Empanadas - San Antonino style

Empanadas are everywhere, filled with everything from fruit to nuts to meat to vegetables.  And they are very different from village to village.  The ones I get in Etla tend to be a bit more liquidy, but still very tasty.  However, the ones in San Antonino are even better and the texture and taste of the filling is just out of this world.

The secret is in the masa prep made with cilantro, caldo de puerco..... and lots of other things.  A little pork is added.

 

 Onto the comal.

 And on to a bed of fresh lettuce.

 And talk about mouth watering.....

Mapping La Soledad

There were two mapping projects this past Muertos.  One on the church of Santo Domingo and this one projected on La Soledad, the cathedral.  The artists/techies use the architecture of each building as the basis for the work and it is pretty spectacular.

Unfortunately, the schedules were not quite accurate and I missed the one at Santo Domingo and the one above of La Soledad was hand held and a bit too close, but hey...

Tamales in Teotitlan del Valle

We were invited to our good friends, Emilia and Zacarias Ruiz's, casa for tamales amarillo in Teotitlan del Valle.  They are such gracious and wonderful people, with an equally wonderful and gracious family surrounding them,  It is always an honor to visit them.

And.... Emilia is maybe, just possibly, one of the best cooks in the entire universe... okay, just the world, and I'm not kidding.  Each day of Muertos dictates what gets eaten.  Yesterday, it was these tamales amarillo.  Today and tomorrow (I hope) is mole negro.  We plan to stop by and say goodbye to the spirits as they depart.

As for the tamales....we were worried they might not have enough.  Here is Virginia - Look at her here!!, wife of Sergio, one of Zac and Emilia's sons.  She is watching the pot.  I was so lucky to be invited to shoot their wedding.  Check this out!!

They only had three hundred of these beauties.  I think I ate twelve... they are just a few bites, but, oh, so, good.

Pan de Muerte - Mitla style

With still one more day to go and hundreds of photos to go through, not to mention video, this has been a very nice Muertos.  Yesterday, we did the swing through Mitla, Tlacolula and Teotitlan del Valle and wow, it could not have been better.  We went to Mitla to see the tapetes de arena, the sand paintings, but there was only one and not really much to write home about.

However, there was an exhibition of pan de muerto, breads locally baked, and they were spectacular.

These are made to be placed on altars or ofrendas.

Each one a work of art.

 Some of the most ornate I've seen.

This one is made for an altar and it even gives you a plan for laying out the altar.

They just kept going...

 and going...

Never seen anything like these before.

 So Mitla was inspirational in new and different ways.

Muertos arrives

 

After all the turmoil, all the marches, protests and blockades, finally the city has exploded in the best of ways... with happiness and celebration.  Yes, El Dia de los Muertos has arrived along with thousands of tourists and the place is hoppin', the night filled with some mighty fine looks.  Father and daughter.

How about these great faces?  Father and.... hmmm.... I'm not really sure.

There is so much to do, one has to pick and choose and then just go for it.  It's going to be a fun couple of days.  People know how to do it right here.

As always, they were dancing in the streets.

She looks like she has seen something horrible....

Hmmmmm....

If it's Wednesday, it's Etla

And it was the Wednesday before Muertos, so all the necessary elements to get ready for the celebrations were there.

Sugarcane for the altars. 

 Everything looked so fresh today, perfect timing.

And of course, there were lots of celosia, cockscomb, terciopelo rojo, and marigolds or cempasuchil, two of the most important flowers for both altars and panteons or cemeteries.

 The classic nicely sugared pan de muerto.  The designs on the top represent bones.

 And everyone totally into the spirit.

Bread and chocolate

Bread and chocolate are traditional offerings all year long, but especially for Muertos.  I've heard that the price of eggs skyrockets for the week before, as everyone is baking and making the special breads that will be lovingly placed on altars.

The chocolate is often hand made, so rich and tasty.

The breads come in all shapes and sizes.

The proper way to eat any bread here is to dip/dunk pieces in rich hot chocolate, which can be made with either milk or water.

This is my daily morning bun, small and they toast up very nicely. And here they are in a classic Tlacolula basket.

Just normal every day rolls.... mmmmmmm.

¿Tiene hambre?

Sunday faces in Tlacolula

The market in Tlacolula is always special, even more so on Sundays, when the streets are filled with anything and everything.  And because of its location, people come from all over and one gets to hear lots of different languages and to see many beautiful regional outfits.  The Sunday before Muertos is particularly active and yesterday was no exception.  The place was packed and with lots more tourists than normal.  Perfect for practicing hip shots, shooting blind.  A mother and daughter, in step, selling apples.

 I am always amazing how many people are looking in the lens, even though I am really trying to be inconspicuous.

Then there are the strange juxtapositions.  The woman in the reflection...

So many things in this shot.... the San Marcos ceramics in the background, the zodiac on the girl's blouse, the embroidery, so typical, on the left, the braids, the plaid, the apron.... all perfect

 Look at the details in her blouse.

And here is Esperanza, one of my absolute favorites, who has graced these pages many times in many guises.  Always.... that amazing smile.  

See, there is hope.....

Getting ready for Muertos

What a handsome couple.

I live in a new village this year and it looks like there may be some fun things to do just down the road.  Just what I need... more things to do for Muertos, like there isn't already too much. Ay!

Off to Tlacolula to see the market the Sunday before Muertos.

Abuelas around the world

I managed to do the impossible... I actually caught a cold for the first time here.  I could feel it coming on, so I knew what I needed, a little of Granny's chicken soup.  I love that in so many cultures, a good cup of broth is a cure-all.  I've had the Thai, Italian and French versions and of course, the classic Jewish grandmother's.  And very little can beat the rich caldo de pollo I get from our favorite restaurant in Etla, Comedor Colon.  However, this time,  I could take no chances... so I made it myself.

First I got the chicken from the best source, the lady in the Etla market that everyone says is the very best.  Chicken here is very different from the States... it actually has a taste... and it is delicious, the way it is supposed to be.  It helps that they are so fresh and local.  So I browned it with onions and garlic... ah, what an aroma.... until it was nice and deep golden brown.... added water, fresh basil and thyme from the garden, a shot or two of mezcal, a little very good soy sauce, some chile pasilla paste that an abulea had been selling door to door out here in the country.  The paste turned out to be totally killer... wonderful taste and... well, pretty pica, hot, spicy... perfect for cleaning our the sinuses.... simmered it for ninety minutes.

A little fresh cilantro from the garden, some lime juice.... ah.... as good as it gets.... and it worked, I feel much better.  Gracias, abuelas....

Signs o' the times

It starting to look a lot like.....

And with all the rains, the celosia, cockcomb, Terciopelo Rojo, fields near the house look pretty weak.  Maybe they will come through, along with the marigolds, cempasuchil, which were starting to flower, timed to peak in another week, but it does not look like a good year in that spot.  No doubt somewhere else, it was the best year ever.

¿Tiene hambre?

Look at this amazing meal we had under the trees right outside of Santo Tomás Jalieza at Los Huamuches. 

 Soooo good!  Me want right now!