A food enthusiast travels from Mexico to Argentina to cook with old ladies and to produce a collection of stories, recipes and photos.
Introduction
The food movement of my generation calls for slowing down. Let’s eat like our grandparents and great-grandparents did--organically and healthfully.
I’m a California writer and an admirer of food--growing it, cooking it, preserving it and sharing it. The past few years I roasted my first turkey, planted my first garden and canned my first tomatoes. The deeper I dug into my relationship with food, the more natural my cooking and eating habits became.
In the midst of this food-centric life, I considered attending culinary school. After sending away for brochures of the country's best institutions, I decided that a career in the food business isn’t what I’m after. As I told a friend almost two years ago, “I want to travel the world and learn to cook from old ladies.”
“You should,” she said. “And write about it.”
My Mission
My mission for this project is to explore Latin cuisine from within and with women who live or who have lived the slower life. I want to make tortillas, tamales and dishes I've never heard of in the places where they were inspired. Throughout the journey, from Mexico to Argentina, I’ll gather stories, recipes and photos to share in a book.
The focus of my travels will be on exploring farms, markets and kitchens con mis viejas, or "with my old ladies." Often, they grew up eating real food and had a genuine connection to where their food came from.
My father, for instance, remembers an early childhood on a ranch in the Mexican state of Zacatecas. His family grew vegetables, foraged for mushrooms and raised chickens and pigs. Then, they moved to the city and left the self-sufficient lifestyle behind.
It’s been 20 years since the last time I visited "The Ranch.” In September, I will set out on a journey that will begin there. I’ll cook with my aunts, record recipes and photograph life on the ranch. I plan to cook and document my way all the way to Argentina.
I’ve purchased a one-way ticket to Mexico, but how far I get depends on whether I reach my Kickstarter fundraising goal.
Kickstarter Goal
Total: $6500
Food and supplies, room and board: $4500
This includes travel costs in and between countries. This also includes food, room and board costs. I’ve calculated a per-week sum to pay each of “my old ladies.” This amount is intended to cover food supplies for all the cooking we’ll do, plus lodging if that’s the plan. In some cases, I’ll lodge elsewhere.
Self Publishing - $1000
Once I return and write the book, I’ll publish enough copies to cover rewards. If I find a publisher to produce the book, I will use this money to “kickstart” another book on a different region. Eastern Europe? Southeast Asia? Otherwise, I will donate the money to other Kickstarter projects.
Rewards - $400
Cost of postcards, photo printing, postage, etc.
Kickstarter fees - $600
These are fees I’ll have to pay Kickstarter and Amazon for facilitating my fundraiser.
Thank you for your support!
FAQ
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My plan is six months--that’s as long as I figure I can stand to be away from my dog, Saffron. Considering the distance, somewhere between 4500-5000 miles, I’ll be moving fairly quickly. I’ll mostly travel by bus, but I’ll probably fly from Central to South America.
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I found a bounty of veggies at the Path to Freedom Urban Homestead in Pasadena. The result included:
Steamed lentils with rainbow chard and carrots; a carrot-and-golden-beet salad with lemon and olive oil; lemon-infused brown rice and a salad of baby greens, purple cabbage, carrots, strawberries and avocado.
There was also strawberry crumble for dessert--not pictured in the video.
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I've invested a lot of myself into this project, since it really got moving in February. But, financially, there are a lot of things I'm covering too.
Airfare: $1400-1600LAX to Zacatecas, Mexico: $200 (already purchased)
Argentina to California: Estimated between $1200-1400
Travel Insurance: $250 Miscellaneous costs: $3000Passport renewal, a new camera, misc. travel costs, etc.
Total: $4650-4850
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My "old ladies" may actually be old men or younger ladies, etc. The idea is that I'm working with home cooks and farmers who live the simple life and share a passion for food.
I'll be cooking with family in Mexico, I have a farm stay lined up in Peru, a lady in Colombia and a lady in Argentina. I plan to line a few more up and meet a few along the way.
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This isn't exactly a cookbook, per say, though there will be many recipes included. I envision a collection of stories about the places I visit, about the people I cook with about the foods I taste. The markets, the farms--you get the idea. There will be plenty of recipes and photos too.
33
Backers
$2,106
pledged of $6,500 goal
0
seconds to go
Funding Unsuccessful This project reached the deadline without achieving its funding goal on July 1, 2012.
Funding period
Jun 1, 2012 -
Jul 1, 2012
(30 days)
- First created · 4 backed
- Briana Alfaro 333 friends
- Website: breezybum.com
Pledge $1 or more
0 backers
Every dollar counts. I'LL PUBLISH A "THANK YOU," IN YOUR NAME, ON BREEZYBUM.COM. Muchas gracias!
Estimated delivery: Aug 2012Pledge $5 or more
3 backers
Here's one that will really get you involved as a backer. I haven't decided some details of the journey, for instance, whether I will travel to Argentina through Chile on the west or a more inland route through Bolivia. EVERY $5 PLEDGE BUYS YOU A VOTE TOWARD YOUR CHOICE, CHILE OR BOLIVIA, GIVING YOU THE CHANCE TO STEER THE COURSE OF THE JOURNEY--AND THE BOOK! Plus, a Muchas Gracias on Breezybum! Each backer who pledges $5 or more will receive a vote for their country of choice. You'll cast your vote in a backer survey I'll send out once the project has ended, and I'll reveal the winning country before I leave the U.S.
Estimated delivery: Sep 2012Pledge $10 or more
3 backers
You'll receive a "Muchas Gracias" on Breezybum.com and I'LL EMAIL YOU AN ADVANCE RECIPE AND A PHOTOGRAPH OBTAINED ON THE JOURNEY.
Estimated delivery: Nov 2012Pledge $25 or more
2 backers
A SPECIAL SPICE BLEND MADE FROM SPICES I COLLECT ALONG THE ROUTE. A great reward for those who like to cook! And, you'll receive a "Muchas Gracias" on Breezybum.com and an email containing an advance recipe and a photograph.
Estimated delivery: Apr 2013Pledge $25 or more
9 backers
You'll receive a "Muchas Gracias" on Breezybum.com, an email containing an advance recipe and a photograph and I'LL SEND YOU (or anyone of your choice) A HANDWRITTEN POSTCARD FROM ONE OF THE COUNTRIES ON THE JOURNEY.
Estimated delivery: Jan 2013Pledge $50 or more
2 backers
You'll receive a "Muchas Gracias" on Breezybum.com, an email containing an advance recipe and a photograph and A DIGITAL COPY OF THE BOOK.
Estimated delivery: Jan 2013Pledge $75 or more
2 backers
You'll receive a "Muchas Gracias" on Breezybum.com, an email containing an advance recipe and a photograph, a digital copy of the book and A VIDEO COOKING LESSON, filmed abroad with one of my "old ladies."
Estimated delivery: Feb 2013Pledge $100 or more
4 backers
You'll receive a HANDCRAFTED SPICE RACK FILLED WITH SPICES FROM THE JOURNEY. As well as a "Muchas Gracias" on Breezybum.com, an email containing an advance recipe and a photograph, a digital copy of the book and a video cooking lesson, filmed abroad with one of my "old ladies."
Estimated delivery: Mar 2013Pledge $150 or more
3 backers
You'll receive a "Muchas Gracias" on Breezybum.com, an email containing an advance recipe and a photograph, a digital copy of the book, a video cooking lesson and A SIGNED, SOFTBOUND COPY OF THE BOOK and YOUR NAME PRINTED ON THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT PAGE. For shipping outside of the U.S., please add $15.
Estimated delivery: May 2013Pledge $250 or more
0 backers
I'LL PRINT AN 8x10 PHOTO FROM THE JOURNEY AND SEND IT TO YOU WITH A HANDWRITTEN, UNPUBLISHED RECIPE. You'll receive a "Muchas Gracias" on Breezybum.com, an email containing an advance recipe and a photograph, a digital copy of the book, a video cooking lesson and a signed, softbound copy of the book with your name on the acknowledgement page. For shipping outside of the U.S., please add $25.
Estimated delivery: Dec 2013Pledge $500 or more
0 backers Limited (4 of 4 left)
A COLLECTION OF GIFTS FROM MARKETS THROUGHOUT LATIN AMERICA and FIVE HANDWRITTEN POSTCARDS SENT TO YOU, or anyone of your choice. You'll also receive a "Muchas Gracias" on Breezybum.com, an email containing an advance recipe and a photograph, a digital copy of the book, a video cooking lesson and a signed, softbound copy of the book with your name on the acknowledgement page and an 8x10 photo from the journey with a handwritten, unpublished recipe. For shipping outside of the U.S., please add $50.
Estimated delivery: Apr 2013Pledge $750 or more
0 backers Limited (2 of 2 left)
CALIF./ARIZ./NEV./ORE. BACKERS: I WILL COOK DINNER FOR YOU AND SIX GUESTS. The menu will focus on recipes acquired on the journey. You'll also receive a "Muchas Gracias" on Breezybum.com, an email containing an advance recipe and a photograph, my special spice blend, a digital copy of the book, a video cooking lesson a signed, softbound copies of the book with your name on the acknowledgement page and an 8x10 photo from the journey with a handwritten, unpublished recipe.
Estimated delivery: Jun 2013Pledge $750 or more
0 backers Limited (1 of 1 left)
BACKERS IN OTHER STATES OR COUNTRIES: PROVIDE MY AIRFARE AND I WILL COOK A DINNER FOR YOU AND SIX GUESTS. **OTHERWISE, I will make you a comprehensive scrapbook filled with photos, recipes, a handwritten, "thank you" note at the beginning and pages signed by my "old ladies. Plus, you'll receive a "Muchas Gracias" on Breezybum.com, an email containing an advance recipe and a photograph, a digital copy of the book, a video cooking lesson, TWO signed, softbound copies of the book with your name on the acknowledgement page, an 8x10 photo from the journey with a handwritten, unpublished recipe.
Estimated delivery: Jun 2013
