit batidos might be the absolute best piece of latin life I've integrated into my days here at home. 

In Ecuador, where I spent time most recently, I like to think batidos are a way of life. My host mom would make either a batido or a fresh juice for me each and every morning with breakfast, and any day spent on city streets would surely include at least one or two stops for a quick batido - the best way to beat that equatorial heat (okay... well... it might be tied with ice cream, because who can argue with ice cream when it comes to beating the heat?). 

If you're not already familiar with them, you're surely wondering what a batido is by now! I like to think of them as a healthy version of a milkshake, or just a super simple creamy smoothie. In Ecuador, batidos are made with just fresh fruit, milk, some sugar, and maybe a little vanilla. They come in an endless number of flavors, and you can always order them with water instead of milk, but then you're approaching juice rather than amazing milkshakey goodness! 

Batido stands are a dime a dozen, and you can almost always order your batido in a glass and saddle up to one of the barstools at the stand to enjoy your treat right there. This is a great way to chat with the locals, but I believe the real batido magic comes when you order it to go. They pour your batido into a plastic bag, stick a straw in it, and tie a knot around the straw - it's a little awkward the first time around, but you surely learn to love it! 

Instead of using fresh fruit, I like to make my batidos with frozen fruit to give them a super cold, thick, milkshake like quality. I've been known to toss fruit in the freezer right after buying it at the farmers market in order to achieve this refreshing and cold wonder! 

I'm including a list below of some of my favorite batidos to make at home, which use easy-to-find fruits, but feel free to experiment with your favorite fruits! I've included the optional addition of sugar in some of the recipes, which is how batidos are made in Latin America, but they are just as tasty, and much better for you with the sugar omitted! 

sweet black cherries make a simple batido free of added sugars! 

instructions: 

For all of the below ingredient lists, just put everything into your blender and blend on high until smooth! I have a high powered vitamix blender, so if you ever run into a problem with the mixture being too thick for your blender, just add a splash more milk! 

These are written to make a hefty serving for one, but you can increase the amounts as you please to serve more! You'll also notice that most of these recipes are pretty darn simple, which is why I stopped at 4 versions. That said, you should definitely experiment with your favorite fruits! Some other awesome batidos would include: blackberry, mango, passionfruit, raspberry, apricot, the list is endless! 

ingredients: 

Banana Batido (An Ecuadorian Classic): 

1 banana (fresh or frozen) 

2/3 cup whole milk 

1/2 tsp vanilla 

note: bananas are so sweet, they               really don't need any added sugar

Blueberry Batido: 

1 cup frozen blueberries 

3/4 cup whole milk  

1 Tbsp sugar (optional) 

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Cherry Vanilla Batido: 

1 cup frozen or fresh sweet cherries 

3/4 cup whole milk 

1/2 tsp vanilla 

note: you could use frozen tart cherries for this, which are easier to find pre-frozen, but you would need to add a heafty amount of sugar to the mix to sweeten it ! 

Strawberry Batido: 

1 cup frozen strawberries (piled high, especially if the berries are large) 

3/4 cup whole milk 

1/2 tsp vanilla

note: this is one of my favorites, as it is so reminiscent of a strawberry milkshake! Strawberries vary a lot in their sweetness, so do add a bit of sugar if your berries are on the tart side! 

lemon tart topped with oregon berries!

This week, Babes and I attended our very first Portland potluck - thrown by a coworker of his we’ve both known for some years now, with the intention of welcoming us to town.

We had tacos piled high with all sorts of glory, perfect tangy slaw with lime zest, and phyllo cups filled with spiced zucchini and black beans. Sitting outside on a beautiful evening, we ate wonderfully and shared great laughter and conversation. Then, we ate this amazing tart while a fire kept us warm. I couldn’t quite imagine a better way to get settled into a new place! 

I have to confess, I love bringing show-stopper-esque dishes to potlucks. I might not always be fond of attention, but I sure do love when folks ooooh and ahhhh over something I’ve made completely from scratch. There is nothing humble about it, but I’m good at making beautiful and delicious things and I love to share them with other people! So this showy tart was the obvious choice for a first potluck in a new place. Plus, I knew I just had to make something with Oregon berries! 

I’ve always loved lemon tarts topped with fresh berries, but never attempted one myself. So despite knowing there was a chance at failure, I was 100% convinced this was the thing to make after reading the recipe for a blackberry version of this tart over at Hummingbird High. Michelle combines a lemon cream filling from Tartine Bakery in San Francisco with a brown butter crust recipe from French pastry instructor, Paule Caillat. She then promptly tells us not to bother making any other recipe from her blog. This is the only important one. I wouldn’t be me if I could just read that and NOT make the tart, right? 

And the best part, it turned out perfectly! 

So, here it is - topped with fresh strawberries and blueberries from one of the many Portland Farmers Markets. I know this seems decadent and beautiful, but I promise - with just a few crafty skills you can definitely make this. With a little patience and a steady hand, you too can make a few pints of berries look just as perfect! But, if you’re feeling rushed, a whole bunch of berries sprinkled over the top would also be totally beautiful!   

ingredients: 

crust: 

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 6 squares 

1 tbsp vegetable oil 

3 Tbsp water 

1 Tbsp sugar 

pinch of salt 

1 cup flour, or 5oz 

filling: 

1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice 

3 large eggs 

1 large egg yolk 

3/4 cup suar 

pinch of salt 

1 cup unsalted butter, cold 

1 pint strawberries 

about 1/2 cup blueberries 

instructions: 

• First, we'll make the crust. Place butter, vegetable oil, water, sugar, and salt in a heavy bottomed sauce pan over medium-high heat. Let mixture come to a gentle boil and let cook 5-10 minutes, or until the butter has just started turning a golden brown and smells nutty. 

• Remove from heat and start adding flour, a tablespoon at a time, stirring constantly. When the dough comes together, let it sit a few minutes until it is cool enough to handle. 

• Turn dough into a 9 inch tart pan, and use hands to press the dough into an even layer across the bottom and sides of the pan. 

• Bake crust at 410 degrees for 10-15 minutes, or until it appears a golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool. 

• While the crust is cooling, you can get started on the filling! Create a double boiler by resting a rimmed glass or stainless steel bowl in a medium saucepan with a few inches of water in the bottom. The water should not touch the bottom of your bowl. 

• While your water is heating over medium heat, whisk together lemon juice, eggs, egg yolk, sugar, and salt in the bowl. Continue whisking and cooking the mixture for about ten minutes, until it gets thick enough for your whisk to leave a trail and registers 180 on a quick-read thermometer (if you like to temp your food!). Be sure you're continuously whisking the entire time so as not to let the eggs cook too fast. 

• Remove bowl from saucepan, and stir gently while the curd cools for a minute or two. 

• Once it's cooled to about 140 degrees, add butter one tablespoon at a time, using an immersion blender (or a regular one if you don't have an immersion blender) to completely integrate the butter before adding the next piece. 

• Once you've incorporated all the butter, fill your tart crust with the cream, and top with berries! 

• I quartered strawberries, then started on the outer edge placing a full ring of berry quarters around the outside of the circle. I moved inward from there, placing a second ring of strawberry quarters, then circles of blueberries until reaching the center and just filling it in with a few. 

If you like, garnish with a small pile of lemon zest! 

cheddar lime zucchini fritters

Lovely people - I've been mighty silent for quite some time now, but don't fear - I'm back in action this week! I've been hinting that a big move was heading my way in discussing the project of eating through our massive pantry... but I never really laid it all out. 

So! The move has happened, and while there are still plenty of empty spaces and belongings we haven't found a home for - our new home is starting to feel more and more like our own. Babes and I are creating this new home in Portland, Oregon - far far away from our little town on the bay in northern Michigan! It's a somewhat short term move as he gets settled in a new position at the FoodCorps headquarters for a year or two, but we couldn't be more excited to explore this foodie and outdoor heaven in the west! 

Here's to a few years surrounded by inspiration for my work, and a study in cooking in a small space (more on the new kitchen soon!). To kick things off, lets just take a moment to appreciate these simply divine cheddar lime zucchini fritters. I rushed back into work with my monthly piece for The Awesome Mitten due the day after we unpacked the kitchen supplies, and with a stroke of genius decided to add a kick of fresh lime juice and some grated Grafton Aged Cheddar to my zucchini fritters. It was a smashing success! 

I never get sick of simple zucchini fritters lightly pan fried to perfection, which makes them perfect for using up an excess of zucchini! These are amazing served with a generous squeeze of fresh lime and a dollop of plain yogurt or sour cream.

This recipe is adapted from Smitten Kitchen 

ingredients: 

1 pound zucchini, grated

1 tsp salt

2 scallions, sliced into thin rounds

1 large egg

Freshly ground black pepper & more salt to taste

about 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice (I just squeeze in the juice from 1/4 of a lime)

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 cup aged cheddar cheese, grated

canola or another hight heat oil for frying

instructions: 

Place grated zucchini and salt in a bowl, give it a good stir, and let sit for 10 minutes. Place the zucchini into a mesh bag, cheese cloth, or just wrap it into a clean dishtowel, then squeeze it with all you've got over the sink until you've removed as much water as you possibly can. I guarantee you'll be amazed at how much water you can squeeze out! This helps create a fluffier fritter.

Put the zucchini back in your bowl and stir in the egg and a pinch or two more salt, beating it slightly in the process. Combine flour and baking powder in a small bowl and stir to combine (so they distribute evenly), then add that and all of the remaining ingredients to your main bowl (except the oil for frying, of course!) and stir until it is well combined. 

Now, we just need to cook them! Heat a pan (I like to use cast iron for this) over medium-high heat, then add enough oil to create a thin layer over the bottom of your pan. Dollop in as many mounds of the batter as you can, flattening them a bit with your spoon. Once they've browned (maybe two minutes or so depending on your pan), flip and let brown on the other side. Repeat with your remaining batter, then enjoy. And don't forget, these are best served with a generous squeeze of lime juice and a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt!