By Lita Sandoval
Let’s just say that 2009 has not been my best year. I was laid off from my job in January. I accepted a position for another job soon after I was laid off and it turned out to be a terrible situation. I quit within three months. To add to the stress of finding a job, I got kidney stones twice, caught two teenage girls trying to steal my car from the driveway, and even had my garbage can stolen!
I am fortunate I have a temporary part-time job, which basically has saved my life. I make just enough money to pay bills and only have enough left over for a few extras. I’ve been thinking about how I am going to afford Christmas gifts for my family. I cut my list way back to gifts for immediate family only. My daughter also wants to give gifts to her friends—six of them.
I decided that I would make gifts for everyone. And I wanted my daughter to make gifts for her friends, too. Together we made jewelry for her friends. It was fun spending time together picking out beads and deciding which friends would like certain beads and colors. The whole idea of making gifts together was definitely cost effective, but what came out of that experience was a great bonding opportunity. It was also fun watching my daughter’s creativity explode. We can now check six people off the Christmas list!
My father helped me to decide on very special gifts I will be making for my sister, niece, and daughter. My father is always heavy on my mind during the holidays. He passed away seven years ago. The man was a fabulous cook. Family and friends still salivate when they talk about his amazing marinated steaks or his incredible paella. I thought it would be cool to gather all of his recipes, re-type them, put them in a beautiful box and give them to my sister, niece, and daughter for Christmas.
It has been an incredible experience going through those recipes! It was like going back through a time machine. I can look at a recipe and associate a special occasion with the meal my dad prepared. On many of his recipe cards, he wrote little notes that made me remember his wicked sense of humor. He named dishes after himself or altered the name of something that would incorporate his name.
Some of his notes were just cool, like the one on his paella recipe. He named it Paella Al Al. My dad’s name was Al and if you speak Spanish, you get the humor in the title. At the bottom of the recipe card it says:
Recipe from a restaurant at La Carihuela – a fishing village on the Mediterranean outside Torremolinos. 1984
While going through the recipes, I found one of my favorites: my dad’s Tequila Shrimp. I had never attempted to make this particular dish. I decided I would make the Tequila Shrimp and take it to a party I was invited to.
I used to love going to the grocery store with my dad and helping him find just the right ingredients for his meals. Going to the store and picking out ingredients for the shrimp dish with my dad’s very particular eye was important. I was excited to put it all together. I took out the special cazuela my dad gave me and took care to make sure the tequila shrimp not only tasted good, but looked good. I think I succeeded.
I hope my sister, niece, and daughter will think of my dad when they try out one of his famous dishes. It really is a wonderful legacy that he has left all of us. What better way is there to connect with family and friends than to sit around a table with a wonderful meal? And because I saw that my mom had her own little box of recipes, I’ve decided I must put hers in with my dad’s. Most of her best recipes aren’t written down, so we made a date to sit down and write them all out.
Needless to say, my stress of holiday gift giving has gone by the wayside. Jewelry has been made, recipes have been written out and precious time has been spent being with, thinking of and enjoying time with family. It seems as though my year has ended so much better than it started out.
Dad Grilling, photo of Al Sandoval (Lita’s father) grilling
steaks at home circa 1966, photo © 1966-2009
by Olga Sandoval. All rights reserved.
Tequila Shrimp
- 2 lbs. cooked shrimp
- 2 oz. Tequila
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- 3 garlic cloves crushed
- 1 bay leaf broken up
- ½ tsp. salt
- Dash black pepper
- Garlic salt to taste
Mix well and add to shrimp. Coat well. Add:
- 1 lemon and 1 lime thin sliced
- 4 pearl onions thin sliced
- 1 cup black olives sliced
- 2 Tbs. chopped pimiento
- 2 roasted, peeled, chopped green chilies
Marinade in refrigerator for at least three hours.
Lita Sandoval is a native of Albuquerque, New Mexico. She is a local blogger (currently on hiatus) known as Adelita—she made the top five “Best Bloggers” in Albuquerque the Magazine’s Best of City 2009, and for the past two years she’s been in the top three bloggers in the Alibi‘s Best of Burque—who writes about the funky hometown she affectionately calls “Burque” (pronounced boor-keh, extra roll on the “r”). She’s also a jewelry artist (check out her work at her Etsy shop, although she warns that she hasn’t had time to add much to it lately but will in the new year) and collector of many unusual things. Her teenage daughter keeps her on her toes, as do her rowdy dogs, Zsa Zsa Gabor and Etta James. Her favorite saying is, “Oh sí liar!”
Lita, I love the photo of your dad. He looks SO young. And that built-in grill–something a cook would so appreciate. Did he have it built in like that? Any other kitchen design things that he had done specially for his love of cooking?
This post hits the spot for this Christmas week. When I saw what you wrote about, I had to smile. Family recipes, food, family traditions, memories–it’s a strong theme on red Ravine. I guess that’s because it’s so universal.
I’ve mentioned this in other posts on food, but yours especially reminds me of it: Diana Abu Jaber wrote a beautiful memoir called The Language of Baklava, about her father who cooked. Almost every chapter has a recipe from her father’s stash.
BTW, that reminds me, I love it that both your mom and dad had their own recipes. Did he have a recipe box and your mom had one, too, or were they mingled together?
How did they share the cooking responsibilities? Did he cook on special occasions or weekends? Did she do most of the daily cooking? Or did they rotate (that’s what Jim and I do)?
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BTW, I am kicking myself for not having tasted the Tequila Shrimp. I filled up on a tamale and chile and a bunch of other things before you got there, but I have to say, the Tequila Shrimp looked gorgeous. The cazuela was beautiful, and the shrimp dish seemed to even match the color of the pot. Where did you buy the shrimp, may I ask? I’d love to try the recipe some time.
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What a wonderful tribute to the memory of your Dad. Your Family can’t help but love it. Lita, there are so many people out there in the same situation as you, all struggling to find ways to pay bills and basic needs. I think with all that’s happened, we have learned a great deal about what’s really important… what we need to let go of and what we have to concentrate on for our futures. In myself, I see big changes, for the better. I am grateful for all the blessing I have left and find comfort in knowing I’m not alone in these daily struggles. Big hug to you.
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Oh thank you! My dad cooked on his days off. Saturday night was “steak night.” When he cooked my mom would prep the food for him. Funny how he never prepped the food for my mom when she cooked! She was the maker of all the comfort food. My dad was the maker of all things we considered exotic – in other words, not beans and chile!
As for the indoor grill. I’ll have to ask my mom whose idea that was. My parents have a grill outside too, but one in the kitchen is so cool. It took me a while to realize as a child that it wasn’t a common thing!
My mom and dad each had their own recipe box. My dad’s is stuffed with recipes from all over the world. He loved to eat and he loved picking out the perfect wine to go with every meal. My mom mostly cooks without the use of a recipe. But she has written a few down. I need to find her famous Hershey Bar pie recipe!!! It’s a melt in your mouth dessert that I crave every now and then.
And to be honest, I bought the shrimp at Costco. New Mexico isn’t exactly the sea food capital, but you noticed there is green chile in the dish! Yum!
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Thanks avenuestudio! I too have realized I have so much richness in my life. It’s easy to get bogged down with “stuff” and what you want rather than what you need. I see a bright future on the horizon. And I’d like to credit my friends and family for being there for me!
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Lita, that was an incredible story. It sounded so sad at the start, but quickly became a beautiful reminder of what really counts in life. What is even more incredible is I made that recipe/dish on Thanksgiving and told my Dad this is in honor of your brother. Whenever that dish is made or any other treasured recipe that is fallen into my hands (like the stuffed mushrooms) people love it!
I remember as a kid going to your house and looking at his Bon Appetit magazines, they were always so inspiring.
I was lucky to have one of his steaks many a time but that is one of the recipes I dont have. (hint hint) One thing the recipe i have from my dad does not have the exact ingredients…maybe they had a few too many when this was exchanged. the pimiento and green chile were not on the list I have….hmmmmm
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Diego! Oh I’m so glad you make it too! I was thinking about all the stacks of his Bon Apetite and Gourmet magazines in his study. He would pour through them, try a recipe or two and always end up making the dish all his own. Isn’t it funny that my dad was such an incredible cook, yet loved those darn Vienna Sausages so much?!
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Dear Lita and Roma,
Thank you both!
I have to share that, for me, who also does not have her dad (and mom) around anymore, the need to remember, and the ritual way you did it, is so good to hear about. And your way to honor by documentation and sharing it.
Our parents’ generation = for us a way of life subsiding, but so neat in its idiosyncracies, stays alive in our hearts.
I am going to try making your dad’s Tequila Shrimp on Xmas!
(cirrelda = treestreet)
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Lita,
I like how your dad changed recipe titles to include his name. It’s really ballsy-in a fun-loving way.
The kitchen shot reminds me of the Brady kitchen from The Brady Bunch.
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Teri,
Many of my dad’s recipes are named Big Al’s…pork roast, or shrimp dip, or whatever. He did name a pasta dish after himself – Sandovalitti.
And you made me bust out laughing when you said the kitchen reminds you of the Brady Bunch kitchen!!! Same era. If only you could see the wood paneling in the den!
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Lita, what’s the joke with Paella al Al? Would you consider sharing the paella recipe?
I’m on my way to the grocery store tomorrow and think I will buy the ingredients to make the tequila shrimp. If I do something wrong, I still have the tequila. Sounds like a win-win situation.
I like food posts because food carries such strong memories (good ones) for me. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
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Hi Bob! I guess there’s really no joke but rather a play on words. To me it looks like he has his name twice on the because on his recipe card all the words are capitalized. Shoulda made that more clear!
On your journey to the store tomorrow, make sure you use good tequila! 😉
As for the paella recipe, here goes:
Paella Al Al
2 cups chicken broth
1 small onion peeled and halved
1 bay leaf
2 fresh parsley sprigs
½ cup dry white wine
1 tsp saffron threads crushed
Heat all and simmer for 1 hour
In ¼ cup olive oil fry chicken pieces and boneless breast cut into 1” pieces, smoked ham into ½” cubes. Set aside with chicken. Boil garlic sausage to render fat, cool and cut into ¼” rounds. Set aside.
Add more oil to pan and sauté:
1 medium onion chopped fine
5 garlic cloves minced
3 green onions completely chopped
Add 1 ¼ cup short grain rice, coat well with oil and add 2 tsp chop parsley. Cook for 10 min, stirring constantly. Add boiling strained chicken broth and add 1 tomato peeled, seeded and chopped; juice of 1 lemon; ½ cup dry sherry, 1 tsp paprika. Mix well and bring to a boil, add 1 cup peas or garbanzos. Cook uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper
Place mixture into a cazuela, bury chicken, sausage, pork and ham into rice. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 350˚ for 45 minutes. Uncover to stir and mix ingredients. Add Shrimp – peeled and de-veined; pieces of firm fish such as orange roughy; scallops, clams in shell, etc.
Cover and bake for 10 minutes more. Uncover and decorate top with sliced pimientos. Add stuffed green olives throughout. Heat uncovered for 5 minutes. Decorate with lemon wedges and green onions around edge of the cazuela. Serve while hot
(recipe from a restaurant at La Caihuela – a fishing village on the Mediterranian outside of Terremolinos.)
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Hey, wanted to let you know, Lita, that some of your earlier comments landed in our spam filter for some reason. Sorry for the delay in getting them approved.
I got the joke on Al Al. Bob, in Spanish, when you use a pronoun to attribute something to someone, you use “a el,” which is then combined into one pronoun, “al.” Hence, Paella al Al. It is, as Lita says, a play on words.
Oh, I wanted to ask you, Lita, about this exotic side of your father. Did he travel a lot? And, you know, even when people travel, most are not necessarily outgoing enough to, say, ask a cook in a little fishing village in Spain to give him a recipe. Your dad must have been passionate about food to go to the trouble of having the cook recite his recipe (which you know wasn’t written in a book somewhere but rather in the cook’s head, right?).
The paella recipe looks so good. I would love to try that dish. I have never ordered it in the U.S., only because I know it’s a pretty challenging dish to make.
BTW, on the topic of Vienna sausages–what was it about those things? My parents ate them, too, like for picnics or pulled them out for a quick lunch. That and deviled ham in a little tin. I wonder if it was a generational thing–maybe it reminded them of the war or maybe it was also a luxury to have meat in a can. Whatever the case, they were so gross. That gel that floated around the sausages. Ugh. I hated them.
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Lita, thanks for sharing the recipe for the paella. I think I will start with the tequila shrimp and work my way up the difficulty scale of recipes. I’ll have plenty of time this winter to make it. I’ve eaten the dish three times in my life and was always amazed at how wonderful it was. Thanks again.
Lita, I think you have a book if you decide to write one. We read Miriam’s Kitchen at one of the retreats and another one, but I can’t remember the name. Cookbook Memoirs are quite popular.
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ybonesy,
My father didn’t travel a lot, but he did spend a little time in Spain. When he did travel, he always sought out the local places to get authentic food. Although my father was shy, a little vino in him would get him talking. He loved to talk about wine and food. And even though he didn’t travel all that much, he was a voracious reader. He not only loved his cooking magazines and cook books, but loved anything relating to the history of New Mexico, Old Mexico and Spain.
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Lita, thank so much for writing with us on red Ravine. I love that you added the Paella Al Al recipe, too. I’ve never had it and am adding it to my list.
I find your piece inspiring, not only for its seasonal implications, but for the fact that you turned a difficult lay-off situation into a winning situation. I was unexpectedly laid off for 6 months this year and it changed my point of view about many things in my life: time, money, what’s important, how I’m using my time, self-esteem.
Your post makes the best out of a difficult situation. And turns to family and home to do that. Does my heart good. You know what’s amazing to me, too, is that your daughter embraced the creative gift-giving in making gifts for her friends. Family bonding.
The photograph of your father is wonderful. That grill in the background is classic! I think my mother and I bond quite a bit around Southern food. I was old enough before we left the South to learn to appreciate Southern cuisine. And we both love it. Food is amazing as it connects to memories. You have honored your father in the greatest way.
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QuoinMonkey,
Thank you for the opportunity to share. I appreciate your kind words.
I want to thank everyone for responding to my story. I haven’t been writing in months and it felt so good to sit down and just do it. Happy holidays to everyone!
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I hope you’ll come back after Christmas and let us know what your sister, daughter, and niece thought of their gifts. Also, I bet your mom is going to love seeing the recipe boxes. Does she cook very much any more, Lita? I know my mom has slowed way down, and it seems when she does cook, it’s mostly beans and chile.
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Lita, I have returned from the grocery store with the ingredients for the tequila shrimp. Now I must learn how to roast a pepper to remove the skin, but the rest seems easy. Also, I now have LOTS of tequila to help me through the recipe or at least to deaden the disappointment. Will let you know how it goes. Thanks again for the holiday recipe and the paella recipe.
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Everyone, the shrimp are in the fridge marinating. I have a friend with whom I’m having dinner who is bringing a lemon and a lime to our dinner date because I had to squeeze every drop out of the lemon and the lime to get enough juice. I now must have a lemon and a lime to slice and garnish the dish. It is quite lovely with the reddish-pink of the shrimp, the green of the roasted pepper, and the red of the pimentoes. I won’t have any until tomorrow evening.
Lita, had to substitute shallots for pearl onions so I hope it’s as good. I also need more practice roasting peppers to remove the skin, but I did okay for a first try. It would help to have a gas stove. I went to the internet and read how to roast them in a saute pan using olive oil.
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I’m sorry to leave this here (please excuse me for butting in Lita) but not sure where else! Before I leave for the Holy Land (Vegas) I wanted to wish you all a very Merry Christmas! Watch out for mistletoe. I know I will….especially around drunken sailors…
HoHoHeather
PS. I’m not a closet gambler…just thought there’d be plenty of Elvisanta sightings for photos 😉
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Lita, I haven’t had an opportunity to read through the comments so I don’t know if it has been suggested but it occurred to me when I read the part about your memories associated with many of the dishes, that perhaps you should make it a project (maybe even next year’s xmas gift) to write these stories down! What a treasure your memories would add to the fantastically delicious recipes! I hope you do it!
I will try the tequila shrimp next week when I return home. I’ve had tequila chicken but not tequila shrimp. I will have it next week!
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Heather, Merry Christmas to you! I appreciate your presence in the world so much. Happy to have met you through red Ravine. And have fun in Vegas! I’ve only ever stopped their once driving from Montana to California in my youth. I was crammed into the back of a Datsun station wagon (this was back when I was still nimble enough to do that!).
Can’t wait to see the photos you take in Las Vegas. Is it snowing there? My goodness, we’ve got a ton here in Minnesota and it’s still coming!
Corina and others who try Al Sandoval’s Tequila Shrimp, sure hope you’ll come back and share!
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[…] Was it something you really wanted as a child? Was it handmade, a piece of art or jewelry, a family recipe box, dinner with friends? Did it cost money or was it a gift from the heart? We didn’t have a lot […]
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Great post. I hope that the New Year is kinder to you too. My food memories are also very positive. You might enjoy this:
http://caughtinthemiddleman.wordpress.com
Good luck with everything and keep blogging.
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