Jeanette

On our El Dia de los Muertos excursion to the Plazuela Machado, we met a woman from New Zealand with a delightful accent. She had a blond dutch-boy haircut, and was wearing a simple but beautiful orange shift and shoulder wrap that she had created. She is a world traveler, having recently arrived here from Victoria BC where she had lived for many years. To my great surprise I received and e-mail from her inviting us for sangria and "nibbles". She lives in a restored house in Centro Historico and I knew from talking to this creative woman that the house would be spectacular. I wasn't disappointed. We walked down the street from the Puerto Viajo, past the Casa de Leyendas, to her cream and terra cotta colored house. The doors to the houses in Mexico are right on the sidewalk--no front yards. You can't see what is inside until you go in. When Jeanette opened the door we walked into the living and I gasped. Tall ceilings, of course and dark tiled floors covered in some areas with Oriental carpets. The drapes covering the high windows were white, a panel of lace then a panel of plain, with rosettes spaced evenly at the top. The stuffed and comfortable-looking furniture were also covered with white slipcovers. The other furniture was perfect in that space, including a carved armoire she had brought from Italy via Victoria.
There were two bedrooms on the first floor, converted into and office and a sewing room. Each had a white covered day bed with white mosquito netting above. Colorful cookbooks were propped on the blue-tiled kitchen counter, a kitchen you could easily create a meal in. On a table leading to the kitchen there were 2-3 large ironstone soup tureens and other tasteful articles---I forget exactly what they were.
Jeanette then led us up the tiled staircase with wrought iron hand rails each of us carrying some food and drink to her bedroom and outdoor living areas. The bed was covered in beautiful white textiles including cut-work toss pillows. Her seventeen year old orange cat, Seth, making a nice contrast on the bed. There was a small covered terrace with a table and chairs on one side of the room and a huge rooftop terrace on the other. Another gasp!!! She had three green umbrella covered tables, one umbrella was like a flower and comfortable chairs placed for conversation. In the middle was a portable firepit. It's still too hot here to use it.
On the terrace there was a feast. We had red wine sangria, the best I've ever had---fruity but not too sweet. There were curried deviled eggs, nuts, bacon-wrapped water chestnuts, toasted bread cups for the wonderful and colorful cold marinated large shrimp. I hope she will give me the recipe.
This remarkable woman left her comfort zone and a seventeen year long relationship because she was tired of being cold. Her other option was India but she opted for Mazatlan because it is only a four hour flight to Vancouver, BC where she has a son who is ill.
I have become Rick's little girl since we've been here. He holds my had on the bumpy sidewalks and crossing the street. I can not imagine at sixty-four years old, selling my house, doing all the paper work required, packing my household for shipping--literally--it goes to Manzanillo by ship, and then trucked to Maz--- and moving to Mexico by myself

Good for you, Jeanette. I'm really glad I met you

By the way, she know Lisa. I'm not even surprised anymore.

El Quelite and the Cock Farm

Last Thursday, Oct 29th we got up early and walked down to Casa de Leyendas to meet our tour guide for our trip to El Quelite. Of course, Rick was making friends with everyone. Glen, Sharon, Pifas, and Reyna came out to greet us. Kisses and handshakes all around......and coffee.
The air conditioned van was waiting so we hopped aboard. There was a cooler with cold water and pop in the front. We traveled up to the Golden Zone to pick up a nice couple from Edmonton, Alberta, at the Hotel Flores and further north to El Cid to pick up a lady traveling alone, from California. Miss So and So (not her real name LOL) never shut up for a second--chirp, chirp chirp. Holy Cow!! Question after inane question. She asked our driver, Jesus, how old his mother was and when he answered 70 she asked if she was a young 70.
El Quelite is about 35 kilometers from Mazatlan. We stopped first at a little village--bumpy unpaved roads and abject poverty to our American eyes. Miss So asked if they had indoor plumbing. Duh! Does this little-more-than-a-hut look like it has a shower?? Rick and I felt like we were spying on them and taking advantage of them. The people smiled and waved at us anyway.
Chuey( short for Jesus) pointed out a lot of the flora along the way. Quelite is a bush with red branches, San Miguelito, aa beautiful wild flower and morning glory beside the road. along with papaya orchards and pomegranate trees.
The next stop was a cock farm (Jesus called it a rooster farm, isn't that sweet?). There were hundreds of concrete tents line up for the cocks. They were tethered to their own tent lest they kill their neighbor. They are bred for fighting are the most beautiful birds you ever saw. Their feathers are brown, white,purple, red and gold and everything in between. It didn't bother me a bit that they are fighters. Hey, I've been to a boxing match and loved it. Unfortunately one of these birds has to die. Yum Yum, fried chicken. By the way the best breeding stock comes from the US even though cock fighting is illegal. The breeders ship them to Mexico and Thailand. Their females are kept in stacked cages in the back, 3-4 to a cage. They are brown and ugly. They put plastic eggs in their cages to get them going. Is this the equivalent of chicken porn? Oh what fun it must be for them to be with one of those beautiful cocks (maybe a should have said studs here)
You could see the cemetery across the field. Very colorful. Jesus explained El Dia de Los Muertos to us. The spirits of your dead relatives come back for the day and everyone goes to the cemetery with gifts of flowers and the relative's favorite food and drink. They spend the day there with all the family, including the kids, and tell stories about the dead ones.
Chuey's favorite place was next, the pandaneria--bakery. We got to go in the back and watch the baker shove the goodies into a huge beehive shaped oven with a huge peel. We bought some bread, Chuey ate his in the van. Mexican bakeries are a killer for weight control. I bought 8 pieces and my bill was 35 pesos--less than 3 bucks. Oh Dear God.
We then hiked up a steep stone path to a statue of the Blessed Virgin who sits in a shrine above the town. The vista was of the whole town and miles beyond.
Continuing in a religious tone we went to the town church. Ninety-five percent of Mexico is Roman Catholic. Jesus said the church was new---build in the 1890's--a beautiful little church. He told us the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Indian, portrayed on the stained glass windows. The story meant a lot to him and almost made me cry.
Finally we went to the town restaurant, La Meson de los Laurendas It's huge, many beautiful decorated rooms, colorful and imaginative. The food was great, Mexican, including a sweet warm caramel pudding. Everything was served in typical terra cotta decorated pottery dishes.
We left feeling full and satisfied. The best thing was that Miss So shut up on the way home.

Mexican Cooking Lesson

Oh what fun!! There were seven of us menopausal women, each of us having hot flashes in the very warm kitchen. Linda, Kathy, Patty, Carol, Marie and me. All but Carol, a Canadian, and I, were permanent residents of Mazatlan. Marie, a Mexicana, lived in Tuscon most of her life and had move to Mazatlan recently.
Maureen, the teacher--from near Philly--had a big pitcher of hibiscus tea waiting for us. It's called Flor de Jamaica, red and full of antioxidents. I saw a bag of it at the Mega and it will be going back to the US with me next week. White wine sangria was next--wine, cut up fruits and club soda. This may be when we all started to glisten. We made two types of salsa, peach and mango, with the typical salsa ingredients, red pepper, cilantro, onion, and lime juice. Those were used for the topping on our chipotle, mayo and goat cheese canapes. For the fish course we made Mexican crab cakes. Mo used walnuts in the breading, ground by Carol in a molcajete. Delicious--more of the salsas served on top of them. The meat course was chicken Milanese. Down here you can buy the chicken already cut thin and flattened. You know I will be going over to Cornelius, Oregon to look for them at El Grande. You put goodies, herbs, veggies, cheese etc in the middle and either roll them and fold them, pan fry them or bake them. Very versatile and yummy.

For dessert Mo made Mexican rice pudding. I thought this will never work. I remember my grandmother baking it for at least an hour. This was done on top of the stove in a half hour and it was rich, creamy and delish. she served it warn with a sprinkling of raisin and craisins and cinnamon (canela in Espanol)

Despite and the flushing and sweating a Wonderful time was had by all. If you ever get to Mazatlan, take a cooking course from Maureen Gerrity. She's a great teacher--giving us helpful hints for variations along the way.

I forgot. We made a stirfry of corn, red peppers, onions and my new favorite thing, chayote. It's green, wrinkly and delicious. It tastes a little sweet and cucumber-like. Will be a staple in the Wise household.