La bouffe. Ya'll la bouffe.
I used to be fat. So now when I eat, I pay attention to the calorie count of what I am putting into my body. I also power walk, swim, ice skate and bike to keep me fitting in my hoochie clothes. In the winter ,those ski pants I paid a fortune for are a size 8.
One would think that exercise could be a challenge when traveling. Not so, when the countries in question are Ireland, England (I powered into The Tower of London--by accident, naturally, or at least that is my story and I am sticking to it) and, of course, France.
The last time I was in Ireland, in 2004, I did a "bit of hill walking" climbing the Wicklow Way ( a mountain range) and was marched into the ground (I was in my thirties then) by a seventy-year-old who explained as he flew past me that he was part goat. The aged awaited me a the bottom of the 'hill' with smiles, dentures gleaming, and old-folk patience. Then we went to the pub; I love a good hot whisky.
Or, I lived in France off and on for almost two years, and brought two bikes, while I was there. I once (by accident, what else) rode into someone's front yard; it was a charming chateau, but for whatever reason, the owners were not pleased to see me. I call this "real tourism"--you know, the good stuff not recommended in the guide books. However, in France, let's face it, they put something in the food; one cannot get fat (though it may have something to do with the French sorta starving visitors to death.) They don't eat between meals, so keeping in shape was not so difficult. Every now and again I had to cut back on the chocolate and pastries that I ate only on the weekend et les jours ferie.
Meanwhile, those of us on this side of the Rio Grande have all heard rumors about Mexican food....and those rumors are all true. La comida alla esta rico. J'ai mange comment un cochon. Comia como un cerdo embarrasada. I got my eat on. I was based in Guadalajara in an area called el jardin de arboles. Encanta mucho esta colonia. I arranged with the language school to be hosted by a local family...and WOW is all I can say. My highest compliment when I stay with folks is to say, "I got that Ona and Fatai treatment." Ona and Fatai are friends from back in the day, and I flopped at their house every weekend for three years when I came into DC to show and sell my work at a local art, crafts, flea and farmers market. They spoiled me and I loved it. And this family, the Chavez family, gave me 'the Ona and Fatai" treatment. Do you know, there is really not a word in Spanish that means to overindulge someone? One can not be too spoiled in Latin culture? My kind of folk. The house consisted of Ms. Chavez, her daughter Ana, brother Julian, and myself.
Their home was spacious, with four bedrooms and three baths. The floors were made of marble tiles. They had an inside fountain and a lovely small back garden.
 |
inside mi casa en Mexico  Back garden with lime, fig trees and bird of Paradise plant But let's get right down to it. This is Ti-Ti or Ms. Chavez. She is la alma de la casa, la jefa and this sista can burn.  First she tested me to see if I was una gringa ou, una estadosuninese, ou una Mexicana pero yo soy de alla yo soy tapatia! At first she offered me a homemade salsa of chopped tomatoes with a little salt. I was like, "where is the heat?" I made her understand that I loved mi comida enchililosa. _____________________________________________________________________________________ I should preface these pictures by adding that my traveling experiences have always been nontraditional. I neither can afford nor want to stay in a hotel when I voyage. I travel to learn; I have studied languages, art, metalsmithing, shown my work and volunteered, and I never consider myself a tourist. There are these old books that speak of the power of breaking bread with other folks-strangers. These books (some call them holy texts) make it clear that this is a sacred undertaking. I agree. I have been welcomed at many tables, often with folk who had cooked for me as an honored guest even though I was unable to express my gratitude for their gift in their mother tongue. |
______________________________________________________________________________
So let's talk dirty, Mexican style. For the breaking of the fast I chowed down on fresh mango, watermelon, and papaya...as the starter. Desayuno in Mexico comes in at least two courses. Then maybe chilaquiles o huevos rancheros o torilla, salsa and frijoles, o... Breakfast was rib sticking. It was not a piece of bread and coffee a la Francais. Yo fui llenita cada dia. I never really got the word for lunch; since it was served at three pm I was usually to hungry to ask. I was and am a fan of enchiladas, tacos, ceviche, and anything with avocado in it. But there are those dishes that stand out. Don't tell the children, but mi gente in Mexico make a dish with chocolate as the main ingredient. Let's get nasty.
Pollo con Mole
ingredientes:
1. Pollo en piezas
1/2 cebolla
1 taza de pasta de mole
1 jitomate
3 cucharadas de aceite de oliva
un pizca de sal
Procedimiento:
En una cacerola ponga 4 tazas de agua, el pollo, cebolla y sal por una hora, cuado este listo pongalo, aparte, saque la cebolla, conserve el caldo en la misma cacerola.
Licue el jitomate y frialo en cucharadas de aceite.
Agregue al caldo, el mole y el jitomate dejelo cocinar por 20 minutos a fuego lento, agregue el pollo sin el pellejo y dejelo cocinar otros 15 minutos a fuego lento.
por bebe: Modelo ou Victoria
One does not need a dessert as you are eating chicken with a chocolate sauce. This a a picture of my plate at the table.
 |
| Pollo con mole y frijoles en la casa de Alicia Chavez |
Drinking in the Chavez house was all about water or Agua de... something. Jamaica water, Tamarindo water, Fraises water...oatmeal water? nope, they do make it with oatmeal--not my favorite, but surprisingly mild tasting), you name it. Whatever the secret ingredient, they crushed it, mixed it with sugar and water, and drank it. My favorite, bar none, was agua de Tamarindo. What is a tamarindo, you ask? well...it is a seed thingie, that tastes sorta sour and sweet at the same time sorta like a... well, no. There is no equivalent that I know of in the States. Check it out.
 |
| Agua de Tamarindo |
 |
Tamarindo seed/pods   |
These are just a few of the meals I had a la casa de Senora Chavez. However en las callas (in the streets) is where the real action is for getting your eat on, Mexican style. You may know that the authorities of guide books, and administrators at school, suggest that perhaps, if one is from the States, one may not have the stomach for la comida de la calle in Mexico. But, really, who listens to these folk anyway? I got my eat on again and again and again. In Tlaquepaque (crafts and arts expensive tourist trap pueblo for Americans) I found this delicious, inexpensive roasted chicken and potato dish and even took a picture before I had eaten it all. (*Please note--Tlaquepaque has excellent arts and crafts, and I went several times, but it really is a tourist trap for Americans.)
Here are some images of good eats in ... Tonala. Tonala is like the Flea Market at Eastern Market, on crazy. without "the good guys that wear hats" as management. Imagine that one or two of the more "street wise" vendors had taken over and strung up red lights, disco balls, and shoe sofas mixed with the worst imports; wonderful spicy fresh food; no side walks/walkways; and all the artists and craft artists stuck in a back corner. Now make it a hundred times as large as the school yard, with dirt and cobble stone streets where the asphalt is. Are you getting the picture? No? Well, then...
 |
| The Flea Market at Tonala |
The Flea Market at...
________________________________________________________________________________
STREET EATS
 |
| Fresh coconuts |
 |
Those green things are sauteed jalapeno peppers...goody! |
 |
Peeling a coconut, old school  It should be noted that many dishes in Mexico are...fried!  But there are salad-like dishes as well if one looks for them. Yummy! _______________________________________________________________________________________ I grew up with a traditional southern American diet as my background culinary experience. I used to like picked pigs feet with greens and corn bread. In Baltimore, where I have spent the balance of my life, my mother took us to folk festivals. Hence, I have eaten somebody's mamma's cooking from Greece to Lithuania, with side trips to the Caribbean, West African peanut stews, Filipino pineapple and roast pig. And don't get me started on a good hot borscht. But Mexico had something new for la Sondita. Yeah, I ate 'em. Tasted just like...  Yes: crickets or maybe grasshoppers. Hell, I say pass the chili, lime and salt and grab the cat. These are specialties of Oaxaca called "Chapulines". Chocolate is also a speciality of Oaxaca. I chomped down on these crunchy treats while waiting for the bus in Tlaquepaque. But what is food without something to wash it down with? In Ireland, for me with pub grub comes a hot whisky, or, for the folk, Guinness. In France avec poulet roti un petit vin blanc. In Germany French fries with mayonnaise and larger. But in Mexico did you know that Tequila was a.... Witnessing Joy, Sonda |
No comments:
Post a Comment