It is, oh, so simple

about the alchemy of life, a poem, and a recipe

The Alchemy of Life

The weeks before writing this were painted with events of sadness. I could not not write about it, because this is what has been inhabiting my internal universe.

March 19th marked the Equinox - an astrological moment when the duration of daylight and nighttime are equal. And as any alchemist would know, that extends to life itself: fair parts of light and darkness.

That week, my grandmother Lucia passed away, at age 91. This woman who shaped so much of what I am today left 6 children, 22 grandchildren, and countless life lessons that she acquired over the years. I had the privilege of interviewing and writing about her story a year ago, and I’m glad I was able to document some of it (read ‘life at the farm 1950’).

While natural deaths are easier to reconcile, other endings feel extremely unfair to accept. On the same day, a dear family of friends lost its life in a tragic, and unimaginable accident, ending the lives of a father, a mother, and two children - Diego, Matilde, Joaquin and Cauê. The hearts of everyone who knew them ache profoundly and collectively.

Death won’t let you forget the fragility of life and make you wonder how you walk through it.

As I sat with grief, I went back to conversations with my grandmother. She had a way of explaining her recipes that was different from what I read in books - more entertaining in my opinion:

Her recipes were stories. Her measurements were not based on the metric system but on personal references, like the size of her hand.

“You get this much butter”, she would show me, holding her hand up in a cup shape, and her crooked fingers pointing at it.

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A Poem

When she described a recipe
she would often start by saying “es muy simple…”  
implying that if the dish didn’t turn out good 
it would be your own fault 
For not paying enough attention or for executing it poorly. 
It is, oh, so simple. 

And that has been my main cooking principle ever since.

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Braised Chicken with Orange: A Recipe by Grandmother Lucia

It is so simple. You start by seasoning the chicken (thighs and legs preferred) with paprika, oregano, salt, pepper and garlic, and marinade as long as you can.

Heat a Dutch oven and sauté chopped onions and red bell peppers in olive oil. Add the chicken, and brown in on all sides. Press a couple of oranges and add their juice to the pot.

Close the lid, and let it cook on low heat, for about 30 minutes - maybe longer?

Well, you have to keep checking. Once cooked to tender, add more orange juice if desired, and adjust salt if needed.