The Official Jungle-Fusion Blooper Video . . .

“In Good Hands”
Liz and Suzy's Jungle-Fusion Experience

If you can, GO! Pura Suerte is a special place in the lush beauty of Costa Rica.

Our arrival at Pura Suerte was delayed nearly 24 hours due to the fact that (embarrassingly so) we got lost in the city of San Jose for oh, roughly, 3.5 hours. We had the bad luck to be detoured by construction and when it became dark we were still in the confines of the city with no foreseeable way out. We decided to call Drennan - - who by the way is one cool cat - - he told us to flag down a cab and give the driver the cell phone we rented (great idea). Next thing we knew, we were following the cab driver to an inexpensive hotel that Drennan knew of where we would stay for the night. From then on, we were in good hands for the rest of our trip. Keen to this new idea of following a cab, we found another nice driver the following morning who kindly led us out of the city to the autopista headed towards Pura Suerte. It was a scenic drive, especially once we reached the two lane part that climbs and descends the mountain. We encountered Sodas (snack huts on the roadside), a cute puppy, and a boy who wanted a ride. (We said no.) ps – Drennan being so cool came as no surprise given that his brother, Ryan - - a friend of Liz’s, - - is also quite cool! (Thank you, Ryan, for telling Liz about the farm and our having the smarts to go!).

Once we reached the town of San Isidro we called Drennan, who luckily happened to be having lunch in town. So we finally met and joined him and his neighbor, Andy, for lunch at a little café. We then followed him the rest of the way to the farm, carving our way on dirt roads through the misty rain. Sue amused herself by taking pictures of Drennan’s truck disappearing into the fog. Liz drove along, ready to use the 4-wheel-drive if necessary.

Finally, we reached our destination. It was beautiful! We were immediately taken in by the peaceful atmosphere and the way the buildings settled naturally into the mountain, almost as if they had grown up out of the soil. Our open-air cabin, the octagonal stretch, was spacious and comfortable with its entrance framed by a canopy of plants and flowers. We had a very inviting hammock and even a loft! We also met Drennan’s dogs, Mana and Sadie, who are just about the cutest two dogs ever! We both have good dog karma and so the dogs became our best buddies. If you are lucky, they will escort you to and from your cabin just like they did for us. (This is especially comforting at night, when you are strolling along with just a flashlight.) They are a real treat, like bookends for this amazing place. The farm in visually stunning and filled with scenery one can only hope to see in their lifetime. Nature at it’s finest.

Also, if you are lucky, you will meet Mudflapp, AKA Jason, who has been a volunteer on the farm for three months so far. He’s easy-going and way cool and he really made us feel at home. Liz spent an afternoon working with him in the garden and couldn’t have been happier. Of course, with dirty hands and fingernails in desperate need of a scrubbing, she was grateful to have a refreshing shower in our mosaic-tiled shower. Right on! : )

The restaurant was undergoing some renovation work (it’s awesome!) so our meals were at the main house, which is also equipped with essentials such as a hammock and a porch looking out into the rain forest. It is quite hypnotic and ultra serene. Drennan and his lovely girlfriend, Pamela, fed us well. We had pasta and meatballs, freshly sautéed vegetables, salad, lentils, rice and beans, pesto and grilled cheese sandwiches (Not all at once, though.) Thanks to Mudflapp, we had Bon-Bons and galletas (cookies) for dessert. The food was delicious and the company equally as lovely. We had fresh fruit and coffee in the mornings while sitting on the porch - - it was heaven!

There is a large waterfall nearby that we hiked to with a nice couple, Cory and Caitlin, who were visiting from Seattle. Mana escorted us all down the hill to the brilliant, stunning waterfall. Mind you, it had been drizzling from the start and then it had really begun to rain hard, so we all knew that the trek up would be no easy venture. Still, we postponed our worries and Sue swam in the pool under the falls while Liz hung out with Mana, seeking cover from the rain under a rock overhang, and then we all practiced our technique of skipping rocks. Mana, our little champ, led us back up the trail. We crawled through the ankle-deep mud, sometimes on all fours, hoping we didn’t lose our footing and slide back down. We took our soaked selves and Mana back to the main house where Drennan gave us some much-needed beer and a hot lunch. We were filthy and wet but totally exhilarated. It was fun!

The next day, Drennan and Mudflapp gave us the official tour. Even after two days on the farm we were shocked at how huge it really was. We walked all over and the guys pointed out various plants and flowers and even a toocan. Drennan showed us the future sites for the outdoor amphitheater and the yoga deck. Mudflapp cut chunks of sugarcane for us to chew on. We walked up to the brand new second floor of the restaurant and took in the incredible view. The clouds that had been clinging to the mountain peaks cleared away and we could see all the way to the Pacific Ocean.

We were overwhelmed by the serenity of Pura Suerte. Pure Luck? Pure peace, pure nature, pure beauty. Whatever you call it, we were very refreshed by our experience. Morning coffee on the porch with just the jungle for company. A nap in the hammock. Two awesome dogs to play with and be our escorts. (We loved them!) Great food and great people. Incredible.

We were sad to leave Pura Suerte behind, but eventually it was time to move on and we headed to the coast. We had lunch in Dominical, which is very cool beach town and then we took off down the bumpy road to Quepos. Sue did the canopy zip-line tour in Manuel Antonio National Park (wheee!) while Liz relaxed at the beach. Of course we had a good time there, but it was definitely a shock to be plunged into that touristy atmosphere after our stay at Pura Suerte. One day was plenty for us and we drove back to San Jose along a different route than the one we took out of San Jose. The road hugged the ocean for the first half of our trip and later wound up and down a mountain. It’s a gorgeous country and we really enjoyed our time on the road.

Our days at Pura Suerte were precious and relaxing. I tell you, after less than a day on the farm we were talking about when we would be able to return. You have to see this place for yourself. To reiterate, Pura Suerte and Costa Rica are special. Go! You will find yourself in good hands.

We can’t fit them all in the blog, so if you want to see additional photos of Pura Suerte, check out the “Costa Rica” set on Sue’s Flickr page: Click Here

Erin and Joe's Jungle-Fusion Culinary Experience

Winning the Jungle Fusion airfare prize and stay at Pura Suerte complimented our travel plans for Joe's 30th birthday last January. We decided to fly into San Joe but then drive to the central Pacific Coast of Costa Rica and explore a few spots on the way to the farm.
We arrived in San Jose late and upon recommendation, stayed in a colorful (but barricaded) hotel near the airport. We rented a car and started early on our first day to drive down the coast. It was a long and windy trek on both highways and through tiny towns but we finally saw the piercing blue ocean near Jaco.

Our first stop was at a rooftop restaurant called The Marlin in Manuel Antonio. Joe was in heaven to watch the NFL while drinking Imperials and looking at the incredible view the small oceanside town offers. This most relaxing hour prepared us for the next sixty minutes of bumpy terrain between Manuel Antonio and Dominical. Driving on this dirt road into the remote countryside was a trip... purchasing cold baggies of coconut water from little girls while waiting for our turn on one-way bridges.... wondering how our rental was holding up against the gravel and bumps... passing men with machetes riding bicycles... passing fields of cows and acres of trees and mountains... it was a plethera of eye candy. Arriving in Dominical near sunset was like approaching the merchant alley at a Widespread show. Vendors hawking sarongs, jewelry and towels, dogs running underfoot and surfboards propped every which direction. We first rented a couple of giant foam boards to give surfing a try and were pummeled. Imperials at Jazzy's softened the blows and we decided to check out a thai restaurant for dinner. We ended up being the only patrons in the restaurant which suffered from frequent power outages and resident cats. We instructed our enthusiastic server on how to make a martini and ended up with a rum/tonic/and O.J. concoction. The server had also not ever heard of an olive but served us amazing fare that was a combination of thai and indian flavors.

The next morning began our trip to the farm... we were refreshed and prepared with driving instructions... "once you see the white church, turn right, then turning left after the fourth bridge". All was well until we lost bridge count and ended up on a steep and rocky road heading into a river. This spurred argument between driver and navigator which was interrupted by four men with machetes coming out of the woods looking at us inquisitively. One farmer with a wandering eye approached the car and kept asking "Jimmy? Jimmy?" while trying to unlock the back door. With a mild panic we hit lock and reversed our direction, thinking we were going to sleep in the Hyundai in the jungle for the night. And still worried about the machetes! Luckily, a few blocks up we run into a silver jeep with a couple who know Drennan and assure us "just keep driving.. you'll hit the farm". We do arrive after a long stretch on a narrow and steep dirt road and are instantly at east with the beautiful surroundings.

We pull into one driveway and explore what will be our cabin made of large pieces of bamboo and surrounded by lush trees and flowers. A tour of the grounds shows us several more of these individual houses, the greenhouses, the main house and the restaurant. We find ourselves wandering down paths through the jungle to the various partitions of the farm, meeting dogs and other visitors along the way. We ended our journey under the mango tree which offered a most excellent view of sunset. We were looking at the same bay as in Manuel Antonio, but miles further and higher, with and incredible view of the jungle's roof in between.
The only three-week-old restaurant welcomed us that night with candlelight, music, tablecloths and good company. Red wine in hand, we enjoyed an amazing cauliflower and mushroom soup with fried onions and fried bread. Next came organic greens with goat cheese, walnuts and raisings followed by baked Ziti and marinated beef. Pudding with homeade marshmallow completed the amazing meal made with local ingredients purchased in trade by Drennan's crew. We met a really nice couple traveling from Manhattan and enjoyed talking to Merrick the chef, a transplant from Denver, who knows restaurant staff from one of our neighborhood favorites, Lola. We headed back to our hut comfortably full and curious about life (from what seemed like worlds away from everything) on the farm. The bottle of wine could not prepare us city dwellers for the noises of the night, how ever. Could have been the lizzard chilling on our pillows when we returned to our room but we lied awake wide-eyed for a few hours before sleep came on. So many noises came out of the trees (croaks.. squeeks... footsteps), but finally we crashed and the next day decided to explore the waterfalls. After small doses of amazingly strong coffee we head down the path in the direction we were instructed the evening before. We arrive at the chilly stream and climb down a few levels into the base of one waterfall. Here we hang out on the flat rocks for hours reading, taking pictures, swimming and relaxing. Surrounded by huge trees that drop fluttering leaves, it was an ideal spot to relax for an afternoon with no agenda and appreciate the surroundings. We do so for hours and finally head back to our hut only to nap, listen to music and read for a few more hours, enjoying the light, the fresh air and the comfortable deck of our bamboo hut. Gathering back at the restaurant that evening we enjoy cocktails and await another tasty meal. This time it's mahi mahi with a coconut coating and a hearts of palm and rice dish. Desert was a chocolate sponge cake soaked in rum and caramel with mangoes. It was amazing! Another fabulous meal and cocktails leaving us fat and happy and ready to stare at the ceiling in bed listening to monkeys chatter in the trees around us. Very wierd sound, by the way... sounds like angry croaking.


The next morning the ocean becons us to return so we decide to start the trek back to Manuel Antonio where we will spend Joe's 30th on the water. We enjoy coffee back in the restaurant and appreciate the sunlight on the beautiful restaurant structure, surrounding plants and the view for the last few moments. We run into Drennan and compliment his creation profusely, thanking him for his hospitality. We talk about how it must be for him to have so many people come and go. We're headed back and he's starting yet another day of projects on the land... this time filling in the dirt roads to the restaurant with enormous trucks of soil. We so admire his corner of the world and what he is preserving and promoting. We laugh at ourselves for feeling "threatened" by any local farmer as the individuals we met were friendly and gentle. Drennan seems to have an awesome repor with his community.

Anyone with the opportunity to travel to the farm and enjoy a day or a week of serene quiet, lush vegitation and fabulous hospitality should make the effort to see Pura Suerte.

The Jungle-Fusion Localvore Challenge

Win a Jungle-Fusion Culinary Experience

Most people who read our cookbook don't live near a jungle. Like you, the foods grown closest to their homes depend on the specific climate and landscape of their local environment. These variables support unique foods and define the character of their local foodshed.

Although our recipes were born in the rainforests of Costa Rica, at its essence Jungle-Fusion is about adapting to the food resources of any local environment. Why is this important? Because, local foods require less fossil fuels to get to the market, reducing the carbon footprint of our food purchases. Plus, consumers of local foods (localvores) support nearby family farms through their purchases. In return, these family farms offer local foods with fresh seasonal flavors.

Following the lead of Localvore organizations around the country, we are hosting 2 seasonal Localvore challenges in 2007. Winners will be announced on the Summer Solstice and the Fall Equinox.

Click HERE to find out more.

Localvore activities include:

• hosting potlucks
• visiting your local farmer's market
• drinking local wine and beet
• stopping at local farms and dairies
• the 100-mile challenge
• picnics

For every friend who accepts your invitation to join our Localvore Challenge, we will plant one tree in the rainforests of Costa Rica. This is an easy way to support our reforestation efforts.

Useful links for Localvores:

http://www.100milediet.org/ This web site allows you to calculate a 100 radius of your home for eating locally.
http://Worldwatch.org/features/food Features what individuals can do,"Tale of Two Tomatoes", links, info on the book "Eat Here:Reclaiming Homegrown Pleasures in a Global Supermarket" by Brian Halweil
http://www.sustainabletable.org/ Features issues (ex. animal welfare, antibiotics, genetic engineering, fossil fuels, health,), sustainable food in schools, recipes, cookbook reviews, feature articles.
http://www.locavores.com Culinary adventurers supporting food grown within 100-mile radius of San Francisco with rationale, recipes, food and cooking links.
http://www.localharvest.org Locate farms, CSAs,food co-ops and restaurants that feature local foods across the U.S.
http://vitalcommunities.org/Agriculture/agriculture.htm Locally Grown Guide (for much of VT and NH);Tidbits newsletter; Dartmouth Local Food initiative; Localvores: rationale, recipes, food sources, etc.
http://www.farmtotable.org/index.php?cmd=F2TNews&method=view&id=121
http://www.vtcommons.org/node/189 Article by Bill McKibben "Can Vermont Feed Itself?". (After reading this excellent article, click on "Journal" in the menu and scroll down to Issue 6 October 2005; the entire issue is dedicated to local foods in VT.)
http://www.coopfoodstore.com/html/about_producers.html Photos and descriptions of many VT/NH farmers supplying the Hanover/Lebanon-Co-op. See "Issues" in menu: excellent articles on food issues.
http://www.coopfoodstore.com/news/Archives/arch_9_04/editor.html "Shopping for the Common Wealth"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4312591.stm Features article "Local Food "Greener than Organic"
http://www.museletter.com/archive/159.html "What Will We Eat as the Oil Runs Out" by Richard Heinberg, FEASTA Conference, Dublin, Ireland, June 2005.
http://www.omorganics.org/page.php?pageid=197 "Think Locally and Act Neighborly"; a comprehensive rationale for eating locally-grown foods

Eat Like a Localvore

The produce that we eat travels, on average, 1500 miles before reaching our local market. Locally grown produce, however, averages 45 miles. The seemingly simple choice of what to eat has an enormous impact on how our limited fuel and land resources are used. By purchasing locally-grown foods, we can reduce the impact of each meal while supporting a sustainable food economy that benefits family farms and rewards sustainable agriculture.

Locally grown foods arrive at the market fresh and ripe. As much as it may be reassuring to know that our purchases are more nutritious and contribute to a sustainable economy, we can also do it simply for the flavor.

One way to bring the pleasures and politics of eating locally-grown foods into your house is to design and document your own "Eat Local Challenge". Create your own ground-rules and send your videos, photos and recipes to: contest@jungle-fusion.com.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Create one meal using exclusively ingredients produced within 100 miles of your home.
• With small exceptions (coffee, tea, chocolate, sugar) live for one day eating only food and drinking only wine or beer produced within 200 miles from your home.
• Create a simple entree or dessert using solely ingredients produced within 200 miles of your kitchen.
  

For the next year, we are going to give away a customized Jungle-Fusion Experience to one member of our Jungle-Fusion community at the end of each season.

Find Out More.

We will be posting new ideas to help you celebrate your local "foodshed" on this Jungle-Fusion Recipe Blog throughout the spring. Check back regularly.

My Jungle-Fusion Culinary Experience

As I call New York City home, the contrast in way of life that I found on a visit to Pura Suerte was jarring. Delicately, serenely, greenly jarring. It required great effort to realize that in just a 5 hour's journey I could be back in the asphalt jungle, the mecca of commerce and chaos that is New York.

On several evenings during my stay at Pura Suerte I was off to a peaceful slumber in the palatial Stretch hut soon after a fresh and flavorful meal prepared in the new restaurant. My toucan alarm clock eased me into the day as I threw open the doors of my hut to practice yoga looking out over the lush jungle and its flitting post-dawn avian activities. Other mornings I found myself out for a walk around the finca before meeting my travel compadres for banana pancakes and freshly blended costa rican coffee. On our agenda: to decide if we would find our way to the beach for the day, hike down to Nuayaca Falls, or maybe spend time working on the farm.

But it was the quiet time spent in any hammock I could commandeer that brought me the true clarity and vision that is now helping me to knit together my daily life back in this huge U.S. city. The Tico way of life distilled each day with a necessity, peace, calm, frugality, simplicity, and respect for the natural resources that was so visible with every glance around the landscape. I now have had the chance to reflect on the choices I make day in and day out as I buy my lettuce from a New York City grocer or famer's market while fondly recalling picking it myself in the greenhouse next to the pineapple patch.

- Nora Martin

Red Basil Pesto with Roasted Cashews

2 loosely packed cups of fresh and rinsed red basil
1/2 cup of Parmesean Cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 clove of Garlic
2 tablespons of roasted cashews, crushed

Puree red basil and olive oil in food processor. Add Chopped garlic and grated cheese. At the end, fold in the cashews and enjoy with your favorite pasta.

Crab and Beet Salad with Local Greens
2 large beets
1 pound of jumbo lumb crab meat
Bibb lettuce
Watercress
Radiccio
Dijon mustard
Extra virgin olive oil
Cracked Black Pepper
Lemon zest
Lemon juice
Salt and Pepper
Croutons and fresh palmito, for garnish

Steam whole beets until they are tender, when their jackets slip off. Slice into bite size piece and put to the side until the rest of the salad is prepared.

Make dressing with the olive oil, dijon, lemon zest, juice, salt and pepper.

Pour dressing over local mixed greens and toss in the crabmeat and the beets.

Garnish with croutons and palmito.

Stewed Tomatoes with Olive Oil and Purple Basil

10-15 large tomatoes
1 cup olive oil
1 whole peeled garlic
3-4 stalks of Purple Basil
salt to taste
3T sugar

Blanch tomatoes and place in cold water to remove skin.

Put the tomatoes in a pot and add olive oil and garlic. Bring to boil then simmer until tomatoes are soft. Add Purple Basil and submerge in tomatoes until wilted and black.

Remove Basil stalks and adjust salt.

Very often I add 3T. of sugar at this time to counter balance any tartness the tomatoes may have.

When tomatoes have cooked down and are falling apart they are read to eat.

I find this dish to be delicious served on white rice or plain pasta where you can really taste the freshness of the tomatoes.

Pura Suerte Banana Bread
Watch the video on the right to see how we make banana bread in Costa Rica!!

Cream the following ingredients:
1 stick of softened butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar

Add 2 Eggs

Sift Together:
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt



Add:
1 cup mashed Bananas
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
a couple dashes of cinnamon

Beat til smooth

Bake 30-35 minutes at 350

Cool

Serve on its own or with ice cream. Enjoy!!

Tico Chop Salad

Serves 8

This is an easy one-bowl recipe. Basically, you can put anything in this salad that “crunches” nicely. I try to keep everything cut into small pieces no bigger than the chickpeas. That way, it mixes well and looks uniform. It’s best eaten the day you make it but will last in the refrigerator for a couple days if you don’t add the dressing (olive oil, lemon juice and optional red wine vinegar) until you are ready to serve it.

Ingredients:
1 cup finely shredded spinach
2 large cucumbers, seeded, small dice
3 small tomatoes, small dice
½ cup celery, small dice
½ cup carrot, small dice
½ cup red onion, small dice
1 red bell pepper, small dice
½ cup Jicama, peeled, small dice
1 can or 1½ cups chickpeas / garbanzo beans
½ cup chopped bacon, cooked crispy
1 cup queso blanco, small dice
The juice of one lemon or mandarina
¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Dash of cayenne pepper
2 T. chopped fresh dill
Sea salt, to taste
Cracked black pepper, to taste

Directions:
Mix all of the ingredients above and chill for 1/2 hour. Serve in cold bowls with lemon wedges and a sprig of mint.

Arroz con Pollo/Tico Style Chicken ‘N Rice

Servings: about 6-8 large servings

This is the comfort food of Latin America. The people of La Florida will tell you that it not only tastes good, but also makes you feel strong and healthy. If I were to pick one dish to represent the people of Costa Rica, this would be it. The secret is the chicken broth. The stronger, more intense the broth, the better, so I would make a double stock (make one stock and then make another with the liquid from the first, reducing it carefully to pull out as much flavor as you can). If you do not have the time to roast a chicken, get a rotisserie chicken from your local grocer. It is a great way to save time and it works perfectly! The secret to this recipe is the salt. Don’t add any until the end. With all the reducing of liquids in this recipe, you want to make sure it isn’t too salty in the beginning.

Ingredients:
8 cups double chicken stock
1 whole roasted chicken, bones included
1 onion, large dice
2 large carrots, peeled, cut into large pieces or whole
3 tomatoes, diced
½ cup chopped celery
4 bay leaves
Cracked black pepper
1 whole jalapeno

1 cup dry white rice
1 cup queso fresco
1 bunch scallions, sliced

Directions:

Cover the cooked chicken in the strong double broth. Add the carrots, celery, onion, tomatoes and bay leaf to the pot and bring to a boil. Throw away any foam that may form.

As soon as it is boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to cook for almost 3 hours, uncovered.

After the second hour of cooking, remove all the bones from the soup or at least as many as you can. Throw the bones away. Stir in 1-cup dry rice and let simmer in the broth until plump. Stir it a few times so that the rice doesn’t clot. Adjust the salt if needed.

When the rice is cooked, ladle portions of the rice and chicken mixture into bowls. Make sure you get lots carrot pieces and liquid in each bowl.

Garnish with crumbled queso fresco and sliced scallions.

Recipe for Grilled Whole Beef Tenderloin with Chipotle Corn Cream Sauce

Serves about 8-12 people depending on serving size

This is a carnivores’ delight. The tenderness of the grilled beef is matched perfectly with the smoky corn sauce. You will be amazed at the variety and depth of flavors packed into this simple dish. I start this recipe on the grill and finish it in the oven to make sure it is cooked perfectly. If you can start a wood fire, do it. A regular gas grill will work fine. You want the grill to be hot enough to burn marks on all sides quickly. As soon as you have achieved a nice char, remove it from the grill and transfer it to a 400-degree oven until medium rare (about 140 degrees Fahrenheit).

After the roast sits for a few minutes, cut into slices and serve with the warm corn sauce.

Ingredients:
1 whole beef tenderloin, all fat and silverskin removed
1 T. fresh garlic, minced
1 large onion, minced
Sea salt
Cracked black pepper
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
1 can of corn or 2 cups roasted fresh corn, taken off the cobb
1 cup strong chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
2 T. Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1½ T. Flour
Sea salt

Directions:

Chop the garlic and the ½ onion together. Add some salt and pepper and rub all over the cleaned tenderloin. Sprinkle with the smoked paprika and grill on all sides to seal in the natural juices. When you have obtained nice grill marks and the outside of the tenderloin roast has some color from the grill, remove it and transfer the tenderloin to a roasting pan and immediately put it into a preheated 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes. You want an internal temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit for a medium rare roast. Don’t forget to let the roast rest a few minutes after it comes out of the oven. It will slice better.

You will need a blender for the sauce. Place all the corn in the blender with the other ½ of the onion, the Chipotle pepper, and the chicken stock. Puree until completely smooth. Transfer to a mixing bowl and whisk in the flour until it is totally dissolved into the corn mixture and there are no lumps.

Pour thick mixture into a saucepan with the heavy cream and slowly simmer over medium heat. Stir constantly, taking care not to burn the bottom of the pan. If it is too thick, thin with a splash of chicken stock. Serve hot over freshly sliced tenderloin.

Jungle-Fusion Contest Winner

Finca Pura Suerte and the Jungle-Fusion development team would like to thank everybody who entered the Jungle-Fusion Experience Contest.

Over the next few months, we will post recipes from our upcoming Jungle-Fusion Cookbook and will send you alerts when we post chapters that you have indicated are of interest to you.

The winner of the May 1 contest is: Erin Wochos

Please send an email to HudsonRiverPublishing@yahoo.com for more information about your prize.

Congratulations!!!

Recipe for Earth Day, April 22, 2006

Ceviche de Pargo con Mandarinas
Red Snapper Ceviche with Citrus Juices

This is a typical dish found throughout Central America. The secret is to keep everything simple. Sometimes I add chopped bell peppers. Feel free to embellish this recipe with more ingredients if you wish. When in Costa Rica, I use mandarina acidos (orange fleshed limes/green oranges) because they have a refreshing scent and taste that I cannot find in anything available in the States. When in the States, I use a combination of citrus fruit juices. Tangerine juice works very well.

This is a great recipe for a hot day. I recommend serving hot sauce on the side.

Makes 6 servings
30 minutes prep time and let rest for 4 hours or overnight

Ingredients
1 pound red snapper filet, raw, cut into very small pieces
1 small bunch of cilantro
2 tomatoes, small dice
1 large white onion, small dice
3 jalapenos, seeded, minced
1 bunch gren onions
Sea salt
Juice from 3 limes
1/4 cup tangerine juice (from concentrate is fine!)
2 T. grapefruit juice

Directions
Place all ingredients in a bowl and allow it to marinate in the refrigerator. Refrigerate overnight, tightly covered. Stir it at least once while it marinates.

Serve with tortilla chips or saltine crackers.