Ackee is an evergreen tree that has a fruit that resembles brains or scrambled eggs in appearance.  The flavor is delicate and has leathery red and yellow fruits.  Originally from western Africa, the tree has naturalized.  It can also be found in Florida.  The edible fleshy ripe arils of the tree is especially popular as a fruit in Jamaica.  When unripe, the seeds and unripe arils are poisonous.  An aril is a fleshy usually brightly colored seed covering.

Sofrito is a mixture of onions, cilantro, garlic, sweet peppers and tomatoes that are fried in lard, which has been colored with annatto seeds.  Annatto is a tropical tree.  The seeds are used for coloring and sometimes as a flavoring agent, especially in Latin American cuisine.

Arreglados are bread filled with meats.

Mongolian fire pot is essentially the same as a fondue pot, but the cooking liquid is a broth and in which chili spiced meats are cooked.  After the meat is cooked, it is dipped in a sauce and eaten.  After the meats have been consumed, vegetables are cooked in the broth.  When the vegetables have been consumed, the broth is added to the dipping sauce and other accompaniments.  This mixture is then consumed as soup.

Dolmas are stuffed vegetables such as grape leaves, cabbages or eggplants.

Betel nuts are round hard nuts called supari by the East Indians.  They are the astringent seeds of the betel palm (areca palm).  They have been chewed throughout Asia since ancient times for their stimulating effects.  Habitual chewing of betel nuts can turn your teeth black.  Betel nuts are an acquired taste.

A tandoor is a clay oven typically heated by wood or coal with an opening on top.

Seaweeds: Nori is a dried laver, a purplish red seaweed used as a wrapper to wrap rice balls and rolls.  Nori is sometimes made into a seasoning powder in which case it is called aonoriko.  Kombu, which is dried kelp, is typically used in making dashi.  It is also used as a general flavoring ingredient in other dishes.  Wakame is a dried seaweed which after soaking is used in salads with cucumbers or mixed with miso and vinegar.  It can also be added in its dried state to soups or served with shoyu.

Business cards are ideally held in a holder and kept in a breast pocket. It is most impolite to keep business cards in pant pockets. Upon receiving a business card it is important to spend some time looking at it.

Atole is a corn gruel made by boiling corn flour with water and adding milk, sugar and cinnamon to taste.  Occasionally fruits, fruit juices or chocolate are added.

Work: During the winter months they typically work from 9-5, while the summer month hours are 8-4.

Gazpacho is a cold soup that contains tomatoes, green peppers and perhaps garlic. It can also be made gazpacho blanco, which is white soup made without the tomatoes.

Paella: It has been suggested that paella originated in Valencia and got its name from a large two-handed frying pan in which it is cooked. Others have suggested that the dish was created for a tiny frail princess and was called paella meaning for her.

Meals with International Guests Menu

Last Updated: February 17, 2006