Mexico Mourns August 2011

Please pray for Mexico.

Things That Make You Go Hmmmmm. . . August 2011

LA BOMBA

Tales of Chiapas - Part 8 - Chamula

While visiting the fascinating

and FIERCELY indigenous village of Chamula,

I was given this flyer.

Apparently there is no end to the parade

of evangelicals arriving to 'save' the Mayans.

The Chamula church was a study in contrasts.

(No interior pictures allowed!)

There were no pews.

The floor was covered in fragrent

pine boughs and studded with little white lit candles.

It took a minute for my eyes to adjust

and then another few to take in the emotional

impact one feels in this presence.

There was a gold gilded altar,

and the walls were covered in mini-altars

of carved wooden Mayan and Catholic saints.

Families were clustered on the floor,

there was a live chicken awaiting sacrifice,

and jumbo bottles of Coke available

for the people to drink in order to cause

belching - which will expel bad spirits.

Later we shopped and walked around the village,

much of which is not available for photos,
and they are very serious about that.

Entrance to Chamula.

Black beans drying in the sun.

Mayan home.

The cemetery.

And, of course, the kids who will tear your heart out.

Photo by Suzanne Plaskett

Things That Make You Go Hmmmmm. . . August 2011

Tales of Chiapas - Part 7 - Manuela Cooks! (2) July 2011

CHILAQUILES!!!

  

First step:  Slice stale tortillas into strips fry and drain.

 

Meanwhile:  Cook tomatoes in a little water and puree.

 

 

 Now:  Saute 2 pans of onions and slice a fire- roasted

Poblano chili.

Next: Shred some Oaxaca cheese.

Then:  Start layering in a big pan or cazuela until full.

(Tortillas, onions, chilis, cheese, and repeat.)

Add:  Sauteed chopped onions and crumble some

Queso Fresco.

Now:  Spoon tomato puree over layers, cover,

and cook on low until cheese is melted and flavors

blend.

Manuela also made us Chiapan black beans,

fresh blackberry agua fresca,

and a huge crispy salad with avocados and fresh beets

in a nice vinaigrette.

KILLER COMIDA!

Post Script:

Manuela cooks at Bela's Bed and Breakfast and the 3 of us

are cookin' up an idea of a cookbook of Manuela's recipes.

Sound like a good idea?  Let us know what you think!

Additionally:

Bela and Manuela will be hosting cooking classes at

Bela's Bed and Breakfast.

Contact Bela for more information.

Tales of Chiapas - Part 6 - Manuela Cooks! July 2011

One of the truly great things about staying

at Bela's B and B is Manuela - and her cooking!

And boy can she cook.

Manuela's Bio - By Bela Wood
 

Maunela was born in Chanal, Chiapas - 

which was listed five years ago by the UN as one of the poorest
100 pueblos in the world -

and they don't know exactly how old she is.

She is registered as being 52 years old 

(but that was so she could get an ID - they really don't know).

She came to San Cristóbal when she was about 15,

escaping a guy who wanted to marry her. 

At the time, there were women who went to Chanal to take embroidery

to the women so they could make some money. 

Manuela asked a friend to ask them (she didn't speak Spanish)

if they would take her to San Cristóbal and find a place for her to work.

They did.

She worked for a family, she got up at 5:00 am to take the corn

to the mill and then made the tortillas.  She went to sleep at midnight.

They were not bad to her.

Later she worked for another family who had her baptized,

Dr. Hugo is her godfather. He is cool. 

She learned how to cook by watching the women in the houses where she worked.

It was all by watching!

Then she worked for an American woman, where she met Martín,

and watched the cooks there too.

 She didn't get together with Martín until she was 28.

After a while she was cooking and taking care of the kids and cleaning.

I rented that house in 1997 and she and Martín were like caretakers

- they came with the deal.

At that time she had six kids aged 2 - 12

and she was earning $50 a month! 

She's the next to the youngest of 13 kids - her mother is still alive.

Manuela and her mother.

Thank you Bela, for sharing Manuela's story with us!

Next up we will cook comida with Manuela!

Stay tuned.