My father article back in July

My  Dad wrote this back in July, I think is a great piece for TACA magazine, please go for it:

The Majestic Washington D.C.

By Jeff Borg
Photos J. Kevin Foltz

Washington has been my inspiration, escape and second home for 35 years. As a kid, Washington sparked my love for architecture and appreciation for great museums. In business, it taught me to wear a blue suit, white shirt and red tie. During my activist days, the city offered symposia at Georgetown and rallies at the Capitol.

On the Mall
Washington's broad avenues and dramatic vistas were conceived by French architect Pierre Charles L'Enfant to inspire confidence. People come to the National Mall, right in the center, to exercise free speech or just fly a kite.

Begun in 1793, the U.S. Capitol has been built, burned, restored and extended continuously. Citizens usually get tour passes from their representatives or senators. Visitors can get them through their embassy, concierge or the Capitol's online system. The observation galleries for the Senate and the House of Representatives welcome the public, but separate passes are required.

Washington is like a huge museum. The Smithsonian Institution, headquartered in the red sandstone castle on the Mall, is a complex of 17 museums and one zoo, all free.

In the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, dinosaur skeletons tower overhead. Exhibitions show how humans developed painting, drawing, engraving and sculpture 17,000 years ago. The 3,500 brilliant specimens of the gem, mineral and meteorite collections include the 45.5-carat blue Hope Diamond, unearthed in 17th-century India and owned by kings and socialites.

Another favorite is the National Air and Space Museum. In its National Mall building are the 1903 Wright Flyer, Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis, the Apollo 11 command module and a lunar rock you can actually touch. In August, it reopens the Pioneers of Flight gallery, focusing on the 1920s and 1930s. Kids will enjoy new hands-on activities, toys and memorabilia. Parents will appreciate Amelia Earhart's Lockheed Vega and Jimmy Doolittle's "blind flight" instruments.

My favorite Smithsonian museums, the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, house the Asian collections. The Freer has 24,057 wondrous objects spanning 6,000 years of Asian history. The adjoining Sackler features another 8,818 pieces. Whenever I visit, I marvel at the ancient Egyptian amulets, glass and statues; Islamic illustrations and manuscripts; Chinese jades, lacquer and calligraphy; Japanese Rimpa and ukiyo-e paintings; Korean Koryo ceramics, silver and gold; and ceramics from Vietnam and Thailand.

Independent of the Smithsonian, the National Gallery of Art is the mother of all art galleries, created in 1937 when financier Andrew W. Mellon gifted his collection to the people. Must-see works in the West building include Leonardo da Vinci's Ginevra de' Benci and Francisco de Goya's The Marquesa de Pontejos. Highlights in the East building include Jackson Pollock's Number 1, 1950 (Lavender Mist) and Piet Mondrian's Tableau No. IV, Lozenge Composition with Red, Gray, Blue, Yellow, and Black.

On Fridays after work, groups of friends bring wine and snacks to the Sculpture Garden to enjoy jazz vocalists, saxophones, swing bands, salsa or Latin jazz, also free.

Visible from practically everywhere around town, the Washington Monument soars triumphantly. Ride to the top of the 555-foot obelisk, completed in 1884, and see vistas covering more than 30 miles.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial, farther west, does not soar. It cuts the earth like a grave. Carved on its black granite wall are the names of more than 58,000 Americans who died in the nation's most divisive war.

President Abraham Lincoln preserved the Union through the bloody Civil War and freed the slaves. The Lincoln Memorial became the site of Martin Luther King's inspiring 1963 "I Have a Dream" speech on racial equality. Forty-six years later, within view of this memorial, an African American was inaugurated president.

The National Building Museum examines architecture, engineering, construction and urban planning. Completed in 1887, its red brick exterior is modeled after the Palazzo Farnese, in Rome. Colossal Corinthian columns define a Great Hall for functions. A detailed 1,200-foot terra-cotta frieze rings the exterior, depicting Union infantry, cavalry, artillery, navy and medical units.

In 1969, a giant headline in The Miami Herald, "MEN WALK ON THE MOON," inspired me to save that paper. Today the Newseum preserves 35,000 such specimens dating to 1526. I saw a 1545 Spanish newspaper reporting an earthquake in Guatemala and a 1603 broadside on the coronation of King James I of England. The Pulitzer photo gallery displays powerful images of our times, while the 9/11 Gallery examines the challenges of journalists reporting the 2001 attacks. A new exhibition explores the impact of Elvis Presley on music and culture.

Norman Rockwell painted a sentimentalized notion of an innocent America. When he took on serious subjects, like the young black girl walking to school past racist graffiti, it was his sweet style that helped viewers accept his message of equality. Opening this month in the Smithsonian American Art Museum is an exhibition of Rockwell's work, with 57 paintings and drawings from the private collections of filmmakers George Lucas and Steven Spielberg.

For drinks and dinner, Zengo offers an exciting Asian-Latin fusion, next to the Verizon Center. Try a signature mojito. Creative bar food includes yellowtail ceviche and tuna tiradito (similar to ceviche) with serranos. Mini tacos come wrapped in tortillas made of thin-sliced radish, stuffed with savory Peking duck and sweet apples, which disorients the taste buds. It's all about contrast: the Mexican and the Japanese, the yin and the yang.

Dupont Circle / Adams Morgan
Bohemian Dupont Circle is all about bistros, bars and boutiques. It's a great place to hang out and a great base from which to explore.

Kimpton's Hotel Palomar puts visitors a block from Dupont Circle. Part urban art gallery, part chic boutique hotel, the Palomar is done in comfortable taupe and golden hues with fun splashes of color. Guest rooms are spacious. In the comfy lounge, ask for Joe Bolam, just voted Best Bartender.

A little north, hip, young Adams Morgan, centered along 18th Street, is the capital of Hispanic Washington, with plenty of live music and 90 liquor licenses.

Come dinnertime, Lauriol Plaza offers excellent, affordable Tex-Mex in an urbane atmosphere. Its contemporary building won critical acclaim from The Washington Post. The sidewalk tables and rooftop deck got the place voted Best Outdoor Patio, in addition to Best Margarita, by readers of Washington City Paper. The secret of Lauriol Plaza's warm, smoky salsa is fire-roasted tomatoes.

Georgetown
Before there was a Washington, there was a Georgetown. Today the fancy shops, bars and restaurants center along M Street. Shady side streets are lined with the charming Georgian townhouses of Washington's elite.

Dumbarton House is an excellent example of Federal period architecture. Nearby, Tudor House, of the same period, highlights 100 objects originally belonging to George and Martha Washington, more than anywhere except the Washingtons' own estate.

The Kreeger Museum is a private art gallery in a building designed by Philip Johnson, with a refined collection of paintings and sculptures by Monet, Van Gogh, Picasso, Renoir, Cézanne, Chagall, Rodin, Miró, Munch and Kandinsky. Reservations are required, and it closes during August.

For dinner, Hook is an M Street restaurant for those who worry about the future of fish. Restaurateur Jonathan Umbel has committed Hook to sustainable seafood, sourcing from around the world. Start at the bar and ask the bartender to recommend a beer you never tried before.

The modern American lobby of the luxurious Four Seasons Hotel feels like your own living room. Guests are surprisingly diverse, not just K Street power brokers but also young families with kids. Celebrated chef Michael Mina has opened a Bourbon Steak here, featuring butter-poached meats and poultries. The décor is rich leather, warm woods and black granite.

Chicken Salad or Ensalada de Gallina a la Venezolana

This recipe is high in calories and carbohydrates, but as I always tell people, once in a while is OK to pamper yourself with comfort food, usually we do this salad with hen, but here in Washington we can't find hen, so chicken will be for this time, also some people boiled the whole hen or chicken, I am more practical, I will use clean, easy, chicken breast.

You need;

• 4 chicken breast, 6 cup of water and 2 spoons of salt to cook the breast
• 1 medium size onion cut in two
• 1 kg (2 lb.) of potato chopped like cubes, and  6 cups of water and 2-1/2 teaspoon of salt to cook the potatoes.
• 1 carrot peeled, chopped like cubes, you can cook it in the same water that you cooked the potatoes. 
• 2 cups of green peas.
• 1 apple peeled and chopped in small pieces.
• ½ cup of olive oil.
• ½ teaspoon of black pepper.
•  Salt to taste.
• ¼ cup of apple vinegar.
• 2 teaspoon of mustard.
• 2- 1/2 teaspoon of sugar or honey.
• 1- 1/2  cup of mayonnaise.
• 1 cup of raisins (if you like it)

What to do;

•   In a sauce pan put the chicken breast, water, salt, and the onion. Boil and cook for ½ hour. Remove from the fire and let the pot get cold before opening. Take the chicken out and let it cool, set aside.
• In another pot put the 8 cups of chopped potatoes with water and salt. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until are soft but firm. Remove the potatoes with a strainer spoon and let it cool, set aside. In the same pot, put the carrot. Cook for 15 minutes; remove all water and set apart.
• Cut the chicken in very small pieces with your hands (very small).
• In a big bowl and with a wooden scoop mix the chicken, the potatoes, the carrots, 1 cup of green peas, apples and raisins
• Prepare the vinaigrette mixing in a bowl the onion, the vinegar, the mustard, the sugar, the salt and black pepper.
• Add the vinaigrette to the bowl with the chicken and the cooked veggies.  Remove slowly with the wooden scoop. Add the mayonnaise.  Remove slowly until everything has mayonnaise.
• Put the salad in the display tray.  Even the salad, to make flat the top. Decorate the salad with some parsley and green peas.
• Some people put in the refrigerator for couples hours and serve it cold, I like my room temperature, if you have leftovers, make sure to put in the refrigerator.

Is seems like a lot of work, but is a tradition in Venezuela for the holidays, many families add boiled eggs or olives.

That is all, now a comer;  BTW you can serve 6 hungry friends.

Rusty Pelican in Key Biscayne

Ceviche. Photo by Jose Mendoza

Last June, I visited my friend Jeff in Miami, Jeff is like a father to me, as Father's day was close, we decided to play tourist in Miami, where he lives,  and where I used to live for 5 years, before I moved to DC, Rusty Pelican is a huge restaurant, with the most incredible views of downtown Miami, they have an outdoor patio, but because was June in Miami, we choose the indoors, they have a large menu, but you can always ask the staff for recommendations, is a big expensive for what I usually write on the blog but worth it.

We have the ceviche as an appetizer, it was amazing, the bread/cracker is warm and perfect for the ceviche, the fish is fresh and the hot factor is incredible, spicy and soft in the same dish. For main course, Jeff had the Florida Grouper grilled to perfection, Lemon Butter Sauce, Mashed Potatoes and Fresh Vegetables, and I pick the Shrimp & Scallop Scampi is a combination of Gulf Shrimp & Fresh Scallops Sautéed in Garlic Herb Butter, Served Over a Bed of Fettuccine.

The view from our table, it was beautiful.

If you visit Miami, and want to get away from Miami Beach, treat you and your family for the culinary experience, it was fantastic.  You need to drive to 3201 Rickenbacker Cswy, Key Biscayne, FL 33149

Hope you enjoy as much as I did.

Tortilla Española (Spanish Omelet)

When I was visiting my friends in Madrid, Spain back in March; we cooked almost every day, she showed me multiple recipes that you can do very easily and we left this one for the last day is a lot of different steps and you will need, a drink and some friends in the kitchen with you. I want to share the recipe of my friend Ruth Arellano, she makes magic in the kitchen as always but this so far, is the best Tortilla Española that I ever have, get ready is a lot of steps but is worth it.

Stuff you need:

• 2 large bowls
• hotplate
• sharp knife
• potato peeler
• skillet or large frying pan
• spatula
• colander
• large dinner plate flat or a Vuelve tortilla

Ingredients:
• 5 large potatoes
• 1 large yellow onion
• 6 eggs
• 3⁄4 cup of olive oil
• Salt and pepper
For fun:
• 1 bottle of tinto de verano(red wine with sprite: equal parts) Make sure you have all the ingredients. Mixed the wine and sprite and pour a glass of Tinto de Verano is very important if you want to cook happy,  If you are under-21, make that a soft drink. Sorry.


Third, peel the potatoes and onion. Slice them both thinly.

Pour the oil in to the skillet and turn the heat to medium. When the oil is hot, turn the heat to low and add enough potato slices to cover the bottom of the pan.  Then add a layer of onions and sprinkle a little salt and pepper over. Repeat this until you have used all the potatoes and onion. Cook for about 15 minutes but do not let the potatoes go brown. They are properly cooked if you flip the mixture and the potatoes break easily. Don’t worry of you break a few in the process.

Now turn the heat off and pour the mixture into a colander over a bowl to drain the excess oil. While the oil is draining off, break all the eggs into another large bowl and beat them gently with a fork. Next add the potato/onion mix to the eggs and stir so that the eggs are all over the potatoes. Once again, don’t worry if some of the potatoes break. Leave this mixture to sit for about ten minutes.

Now turn the heat back on under the skillet and add 2 tablespoons of the drained oil. Add the potato mixture and spread it evenly over the pan. Make sure the heat is low because you do not want the eggs to burn. Cook for about 10 minutes. To check if done, use the spatula to lift the edge of the omelet. When it is ready to turn, the egg will start to turn brown on the bottom. The egg in the middle of the pan will probably still be a little runny.

Now take the skillet off the heat, place a large dinner place over the top, and holding both the skillet and the plate together tip the tortilla out on to the plate.

Put the skillet back over the heat and add another 2 table spoons of oil. Slide the tortilla back into the skillet and cook the other side for about 5 minutes. Once again, lift the edge to check that the eggs do not burn.

When the tortilla is finished, cut into slices like it was a pie and serve with salad as an entrée or on it’s own as an appetizer.

Cutting potatoes and onion

All done

frying the potatoes and onions

6 eggs

Drained oil

Mixing potatoes, onion with eggs

on the skillet

Checking if cooked for one side

Flipped on the plate and back to the skillet

Cooked some more until dry in the middle

Vuelve Tortilla if not a plate is fine

The result 

Gracias Ruth for the recipe, see you next year for more classes.

America Restaurant at Union Station in Washington DC

America is the Americana food experience for a foreign national like me, I will always see the place and never paid attention, until last Sunday, the food is excellent, the attention is great, also the idea of seating outdoors inside the most beautiful train station in the USA is a very incredible experience, I have had never experience so many different American Dishes in one place, if you have the change, get the chicken finger, the mashed potatoes is out of this world, and also the clam chowder, is delicious like one cook in Massachusetts but in stead you are in DC.

5 Desayuneria points for America the best in town.

Location:

202.682.9555

50 Massachusetts Ave NE
Washington, DC 20002
www.arkrestaurants.com

Penne pasta Jerry's cabin

We all have left over after the big day, and some people don't like to cook  too much. I have some pieces of the turkey breast that I bake the day before, and pretty much you need basic ingredients that most people have in  their pantry:

• 1 small chopped onion
• 1 green bell pepper slice in julienne
• 2 sticks of celery.
• 1 can of tomatoes sauce.
• 1 can of  diced tomatoes.
• 1 can of corn.
• 2 cups of chopped turkey left over.
• 2 teaspoon of cayenne powder.
• 1 can of mushrooms if you don't have fresh ones, if you do 2 cups. 
• 1 teaspoon of black pepper.
• Salt as much as you want or no salt.
• 3 tablespoon of olive oil.
• 1 box of penne pasta.
• 1 cup of Parmesan cheese (anyone you have) 

Very easy:

Make your penne as always you cooked your pasta, if you want started there first, the older the pasta seat the better it mixed with the sauce that you are about to make.

In a large skillet, pour the olive oil and  sauteed the onions, pepper, celery and mushrooms, until everything blend together, adding the salt, black pepper and cayenne powder, when everything is mixed and have a color, add the leftover turkey and mixed until everything blend together.

 Add the diced tomatoes, mixed until everything is blend, in a low heat, add the tomato sauce and mixed and let in cook for about 15 minutes.

Remember your pasta have to be cooked and resting ready for the mixing part.

After all the sauce is  mixed and reduced a little big, proceed to add the corn mixed and them add the pasta little by little, don't overflow the skillet, the idea is to have pasta in off but be able to get a little big of the sauce.

Serve with the cheese and bread.

Buen Provecho,

Colon cancer: the importance of early detection

Colon cancer: the importance of early detection

Tabbouleh de abuela

You will need:

• 2 cups fine bulgur
• 4tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup boiling-hot water
• 2 cups finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (from 3 bunches)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh mint
• 3 medium tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1/2 seedless cucumber, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon of cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon powder

This is what you do:

Stir together bulgur and 1 tablespoon oil in a heatproof bowl. Pour boiling water over, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let stand 1  hour. Drain in a sieve, pressing on bulgur to remove any excess liquid.

Transfer bulgur to a bowl and toss with remaining ingredients, including 3 tablespoons oil, until combined well.

Chill for 1 hour to blend the flavors, before serving to add an extra tablespoon of olive oil and toss again.

Disfute : )

Muy rico con Pita bread

DC Goes blues with the Colon Cancer Alliance

 

 

We’re turning our nation's capital BLUE!

This weeklong awareness campaign celebrates survivors while stressing the importance of getting screened for colon cancer, which is preventable when caught early through screening. The CCA and its community partners provide resources and support for getting screened and beating the disease once diagnosed.

Take Action - Go Blue!

• Turn your business or organization BLUE.
• Sign up for the DC Undy 5000
• Host a BLUE event!
• Share your personal story and read others'
• Use your connections!

Free Screening Tests
Resources

DC Goes Blue Supporters

Upcoming Events

Tuesday, September 28:
Tom Joyner's Take a Loved One to the Doctor
Wednesday, September 29:
Colon cancer information sessions, in English and Spanish
Sunday, October 3:

The Colon Cancer Alliance's
Undy 5000 5K Run

Cadillac cafe in Portland

Cadillac, now I know why the name, when you go see the big car in the middle of the restaurant, before going to the wine tasting day we need a full belly, we stop there for brunch,  they have a waiting list and busy, but we decide to seat on the bar, and it was a really good choice, the coffee is excellent and the OJ is fresh and real, everything is locally grown so fresh from the star to the finish.

So far was the best brunch I had, delicious, the Apple strudel bread is home made and warm and nice with butter best bread I had, I recommend the place for brunch very affordable and great ambiance.

Hope you go they are located at:
1801 Northeast Broadway, Portland, OR 97232-1429
 (503) 287-4750

Hope you enjoy this as much as I did. 

 photo by Drexler McStyles

‎

My trip to Porlant dinne experience Andina

On my recent trip to Portland, my friends, Daniel and Heidi, show me the real Portland, great weather, great restaurant and great people, very friendly. We visited a lot of place but the dinner at Andina, was out of the universe, the service is incredible and the quality of local wines A+, I have a grilled  and bake chicken in a very tasty sauce, it is not in the menu now, the flavors were great, my friend have lomo saltado a cascade Natural Beef tenders wok-fried with onions, tomatoes, oyster sauce, garlic, served with Yukon Gold "papas fritas" and garlic, well cook and tasty, the presentations of the cuisine are very original and beautiful and the prices are expenses, I can't wait to go back,.

Rafael is a very good Host/Waiter, he may the evening a great experience plus his Spanish is excelent.

You need reservations  if you go, but they have another side in the restaurant for emergency hungry people, and is nice as well,  live music and great chi, please go and enjoyed, one of the best taste of Peru in Oregon.

"Everything is outstanding"

 

Rincon Sal y Pimienta at Little Havana

Queridos amigos,

En mi reciente viaje a Miami, mi amigo Jeff y yo fuimos a este restaurante llamado el Rincon Sal y Pimienta, esta ubicado 3438 SW 8th Street Miami, FL 33135, el número es 305-441-8801, la comida es buenisima y la atención en increible, el sitio esta escondido, pero vale la pena, la comida la cocinan al momento, asi que tienes que esperar con paciencia, yo  me comi la Jalea Mixta personal, pero realmente pueden comer como 5 personas, los mariscos que usan son excelentes y la calidad del sazon se siente en cada bocado, Jeff comió el Saltado de Pollo, que divinidad y los acompañantes, un arroz como el de mi abuela y los maduros, frescos y acabados de cocinar.


Hablamos con el Chef, muy buena gente y nos explicó la preparación de cada plato y de verdad que se la comio, felicitaciones desde aqui, nunca habia visitado un restaurante Peruano tan excelente.

Si visitan Miami, tienen que hacer una escala en el Rincon Sal y Pimienta, vale la pena, y yo ire en mi proxima visita.

Gracias Chef.

Dear Friends,

In my recent trip to Miami, my friend Jeff and I went to this restaurant called Salt & Pepper Rincon, is located 3438 SW 8th Street Miami, FL 33135, the number is 305-441-8801, the food great quality and incredible attention by the staff, the site is hidden, but it's worth, the food is cooked at the time, so you have to wait patiently, I ate the Jalea Mixta personal (just for one), but you really can eat like 5 people, seafood used are excellent and the quality of the time they were felt in every bite, Jeff ate the Chicken Sautéed (Saltado de pollo) it was divine with a side of rice like my grandmother and plantain really fresh and well cook.

We spoke to the Chef, great guy, he explained the preparation of each dish, he nail the preparation of the dishes, congratulations from DC, I had never visited a Peruvian restaurant as excellent as the Rincon Sal y Pimienta.

If you go to Miami, they have to make a stopover in Salt and Pepper Rincon, it's worth and I will go back on my next visit.

Thank you Chef




 

Cafe and pastry in Sarasota, FL

Just a recommendation!

I am in Florida for few days visiting some friends. Sunday morning arrive and driving everywhere to find coffee, nothing was open and the places open did not look that well, finally in the cute little block, it was glory Pastry Art Bakery Cafe, it was great, the coffee flavor, very organic and taste really good, the attention of the staff with everyone was great, and the muffins, delicious.

If you ever go to Sarasota, FL, stop there, they are located on 1508 Main Street, great place, wi-fi and good music, we enjoyed the cafesito and just chilax for a while.

Hope you try.

 Picture from their website.

Fiesta Azul and Colon Cancer June 8, 2010

Dear Friends,

As you most know I am dealing with colon cancer as we blog, tomorrow we are having a fundraiser event for the Colon Cancer Alliance and a lot of different people help to make this a reality, the restaurant Social is donating food for the event a good friend Rod Sebastian in donating his talent for entertainment, and a lot other people are donating time and cash for this wonderful organization, I hope we can blog more about food, and please if you have any questions about colon cancer contact the www.ccalliance.org or me.

See you soon and wait for more of my recipes.

Thanks,

Jose

cedar restaurant

Photo by Jose Mendoza

Great restaurant and very exotic food with healthy choices, I had the deviled chicken hash fried eggs, green garlic and mix greens and my Partner had the smoke salmon with potatoes cakes, poached eggs, caper hollandaise and mix green.

I hope you guys have the chance to go and seat for brunch, there is not a lot of good options in Chinatown for brunch and for me is great they are located at 822 E street NW,  food is out the universe and the services is great, Mikias is one of the manager he will make anything for you to feel like home, we have brunch outdoors, but they also have a very trendy indoor space.

They have a great selection of cocktails as well and try the peach ice tea.


Will be back, but you need to try soon.

Pasta? Trattoria Italiana and Bar

Photo by: http://www.yelp.com/biz/pasta-palo-alto

I was in Palo Alto for a conference this week and  my hotel was a block away from the downtown area, a lot of restaurants... but Pasta? just make me stop, very cute spot in the center of the city, nice and relax ambiance, they speak Italian and the food was great, more than great, I got the Insalata Caprese, fresh tomatoes, great mozzarella, and a topping of pesto sauce, also they added some greens, it was incredible, how fresh it was. For my main course I had the spaghetti Tarantina, fresh pasta with mussels, calamari, garlic and olive oil with a spicy tomato sauce, wow, I am writing and I just want to go back there and eat again, the focaccia bread was incredible, I did not have wine but they have a selection of local beers and a winery.

I did not have space for dessert but they look great, the staff is very friendly and always with a big smile, they make me feel like I was in back in Italy, I recommend this place to anyone is you want to eat authentic Italian southern food.


I visited the location in Palo Alto, 326 University Avenue, check the website, hope you like it.

Photo by Jose Mendoza

Information about colorectal cancer

I Know I love to cook and eat but we need to worry about some health issues some times, I am dealing with colorectal cancer again, please read some of this information is very important for you own health. Also check the Colon Cancer Alliance  website.

 

Information About Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer is cancer that occurs in the colon or rectum. Sometimes it is called colon cancer, for short. As the drawing shows, the colon is the large intestine or large bowel. The rectum is the passageway that connects the colon to the anus.

Colorectal cancer affects both men and women of all racial and ethnic groups, and is most often found in people aged 50 years or older but for the Latino sometimes earlier. For men, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer. For women, colorectal cancer is the second most common cancer among Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic women, and the third most common cancer among white, black, and American Indian/Alaska Native women.

Of cancers that affect both men and women, colorectal cancer is the second leading cancer killer in the United States, but it doesn't have to be. If everybody aged 50 or older had regular screening tests, as many as 60% of deaths from colorectal cancer could be prevented.

Colorectal cancer screening saves lives. Screening can find precancerous polyps—abnormal growths in the colon or rectum—so that they can be removed before turning into cancer. Screening also helps find colorectal cancer at an early stage, when treatment often leads to a cure.

If you are aged 50 or older, or think you may be at higher than average risk for colorectal cancer, speak with your doctor about getting screened.

Screening Saves Lives

Colorectal cancer almost always develops from precancerous polyps (abnormal growths) in the colon or rectum. Screening tests can find precancerous polyps, so that they can be removed before they turn into cancer. Screening tests can also find colorectal cancer early, when treatment works best.

When Should I Begin to Get Screened?

You should begin screening for colorectal cancer soon after turning 50, then continue getting screened at regular intervals. However, you may need to be tested earlier or more often than other people if—

• You or a close relative have had colorectal polyps or colorectal cancer.
• You have inflammatory bowel disease.
• You have genetic syndromes such as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) or hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer.

Speak with your doctor about when you should begin screening and how often you should be tested.

What Is Colorectal Cancer Screening?

Screening is when a test is used to look for a disease before there are any symptoms. Cancer screening tests, including those for colorectal cancer, are effective when they can detect disease early. Detecting disease early can lead to more effective treatment. In some cases, screening tests can detect abnormalities such as polyps, before they have a chance to turn into cancer. Removing polyps in the colon and rectum prevents colorectal cancer from developing. (A diagnostic test differs from a screening test because it is a test used when a person has symptoms. The test is given to find the cause of the symptoms.)

Free or Low-Cost Screening

CDC launched the Colorectal Cancer Control Program (CRCCP) by providing funding to 26 states and tribes across the United States. The program supports population-based screening efforts and provides colorectal cancer screening services to low-income men and women aged 50–64 years who are underinsured or uninsured for screening, when no other insurance is available. In addition to colorectal cancer screening, the program sites also provide diagnostic follow-up.

Gazpacho for summer days

What do need

3 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 purple onion, finely chopped
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, chopped
1 sweet red bell pepper (or green) seeded and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
3 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons sugar
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1 teaspoon of Tabasco sauce to taste or chilli powder
4 cups tomato sauce
1 cup of cold water

How to do?

Combine all ingredients. Blend slightly, to desired consistency. Don't place in non-metal use plastic or glass container, cover tightly and refrigerate overnight, allowing flavors to blend is better the next day and you can store it for 3 days after that it can spoil.

You can serve 10 friends.

Hope you enjoyed.

Social the restaurant in Washington DC

Social is a great restaurant at 1400 Meridian Place, NW, Washington DC 20010, is 3 blocks away from the Columbia Heights metro (green line), this place is relax, clean, and the food honestly is great, fresh, and cooked with love I think,  tapas style but you also can get real plates, I prefer to seat at the bar and enjoy the people around me,  the restaurant also have outdoor area, they opened one month ago, my favorites are what they called micro-dining, the Baby Lamb “Lolli‐Chops”, Black Angus Burger or slides, Chicken Souvlaki with Cucumber Mint but when you go there you most have the Gilroy Garlic Fries, ohh God they are the besttttt fries in this universe, drink are good, I am always basic, so ask Derek about the Ice Tea, he make the best in town, if he say what, tell him Jose told me ask for the special Ice Tea, I have 4 and I am ready for bed, the upstairs floor is very elegant and nice, service is good and the music is nice and relaxing.

Just in case:

Happy Hours…
Tuesday thru Friday 4pm - 8pm

Beverages…
$10 Buckets (7 ponies) of Corona or Corona Light
$18 Pitchers (Margarita, Sangria, or Superfly)
$1 PBR, $2 Bud Light, Miller Light, $3 Stella
$3 rail highballs
$4 house wines

http://www.social14.com/

You most go, in stead of flower offer your date a dinner at Social.

 Hope you have fun or you can blame me : )

Hot cocoa and churros in Madrid

Is riquisimo, my recipe is just OK,,,the one in Madrid much better,  you most stop if you encounter a street vendor and get an order of churros and chocolate caliente, restaurants all over the city have churros with chocolate all the time . It iss out of this world.

Atocha Renfe Station- Madrid-Spain

Just an update

Hello my people,

I have not forget you, just trying to gather some of my recetas for summer, like my gazpacho, guisado chicken-mushroom sandwich, pesto, tomatoes stuffed with vinaigrette vegetables and more, I am working of simple food that you can enjoyed with friends in a picnic.

After coming back from Europe, I have so many new ideas. Be patient : )

In Madrid

Guys friends,
I am in Spain,,, y olé : ) and reporting:

I had the best sandwich ever, the name in Spain is a bocadillo,  fresh fry calamari with a great fresh bread is was yummy, my friends and I went to Plaza Mayor in  the corazon of Madrid, 2.50 Euros for a bocadillo and a nice beer for 1 Euro, it was delicious, you guys should try once. I will keep you post it of my food discovery in Madrid.

Healthy Pasta Salad

Hey guys,
Did not have to much to cook, grilled some meat but something was missing, so a pasta salad was good as side for 4 of your hungry friends:

You need:
375g of whole grain rotini cooked as indicated in the box
2 tomatoes cut in little cubes
4OZ of sliced pimientos
1 cup of fresh parsley chopped
1 cup of parmesan cheese or any other cheap cheese
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper
1 teaspoon of cumin
3 spoons of olive oil

This is pretty easy. Mix everything together with the pasta. Add the oil at the end, it will keep the pasta moist.

And serve with any main dish or just by itself.

y a comer.

Eggplant grilled salad

You need

• 1 big eggplant (cut it into 1 inch rounds).
• 1 beefsteak tomatoes cut it in cubes.
• 1/2 of green olives.

For the dressing

• 4 cloves of garlic minced.
• 4 tablespoons of olive oil.
• 1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar.
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin.

Combine everything together and you are done with the dressing.

What to do next

•  Brush the eggplants with some olive oil them grilled for 2 minutes each side (if you have an indoor grilled don't use it to hot) after this wait for 5 minutes to cut it into big pieces.
• Toss the eggplants, tomatoes and olives adding the dressing.

This serve 4 of your friends as a side dish is great, if you are in a diet this is great as a meal.

Cucumber sweet salad

You need:

• 2 cucumbers
• 1 red or green bell pepper
• 1 small red onion
• 1/2 of raisins
• 1/2 of slice rape black olives
• 3 cups of fresh spinach

For the dressing:

• 4 spoons of olive oil
• 2 spoons of apple vinegar
• 3 spoons of spice muster 
• 2 spoons of honey
• 1 teaspoon of salt 
• 1 teaspoon of black pepper

How to do it:

Start with the dressing:

• Mixing all the ingredients until you get a creamy consistence.

• Piled the cucumber and cut it in half cleaning all the seeds in the middle and cutting into small cubes
• Cut the red bell pepper  and red onion in fine juliennes.
• Place the cucumber, onions, pepper, black olives and raising into a bowl and add the dressing saving 2 spoons.
• Add the spinach (previously washed and dried)  in a separate bowl adding 2 spoons of the dressing and mixed with your clean hands, this is better for the presentation and also if you mix everything together you end with all the vegetables in the bottom of the bowl plus is could turn really soggy.

 And this is it, serving a fair amount of spinach on the plate and topped with the vegetable mix, this is a light dinner, you can grilled some chicken or fish as well.

Y a comer.