Monday, June 21, 2021

7th ANNUAL SUMMER READING LIST




PRESS RELEASE


LAS COMADRES & FRIENDS
NATIONAL LATINO BOOK CLUB

** Connecting Readers All Over The World
Through Latino Literature **


7th ANNUAL
SUMMER READING LIST





FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Maria Ferrer, Project Manager
mferrer.lcbookclub@gmail.com


JUNE 20, 2021 -- New York, NY—Las Comadres & Friends National Latino Book Club is pleased to announce the release of its seventh annual Summer Reading List on this the first day of the summer. Our List includes books by a Literary Icon, a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, Pura Belpré Award Winners, a past Young People’s Poet Laureate, debut authors and perennial favorites.

“I am thrilled to see our Las Comadres and Friends National Latino Book Club growing by leaps and bounds,” says Dr. Nora de Hoyos Comstock, the Book Club’s Founding Director. “The pandemic gave many space to fill their time with books, and we have definitely seen expanded exposure for our Latinx authors. Our annual list of Latinx authored titles, which will appear in December, will show the growing numbers we can celebrate for 2021! This Summer Reading List gives you a head start.”

We encourage Readers of all ages to purchase our Summer Reading List selections and add them to their TBR piles, give copies to family and friends, order copies at your neighborhood library, and enjoy Reading Latino Lit.



Las Comadres & Friends National Latino Book Club
2021 Summer Reading List

1. AMERICA’S DREAM by Esmeralda Santiago (HarperCollins) – fiction, classic, 25th Anniversary Release

2. A CUBAN’S GIRL GUIDE TO TEA AND TOMORROW by Laura Taylor Namey (Atheneum Books) – fiction, young adult

3. A GIRL NAMED ROSITA: The Story of Rita Moreno by Anika Aldamuy Denise (HarperCollins) – children’s picture book

4. THE CHILEAN KITCHEN by Pilar Hernandez and Eileen Smith (Skyhorse) – cookbook

5. CHOLA SALVATION by Estella González (Arte Público Press) – fiction, short stories

6. FAT CHANCE, CHARLIE VEGA by Crystal Maldonado (Holiday House) – fiction, young adult

7. FEATHERED SERPENTS AND THE FIVE SUNS by Duncan Tonatiuh (Abrams Books) – children’s picture book

8. FURIA by Yamile Saied Mèndez (Algonquin) – fiction, young adult

9. JUBILEE by Jennifer Givhan (Blackstone Publishing) – fiction, thriller

10. KING ROBIN by R.A. Moss (Beck and Branch Publishers) – historical fiction

11. THE KISSING BUG: A True Story of a Family, an Insect and a Nation’s Neglect of a Deadly Disease by Daisy Hernández (Tin House Books) – non-fiction

12. LATINITAS: Celebrating 40 Big Dreamers by Juliet Menèndez (Henry Holt & Co.) – 
children’s book, biographies

13. THE LIBRARIAN OF SAINT-MALO by Mario Escobar (Thomas Nelson) – historical fiction

14. LIES WITH MAN: Henry Rios Mystery by Michael Nava (Amble Press) – fiction, mystery, LGBTQ

15. MERCI SUÁREZ CAN’T DANCE by Meg Medina (Candlewick) – children’s middle grade

16. MY BROKEN LANGUAGE by Quiara Alegría Hudes (One World) – non-fiction, memoir

17. SOMEWHERE BETWEEN BITTER AND SWEET by Laekan Zea Kemp (Little, Brown Books) – fiction, young adult

18. SOUTH BEACH LOVE by Caridad Pineiro (Hallmark) – fiction, romance

19. THRIVEOLOGY, Volume 1 by Jay Maymi (indie published) – motivational

20. TIGHT KNOTS. LOOSE THREADS. by Eleanor Parker Sapia (Winter Goose Publishing) – poetry

21. YOUR HEART, MY SKY: Love in a Time of Hunger by Margarita Engle (Atheneum Books) – fiction, young adult


Las Comadres & Friends National Latino Book Club started in 2007 and is currently in 15 cities, with more cities to follow. All books are in English, written by Latino authors. Membership is free and open to all readers. Each month, Las Comadres & Friends Book Club features a Book of the Month selection and one or two additional “Conversations with” books. At the end of the month, there is a teleconference and Live Interviews with the author(s), plus a simultaneous TwitterChat on @ReadLatinoLit. Registration is free and open to all readers.

For more information on Las Comadres & Friends National Latino Book Club, to register for the monthly teleconference or to submit your book for consideration, visit www.latinolit.com.

For more information on the 2021 Summer Reading List, email Maria Ferrer, Project Manager, at 
mferrer.lcbookclub@gmail.com.


Las Comadres & Friends National Latino Book Club
Twitter: @ReadLatinoLit
Hashtags: #ReadLatinoLit, #LasComadres, #LCBC


Leadership Team
Maria C. Ferrer, Project Manager
Julia Abrantes, Submissions Coordinator
Tess Tobin, Membership Coordinator
Dora M. Abreu, Social Media Coordinator
Karen D. Gonzales, Assistant Coordinator
and
 Dr. Nora de Hoyos Comstock, Founding Director



READ LATINO LIT 




 

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Sunday, June 20, 2021

COMADRES CONNECT! NEWSLETTER -- SUMMER 2021 EDITION




Las Comadres Para Las Americas

Happy 21st Anniversary, Comadres!


Never settle for ‘just enough’ when ‘awesome’ is around the corner.
– Jay Maymi, THRIVEOLOGY




IN GRATITUDE
Dr. Nora de Hoyos Comstock

21 Years! It has been a wild ride! We have done so many things, learned so much from each other, and built lasting friendships. Las Comadres is not the story of one person. We are mucho mas than the sum of our parts. You are Las Comadres and our coordinators, and I have been the glue. Without your unflagging support as members of this vast social network, without your patience as we built it, we would not be here celebrating!

There are so many of you that I must thank for contributing to the success of Las Comadres that it would fill pages (actually your names up to the year 2012 appear in the Acknowledgments in our book, COUNT ON ME: Tales of Sisterhoods and Fierce Friendships, published by Simon and Schuster in English in 2012/Spanish in 2013). There are many names to add to the list after publication. And with the addition of new leadership for Las Comadres, especially the energetic and vibrant, Maria Ferrer, with her new ganas, together we will change the face of Latinx/as in this nation and around the world. The stories and memories will fill books and bring us closer together and make us stronger.

The next twenty years are a new chapter in our journey to securing our place as indelible contributors to the US American experience. It will not be an easy chapter, but it must be written and spoken by us—you, our Latinx/a/o communities, and me. Each and every one of you has a special role to play and we are here to help, as always.

From Nora’s letter in the 2021 WWC & 21st Anniversary Commemorative Book.



CALENDAR

June 21 – Summer Reading List released
June 28 – Las Comadres & Friends Book Club Teleconference
June 30 – Las Comadres Speaker Series: Climate Justice

July 26 – Las Comadres & Friends Book Club Teleconference
July 28 – Las Comadres Speaker Series: Democracy & the Informed Citizen

August 25 – Las Comadres Speaker Series: Mental Health in the Latino Community
August 30 -- Las Comadres & Friends Book Club Teleconference



LAS COMADRES SPEAKER SERIES

Free monthly Speaker Series. For full descriptions, visit: http://lascomadres.com/lco/speaker-series
Check your time zone: 4pm PT / 5pm MT/ 6pm CT/ 7pm ET







Wednesday, June 30
Environmental & Climate Justice
Speaker: Elizabeth Yeampierre

Wednesday, July 28
Democracy and the Informed Citizen: If Not YOU, Who?
Speakers: Dr. Nora Comstock & Olga Campos Benz

Wednesday, August 25
Mental Health in the Latino Community
Speaker: Dr. Ana Nogales



Worldwide Comadrazo Highlights

Las Comadres throws a Worldwide Comadrazo every two years, and we were not going to let the pandemic stop our tradition, plus 2021 marks Las Comadres 21st Anniversary. Thank goodness for zoom. The WWC went virtual and it was amazing. Great speakers, informative breakouts, and we launched The Nora Awards. And surprise, surprise! We never expected for our sign off that day to turn into a Sing-A-Long with Comadre Marialy Gonzalez and “The Comadres Song.” This Summer issue is dedicated to Comadres Everywhere. We look forward to our next WWC Live in April, 2023 in Austin, TX. Mark your calendars!


KEYNOTE SPEAKER

The Honorable Nellie Gorbea, Rhode Island Secretary of State and Comadre was our Keynote Speaker. She stressed the importance of Fierce Friendships and networking.

Comadre Nellie is running for Rhode Island Governor this Fall. Good luck to her!



TESTIMONIALS

The 2021 Worldwide Comadrazo was my first one to attend, coincidentally it was also the first ever virtual WWC. For someone who is pretty low-key, I suppose this was a good way to test the waters and ease the overwhelming feeling of seeing hundreds of women, albeit amazing as they are. After this delicious probadita, I am so ready for our next WWC in which I look forward to an in person, hugs and kisses, meeting of women. -- Esperanza

I like how the Worldwide Comadrazo brings all of our little groups together and we can see how great we are on a larger scale. Comadres are women empowering women and building fierce friendships along the way! – Karen

Thank you for making this virtual Worldwide Comadrazo. Because of the pandemic, I have had the opportunity to attend several national and international events that I would NOT have been able to attend otherwise because of the cost involved with hotel, transportation etc...Sure the experience is NOT the same but it’s better than nothing. – Laura

I love sharing stories, advice, and ideas—and having fun—with women whose lives, in many ways, parallel mine. Being so far away from the sisters I grew up with, this makes me feel en familia. Like a warm abrazo. – Anabel



BREAKOUT GROUPS REVIEWS

Stephanie Elizondo Griest is amazing. Her writing workshop was so inspirational, and she gave us lots of great ideas on how to start to write.

I liked Julia Abrantes’ presentation on Latino books and supporting authors. I loved her passion.

Fierce Friendships was a favorite. Sol Córdova did a great job! Frientimacy—my favorite new word.

Loved learning more about the American Latino Museum. Can’t wait to visit one day. Thanks Lily Gil Valletta.

Laura López Cano always. I learned a lot in just a few minutes.

My favorite workshop was Karen Valentin’s on Parenting. She knows kids!

I loved the Civic Engagement workshop with Dr. Nora de Hoyos Comstock and Dora Tovar. Engaging and knowledgeable speakers.

Enjoyed Sylvia Klinger’s workshop on Nutrition. She spoke of nutrition from a Latino perspective—Great!



SPEAKERS

Many thanks to the all the speakers at the Worldwide Comadrazo, including:


Julia Abrantes, www.latinolit.com

Dr. Nora de Hoyos Comstock, www.lascomadres.com

Sol Córdova, www.mindsoltherapy.com

Lili Gil Valletta, https://americanlatinomuseum.org/

The Honorable Nellie Gorbea, https://nelliegorbea.com

Stephanie Elizondo Griest, www.stephanieelizondogriest.com

Dr. Sylvia Klinger, www.hispanicnutrition.com

Laura López Cano, www.instagram.com/laura.lopez.cano

Dora Tovar, www.tovarpr.com

Karen Valentin, www.karenvalentinauthor.com



WWC COMMITTEE

Many Thanks to the WWC Committee: Maria Ferrer, Dr. Nora de Hoyos Comstock, Laura Esparza, Monica Peňa, Rosa Beato, Nydia Marsella, Tess Tobin, Tania Sole and Dr. Charley Ferrer. Thanks as well to Comadre Yvonne Tapia for the WWC 2021 Logo.



LINKS TO OTHER ARTICLES


Spotlight on the 2021 Nora Award Winners
Interviews with Yadhira, Charley & Austin Community Foundation
Link: https://comadresconnect.blogspot.com/2021/06/spotlight-2021-nora-award-winners.html


Summer Fling: The Versatility of Plantains by Eris Garriga & recipe
Plus, Summer Tips and Agua de Pepino
Link: https://comadresconnect.blogspot.com/2021/06/summer-fling-2021.html


Summer Reading List – Hot off the Press! 21 Books for your reading pleasure!
Read Latino Lit with these book selections. There is something for everyone.
Link:  https://comadresconnect.blogspot.com/2021/06/7th-annual-summer-reading-list.html 


Spotlight on Sponsors & Donors of the 2021 Worldwide Comadrazo & 21st Anniversary Celebration
Link:  https://comadresconnect.blogspot.com/2021/06/spotlight-on-2021-wwc-sponsors-donors.html



NEWSLETTER STAFF

Quarterly Newsletter for and by Las Comadres Para Las Americas.

Editor: Maria Ferrer

Contributing Writers:
Rosa Beato
Esperanza Beltran
Jacqueline Quiňones
Eris Garriga


Email us at info@lascomadres.com.

©LasComadresParaLasAmericas 2021



COMADRES CONNECT!
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SPOTLIGHT ON THE 2021 WWC SPONSORS & DONORS


FROM COMADRES CONNECT! NEWSLETTER - SUMMER EDITION



WORLDWIDE COMADRAZO 
SPONSORS & DONORS

We are grateful to all the Sponsors & Donors of the Worldwide Comadrazo & 
21st Anniversary Celebration. Thank you for making our event a success!




SPONSORS


PLATINUM

St. David’s Foundation



SILVER

MOLA Market Research
Gloria Williams

Mona’s Family Emporium
Mona Chavez

Primavera Strategic Planning
Adrienne Pulido

THE RESURRECTION OF FULGENIO RAMIREZ



BRONZE

The Arreaga Agency
Farmers Insurance
Liz & Becky Arreaga

Casa de la Familia Counseling
Ana Nogales

CasaQ by Darlene
Darlene Tenes

DonateWay
Belinda Perez

KCasati
Josefina Casati

MUNDU Media
Monica Peňa

Pikitin Learning Projects
Rita Rosa Ruesga

Positive Directions Co.
Aliana Apodaca

Ramos Admin, LLC
Cynthia Ramos



DONORS


Cancer Tamer, Inc.
Dr. Charley Ferrer

Celesty Beauty Care
Rosana Colon

The Crafty Chica
Kathy Cano-Murillo

Designs by Jori
Jorivette Carrington

Geekettes Chat
Christy & Shirley Yanis

Hernán, LLC
Isela Hernandez

Jacqueline Quiňones
Recuerdos Boricua

Karla & Co.

Las Comadres & Friends
National Latino Book Club

La Sirena
Dina Leor

Laura López Cano

League of Kitchens
Instructor & Comadre Mirta Rinaldi

Maria de Socorro Fashions
Maria Cardes

Rosa Beato
Boston Comadres Network

Saviana Arts
Sara Morales &
Vivian Lipman-Denis

Sol y Canto
Rosi and Brian Amador

Think Happy Media
Nydia Marsella


COMADRES CONNECT!


 
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Saturday, June 19, 2021

SPOTLIGHT: 2021 NORA AWARD WINNERS

FROM COMADRES CONNECT! NEWSLETTER - SUMMER EDITION



 THE NORA AWARDS

 


Named in honor of DR. NORA DE HOYOS COMSTOCK, The Nora Awards recognizes Comadres who exemplify the virtues of Loyalty, Generosity, Sisterhood and Kindness. Winners were nominated by their fellow Comadres. The Friend of Las Comadres award recipient was chosen for its continual support of Las Comadres over the past 21 years. Awards were presented during the Worldwide Comadrazo 2021.

 

WINNERS

 

COMADRES OF THE YEAR – Yadhira González-Taylor

COMADRE COMMUNITY SERVICE – Dr. Charley Ferrer

FRIEND OF LAS COMADRES – Austin Community Foundation

 


SPOTLIGHT ON YADHIRA GONZALEZ-TAYLOR

COMADRE OF THE YEAR

By Jacqueline Quiňones


Yadhira Gonzalez-Taylor admits to being “floored” at winning the Comadre of the Year award.  She joined Las Comadres after attending the 2014 Writers Conference in Brooklyn.  She was already a self-published children’s books author, but this was her first conference.  She met dozens of fellow writers, including Esmeralda Santiago her idol.  Yadhira was also inspired by Las Comadres’ leader, Dr. Nora de Hoyos Comstock.

“Nora seemed to grab the entire room, the entire world, and give them a hug,” says Yadhira. They stayed in touch after the conference, and soon Yadhira was a member of Las Comadres.  She started the Bronx Comadres Network, which met on Saturdays at the local library, but is currently on hiatus.

Yadhira found the Worldwide Comadrazo & 21st Anniversary Celebration inspirational, especially since the keynote speaker was The Honorable Nellie Gorbea, Rhode Island’s Secretary of State and long-standing Comadre.  Secretary Gorbea’s speech about her struggle as a grassroots underdog resonated with Yadhira, as she too is running for office -- Judge of the Civil Court of the City of New York, Bronx County in the 2nd Municipal Court District. Yadhira didn’t ever plan on being a lawyer.  As a childhood abuse survivor, she wanted to be a police officer, instead, she joined the army and afterward became a prosecutor.  

“Hearing Comadre Nellie’s story,” states Yadhira, “energized me and made me feel like anything is possible.” She is embracing her win as Comadre of the Year and looking forward to serving her community… on the bench or not.

Learn more about Comadre of the Year Yadhira Gonzalez-Taylor at www.ygt4bronxjudge.com.

 

 

SPOTLIGHT ON DOCTOR CHARLEY FERRER

COMADRE COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD WINNER

By Esperanza Beltran


Congratulations to Dr. Charley Ferrer who won a Nora Award for Community Service! She is the woman behind the Cancer Tamer Organization and a fellow New York Comadre.

Through CancerTamer, Dr. Charley provides endless support for women, and men, with breast cancer. There are many ways in which her organization uses knowledge and creativity to help Breast Cancer patients, past and present, a TV show, a crochet club, books, theatre plays, and peer-to-peer counseling, just to name a few.

Dr. Charley’s CancerTamer organization is different in that they help women be at peace with their bodies, a message that is opposite to the mainstream. Where women were accustomed to hearing messages of fighting and war-like attitudes, Dr. Charley has come in and delivered a message of peace and understanding. Thanks to Cancer Tamer, there is a new message of hope for her fellow New Yorkers and beyond.

Of the many awards she has received for her work, the Nora Award is the most meaningful, she said, as she held up her rose-engraved glass.

Thank you, Dr. Charley Ferrer, for your amazing work!

Learn more about Dr. Charley and CancerTamer at www.cancertamer.org.


 


FRIEND OF LAS COMADRES AWARD RECIPIENT - AUSTIN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION 

INTERVIEW WITH JONATHAN BARONA

ACF Donor Relations Officer

By Rosa Beato

 


How do you feel being the first company to be chosen for the Nora Award for Friend of Las Comadres?

Jonathan Barona:   Very excited! I’ve known Nora for five years. I have been involved with Las Comadres long before that. Nora is so connected and involved with the community through its development and transformation. ACF was just excited to get nominated, but more importantly we continue supporting projects from Las Comadres in any way we can.

What is the Austin Community Foundation?

The Austin Community Foundation was established in 1977 as a place to connect with the community and engage in philanthropy.  ACF works closely with county and state representatives, but its focused is on supporting the local community.

 What services does ACF offer to the community?

ACF does philanthropy. We’ve created a fund that offers grants to local community non-profit organizations, who offer direct services or have a direct need.

How do you do Outreach?

The Foundation is well-established, well-connected, and respected. Many seek us out for funding. We share community information and resources via social media. 

Do you do any collaboration with colleges and universities?

We manage about 130 scholarships funds, which is a major way for student to get funding.  We also do grant making for organizations supporting education.

How has COVID affect the organization?

So much of what the ACF does is relationship based. We found that whenever there’s a crisis, the community steps up. The lack of face-to-face has been difficult, but our donors have stepped up.

What message do you have for the community?

Marketing is about people, it’s about relationship building.  We encourage everyone to make personal connections, and to reach out to other communities, foundations, and local organizations.

Any recommendations and parting words for Las Comadres?

There’s no one way to get involved.  There are lots of ways to make an impact and help the community.  Find an area or skills that you are passionate about and give back to the community; support the community in that way.  Figure out what you like.  We are excited to see what’s next and where you grow.  Las Comadres’ power is the relationship, mutual support and el cariňo that you have towards each other.  That needs to be the key element of Las Comadres even as you continue to grow.  Having those relationships and love is what is inspiring about Las Comadres.  What really is impactful is that you are building those relationships amongst Latinas.

 

For about the Nora Awards or about Las Comadres,

Visit us at www.lascomadres.com.




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SUMMER FLING 2021

 FROM COMADRES CONNECT! NEWSLETTER -- Summer Edition


Versatility of Plantains

by Eris Garriga


 We all like to eat! Eating is what makes family and friends stay connected and is an experience to enjoy. Cooking is an art which makes the cook create magic in the kitchen by experimenting with different ingredients. One of the ingredients easy and widely used in many ways in the kitchen is the plantain/plátano, green or ripe yellow: fried, mashed, boiled, baked, grated, roasted or grilled, and in flour form. It can be served as a snack, for decorating a dish, appetizer, drink, soup, main course or dessert. In the Dominican Republic mangú is popular plantain dish. In Perú, plantains are used to make a drink called chapo. In India, the stem of the plant is used to make juice. The plantain leaves are used for wrapping pasteles, and for covering the pigeon peas rice (arroz con gandules) while it’s cooking, two staple dishes for the holidays in Puerto Rico. The leaves are used also to wrap candy such as pasta de naranja (sour orange paste) and guanimes.

When you visit a Spanish restaurant, sometimes they serve plantain chips, or they decorate an appetizer with fried thin plantain slices. Almost all the time, as a side dish, you´ll find tostones (twice-fried plantain slices), also known as patacones in South America. In Puerto Rico we use plantains for various dishes: mofongo, tostones, pastelón, piñón, piononos, for sancocho, grated for soup or pureé (cremita), arañitas, stuffed balls, and mixed with green bananas to make pasteles. Recently, a video on YouTube showed plantains used in making empanadas. A favorite for many foodies are yellow plantains in making amarillos (fried sweet plantain slices), rellenos, with syrup in some versions. In Chicago, the jibarito sandwich is made with fried green plantain slices instead of bread.

In the 1859 1st edition of El Cocinero Puerto-Riqueño, its author mentions that large green plantains are called machos and the ripe ones hembras. Plátano is a plant/herb, not a tree, called mata de plátano in Spanish. Even though the plantain is a fruit, many Puerto Ricans consider the green variety a vegetable (vianda). Plantains are a good source of potassium and high in fiber. Some plantain dishes noted above (pastelón, piñón) are stuffed with meat or seafood. Vegetarians can substitute the meat for soy protein, prepared and seasoned the same way as a meat filling. What follows is a vegetarian recipe for stuffed plantain canoes or canoas de plátanos maduros with soy protein, which you will find in my vegetarian cookbook Eris’ Green Kitchen (pg. 239). This is a great dish for non-vegetarians to try out.


Stuffed Plantain “Canoes” /

Canoas de Plátanos Maduros

Portions: 4

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

 


Ingredients:

4 large ripe plantains

2 cups crumbled soy protein

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp sofrito

2 garlic cloves, finely mashed

1⁄2 tsp sazón or adobo

1 tbsp onion, finely minced

1 tbsp pimento stuffed olives, sliced

1 tsp small capers

1 tbsp red bell peppers, finely chopped

1 small tomato, diced small

3 cilantro sprigs, minced

1⁄4 cup tomato sauce

1 cup vegetable broth

salt & pepper to taste

3 tbsp salted butter, softened

grated white tropical cheese or one of your preference

 

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 350F (180C)

 2. In a caldero, heat olive oil over low heat, and add sofrito, garlic, adobo, onion, olives, capers,

peppers, tomato and cilantro. Sauté for 2 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking. Add tomato sauce and soy protein. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add vegetable broth. Taste for salt and pepper. Cook 5 more minutes or until liquid is evaporated. Set aside.

3. Peel plantains. Cut lengthwise along the inside curve, being careful not to cut all the way through.

4. Cut 4 aluminum foil sheets, 10” x 10”, and brush them with butter or cooking spray. Place one plantain per sheet and then place them on a baking sheet.

5. Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until almost golden brown on both sides. Remove from oven and let cool for about 5 minutes.

6. As soon as they cool, stuff them with the cooked soy protein. Top with cheese and return to oven until cheese is melted, approximately 5 more minutes.

 Serve alone or with a salad. Buen Provecho.

 

Erisbelia Garriga (Eris to friends), a native of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, did her undergraduate studies at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus, and graduate studies at New York University. After some years in high school and college teaching, she worked for the NYC Health & Hospitals Corporation. After retirement, Eris has published four cookbooks: Homestyle Puerto Rican Cooking, Sabrosuras Boricuas, De la Tierra con Sabor, and Eris’ Green Kitchen. These cookbooks have been recognized by the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards, the International Latino Book Awards, El Instituto de Puerto Rico en la Ciudad de Nueva York, The National Puerto Rican Association Preserving Culture and Heritage, LLC, The New York Book Festival, and the 2020 International Book Awards. These four cookbooks promote the rich culinary tradition of Puerto Rico. You can find her cookbooks at https://homestylepuertoricancook.square.site, www.eriskitchen.net, FB/eris garriga and FB/Homestyle Puerto Rican Cooking Cookbook.

 

SUMMER TIPS

 
 

Drink plenty of water.

Stay indoors during hottest part of the day.

Wear sunscreen.

Wear sunglasses.

Moisturize often.

Enjoy the great outdoors.

Connect with your Comadres.

Read Latino Lit!

 

 

AGUA DE PEPINO

 Thanks to Comadre Tish Leon for sharing this recipe.


Ingredients:

1 medium cucumber

8 Mexican limes

8 Spearmint or mint leaves

1 cup of sugar

½ Gallon of water

 

Instructions:   Peel the cucumber and cut it into chunks.

Juice the limes.  Add cucumber, lime juice, mint and 2 cups of water to your blender. Pour mixture into ½ gallon pitcher,

add sugar and remaining water. Stir. Chill or serve over ice. Garnish with spearmint leaf.  Enjoy.

 

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE

I want to be like the waves in the sea.

I want to be like the clouds in the wind.

But I’m me. One day I’ll jump out of my skin.

And shake the sky like a hundred violins.

                         --Sandra Cisneros

 




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