All posts by Mariel

Born in Havana, Cuba, and raised in Venezuela, Mariel Masque is a poetry, fiction, fable, and non-fiction writer. She lives in Oro Valley, Arizona.
Healthy Habits

The Paradoxical Nature of Freedom

One can safely assume that science is a string of facts supporting a fictional statement, a hypothesis. And cosmologies are conglomerates of fiction based on a few facts. Inside the brain, ideas churn and turn under category five brainstorms.

Seashells constantly move on the shore under the action of the waves. In the same manner, ideas incessantly come and go. While the light and crisp conversation of the ocean foam remains on the surface, juxtaposed currents with extraordinary pull feed the undertow.

Nothing is ever as it seems. Truth changes as often and routinely as the tides. As one clings to ideas, perceptions, thoughts and beliefs, one becomes a pebble endlessly and aimlessly turning and churning ruled by the action of the sea of ideas, perceptions, thoughts and beliefs. What if life is simply what each of us individually makes of it? What if everything one holds as true is merely the product of Force of Habit?

Pick the concept of freedom. What is freedom? One may say that freedom is the ability to do as one pleases. Another person may respond, “Your freedom ends where my freedom begins.” Demarcating such limit completely obliterates the essence of freedom. Such demarcation implies separateness. And everything  is connected to everything else.

In a state of freedom, there is no need to engage in a fight. Because there is no freedom, one fights to attain freedom. As one fights for freedom, one ignores someone else’s freedom. If the fight for freedom restricts someone else’s freedom, how is freedom attained?

One may safely say that freedom is merely a state of mind and has nothing to do with fighting. On the contrary, it has to do with disengaging from futile fights, thoughts and actions. When freedom becomes a struggle, it is no longer freedom. The mere instant one’s pursuit of happiness restricts someone, freedom goes out the door.

Freedom is an act of peaceful rebellion. It is the conscious dissolution of anything that constricts the body, mind, heart or soul. It is a state of awareness about consequence. Such conscious effort invites us to cherry pick our habits. Habits that benefit both self and the collective make one feel at peace. And those that have a detrimental impact on the sacredness of the web of life leave us thirsty for more. While on a diet with low nutritional value, one craves more, and more. Such craving is a symptom of emptiness.

Mariel Masque – Copyright 2014
All Rights Reserved

Stream, The Poet

Unplugged

Dearest Muse,

Funky and full of attitude, oak-aged pinot noir gifts my palate with a kiss that bursts with currants. In a shaded space, the familiar exotic rhythms of Morocco and Spain meet in Nathaniel’s naturally understated guitar.

At the heart of a very introspective soul, gem-quality melodies showcase his mood—the candle on the corner table dances with his song. The magic in his fingers makes me long. This hermoso Gitano with shoulder-length brown curls, Serbian profile, and Buddha posture offers a safe place for dreams to soak.

Suffused with the ring of my ancestral land, I air the wine. The empty streetcar rushes through downtown. I take small sips and savor pickled memories with sweet, dry apricot taste.

Blood calls. A Gypsy caravan, my heart, responds to the beat of Michael’s cajón and Nathaniel’s feverish chords. The hand strums. Its fingers tap on the wood of an instrument with high resonance. The wrist moves seamlessly from arpeggios to alzapuas. The percussive sound of the Flamenco guitar draws in lost souls strolling back and forth on the sidewalk.

Bright, dry, and austere, the projected sounds disappear almost instantly, allowing fast rhythmic play. Each note has percussive eyes and fumbling fingers. They undress me in the dark of an empty bar, holding me breathless against the wall.

The mesmerizing cry of legends travels underground from Asturias all the way to the Sonoran Desert and crawls up my feet. The prelude is a three-movement song where Andalusia’s intricate melodies and abrupt passionate passages make me weep.

Flamenco is a seasoned lover that mimics guitar techniques. Alternating thumb and fingers, savory notes wet the lips and weaken the knees.
The clap, clap, clap, para, para, dum, clap, para, para, dum, clap duru dam, diddle, didle, don, didle, didle, dan fill my heart with the hot summer breeze—the old red building across the street winks.

On the pavement, lights appear and disappear. Vehicles rush. And I pause, seatback, unplug, relax, let a sip of burgundy-red wash my throat, and flood my thighs.

Aware, I breathe in melodies and beats, savor purple-rich pinot noir hints, your lips—waves crash on the sands of our warm bay. The gossamer wings of your embrace play hide and seek.

Thinking of you, dearest Muse, I scribble under the spell of the Moorish guitar. I am so glad that no one joined me tonight.

Mariel Masque – Copyright 2014
All Rights Reserved

Poetry

The Art of Coexisting

Spring seeps in.
After pulling off weeds and
watering bell-shaped,
bright-yellow daffodils,
I walk to the sand bottom spring.
Turquoise waters gently swirl.
Suffused, I bathe, float, swim.
The afternoon sun crawls under moist skin.
In the curling of toes, a wasp appears.
“Hello, old friend,” I greet.
Fiber-thin, delicate hairy legs walk on water.
The sentient being patiently drinks
and gracefully hovers back to the tall Mesquite.
Moments later, it returns to the surface of the spring.
“What do you do with all that water?” I ask and offer half a grin.
“I spray the flowers grateful for being loved by the universe.”
Wasp returns to the highest tree branch.
Infinite beyond measure,
this tiny insect respects the pond of life.

 

Mariel Masque – Copyright 2014
All Rights Reserved

20140430_180023

Food

Crème de Vie

Crème de Vie, o crema de la vida, es la versión Cubana del egg nog estadounidense y del ponche crema venezolano. Octubre es un mes perfecto para comenzar los preparativos Navideños que requieren proceso de añejamiento como la preparación de Crème de Vie. Recuerdo que mama preparaba esta poción mágica todos los años alrededor de mi cumpleaños. “Mientras más tiempo le añejas, más definido el sabor.” Para un Creme de Vie bajo en grasa y colesterol, sustituya la leche regular por la baja en grasa.

Ingredientes

1 lata de leche condensada
1 lata de leche evaporada
8 yemas de huevo
2 tazas de ron añejo Cacique (puede substituir por otro ron fuerte)
2 tazas de azúcar
1 taza de agua
1 cucharadita de vainilla

Preparación

  1. Prepare un almíbar con el agua y el azúcar a fuego lento con consistencia de almíbar no de caramelo. Se deja refrescar.
  2. Bata las 8 yemas de huevo e incorpore las dos leches en la licuadora.
  3. Agregue el almíbar, la vainilla y finalmente el ron.
  4. Revuelva bien.
  5. Cuele la bebida con una tela de cocina.
  6. Invierta el contenido en botellas con tapa sellada.
  7. Guarde las botellas en la nevera. Cuanto más tiempo pase mejor será el sabor.

Esta receta sirve 5 tazas o dos botellas y media. Se ofrece a los visitantes durante las fechas de Navidades, Año Nuevo y día de Reyes. En casa, mama le servía todo el año a petición de amistades y familiares.

Salud, amor, y prosperidad.

 

The Muse

Birthday Wish from the Muse

A wonderful birthday wish from my adored Muse.

 

My dearest Poet,

Words trickle. Starting. Stopping. Halting. Gathering strength and speed. Dozens of tiny streams of thought try to break away, twisting and bubbling through desert sands. Starting to swirl, coalesce, they move purposefully. Flow. Words.

Today as I think about your birthday, I think about words, soaring fantastic flights into tropical paradises. Powerful histories handed down generations. Sparkling humorous streams that flash like the way your hands move when you’re telling them, whole body moving with intensity and dance.

Today as I think about your birthday, I think about food. Inviting aromas that curl around the edges of your front door, surprising combinations of savory, sweet, and spicy that delight and amaze. A clean white plate is a canvas where you paint your culinary art, each slice and sliver placed with the intention that melds perfectly on the palate.

Today as I think about your birthday, I think about music and dancing. The greeting echo of drumming, faintly heard on your doorstep. Tantalizing rhythms that make hands tap, heads bob, hips start to turn and move without permission. The way you smile all the way down to your toes as you dance across the living room and into the embrace of the kitchen aromas.

Today as I think about your birthday, I think about love. The way it grows. The way it changes. The way it blooms. The way it warms. The way it tugs. The way it teaches. The way it inspires. The way it frees. The way it soars.

Today as I think about your birthday, I think about stories. The stories you’ve told me, in your words and food and art and dance and love. The stories I’ve told you, in many the same fashions. The stories I notice weaving into my life, both with intention and without realizing. The way writing creatively about stories and lives makes me think of you weaving word tapestries that leave awe in their wake.

Today as I think about your birthday, I think about magic and the sacred. How you touch deep currents in the world, bring them closer to the surface. The way you hold a mirror to self-discovery and shine light into forgotten nooks. The constantly growing and evolving spirit rooted in confidence that things can be unknown, but still understood and integrated. Life is worth living to bring happiness.

Today as I think about your birthday, I celebrate the gift of your presence in my life. The way that even far apart, I feel like my life, and the world is a better place for knowing you’re in it.

Dear Mariel, I wish you another beautiful year of celebrations and joy, of dancing and music, of words and food and magic, of changing the world one positive step at a time. May your endeavors and the people you love bring beauty and happiness to your life in this year! Thank you for bringing beauty and joy to mine.

Warm caramel hugs, champagne bubbles of delight, passion fruit teasing smiles, and love,

The Muse

 

Copyright 2014 – All Rights Reserved

 

October 1, 2014

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Reflections

The Miracle of Life

A true poet surrenders fully to the art of contemplation. Take for instant the relationship between the moon and the earth. The moon exerts a constant influence over the ocean tides, never expecting anything in return. The earth, in return, gives the moon a spectacular view.

The sun is another example of unconditional love. Its vibrancy allows plants to engage in the process of photosynthesis. Plants in turn release the oxygen breathing organisms need to exist. The sun warms the earth and makes life possible. In the universe, everything is connected to everything else. Unconditional love means that one gives because giving brings pleasure. Easier said than done! Dissolving ego unleashes the most-pleasurable state of heart. And the best way to dissolve the ego is to focus our attention on the miracles of life.

A Hummingbird Nest Hat

It was a clear and sunny beauteous spring day in the Sonoran Desert. I woke up sad, grieving a major loss. Lost in blue thoughts, I faced the Catalina Mountains. While watering the plants in the garden, I smiled at the rising sun. The instant I smiled, a sudden buzzing sound demanded my attention. A tiny hummingbird buzzed her little wings in front of my face and flew away. I looked up.

The marvelous engineer had built a nest anchored on a flat single spike of iron, a thread of metal hair on the head of the dancing amazon wind chime hanging by the front door. Immediately, I brought out a hummingbird feeder grabbing dust in the garage and placed it nearby. Weeks later we had developed a bond. She did not feel the need to fly away as I water the plants. Miraculously, she left me photograph her whereabouts.

Too soon, an ethnography of urban nesting unfolded. An earthy amazon wearing a glamorous hummingbird nest on her head, danced, danced and danced in the wind. Magic at its best! Who is the earthy Amazon wearing a hummingbird nest hat, head chakra in tune with the marvels of life?

Two tiny eggs the size of jellybeans found a home inside. One baby hatched. A little breathing creature with pointy spikes emerged from the shell. The second baby did not make it and promptly was discarded to ensure the safety of the newborn.

As weeks passed by, I forgot everything about my loss and fully engaged in exciting field work. One beauteous morning, I woke up and checked on the hummingbirds. Ms. Hummingbird stood on the rim of the nest, tiny claws holding tight, hovering her wings at high-speed, showing Junior a new trick. Junior watched attentive.

After few seconds, she began to hover mimicking her mom. Precious little wings covered with porcupine-like spikes hovered until Junior rose in the air. “I can do it, mom.” I heard a voice in the back of my mind. It made my whole body smile.

I could feel the vibrations of discovery emitted by little wings and the incessant joyful chirps. She softly embraced her young with both wings preventing a fall. Promptly, Junior tired up and returned to deep sleep. Ms. Hummingbird sat proudly on top of her child and gently preened the tiny feathers beginning to sprout at the tip of each spike.

One morning, while practicing her hovering Tai Chi, junior lost balance and fell off the nest. Maneuvering a first fly, she landed safely on a cactus bed. Mom got all agitated trying to get her back to the nest. “Junior!!!” I could hear her swear, chirping away.

I gently picked Junior and placed her inside the nest. Ms. Hummingbird promptly sat on top of her precocious child.

“Mom, I can fly!” Chest puffed Junior replied.

Mesmerized, Magic and Love, my two black Siamese cats, stood at my feet at the other side of the glass. Only a matter of days! We thought. Only a matter of days!

Ah, the miracle of life. The gifts of nature fill the heart with charming delights when we dare to pause. One meaningful breath at a time, the precious moment is all I have. Such mindful exercise contributes more to world peace than any meaningless fight.

 

Mariel Masque – Copyright 2014
All Rights Reserved

Food

Caramelo

Batiendo los huevos para su famoso flan, mama siempre decía, “La felicidad no es una estación a la que se llega. La felicidad es una forma de viajar y entra por la boca, los ojos, y la nariz.” Tenía mucha razón mama.

Entre el cumulo de vicisitudes, experiencias y acontecimientos que nos trae el rio de la vida, en casa la comida de mama siempre hizo el viaje placentero. Cocinando para bodas y banquetes, ella mantenía su negocio en casa. Nuestra cocina siempre fue el centro de reunión de la familia y de las amistades.

Mama, Ada Mina García Masque, tenía muchas pasiones, diseñaba trajes de novia y cargadores de bautizo, bordaba paisajes Japoneses en fina seda, enseñaba corte y costura y pertenecía al comité de damas del Rotary Club de Naguanagua, un grupo de mujeres sumamente activas quienes conducían trabajo social en los barrios marginales de Valencia, Venezuela.

Mama siempre decía, “sino te gusta tu problema, mi vida, recoge el problema de otra persona. Veras que pronto quieres tu problema de vuelta.”

Honestamente, mama nunca hizo nada por obligación. Y preparar un buen caramelo es el secreto de su famoso flan, el cual fue disfrutado en matrimonios, cumpleaños, aniversarios, navidades, ferias y fiestas patronales, carnavales, al igual que en ancianatos, sanatorios, hospitales, orfanatos y en todo lugar a donde mama llevara su sonrisa curativa a aquellos padeciendo de algún mal.

Afortunadamente, siendo la veinte-única, como ella siempre decía, y una gran amante de la ciencia y del arte, me toco servir de ayudante de cocina desde muy temprana edad. Así pues, el arte culinario es uno de mis talentos, gracias a mama. Dada mi intolerancia a los lípidos o a las grasas, la cual es una condición congénita, poco a poco he reestructurado su recetario con recetas bajas en grasas.

Este post será dedicado al caramelo, puesto que un buen caramelo es esencial en esa forma de viajar requerida para alcanzar la felicidad. Es imperativo en la industria pastelera el saber determinar el punto de un almíbar.  Dichos puntos serán explicados a continuación.

Puntos de Almíbar

Preparar un almíbar es algo muy sencillo. Solo requiere una cacerola, agua y azúcar. Es esencial recordar que el almíbar siempre espesa cuando enfría. También es importante saber que existen varios puntos de almíbar.

 

Punto de Almíbar

Grados (F)

Minutos
Punto de hebra

230

5
Punto de melcocha suave

238

7
Punto de melcocha dura

254

9
Punto de caramelo claro

290

10
Punto de caramelo oscuro

310

11

Empiece a contar los minutos desde que el almíbar comienza a hervir en fuego alto. Los tiempos están basados en la proporción de azúcar y agua indicada en esta receta. Si usa una proporción con mayor cantidad de agua el almíbar demorara más tiempo. Si usa una con menos cantidad de agua tomara menos tiempo. Por eso se recomienda el use de un termómetro de cocina. Para determinar con precisión el punto de un almíbar, utilice un termómetro de cocina. Y las instrucciones a seguir.

Ingredientes

Generalmente la proporción es media taza de agua por una taza de azúcar. Algunas recetas requieren solo el agua necesaria para humedecer el azúcar. Puede añadir unas gotas de limón para evitar la cristalización del azúcar. Los minutos calculados para determinar los diferentes puntos de almíbar son basados en esta proporción de ingredientes.

Preparación

Vierta el agua y el azúcar en una cacerola. Añada el jugo de limón para que no se cristalice. Dos o tres gotas por taza de azúcar son suficientes. Revuelva mientras el agua esta fría hasta que se combinen bien. Ponga la cacerola a fuego alto. No revuelva el almíbar una vez que lo pone al fuego.

El almíbar ligero utilizado en las recetas de torrejas, tostadas francesas o buñuelos, requiere poco cuidado en su preparación. Para evitar que la azúcar cristalice, añada unas gotas de limón y no revuelva después de ponerle al fuego. Retire el almíbar del fuego aproximadamente cinco minutos después de que ha comenzado a hervir. Recuerde que el almíbar espesa al enfriarse. Desde los cinco minutos de estar hirviendo hasta el punto de caramelo, los puntos intermedios (melcocha suave, melcocha dura, caramelo claro) son más difíciles de determinar sin un termómetro. Estos puntos intermedios son precisamente los más utilizados en la industria pastelera en la preparación de pastelería fina. Para determinar estor puntos intermedios con precisión, utilice un termómetro de cocina y siga las instrucciones a continuación.

Retire la cacerola del fuego tan pronto el termómetro alcanza la temperatura deseada. Ponga la cacerola sobre una bandeja con hielo para evitar que el almíbar continúe cocinándose. Particularmente cuando se prepara el punto de caramelo oscuro, este paso es de suma importancia parar evitar que se queme el caramelo, lo cual arruina el sabor y requiere volver a comenzar.

Punto de Hebra o Hilo

Aproximadamente cinco minutos después de empezar a hervir. Se disuelve en agua fría. Si le dejamos refrescar, se pega ligeramente a los dedos. Al separar los dedos, forma un hilo fino.

Punto de Melcocha Suave

Demora aproximadamente siete minutos después de empezar a hervir. Al echar una gota en agua fría no se disuelve. Una vez frio, forma una bolita de melcocha ligera y no se puede amasar.

Punto de Melcocha Dura

Demora aproximadamente nueve minutos después de empezar a hervir. Tiene más consistencia que el punto anterior. Al echarle en agua fría, forma una bolita que conserva su forma y se puede amasar como melcocha.

Punto de Caramelo Claro

Demora aproximadamente diez minutos después de empezar a hervir. A echarle en agua fría cruje ligeramente y forma una bolita dura como de cristal transparente. No se le puede amasar.

Punto de Caramelo Oscuro

Demora aproximadamente once minutos después de empezar a hervir. La consistencia es similar al caramelo claro, pero con color de caramel.

Uso Apropiado del Termómetro de Cocina

Ajuste el ganchito del termómetro en el borde de la cacerola. Asegúrese que la base del termómetro no toca el fondo de la cacerola pero que está sumergido en el almíbar.

 

Mariel Masque – Copyright 2014
All Rights Reserved