Beautiful plate and post. BTW, in Spanish there are no "coincidencias" only "Dioscidencias". No clue how it would translate to English....

This was just not her thing and she wasn't very good at it, she said. A Cuban who IS NOT GOOD at ARGUING??? Not possible.

Alicante and Chocolate!

No one really calls me anything :( Papi used to call me various nicknames, but it wasn't a family thing. The only nickname I've ever heard are variations on my name - you know the usual diminutivos.

Class Factotum has my same question, any chance the aprons could be customized?

I used to think I was adopted too. Then they took the high school graduation portrait and I looked so much like my mother at that age that I flinched. good to see you are all going through this tough time together. BTW tried the churros recipe yesterday; I think my oil may have been too super hot, since they came out nice and gloden, but still kind of crudos inside.

All of you, my deepest condolences on your Tio's, brother in law's passing. La Ventanita

Glad to know you will still be around for a while! Now go enjoy Hawaii, and keep those recipes coming (specially the Crockpot ones!) Enjoy The Rest of the Week.

I learned the orange+lime up here 'cause I can't find sour oranges anywhere. One difference, I mash the garlic in the "pilon" and add the onions. I heat the olive oil "a punto" and pour it into the pilon, then I add the orange juice mixture(whichever combination you choose). While it doesn't sit for 30 minutes, it's on the fly, adding the oil to the garlic brings out the flavor so when you add the juice right after it takes it on. And even better, no splatter! ;)

Marta, it is beautiful!!!

Can I hire you? You make great invitations! You should freelance and charge! I'd for sure pay for your services. Beautiful invitation.

I can certainly relate; mine passed away barely a year ago and I'm still in shambles.

Oye Martis, is that an artificial or a real tree? It's got a beautiful line!

Flan in my blood (or is it my cheeks?) Mine is somewhere else!!! Anyway thanks for this; I've always made the cheese flan but never had a decent recipe for regular flan!!!

'ño! I have to try this method; if it works my husband will adore you! He already loves you for the pastelitos!

Marta fear not. My perfume, K by Krizia which I've been wearing for the past 21 years (beat ya'!) has been discontinued forever. I get it at the discount perfume stores and Filene's basement all the time. I'm sure you will be able to get Safari the same way.

Ahhhh Panera, great sandwiches, great pizza, great coffee and even better....Free Wi-Fi connection!!!!!!!!

Great recipe, just one question though. If memory doesn't fail me, then again last time I had hot chocolate in Spain I was 12, isn't Spanish Hot Chocolate suppossed to be more on the bitter side, to counteract the sweetness of the churros? Just asking. I will try this recipe on my husband. Still looking around for the guava paste so I can make pastelitos.....

I see what you meant about the shape...it looks VERY weird like that....but THANK YOU!!!!!! This is great. Seriously Martha you should consider writing a recipe book; I think you can kick Nitza Villapol's ass any day now.

I'm with Amanda, how 'bout the recipe? My husband and I love pizza and to tell you the truth all the recipes we've tried for the dough are not that good. Your's looks delicious!!!

You have no clue how happy you made me with your shortcut. As a grad student, don't have much time to create puff pastry from scratch; but oh my, is my husband going to get a GREAT surprise!!!! I'll try a little of queso crema in there too....no Panaderias here in New England, at least not close by. Thanks!!!!!!!

Ahh coquito. since my parents settled in Puerto Rico, I gre up on the stuff. A good recipe to folloe is 2 cans evaporated milk 2 cans condensed milk 2 cans coconut milk NOT coco lopez 6 egg yolks 1.5 to 2 cups of Don Q Cristal Rum (tastes much better; if you use Bacardi try it out first) Mix all the milks with the yolks first. Once well blended, add the rum and remix. It should give you close to three bottles of wine. Now that I have your creme de vie recipe I will try it out for next year!

You know what I miss? Imperiale de Guerlain. All the older men in my family, abuelo and papi, it was the traditional male cologne.