Trip to Selva Negra coffee plantation

This past weekend we went on a really nice weekend trip north to a german run coffee plantation/ eco resort. It was so nice to breath fresh air, to wear a fleece and use a blanket and walk a bunch. Things we dont really get to do here in Managua,

The coffee plantation Selva Negra (black forest) is completely sustainably run. We hiked around in the cloud forest on their property stared at some amazing plants, birds and monkeys and took a tour of the plantation including workers quarters and processing mill. All the food for the workers, their families and the hotel is raised and grown there . . . we had some good cheese!

anyway some pics of our weekend

Selva Negra

Pineapple Coffee Cake

So this weekend were elections in Nicaragua and it was recommended to stay home. The elections are quite corrupt and some are fanatical about their parties so there is unrest around election time. Matt was gone so I decided to pass the time by cooking and baking. We had a really ripe pineapple and I decided to make a pineapple coffee cake. I must admit, it turned out pretty good :)

Ingredients
* 1/4 lb butter or margarine
* 1 cup sugar
* 2 cups flour
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1 egg
* 1 cup milk
* 15 ounces crushed pineapple, drained

Topping
* 1 cup flour
* 1 cup brown sugar
* 1/4 lb butter or margarine

Directions
1. Cream sugar with butter.
2. Sift flour and baking powder.
3. Add to creamed mixture alternately with egg/milk mixture.(place egg in cup and add milk to make 1 cup).
4. Spread in 9x13 pan.(or if you are like me and dont have one, just spread it in a sauce pan that can go into the oven)
5. Cover with well-drained pineapple.
6. Mix topping ingredients till crumbly and sprinkle over pineapple.
7. Bake at 350° for 1 hour.

Ants and Cops

So if there are two things I could really live without in Nicaragua, its the ants in my kitchen and the police. Both just seem to be around all over the place not doing much but creating a sense of anxiety.

The ants crawl all over the place no matter how clean the kitchen is. When another one dies they carry it off on their back so you have a double, extra big, huge ant.

The cops stand all over and just pull us over because we are gringos for no reason and let us go once we pay them . . and when you actually need their help they cant help you but instead give you a lecture.

frustrating!