The here and now... and what and why

Complacency is a trap. At least that’s what I was thinking when I up and left the comfort of a Yankee prep school gig, where I taught music, amongst other things, for 28 years. There was also that life long career as a composer, musician and artist.

First, it was a year in St. Thomas, USVI, working as a reporter and shooting photography and then, a year in San Agustin Etla, Oaxaca, Mexico.
Time passed.
More time passed and a year back in the Athens of America followed by a hasty return to Oaxaca where it is all happening.
A couple of years in San Sebastian Etla and now, just down the road in San Pablo Etla. Life is good.

Click on an image to see it larger.
For additional photography please visit my flickr page.
You can find my music on Jango (World & latin - Worldbeat) and at iTunes and most online stores.
¡Soy consciente de todas las tradiciones del Internet!
If you are coming to Oaxaca, please contact me for tours or advice.

Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo
The view from Corazon del Pueblo

The hereafter re me

My photo
Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico
Musician, photographer, videographer, reporter, ex-officio teacher, now attempting to be a world traveler

Monday, October 30, 2017

Feria de Pan de Muerto - Villa Diaz Ordaz

We did a nice swing through a few markets this past Sunday, the last one before Muertos.  Tlacolula was so crowded, but nonetheless exhilarating with sights and smells. Then it was off to Mitla, above, where some of the finest examples of pan de muerto can be found.  It is an art there, but they no longer have an exhibition of the finest breads. However, there were nice examples in the market.
After Mitla, it was off to Villa Diaz Ordaz where they were having a feria, a fair, del Pan del Muerto.
We were there last year and thought maybe more people would be there this year.   However, it turned out we were most of the crowd.  It was very tranquil and serene scene.  People were selling bread, but most of the action was with the kids who were kneading dough and shaping bread, keeping the traditions going.
This guy is destined to be a baker.
Their energy and exuberance were the best parts of the day.
The bread for El Dia de los Muertos, Day of the Dead, is a very important element of the altars and one can find it everywhere in the days leading up to the beginnings of the celebrations.
After seeing all the food in the markets, we were starved so we took advantage of some excellent tamales and the best higaditos I've ever tasted from this woman.
Eggs, chicken and a perfect broth, a simple but elegant traditional dish and unique to the central valleys of Oaxaca.
Higaditos, elsewhere, is a very different dish.  We also got a rare treat, one hardly ever seen for sale, some estafado mole from this excellent cook.  It was so nice to be almost the only people there as folks were so friendly and happy.  However, you see where it is... there's always next year.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

thanks for the post, my mom is the best cook

Christopher Stowens said...

She sure is! You are so lucky.