In the town of San Andreas Huyapaum, where the lovely El Refugio is situated, there is a coffee merchant, really a coffee family. We sat with them and discussed their wonderful product and Bonnie promised to bring them her wonderful Ice Coffee and the method and we could sit one afternoon and talk beans and…
Category: Culture
Food as Work
There is a heritage of labor that many great cusines share. It is completely possible to appreciate and aspire to great effort when great result are to be achieved. I once had a coisant stuffed with chocalate on the Isle St. Loius that sent my mind spinning. It all at once possesed the qualities of…
Las Floras
To alleviate the efforts of some overly enthusiatic gardeners, we took a little trip to a local garden center on the road to Tlalacalula. It had the flavor of any western garden center except for again the value and there was a lushness and variety that belongs to places south of where we are from.
The Grace Of Teotilan del Valle
We spent a graceful day in Teotitlan del Valle
Floatadoras
We explained to the very helpful salesman that ‘no we were not going to Huatulco’. In these semi arid parts, where water collectted was very rare, He had every right to wonder what we were up to.
Main Squeeze
The simple limone squeezer has had a long and storied place in Mexican history. The Zapotecs were known to honor the invention. And with the arrival of the Spanish, the squeezer went on to find a sacred place in the cultural and spiritual life of the Mexican population.
Collectivos
Call me a collectivo To anywhere you may want to go
Tealimone, Romero, and a little Orange
Within the ritual of taemescal, I saw the prettiest of metaphors, how after bathing in steam infused with romero and orange, while drinking tea made from the same with taelimone the high flavor note I was made to feel as if I was being prepared to be served up as the main course in a…
No Soap Nopales
Okay it’s okra all over again. Or maybe another remake of the Blob. It any case we were both eaten alive by the clean bright green defanged cactus paddles, that everyone encouraged us to try.
Jose Zorilla Trapaga
When we first arrived in San Augustine Etla, I was surprised to see that the new museum Hector had spoken of was still under construction. Obviously I’d missed something during our discussion! Teams of architects and designers clutching 3′ rolls of plans and drawings mingled with work crews and scaffolding. Unlike litigious America, they kindly…
Expo – Venta
A delightful organic market exists at Garcia-Vigil on Friday Saturday
Sunday Mercado At Tlacolula
So many things, so little time – no one needs Sam’s Club!
The Church at Tlacolula
Tlacolula has been a big market town for nearly 2,000 years. The 17th century church bespeaks a properous community. There is less of the humble, more of the gilt, and every drop of martyr’s blood looks fresh. Most of the gilt is in a chapel of the left side of the church.
Chocolate vs. Chocolate
It with total satisfication I contemplate the fact that both vanila and chocolate come from Mexico. But when children leave the nest, they become, well different.
We’ve Been Told…..
For weeks now, ever since we arrived in Oaxaca, there has been a teacher’s strike going on. We were told this was an annual event in May. They camp in the Zoccola, march through the streets, sent up tents everywhere to clog traffic and display banners and slogans. They hold classes and discussions and in…
Las Licuadoras
Well you see them just about everywhere. And there is an obvious history that folds back to food as work and how we can actually all work a little less. I mean never mind the washing machine. Let’s talk about the history of the metate and mano and the secret celebration on the kitchens when…
Inglesia de los Pobres
While waiting to shop with Lourdes, I thought to take a few pictures of our meeting spot. She had suggested the Inglesia de los Pobres as a shady central and comfortable spot to meet up in Colonia Reforma. In a city full of 16th century churches, the simplcity and comfort of this people’s church is…