Hot Weather Cooking

When I stay with Alejandro and his family at their home, I usually try to give Alejandro and his sister a break from cooking and prepare something for the family.  Earlier this week, because of the predicted heat wave, I decided to make a cold macaroni salad.  After looking at several recipes online, I came up with my own version.  I did all the cooking... the elbow macaroni, a package of frozen peas and carrots and a package of frozen broccoli... in the morning while the temperature was still relatively comfortable.  I let that cool off and then put it in the refrigerator.  Later I added a package of cooked, shredded chicken, and a couple of avocados cut into chunks.  I made a dressing from mayonnaise and Mexican "crema" (similar to sour cream).  I squeezed the juice of a lime into the dressing and added a dollop of chipotle sauce.

I had a BIG bowl of salad!

It tasted OK, but (I'm my own worst critic) I wasn't particularly impressed.  Alejandro's sister brought out a package of "tostadas"... crunchy, fried tortillas.  We spooned the macaroni salad onto the tostadas, and added a little more chipotle sauce.  The macaroni salad "tostadas" were delicious!  Alejandro's nephew took three helpings to make "tostadas", and his sister took some to work.  We still had a little left over which Alejandro, his dad and I had for breakfast.

It's Hot!

As I mentioned in this morning's post, it is hot here in Mexico City but infernally hot in Yucatán, which is nearly at sea level.

Alejandro found this funny picture...

"And how's the heat in Yucatán?"

"Well..."

We're Having a Heat Wave

The forecast for Mexico City calls for high temperatures between 89 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit for the next five days... an unusual stretch of hot weather for a city at an altitude of more than 7000 feet above sea level.  Everyone is talking (and complaining) about the weather.

Here are a couple of funny pictures that Alejandro has received from friends...

"I'm tired of so much heat."

"Necklace for putting up with the heat"

The Mexico City government has issued a heat advisory, recommending that people wear sunscreen, use sunglasses and a hat, avoid prolonged exposure to the sun, and to not eat food from street vendors since it will spoil quickly in the heat.  (That last recommendation is certainly going to anger the thousands of vendors on the streets.)

At least I'm not in Mérida, Yucatán.  Even though it is one of my favorite cities in Mexico, I would not want to put up with today's high temperature of 107 degrees Fahreinheit (41 degrees Celsius)!

 

Quiet and Naked

Last week I posted a webcam photo of the volcano Popocátepetl covered in snow after a heavy thunderstorm in Mexico City.  (At that high altitude, the precipitation falls as snow.)  We have not had any precipitation for several days, even though it's the rainy season, and the sun has been blazing.

I looked at the webcam this morning, and the mountain is a gray, bare cone of volcanic ash... not a bit of snow.

Fortunately, the volcano remains quiet with just a whisp of vapor coming from the crater.

Corn on the Cob

A very popular snack in Mexico is "elote", corn on the cob.  The word "elote" comes from the Aztec work "elotitutl" which means "tender corn". You often see vendors on the streets or in the markets selling corn from large kettles of boiling water.  Surprisingly, I had never had an "elote" in Mexico.  Last weekend, when Alejandro went to the "tianguis" (outdoor market), he brought some home.

"Elotes" are not really like our "sweet corn" which has been bred for its sweetness and tenderness.  Most people from the U.S. would just consider it "field corn".  The first cob that I ate was rather tough, but the manner in which it is served made it very tasty.

The corn is slathered with mayonaise and sprinkled with powdered "chile".  (A popular condiment in Mexico is a commercial product called "Tajín", which is powdered "chile" pepper with salt and lime flavoring.)

(image taken from the internet)

Some people squeeze fresh lime juice over the corn or put grated cheese on it.  

A couple days ago when we went to the supermarket, I bought a bottle of "Tajín".  I know that it is available in the United States, but I haven't seen it at the store where I shop.  So, when I return to the U.S. I will get a jar of mayonaise and some sweet corn and prepare some Mexican style "elotes"!

Religiosity

Although Mexico is officially a secular nation with separation of church and state, around 78% of the Mexican people are Catholic.  Many people are nominal Catholics who do not attend church services regularly, and, in some areas with large indigenous populations, Catholicism is still mixed with pre-Hispanic beliefs.  Nevertheless, Mexico has the second highest Catholic population in the world after Brazil.  

You can see that religiosity as you walk the streets of Mexico City.   You will often come across miniature chapels that have been placed along the sidewalk.  They contain figures of saints, most often the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe, Mexico's beloved patron saint.

This glass box attached to the wall of a house contains an image of San Judás Tadeo (St. Jude, the patron of lost causes) who is highly venerated in Mexico.  He is easily recognized because he is portrayed with a flame above his head.

Another house had large images of the Virgin of Guadalupe and San Judás Tadeo on a second story ledge.

 

More Signs

In my last post I began showing you photos of store and business signs in the neighborhood where Alejandro lives.  Here are some more...

I don't think I have ever seen a city with more pharmacies than Mexico City.  The word for pharmacy is easy to recognize... "farmacia".  

Unlike U.S. drug stores which usually sell all sorts of things not related to medicine, a "farmacia" is pretty much limited to health (and some beauty) products.  Also, unless it is an antibiotic or painkiller, most medications do not require a prescription.  Many pharmacies also have a doctor's office that offers very economical care for minor health problems.

This pharmacy specializes in generic drugs.

"Farmacias Sana Sana"  Healthy Healthy Pharmacies

"Simplemente más barato"  Simply cheaper

A "casa de funerales" is a funeral home, but a "velatorio" offers the services of a funeral home, plus a hall in which the "velorio", the all-night wake, can be held.  Many families, however, hold the "velorio" in their home.

This language school offers classes in English, French, Italian, Portuguese and German.

General plumbing service

Gas and Water

Another easily recognized word... "óptica" (optician)

A type of restaurant that you will find in Mexico is a "cocina económica" (economical kitchen) which serves a very inexpensive meal of the day ("comida corrida") each afternoon.

In addition to the "comida corrida" this place also serves "desayunos completos" (complete breakfasts) and even has a "taquiza" (a taco buffet).  They also have "servicio a domicilio" (home delivery).

Speaking of food, Mexico City has a lot of pizza parlors.

Somewhat surprisingly, sushi restaurants are also quite popular here.

But more than pizza parlors or sushi restaurants, in any neighborhood of the city, you will see "taquerías". Whether they are sit-down restaurants or sidewalk stands, taco joints are everywhere.

The word "taquería" brings us to another point.  The words for many kinds of stores in Spanish end in the letters "ía".  (Don't forget the accent on the "i".)

A "panadería" is a store which sells "pan" (bread), in other words a bakery.

The "panadería" of Don Félix claims to have the best hot bread in the area, all day long.

Closely related to a "panadería", in fact, often the same, is a "pastelería".  Since "pastel" is the word used in Mexico for cake, a "pastelería" will feature more in the way of cakes and pastries.  A lot of shops will label themselves as a "panadería / pastelería".

The banner above this shop is out of date.  They are still advertising "rosca de reyes", the pastry that is served on January 6th, the Day of the Kings.

A "cafetería" is not at all like a cafeteria in the U.S.  The word comes from "café" (coffee), so it is a coffee shop.  This place is also a "tamalería", a place that sells "tamales".

I find it rather disconcerting that some businesses have Anglicized their names with the use of an "apostrophe s", something which does not exist in Spanish.

Do you remember the word "abarrotes" from the last blog post?  This grocery store is also a "cremería", a store selling dairy products.

A "cerrajería" (from "cerradura" - lock) is a locksmith's shop.

Something unique mainly to Mexico is a "tortillería".  Here tortillas, Mexico's staff of life, are cranked out on machines.  Some upper-class Mexicans may look down on tortillas, but for many Mexicans a daily trip to a "tortillería" for a big stack of them is a must.

A "dulcería" (dulces = candy) is a candy store.  Often, they also sell piñatas.  In this photo you can see a few hanging at the entrance.

At a "pollería" ("pollo" = chicken) you can buy fresh chicken cut to your specifications.

It's not a very common word, and it's only used in Mexico, but a "recaudería" is a green grocer's shop.

"Zapato" means shoe, so a "zapatería" is a shoe store.  There seem to be almost as many shoe stores as there are pharmacies.

The word "papelería" comes from "papel" meaning paper.  It's a stationery shop.  Do we even have stationery shops in the U.S. anymore, or have they disappeared with advent of the "big box" office supply stores?  There are certainly still a lot of hole-in-the-wall "papelerías" here where you can buy school and office supplies.  I have also gone to "papelerías" a number of times to have presents gift wrapped.  In the modern age, these shops also often serve as internet cafés for people who do not have computers.  You can also get photocopies made here.

That concludes your Spanish lesson for today.  I hope that you enjoyed it!