European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 25, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 20 the stars and stripes wednesday. May 25, 1977 Kitchen artistry puerto Kan style by Leah Larkin staff writer he music in the Home and the Lively conversation Are definitely latin. One expects to look out the window and see Palm Trees and women carrying baskets of coconuts on their Heads not a Busy Street lined with still Leaf less Trees. But this is Germany not puerto Rico. Sonia Hernandez is Busy in her Kitchen in Darmstadt preparing polio Guisado. A Chicken dish popular on the Island where she grew up. She loves to Cook primarily puerto rican food. Finding All the ingredients in Germany can be a real chore. Frequently mrs. Hernandez and her husband. Army s. Sgt. Prank Hernandez make shopping expeditions to a store in Frankfurt that specializes in latin products. It s called Grasli and is on Hanauer Strasse in the o Roj smart Hatle. A wholesale fruit and vegetable Market near the Frankfurt zoo a pot full of tiny Green leaves is growing on her Windowsill. You can t buy them Here. My friends gave me the weds. They Are so Beautiful and Ihry give a special flavor to the food Khe says. The plants Are  Nicori Anderl. One of several herbs used to season puerto Kincan food. And. It s the seasoning the condiments that give puerto rican food a certain  says her Hus band a new yorker whose parents arc from the Caribbean Island. Sonia Hernandez makes special concoctions of herbs and spices that she uses in just about every thing she Cooks. There s so no a paste made of garlic onion Green Pepper Pimento oregano cumin and olives. Actuate is a Liny red seed that the indians used to use for War paint and driving out evil spirits. Mrs. Hernandez makes a paste of the seeds melted in Oil. She keeps it on hand and uses it for color and consistency. There Are some puerto rican favourites the Hernandezesc have to do without in Germany. Such As Baca Kutos iritis a snack made with cod fish. They miss the fruits and vegetables found in the Caribbean especially Green bananas which Are the key ingredient in pastels. A special treat always Cairn at Christmas every now and then the commissary does have these bananas i look fur them. 1 love Posti is two act is ago i found he Tauarus in lit commissary and i was so  says the puerto Kincan Cook. She rushed Home and made a big Batch of the mix lure of Park. Potatoes and bananas which is usually stuffed in banana leaves even though she had to substitute aluminium foil fur the leaves she was _. Its Lloyd Park Mosonia Hernandez relies heavily on herbs and spices to prepare her puerto rican specialities. Thrilled with her accomplishment. She was also pleased when she found cans of puerto rican Coffee on the commissary shelves. It s a dark espresso Type Coffee. Mrs. Hernandez uses a special cloth filter a Colado to make the Strong Island brew. Sonia Hernandez is not one of those Cooks who grew up in the Kitchen and Learned her Culi nary skills from her Mother. She was reared by her grandmother who refused to let her Cook. To Tell the truth when i got married i did t know anything about  she remembers. I did t know How to measure. When we first got mar ried i put four cups of raw Rice in a pot i did t think we would have enough. I did t know the Rice would grow. Frankie came Home and we had enough fur an  As the tiny effervescent woman talks she tastes the red sauce simmering on the stove. More Salt. An other Pinch of oregano. She has Learned to measure Rice but like most accomplished Cooks when it comes to herbs and spices she relies on her taste buds rather than Teaspoons or Tablespoons. The Day we visited Sonia Hernandez she was cooking a big pot of i Oulu Isado and another big pot of yellow Rice. Both very typical puerto rican dishes. If you would like to try a Little Caribbean Cui sine Here Are her recipes Sofr to to be used in the Chicken and Rice recipes 6 cloves chopped garlic t onion chopped 1 Green Pepper chopped 2 Tablespoons Pimento i Teaspoons oregano 1 Teaspoons cumin 10 Green olives seedless blend All ingredients in a blender until a smooth paste is formed. Pollo Guisado 3 Tablespoons Sofr to paprika optional 1 Tounch can Tomato sauce water 2 to 3 pounds Chicken breasts and legs 4 to 5 medium potatoes peeled and Cut int chunks coat Bottom of Large pot with Oil. Add so frito and Tomato sauce and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. If de sired Sprinkle with paprika for More color. Add Chicken parts breasts May be Cut in half. Add Pota toes then add sufficient Quantity of water to cover All ingredients cover mixture but not tightly. Simmer until Chicken is tender about 1 j hours serve with yellow Rice yellow rice3 cups raw trashed Rice i i Tablespoons so frito 4 ounces Tomato sauce 1-Pound can White Beans washed canned Pinto Beans porn or Pras May be subs i muted Pinch of Salt 3 cups water coat Large pot with Oil add so frito and Tomato sauce and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Add Rice Beans Salt and water simmer uncovered until liquid evaporated. Then lower heal cover and continue cooking until Rice is tender. The Bottom layer May actually stick to the pan since this recipe does not Call for As much water As normally used to Cook Rice. However the result is a firm but tender Rice to accompany polio Quisado and yellow Rice mrs. Hernandez serves bread and a tossed Ereen salad. These recipes should serve six for some reason. Americans cannot work up a scrap of compassion for a a Mercedes with a fall tire by a Price increase in Polo scorecards cd the woman who holds Down the Home front while her husband travels the first two i could understand but Why pick on a woman who is bravely Shoul Dering the responsibilities of both Mother and father the women assure me it is True. A Friend of mine kept a log of her week just to prove a Point. On monday she went to a Parent teacher conference alone to be told her son mole paper towels from the restroom the girl wrote an obscene word in the dust on or. Drip per s car and was flunking lunch. She said her husband travelled a lot and by Ermo Bombick at wits end the teacher said she should be glad be was working. On tuesday the dog got hit by a motor Cycle the House payment got lost in the mail and her daughter tried to crush a tin can with her hand like the bionic woman and required a Tatanus shot. She told the doctor her husband travelled a lot and he said she was Lucky she had a car on wednesday the television set stopped working the car developed a wheeze and she had to cancel a night out with the girls. Her Mother in Law said be thankful you have the children " on thursday As she was making a left handed turn in her vow Rabbit a car slowed into the Back of her. As Shevat there crying softly the Rabbit died. The Rabbit  a police officer stuck his head in the window and said you re Lucky Udy. Nobody got  on Friday at the supermarket so bored she was carrying on a conversation with a Broom display she went through the mechanics of shopping lashing one kid to the Basket getting another out of the bean display where he found a Hole in a big of pintos. And on finding the third had eaten an unknown amount of fruit offered to weigh him and pay the difference for any thing Over 53 pounds the checkout girl in noting All the convenience foods said you re Lucky to have your husband gone a Tot. At least you Don t have to Cook  on saturday she car pooled it to utile league two haircuts one dentist appoint ment Baton twirling lessons the cleaners the Post office and a birthday party. As she pulled in at dusk a neighbor yelled Over the Fence you re Lucky. At least you get out of the  on sunday site dragged the Brood to Church. As she extended a Limp hand to the minister he said. Glad to see you at least coming to Church gets rid of the kids for an hour. Incidentally if you sleep during the Sermon. I  was the Only one who did