@Presunto - I’m glad you’re liking the tamales. I did not like the standard, machine-extruded, bland and dry Tex-Mex tamales I grew up with but one day decided to investigate why tamales are a staple of so many cultures and peoples. Now, it’s "My Kingdom for a Tamale!’
Those look kind of dry to me - I like 'em moist (with lard) but to each his own. Oaxacan tamales are supposed to be the best in Mexico and from my limited experience, I’d agree.
Loved the pottery post.
Chapulines! - I was wondering if you were going to get them there. I have heard, those grasshoppers are descendants of the ones St. Urho drove out of Finland to save the Finnish grape crop and Finnish wine industry
Lots of Finns from the upper Midwest are Winter Texans in the Rio Grande Valley and often go to a Tex-Mex restaurant for their annual observance
@shrinkrap - tamales wrapped in banana/plantain leaves are uncommon in the rest of Mexico, I think, but much more common in the Caribbean countries with tamales and the countries in CA and SA along the Gulf Coast.
Chili, cheese, mustard and onion Coneys remain a stape for me but as I get older I’ve preferred simply dressed dogs; the quality of the wiener is the most important thing. These are Fork in the Road brand, in the freezers at Whole Foods. The top one is their Honest Dog, the second one, Pasture Grown Uncured. Both all beef and very good; natural sheep casing for a little snap. Brioche bun from Aldi, Lowensenf Extra Hot Dusseldorf style mustard. Coulda done without the onions, which were a little too close to being done-for.
I don’t know how people get those perfect straight lines (or squiggly lines) of mustard. When I use a squeeze bottle, no matter how much I shake the contents, it just goes Splat!
Lunch today was a really excellent roasted corn chowder that my wife brought home from the hospital where she had to go for a treatment. It was more a veg stew then soup.
It’s an unfathomable mystery to me how delicious hospital cafeteria food can be, yet inpatient meals are still nearly inedible! At least in my very limited experience, (thankfully.) The corn chowder sounds good BTW.
The things you learn-- there used to be an annual best food service award-- The Ivy Award that had I assume had different categories-- don’t think there was a separate one for hospitals but a more encompassing “Institutions”. College cafeterias, etc. Anyway, Maine Medical Center won it in oh, '90, '91 or so. The food service director at the time came to the Awards shop I was working at & placed a large order with us. She was so proud of her staff-- some 37 people. Looks like the award stopped when Restaurants & Institutions Magazine was cancelled by its publisher in 2010.
Just got here (Loreto) a couple of hours ago and now I have to go to bed. Have been up since 5am for last whale trip and to catch a bus from Bahia Magdalena (whale watching place) to Loreto. But I wanted to post this…
Sending whale wishes to @retrospek . Hope you are doing OK!
A little submarine (about 30 tonnes) swims next to my panga (small Mexican fishing boat) and blowing hard through its huge nostrils. A sound and sight I don’t seem to get tired of.
Chicken pot pie on deck. I used the decorative rolling pin I bought my wife. This time of year, pot pies are on regular rotation. Veg, lamb, beef, fish too.
