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Link to Aspro Dolce (Jolle and Hank) Link to Author of Moon Travel Guide Books Link to Purchase New 2007 Calendars |
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New Guest Artists Scheduled to Perform at our Private House Concerts We are busily preparing for guests already on their way to Costa Rica for Winter 2007. Reservations have been made all the way into March, and I suppose it will get busier whenCasa Holanda is listed in the guidebooks like Moon Travel , which only client from the Washington DC area said was very thorough and helpful. Along with a lot of nice people, there are some artists who will either be stopping by or performing a full concert here at the house. Canadian Concert Pianist,Matthew Hughes , from Canada will be here for all of us left behind after Christmas 2006 for an information concert of perhaps Beethoven and to accompany me in some art songs, and Christmas favorites. A tentative date has been set in February for two excellent artists from New York City, Aspro Dolce . Jolle Greenleaf is an acclaimed soprano and Hank Heijink is an accomplished lute player. Their program entitled Feast for the Senses, features lute songs and solos from 17th Century England. It will be perfect for our stage-like area in the ranchita in the garden.November Thanksgiving Concert Party (November 26th, Sunday) Thanksgiving, a solely US holiday designated by Abraham Lincoln, is not celebrated in Costa Rica, but we like it anyway. It's an excuse to get together and have fun. This coming November 26th (Sunday), for registered guests and invitee's, there will be a free Thanksgiving spread along with an all Chopin piano concert. Tropical Gardening and Season Transitions
When the North chills up, we dry out. I saw on a cable program that if the world suddenly plunges into an ice age, Central America would become a desert. But we have some time yet. November in Costa Rica begins to et sunnier, windier, "chilly" at night, and drier. You might think the plants here would love the rainy season, but no, delicate flowers get mold very easily in their roots, pests, like aphids and crickets, devour tender shoots and leaves. During the early dry season, there is enough rain to water the plants but not drown them. It is a good time however, to plant Calla Lilies and other bulb plants, like the fragrant and aphrodisiatic Varitas de San José (we have those too growing), that need a lot of water. The Spanish word Calas may mean many different things here in Costa Rica. For example, in the picture above, you see The Giant Calla (on the left with the big white flower), Miniature Calla's in the foreground, and the famous cone shaped Calla Lilies like in the paintings of Georgia O'Keefe and Diego Rivera just starting to grow in the back. With a little frustration, I finally found the bulbs for the cone shaped Calla Lilies at the huge Heredia farmer's market. You see the flower for sale everywhere, but for some reason the nurseries haven't caught on to sell them. New Casa Holanda 2007 Calendars Available
So you can't come to Costa Rica right now?
No te preocupes!
I just designed this
2007 calendar with photos I have taken over the past year here. You
can escape into a beautiful, quality, photographic window of the different
places here to visit. For those of you who live here or travel here
a lot, there are the Costa Rican holidays with closings on it.
Calendar also contain U.S. and Canadian Holidays with moon phases,
Christian, Muslim, and Hindu holidays too. From the Farmer's Market and Recipes
One might think this week's produce is a cop-out, but no! I didn't know how to properly prepare this little gem until somebody showed me here. I made all the difference in the world. This is something you don't need to come to Costa Rica to enjoy, for it is probably sitting in your nearby supermarket right now. This week from the Farmer's Market is the root known as Yuca in Spanish or Cassava in West Indian/British circles. Other common names are Manioc. It is a staple in the diets of many peoples in tropical areas of the world, and has been cultivated as long as 2500BC in the Southern Americas. Raw Yuca is poisonous and induces cyanide poisoning, so proper handling of this root is very important. You need to thoroughly peel it and boil it before eating, and then it tastes just as good, or even better than potatoes. Heating the starch from Yuca on a hot metal surface makes the thing we know as tapioca. Casa Holanda's Fried Yuca 1 Yucca Root Cut off both ends of the Yuca root and thoroughly peel it. If large, cut it in half and then slice into French Fry shaped pieces. Bring a medium-sized pot to vigorous boiling. Place the sliced Yuca pieces in the pot and boil at medium heat until completely tender. Heat up deep fryer or small, old (but clean) pot of your oil. With tongs position slices in oil with enough room to cook and float. Let fry until golden brown. Take out and place on a plate covered with a paper towel. When cooler pat as necessary to soak up the excess oil. Sprinkle with salt and eat with ketchup. E-mail me at james@casaholanda.com for reservations or just to say hello. Hope to see you soon! James
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*All photos in this newsletter are original and property of Casa Holanda. Copyright 2007 James N Holland, Composer, Pianist, Singer