Long awaited cooking lessons

I fit the description of a foodie, but since I cannot afford to eat every meal at a restaurant, I have to learn to cook myself. Hence, I have been searching for someone to teach me Mexican cooking.

Esperanza to the rescue!.  I was looking at the brochure and noticed volunteer opportunities in the kitchen so I presented myself to the cook, Juanita,  and she agreed to my assistance.  I perused the weekly menu to chose my recipes days.  I was very excited about today's menu item, Chipolte Salchita Lentils.  Much to my disappointment, salchita turned out to be hot dogs, but at least I was able to learn how to make the chilpolte sauce.  I also cut up 3 dozen bananas for Fried Bananas. I was aghast to discover they are deep fried in oil.  My grilled bananas recipe is much healthier and very tasty. If you want to try it, slice whole bananas lenthwise while maintaining the banana in the peel. Then grill the banana. Next, place a dollup of crema mexican and drizzle some maple syrup. Yum, yum!

Yet another cooking opportunity has presented itself.  I had posted at the Oaxaca Lending Library that I would trade cooking lessons for English lessons.  I received an inquiry email today.

Centro de Esperanza -another volunteer opportunity

Cameron ran a summer bridge class for elementary aged children and the International Bridge Association has continued to support his endeavor in hopes of a new world-wide bridge resurgence.  He is now giving lessons at Centro de Experanza Infantil A.C. which is a block from our apartment.
Arin and I visited the center today and are very impressed with their vision.  They find donors who will support a year of education for youngsters who otherwise would not be able to attend school.  The children come for breakfast then spend the day in school   After they eat lunch,  they return to the Zocolo to assist their parents in selling handicrafts which support the family.  The donors get a quarterly grade report.  If a child is not making the grade, they are required to attend tutoring sessions at the center.  This is where we come in.  I start Tuesday.

If you are interested in supporting a child, or volunteering, the website is www.oaxacastreetchldrengrassroots.org

A Cooking lesson on roasted salsa

I have been searching for someone to teach me about Mexican cooking. One of my coworkers, Adrianna, volunteered.  She drove me to an outdoor market near her home.  We purchased meat and salsa ingredients.  When purchasing the meat, tomatoes, onion and serrano peppers, you have an option to have them grilled on a BBQ.  After the grilling, we went to her place where we seeded the serranos and placed them in a blender with the onions, garlic and some water.  At the final, the tomatoes were added whole, then pulsed twice.  Now I know how to make roasted salsa.  Maybe I won't have to go to the buffet everyday.  Adrianna also showed me the best place to purchase cheese, tortillas and for the first time in Oaxaca I found fresh eggs.  The market vendors were referring to me as "La California."

Unfortunately my lessons were short-lived because her husband was hit by a drunk driver.  He is in the hospital but will be fine.  Oaxaca does not punish drunk drivers just as the USA had no punishment before MADD pushed for drinkers to take responsibility for their choices.   If you have forgotten those crazy days, I suggest you watch Dragnet which is an old black and white cop show from the 1960s which reenacts real crimes or Quincy which depicts the investigative techniques of a coroner.  In one Quimcy episode, a man purposely mows down an enemy with his car, then chugs a couple bottles of booze while waiting for the cops. You see, before MADD, being drunk precluded you from punishment because it "wasn't my fault". 

$2.80 Buffet

On Murguia street there are 3 buffet restaurants situated in a row.  They cost about $2.80.  I try to visit one of these each day to pig out and then only need a snack either for breakfast or lunch depending on which meal I chose to eat at the buffet.  The best part of the buffet is the unlimited fresh squeezed juice of orange, mango, some kind of green healthy drink, cantaloupe, beet, papaya, or guava.  Arin will sometimes join me if guava juice is present.  He loves that fruit.  It's hard to believe that one can eat an entire buffet for the price of one glass of juice made from concentrate in the states.

Dia de los Muertos traditonal bread

Our landlady hung skeletons on all our apartment doors and today she served pan de muertos and hot chocolate to all her guests.  The pan de muertos has the head of a doll baked in.

Visiting the cemetery for Dia de los Muertos

Our friend Daniel offered to take us around to some of the sites for Dia de los Muertos.  We visited a cemetery named Panteon General.  When we arrived at the locations, we first cruised through a tunnel of carnival games and food.  Daniel playing one of the ball throwing games and won a piece of candy.  He encouraged me to drink Ponche which is similar to mulled wine but is made with beer and fermented fruit.  Floating in the cup are pieces of apple and peach and small seeded fruits which I could not identify

. Inside the cemetery walls were hundreds of people, many of them with painted faces.  Daniel is paying his way through college working as a clown on the city buses.

Many of the graves or should I say tombs, were decorated with flowers of red cocks comb and orange marigolds.  One of the tombs was in disrepair and I asked Daniel the reason.  He told me that if the person buried there did not have a son or if the son did not get married and have children then there was no one to tend the family tomb.

Also built into the cemetery is a large amphitheater.  A famous Oaxacan actor was giving a performance.  On the walk home we observed in one building, a large family alter.  The family allowed us access and encouraged us to take photos. 

Dia de los muertos Day of the Dead

November 1st and 2nd are important dates in Mexico.  On these days, Mexicans honor their departed loved ones.  This usually entails a visit to the cemetery which may include a picnic and soft music.  Also, each family generally builds an altar which displays not only pictures of the departed but also contains foods and other items which the relative or friend enjoyed while living.  The theme of the celebrations is skeletons.  Skeletons hang from buildings and 3D pictures constructed with sand are designed around the skeleton theme.

Most interestingly, people paint their faces black and white to simulate skeletons.  Being raised with the American equivalent of Halloween, I am somewhat spooked by the skeletons, but the Mexican culture does not present them as frightening.  This is a perfect example of cultural influence.

All of these floor murals are constructed from sand.