prayer and panettone
Decades ago Italian immigrants to Peru brought with them the panettone. Now it’s not Christmas in Peru without the spongy fruit cake. A group of sisters in historic Lima keep the tradition alive by selling 60,000 of the cakes each year. Oscar and I shot this video for Catholic News Service.
Oscar just loves panettone. The first time I tried it, I wasn’t so pleased with its licorice odor.
Last Christmas we compromised and bought a chocolate panettone. We won’t make that same mistake again. It left us both unsatisfied…me wanting a “real” chocolatey dessert and Oscar wanting the classic panettone. We’ll go with two desserts this year!
(But I must admit while editing this video I had a massive craving for panettone…the dough spinning in the mixer, the little dried fruits…! Perhaps there is still time for a conversion!)
instituto de cocina pachacútec
Last week Oscar and I shot this video about a culinary school in the outskirts of Lima for Catholic News Service. Monacle magazine recently named it the education initiative with the greatest global impact. Renowned Peruvian chef Gastón Acurio directs the institute that started in 2007.
The best part of being a culinary student? The taste testing!
is there anybody out there?
Back in July I attended the Foundry Photojournalism Workshop in Buenos Aires where I had the opportunity to work with Henrik Kastenskov of the Bombay Flying Club. Enjoyed his teaching immensley and produced this video about radio aficionado Martín Tobdjian.
From the workshop of his Buenos Aires home Martín talks on the radio every night from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Most of his “amigos del aire” (radio friends) are from Argentina, but he also regularly chats with a buddy in New York and has talked with people as far away as Japan and Finland. As Martín and his buddies age, their circle of aficionados is shrinking.
chinese peruvian food = chifa
World renowned Peruvian chef Gastón Acurio opened Madam Tusan in April. It offers a variety of food known in Peru as “chifa” – Chinese Peruvian food. The word Tusan referes to the children of Chinese immigrants in Perú. I shot this video for Living in Peru. Check out the full story written by Jorge Riveros-Cayo (it’s in English!).
janeth
I met Janeth back in January. She’s one of many women whose life has been changed by an NGO named Pro Mujer. An initial loan of $150 got Janeth started in the chocolate business. She makes truffles and chocolate lollipops as well as handmade gift boxes. Best part? She doesn’t like chocolate. I guess there’s a bright side to that. If I tried to make it as a chocolatier there wouldn’t be much product left to sell…!
Click here if you’d like to make a donation to Pro Mujer.