The money finally did run out, but by then neither Mendel nor her husband wanted to go back to the United States. They went to Switzerland to teach for a year, to stockpile more money. Returning to Mijas with a small inheritance, Mendel put down roots. She bought a small piece of land, built a house and started a family. To bring in a little cash, expatriate Mendel sent some of her collected recipes to Lookout magazine, a monthly guide to the good life in Spain, written for American and British expats and other English-speaking people.
Timing is everything.
She was invited to write a cooking column that has appeared monthly ever since. Lookout is sold on newsstands in Spain and by subscription abroad. Her recipes are for the sort of home cooking that is eaten day in and day out, the simple, traditional and healthful Mediterranean diet.