by The History Chicks | Oct 18, 2013
One day I, Susan, was venting on Twitter about how the book I was reading, The Secret Book of Frida Kahlo by F.G. Haghenbeck, was making me hungry. In addition to a storyline that follows Frida’s life very accurately and based on secret journals of hers, the historical fiction novel was chock full of traditional Mexican recipes! I am a sucker for a novel with recipes, and this one was making me very hungry. And thirsty. (Reading Frida’s story in this form made me want tequila and margaritas, too) So instead of cooking (effort) I whined about it on Twitter (effortless).
Nonnie, a longtime friend of ours replied back and said that she would like a recipe that had no sugar, sweetener, preservatives, gluten and also, dairy free.
I found one that looked good, and had ingredients that would be available in most US grocery stores.
Ribs For Dead Dr. Leo
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
12 garlic cloves, chopped, and 6 whole cloves
2 racks of pork ribs, cut, with the ribs seperated
2 tablespoons lard
4 cups water
8 serrano chiles
1/4 onion, in pieces
2 pounds of green tomatoes (tomatillos) peeled
8 sprigs of cilantro, crushed
salt and pepper
Add the cumin and salt to chooped garlic, then rub the mixture on the ribs. If at all possible, let the ribs rest overnight so the flavors will be absorbed into the meat.
Place the ribs in a large pot, then bring to a boil. When the meat can be easily pierced with a fork, remove the ribs from the heat.
Fry the ribs for 10 minutes in the lard, then set aside.
In another pot, add the 4 cups of water and the whole garlic cloves. Bring to a boil, then add the onion and chilis and cook for 5 minutes. Add green tomatoes and cook for another 5 minutes.
Remove everything (except the ribs) and pound on the molcajete until it has a consistency of a puree (Susan note: I would throw it in the food processor and puree it).
Add 2 cups of the rib broth and freshly crushed cilantro. If the sauce is too thick, add more water.
In a large pan, add 2 tablespoons of lard from when the ribs were previously fried. Add the puree and boil, covered, for 10 minutes.
Add the ribs, season with salt and pepper to taste. Let cook over low heat for 20 minutes
And if historical fiction is your thing, this quick and simple read did a great job of following her life. Yes, there are fictional elements but I enjoyed the magic realism, the story, the selection of life events to highlight, the way that the author captured Frida’s personality and…yes…the recipes.
by The History Chicks | Sep 9, 2013 | Biography Episode, Episode, Podcasts
Put some flowers in your hair, drape yourself in bold fabrics and listen to a chat about the colorful and dramatic life and art of Frida Kahlo.
Frida Kahlo, circa 1937
If you thought selfies were an invention of the Twentytens, step back in a time a bit farther. The majority of Frida’s art was of herself- it’s how she told her story. Frida experienced a great deal of pain and joy (and every emotion in between) in her lifetime, and painting was how she expressed herself.
Born (deep breath) Magdalena Carmen Frieda Kahlo y Calderon on July 6, 1907 to Guillermo and Matilda Kahlo in Coyoacan, Mexico. She was the third of four daughters, although Papa had two girls with his first wife.
Frida’s childhood was off to a tumultuous start when the Mexican Revolution broke out when she was 3. A few years later, she contracted polio and was bedridden for most of a year. Both of these events foreshadowed some very significant challenges that would come her way.
Young Frida
But first she had to grow-up! We talk about her schooling, her neighborhood shenanigans and her entre into a prestigious school to study to become a doctor. While there she gets her first taste of radical political life and she meets a man- muralist Diego Rivera. At this point, Frida’s role in his life was to taunt him while he tried to work…or play (Diego excelled at “play”).
When Frida was 18, she boarded a bus with her boyfriend, just like she did every day. But that day the bus and a trolley collided. Frida was left with severe injuries that affect her physically for the rest of her life. We do go into details during the podcast, and give a warning because the accident and recovery was horrific.
A teenager, laying at home immobilized by a full-body cast, would get bored very quickly. Her parents set Frida up with paints, a mirror over her bed and an easel- the result? Frida’s first painting- a self portrait. More paintings came and we talk about some of them. When she is finally vertical she brings a sample of her work to her former tormentee: Diego.
And he liked them!
And he liked her!
Of course we go into greater detail in the podcast, but in short order Frida and Diego marry. He was 22 years her senior and was almost a foot and 200 pounds larger but the match between, “an elephant and a dove” (as her mama claimed) was passionate and electric.
Frida and Diego, circa 1930
Diego’s job as muralist took him many places, and Frida followed. She continued to paint although her very small, mostly self-portraits juxtaposed with his large and quite full murals mirrored the physical dissimilarities that they had. The couple traveled to the United States, where she was “Mrs. Rivera” ( and not much else) but is celebrated because of her relationship to the famous painter. For a variety of reasons (that we cover, you know the podcast is much fuller than these shownotes, right?) she is not happy in the United States and eventually, they work their way back to Mexico.
But with great passion often comes great drama. Diego has never managed (or even attempted) to keep himself away from other women, and- quite frankly- Frida didn’t do such a great job keeping herself away from other women (and men), either. Their love was…er- unique. And so was their house!
Diego got the big half, Frida the shorter- and they were connected by a bridge.
And then this happened.
My Sister Cristina…yeah, *that* sister Cristina. She’s lucky this was painted before (the incident)
And things get pretty dramatic for a few years (like they weren’t before?) It’s like a telenovela…except it’s real! We do our best to keep this talk PG-13, we really do, but their lives weren’t all that PG-13. For instance, after a separation, then a reconciliation of sorts, they take in exiled Russian Revolutionary, Leon Trotsky and his wife. A short affair ensues (Frida with Leon). Later, Trotsky is killed while in Mexico: Diego and Frida are suspects for a short time, but Diego had conveniently left the country. See? Drama.
Later she painted this, Self-Portrait Dedicated to Leon Trotsky (image courtesy NMWA)(you should go read about it here)
All of the drama really fires up her art. Frida painted to work through her feelings and she clearly had a lot of feelings that needed to be addressed. Because of that, her art was beginning to get noticed. She was given several exhibits in both New York and Paris.
Paris loves her!
Josephine loves her! Maybe. Probably.
The Parisians adore her style and slap her on the cover of Paris Vogue.
Because everyone who goes to Paris gets a Vogue cover. Vogue. Vogue.(two points if you just got a Madonna earworm)
But she and Diego need eachother. Somehow. They work out an amiable arrangement and get married again. For several years she takes care of him, he takes care of her…they move back into the Casa Azul and have a colorful and workable relationship.
Frida painting her father, Guillermo’s portrait circa 1951
But Frida’s health has never been good. Several pregnancies that never came to term took a toll on her body, as well as lifelong complications from her bus accident. She spends the better part of her last years in bed or hospitalized.
Frida painting in a hospital bed later in her life
Frida’s last painting, completed just before her death
On July 13th, 1954, at the age of 47, Frida Kahlo dies at her home. Official cause: Pulmonary Embolism. Unofficial Speculation: suicide or assisted suicide.
Her remains were cremated and are still on display at Casa Azul.
TIME TRAVEL WITH THE HISTORY CHICKS
You want to look at lots of pictures of Frida- you must! She told her biography through her paintings, and there are a lot of images of her to be seen. Click on over to the Frida Kahlo Museum, or The Frida Kahlo Foundation to get started. The first you can visit and is located in her family home, Casa Azul in Coyoacon, Mexico.
Frida Kahlo Museum
Here is the link (about a documentary) that we spoke about where you can roll your mouse over some of her art for explanations, Life and Times of Frida Kahlo, PBS.
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Beckett talked about this. Click on RELATED MULTIMDIA to start your adventure.
Movie version!
BOOKS! Start with the books Susan recommended. First up, historical fiction:
The Secret Book of Frida Kahlo by F.G. Haghenbeck (recipe for Nonnie and anyone else in Special Features)
For the most part, we both really appreciated the books the showed her life along side her paintings- it’s the perfect way to understand both. If you find one, even ones we don’t recommend here, grab it. There are many exceptional art books about her out there.
by Gerry Soufer
Loved this one…Self Portrait in a Velvet Dress: Frida’s Wardrobe
Fun children’s book by Amy Novesky, illustrated by David Diaz
We forgot to mention this one, but it was really great for kids:
Viva la Vida by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand
Beckett’s recommendations:
by Hayden Herrera
Another art book…Edited by Elizabeth Carpenter
As always, music comes courtesy of Music Alley. Visit them at Music. mevio.com
by The History Chicks | Apr 23, 2014 | Episode, Podcasts, Special
Take a musical trip with us as we revisit some of our favorite songs from Seasons Three and Four. For each episode we select a song or piece of music that brings our episode subject to mind. Maybe the lyrics reminded us of her, the beat fit her life, or the chorus defined her legacy- something that ties the music to her story. We don’t usually play the whole piece, so this is our chance to showcase the whole song and thank the artists who made it available to us.
If you have been turning off our podcasts when we say, “Bye!” you are missing out on not only some great independent music, but we have been known to tack outtakes in there, too.
This episode is also a bit of a milestone: it brings us to the end of Season Four. We will be back soon for Season Five when we can share the stories of ten (at least, you know how we like to tuck in a bonus mini-casts here and there) women whose lives are worthy of a good chat.
Here is the playlist: (It’s longer than last time, and there is OPERA!)
1. “Justice Will Roll Down” by Sandra McCracken
(from Episode 25, Ida Wells)
2. “Broken” by jamesking
(from Episode 42, Frida Kahlo)
3. “Know Which Way The Wind Blows” by The Postmarks
(from Episode 38, Jane Austen)
4. “Lost Things” by Viola
(from Episode 45, Hatshepsut)
5. “Bravely” by Mieka Pauley
(from Episode 23, Margaret “Molly” Brown)
6. “Taking A Chance On Love” by Danny Fong
(from Episode 24, The Last Four Wives of Henry the Eighth) <- This was so wrong 🙂
7. “On A Bridge Between Clouds” by Mujaji
(from Episode 39, Amelia Earhart)
8. “Leaf In The Tree” by Frozen Ocean Wave
(from Episode 43, Queen Elizabeth I, Part 1)
9. “Majesty” by Infernal Devices
(from Episode 21, Tudor Grandmothers)
10. “Dreamers” by The Hipstones
(from Episode 41, Bessie Coleman)
11. “The Tsar’s Bride, Aria from Act IV” written by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov and performed by Elena Zoubareva
(from Episode 32, The Romanovs (Part 1)
12. “Paris” by Friendly Fires
(from Episode 34, Josephine Baker, Part 1)
13. “Should Have Known Better” by Samantha Farrell
(from The Jane Austen Book Club, Part 3)
14. “You’re Human After All” by Stars and Skylines
(from Cleopatra, Episode 46)
15. “I Can Sing A Rainbow” by Beth Burrows (memories of preschool!)
(from The Ladies of The Wizard Of Oz Minicast)
16. “Made of Stars” by Xavier & Ophelia
(Bonus track!)
As always, find this music and more at Music Alley. Visit them at Music.mevio.com
