Ahhhh.... I'm back. My bag is somewhere else, but I am here, only slightly dazed and confused.
I got in last night to crystal clear skies and colder temperatures than any I experienced in Boston. I would tell you exactly how cold it was, but the outside thermometer I just got.... is in my bag.
I shopped like an Egyptian, I mean Mexican, and brought back all sorts of good stuff... crunchy peanut butter, soy sauce, cheddar cheese, perelite.... Hope it all makes it here.
No better way to get going than market day in nearby Etla. These gentlemen, down from Puebla, were set up right next to my car and the aroma of fresh garlic greeted me as I opened my door. Talk about ahhhh....
What's more the street dog that I always try to buy lunch food whenever I see him, actually wagged his tail when he saw me. He got a nice big fat tamale with pork and flor de calabasa from Doña Melisa, my tamale lady. I told Melisa that there was no one in Boston who could touch her tamales. She has no idea. Hers are consistently some of the best I have eaten here and I have bought from her every week for a few years now.
It is funny, but this all seems so much more normal to me than anything I experienced in El Norte. And shopping for food? Reverse culture shock.
Here's what I got for about $15 US.
Tortillas, five tamales, four chiles rellenos, cheese, salsa, avocados, tomatoes, tangerines, sweet rolls and of course, garlic.
It's good to be back.
2 comments:
Hey Stowe- You're photos and stories remind me of the Philippines. The Philippines went through a period of Spanish colonization as well, and while the food might not compare to Mexico, the smile on the faces, the shop set ups, the architecture, all seem to fall in line. One day, I think I should visit you in Oaxaca and you should join me to the Philippines. It would be such a unique experiment to compare old Spanish roots in two parts of the world.
Michael, come! And bring your sister and her family. You would love this culture. I have been following your adventures. You lead the life I could only have wished for you.
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