As most of you already know, Lela II was born in Cozumel back in December 2010. Her first mission was ambitious, but we wanted to come in with a bang! For the months of December, January and February, Lela collected donations for a Blood Bank on the island of Cozumel– her new hometown.
Guests from Mazatlan,Cozumel and our new location Los Cabos rallied together to raise a tremendous $3117USD for all three months!
Our goal was to get through all the red tape – opening a blood bank was a much more ambitious task than expected, and we did everything in our power to achieve this goal. After months of meetings, negotiations, arguments with government officials and more, our Blood Bank proposal was rejected by the state of Quintana Roo and we had to abandon the idea of opening a Blood Bank.
We pondered, and ummmed, and ahhhed and wondered what to do…then it hit us – let’s sit down with Red Cross Cozumel and see where Lela’s donation could be best put to work! So, after looking at their big picture, Salsa and Salsa, along with Lela, Lela II and Lela III (hehehe) decided your donations would have to SAVE LIVES!
As it would have done with the Blood Bank, your donations went towards the purchase to two necessary pieces of equipment for the volunteer work of the Red Cross in Cozumel. You’ll be proud to know your donation went towards an EKG machine and a defibrillator. Both machines will be used in the 5 ambulances which Red Cross has on the island. The defibrillator has already save a man’s life and both machines will help hundreds of people more!
The Red Cross in Mexico runs solely on donations, with no government support. When we approached the Director for Red Cross Cozumel, Mr Dagoberto, with our idea, he thanked us with a hug which I can only describe as being the warmest, most appreciative hug I have ever experienced in my life. The machines have arrived to Cozumel, and Red Cross wants to thank each and every one of you, thanks to your kind and generous help – you’ve done something that will truly make a difference to this island – and it is something that will last forever.
Thank you one and all – and we look forward to hearing from you.
Pamela
Dancing Chef – Cozumel
June 1, 2011 | Categories: Pamela | Tags: Cabo San Lucas, Cozumel, defibrillator, donations, Lela the Donating Pig, Mazatlan, red cross | 3 Comments
It’s amazing that whenever you try to lend a helping hand, people come on your path who are in need. April’s cause was of course, Japan, because so many people lost their homes, their loved ones and are now struggling to rebuild.
We got in touch with a Canadian guest who went to Salsa & Salsa in Cozumel. She gave English classes at a school in Sendai for a while. The owner of the school is Michiko Eckard. She married an American, and moved to Seattle so her 3 kids could get an American education, but she arrived to Japan shortly before the earth quake struck. Since then she has helped many people in the Sendai community, including an elderly home and many internally displaced people. There is a lot of damage to the building, but the government inspectors did NOT give it a ‘red-tag’ (which means no one can occupy that building)!
Little LELA managed to collect the astonishing amount of $1,150USD, combining donations from Mazatlan, Cozumel and Los Cabos. A hundred percent of our donations will be going to this school in Sendai where it will buy school books, and help rebuild parts of the school that were demolished by the quake.
May’s cause for LELA will be the town of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. It was almost completely destroyed by the tornado that struck at the end of April. The money will go to the DCH Medical Centre in Tuscaloosa. As soon as we have more details, they will be posted on our website (www.salsaandsalsa.com/lela.php).
Sending you all our love,
Dancing Chef Maaike
May 3, 2011 | Categories: Maaike, Two Dancing Chefs | Tags: help, japan, school, sendai | Leave a comment
Our Earth is hurting…earthquakes, tsunami’s, animals falling from the sky and icebergs melting.
Do you ever sit and wonder where it all went wrong? I often wonder who is to blame and I get angry knowing that it was generations before us that started the snowball effect that has led our planet to be in such a state. I too take blame for my generations lack of interest in saving our planet, but proudly say I am an avid recycler, I plant trees and fruit seeds whenever I can (wherever I can!) and I refuse to eat Shrimp or Fish that is not in season (so to discourage poaching).
I take comfort in knowing the little I do really DOES make a difference and if everyone did the same as I (or more) then our planet would not be hurting so much.
March and April has seen much devastation already, with the shocking images we’ve seen come out of Japan.
The earthquake, followed by a huge Tsunami, hit the 
countries north populations on March 11th. The hardest hit city was Sendai, with the city being literally swept away in just under a few hours. It’s hard to imagine what being there would feel like…I mean, what would be going through the people’s minds? I just can’t imagine it!! What horror!
Well, all we could do was watch it unfold on tv and pray…hoping that those who survived would be rescued and those who did not would be found to give their families peace of mind.
Lela sat patiently, as she also watched it all unfold and so April will be dedicated to Japan. 100% of the donations will go to Japan to help families who have been left homeless and children that have lost their parents. The death toll as of Wednesday has reached a horrific 12,468 with thousands still missing. We hope we can raise a record number for these victims and help them in same way, even if it is by giving them a little hope.
On a lighter note, we’re proud to say we raised a whooping $1722 New Zealand Dollars which went to the Red Cross in Christchurch, NZ to help those who most needed it after the earthquake they went through.
We’ll have some more updates on which group will be used for Japan. There are so many charities helping out there and we want to make sure we pick one that has little, if any, admin costs, so that help is really reached to those who need it.
Stay tuned,
Pamela
April 6, 2011 | Categories: Pamela | Tags: Christchurch, Earth, earthquake, japan, LELA, Pamela, red cross, Salsa and Salsa, Tsunami | Leave a comment
After shaking off all that confetti and getting an ash cross on our forehead, it’s time to share the on-the-ground experience of Dancing Chef Maaike. One of the world-famous Carnivals, after Rio de Janeiro and Venice, Mazatlan hosted a 5-day party all around town. This year’s theme was called ‘the return of the muses’, showing four mermaids: Artida from the Actic, Meridia from the African oceans, Ocasia from the Western seas and Levantia from Persia who inspires people to celebrate!
It started on Thursday March 3rd with the coronation of the King of Carnival, also known as the Ugly King (‘El rey feo’). Friday featured the coronation of the Floral Queen (‘reina de los juegos florales’). The Floral Queen is the first runner-up at the election of a dozen candidates. This year the concert for the Floral Queen was a tribute to the Beattles and Queen, combining a live rock band, the Sinaloa symphonic orchestra, Delfos contemporary dance and the local Angela Peralta opera choir of over 80 members. It was a vibrant concert of colour, sounds and movement with many sing-a-longs, like ‘We will rock you’ where everybody stood up and stomped and clapped to the beat.
On Saturday was the Coronation of the Queen of Carnival with a concert of David Bisbal, a famous Spanish singer. After the concert the newly crowned Queen was brought to down-town Olas Altas beach, to start the Naval Combat (‘Combate Naval’) which is a 30-minutes fireworks show on the 2 sides of the Olas Altas beach.
Sunday afternoon was the start of the first Parade: take a look at the pictures to see the highlights! Between each float there was a troop of colourfully dressed dancers. It was a wonderful family experience which gathered over 35.000 spectators.
The Infant Queen (‘la reina infantil’) was crowned on Monday with the nationally-known band OV7. All the under-18 population was at the concert, followed with a special small parade at Malécon. Tuesday March 8th was the last day of Carnival, with another Parade towards the historic centre.
After all that partying it was time to get back to work and school, since everything gets suspended during Carnival. It was a great time of celebration and joy with the whole family at the Gem of the Mexican Pacific: Mazatlan!!!
Greetings from Dancing Chef Maaike! Olé!!!
March 31, 2011 | Categories: Maaike | Tags: 2011, Carnival Mazatlan, Maaike, Mardi Gras | Leave a comment
There is so much going on around me, so many people and places and different customs, signs I can’t read, I go to places only to find out I shouldn’t be there.
Living in Mexico has its challenges but nowadays its funny to hear myself at the bank or grocery store and in perfect Spanish ask for something while the clerk answers in English or asks for assistance.I encourage their willingness.
Some people are afraid to speak Spanish or even try to understand when someone converses with them.
When I need to call a hotel or a Mexican friend I usually find that I am speaking much louder on the telephone.
maybe I think they will understand better. They don’t!
Either way communication is probably the single most problematic issue for those living in a foreign country.
I have friends that have actually lived in Mexico for years and still don’t speak the language, then when they call and get flustered or feel taken advantage of I wonder to myself why don’t they just learn to communicate , then they wouldn’t feel so out of sorts.
The problem I see with communication is that people are afraid to use the right or wrong word.
For many years when I introduced someone, I used the word introducir, which I thought in Spanish meant introduce. Not so. The proper word is present( presentar) the other word actually insinuates, well , lets just say ,don’t use it lol.
I admit I use the same word for many things, this, that, those, they are all one word for me, and I am wrong all the time. But I do a lot of pointing and laughing and everyone seems to understand me,because joy is universal.
Forget the traffic signs , no one reads them or follows them anyway and as far as bill boards, you only have to know the difference between banks and beers and condoms to understand what they are selling.
I think the best remedy for poor communication is laughter. When someone knows your trying, people are usually happy to help.
So throw your frustrations out the window, put-on a smile and try today to communicate with those around you in a new and loving hand waving way.
Express and connect with a joyful eye and people will exchange with a wink of approval everytime.
Ole- Leonique
March 21, 2011 | Categories: Leonique | Tags: communication, foreign, language, Leonique, Mexico, Spanish, wink | Leave a comment
In the wake of the devastating earthquake which rocked New Zealand’s second largest city, Christchurch is left with the painstaking task of rebuilding a city which was hit hard by the 6.3 earthquake on Tues, 22 Feb, 2011.
Images and video footage of the earthquake bring back memories of the Chilean earthquake, with people looking around, not knowing who to turn to or what to do.
Having lived in New Zealand for a total of three years, it pained me to see the distress this earthquake has caused. Less than six months prior, the same city suffered from another earthquake and the town was only just beginning to rebuild itself and its confidence.
I spent time further south in a city called Dunedin, a gorgeous city, filled with beautiful views, kind people and a port which invites anyone and everyone to visit the charming town. I had been there with my then boyfriend, a New Zealander who had moved to Melbourne for new opportunities. We met, fell in love and it was time to meet his family. When we decided to move to Dunedin, we had left everything behind to start a new life. I had already left home and had also moved to Sydney. My life of adventure was well on its way! Looking for work was easy, I had plenty of hospitality experience, so I joined the team at ‘The Reef Seafood Restaurant’ where I was the supervisor. I grew to love Dunedin. It’s people, it’s streets and even it’s weather (picture Seattle rain and its skies times 10!!).
Well, jump forward a good 13-14 years and that relationship did not work out, although we still stay in touch. I had taken several trips to Christchurch. I am a secret wine buff (oops, secret’s out!) so I enjoyed taking road trips to wineries in and around the Christchurch area. Many of you have probably even tried some of the wines!!
As you can see from the map, there are many wine regions in New Zealand and Christchurch is a popular one in Canterbury.
I still get online and look for photos and video of the earthquake, as I find it hard to believe that many of the places that I have been through are destroyed. Reports indicate that aftershocks are still disrupting many parts of the city, delaying the return of up to 1/3 of its residents.
LELA has chosen Christchurch as her cause for the month of March, and we will be donating 100% of her donations to the Red Cross in Christchurch, as we know they have feet on the ground over there. We’d like to thank all donors as this cause holds a special place in my heart.
For those who are lucky enough to ever get to New Zealand, you’ll get to enjoy the beauty of its people, its food, its cities and its wine, because anyone who goes to New Zealand and DOESN’T try a glass of Sauvignon Blanc should be locked up! 😉
I’d also like to send all our hopes and prayers to victims of the Japan earthquake. We are working towards making Lela in April for Japan, but as our planet cries out for help, we cross our fingers that no more earthquakes shake our world and leave others in need.
Sending our love,
Pamela and all the Dancing Chefs
March 14, 2011 | Categories: Pamela | Tags: Christchurch, donations, dunedin, earthquake, japan, LELA, New Zealand, red cross, wine | Leave a comment
Who doesn’t like a nice hot cup of coffee? Especially in these cold winter months it’s a good way to wake up in the morning: ANY TIME is a good time for coffee!!! I was thinking of that during the Christmas Holidays how it would be nice to share another recipe with you: Mexican Coffee. My mother-in-law prepared this for me when I came to Mexico for the first time in 2001 and I immediately loved it! This coffee is prepared in a special clay pot, hence the name ‘Café de Olla’ or Coffee from the Pot. The recipe calls for ‘piloncillo‘, which is a block of raw cane sugar, but you could use mascabado sugar instead. Enjoy!!!
Ingredients for 4 cups:
- 4 cups of water
- 4 heaped tablespoons of coffee
- 125 gram or 4 ounces piloncillo or mascabado sugar
- cinnamon stick of 10 cm or 4 inches
- 5 cloves
- (optional: peel of 1/4 of an orange)
Preparation:
Heat the water in a saucepan and add the cinnamon and cloves. If you want, you can add the orange peel. Once it boils, add the piloncillo or mascabado sugar and leave it to dissolve. Lower the heat and add the coffee. Leave everything to boil for 5 minutes. Switch off the heat and let it stand for another 5 minutes. Sieve before serving.
Buen Provecho!!! Dancing Chef Maaike
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January 25, 2011 | Categories: Maaike, Two Dancing Chefs, Uncategorized | Tags: cafe de olla, mexican coffee | Leave a comment
Guess Hu’s Coming To Dinner!
On the 19th of January 2011, in the wintery cold of Washington of D.C, the who’s HU of the world gathered around eating from precious china, sipping wines from exquisite crystal goblets and dining on world cuisine.
What?
Okay lets try again.
President Hu Jintao of China was seated at a state dinner,eating from vintage and gold filled porcelain dinnerware at the White House drinking rare red wines and wondering what the heck black trumpet mushrooms are all about let alone how to eat them.
Looks like the White house choose a subtle, classic comfort food for tonight’s affair.
Poached Maine Lobster(1st red item),Dry aged Rib Eye(2nd red,good choice) with buttermilk crisp onions,double stuffed potatoes and creamed spinach, yes naturally a comfort food staple for dessert.
Good old fashioned apple (hopefully one more red item)pie with vanilla ice cream.
I googled back to last years visit of President Calderon for the state dinner and found,Sonoran beef smothered in Oaxacan mole or with a roasted pork covered in salsa verde,a jicama vinaigrette salad finally a chocolate cajeta tart.
I would think the Presidents from around the world would like to sample the foods of the visiting country and not eat what they can get at home. But hey, maybe there’s a feeling of making them feel at home.
Fortunately The Obamas have enough red food items on the menu.
no doubt a superb Cabernet in there somewhere.
I guess Hu’s going to like that! Everyone’s going to love it, I am sure.
Just getting the invitation,is going to out weigh the food but I would have liked the Obamas to serve more of a vegetable medley or something green, lets face it Hu’s country could use a lot of green thinking.
If President Hu Jintao came to Mexico I am almost sure we would serve him a fresh fish with every kind of salsa to inspire his taste buds. I agree with the White House chefs that making a visiting dignitary feel at home is meaningful but in this case, I am not sure Hu’s going to enjoy it more?
Sounds like “Lets Chow Down” may be more apropos than Bon Appetite!
Leonique
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January 21, 2011 | Categories: Leonique | Tags: dinner, Hu Jintao, Jan 2011, Leonique, Obama, Salsa, White House | Leave a comment
Coquito – Great Drink!!
Coquito on the rocks, With a cinammon stick to make it look pretty
Last month while we were talking about Rompope and all the things we mix it with, one of our Dancing Chefs who by the way is from Puerto Rico, told me about a similar drink, that is tradicional from Puerto Rico, Coquito!!! (Little Coconut), so I took some time to look for the recepie, made it and let me tell you something if you like creamy drinks like Rompope and you also like coconut, THIS IS YOUR DRINK!!! Yummm! Really easy to make since you just have to mix up some ingredients.
Ingredients:
- 2 15-ounce cans cream of coconut
- 2 14-ounce cans condensed milk
- 6 ounces white rum (use less if you like)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon coconut (or vanilla) extract
Preparation:
1. Mix all ingredients in a blender.
2. Refrigerate for about an hour before serving. Serve cold.
Serves: This recipe makes about 36 ounces.
Coquito with frozen strawberries blended together, and some cinammon on top
Coquito with Whipped cream and Nutmeg on top
Goes well with:
Ice Cream
Whipped cream
Fruit, Specially Frozen Strawberries (might want to blend them together and get a slush)
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, let us know what you think!!!
Salud, Dinero y mucho, mucho AMOR!!!
Stephanie
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January 19, 2011 | Categories: Stephanie | Tags: coquito drink, puertorico, Stephanie | Leave a comment
Aztec Soup
We’re always finding new ways to make cooking fun. I recently found that taking pictures of my cooking creations has added a twist to my ordinary kitchen adventures. Over the weekend, it was raining and grey here in Cozumel (oh boohoo you say…I know – one day of rain versus your 3 months of snow just doesn’t seem fair does it!), so I decided I would make a nice warm soup, typical to this area. The chosen soup was AZTEC SOUP, or AZTECA SOUP, a very common soup served in Mexico. Similar to Tortilla Soup, the Aztec Soup uses the same ingredients, with the difference that tortilla is not blended into the soup, but rather, placed in the middle of the soup just before serving. I found myself this recipe about 4 years ago, when I first moved to Mazaltan, and ever since, have adapted it and made it my own.
You will need :
1 White Onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 Poblano Chiles, chopped
1 Avocado
5 cups of stock (I used Veggie coz hubby is Vegetarian, but you can use Chicken Stock to get a rich full flavoured soup!)
2 tbsp of sour cream
Handful of Cilantro, chopped
2 Flour Tortillas
1 Can of Diced Tomatoes, opened
2 Roma Tomatoes, diced
1 tbsp sugar (to balance out the acidity from the tomatoes)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Oil for frying Tortillas (Vegetable oil is good)
1 tbsp of Olive Oil for frying vegetables
A Large Soup Pot Cutting Board, Sharp Knife, Spoon, Laddle, Tongs.
Instructions :
1.Chop all your ingredients that need chopping and put them in seperate bowls.
2.Heat Olive Oil in the Soup Pot and add onion and garlic. Allow to brown (10 minutes) 
3.Add Poblano Chiles. Stir till they softenen 
4.Add the diced fresh tomatoes, stir and
allow to simmer for 3 minutes.
Then add the canned tomatoes. Add Salt and Pepper to taste. (commonly 1 tsp of each)
5.Fry well and add the stock. Bring to boil and then bring it to a minimum and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occassionally.
6.Allow soup to sit for 10 minutes.
7.In a frying pan, heat frying oil.
8.Cut your tortilla into strips, a finger in width. Add them to oil and take out with tongs once golden brown. Place fried tortilla strips on a paper napkin to absorb the oil.
9.Open up the avocado, de-seed, and cut into cubes.
10.Laddle the soup into a large bowl, add a dolop of soup cream, pile on the tortilla strips in the centre of the bowl, add the avocado and sprinkle some cilantro on top. Serve hot.
This is truly one of my favourite soups and I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I do…especially in these cold snowy days you have ahead! OLE! Remember to put on some music, something that relaxes you, so that when you are cooking, you are relaxed, smiling and humming away (I cooked this soup with Bach and Beethoven! Made me feel like I was creating a masterpiece!)
Happy Cooking, Pamela
January 19, 2011 | Categories: Pamela | Tags: Aztec Soup, Azteca Soup, Cooking, Cozumel, Images, Poblano Chiles, recipe | 1 Comment
Did my much needed walk home from work today. Walking I saw a vendor selling fresh shrimp. I walked past a building that you can go to the dentist, the heart doctor and the gynocologist and pediatric doctor all in one place. Check out the hours for The French Quarter…..life ends after football season!!!! The last picture is the best ice cream in town at Michoacan!!! The yummiest coconut ice cream ever! I had never even eaten coconut ice cream before moving to Cozumel.
We are having fun in Cozumel dancing the salsa and making the best salsas ever!!
JUDY
Street Vendor
French Quarter Bar and Restaurant
Medical and Dental Services
Best Ice Cream in Town
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January 5, 2011 | Categories: Judy | Tags: Cozumel, French Quarter, Judy Cooper, Michoacan, Salsa and Salsa, Shrimp | Leave a comment
It’s always an honor to bring you the Lela totals every month. This month, Lela in Mazatlan chose Doctor’s Without Borders as their charity. With plenty of Christmas love, our guests collected a loving $474USD and the money was sent directly to DWB. Salsa and Salsa is always finding new causes and trying to give back to the community. We try to find something current in the news, where the help will really make a difference. So far, we have raised an amazing amount of donations from Lela…a whopping $4941USD!!!
2010 was such a fulfilling year for Lela.
She helped Haiti Victims by helping with medical supplies.
Lela donated to the Red Cross which went towards helping the families of the West Virginia Miners.
Chile received a donation to buy construction material to rebuild their school after the devastating earthquake.
Nashville Flood Victims got a helping hand through Hands on Nashville and Lela put smiles over there.
In June, Lela donated to the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure campaign, helping millions of woman fight cancer and raise awareness. 2010 marked the 21st running of the series in D.C. The event raised over $4.5 million and it great to think we were a part of that!
Epilepsy was in the spotlight in July, through a charity named “Danny Did Organization“, an amazing group raising awareness and working on a cure for Epilepsy.
An Animal Sanctuary, Survival International, JDRF and Lupus Research has also been touched by Lela’s love.
In Cozumel, Lela is on a mission to help start the process of getting a Blood Bank on the island. We’ve extended Lela’s cause in Cozumel for January and February to make more of an impact. For December, little Lela raised an amazing $625USD!!
Happy New Year to you all, and to another promising year for little Lela the Famous Donating Pig.
PAMELA
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January 4, 2011 | Categories: Pamela | Tags: Blood Bank, Chile, Cozumel, Diabetes, donations, Epilepsy, Haiti, LELA, Lupus, Mazatlan, Susan G. Komen, West Virginia Miners | Leave a comment
The stats helper monkeys at WordPress.com mulled over how this blog did in 2010, and here’s a high level summary of its overall blog health:
The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads Fresher than ever.
Crunchy numbers
A Boeing 747-400 passenger jet can hold 416 passengers. This blog was viewed about 3,600 times in 2010. That’s about 9 full 747s.
In 2010, there were 40 new posts, not bad for the first year! There were 109 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 30mb. That’s about 2 pictures per week.
The busiest day of the year was December 12th with 53 views. The most popular post that day was How to make Rompope!!!!.
Where did they come from?
The top referring sites in 2010 were facebook.com, salsaandsalsa.com, en.wordpress.com, mail.live.com.
Some visitors came searching, mostly for queso fundido, susan g komen, quesos fundidos, salsa and salsa mazatlan recipes, and salsa and salsa mazatlan.
Attractions in 2010
These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.
1
How to make Rompope!!!! December 2010
2
Lela collects $515 for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation July 2010
1 comment
3
Carnival Splendor! The Fun Ship Indeed! March 2010
3 comments
4
A Molca-what? April 2010
2 comments
5
The Salsa and Salsa Blog has arrived… March 2010
4 comments
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January 2, 2011 | Categories: Pamela | Tags: Blog, Bloggers, Popular, Rompope, Salsa and Salsa, Stats, Wordpress | Leave a comment
I have been in Cozumel for over a month and I have fallen in love with the island and the people. I cannot say enough about the wonderful people who live and work here. I am so happy to be a part of Salas and Salsa Cozumel as a Dancing Chef.
I take the local transportation to work and walk home. I walk down a different street everyday to try and see as much as possible. Everyday I find new places to go and local restaurants.
I have a friend in town for the Christmas holidays, and since she has transportation we took a Sunday drive. Sundays is a family day, we passed a church as the alter boys and priests were entering the the church and a street vendor out front selling his
products. We ended the day with a beautiful sunset.
Life is good, and especially in Cozumel. Come to see us on your next cruise. We have so much fun at Salsa and Salsa!!!
Judy
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December 27, 2010 | Categories: Uncategorized | Leave a comment
My neighbors here in Olas Altas are really in the Christmas spirit. They have decorated almost every inch of their house with lights, inflatable Christmas characters and recorded music to sing along to. People pass by on foot and car to stop and take a look as it is really pretty amazing. And of course the children are in awe!! It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas all around Mazatlan. Happy Holidays All.
Jayne
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December 24, 2010 | Categories: Jayne | Tags: Christmas, Decorate, House, Mazatlan, Olas Altas, Salsa and Salsa | Leave a comment
Together with Pacifico Beer, Ceviche and Carnival, nothing is so typically Mazatlecan as the Pulmonia. This is an open taxi, the Mexican version of a riksha with a Volkswagen engine. These taxis started driving Mazatlan’s streets back in 1965. They are not known anywhere else in Mexico. The literal translation of ‘pulmonia’ is neumonia. People thought they would get a neumonia driving this taxi!!!
Recently the Dancing Chefs have taken 5 Pulmonias and decorated them with the new Salsa and Salsa ad. We’re so proud!!!! When you’re in town, try to look for them!
Happy Holidays!!!!
Dancing Chef Maaike
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December 17, 2010 | Categories: Uncategorized | Leave a comment
Ah, the island life,palm trees swaying in the warm breezes. Gentle waves washing ashore over coral covered reefs. The quiet! Laying under palapa covered huts ,shaded from the sun while thinking of nothing other than the waiters return with our cool drinks.
Stop the press! Not so fast lazy one,open those weary travelers eyes, what about 700 taxis lined up in a procession along the waters edge waiting for one ride from 30 thousand anxious passengers crowded around the nearest Sr. Frogs. Riding down escalators to find hundreds of vendors prepared to make the deal of the day. So what amigo!
Welcome to Cozumel,Mexico my new favorite spot on earth or should I say in the sea?
Its easy to find the bliss here, only minutes in any direction and a few steps into a turquoise colored sea, the quiet under water is compelling. I took my snorkel and headed out around the rocks. I happen to know that all fish hang out around the rocks. Most divers will tell you its because of all the food, but my conversation with a baby squid was other wise.
They hide there,they know we are coming. And that we do! in droves and boats with tanks, fins and all kinds of funny looking equipment.
What a strange site we divers must be.
I remember once on the island of St.John,also in the Caribbean, we took a ride to a national park where the novice snorkelers could read signs planted underwater. We saw large brain coral and read about it while swimming to the next sign. At times it was hard to read with all the flapping fins of fellow snorkelers around us stirring up the sand. But once you venture out away from the crowds, the beauty of the underworld brings about a peacefulness unlike any other.
Cozumel offers that peace to those able to grasp the moment. The manta rays peeking out from under the sand, the stag horn coral and abundance of brightly colored,spotted and odd shaped fish, make for some of the best diving in the world. Yes ,now this is island bliss!
Now for the island Blast!
Whether your sitting with your feet dug in the sand or salsa dancing, your going to have a blast either way.
Its true there are hundreds of taxis and thousands of cruise ship passengers coming down 3 enormous piers. But one hardly notices them as the music and beauty on the island hide this intrusion.
Along with the hundreds of taxis there were also hundreds of poinsettias lining the streets. The main boulevard is so clean and painted a crisp white with built in benches that stretch for miles along the ocean front. The main square is loaded with ornaments and the holiday spirit in Cozumel is found in the islanders themselves rather than in the bottom of a margarita glass.
Wow what a place, what a wonderful adventure to see what paradise actually looks like. Both above and under the water.
Cozumel has everything for everybody.
The tour companies, impressive restaurants, the shops are modern and well appointed. You might think for a moment that you’re walking on Rodeo Blvd or 5th Ave. Every designer on the planet has a presence there and the stores are packed with eager shoppers, buying up the most modern Rolex watches to carved coconut heads.
The restaurants we tried like Kinta, offer distinct European flavors while a few steps away you can feast on yummy tacos in the street. Starbucks and Planet Hollywood,Mayan ruins and rare birds all welcome the island travelers.
What a pleasure to see a place that has everything and what a blast people have when they visit. We sure did.
Now I understand why our Salsa and Salsa Tour at the Hotel Cozumel Resort is going to be the highlight of a visit to Cozumel for anyone arriving in paradise. The food and dancing,the underwater experience,don’t forget about the largest pool on the island.
This is the bliss and blast all in one, the makings of lifelong memories..
Happy Holidays or should I saw Holidaze?
Leonique
The Dancing Chef
December 16, 2010 | Categories: Leonique | Tags: Cozumel, Fun, Island, Leonique, Mexico, Palapas, Salsa and Salsa | Leave a comment
Rompope is the Mexican version of egg nog and is traditionally spiked with Rum.
The drink started at the Convent of Santa Clara in Puebla, Mexico back in the colonial period. Today Rompope is produced commercially and widely available in Mexico.
Many of our Dancing Chefs, have been asking us how to get rompope or make rompope, sadly we know is really hard if not impossible to find it in the US so… as requested by you and because we know the holidays deserve a nice drink like this, here is the RECIPE!!
Ingredients:
4 cups milk
1 cup sugar
3 inches canela (cinnamon bark)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
12 egg yolks
1/2 cup rum
Instructions:
In a medium sized saucepan over medium heat, mix together the milk, sugar, cinnamon bark and baking soda. When it begins to boil, lower the heat stand simmer for about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool, and strain to remove the cinnamon bark.
Place the egg yolks in a mixing bowl and whisk or beat with an electric mixer about 5 minutes. , until thick and lemon yellow. While still beating, slowly, pour the cool milk mixture into the yolks. Return to the saucepan and cook over low heat., stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and lightly coast the back of a wooden spoon.
Remove from the heat and stop the cooking by pouring the rompope into a bowl (preferably metal) that is resting on ice in a larger bowl. Stir until cool. Gradually stir in the rum and its ready to serve, or it can be tightly covered in the refrigerator.
It goes really well with:
Fruit
Vanilla Ice Cream
Coffee
Enjoy your Rompope and Happy Holidays Dancing Chefs!!
Stephanie
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December 12, 2010 | Categories: Stephanie | 1 Comment
Wow! I can’t believe it’s taken me THIS long to write to you all about Cozumel!! Things have been a flurry of packing, unpacking, training, uniforms, new people, new friends, great new location, a new dancing chef partner and more!
I want to share all these moments with you all!
Since my departure from Mazatlan, I’ve gone through a whirlwind of changes in my life. From getting married in Vegas (more on that in a later post!), to packing up all my belongings in Mazatlan, to moving into a new place in Cozumel, to starting Salsa and Salsa in a brand new location…not bad for 4 weeks !
Cozumel is a magical place. I arrived late in the afternoon, after leaving Mazatlan at 5am (yep, that’s a 3am alarm clock!) with a stop-over in Mexico City and then Cancun. We caught a 10 minute taxi ride from the airport to our new home, a one bedroom apartment smack-bang in the centre of town, right on the ocean!
We dropped our bags off and went straight to the restaurant downstairs. Italian Cuisine has always been my favorite, so I was pleased to learn we had a fine-dining Italian place right below us!
Dinner and a bottle of wine…ahhhhh…..Cozumel.
The following day was straight to it, meeting with Cruise people, hotel people and so much more! Our new dancing chef Judy was right there with me, and you’ll all get to meet her soon enough…she’ll also be writing here from time to time 😉
Dancing Chefs Judy and Pamela
Training for the new Salsa Team was to begin the very next day, so I got right into OLE Mode, with Manuals, Questionaires and more. Training was a hoot! I want to share some pics with you from our training sessions. Our new Salsa Team are a fun, energetic and young team, that have proven to be quick learners and have all the enthusiasm we have looked for in our Dancing Chef culture.
Cozumel Team Training
I knew these guys were the “ones” when I rang that little bell for the first time and a roar of “OLE!” came from their smiling faces.
With training complete, we dared to invite hotel guests and friends to a “training show”, so our new team could practise and make perfect. A total success! I’m pleased to share with you the fact that we had nothing but good things said about the training show. Our guests left happy, yelling OLE and smiling and dancing down the stairs.
In the same week, Cozumel was filled with exciting events. Revolution Day (Nov 20th, 2010) surprised us with a glorious parade of young and old alike. We have a cute balcony overlooking the main street in Cozumel, so we happily sat there and watched the kids in their costumes. Here are a few pics of that day. So much color, so much music, and so much happiness – it’s all just so contagious, I love it!!
IronMan Cozumel from my balcony
Iron Man Cozumel 2010 was also upon us here that week, so again, we spent time on the balcony cheering on men and woman who had already gone for the swim and bike portion of the race. The running was the last leg and their run was on the main street of town. I spent 1 hour on the computer and 1 hour on the balcony yelling words of encouragement “Keep on going!”, “Don’t give up!” and to the ladies “YOU GO GIRL!” (I got a few giggles from a few for that one!).
Thursday was our first official show, and we have seen a total of nearly 60 people in 3 days…not bad for a new tour 😉 We know that in a matter of a few weeks, word will spread and the popularity we are so blessed to have in Mazatlan, will quickly follow us here. We’re humbled by all the comments and words of encouragement we receive from guests and friends alike, thank you all.
This has been a challenge…a life changing, exciting and glorious challenge. But we’ve done it!
We’ll have Lela here too – for the first 3 months in Cozumel, Lela will be collecting donations to help build a Blood Bank here on the Island. There is no Blood Bank and locals are required to catch the ferry to Playa del Carmen, then bus it to Cancun…a trip and expense that most locals are unable to afford. With a Blood Bank here on the island, we can hopefully save some lives and make a difference to those who need a helping hand.
Keep an eye on those Lela pictures and reports…it’s going to be exciting to see what she will accomplish here!
Lela Cozumel
Lela Cozumel
Lela Cozumel
Lela Cozumel
Well, I think you are up to date now with Cozumel. We are waiting on Tripadvisor to list us in Cozumel to start our new challenge…we want to get to #1 in Cozumel too! Hehehe. 169 things to do in Cozumel…we may start at the bottom, but by-golly, we’ll get to the top, just you wait and see 😉
Head Chef Leonique made a cameo appearance this week at the Cozumel show…needless to say, we got a good injection of new energy there! Stay tuned for more fun Cozumel news!
Head Chef Leonique does the Conga in Cozumel!
Hope you all visit us in Cozumel soon!
xoxo
Pamela
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December 7, 2010 | Categories: Pamela | Tags: 2010, Conga Line, Cozumel, dancing chef, Fun, Iron Man Cozumel, Judy, LELA, Leonique, Pamela, Quintana Roo, Revolution Day, Salsa and Salsa Cozumel, Training, Tripadvisor, wedding | Leave a comment
This last November was a very special month for all of us, talking about the charity we chose for this past month. Lupus Research Institute is an organization looking for the cure for LUPUS. There are many different kinds of Lupus and for all of you who are reading about this disease for the first time, I’ll give you some interesting facts about it:
*Lupus it is often referred to as a disease of a thousand faces. (Because doctors tend to misdiagnose it, ’cause a lot of the symptomps are similar to other diseases).
*The official logo for Lupus is a butterfly, because one of the most common symptoms is to get skin irritation on your face in the shape of a butterfly.
*9 out of 10 people that suffer from Lupus are women, usually is really rare in men, but when men have it is usually more agressive.
*Lupus usually runs in the family. People don’t tend to relate it to their family members, because this disease was and is often confused with many other diseases, such as Multiple Sclerosis, Reumatoid Arthritis and even Skin Cancer.
The reason why I know these facts is because as we’ve been saying it all month long, my oldest sister Ciara has been suffering from it for almost 12 years. It took over 2 years to find out it was, after all, Lupus. Back in that time I was too young to even understand what she was going trough, but as many girls that have Lupus, with the proper treatment, she lives a normal life, enjoys working as a graphic designer and she is an inspiration for me to live life to the fullest. I’d like to say I proposed november’s charity to be Lupus because I wanted to honor her, but I think I’m the honored one by having such a strong sister.
So from the bottom of my heart Thanks to all the Dancing Chefs that supported LELA to raise this money for the Lupus Research Institute!!!! and keep in touch to find out how much we get for the next cause!!!!
Stephanie
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December 2, 2010 | Categories: Stephanie | Leave a comment
October has brought us Snowbird season and more cruise ships coming into port. Our Local Show on Monday has started of with ever increasing numbers. We enjoy showing all our guests the interesting smells and flavors that Mexico has to offer. So if you’re in town, come and join us! Reservations are a must! Just go to our website for more information.
The cause for LELA in October was the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. We had almost the double amount of shows comparing to September, so we were very happy to collect a total sum of $477 dollars!
In November we will be collecting for the Lupus Research Institute. This cause is very dear to our heart, because Dancing Chef Stephanie’s sister suffers from Lupus. Lupus is a chronic and often disabling autoimmune disease. Estimates indicate that more than 1.5 million Americans have lupus.
The Lupus Research Institute (LRI) is the only nonprofit organisation in the US that’s dedicated to research in lupus. It was founded in 2000 by people with this devastating illness and their families in collaboration with the country’s leading scientists. LRI sends nearly 94 cents of every dollar contributed straight to the scientists in their laboratories searching for answers to lupus.
During each month we always come in contact with people who have a special interest in the cause for LELA. It’s very rewarding to see impact LELA has. The more money we raise, the closer we get to finding a cure for Lupus.
Ole!!!!!
Dancing Chef Maaike
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November 14, 2010 | Categories: Maaike, Two Dancing Chefs | Tags: Lela the Pig | Leave a comment
With the change in the weather, we gear up for what we call Snowbird Season. All our northern amigos and amigas fly back to sunny Mazatlan, knowing the heat is now tolerable and the nights a little cooler.
Waiting for them is everything they love about Mazatlan…the people, the Pulmonias, the beaches, the sunsets, Pacifico Beer, the Flans, and of course, the Shrimp!
It’s amazing how the weather changes here. It goes from boiling hot, to unbearable humidity to perfect, all in one week! We’re glad to see the cooler weather upon us now. We look forward to lots of sun, a refreshing breeze, a few clouds to break up the rays, and nights which may require a thin cardigan….ah Mazatlan…why are all of you sitting there reading this??!!…jump on Tripadvisor or Expedia and book your tickets NOW! hahaha.
Our Local Show is up and running, so for those Snowbirds that have never had the chance to see the show, but have heard of it, now is the time to come visit. As of October 2010, Salsa and Salsa is open to the public every Monday (a non-cruise day), where we have all the fun, all the laugh and all the margaritas you can bare! Reservations are a must, so be sure to email us at salsamazatlan@gmail.com for more details. We look forward to seeing all the Snowbirds back in Mazatlan, you have all been missed!
Welcome Back!
OLE – Dancing Chef Pamela
23.241817
-106.450441
October 21, 2010 | Categories: Pamela | Tags: beaches, Local Show, Mazatlan, Pamela, pulmonia, Salsa and Salsa, salsa mazatlan, Season, Snowbird | Leave a comment
It finally happened! We reached 2000 viewers today!!
Truly blessed to have the support of all the Dancing Chefs and friends who have believed in what we do, how we do it and why we do it! We are quietly (who am I kidding?!) I’m sitting here going WOOHOO! hahaha – celebrating our 2000th click with a glass of bubbly and I raise my glass to you all. Salud, Dinero y Mucho Mucho Amor!
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September 30, 2010 | Categories: Pamela | Tags: Blog, Mazatlan, Salsa and Salsa, visits | Leave a comment
September has always been famous for being a quite season in Mazatlan. If you take a walk through the city streets, you’ll see restaurants shut down for the month, or hotels under renovation. The heat keeps locals indoors, sheltered from the burning (yet humid) weather that is the September Heat in Mazatlan.
Mexican Nationals have all returned back to their homes from “Summer Vacations” and Mazatlan goes under a slow, but steady facelift for the upcoming “Snowbird Season”, where all the Canadians and Americans fly south to escape the winter blues.
Our guests have felt the heat this season – jump onto our facebook page to see some fun photos of our Dancing Chefs making the most of the Mazatlan heat! Being a slow month, little Lela’s contribution this month was lower than any other month, but we were still pleasantly surprised at her strength. Even with only 8 shows, she managed to raise $195USD, all of which, has found its way to Survival International.
Next month’s cause has been chosen. The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) will be Lela’s cause for the month of October. JDRF was started back in 1970 by a group of parents of children with type 1 diabetes. Their mission is to find a cure for diabetes and its complications through the support of research. Since their inception they have funded $1.4 billion to research around the world. They are also the world’s leading charitable funders of diabetes research. If you have or know someone with diabetes, please post the link to this blog entry on your Facebook, Twitter or MySpace, and share the knowledge with others. The more donations we raise, the closer we get to finding a cure.
Until JDRF contacted us, I had never really known the seriousness of diabetes…you always hear of someone with diabetes, or read food labels and magazine articles, but it shocked me to see how many people suffer from the complications that come with having diabetes. I wanted to share with you some interesting facts regarding diabetes :
The Scope of Diabetes
• Nearly 24 million Americans have diabetes (7.8 percent of the population):
• Diagnosed: 17.9 million
• Undiagnosed: 5.7 million
• As many as three million Americans may have type 1 diabetes.
• Diabetes currently affects 285 million people worldwide and is expected to affect 435 million by 2030.
• In the U.S., a new case of diabetes is diagnosed every 30 seconds; more than 1.6 million people are diagnosed each year.
We look forward to the cooler weather in October! A big big thanks to all that donated in September. Your Lela photos are viewable via our Facebook Fan Page! Don’t forget to click and tag 🙂
Best,
Pamela Hormazabal
23.241817
-106.450441
September 30, 2010 | Categories: Pamela | Tags: Dancing Chefs, Diabetes, Facebook, JDRF, Lela the Donating Pig, Lela the Pig, Mazatlan, Mexico, Pamela Hormazabal, Salsa and Salsa, Survival International | Leave a comment
Salsa and Salsa Mazatlan 
