Trout in the mountains

It has been a busy week, laying bricks in the back garden, helping unload boxes of books for Amate and lots of running around. I did want to make mention of something we did last weekend, a bike ride in the mountains from Cuajimoloyas north to, once again, eat the wonderful food of Senora Lucia at her restaurant with adjoining trout pond. It seems we have been going there for years, but this was first for me on a bike. I wrote about the wonderful hongos she cooked for us last July.

We rented bikes and headed off through the bright sun and crisp air. Cuajimoloyas is way up there. It has the feel of a Swiss alpine village, except for all the agave and zapotecs. The road follows a ridge and is mostly downhill. Notice I said "mostly" and also what every biker knows, what goes down is all uphill on the way back.

The restaurant was maybe 10k and it was an easy ride through the mountains, surrounded by pines with the wind whistling though my hair. We were hungry before we left and the ride just added to it. It was time to eat.

Senora Lucia worked her magic with some freshly caught trout, which she stuffed with onions, chiles, tomato, herbs and quesillo, wrapped in tinfoil and cooked on her her hge wood-fired comal. Here she is making a special salsa made with nuts and chiles. She was helped by the ever-smiling Rosaleria. The food was so good and we were so hungry I forgot to take a picture of the finished product. It looked as good as it tasted.

After the meal it was time to head back. It has been a while since I had been on a bike and my butt was sore and the bikes were not in the best of shape, but I made it. I have to admit to walking up some of the longer uphill stretches. High altitude really does a number on your lungs if you are not used to it. Oaxaca is plenty high, but this was higher and baby, it hurt. You can see it in my face as I crossed the finish line. Now that I have recovered, it took a day, I am ready for the whole thing again.