The Holy Enchilada

Join me for Pachanga! A Benefit for Galeria de la Raza

2011-11-08T16:38:00.000-08:00

Pictured: Memento mori, digital print by Raul Aguilar.

Please join me, and over 70 contemporary artistas at Pachanga! Galeria de la Raza's 10th Annual Art Auction on Saturday, November 19th, 2011 at 7:00 pm. Galeria is located at 2857 24th Street, San Francisco. Admissions are from $20 to $50 sliding scale. Pachanga is truly a fantastic party, this year the event has a 1970's flare. Dust off your platform shoes and dance to 1970's disco, salsa and Latin Funk. There will be an award for the best 1970's attire.

Click here for more information, and to visit the on-line catalog. Can't make it? Bidding by proxy is allowed! Register before Thursday, November 17th at 5:00 pm. All proceeds benefit Galeria de la Raza, San Francisco premier non-profit arts organization.

"Founded in 1970, the Galería is a non-profit community-based arts organization whose mission is to foster public awareness and appreciation of Chicano/Latino art and serve as a laboratory where artists can both explore contemporary issues in art, culture and civic society, and advance intercultural dialogue. To implement our mission, the Galería supports Latino artists in the visual, literary, media and performing art fields whose works explore new aesthetic possibilities for socially committed art."

New Halloween Fabric! Devils

2011-09-30T23:40:00.000-07:00

Right on time for Halloween! This new fabric I designed is available for sale at my SpoonFlower shop. It depicts a trio of devils having one hell of a good time.

Visit my SpoonFlower shop to play around with the repeat. A yard on basic quilting weight cotton starts at $18 dollars, a test swatch is only $5 dollars

Once Upon a Time, There Was a Fair....

2011-08-31T23:30:00.000-07:00

I created this image for a contest sponsored by The Folsom Street Fair. The fair celebrates San Francisco vibrant kink, leather, fetish and alternative communities. I felt like the contest was up my alley! Sadly, upon visiting the Fair's website, I discovered that the contest had been canceled due to lack of interest. HEY, I was interested!! Anyway, I wanted to share the poster with you. Here is a detail:

The poster plays with many recurring themes in my work: The circus, cartoons, and fetish imagery. The bright, primary colors of the circus inspired the poster. I was also inspired by movies I saw as a kid, among them the terrifying sequence of Pink Elephants on Parade, from Dinsney's Dumbo. Here are more sources of inspiration:

The movie Santa Sangre, by Alejandro Jodorowsky is quite distubring, yet it is one of my favorites. The image below comes via Movie Outlaw, where you can read more about this wonderfully strange circus movie. I think Jodorowsky captured the bizarre world of Mexican circuses quite well. My favorite sequence is when the circus folks stage a funeral for a death elephant. The character of Concha (played masterfully by Blanca Guerra) is scary and unforgettable, sort of like Norman's Bates mother from Psycho....Mexican style. Guerra's eyes are like guns! She points, and shoots quite often during the movie.

Another circus movie that I used to watch was an Argentinian/Spanish movie called "Habia una Vez un Circo", (Once Upon a Time, There Was a Circus) about a sick little girl and her clown friends. The movie was fun, but scary at times. I remember a scary sequence when the little protagonist (the adorable Andrea Boca) runs into a window late at night, while having hallucinations about the circus. In this sequence, her clown friends come to her bedroom to cheer her up.

Thanks for reading this brief account of bizarre circus movies. If you are interested in attending The Folsom Street Fair, just visit their website for a schedule of events. Be warned, it is for adults only. The Fair is held in San Francisco in September the 25th, 2001. If you are interested in buying my poster, just let me know.

Peach and Pitaya Sorbet - Nieve de Durazno y Pitaya

2011-07-28T17:50:00.000-07:00

Finally, it is starting to feel like Summer here in San Francisco. What is better for Summer than some delicious iced treats? Recently I saw some luscious peaches and colorful pitayas side by side so I decided to make some cool Nieve de Durazno y Pitaya.

More often than not pitayas (also spelled pithaya) are associated with exotic, tropical or Chinese products but they are also abundant in Mexico. Some species of Pitayas are native to the Americas, and in Asian countries they are referred to as "dragon fruits", because they seem scaley, like a dragon's skin. They are rich in calcium and vitamin C. Pitayas are actually not tropical, they grow in arid regions. Like other succulents, like the nopal and the prickly pear, they are believe to regulate blood sugar in diabetics.

Here in San Francisco I found Pitayas on several groceries stores on Mission Street. They are also available at Rainbow Groceries. This being an artsy blog, I also wanted to mention that these curious fruits were a favorite painting subject of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. Here is one of Frida's paintings depicting pitayas!

In Mexico these fruits are not often eaten by themselves. They make wonderful Agua Fresca and nieve, a type of sorbet. I think that the species found here in the US are not particularly flavorful, they have the consistency of kiwi with crunchy little black seeds. The flavor some how resembles Jicama, with a hint of melon. I think the ripe juicy peaches marry well with the flavors of the pitaya. These recipe is super easy. You'll need the following ingredients:

Two big, very ripe peaches. This recipe wont work if the peaches are not soft.
Two red pitayas
Fresh squeezed lime juice
Sugar or sweetener of your choice to taste (optional)
A splash of fruity liquor like Midori, Grand Marnier, or Triple Sec (optional)

Cut the pitayas lenghtwise and take the white flesh out of the peel carefully using a spoon. Save the red peel as a "cup" for presenting your sorbet. Cut the pitaya flesh in chunks and place them in a food processor.

Peel the peaches by cutting an "X" on their skin, then dunk them in boiling water for a few seconds. Dunk them on iced water and the skins should be able to come right off. Cut the peaches in chunks and add them to the food processor.

Add the lime juice, the liquor and a little bit of the water you used to peel the peaches. The peaches I used were very sweet so I didn't use any sugar, but you can add the sweetener of your choice at this point. Process until you have a soft puree. Don't process the fruit too much, or the little seeds of the Pitaya will pulverize and discolor your sorbet.

Freeze the puree in an ice cream maker until you reach a sorbet consistency. It wont take too long to churn, so check often. I use cuisinart model 21. If you don't have an ice cream maker you can freeze the puree in a tray until it is partially frozen. Scrape the sides with a spatula and freeze again - it will be more icy, like an Italian Granita, but still good! Serve in the hollowed out peel of the pitaya and enjoy!

Prints and Cards Now Available!

2011-05-18T20:40:00.000-07:00

A small selection of my artwork is now available at Fine Arts America. FAA is an on-line marketplace for selling, purchasing and creating fire art prints, greeting cards and original works of art. Prints start at $18.50. Check out my FAA gallery for more information!

Palomitas de Colores: Colorful Fruity Popcorn

2011-05-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

So...A recipe for popcorn in a Mexican food blog? Of course! Corn is a quintessential Mexican food, with lots of symbolic meanings, check the previous post. Back in grammar school my friend's mother made colorful popcorn like this. The first time I saw it in his lunchbox I found the colors fascinating! My friend's mom used a syrup made out of hard candy (similar to jolly ranchers) to color the popcorn. This version uses less sugar and fresh fruit to flavor it, and it uses stovetop popped popcorn. It is crunchy, toasty and better than the microwave kinds, that are full of hydrogenated fats. Let's get cooking! You'll need the following ingredients:

FOR EACH BATCH OF POPCORN

Half a cup of Maiz Palomero, divided into eights of a cup (or any quality brand of popping corn)
Vegetable oil, two tablespoons
Salt, just a pinch (optional, it just brings out the flavor)
A sauce pan with a lid (it should hold at least 3 quarts)

Add the oil to the pan, and heat on high, together with one fat kernel of popcorn to test. Once the kernel pops, you are ready to add one eight of a cup of popcorn to the pan, and a pinch of salt. Shake it a bit so it divides evenly into a single layer. Cover and let it rest for about 15 seconds away from the heat - then place it over the flame once again. The popcorn should start popping, go ahead and hold on to the lid and shake the pan vigorously over the stove to prevent burning. Once the popcorn is almost all popped you won't hear rattling. Open the pan halfway so the steam escapes, that way you'll have crunchy toasty popcorn. Place the popcorn in an oven so it stays warm and crunchy, before covering it with the flavored syrup.

FOR EACH CUP OF SYRUP

One cup of flavoring agent. In this case I used fresh blue berries, raspberries, vanilla, fresh lime and lemon.
One cup of organic, evaporated cane juice sugar or piloncillo (Note: using piloncillo will result in darker colored popcorn).
Three quarters of a cup of water
A drop or two of vegetable coloring (optional).

Fruit syrup is created in a similar manner as the one used for this Agua Fresca, but it uses less water. Combine the water and the fruit of your choice in a blender, strain in a fine sieve. Combine the sugar and the flavored water in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. You can add a couple of drops of food coloring at this point, if you are using it. Boil and stir until the sugar has thickened. This is the tricky part! If your caramel is too tick, you'll end up with a messy sugary clump. If the syrup is too thin, it will shrivel your popcorn. You'll know your syrup is the right consistency if you pick it up with a spoon and it falls back to the pot in the shape of a ribbon. Put the warm popcorn in a bowl and cover with the syrup evenly, using a wooden spatula to carefully coat it. The correct ratio of popcorn to caramel is about half a cup of syrup to three cups of popcorn, depending on taste. Place the finished product on a sheet of wax paper and let dry.

If you are making different flavored popcorn I recommend you have your fruit flavor based prepared ahead of time, before making the syrup. That way your warm popcorn doesn't have to sit in the oven for a long time. Once the popcorn is dry and cool to the touch, it is ready. Put it in a pretty bowl and serve. Oh wait...It doesn't matter where you'll put it, it usually gets eaten right the way! Enjoy.

Doves and Hail: Secret Meanings of Popcorn

2011-05-17T08:15:00.000-07:00

During the Mexican conquest, Spanish historian Fray Bernardino de Sahagun described a curious dance performed by young women on the Mexica month of Toxcatl:

"....Young maidens dance shaven, with arms and legs covered in red feathers, wearing capillejos composed of toasted corn called momochitli, that was a grain resembling a very white flower. These capillejos were made in the same manner as the ones created out of flowers, [worn] by young Castillian maidens during the month of May..."

Those capillejos (a type of bonnet) mentioned by Sahagun were actually made out of popcorn. To the Mexica ("Aztecs"), corn was an important grain that held important socio-religious significance, much like chia and amaranth, that I have mentioned on previous posts. Corn was central to the native culture of the Americas, but only Zea Mays Averta had the ability to pop when heated.

Tlaloc, God of Rain, from the Codex Rios

In other writings, Sahagun mentions that momochitli was also offered to Tlaloc, the Rain God, due to its resemblance to hail, that was also attributed to this deity. To this day, some Mexicans say "Tlaloc must be angry" every time it hails. Other writings by Sahagun allude that popcorn was an important offering due to its resemblance to stars - it was a divine reminder of the constellations, that helped the ancient Americans develop the calendar.

Indigenous communities like the Mazahua in central Mexico create simple offerings for religious ceremonies composed of strands made out of popcorn, small biscuits and marshmallows. Thanks to El Bable, you can see the following image showing a Mazahua altar adorned with fruit and popcorn garlands. Mazahua women also create long popcorn garlands that are strung around crosses and images of saints, at times completely covering them. Some times a piece of bread is hung in the middle of the popcorn strand, symbolic of the holy spirit.

The word for popcorn in Mexico is "palomitas" - a word that literally means "little doves", maybe because the popped grain resembles tiny white doves. The name could also be an attempt to scyncretize religious beliefs associated with popcorn. An offering to Tlaloc, the god of rain could be sincretized as an offering to the holy spirit, also symbolized as a white dove in Catholic belief. According to Genesis 8:11, a dove released by Noah flew back to the ark carrying back an olive branch after the flood, a sign of peace and divine reconciliation.

Noah releasing a dove.
Mosaic, Basilica de San Marco, Venice Italy

It is impossible to decipher the exact meaning and associations hidden behind a certain food, but popcorn offers a few clues. Popcorn could be seen as one of the basic miracles of nature: Life trapped inside a seed, just waiting to pop out. It is energy flying in all directions, in the shape of tiny white doves. It sounds like furious hail that destroys crops, both a gift and a warning from divine forces. It could also be a representation of the stars above us - a reminder that we are small among the planets, like a grain of corn. Such are the mysteries of food mythology and syncretism, and some things to ponder next time you to to the movies..! Enjoy the following recipe for Colorful Popcorn.

Now on Sale! Heart Charms - Milagro Fabric

2011-02-17T21:02:00.000-08:00

I am pleased to inform that a small selection of my fabrics can now be purchased online at SpoonFlower! This heart fabric is called "Milagro". Milagros literally means "miracles". They are metal charms traditionally pinned to a saint's robes. Milagros come in many shapes, and are used as tokens of devotion, or as thanks for miracles performed. I think this fabric is perfect for February, the month when we celebrate love and friendship.

Fabrics at SpoonFlower are processed digitally. I am still trying to adjust the color way - the sample I got shows up more orange than red, yet I think it looks very nice against the cobalt blue background. Other fabrics for sale are my mermaid and merman fabrics, and a kid's print called "Kids with Scarves". Please take a look at my online store at SpoonFlower.

Animal Free Mexican Chocolate Drinks, Hot and Cold

2011-02-08T23:06:00.000-08:00

Dear bloggeritos, I was unable to post for the month of January due to a busy schedule and a spotty internet connection. I'm still around and ready to share some information and ideas for chocolate drinks! It is amazing to think that almost a third of the US is blanketed in snow right now...Here in San Francisco we've been having almost Summer like weather! What could be better than a cool licuado for hot day? Or a cup of hot cocoa, for chilly weather? Read on!

Cool Chocolate Licuados.
I used to drink a heavenly chocolate licuado sold at the Tapachula market when I was a kid. It was advertised as "Choco 1000" (choco mil). It was a play on words on the popular powdered drink called Choco Milk. This drink was cleverly marketed by the super healthy and butch little Mexican boy known as Pancho Pantera. Here's Pancho, courtesy of -U! (Uriel Duran).

This licuado of my childhood was made using fresh non-pausterised milk and a raw egg. It made it really thick and rich, but it would be considered dangerous by today's standards! See the advertising? It was recommended kids drank it three times a day in order to tame tigers, stop trains on its tracks and...Garden.

Amazingly enough, ancient Mexicans blended cocoa water and spices for a chocolate drink that was naturally animal free. The word Chocolate is actually a derivative of the ancient Nahuatl for Xoco Atl, meaning bitter water, a drink that was sacred. The Spaniards turned the word "Xocolatl" into "Chocolate", the term encompassing both cocoa solids and the original frothy drink. Of course, the Aztecs didn't have electric blenders but here's some ideas for making chocolate drinks in the ancient Mexican tradition. I use unsweetened powdered cocoa by Ghirardelli.

Almendrado. Use two cups of almond milk, a handful of peeled slivered toasted almonds and two heaping tablespoons of powdered cocoa. Add ice cubes, sweetener of your choice and blend.
Azteca. Two cups of almond milk, a handful of peeled slivered toasted almonds, two tablespoons of chia seeds, and two heaping tablespoons of powdered cocoa. Add ice cubes, sweetener of your choice and blend.
Chango Marango. Two cups of coconut milk, a very ripe banana, berries of your choice, two heaping tablespoons of powdered cocoa. Add ice cubes, sweetener of your choice and blend.
Abuelita's. Two cups of almond milk, a handful of peeled slivered toasted almonds, two heaping tablespoons of powdered cocoa, powdered cinnamon, and a tablespoon of Mexican Vanilla (I use Xanath's). Add ice cubes, sweetener of your choice and blend.
Manicero. Use two cups of rice milk, a ripe pear, two heaping tablespoons of peanut butter, and two heaping tablespoons of powdered cocoa. Add ice cubes, sweetener of your choice and blend.
Choco Chispas. Use two cups of almond milk, a scoop of soy based frozen dessert (I use the one made by So Delicous), two heaping tablespoons of powdered cocoa and fresh chopped mint. Add ice cubes, sweetener of your choice and blend. The mint will create refreshing little "chips".

History of Hot Mexican Chocolate
The image above comes from Peaton, it shows a chocolate pyramid created for a competition in Germany. Emperor Moctezuma would finish his meal with a frothy gourd full of "Xocolatl" and a nice smoke perfumed with liquidamber resin. The drink was traditionally served cold. During colonial times the original bitter drink of the Aztecs became fermented, sweetened and seasoned with vanilla, sugar, almonds and cinnamon - what it is now known as "Mexican Chocolate" immediately caught on in Europe and became very popular. Certain convents in colonial Mexico experimented with chocolate, creating famous recipes like Mole Poblano, yet the church forbid nuns from drinking chocolate because it was considered too voluptuous for them. Here's a recipe for animal free Champurrado, a hot chocolate drink that can be enjoyed by everyone!

Champurrado
4 cups of Almond Milk
4 tablespoons of cocoa powder
2 small lumps of piloncillo (Mexican Raw Sugar)
2 sticks of Canela (Mexican Cinnamon)
1 cup of corn masa (corn dough used to make tortillas)

Heat the milk, add the cinnamon and the sugar until the lumps dissolve completely. Remove the cinnamon sticks. Add the masa and the cocoa and stir often. Use a blender to combine everything and to make sure your champurrado is nice and frothy. Process in small batches, at the slowest setting. Place a thick cloth napkin on top of the blender so you don't burn yourself. Serve in individual cups and enjoy.

Spicy Hot Chocolate
Finally, if you want your hot chocolate to be hot in more ways than one try adding some dry chiles to it. The picture above is from a spicy Venezuelan hot chocolate taken at Christopher Elbow, in San Francisco. They use a nice blend of chiles, spices and Venezuelan chocolate for this delicious drink. I've used all kinds of chiles in hot chocolate, but I think the best tasting are the raising like pasilla, robust ancho, or smoky chipotle. If you use chipotle use the dry variety - the canned chiles have added spices and salt that won't add much to the chocolate. Here's some notes on spicy Mexican hot chocolate that I served during a recent chocolatada party:

"No chocolatada can be complete without some hot chocolate. I used tablets of Chocolate Ibarra and Chocolate Abuelita and mixed them with hot low fat milk or soy milk. A little bit of the pasilla and negro chiles was added to the blender in order to make a delicious spicy and sweet drink. A little bit of Mexican vanilla also gives the chocolate a wonderful scent. Please make sure you get authentic Mexican vanilla, it really makes a big difference. One of my guests said it was the best hot chocolate she had ever tasted! You can get Ibarra and Abuelita hot chocolate tablets at MexGrocer, I get my vanilla from Xanath in San Francisco."

One last note: Most processed chocolate has milk added to it. If you want your drinks to be animal free, use powdered cocoa, and make sure to read labels carefully for commercially bought blends. Generally, the darker the chocolate, the less likely it is to contain milk. Enjoy your chocolate, and stay cool...Or warm!!

Felices Fiestas - Deer Digital Mural at Galeria

2010-12-24T18:04:00.000-08:00

I created this mural and adjacent window installation for Galeria de la Raza. Read about the inspiration for this digital mural here. The staff of the gallery work hard to get the mural up, even after days of non stop rain! The mural went up not only to celebrate the holidays - but it also coincided with the winter solstice, and during a recent lunar eclipse. I think it was very appropriate - for many ancient cultures in the Americas, the deer was a sacred animal in charge of bringing back the sun. I wish happy holidays to everyone, warmth, y mucha felicidad!

Frida Munny. On auction for a Good Cause!

2010-12-09T19:39:00.000-08:00

Check out my Munny Frida Kahlo! I made her for a charity auction that benefits NLGSF, my day job. It is sponsored by Galeria de La Raza. You don't know about what a Munny is? They are fantastic art collectible toys by Kid Robot. Many artists have designed these toys, I'm glad I gave it a shot, this is my first one. Check out another Munny toy designed by the very talented Carlos Villez. He was inspired by "El Catrin", from the Mexican Loteria board game. He seems to be courting Munny Frida...But she is playing hard to get!

There are many more amazing items up for auction! If you are in San Francisco, go check it out! The NLGSF Holiday Party and Auction will be held tomorrow, Friday December 10 at the Cartoon Art Museum in San Francisco, at 6:00 pm.

The Cartoon Art Museum is located at 655 Mission Street between New Montgomery and Third Streets, is around the corner from the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and a dozen other museums which comprise the Yerba Buena Gardens cultural district of San Francisco’s South of Market area.

New Holiday Mural - Sweaters and Raindeer

2010-11-26T23:30:00.000-08:00

Galeria de la Raza in San Francisco has a one of its kind program that allows artists to create large scale digital murals. Check out the digital mural archive here! This season I'm honored to create a holiday mural for Galeria.

Here's a sketch I came up with. The deer is a traditional animal for the season. For the Yaqui people, it is actually a sacred animal. Reindeer will be the central element for my mural. The sweater the deer is wearing is inspired by the popular textiles created in Chiconcuac, in central Mexico.

According to MexChic on Etsy: "Marilyn Monroe in the 60’s and Starsky & Hutch in the 70’s made these sweaters famous in the United States, but they’ve always been a staple in Mexico."

More to follow. In the mean time, keep warm!

Chocolatada: Day of the Dead Chocolate Party

2010-10-31T23:50:00.000-07:00

I threw a chocolate party last Friday to commemorate the Day of the Dead holiday. Why chocolate? Well, everyone loves chocolate! Chocolate was also a sacred food to ancient Mexicans so I found it very appropriate to celebrate this ancient holiday using a chocolate theme. Here's some tips if you want to organize a Day of the Dead chocolatada (chocolate feast) of your own:

Start your party late in the evening so your guests get a chance to eat dinner on their own, if they choose to. Any time after 7:00 or 8:00 pm should give your guests plenty of time to eat a light meal.

I set up two food tables: one with dark chocolate and vegan alternatives, and a more festive "ofrenda" (offering) with more traditional Mexican elements and milk chocolate. My ofrenda had the customary pan de muerto (pictured above), fruit, paper cutouts and traditional marigolds that have been used to honor the dead in Mexico for centuries. I baked two batches of chocolate cutout cookies the night before for both tables. They are relatively easy, and a lot of fun to decorate.

I served two kinds of chocolate fondue with fruit skewers for dipping. Chocolate melts better if you apply even heat slowly. Start melting your chocolate at least an hour before the party starts on a double broiler. Make sure all your utensils are dry and no moisture gets in the chocolate or it will clump. In order for your guest not to get overwhelmed with too much sweetness its a good idea to serve some savories. I made some black bean guacamole and mango salsa and served them with blue corn chips and beet chips. I also had mini pastry shells with mole sauce and roasted veggies. To complete the dark chocolate table I added cascades of black lace, dry pasilla and negro chiles, figs, black grapes and plums. A chocolate cake and brownies completed the table.

No chocolatada can be complete without some hot chocolate. I used tablets of Chocolate Ibarra and Chocolate Abuelita and mixed them with hot low fat milk and soy milk. A little bit of the pasilla and negro chiles was added to the blender in order to make a delicious spicy and sweet drink. A little bit of Mexican vanilla also gives the chocolate a wonderful scent. Please make sure you get authentic Mexican vanilla, it really makes a big difference. One of my guests said it was the best hot chocolate she had ever tasted! You can get Ibarra and Abuelita hot chocolate tablets at MexGrocer, I get my vanilla from Xanath in San Francisco.

MORE RESOURCES:
The black clay skull and candle holder come from Oaxaca, but any dark hued pottery or tarnished silver will do if you want to create a dark table. The man shaped candle comes from a botanica on the Mission district. I also found several goodies and decorations in my neighborhood and on-line. The chocolate cosmos and dark dahlias are from Birch. The chocolate skulls and licorice/chocolate lentils are from Miette. The plastic plates and cups are reusable. I got them from Smarty Had A Party. Have a safe and fun holiday. And remember to brush your teeth!

(:= X

Vivo: Day of the Dead Community Celebration!

2010-10-30T11:30:00.000-07:00

Thanks everyone for attending the community celebration for VIVO, the Day of the Dead exhibit at the Oakland Museum of California. last weekend. Despite the bad weather many visitors enjoyed the show, as well as music, food and community altars. A community group created the beautiful fresh flower ofrenda in front of the mural I painted. It was dedicated to amaranth, the wonder food I blogged about recently.

I dedicated the mural to Aurora Reyes. She was a renowned Mexican muralist (and a childhood friend of Frida Kahlo) that I got to meet when I was young. Ms. Reyes was very talented, but seldom heard of outside of Mexico. She inspired me to be an artist. I also dedicated the mural to Dolores Olmedo (a Mexican philantropist and art collector) and to Oscar Grant, the unarmed civilian killed on BART.

This year's exhibit make reference to Prehispanic traditions that are the origins of the Day of the Dead holiday. This wonderful pyramid (El Templo Teotl) represents the four cardinal points, as well as the four elements and ancestral forces. It was created by Jesse Hernandez.

These are some photos of a tortilla making demonstration, ofrendas created by community groups and live music.

The show and mural will be on view until December 5, 2010. To learn more about the show visit OMCA's website. To view more photos of the celebration and to read a brief article about the show visit In Oakland blog. By the way, you can take BART to the Oakland Museum, but watch out...You'll never know what dangers lurk near by.

That is actually my wonderfully free spirited friend Fennel. She is harmless. I wish you a happy and safe Halloween and a thoughtful Day of the Dead.

Galeria de la Raza turns 40!

2010-10-14T12:34:00.000-07:00

Galeria de la Raza in San Francisco was one of the first galleries to ever show my work. This year, Galeria turns 40! So far, the celebrations and programming have been exceptional. 40 years of archives, activisim and history can be seen at the Galeria Retrospective, on view until January 29th, 2011.

Without Galeria, the city of San Francisco would loose one of its more important outlets that showcases the richness of Chicano/Latino art and culture. You can support Galeria by attending the Gala Celebration on November 21st at The Brava Theater. Tickets in advance are only $40! You can buy tickets on-line

Galeria also holds many youth arts and education activities open to everyone in the neighborhood. Recently I helped out with Galeria's family day. Thanks to the wonderful families that came down to learn how to make this awesome dog piñata!

I hope to post instructions on how to make your own dog piñata in the future.

In the mean time, please continue to support Galeria's mission by donating to the cause on-line.

My dog Mysti approves!

Mano, Mundo, Corazon Opens!

2010-10-04T23:30:00.000-07:00

Artwork by Don Colley

Installation by Maximo Gonzalez and Eduardo J. Villanueva

La Araña by Mario Castillo

La Corona, by Michael Velliquette

I am part of a group show in Chicago: Mano/Mundo/Corazon. See my previous post. I am proud to be featured among such talented artists. A review of the show is available in Spanish from La Raza. The show was also mentioned in the Chicago Tribune's Fall Exhibition's Preview. For more photos, visit CBPA's Flickr page

Announcing VIVO: Days of the Dead 2010

2010-09-10T12:27:00.000-07:00

I'm thrilled to announce I'll be participating in the Oakland Museum of California's (OMCA) Days of The Dead exhibition! I was asked to paint a large scale mural that promotes the show and educates visitors about the tradition of Days of The Dead.

Artwork by Jesse Hernandez

More about the Show:
Ten artists, local schools and community groups will create installation and ofrendas (offerings) focusing on local and international issues. According to Guest Curator Jaime Cortez this year's title "VIVO" connects beautifully with the exhibit's concept. Vivo literally means "alive" but it also means smart, clever or astute. Vivo also means vivid, or bright. "The word vivo also reminds us that Dias de los Muertos is a living, ever-evolving tradition" said Cortez.

Dates:
The exhibit will be on view from October 6 to December 5, 2010. A community celebration is scheduled for October 23rd, from 12:00 to 4:30 pm, included with the regular OMCA admission. Please join us and enjoy food, dance, music and gallery tours.

To learn more about this exhibit please visit OMCA's website

Coconut Horchata - A Recipe from Tapachula

2010-09-03T11:30:00.000-07:00

Finally, blogeritos and blogerinas! After a cold Summer seems like we have some sunshine in San Francisco. Like I always say, warm weather reminds me so much of Tapachula, in Chiapas. I lived in Tapachula for only a year, but I used to visit often way before hurricane Stan destroyed the Soconusco region in the Southern most region of Mexico.

Tapachula's cuisine is very alluring, mixing Mayan and Spanish traditions, with some touches of African, Chinese and Japanese influences. The cuisine is not what folks usually think of as "Mexican Food" north of the border. It includes exotic local vegetables and fruits, savory tamales and unusual seafood and game (wild boar, iguanas, round water crustaceans called chiquirines, and turtles).

Tapachula is sweltering hot! Hence the tradition of cooling and nourishing drinks all over the coast of Chiapas. This is a recipe to prepare a refreshing, milky Horchata de Coco. To prepare it, you'll need the following ingredients:

A fresh coconut
A dry coconut
One cup of rice
One cup of slivered almonds
A stick of cinnamon
Lemon peel
A vanilla bean
Sugar, or agave nectar to taste

Start by soaking the rice, almonds and Cinnamon overnight in six cups of water. The next day, you'll be ready to start adding the flavoring ingredients.

Split the vanilla bean in two. Using a dull knife, scrape the inside part as shown in the picture. Add some lemon peel as well to your previously soaked ingredients.

Add all your ingredients to a pot and bring to a boil. Boil only for one minute so the rice has softened a bit but it is not mushy. If the rice cooks and it gets very soft it will change the texture of the rice and the flavor of the horchata.

Let the rice mixture cool. In the mean time, prepare some coconut milk by combining the water of a fresh young coconut and the fleshy white part of a dry coconut. You can open the young coconut with a very sharp knife or a cleaver. You can also use the thin, gel like coconut to flavor your drink.

Check out my instructions on how to split a dry coconut on my previous post - Fear, gifts and Sacrifice: When the Coconut Cracks

Combine the coconut water, the coconut flesh and the young coconut gel using a blender. You now have coconut milk ready to use!

Process the rice mixture in the blender as well, in small batches and strain*. Add about four more cups of water, the coconut milk and sweeten to taste. That's it - serve very cold!

*Note, according to your taste, you may need to strain the horchata again after you add the coconut milk.

La Loteria: Hand, World and Heart (and the Devil)

2010-08-19T22:54:00.000-07:00

I received this card on the mail the other day. The Devil! No, it was not some weird form of hate mail asking me to repent and mend the error of my ways. I was an invitation to participate in the Center for Book and Paper Arts' exhibit -Mano/Mundo/Corazon: Artists Interpret La Loteria

La Loteria is a game similar to Bingo. The most popular version of this game was probably drawn in the 1920's, but the game has been around since the 1800's. Each card features iconic and archetypal images. Some of the cards have symbolic meaning dating back to Pre-Hispanic times, while other cards could also correspond to the Tarot's major arcana:

El Sol /The Sun/Tonathiu.

La Luna/The Moon/Coyolxahuqui.

La Estrella/The Star/Citlali.

La Muerte/Death/Miclantecuthli,

I was actually thrilled to have received El Diablito. The image was up my alley - devils seem to make their way into my art often. The obvious symbolic meanings for the devil are evil, fear and basically everything that is bad. But my personal mythology interprets Diablitos (little Devils) as naughty, playful, mischievous characters related to the basic element of fire. They represent passion, a spark of creativity and our desire to "let loose", to do things often frown upon. If we are extremely fearful, overly prudish, judgemental, and repress our genuine feelings unfairly, something minor could come back in more sinister ways. This is my version of the card:

Mano/Mundo/Corazon: Artist Interpret La Loteria opens on September 9, and it runs to December 10 in Chicago's Center for Book and Paper Arts The opening reception is on September 9, from 5:30 to 8:30 pm. To learn more about the Center for Books and Paper Arts visit Columbia College in Chicago

Red Hot Chile Salt

2010-08-16T11:26:00.000-07:00

Hello Blogeritos! I've been busy but I have lots to share! Stay tuned. I hope everyone is having a great Summer. One of the things I love about the Summer is the produce. Corn, tomatoes, Summer squash and so many other fresh veggies are in season. I saw some juicy red chiles at the farmer's market the other day, so I decided to make this delicious red hot chile salt!

Street vendors in Oaxaca and Chiapas make chile salt similar to this one to season peanuts, pepitas (roasted pumpkin seeds) and fresh fruits and veggies. It is super simple! You'll need the following ingredients and utensils:

A cup of salt
5- 6 fresh red peppers, like Thai, Mirasol or Tabasco
Mortar and pestle
Salt shaker
Coffee grinder (optional)

Grind the chiles and the salt together in the mortar. I'm using a small marble mortar and pestle, but traditionally this is done in a volcanic stone molcajete. Choose only the freshest, juiciest chiles, or you'll have a hard time flavoring the salt and breaking the chiles apart. Work the skin and seeds into the salt, so everything starts to break down.

Transfer the chile salt to a plate and spread it evenly. Let it dry on a sunny window for a couple of days before you store it in a salt shaker. Look at the picture below. The salt on the right was ground twice, the salt on the left is a bit more chunky. If you want a finer salt, grind the skins and the seeds in the mortar once again, or process it in a coffee grinder. I have two coffee grinders, one for coffee and one just for spices (let the salt rest for a minute before opening the coffee grinder! The salt may become airborne!)

Enjoy this red hot salt over roasted corn, pico de gallo, crispy jicama or any dish that needs a little spicing. Have a fiery hot summer!

Fear, Gifts and Sacrifice: When The Coconut Cracks

2010-07-30T23:56:00.000-07:00

Do you know the name in Spanish for the bogeyman, the legendary monster of childhood nightmares? South of the border the bogeyman is known as "El Coco". This nondescript creature used to scare children is also known as "El Cuco", the same name given to the devil. The word "coco" also alludes to the head. In Mexico, the saying "Le patina el coco" (his coconut slides) roughly translates as someone that has a few loose crews. A good knock to the head is also known as a coco or coscorron. "Dale de coco" means to use your brain, to put some effort into something. When the Spaniards saw coconuts they believed them to resemble little heads - so "Coco" is also the name in Spanish for delicious coconut fruits. Yes, botanically coconuts are fruits, not nuts. How nuts is that? And have you ever noticed how coconuts have "eyes" and a "mouth"?

Coconuts as Offerings and Sacred Guardians
For many cultures, the effort it takes to open a coconut is a symbol of overcoming difficulty and obstacles. It also teaches humility. Have you ever met a person that is never wrong? Their heads are hard as coconuts! Many cultures use coconuts as divine offerings. The picture below comes via Sri Karunamayi's page. It shows fresh coconut water used as an offering during a ritual. Sri Karunamayi (also known as Amma) is a spiritual leader that is also known as "the hugging saint". During Thaipusan , a festival in India, people also perform a coconut smashing ritual.

In Santeria, coconut shells are used for divination. Coconuts are also offered to Elegua, the deity that resides between crossroads. Elegua (also known as Eshu) is a mysterious fellow that is congruent to Hermes and Loki from Greek and Norse mythologies. He is the messenger of the gods, a trickster, and a road opener. In the Santeria tradition Elegua controls both fortune and misfortune. In her book Jambalaya, author and ritualist Luisah Teish describes the preparation of a coconut that serves as a protective guardian to be kept behind a person's front door. Writer Migene Gonzalez-Whippler also narrates a ritual that prepares a coconut ebbo (a gift) for Elegua, that also serves as a love spell. Five different liquors and candies are used to stuff a dry coconut. It serves as a symbol for making a person's head "drunk" with love for the one preparing the coconut. The following image of a coconut offering to Eleggua comes via Year in White, a site about news and general discussions about the Santeria faith.

Not too long ago, while visiting the big Island of Hawaii I was lucky enough to visit Kalapana, what once was a famous and beautiful black sand beach called Kaimu. The eruption of the Kilauea volcano in 1990 and 2008 destroyed most of the Hawaiian village and buried the beach under petrified lava. A local woman mobilized the community to create a new coconut grove. New coconut plantings will replace the ones destroyed by the lava. In a way, her efforts served as coconut gifts for future generations to enjoy. At the new Kaimu beach I took a photo of a simple offering that was left on the beach. It was a coconut and a flower lei, possibly for Kali, Goddess of the volcanoes. The lava flow has not stopped. That night me and my boyfriend hiked to see the lava flow at Kalapana. The stars shone bright, and the red river of lava was both creation and destruction. It was an experience I'll cherish for the rest of my life.

The Challenging Art of Opening a Coconut
Coconut is one of those foods that people either love or hate. I get a feeling that if people really dislike the sandy, extremely sweet and dry coconut bought out of bags - or they are reminded of the smell of the chemical synthetic coconut used in lotions. Fresh young coconut is really delicious, and coconut water is clean and refreshing. I'm not going to lie to you - opening a coconut is hard work. It is better to do it at your leisure, not while you have guests waiting for cocktails. See is a challenge - anyone can open a can, but opening a fresh coconut is a ritual, a metaphor for overcoming obstacles. You'll need the following materials:

One dry coconut, clean of mold or other impurities
A large clean napkin
A clever or a large knife
A mat or towel
A canvas bag (for an alternate method)

So, going back to the "little head" I described at the beginning of this post: The "mouth" of the coconut is the softest part, it is located right at the seam below the "eyes" of the fruit. You need to locate that seam and crack it open by hitting it really hard with the cleaver. In order to not hit your hand by accident, wrap the napkin around the coconut and create a "handle" as shown in the picture.

Now, follow the seam you located earlier to the equator of the coconut. Using your cleaver, start hitting the seam all around. If you don't have a cleaver, use the blunt side of a large knife.

Place a mat or towel on your counter, for stability. You can also work on the floor, outside. Continue hitting the coconut choosing the weakest part - the "mouth", located right below the "eyes" and following the seams all around. This may take time, but you will eventually weaken the seam. Start hitting the coconut with harder blows using the clever, you could also use a hammer. After several vigorous blows, the coconut will crack.

A word of caution: If you have absolutely no practice in the kitchen (or using tools like hammers) don't do this! For an alternative method place the coconut inside a sturdy canvas bag, go outside, and smash the coconut against the floor (or a wall or a rock) until it cracks open. You may loose the coconut juice, but you'll be less likely to hurt yourself.

Usually fresh young coconuts have lots of clear juice. This juice is combined with oil and flesh from the coconut to create what is often considered "coconut milk". Dry coconuts may have some juice left before all the water has fully been absorbed into the flesh. You can use this water for drinks and for cooking. Be careful - if the coconut smells sour, don't drink the juice! Once the shell has cracked, you can drain it as shown in the picture and save the coconut water for later. You can also drill a hole in one of the "eyes" and drain the coconut beforehand.

Enjoy your reward - using a spoon separate the white flesh from the shell using a spoon or a knife. Bake the coconut halves for 15 minutes If you are having a hard time taking the flesh out. Clean the coconut flesh by separating the brown spots from the shell with paring knife.

So, don't be afraid of El Coco. With some planning, patience and practice, you'll overcome obstacles in no time.

Herb Watermelon Agua Fresca

2010-07-19T23:30:00.000-07:00

Aguas Frescas are fruit drinks very popular in Mexico. This super simple recipe of "Agua de Sandia" uses a flavored mint syrup for a refreshing twist. If you are in a bold mood you can substitute basil for mint, or experiment with the herbs of your choice. Use the herb syrup to flavor other drinks like mojitos, juices and even sparkling water. You'll need the following ingredients:

For the Agua Fresca:

3 cups of fresh watermelon
6 cups of cold water
ice cubes

For the herb syrup:

One cup of coarsely chopped mint, basil or other fresh herbs of your choice
Half a cup of organic evaporated cane juice sugar
One cup of water

Prepare the syrup by boiling the water, herbs and sugar in a small sauce pan. Cook for about five minutes. Strain the syrup and store in a clean glass container. Using a blender puree the fruit and the water, If necessary blend in small batches. Serve in glasses with lots of ice. Just before drinking drizzle a little bit of the syrup and stir.

I hope you are enjoying your summer! I hope to post more recipes about some of my favorite summer drinks. I leave you with this haiku about watermelon:

"Del verano, roja y fria
carcajada
rebanada
de sandia"

"Summer's red and cold
chuckle
slice
of watermelon"

- Haiku by José Juan Tablada (April 3, 1871-August 2, 1945) . Tablada was a Mexican poet, art critic and diplomat. He traveled in Japan where he wrote and translated haiku, introducing the poetic form to Spanish language readers.

Hair Guide

2010-06-30T23:35:00.000-07:00

Hair guide poster. Photo taken on Mission Street, San Francisco.

Another Hair Guide

2010-06-30T23:30:00.000-07:00

Also taken on Mission Street, San Francisco.

When Things Get Hairy

2010-06-30T23:19:00.000-07:00

Hair is very much a part of people's cultural identity. From "bears", those lovable portly hairy gay men, to not so lovable hipsters with waxed moustaches - hair makes a statement. It is no surprise that the book Hair'Em Scare'Em showcases hair as an inspiration for graphic design, photography and fashion.

Hair'Em Scare'Em mixes outlandish images like the one above, that reminded me of Uncle Fester from the Addams Family. (Correction - It is Cousin IT, from the Addams Family!). I was also fascinated by the image of the young man below mostly because he was not styled to look that way - it seems to me like the boy was naturally hairy. The book mentioned no information whatsoever about the model so I had to do some research.

Untitled, by Carlos Aires. From the series "happily ever after"

The photograph is by Carlos Aires, from Spain, part of his series titled "happily ever after". Aires' photographs are populated by midgets in bull fighter suits, sleepy chubby nuns and old vaudevillians. The young man is mentioned to be "South American" in the photographer's website, but again, not much information is given. Aires' images are fascinating and superbly executed but they made me think about the fine line between morbidity and exploitation. At times I got the same mixed feelings while paging trough Hair'Em Scare'Em. Hair has a way of bringing guttural emotions that mix repulsion, beauty and even sexual desire. In that way, the book succeeds superbly.

Julia Pastrana

Hair has also been an inspiration to me. I created the painting pictured below several years ago. It was shown at City Art gallery in San Francisco for the show "Monsters" in 2004. The premise was that we create monsters out of what we don't understand. The painting was inspired by a Mexican woman, winner of the infamous title "ugliest woman in the world". Julia Pastrana (pictured above) was an actress, singer and dancer born in 1834. She had a condition called hipertrichosis, also called "werewolf" syndrome. Her entire body was covered with thick hair. I was moved by Julia's story when I first read a book about her life. She died shortly after giving birth to a little boy that was just as hairy as she was. In my painting I took creative license and decided to give Julia a family. The painting depicts what her children may had looked like.

But back to the original image by Aires. Doing some research I discovered that we still have performers that are affected by hirsutism. In the Mexican village of Loreto, in Baja California a group of circus performers were dubbed as "Los Ninos Lobo" (The wolf children). Here is the story in Spanish, via El Mundo, a publication in Spain. The article by Virgine Luc talks about a hairy boy named Danny.

Danny, photo by Gérard Rancinan

Danny and his three siblings were raised by their grandmother after their mother left for Texas. Danny's brother Larry was just as hairy as he was. Due to a lucky coincidence a small circus showed up in Danny's village on an unscheduled visit. Grandma made Danny and his brother audition for the circus. The circus owner ended up adopting the boys legally, they were five and eight years old. Danny never went to school, but the said that the son of the circus owner taught him to be an acrobat. However, the most important lesson his adopted brother taught him was "Nada ni nadie puede impedirte ser lo que tú quieras ser - nothing, or anything can stop you from being who you want to be". I never figured out if the boy in the book was related to the "wolf boys" from Loreto. I don't think it is possible that the boy photographed by Aires was Larry. Larry is older than Danny. He moved to Canada where he got married and has a daughter.

I wish Hair'Em Scare'Em had shown a few designers from Africa or Latin America. We have such an interesting history with hair. The contributors of the book are mostly from Europe and the United States, with a few Japanese contributors. Only a few images alluding to Latino or African American hair are depicted. One of them is meant as a funny image of a black horse wearing corn rows, by Australian designer Julian Wolkenstain.

Even if Europeans are discovering the joys of being hairy and scary, immature comments alluding to animalism and race still abound. Not too long ago singer Tiziano Ferro commented that it was impossible to find beautiful women in Mexico because "they all had moustaches" during an interview on national Italian television. Ferro was at the time popular in Mexico. In 2001 the Spanish version of his song Rosso Relativo entered the Mexican TOP 20 album sales chart. Ugly or not, Mexican women loved his music. After claims of tears and deep depression due to the backlash of his statements, Ferro's record company issued a video apology. Ferro came across as someone that would bite the hairy hand that fed him.

Oh, hair! The most famous Mexicana con bigote is of course, painter Frida Kahlo. By deciding to keep her moustache and unibrow she challenged gender and social norms, while becoming one of the most recognized artists in the world.

Go check out this book! Hair'Em Scare'Em is published by the creative agency Gestalten. The ghost of European beauty standards don't stop the book from being enjoyable and having whimsical, funny, and inspiring imagery.

Links:
For more information about Julia Pastrana visit The Human Marvels. Thaks to J. Thithonus Pednaud for creating Human Marvels, a site dedicated to vindicating those people who were once labeled as freaks.

Pay a visit to City Art Gallery if you are in San Francisco.

Day of The Dead - In June!

2010-06-25T18:45:00.000-07:00

Seems like Dia de los Muertos (Day of The Dead) imagery is everywhere these days. You can see calaveras and grinning skeletons on t-shirts, hoodies, even sneakers. On a walk through the Mission District of San Francisco I captured several interesting images the other day.

I started my walk on 16th street and Dolores. I saw this cool dress on the window of Sunhee Moon, a kicky boutique for fashionable gals. The pattern of the dress seems to be inspired by Dia de los Muertos papel picado patterns! Very cool, isn't it? The design is called "Calya" and also comes in red for $195. Sunhee Moon also has "Meg" (pictured below) also in a papel picado print, but with bird and flower designs. It is $248. If you like these dresses also check out my other post about the papel picado dresses by Ronaldo Fraga.

Valencia street seems busy with the many efforts to widen the sidewalks, plant trees and add additional lightening.

The drain grills installed on the newly planted trees are also Day of The Dead inspired. They actually seem to be based on a design by Mexican engraver Jose Guadalupe Posada:

Posada's work is mostly associated with the Dia de Los Muertos holiday here in the US, but back in Mexico he is better known as a social commentator. His work was full of irony and political satire. On the same note, this mural seems to be in the spirit of Posada's work. I don't know the name of the artist, but the mural is also on Valencia street.

On the corner of 18th and Valencia I saw more interesting public art. This poster reminds me a bit of Maori tattoos but it is also reminiscent of calaveras and The Day of The Dead holiday.

Interestingly enough the Calavera poster was posted on a construction site where the former Valencia Hotel used to stand. Many people met horrific deaths during the 1906 earthquake, more than in any other site in San Francisco. Many were trapped three stories below the surface under mud, and the rest of the survivors burned alive. The image comes via The Virtual Museum of The City of San Francisco. It is available for licensing.

This corner was also the former site of a lagoon, La Laguna de Dolores (The Lagoon of Sorrows). During an earthquake the land can liquefy and become unstable. I am not superstitious but I would not want to live here...

Finally I end my walk at The Women's Building, on 16th Street. This section of the mural represents the Goddess Coyolxauqui, Goddess of the moon. The skull on her waist and arms represent blood, because according to Aztec lore, Coyolxauqui was dismembered by her brother. Here, the artist represents the Goddess whole and vigorous. A wise teacher once told me that during hard times we have to be comfortable in the dark...Just like the moon.

I used to have my studio on Lapidge and 18th, I remember when the beautiful mural "Maestrapiece" was being painted - I used to walk by almost every day. The anniversary of the mural was celebrated in September. It is hard to believe that it has been 15 years. It is nice to see that some influences from the "Latino Soul" of the Mission are still present, even during times of great gentrification.

Abstract Expressionist Amaranth Candy

2010-05-31T23:31:00.000-07:00

Inspired by the traditional Mexican candy called "Alegria" (See my previous post - Eternal Amaranth) and Jackson Pollock's paintings, I created these abstract amaranth candy spider webs. Now, this is art you can eat! Pollock was introduced to liquid paint after attending a workshop lead by Mexican muralist David Alfaro Siqueiros in 1936. He later experimented with dripping liquid paint directly over canvas to create his signature pieces.

Do you want to give it a try? You can buy amaranth seeds in Latin American produce stores, or on-line. Amaranth is highly nutritious, and once popped it has a mild nutty flavor. You can use these abstract caramel "webs" to decorate ice cream, fruit salad, cup cakes, or any other dessert. You'll need the following ingredients:

1/4 cup of raw amaranth seeds
1/2 cup of sugar
cooking spray
Dessert of your choice

You'll also need:

A good non-stick pan
A sheet of aluminum foil
A cookie tray, or flat pan

Start by popping your amaranth seeds in the microwave, like you would do popcorn. Measure two tablespoons of amaranth inside a deep bowl. Toast in the microwave under the "popcorn" setting for about 12 - 15 seconds. Keep an eye on your amaranth seeds, if the dish is too shallow only a portion of the seeds may pop, like in the picture below.

If this happens, choose a bowl that is not quite so shallow. Don't return the un-popped amaranth to the microwave or it will burn. Continue popping the amaranth in small two tablespoon batches until you have a quarter cup. You are looking at light, fluffy amaranth like the one pictured on the left

Line a cookie tray with aluminum foil. Spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Spread half of the amaranth all over the foil, making sure they are evenly placed all over the pan. Save the rest of the seeds for later. Keep the pan near your stove before you start the next step...

Next, you are going to make some dry caramel. You are going to melt the sugar in a good non-stick pan over medium/high heat, stirring often with a wooden spoon. The sugar will melt and turn into liquid once you heat it, you just need to be patient and stir often. I don't use a candy thermometer, or time myself. Just pay attention and stop heating the sugar once it completely dissolves and turns into a nice, golden brown caramel. Be careful! It is going to be VERY HOT!

This is when the fun begins. Turn the heat off, and place the hot pan on a trivet. Using a spoon, start pouring and dripping the caramel over the amaranth seeds. Do it quickly before it starts getting hard. Pour the rest of the amaranth seeds on top of the warm caramel.

Refrigerate the tray for about an hour in order to solidify the caramel. Start picking up the caramel in pieces, and use to decorate your favorite dessert. The caramel webs will keep in an air tight container for about a week, if you store them between waxed paper. Enjoy!

LINKS
Learn more about Amaranth by visiting my previous post here
Visit Jackson Pollock's paintings at the artist's tribute page

Alegria - Past and Future of The Eternal Amaranth

2010-05-29T14:13:00.000-07:00

Recently at a dinner party I got served a beautiful salad containing Quinoa. "It is an ancient grain", one of the guest explained. Later, that weekend I saw a bag labeled "kichiwa", while grocery shopping. I immediately recognized it as Amaranth, a grain that is slightly smaller than Quinoa. Quinoa and amaranth are two plants commonly used in Mexican and South American cooking but they are gaining popularity in the US lately. Amaranth is also grown as an beautiful, fluffy ornamental flower (pictured above). Just like quinoa, amaranth is considered a "pseudo cereal" - since real cereals are grasses. Other pseudo cereals are buckwheat and chia seeds.

I didn't tell the other dinner guest but I was very familiar with these ancient foods. Back in Mexico, I used to eat the traditional candy called "Alegria" - it was sold on road stands and markets all over Mexico. Alegrias are similar to rice krispy treats, small bars of popped amaranth glued together with molasses or honey. To the ancient Mexicas this amazing little seed was called "Huautli", to the Mayas it was "Txes" and to the Incas and present time Peruvians - "Kiwicha". The word in Spanish - Alegria, literally means "joy", and it is very appropriate since amaranth is said to be a natural anti depressant.

There were many rituals associated with Amaranth just like the ones for chia seeds in ancient Mexico. But unlike the rituals associated with chia (fertility), the mysterious associations of Amaranth could have been the continuity of life, nourishment, or even immortality. In the time of the Aztecs, enormous statues were paraded among crowds during religious celebrations. These statues were made out of amaranth seed mixed with honey and some times blood. At the end of the celebration these enormous statues were cut in pieces and distributed among participants for a type of symbolic cannibalism and communion with the gods.

Mexican artist Javier Marín creates dynamic, large scale figurative images. One of his projects involves casting large statues out of resin that have amaranth seeds inside them, drawing inspiration from ancient rituals. The images above are the heads of three women, via Iturralde gallery and ArtScene. Judith Christensen writes: "In the materials, as well, Marin fuses old and the new. Western European and indigenous Mexican - is basic to Marin's work. Like Marin's resin, the amaranth produced figures that looked heavy, but were comparatively light weight".

Pictured Ricardo Peralta and Rodolfo Neri Vela (right), 1985. Via Space Facts

In the same manner, combining the old and the new in the kitchen allows us to find interesting, unexpected discoveries. Rodolfo Neri Vela, the first Mexican astronaut back in the 80's was also the first to patent amaranth as the perfect astronaut food. Originally amaranth was selected because of its versatility and its ability to survive diverse conditions, but it also turned out to be one of the few seeds that germinated in outer space.

Amaranth is highly usable. The seeds and the greens are both edible. It is a highly resilient plant, it belongs to a species generally considered a weed. It could help maintains brain functions and the nervous system by regulating serotonin and providing protein. Amaranth is also highly nutritious, it is a good source of vitamins A, K, BC, and C. It is also full of calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper and manganese. It could be well said that Amaranth may be the food of the future! I leave you with these words by John Milton, from his famed poem "Paradise Lost":

"Immortal amarant, a flower which once
In paradise, fast by the tree of life,
Began to bloom; but soon for man's offence
To heaven removed, where first it grew, there grows,
And flowers aloft, shading the fount of life,
And where the river of bliss through midst of heaven
Rolls o'er elysian flowers her amber stream:
With these that never fade the spirits elect
Bind their resplendent locks."

LINKS

Learn how to make Abstract Amaranth Candy on my next post!

Learn more about Javier Marín at the artist's interactive website. The website is bilingual, and a very interesting site to navigate. His studio itself is amazing, it was featured on HGTV's "The art of Mexican Design".

Mr. Marín was also the winner of a contest to re-create the altar at the Cathedral of Zacatecas, a UNESCO world heritage site. The project will be unveiled in June the 26, 2010. Learn more about the event at the artist's facebook page.

Read Rodolfo Neri Vela's article about Amaranth in Space (in Spanish) via Buenas Noticias. The photos of the amaranth bars are from that site, taken by Meliton Tapia of INAH

"Torta de Huerfano Gigante" A Mexican Vegetable Sandwich

2010-05-19T11:51:00.000-07:00

What is an ideal food to take to a picnic or a potluck? A giant torta! Every Mexican boy or girl took a torta to school at some point. I first prepared this when I was in middle school, for a field trip to El Ajusco, a volcano south of Mexico City. When it came time to eat, our chaperon, an acerbic drama teacher yelled: "Everyone, take a look at this poor orphan's torta!". Lucky for me, there was enough to share. All my classmates were fascinated looking at all the pretty layers of veggie goodness. Even the bitter old chaperon ate a slice without saying a word - and then asked for seconds! So, who was the poor orphan after all, señor drama teacher?

Tortas are so immensely popular in Mexico City. They are the standard "to go" food since burritos are not really known in Mexico. Tortas are not ordinary sandwiches. Generally they contained re-fried beans, avocado, queso fresco (Mexican cheese) and escabeche (a spicy vegetable pickled salad). Tortas are traditionally prepared in a special bread called "telera", or in french bread rolls called "bolillos". In other parts of Mexico they are called "semitas". You can also make a torta ahogada ("drowned") by soaking the torta in a light tomato or chile sauce. So, are you ready to try it? You'll need the following ingredients:

1 large, round country bread
1 bunch of fresh spinach
1 bunch of asparagus, about 12 stalks
2 Portobello mushroom caps
1 large eggplant, sliced
2 heirloom tomatoes, sliced
4 small zucchini, cut lenghtwise
2 Red bell peppers, prepared as you would for Papas con rajas
A tablespoon of chopped onion
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Vinagratte:

Olive oil, 1/4 cup
A teastpoon of mustard (Dijon style)
Vinegar, half a cup
Finely minced garlic
Fresh thyme. About a tea spoon, chopped
Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
A teaspoon of toasted pasilla soup base (optional)

I'm making my original recipe for a picnic, so I'm using ingredients that travel well and are not too soggy - so I'm not using refried beans. This torta doesn't have any animal products, so I'm only choosing firm fresh veggies. Start by slicing the zucchini lenghtwise, cut the musrhoom caps in half and discard the stems, slice the eggplant and rub salt on all sides. Salting the eggplant will make it "sweat" so it won't absorb a lot of oil and it roasts better. Let it rest in a colander for about five minutes. Prepare your vinaigrette while the eggplant "sweats". Combine all ingredients and whisk together to emulsify. Let it rest at room temperature.

Arrange all your veggies (except the peppers, spinach and tomatoes) on a tray and drizzle them with olive oil. Roast them close to the broiler for about 5 - 8 minutes, turning them once. Broilers vary, so you need to check often so they don't burn. You are looking for a nice, even golden brown.

Saute the spinach with a little bit of onion until it reduces down significantly. Let it cool and squeeze all the liquid out of it by using a clean kitchen napkin. Chop coarsely and set aside. Take your veggies out of the oven and let them cool.

For this recipe I used a large pain de campage. You can also use a sourdough loaf or a similar bread. If you want this recipe to be vegan, make sure your bread doesn't contain any eggs or dairy. Cut the top of the bread and save for later. Remove the inside of the bread and save it for a casserole or croutons. Leave about half an inch of bread around the crust.

Now, you are ready to layer all the veggies inside the bread. Start with the sauteed onions and spinach.

Continue with the roasted asparagus. Dip each asparagus in the dressing, and arrange in a lattice, creating one single layer.

Roast the bell peppers directly on your stove as you would for Papas con rajas. Remove the charred skin using a knife of the round part of a spoon. Open the peppers and remove the seeds and veins. Dip in dressing and arrange these pepper "sheets" inside the sandwich.

Next, layer the zucchini and the eggplant, and then the portobello mushrooms. Don't foget to dip each piece in dressing before putting it inside the torta.

finally, add a layer of fresh tomatoes. Make sure you squeeze all the seeds out. I don't bother with peeling them, tortas rarely have tomatoes that are peeled. Place the bread "lid" on top of the sandwich and wrap the entire thing in a clean kitchen napkin. Place inside a plastic bag and refrigerate for about an hour so everything sets.

Finally....Have a picnic! All you need is some fresh fruit and a nice wine. Slice the sandwich using a sharp serrated knife. You can experiment and add some ingredients of your own - avocados, artichoke hearts, roasted carrot slices, celeriac, even fruit like figs. Generally, you need to place the sturdy veggies on the bottom and the softer ingredients on top so the layers don't collapse or slide when you slice into them. I hope you enjoyed this recipe. Happy eating!

Gracias Madre - Every day is Mother's Day!

2010-05-07T18:00:00.000-07:00

Some acquaintances are surprised that my blog covers vegetarian and vegan Mexican food. Skeptics often ask me: What about the cheese? The Carnitas? Is that unusual, is that authentic? Let's think back for a second: If you are old enough, think back to the 1980’s. "New foods" were taking the US by storm - sushi was the all the rage, and you could find kiwi even in the soup. Today we have restaurants that feature Sushi and many different interpretations of Japanese food as well as "Asian Fusion". Mentioning “Chop Suey” to any food connoisseur may incite laughter and eye rolling. And kiwi is just a fruit that not many people get excited about.

The Mexican food we eat in the US has heavy influences of Northern Mexico, where cattle and the desert facilitate dishes heavy on meat and dairy. The "Chop Sueys" of Mexican cuisine dominate fast food restaurants. Corporate created"Tortadas" an "enchiritos" are as authentic as the food prepared at the Olive Garden's test kitchen. Adding to the confusion are the misconceptions that arise when trying to differentiate between Mexican regional cuisines, Tex-Mex, Cali-Mex and South West cuisines. To the unfamiliar, I could see how difficult it could be to recognize what "authentic" Mexican food is, let alone considering vegan and vegetarian options have always been in the mix.

Last Summer I sat down with Eva Ackerman and Chandra Gilbert to talk about Gracias Madre, the new Mexican vegan restaurant on Mission Street. "Gracias" is a venture from the same folks that operate Cafe Gratitude, a local raw food restaurant. I wanted to hear about their take on "Nuevo Latino", Mexican flavors, the cult for La Virgen de Guadalupe, non-Mexicans as experts in Mexican food (like Rick Bayless , the Two Hot Tamales) vegan organic cuisines and gentrification. My first question was an obvious one. So, why Mexican food? What is the difference between Gracias and Cafe Gratitude?

"About Rick Bayless and The Two Hot Tamales....We have to start somewhere" Chandra said. "For us, it just came down to the food we were eating. Most of the time we would en up eating Mexican. Instead of lining Monsanto's pockets, we cooked our own food [using] some greens and a couple of Primaveras* (organic tortillas)"."Gracias Madre It is probably more approachable for some. It is not a taqueria. It is a sit down, full service restaurant".

The Feminine Mystique
Gracias Madre is located in the middle of The Mission neighborhood, in San Francisco. The restaurant is beautiful and cozy. The little front porch has nice terra cotta walls, an artful metal fence, and a colorful mural. Inside the walls are cooler and people can sit family style in wooden Michoacan style tables and chairs. The tables are set with candles, simple unbleached napkins, recycled glass bottles, and simple pottery dishes and cups - they remind me of cazuelas and clay ollas that have been used in Mexican kitchens for centuries.

"I can say Gracias Madre is our offering to The Mother, the earth. For myself personally, I feel inspired by all the powerful Latina women I’ve gotten to know in my life, that I continue to known, and learn from and work with. I am excited to take leadership from them. Something I’m personally passionate about is the empowerment of women. In general” Said Eva.

"Gracias" also has beautiful Virgen inspired art, from the logo designed by local artist John Marro to what seems to be antique statuary behind the counter. I asked Eva and Chandra about the imagery and the wording for the name of the restaurant, and if they had any reservations about using an image that is highly revered, specially in a Latino neighborhood.

"It communicates what we feel - is not hiding our gratitude to The Virgin, our gratitude to the earth. To me, it is the same mother, the same planet. It is also a way to celebrate connectivity and oneness. We are on the same earth planet, the same earth together, we get to eat the same food" Said Eva. "To me that wording and that name help us break down the barriers that separates us based on race, class and culture. That is really what the point is".

The Menu - Organic and Seasonal Food
The menu at "Gracias" is simple, just like the tables. It is one single sheet divided by "antojitos" (literally, "little whims", or appetizers), sides, main dishes and a wonderful wine variety. Eva and Chandra told me more about the food.

"We are not using all kinds of fancy ingredients. We are really honoring the tomato by using the best, freshest tomatoes. Avocados, how do you really bring out the amazing taste of a perfectly balanced guacamole? Or the delicious corn, just having a tortilla and it is satisfying in every way"

When I cook vegetarian or vegan food at home, I generally prepare dishes that are naturally animal free, without using dairy. Just recently I used "vegan sour cream" for one of my recipes. I must say that the food at Gracias Madre has opened a new experience of cashew "dairy" for me. They really do a good job with their soups. I have tried the cauliflower soup and the Chile Poblano soup and they are so incredibly rich and creamy.

"We pay reverence to the simple ingredients that we are using. What is the earth providing? Purslane! So, we are having purslane tacos! Or maybe the cilantro is at its prime right now. It is almost like having relationships with the ingredients that are so uniquely flavorful and perfect. When combined together it is really magic".

One tamal, two tamales, three tamales...
Eva has a degree in Spanish, and she is a fluent speaker. I asked her to describe Gracias Madre's sazon. I realize it is not a fair question, since the sazon needs to be experienced, but I was curious to hear her answer. The Spanish word Sazon is hard to describe. It is one's signature, a special way of expressing yourself trough the taste of your food. It is as personal as the way you saute your onions, heating your water and your favorite seasonings. Eva's answer? "(Gracias Madre's sazon) is fresh. Simple, earthy, vibrant".

After trying the food several times, I agree with Eva. Gracias Madre has a lovely, home made sazon. The food has beautiful hints of chile, onion and garlic that don't overwhelm the dishes. The food tastes homey, what my mother would call "saborcito como el de allá", or what loosely translates as "back home" taste. Appropriately what Italians call "Al Gusto De Mama"- Mom's taste. I also like that the folks at Gracias Madre understood the little cultural nuances that persnickety writers like me appreciate. They serve black beans, more common in central and southern Mexico. The menu lists one Tamal a la cart without the E, not the common misspelling "Tamale". It is a little pet-peeve of mine, no self respecting Mexican would ever say "tamale". Eva also communicated that one of their senior employees, Imelda Martinez, is responsible for making the tamales, 5 days a week. "She is loving it, feeling excited and blissed out!"

She will provide
The tortillas at Gracias Madre are not at all like the stuff that comes out of a bag. The tostadas really remind me of "totopos" from Southern Mexico, they have the same consistency. "Gracias" uses all organic corn for their tostadas, tacos and tamales. Growing organic corn is a big deal, since corn is one of the most genetically modified foods. What once was sacred to early Americans is now probably killing us. See my post about genetically modified killer corn. Chandra, who is a trained chef in the European tradition understands the importance of using organic heirloom corn and seasonal produce:

"Getting the masa perfected was the number one thing for me, so our tortillas and out tamales were perfect. Besides that the earth is going to tell us what the menu is. As someone that has been on the restaurant business for more than 26 years, that was very liberating for me. One year the butter squash freezes, we won’t use it". She also shared her experiences working cooks like Imelda Martinez, the tamales expert. "It is an education opportunity to get out of the way of the women that know how to do it. It is in their DNA, who they are"

I am so glad that Eva and Chandra acknowledge their employees. "We have amazing women in our community. Like Lourdes, working the main meal at noon, blossom quesadillas. They’ve been doing it with their grandmothers. It is going to provide the flavor" Similar restaurants like Nopalito, a spin off the restaurant NOPA came about after the owners discovered the traditional simple Mexican fare their employees were eating.

I shared with Evan and Chandra that I also learned from amazing Latina women in my life: My maternal grandmother, domestic workers, and my friend Juanita. My mother was a lawyer so she didn't cook much - but she taught me about eating nutritious meals and the enjoyment of good food. Moving to the US as a teenager I became aware of how my Mexican-ness became political. Having to work as a dish washer and in fast food restaurants I became aware of how Latino immigrants were the mistreated, unsung life force of the food and service industries. Women in particular got the raw end of the stick. I am glad that one restaurant, directly or indirectly thanks our mother(s), the one(s) that bring food to our tables every single day.

Muy caliente - The Internet was on fire!
Once at a workshop for young Latino artists, Amalia Mesa-Bains spoke of the unfairness of expertise, race and identity politics. "If you are a person of color and an expert in your own culture, you are going to be called self serving. If you are a white person and an expert in the culture of someone else, you are going to be called revolutionary".

I get a feeling that the folks at Gracias Madre understood the delicate politics they were dealing with, this is San Francisco after all. Since last Summer the internet was on fire and buzz around the restaurants was polarizing. There was some talk of cultural appropriation, gentrification, over pricing food and targeting specific elite groups, not necessarily locals.

There is also the issue that to certain groups Vegan Mexican food is always going to be the food of "The other". By "othering" the food is easy to call vegan Mexican a gringo invention, food that has been whitewashed; food for hipsters and the elite; food that is overpriced. Yet, I find that vegan Mexican is probably the food closest to our ancestral American memory, before cows and pigs were introduce to the continent. There is nothing "Nuevo" about it. "It is almost like Viejo Latino", Eva said. Organic doesn't mean elite, a fad, a "new" idea that comes along. The food is revolutionary by its own merits.

So, is the pricing fair? I feel the folks at Gracias really want to share their food. At Cafe Gratitude they had a policy: A small bowl of food with the special of the day was available to everyone. The payment was on a sliding scale, on the honor system. Everyone pays what they can. "The most someone has paid for one is $100" Chandra said. Even if they don't instate a "Gratitude Bowl" at Gracias Madre, one could make a meal choosing several sides - nothing is over $6. The escabeche is $3. A tamal a la carte is $5. Rice and beans are $2 each, an order of tortillas is $2. They also have lunch specials at $10 dollars. The folks at Gratitude and Gracias have also donated to MCCLA's Dia de los Muertos celebration, and to Galeria de la Raza's holiday Pachanga, that I was honored to be a part of last year!

Eva and Chandra, manager and chef
of Gracias Madre

The other day I had to work late. I walked by Gracias Madre and the place was packed. There was music playing, lit candles, people having a good time. Strangely enough it reminded me of one of my fondest memories:

I'm in the middle of the country, close to a corn field in Chiapas. I'm six or seven, enjoying a simple meal (with no pesticides, genetically modified organisms nowhere to be found). That night was nothing special, just friends and relatives enjoying each other's company, listening to a soulful guitar in front of the fire and eating fresh roasted corn under the moonlight.

I'm hoping to bring my mother to "Gracias Madre" soon, to spend some time together. Every person I've invited to the restaurant has liked it, even non-vegans. A friend from Los Angeles said it best when we dined here recently. "It is like visiting someone's home".

LINKS

Gracias Madre
"Our Mission is Love - Organic Mexican Cuisine"
Organic Biodynamic method, grown at their farm in Pleasant Valley, Be Love Farm. Masa and tortillas are non-GMO Organic heirmloom corn.
2211 Mission Street
415 683-1346
11 am to 11pm, 7 days a week. Website: www.Gracias-Madre.com

If you want to help organizations that support women you can donate to Arriba Juntos , or visit The Women’s Initiative for Self-Employment. You can also support La Cocina, and "incubator" kitchen for women.

*Check out Primavera, organic tortillas and Tamales

Arroz Poblano - A "Cinco de Mayo" Recipe

2010-04-30T11:30:00.000-07:00

Civil War reenactments reminds me a lot of "Cinco de Mayo". Why? Well, both commemorate battles. While some participate with great fervor others couldn't really care less. In the Mexican state of Puebla the celebration is relevant, since that was the location for the memorable battle the holiday commemorates. It was an important turning point in Mexico's history, a Mexican Gettysburg of sorts. South of the border this holiday is known as La Conmemoración de la Batalla de Puebla and it is really a minor holiday. The name doesn't necessarily rolls of the tongue, does it? Maybe that is the reason "Cinco de Mayo" (the date of the battle) has become the popular name for this holiday.

There are many other reasons why "Cinco de Mayo" is more popular in the United States than in Mexico. One of the reasons was the promotion of this holiday by South West authorities after the Mexican Cession of 1848. It was a way to "boost" the moral of the Mexican population now living in US territory but it was also a way of steering new citizens away from any nationalistic sentiment associated with Mexican independence, celebrated the 16th of September. To this day some folks in the South West still get nervous any time a Mexican flag is waved in US territory. The State and city of Puebla however, are more interesting than just one battle.

Puebla has amazing gastronomy, the mixture of Indigenous and European influences. The culinary delights of the city of Puebla are far from tacky "Mexican" restaurants, frat boys wearing sombreros and clever marketing inviting people to drink. In honor of this city I present you Arroz Poblano, a classic recipe from Puebla. The roasted Poblanos give this rice a nice bite that is actually quite tolerable, even by those not fond of spicy foods. Traditionally prepared with sour cream, cheese and chicken stock, this version of Arroz Poblano uses no animal products. It is by no means any less delicious. To prepare it, you'll need the following ingredients:

One cup of long grain rice
Two cups of vegetable broth
One fresh ear of corn
One roasted poblano chile, prepared as you would for rajas con papas
One green onion or scallion, including the green part
A tablespoon of roasted garlic
A bunch or cilantro
A tablespoon of olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Optional garnish

A teaspoon of Better than Sour Cream by Tofutti
A few drops of lemon
Chopped cilantro or parsley
Extra poblano slivers and corn kernels

Start by roasting and slivering a Poblano pepper as instructed in the recipe rajas con papas. De grain the corn using a sharp knife. Place a cutting board under the corn to catch all the kernels and save for later. Using a knife, scrape the corn husk in a sauce pan as shown in the picture.

Boil the corn husk and corn scrapings, together with the onion, cilantro, broth and half of the roasted pepper. Boil for about 10 minutes until everything is soft.

Remove the corn husk and discard. Puree everything else in a blender. If necessary add more liquid in order to obtain two cups of broth. Strain the flavored broth and save for later, try to keep it warm.

Fry the rice in the olive oil at low heat. Use a large sauce pan that has a good, tight fitting lid. Stir the rice continuously until it starts turning a nice golden brown. Pay attention the the way the rice smells, before it is done it will start to smell nice and toasty - but don't over fry it or it will turn bitter. Turn the heat off and let the rice cool a little bit. Add a tablespoon of roasted garlic.

If your flavoring broth is cold, heat it up. Add two cups of the warm broth to the sauce pan. Stir in the pepper slivers and the corn, and salt and pepper to taste. Turn the heat back up until everything starts to bubble. Don't stir too much once you add liquid, or the rice will break. Add a spring of cilantro and cover. Turn the heat down. Simmer for twenty minutes using a very gentle flame. Make sure you don't lift the lid or you'll let the steam escape and your rice will be chewy.

After twenty minutes check to see if the rice is done. Take a spoon full of rice from the very top of the sauce pan and check if the grains are soft. If the rice is still hard add a bit more liquid, cover, and steam for another 5 more minutes. I the rice is done you can fluff it with a fork, but don't stir it too much or it will get mushy.

Before serving you can add a bit of sour cream and cheese. This recipe uses no animal products, so I use a bit of Better than Sour Cream by Tofutti that has been thinned a bit with a few drops of lemon juice.
Serve your rice and garnish it with a little bit of chopped cilantro or parsley, and extra peppers and corn if you wish. Enjoy! Feliz Conmemoración de la Batalla de Puebla!

The illustrations at the beginning of the recipe are from a painting titled "La Venta" by Primitivo Miranda. Via the Women of the Independence and Revolutionary Wars of Mexico.

La Doña Maria Felix - An Inspiring Muse

2010-04-22T09:00:00.000-07:00

After surviving tragedy and heart break, "Doña Bárbara" (Madame Barbara) becomes a cold-hearted, rich land owner and cattle trader that dabbles in witchcraft. She wears the pants, and also carries a whip and a gun. The cigar smoking diva is not afraid to crush her enemies under her boot. Is she capable of ever falling in love? After portraying this character, Mexican actress Maria Felix was forever nicknamed "La Doña", becoming a diva of legend that inspired many artists for years to come. This post is about the artwork La Doña inspired, and her legacy in the worlds of fashion, music and literature.

Queen Maria
April the eight was Maria's birthday. She was born in Sonora, during the tempestuous time of the Mexican revolution in 1914. As a young student, she was named queen of her school's carnival. That gesture made her reflect on the merits of beauty "beauty is something somebody else has to bestow upon you". Many awards and recognition would follow. Maria was an adventuress, humanitarian and actress. She was better known for her roles in the Mexican Golden Age of Film, during the 1940's to the 1950's. With an eyebrow perpetually raised she portrayed the roles of strong willed women in movies with titles as fiery as her personality: "Juana Gallo" (Rooster Joanne), Doña Diabla (Lady Devil) and "La Mujer sin Alma" (The Woman without a Soul). Maria had a second wave of films and television appearances, well into the 1970's.

Maria also worked in Spain, France, Italy and Mexico with directors like Luis Buñuel, Jean Renoir, Yves Ciampi, Carmine Gallone and Luis Saslavsky. Some sources cite her her inability to speak English as a reason for not crossing over to American audiences. Maria, however, remembered her visits to New York with affection. School girls would stop her to ask for her autograph. "You look like someone important" the young students answered, when Maria questioned their reasons. Once, at the Metropolitan Opera a complete stranger approached her. "What you are wearing is stunning. But only a woman like you can wear it", the stranger said. Maria actually knew enough English to get by. She also spoke French, and Italian, along with her native Spanish. She never worked in the US out of conviction. The reason for her dissatisfaction with the Hollywood film industry were the stereotypical roles often offered to her. "Do you really think I could pass as a Cherokee Indian? In my country I can play the role of an Indian. In foreign lands I play the role of a queen" "I was not born to carry a basket" La Doña would say.

Muse of Music and Literature
Maria's love affairs and marriages caused as much controversy and scandal as the roles she played. She married four times. When she married fellow actor Jorge Negrete, the most famous actor in Mexico at the time, she caused a media frenzy. Tragically, he died of hepatitis, while Maria was in Europe filming a movie. She lost her famous husband just 14 months after their wedding. She also caused a commotion when she married composer Agustin Lara. Lara was not a handsome man, his face was forever scarred by a night club browl, yet Maria was madly in love with him. He dedicated several love songs to her, among them were:"Humo en los Ojos" (Smoke in Your Eyes), the hypnotic "Palabras de Mujer" (A Woman's Words), the lively "El Chotiz de Madrid", and the most famous one, "Maria Bonita", a waltz that became Maria's theme song of sorts. The melody was played for Maria with violins every time she entered Maxim's, her favorite restaurant in Paris.

Maria had many literary friends in France, among them were Paul Sartre and Colette. In Mexico authors like Octavio Paz (winner of the 1990 Nobel Prize for Literature), Carlos Fuentes, Carlos Monsivais, Elena Poniatowska and the poet Pita Amor also wrote about her. Henry Burdin's book "La Mexicaine" was based in Maria's life.

Couture, canvas and alligator scales
Mexican muralist Diego Rivera created the above painting for Maria. "Muy Malo" was not the original name given to the painting by The Maestro, but it does reflect the feelings of Maria for the portrait - "It is very bad". It is rumored that Maria had a handy man retouch the artwork with ordinary house paint in order to cover up her figure. The sketch below, also by Rivera was a study for the movie "Rio Escondido". Maria also patronized Diego's famous wife Frida Kahlo. In am interview Maria admitted purchasing Kahlo's paintings in order to support the artist and her growing medical bills, but she never cared much for Frida's paintings.

Maria Felix was voted one of the best dressed women of her time by Italian and French couture associations. She kept Isabel Barrera, a petite cosmetologist nicknamed "La Topolina" on staff full time. Isabel's job was to glue each individual eyelash on La Doña, long before fake eyelashes were available. "Fake eyelashes were my idea" Maria writes in her biography. Maria lived in Paris at the end of her film career. She was a skilled equestrian that owned a stable of 100 racing horses inherited to her by Alex Berger, a Swiss Banker and Maria's fourth husband. Even during her later years, she would cause a commotion with her beauty and outlandish outfits at the races.

These are some of Maria's dresses, designed by Dior, Balenciaga and Hermes, photographed at Christie's in New York City.

Here is a white Dior dress that shows how slim Maria was. An admirer once gave her a highly decorated clergy robe. Instead of displaying it, Maria wore it as a skirt. "My waist is smaller than a priest's neck" she said. She also collected antique Chinese costumes, furs and vintage textiles. The painting on the background is "La Maja del Tarot", created by surrealist painter Leonora Carrington. It portrays Maria as a Tarot card, possibly the Priestess or the Empress.

Here is another painting by Carrington, a triptych titled "Sueño de Sirenas" (Mermaid Dream). In the painting the artist depicts Maria as three mermaids. The artist would say that the mermaids were ebony, mother of pearl and fire - all had symbolic meaning. In a way, the portrait had captured La Doña's complex personality, and it was one of her favorite paintings.

Mexican painter Chávez Marión created for Maria "My Zodiac Sign" as well as "Simbolo de Pesos". French-Argentinian painter Leonor Fini created for her the paintings titled "Detras de la Puerta" (Behind de Door), and "Reina de Fuego" (Fire Queen). Stanislao Leprin created a couple of paintings for her, among them "Mujer Pajaro" (Bird Woman). Bridget Tichenor collaborated with one of Maria's lovers, Franco-Russian artist Antoine Tzapoff to create "Domadora de Chimeras" (Chimera Tamer) and "Caja de Cristal" (Crystal Box), pictured below.

La Doña also loved jewelry. She favored designs that depicted snakes and other reptiles. One of her most impressive pieces was designed by Cartier Paris, in the shape of an articulated snake. The piece of platinum and white gold was encrusted with178.21 carats of brilliant diamonds. Legend states that she walked into Cartier carrying a baby crocodile inside a jar, as a sample for her next commission. She asked the stunned jewelers to replicate her pet (in the same scale) using gold and jewels. "I advice you do it quickly. He is growing fast" she instructed. Here is the necklace created for La Doña.

This piece was also perfectly articulated. The twin crocodiles could be worn separately, as pins, or together, as a necklace. One of the crocodiles was covered with 1,023 yellow diamonds, the other was decorated with 1,060 green emeralds. Since La Dona's death, these pieces have traveled the world as part of "The Art of Cartier" collection. In 2006 Cartier debuted a collection called "La Dona de Cartier" in honor of Maria Felix. No other actress has received such tribute from the house of Cartier. Here is a portrait of Maria, wearing the legendary necklace.

Maria was said to have refused Nefertiti's crown, promised by Egypt's King Farouk, for a night of love. Maria refused the king by saying "I would rather sleep with your servant out of my own free will. At least I find him attractive". Here is a necklace with a portrait by Antoine Tzapoff. Below is also a portrait of Maria titled "Amazona". It was framed in hand tooled silver, and was adorned with butterflies. The painting with Maria's simian friend is also by Tzapoff.

Maria absolutely adored Jacob Petit porcelain, she had an extensive collection and during her life she was almost giddy every time she talked about it. In this portrait, also by Maestro Tzapoff, she is seen with two of her beloved Jacob Petit porcelain urns.

Love makes you trade pearls, for a rebozo.
Maria died on 2002. She was buried at "El Panteon Frances" in Mexico City, with the remains of her parents and son Enrique, also an actor. When I was very young I was fortunate to see her son Enrique in the dark comedy "Dracula" based in Bram Stoker's work and on Ed Gorey's illustrations, and "Man of La Mancha". Even then I could tell that Mr. Felix had inherited some of his mother's elegance and talent. At 8 years old I also recognized something different about him, and I identified with that difference. Enrique Alvarez Felix died of a heart attack in 1996, leaving Maria heart broken and without a direct heir to her fortune. These mother and son photos were taken for Life magazine.

Maria died on her birthday, she was 88 years old. Sheila Whitaker wrote and obituary for the British paper The Guardian. She called Maria "the incarnation of the strong, sexual woman, who would, nevertheless, be tamed by machismo before the end of the movie." Whitaker referenced "The Taming of The Shrew" and the film Enamorada, that loosely followed the plot of Shakespeare's play. "As with Shakespeare, in the end, the heroine is tamed and nationhood re-enforced" writes Whitaker, not fully understanding the complexity of Maria Felix and the roles she played. The tamer of chimeras had also tamed Mexican audiences, and maybe the taming was mutual. French author Antoine de Saint-Exupery wrote it best, in his book "The Little Prince". "If you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world..."

Here is a spoiler alert, for those that haven not seen the film, Enamorada. At the end of the movie Beatriz Peñafiel (Maria Felix), the rich Hacendado's daughter, is getting married to a foreigner she doesn't love. Rebels evacuate the town's plaza, to go fight for La Revolucion, commanded by the dashing General Jose Juan Reyes (masterfully played by Pedro Armendáriz). Earlier El General gives up the love of Beatriz by symbolically releasing her fiance, who was carrying her wedding dress in a suitcase. "Some times, it is wise to not fight" he says. Upon hearing the cannon fire from the approaching Federales Beatriz has an epiphany. Her string of pearls snaps, a wedding gift from her fiance. She runs out of the ceremony, wrapping herself in her maid's humble rebozo. Outside, her eyes meet those of Jose Juan. The black and white photography and close ups of their faces are stunning. Among explosions and gunfire Beatriz catches up with El General, while a revolutionary march plays on. They walk side side by side, he is on a horse, she is on foot. She is by no means a defeated woman. After looking at each other, they both stare into the horizon, proud and hopeful. She had left a life of riches and luxury for the love of a man, and the love of an ideal. She had done it out of her own choosing. "Love does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction" Saint-Exupery also wrote. Would this revolution benefit men and women alike? Some times we have to take chances, love being the riskiest chance of them all. At least that was my take when I saw the film, many years ago.

The Legacy
Maria's extravagant, flamboyant style still intrigues people, even after her death. Actress Eva Longoria has expressed a desire to portray Maria on film. Frankly, I think her type of beauty is very different than Maria's. A better choice to play Maria would be someone like Brazilian actress Morena Baccarin. This is a photo of Polish model Daria Werbowy styled to look like Maria Felix, as the seminal character "Doña Barbara".

Maria had expressed a wish to have her beloved "La Casa de las Tortugas" (The House of Turtles) in Cuernavaca become a museum, where all her treasures would be housed for the enjoyment of her fans. Another request was for her makeup girl, La Topolina: "Barrera, make sure that when I'm dead, you put my eyelashes on, as you always have". Sadly, Isabel was not allowed to see La Doña's body the day of her death.

Antoine Tzapoff and Maria Felix,
at La Casa de Las Tortugas,
Cuernavaca
© De Gyves & Allen Productions

Scandal continued to follow La Doña, even after her death. 28 year old Luis Martinez de Anda, Maria's personal assistant inherited her belongings and half of her money. Antoine Tzapoff inherited Maria's silver Rolls Royce and Diego Rivera's paintings. Son Enrique's former assistant, Juan Tellez was also a beneficiary. Benjamin Felix, Maria's brother had Mexican authorities exhumate his sister's body on August of the same year, under suspicion of foul play. Upon laboratory analysis, it was reported that Maria Felix had died of natural causes. Several lots of her belongings were auctioned at Christie's in 2007, spreading Maria's treasures to the four corners of the world. Maria's other wish remains unfulfilled.

American writer Luisa May Alcott once said "It takes very little fire to make a great deal of smoke nowadays, and notoriety is not real glory." Today the media bombards us constantly and without pity. Selfish starlets and politicians noisily splash about in the pool of fame just famous for being famous. Even the mediocre can have fifteen minutes of screen time. So, who cares if Maria never worked in the US? What if we don't have a museum in Cuernavaca? Maria Felix is alive. She continues to live in the hearts of those she tamed. She was one of the biggest unknown stars the silver screen has ever seen. She speaks to us from beyond the grave, and her lesson is clear. Becoming a muse takes real courage, as well as conviction. It is even more difficult to become art itself - it takes originality, and imagination. Art, unlike fame, is eternal.

Feliz Cumpleaños, Doña!
-R.E.A

LINKS

Here you can see a montage of the movie "Dona Barbara"

Maria's Jewels (and additional images) via Lady Like

Daria Werbowy's images appeared in a recent spread of V magazine. Photos courtesy of Couture.com

The image from the film "Enamorada" comes from The Evening Class, a film blog of fellow San Franciscan Michael Guillen. He has a great atricle"Hecho Por Mexico" about the films of Gabriel Figueroa.

Here is an article about Maria's husband Agustin Lara. Read about his career, his most famous compositions and his love life. It also mentions the performers he influenced, among them Placido Domingo.

Visit Antoine Tzapoff, Maria's last sentimental partner. Some of the images in this article are the copyright of Mr. Tazpoff. Please visit his website and admire more of his paintings, some of them are for sale.

Cesar Chavez Celebration

2010-04-16T23:30:00.000-07:00

A group of young people painting a mural during the Cesar Chavez parade and celebration last week. Thanks to everyone that supported the event, and the Spring Crucero Artero at Galeria de la Raza!

Juchitan Style "Garnachas"

2010-04-13T11:31:00.000-07:00

We have sunshine again! Sunny days remind me of vacationing in Tapachula, my mother's home town in Chiapas. In order to beat the heat of preparing food, dinner was not eaten until late. On such warm nights we used to have dinner at an impromptu restaurant set up by some neighboring ladies that people referred to as "Las Juchas". These large and jovial neighbors seemed almost magical to me. They wore beautiful colorful embroidered huipiles, and they wore their family's fortune around their necks, in the form of large chains adorned with gold coins called centenarios. These women were known as "juchas", since they came from town of Juchitan, in Oaxaca. These mysterious ladies have been the inspiration of many artists, among them Tina Modotti, Francisco Zuniga and Diego Rivera. One could say their way of dressing, and their food is a form of art too!

"Juchitan de las Mujeres" by Graciela Iturbide.

Our neighboring ladies would set up large wooden benches and tables outside their home, right on the side walk. They prepared three simple meals for their guests; fried potatoes and chicken smothered in tomatoes, enchiladas prepared with black Oaxacan mole, and little garnachas. If you were greedy (like me!) you could get a taste of all three. A metal tub full of ice and sodas, mineral water known as Tehuacan, and beers completed the simple meal.

I have no idea why garnachas are not popular in the US. They are delightful little mini corn cakes, one could say they are the predecessors of what came to be known as "nachos" here in the US. Unlike nachos, garnachas are semi chewy, not crispy. They are smaller than a "sope" or a "gordita" and ticker than a tostada. They could be called savory silver dollars - or how about golden savory centenarios? In honor of our Juchitecan friends, I'll give you this vegan garnacha recipe. It creates about 12 garnachas, the recipe can be doubled. You'll need the following ingredients:

One cup of tortilla making corn flour. You can buy Masa Harina or Maseca at MexGrocer.
One cup of vegetable broth
One package of cooked black beans (prepare one day in advance*)
1 bay leaf
1 spring of epazote
1 serrano chile (optional)
2 cloves of garlic
half of a white or yellow onion
Salt and pepper to taste
One cup of vegetable oil for frying
About a cup of tomato gravy similar to the one used for Sopa Seca
Chopped cilantro and chopped onion, to garnish
Optional: Cabbage salad (Prepare at least 3 days ahead of time**)

*Prepare your beans ahead of time. Sort out any impurities, wash and soak overnight. In a large pot, cook the beans in plenty of water. Add more water as the beans cook and the liquid evaporates. Once they are very soft (in about one hour) you can season them with salt, pepper, half the onion, garlic, a bay leaf, epazote spring and a serrano chile. Cook them for about thirty - forty more minutes until most of the broth is absorbed. Mash some of the beans with a potato masher in order to thicken them. Remove the onion remains, the bay leaf and the epazote and let them cool. If you can, try to find fresh epazote. It tastes wonderful with black beans, and it gives Mexican food a characteristic and authentic flavor that can not be replicated with any other herb. To me, a vegan or vegetarian Mexican table can't exist without epazote. In San Francisco I find it at Evergreen Supermarket.

Prepare your masa by adding some warm broth to the corn flour and kneading with your hands. You may add more or less liquid, in order to achieve a nice soft dough. You'll need about one cup of broth for every cup of flour. Make little masa balls about the size of a large grape. Once you have several balls flatten them with the palm of your hand. Poke the garnachas with a fork, this will prevent them from puffing too much. Shallow fry them in vegetable oil on both sides. Continue frying your garnachas in small batches. Drain them in a paper towel.

When you are ready to serve add the black beans as a topping. If you want, you can also smother them in tomato gravy. Garnish with chopped cilantro and onion. Garnachas are generally served with a vinegary coleslaw called "repollo". It is similar to the Central American salad known as "curtido", that is served with pupusas.

**To make the repollo: finely shred a red cabbage and one small red onion. Place it in a jar or a large lidded plastic container with salt, pepper, fresh thyme, a bay leaf and one mashed clove of garlic. Cover with enough white vinegar. Let your cabbage salad marinate for 3 - 5 days. Drain well before serving.

Crucero - Spring Arts and Craft Bazaar 2010

2010-03-31T12:44:00.000-07:00

Blogeritos, you are cordially inviated to Galeria de la Raza's Crucero Artero, at Studio 24th, in San Francisco. Don't miss this seasonal art bazaar in the heart of The Mission! A mellow, laid back preview happens on Friday the 9th. Join the crowd on Saturday the 10th, as the community celebrates The Cesar Chavez Holiday Parade and Festival. Sunday the 11th is the last day for this amazing weekend long bazaar. Don't miss fun spring clothing by Iztapalot, and Michelle's adorable sugar creations. I'll have plenty of DIY kits for your pleasure. Please join us!

Mayo Crowns of Flowers

2010-03-22T22:30:00.000-07:00

Sorry it is taking me so long to post, I'm having technical difficulties. Enjoy this beautiful series of children wearing crowns of flowers. It comes via Flickr, thanks to the gracious Memo Vasquez. They show a Mayo Easter celebration. The Mayo is an indigenous group of Northern Sinaloa an Southern Sonora, Mexico.

According to the potographer the children are referred as Marias and Joses, or simply "Promeseros", all participants of the feast are referred as promise keepers. On Easter Friday children light up candles and look over the grown up's prayers.

According to Memo: "On the feast of resurrection (children) have a job. They sing the "Gloria" and throw flower petals, like confetti, up in the air. At noon, once they have ran out of petals, they take off the crowns at thow them up in the air as well, with great joy. Life continues". Happy Spring, everyone!

Mission Paper Birds

2010-03-05T10:30:00.000-08:00

Someone set up a paper-cut out installation at Mission and 18th street yesterday. The artist made pigeon cutouts and taped them to clear fishing line that was strung between two poles. It was nice to see the paper birds flutter with the wind. As you can see, it caught the attention of several people. Thanks for the sweet, simple and elegant street art!

New Life for Abandoned Cinema Spaces

2010-03-04T08:30:00.000-08:00

It is very sad to see a beautiful cinema theater deteriorate. Here in San Francisco, we have many old theaters that have been wonderfully preserved, like the Castro Theater. Across the Bay the Fox Theater found a new life after being closed for more than 40 years. It is now a music venue and the permanent home of The Oakland School for The Arts.

Other old cinema houses have found less than stellar ends, like the amazing Alhambra on Polk street (it became a gym) and several theaters on Mission street. These theaters were being used as churches and in recent years, dollars stores. El Capitan is now a parking lot, and only the facade remains. Several more theaters like the Tower and the New Mission sit abandoned. Sadly just recently we lost other neighborhood treasures like the Coronet on Geary street.

Here is a new idea from Projecto Oxido (Project Rust) an artistic effort in Mexico City. On December of last year this project showed a documentary and a neon art installation in a grand old abandoned theater, The Cine Opera.

The project set up a free standing screen in the auditorium. Folding chairs were set up among the old decaying seats of the original theater. A documentary by Catalonian film maker Mireia Sellarés was projected for three consecutive days, and a neon installation titled "Las Muertes Chiquitas" (The small deaths) was set up in the lobby. Sellarés interviewed many women in her documentary. She covered subjects as varied as sexuality, rape and violence against women. The theater itself became part of the installation, alluding to subjects like neglect and abandonment.

Cine Opera debuted in 1949, with a capacity to host almost 4,000 movie goers. After becoming a concert venue during its later years, it finally closed in the early 90's. The future of this wonderful old movie house is uncertain, but I'm glad the project and the documentary raised awareness for women's issues as well as architectural preservation. Enjoy more photos from the Cine Opera, thanks to Rocio Echeverri Renteria and other contributors from the Mexico City threat at Skyscraper City. The following photos of Cine Opera are by photographer Olivia Vivanco

Links:

A couple of links that deal with preservation of historic movie houses in San Francisco:

Save the Harding

Friends of 1800

Chile Lime Toasted Garbanzos

2010-02-22T23:00:00.000-08:00

I confess, I am a nervous snacker. I prefer crunchy or savory snacks rather than sweets and candy. This garbanzo snack is one of my favorites, since it is both crunchy and spicy! Toasted garbanzos are a nice change of pace when crunchy veggies or popcorn won't do. Serve them on your next party with a cold beer instead of peanuts. This snack is also relatively healthy since it is baked, not fried, and it provides protein and fiber. I generally don't like cooking out of cans, but in this case I made an exception, since it is hard to find fresh garbanzos like the ones in the picture. To make this recipe you'll need the following ingredients:

Two cans of organic garbanzo beans
One tablespoon of olive oil
Juice of half a lime
salt to taste
Powdered chile to taste

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Rinse the garbanzos under running water and drain them in a colander. Once they are well drained trasfer them to a plate and pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper napkins.

Grease a cookie sheet or a flat pan with a tablespoon of olive oil. Spread the oil around all over the sheet and transfer the garbanzos, making sure to spread them around evenly.

Bake the garbanzos at 350 degrees for about 25 five minutes. Oven temperatures vary, so keep an eye on them. Keep the garbanzos from burning by turning them around with a spoon, or shaking and rotating the tray.

After 25 minutes turn the heat off and let the garbanzos sit and cool for another twenty minutes inside the oven. After that time most of the garbanzos should be chewy. To season your garbanzos put them inside a bag, squeeze some lime juice on them and add salt and powdered chile, about a teaspoon each. Shake the bag to coat the garbanzos evenly. Return them to the tray and toast them under a hot broiler for about ten more minutes, just so the lime juice dries and for some extra crunch. Check often and shake the tray so they don't burn.

You can also vary the seasonings and experiment by adding powder garlic, lemon pepper or any other seasoning of your choice. Enjoy! Toasted garbanzos will keep in a hermetically covered plastic container for up to a week.

Happy Valentine's Day

2010-02-12T23:49:00.000-08:00

This is a series of paintings I made several years ago. The hearts are painted on canvas, with acrylic and metallic paints. All together they sort of look like cute valentines, don't you think? Have a wonderful holiday with your friends and family!

"Havana Mama" Candlemas Habanero Sauce

2010-02-02T11:45:00.000-08:00

Today is not only the day Punxsutawney Phil predicts the weather, it is also my father's home town's biggest holiday! Growing up I remember having the opportunity to witness the celebrations in honor of La Candelaria, in the little town of Acala, Chiapas. In Santeria, the feast of La Candelaria is also consecrated to the Orisha Oya. Oya is a warrior princess, keeper of the cemetery and mistress of the wind.

Inspired by the feast of Candlemas lore, I created this "Havana Mama" hot habanero sauce! On a recent post about chiles I mentioned that the Habanero is probably the hottest chile you can find. I also talked about habaneros being originally cultivated in the Yucatan, not Havana. Not surprisingly the ingredients for this sauce are actually very similar to ones used on an ancient Mayan sauce called "Xni-pec", or "dog's nose". Why dog's nose? If you eat it, you'll have a runny wet nose just like a doggy. You may slobber a bit too!

Modern versions of the original Mayan recipe call for naranja agria, (bitter orange juice) but I'm using vinegar instead, since the orange may get too bitter if sitting in the refrigerator. To make this recipe, just follow the same instructions for making vinagre de chile, a recipe I posted last year. I made a few variations: I just added some orange bell peppers and carrots for sweetness, doubled the garlic, and omitted the onion. You can roast your bell peppers, carrots and garlic under the broiler for a few minutes in order to mellow the flavor. Make sure you check often, so they don't burn. As you can see, the texture and color of the vegetables also changes after broiling. Don't broil the habaneros, or your kitchen will be filled with hot, intoxicating fumes!

There is no need to marinate the peppers and habaneros for a week. You can puree everything right the way using a blender. You can strain your sauce, or leave a little bit of pepper and carrot pulp. Pour your sauce in a clean, desinfected recycled glass bottle and you are done! Cover your bottle with a cork stopper and refrigerate until ready to use.

You can decorate the bottle if you want to give it to a chile aficionado as a gift. I used a tapestry remnant and several ribbons to decorate mine. I also made a "Havana Mama" charm with polymer clay, then painted it with acrylic and metallic paints. You can find several cute handmade face charms on Etsy if you prefer not to make your own. You can also e-mail me and I'll be glad to make a charm for you.

More Candlemas Lore
The feast of the candles, or feast of purification is celebrated on February 2. According to wikipedia, in France candlemas is celebrated by eating crêpes. If the cook can flip a crêpe while holding a coin in the other hand, the family is assured of prosperity throughout the coming year. In other parts of Europe, the lore states that this was also the date when Christmas greenery had to be taken out of the home.

In Mexico, this is the day when families make their baby Jesus figurines (the same ones used in nativity scenes) "sit down". They create little chairs, crowns and elaborate costumes for their figurines. Also, whoever finds a little plastic doll inside the King's Cake (Rosca de Reyes) on January the 6th, has to throw a party on candlemas day. I posted more about the Rosca de Reyes tradition on my post "Let them eat cake...And babies?"

McMuertos and The Attack of Killer Corn!

2010-02-01T12:31:00.000-08:00

The other day I overheard a woman on the bus. She was telling her friend that the highlight of her kid's week was going out to eat hamburgers on Fridays. However, instead of hamburgers, the lady's husband took the kids out to eat tacos, so they were very upset. As someone that works in a predominately Latino neighborhood, a Mexican, and a food blogger, it made me think of the reasons for the disproportionate rates of obesity of Latinos in the US.

McMuertos turns 10 years old!
The image above is from an artistic collaboration I was a part of, several years ago. McMuertos was an installation for a Dia de los Muertos show at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, in 1998. It also appeared at the Oakland Museum in 1999, and the Mexican Museum in 2000. The installation was a parody dealing with cultural appropriation, predatory marketing and deceptive advertising. Much like his cousin "Joe Camel", the character of Ronnie Calaca (masterfully played by Robert Karimi, below) sold his brand using slick and unscrupulous messages that misinformed the public, especially kids.

McMuertos Poster by John Leanos, circa 1999

On 2004, the movie "Super Size Me" dealt with some of those same issues, along with an experiment on portion control and health effects. Fast food portions had gotten out of control, in some cases five times bigger than portions in the 1950's, when restaurants began to mass produce hamburgers and fries. One of the biggest culprits of obesity in children could be HFCS 55 (High Fructose Corn Syrup), used to sweeten soft drinks. Since 1999, soft drink sizes got so big that they could no longer fit inside cup holders. HFCS is also found in cookies, bread, salad dressing, BBQ sauce, ketchup and many other condiments. But HFCS is not only found in fast food restaurants. McMuerto's message is still resonant today, as corporations try to sell us the "goodness" of HFCS and genetically modified food.

Changing, evolving corn
Corn could be one of the most modified crops in the world. Originally corn was developed by cultivating a grass called "teosintle", more than 7000 years ago in what is currently Mexico. Corn became the staple food for the Aztecs, Mayas and many other North American indigenous groups. Teosintle (or Teozintle) literally means "food of the gods". The Mayas considered corn so sacred that they even deformed the heads of their babies using tablets, so they would appear elongated like an ear of corn.

Yum Kaax, Mayan Corn God

Corn production today
The world has less fertile land since the time of the Maya. There is also the need to feed more people, and that has served as a motivation to create "stronger" crops that have more productive plants. The development of GMOs (Genetically Modified Organism) by corporations like Monsanto are said to address those issues. But what is the cost? Today we are not only loosing a connection to nature, but we may also be at risk of loosing heirloom varieties of grain, maybe forever. GMO seed is copyrighted, so corporations can make money by selling it to farmers. "Terminator" seeds are sterile after planting, therefore ensuring farmer's dependency on suppliers. McMuerto's parodied corporate control, profit and greed. Those motivations need to be taken into consideration as well, when dealing with GMOs.

Mayas Growing Corn

The image of a farmer in overalls, growing corn by hand, and tending to it with the help of a scarecrow is very much gone. The US is growing way too much corn at tax payer's expense, due to government subsidies. It is a "super crop" that is not only fed to cattle, but to other animals like farmed salmon. These animals have no natural way of processing GMO corn. In order to keep animals "healthy" (so they can grow larger faster) they are pumped full of antibiotics.

We still don't know the long term effects of eating and producing GMOs, eating them, and even the effects of eating animals that have been feed GMOs. So far the news are not good. According to the Huffington Post, Monsanto's corn has been linked to organ failure in animals HFCS has been also linked to high triglycerides and diabetes. Diabetes Health has an article about the dangers of HFCS. The Washington post has an article about how HFCS is also not so sweet for the planet either. It could be a deadly triple whammy.

Mutant corn, harmless?
On a curious note, Monsanto is also a sponsor of many attractions at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. It seems like corporations are going after the youngest consumers, and their parents. For example, The Sweet Surprise is a PR marketing wonderland that praises the benefits of high fructose corn syrup. The creepy parts is that, as opposed to McMuerto's, it is not a spoof. It is full of images of happy families on bikes, smiling children, and expert testimony. It even has downloadable and printable fliers about "kids and sweets", assuring parents that feeding HFCS to kids is not only OK, it could also be nutritious: "By making healthy foods taste even more delicious, high fructose corn syrup may help ensure that picky young eaters get the nutrition they need". It could may be translated as - get them hooked up, early on.

Here is another quote, from Kris Clark, Ph.D, R.D., F.A.C.S.M., an assistant professor and Director of Sports Nutrition at Penn University: "It's a reality that kids are going to have some sugar in their diets...." "Just be sure the majority of the added sugars they consume are from nutrient-rich food or beverage, and practice moderation with concentrated sweets like candy and desserts".

Yet, there is no mention of HFCS as being a chemical manufactured in a lab, not present in nature, and one of the worse concentrated sugars. It is not a secret that all sugars should be consumed with moderation, the problem is that GMO corn and the many products manufactured with it are abundant. HFCS is not "moderate" by any means, as used on baked goods, snacks, chips, cookies, dressings, juices, sodas and many other products.

Corn is ours
Going back to the lady on the bus. She was large, and I wondered about the chances of her kids being overweight as well. I didn't know her, yet in my mind I was looking for reasons for her obesity. Maybe she is a newly arrived immigrant, feeding her children burgers may be her way to become "American" and fit in. Maybe it is more convenient to feed her kids fast food, after a long work week. Maybe she really thinks she is giving the the kids a little "reward" on Friday nights. Or maybe it is cheaper to get several items at the "dollar menu". I wonder how many people eat fast food out of convenience, or necessity. As opposed to businesses that have been hurt by the economy, McDonald's actually posted a growth of 2.5%

What about personal responsibility? There's been horrible hate crimes against Latinos, and virulent attacks by the likes of Lou Dobbs on the media recently. Harsh comments on newsgroups dealing with this topic also abound: "Nobody is putting a gun to their heads (forcing them to make poor food choices)", "Mexicans are fat because they are lazy", "Mexican food is so bad for you...(because) the ingredients are greasy (cheap, or poor quality, etc)". I think we can we find balance between personal responsibility and economic disparity. One of the saddest parts of the movie "Food inc" showed an obese Latino family buying fresh groceries. A little girl asks for pears, yet her older sister declines because they are too expensive.

So, what are the answers? The education of the public is key, as well as creating awareness in regards to food justice. Favianna Rodriquez, an amazing socially aware artist is doing a wonderful job educating the community about the importance of rejecting GMOs and agribusiness. On her website she talks about larger issues dealing with the dangerous ripples sent out by US policies regarding industrialized agriculture, and how they affect local food growers and those beyond our borders. She recently donated a poster of the image above to a charity auction I recently organized. Un millon de gracias, Favianna!

Nutritional Wastelands
Mexican food doesn't have to be unhealthy, that is one of the reasons for this blog. As Latinos we still need to explore genetics, education, culture and economics, and how they play a big part on health and eating habits. So, what stops someone from getting locally grown veggies, organic tortillas and making fresh salsa? Some kids are growing up in nutritional wastelands. Super markets in poor neighborhoods carry less organic selections. Corner stores and liquor stores carry heavy processed food, often times folks have to do a lot of their shopping there, because those are the only stores available. There are fast food chains on each side of the main streets that delineate the neighborhood where I work. Like liquor stores, they are disproportionally located in neighborhoods where poor people live. And of course, fast food chains also have hordes of marketers that make humble veggie tacos seem unappealing.

So what can we do? We can support local organic farmers. As consumers, we can demand an end to GMO production. We can stop buying corn heavy foods that only feed corporations and conglomerates. Most of all, we can educate our communities. That is the cruelest of ironies for Latinos everywhere: What once was a sacred crop to our ancestors, could be killing us now.

Links:

The illustration of the Mayans planting corn is by Alberto Beltran, for the book "Los Mayas" by Victor W. Von Hagen.
You can help farmers in Mexico fight big agro businesses. Visit the environmental group Sierra de Guadalupe. They promote bio diversity, and educate farmers in central Mexico about the importance of planting local species organically. There is a donate button at the end of the page.
The image God E (Yum Kaax, the Corn God - "Lord of The Harvest Fields") is from Copan. Photo by the American Museum of Natural History, in New York.
You can go to the Organic Consumers Association and join the "Millions Against Monsanto" by signing their on-line petition
Support the work of John Leanos and Favianna Rodriguez

The real youth fountain !

2010-01-21T14:21:00.001-08:00

The real youth fountain !
Originally uploaded by i_amici

Another photo from the fountain at La Fonda San Angel, at Bazaar Sabado in Mexico City. See my previous post. Thanks to flick member i_amici!

Inspiration: Fruit Display at Bazaar Sabado

2010-01-21T08:40:00.000-08:00

The picture above comes from a 1970's magazine. It is a photo of "Fonda San Angel", at the courtyard at Bazaar Sabado in Mexico City. This craft market is located in an old colonial building, in the neighborhood of San Angel, where I grew up. It is one of my favorite places in Mexico City!

The folks at Fonda San Angel have been creating elaborate fruit displays on their fountain for more than 20 years. Much like the fish fountain at Harrod's in London, the displays are ever changing - they never look the same. Here is another photo from flickr member Carlitos

Inspired by my memories of this fountain, I recently changed the look of my blog and added a header. I used fruits, vegetables and folk art for my display. I hope you like it!

If you are planning a trip to Mexico City, check out the website for Fonda San Angel and Bazaar de Sabado. It has information on the Bazaar, the restaurant, conventions and the historic town of San Angel.

Fragrant "Tejocote" Winter Punch

2010-01-12T23:50:00.000-08:00

Last month I was browsing the usual grocery stores on Mission Street when I discovered two of my favorite smelling fruits: Tejocotes and guayabas! I immediately got some and made a warm punch like the ones prepared on the foggy Chiapas highlands. Tejocotes and guayabas are still available. Go ahead and get some, and learn how to make this punch that will help you endure the cold, rainy San Francisco night. Ready? Let's go!

Until very recently, tejocotes were not available in the US. The name is a derivative of the word "Texocotl" meaning stone fruit. They look like miniature pumpkins or apples, and have a sweet, concentrated scent reminiscent of apples and roses. Tejocotes that grown in the US are a lot smaller than the ones grown in Mexico, but the smell is just as sweet. They are not particularly good eaten by themselves, they are a bit mealy, but they are great when used in desserts and drinks. You can also get them in a jar, preserved in syrup, if you can't find fresh ones.

Oh yeah...Did I mentioned tejocotes smell wonderful?? Tejocote smell is a mood enhancer for the winter "sads", and native people used it as a form of aromatherapy. In the old days, devoted Mexicans wore necklaces made out of tejocotes as a "pick me up", on long pilgrimages by foot to spiritual gatherings and festivals. I made a tejocote collar and placed it on a fruit display, on order to keep my apartment smelling fresh.

But on to the punch! There are many recipes for this delicious beverage. The names also vary, some people call it "Ponche de Navidad", or "Ponche de Fiesta", or "Ponche de Tejocote", or simply "Ponche con Piquete" if its spiked. This is my personal recipe, it is not very sweet, and uses several other seasonal fruits. To make it, you'll need the following ingredients:

One cup of fresh pineapple or orange juice
1 cup (about 15 small) tejocotes
2 large guayabas, quartered
2 apples of your choice, in eights (I'm using organic Jonagold)
2 sticks of raw sugar cane, peeled and cut in sections
A small glass of brandy (optional)
1 cup of nanche in syrup. Also known as "nance", or "nanchi". A type of mealy yellow cherry
Two small blood oranges, in slices
A pitcher of water
One stick of cinnamon
Three whole cloves
One whole star anise
Agave nectar, or raw sugar (piloncillo) to taste

To Garnish:

Slices of blood orange
Extra nances and tejocotes
Thin sticks of raw sugar cane

In a large pot, combine all the ingredients, with the exception of the garnishes and the agave nectar, if using. Bring to a boil and stir occasionally. One the punch starts to boil, lower the heat and simmer for twenty minutes, until the fruit starts to come apart. Correct the sweetness by adding agave nectar and a little bit more brandy, if you wish. Strain and serve in cups, with a sugar cane stick as a stirrer. You can also add more orange, tejocotes and nances to decorate. Makes about 6 cups.

Happy Birthday, Enchilada

2010-01-08T16:30:00.000-08:00

It has been a year since I decided to share my food recipes, artistic inspiration, obscure folklore and other musings to the blog world. Thanks for inviting me to your screens, blogeros!

On your behalf, I would like to virtually blow one of these cute colorful candles, as I press "publish post". They are available at the US Candle Company. These special candles burn with colorful red, purple, green and orange flames. According to the site they are also made with renewable sources and are biodegradable! How cool!

According to traditional lore birthday candles are full of magic and the ability to grant wishes. Superstition also states that saying the wish out loud will cancel it - so I can only hint that my wish involves art, more recipes and inspiration. Mil Gracias.

~Blowing~

Ensalada de Nochebuena - Christmas Eve Salad

2009-12-25T17:00:00.000-08:00

During Mexican Christmas celebrations colorful star shaped piñatas were traditionally filled with citrus fruit, peanuts, small jicamas, sections of sugar cane and colacion, or small pastel colored anise candies. Once the piñatas were smashed open they smell was intoxicating, even if the fruit was a little bruised.

This juicy, crunchy, sweet salad contains some of the same ingredients, and it reminds me of all the smells, colors and tastes of the season. Ensalada de Nochebuena is traditionally served the evening of December the 24th, but you can make it all winter long. To make this salad you'll need the following ingredients:

One head of lettuce
Two oranges, peeled and cut in sections
Once large jicama, shredded (or two small ones)
4 ribs of celery, sliced finely
One cup of fresh pineapple, chopped
Two medium sized beets, cooked and chopped finely
One cup of shredded carrots
One stick of raw sugar cane, peeled and chopped in small pieces *(See notes about eating sugar cane at the end of the recipe)

Garnishes:

About half a cup of toasted peanuts, or more to taste
Cut radish "flowers"
Seeds from one large pomegranate

Dressing:

1/4 cup of the water where you boiled the beets
1/4 cup of white vinegar
1/4 cup of orange, lime or pineapple juice
3 tablespoons of sugar

Chop, shred and chill all the ingredients. I use an electric food processor, it cuts things evenly and in less time than chopping manually. Line a large salad bowl with shredded lettuce, arrange the rest of the ingredients on top. I arranged mine in "wedges" like on the photo. Clock wise: Jicama, carrots, pineapple, orange, celery, beets and sugar cane.

Garnish the salad with the peanuts, pomegranate seeds and radishes. Aditionally you can also add anise seeds, and crushed colacion candy. Toss right before you are ready to eat. To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a cruet and chill well. Serve the dressing on the side, or the salad will get soggy.

*Notes about eating sugar cane:

* How to eat? Raw sugar cane is very juicy and sweet, but it is also very fiberous. It is perfectly fine to chew out all the juicy goodness and spit out the woody, fiberous part. If you are having a fancy affair and you don't want to see your guests spitting, just omit the sugar cane from your salad. Supervise children when eating raw sugar cane. Don't cut into pieces that are too big, they could be dangerous if not chewed properly.

Where to buy? You can buy raw sugar cane at the farmer's market. It looks like a long stak of bamboo (see the picture above). You'll need to peel it and cut it down to smaller pieces. Here is a link for instructions for peeling and eating a raw sugar cane stick. Even better, you can also buy the cane already in sections, with the tough husks removed, at some Asian and Latino food markets. The come conveniently sealed in little plastic baggies.

Felices Fiestas!

Ornaments: Using Crepe Paper Rosettes

2009-12-24T17:00:00.000-08:00

Some of my ornament kits include crepe paper rosettes. You can create some of your own, just follow these instructions. First, cut crepe paper ribbons that are about 15 inches long and about 2 - 3 inches wide. Make sure the grain of the paper runs vertically. Using needle and thread start sewing a running stich along one side of the paper ribbon.

Start gathering the paper by pulling the thread gently. Create a pleaded "fan" out of the crepe paper, then shape into a circle. Overlap the edges and secure with a droplet of glue, and sew the center together.

You'll have a nice fluffy crepe paper disk ready to decorate. You can create your rosettes in a variety of sizes by cutting the paper ribbons in widths that are gradually smaller.

Now, here comes the fun part - decorating them. You can also leave them "as is" and stack several rosettes on top of each other, they make a nice decoration for a wrapped gift.

To add extra sparkle you dip the edges or your rosette in glue and then in fine glitter. Let them dry for several hours before handling.

If you want to hang your ornament you can staple a piece of ribbon to the back of the rosette. You can also build your ornament by layering the rosette with a painted wood chip, embossed rubber stamped cut-outs, collage elements, charms and other embellishments. Here are some ideas, have fun.

New Workshop: Guadalupe Holiday Ornaments

2009-12-05T21:50:00.000-08:00

Guadalupe-inspired "Adornitos"
Saturday, December 12, 2009
3:00 to 8:00 pm
Galeria de la Raza, Studio 24th
2857 24th Street 
San Francisco, CA

Create a Virgen de Guadalupe ornament, or your own interpretation of her: An Aztec warrior Goddess, a personification of winter, or a homage to Latina power and mystique. No sign-in necessary, just make your creation and take it home, ready to hang any place that needs a little sacred-ness. Only $7.00! We'll have lots of clip art, crepe paper, glitter, plaster add-ons and other precious embellishments available.

Estrellitas: Making Cardboard Stars

2009-12-05T13:00:00.000-08:00

Some of my Holiday Ornament Kits provide glittery stars. With some patience and practice you can make some of your own. You'll need the following materials:

Recycled light weight cardboard
Scissors
Xacto knife
Ruler
Sticky glue
Acrylic paint
Fine glitter
Wire or ribbon
Trimmings of your choice

First, cut out two identical five point stars. You can dowload and print the pattern below courtesy of Math Central. They also have instructions for another 3D cardboard star , those instructions work better if you want to make a much larger star, by creating each point separately. They even provide the mathematical equation!

In this case, I use thin recycled cardboard to cut out two identical stars. The material used to make cereal boxes is perfect. To give the stars 3D points use a dull xacto knife and score the points of the cardboar star from the point to the opposite side (it will be a line that divides the star in two). Make sure you don't cut the cardboard all the way trough. Repeat on all five sides. If you are doing this correcty all cuts will intersect in the middle of the star. Fold and crease the star creating hills and valleys, using the scored guides. Next, repeat with the other star.

All you have to do now is glue the two stars back to back, to create a tridimentional star. If you wish, add a cord, ribbon or wire for hanging before gluing them together. Decorate as you wish. Here I'm adding glitter. First, paint the star in a flat color, then cover the entire surface with fine glitter in a similar color and let it dry completely before removing the excess.

Finish your design by adding crepe paper and other collage elements!

"Adornitos" - Holiday Ornament Kits

2009-12-04T23:45:00.000-08:00

Las Posadas, or "Inns" are traditional Mexican Christmas gatherings. These parties are very colorful. Pinks, turqoise, charteuse and Rosa Mexicano (fucsia) are prevalent in decorations for a Posada. Decorations like piñatas, papel picado and paper lanterns called farolitos inspired me to design '"Adornitos", or holiday ornament kits. A base, cord, crepe paper, sequins, and other collage elements are included inside each baggy.

You'll have lots of fun designing the composition of your ornament and adding the trimmings. Additionally you can use materials you already have at home - wine corks, packing twine, recycled cardstock, paper doilies, etc. This season I will be posting some ideas and variations for the ornaments you can make. Enjoy!

You can also buy my kits at the Galeria de la Raza's Holiday Bazaar: Crucero Artero Navideño.

Winter Squash in Green "Pipian" Sauce

2009-11-25T23:20:00.000-08:00

Calabaza en Pipián Verde

Versions of this Mexican recipe go back to pre-hispanic times. Pipian is similar to the popular Mole sauce but it contains fewer ingredients. This sauce is also known as pepián, and one of its ingredients is pumpkin seeds, also known as pepitas. Just like Mole, this sauce comes in a variety of colors: Pipian colorado (a red sauce), pipian amarillo (a pale yellow sauce) and the recipe I'm sharing today, pipian verde. I think this is a wonderful warm vegan recipe, you can even serve it for thanksgiving. You'll need the following ingredients:

2 cups vegetable stock
About a pound of small fresh tomatillos, or
a 16 ounce can of crushed tomatillos
1 medium onion
1 clove of garlic
1 serrano chile, or more to taste
1 cup of fresh cilantro
Your choice of squash, 2 medium. I use carnival and acorn squash.
1 cup unsalted pepitas (shelled pumkins seeds)
About two tablespoons of vegetable oil
Salt and white pepper to taste
Toasted pumpkin seeds and chopped cilantro, to garnish

Cut the squash in half. Roast in a shallow pan with a little bit of vegetable oil in a hot 375 degree oven. The squash halves will be done when its easy to pierce them with a fork, usually about 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the squash.

The squash will be slightly caramelized when its ready. Remove the fibers and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Cut into bite size sections and remove the peel with a sharp knife. Set aside.

Boil the the tomatillos, the onion, the garlic and the serrano chile in a cup of vegetable stock. When the tomatillo mixture is very soft (about 10 minutes), set aside and let it cool.

Ground the pepitas in a blender until you obtain a fine powder. The finer the powder, the smoother your sauce will be. Make sure you don't add any liquid. Pulverizing the dry seeds makes the sauce delicate and nutty, adding liquid changes the flavor. Set aside for later.

Blend the tomatillo mixture and the fresh cilantro and another cup of the vegetable stock in a blender, until you have a smooth sauce, similar to "salsa verde". Transfer to a sauce pan and start cooking under low heat. Add the pumkin seed powder and stir often, add salt and white pepper to taste.

As the broth reduces the sauce will begin to thicken to the consistency of heavy cream. Add the squash sections and simmer under very low heat for about ten more minutes. Don't let it scorch. Add a little bit more stock if necessary.

Correct the seasonings. Serve with white rice, warm corn tortillas or cornbread. Garnish with extra toasted pumpkin seeds and chopped cilantro.

Pachanga Thanks

2009-11-24T18:00:00.000-08:00

Thank you to all the staff and volunteers from Galeria de la Raza for a sucessful art auction event - Pachanga 2009! On Saturday, November the 21st, 2009 the auction raided funds for programming at Galeria, and it is the only Latino art event in San Francisco of its kind. Here are some photos from the auction.

Auctioneer Durwood Zedd and Executive director Carolina Ponce de Leon
keep up with high bidders.

Hey! That is my art piece, "La Casita/My Little Foreclosure", it went to the highest bidder for over $300!

Great art was auctioned

The lovely Jessica Diaz, from Gracias Madre. They provided tasty organic vegan tamales.

For more photos, check out this article by Vanessa Carr for Mission Local

Charity Fundraiser, Faux Gingerbread & Dark Fairy Tales

2009-11-17T11:30:00.000-08:00

We all know the tale; and evil witch lures innocent children using candy, in order to eat them. According to Anke A. Culver, a retired professor of Loyola University, the witch is the one that got a bad rap. The witch’s name was Katharina Schraderin, a talented baker from Southern Germany in the 1600’s. A baker named Hans Metzler tried courting Katharina in order to steal her recipes. After being rejected he accused her of practicing witchcraft. Katharina is found innocent, but the greedy Hans and his sister Grete end up breaking into her house. They ruthlessly kill Katharina and burn her remains in one of her ovens. Talk about killing the competition!

I created this shadowbox house out of wood and a variety of media. It is being auctioned for Galeria de la Raza's annual fundraiser, on Saturday, November 21st. The lightbox is shaped like a gingerbread house, complete with a bedroom, a bathroom, a living room, a walk-in closet, a kitchen and a porch. Two little characters seem to live inside, will they live happy ever after? The title of the piece is "La Casita/My Little Foreclosure".

These days seems like people are loosing their little piece of the American dream, for a variety of reasons. What, or who is to blame? Immigrants? Banks? People that got loans they couldn’t pay? Could it be illness, a divorce, a death in the family, the loss of a job? Are the victims, once again, being blamed?

Please support Galeria de la Raza’s Pachanga! Visit the on-line catalog for more information and suggested starting bids. Bidding by proxy is allowed and encouraged.

Visit Cookie Cutter Research, to read more about the story behind the tale of Hansel and Gretel, as told by professor Culver. The website also has a great on-line database of cookie cutters, as well as everything related to cookies.

Pachanga: Support the 9th Annual Art Auction

2009-11-16T12:33:00.000-08:00

Galería's annual art auction is just around the corner. Pachanga! Is Galeria de la Raza's annual benefit celebration with a live and silent auctions. I'm honored to be a part of this event once again. San Francisco's only Latino art party takes place on Saturday, November 21st from 7 - 10 pm. Dance to the beats provided by DJ Chango Julius. $20 - $50 sliding scale. Raffle items include a pair of R/T tickets to anywhere in the US, among other goodies.

Silent Auction: 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm.

Live Auction: 8:00pm

Auctioneer: Durwood Zedd

Food & drink provided by Venga Empanadas, Cafe Gratitude/Gracias Madre, Frey Vineyards, Sugar Lump, Rainbow Grocery Co-op and others.

Go to Galeria de la Raza to privew the Pachanga 2009 artist catalog!

Papas con Rajas - Goodies for the Day of The Dead

2009-11-02T11:30:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I made some goodies for a family function conmemorating The Day of The Dead (El Dia de Los Muertos), or "Los Fieles Difuntos" as this holiday is known in some areas of Mexico. This is a photo of the ofrenda created by my cousin, the gracious hostess for this gathering (gracias,Hildi). The ofrenda was made in honor of her father, grandparents and deceased cousins.

I made some empanadas de papas con rajas (potato and roasted pepper empanadas), classic guacamole and a refreshing citrus pico de gallo. Today I'm sharing my recipe for the empanada stuffing. Poblano peppers are spicy, but you can use any other pepper you prefer. This filling can be used for tacos, it is great as a tostada topping, and can be used as a side dish by itself. You'll need the following ingredients:

Papas con rajas

2 large poblano chiles
one small white onion, slivered
3 white potatoes, boiled, peeled and cubed
one clove of garlic
Olive oil, about two table spoons
Vegetable broth, or water where you boiled the potatoes. About a quarter of a cup.

Start by making roasted poblano peppers. I roast mine directly on the stove top, but you can also use an outdoor grill. Wash and dry your peppers and place them on the open flame. Using thongs, turn them over often, until the skin is evenly black on all sides. Don't worry about burning the peppers, the inside will remain green and juicy.

Wrap the peppers with a lightly damped towel, a paper towel works fine. Place the wrapped peppers inside a plastic bag and let them "sweat" for about fifteen minutes. Once the peppers are soft and steamed, the skin will fall right off - just take a spoon and start scraping off the charred skin. In order to retain the roasted flavor, wipe the peppers with the moist towel but don't rinse them under water. It is OK if a few black bits and seeds remain behind, they will add flavor.

Cut the peppers in "rajas", or slivers. Cut the top of the peppers off, and slice them lenghtwise. Scrape off the seeds and the veins using a small paring knife, they contain most of the spiciness (I usually do this directly on top of the trash can). You now have roasted pepper "sheets" ready to use. To make the rajas just stack the peppers on top of each other and cut into thin slivers.

Sautee the onions, the chopped garlic and the peppers in olive oil until the onion looks translucent. Add the cooked, cubed potatoes. Sautee for about 5 minutes more on high heat until the potatoes begin to brown. Season with salt and deglaze the pan by adding about a quarter of a cup of broth and cover. Cook for about two more minutes until the liquid is absorved and the potatoes are very soft. They are now ready to serve.

Enjoy some good food with family and friends, and remember your deceased loved ones. Have a great holiday!

Cajitas: Great Workshop!

2009-10-30T12:30:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, October 24th I lead a Day of the Dead workshop at Galeria de la Raza. I provided participants with small postcard sized wooden boxes and a variety of embellishments that included plaster miniatures, specialty papers and other collage elements.

It was really a joy seeing friends and families working together!

Everyone was working so hard...But it seems like they were also having a good time

The themes of the boxes varied from traditional Day of the Dead designs to personal dedications to family members to a fantastic box with an environmental theme, in honor of our dying planet. Thanks everyone for participating!

And thank you Galeria de la Raza! Click the link to visit Galeria's calendar of events

Chile Wreaths and Etymology

2009-10-26T23:30:00.000-07:00

I was in Seattle recently for work and I got a chance to eat lunch at the famous Pike Place Market. After walking around I made my way to Post Alley and El Mercado Latino. This is rainy Seattle not New Mexico so I was surprised to see many gorgeous chile ristras and wreaths in so many shapes and colors! I took some photos for your enjoyment. All these chiles inspired me to write on the origins of the word "chile".

Chile or Pepper?
Christopher Columbus was the first European to encounter plants from the genus Capsicum in the Americas. In Spanish these plants came to be known as chiles (from their original Nahuatl name, chil). Columbus tried to pass these plants as the same spice known to Europeans as pepper. At the time pepper was highly priced in Europe, known as a spice, a preservative and a medicine. Black pepper (Piper Nigrum) is however from the family Piperacea, a spice native of South India. Columbus may have thought Capsicum and Piperacea were the same, since confused Europeans believed to be in India when the "new" word was first "discovered". This is the reason Native Americans are erroneously called "Indians", and why in English we are stuck with the same word (pepper) for two different plants.

Chile or Ají?
The South American country of Chile is long and skinny...but it is NOT named after a chile.
The name of the country has different roots than those of the chile pepper, originating from the Quechua chilli, a combination of the words "Chi", meaning trascendental and "Levu" (shortened to "Le"), meaning river. Loosely translated it means "The River of the Ancestors". Curiously, in South America the Spanish word for hot pepper is Ají picante, as opposed to chile, as it is known in Mexico and other North American Spanish speaking countries. However in all Spanish speaking countries black pepper is called pimienta a word similar to the Spanish word for bell pepper: Pimiento.

Chili or Chile?
"Chili" is the anglicisation of the word Chile, and it is used only in the US. It is also the name of the popular Chili stew made with meat, chiles and some times beans. The dish has its roots on food eaten in Mexico for centuries, basically meat seasoned with chiles, or "carne con chile", by its name in Spanish (literally it means "meat with chiles"). In the American Southwest the name of the dish (and the dish itself) went trough a reincarnation and became "Chili con Carne", or the powdered spice blend used to season this dish. The good folks of ChileTraditions mention that in 1983 New Mexico Senator Pete Dominici made an official congressional record on the correct way of spelling Chili: With an "E" at the end.

More fastidious chile grammar and slang
English speaking folks usually say "chile rellenos" or simply "rellenos" when referring to the dish consisting of battered stuffed peppers. The plural of the Spanish word would be "ChileS rellenos", if there is more than one.

So, rellenos or not, how HOT are chiles really? The chemical called capsaicin in the chile stimulates the papillary glands and dermis and produces a "burning" sensation, and make you release endorphins, creating a reaction similar to heat exposure. The chile itself doesn't produce heat. Eating chiles while in the middle of a snowstorm won't save you from hypothermia.

The spiciest chile is probably the Habanero. It is spelled HabaNero, not Habañero, since it is named after the city of La Habana, where the chile was traded. The origin of this chile, however, was the Yucatan peninsula and it is featured in many delicious Yucatecan recipes.

In Spanish when something is spicy it is called "picante", from the word "picar", meaning something that pierces like a needle or stings like a mosquito. In Mexico the word chile also has sexual connotations, it alludes to the penis.

So my friends...Al Chile (A slang saying, meaning: To the point!)

If you go to Mexico don't ask for chile "caliente", if you are expecting something spicy - you'll just get something warm. If you are a guy, don't ask for someone to heat your chile, unless you are expecting...Oh, never mind. If you go to Seattle, make sure you visit Pike Place Market.

Happy eating!

New Day of the Dead Figurines

2009-10-12T14:09:00.001-07:00

Pink Skeleton Merman
Originally uploaded by kool_raul

Just on time for Dia de los Muertos! Some of my Day of the Dead figurines are now for sale at Martin's 16th Street Emporium.

Visit the emporium at:

3248 16th Street. Just a block away from historic Mission Dolores in San Francisco. Open Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 12:00 to 5:00 pm

Toasted Pasilla Chile Soup Base

2009-10-06T21:49:00.000-07:00

In the past few years smokey chipotle peppers have gained a lot of popularity in the US. It is not hard to find South West, Mexican and "fusion" recipes that call for chipotle peppers. I think it is a matter of time before pasilla chiles gain the same popularity north of the border. Like many other Mexican chiles, pasillas are sold dry. Some times pasillas are mistaken for ancho dry chiles. You can easily recognize pasillas because they won't be as long and skinny as other dry varieties, and they will be very dark, almost black. They are also very wrinkly.

Dry pasillas may require a little bit more preparation before they can be added to your recipes, but don't let that intimidate you. The extra steps are well worth it. "Pasilla" is a derivative of the Spanish word "pasa" or raisin. When properly prepared, pasillas add a robust flavor to your dishes and a hint of fruitiness reminiscent of raisins or sun dried tomatoes. I like frying pasillas in a pan first, since it produces an earthy hint of dark chocolate and a toasty flavor that is very different from the smokey chipotle. Depending on the pasilla variety, they also pack a lot of heat, so a little goes a long way. You'll need the following ingredients:

One dry pasilla chile (or two, if they are small)
One clove of garlic, peeled and mashed
A quarter of a small onion, chopped
One tablespoon of olive oil
One large tomato, or two smaller Roma tomatoes
Salt, to taste
A pinch of sugar
One bay leaf

Tear the dry pasilla chiles in half, discard the seeds. Use a small paring knife to remove the stem and the veins. Tear the chiles in smaller pieces. Wash your hands carefully before proceeding to the next step.

You need to toast your chiles in order to "wake up" the flavor. This takes a bit of skill and could mean the difference between a toasty flavorful soup base and bitterness and indigestion. First, heat the olive oil in a non-stick pan. Make sure the oil is very hot but don't let it smoke. Fry the dry chiles for a couple seconds. Using thongs turn the chiles and fry them on the other side, making sure they don't burn. Work in a well ventilated kitchen. Depending on how spicy the chiles are they'll produce a sweet mellow scent or smoke that can feel quite toxic! Don't breath the fumes directly, they can irritate your eyes and throat.

Put the toasted chiles in a bowl and set aside. Saute the onion and the garlic in the same pan where you toasted the chiles but don't let them brown. Turn the heat down and add a cup of warm water to deglaze the pan. Pour the warm water, the onion and the garlic in the same bowl with the toasted chiles and the bay leaf and let them soften for a whole hour. Once the chiles are soaked they will be very soft and the water will be a nice amber color.

Remove the bay leaf and discard. Blend the chile mixture with the peeled, seeded tomatoes until smooth. Add salt to taste and a pinch of sugar to cut the acidity. Strain in a fine mesh sieve. You can store your soup base in an air tight container for several days. Use this base as a spicy vegan "bullion" in soups like pozole, rice, sopa seca or any other pasta dish, as well as chili. You can even add a few drops over tostadas, potato salad, or home made salad dressing.

Cajitas: Day of the Dead Boxes Class at Galeria!

2009-09-28T12:39:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, October 24th, I will be teaching a class on how to decorate your very own mini Day of the Dead box! The class takes place at Galeria de la Raza, from 2:00 to 5:00 pm. Make sure you call Galeria ahead of time to reserve your spot.

Description:
Create a memento, a shrine, a love token for the dearly departed, or just a funny vignette in a Day of the Dead theme. Using a small wooden box and a variety of collage materials you'll create a fantastic mini treasure to take home.

Fee and materials:
$30 per person. Includes a 5x7 wooden box. Also included are unpainted plaster skulls, hearts, angels and other ornamental embellishments ready for you to paint. Lots of collage images too! I will teach you how to make lacy miniature "papel picado" and mini paper flowers. No previous art experience is necessary. Feel free to bring photos or your own personal ephemera to embellish your box.

Registration/Location:
Please call Galeria to reserve your spot. Class is limited to 12 participants. Children with an adult assistant are welcome to participate. The class will be conducted bilingually, in English and Spanish.

Cajitas: Mini Day of the Dead Boxes

Saturday, October 24th, 2009

2:00 - 5:00 pm

Galeria de la Raza
2857 24th Street
San Francisco CA 94110
Phone: 415-826-8009
Email: info@galeriadelaraza.org

By BART: Take the BART train to the 24th Street Station. You will emerge on Mission Street and 24th Street. Go East on Mission Street. Walk for about 15 minutes until you arrive at 2857 at the corner of Bryant. You can also catch the Eastbound 48 bus at the corner of 24th and Mission; get off at the corner of Bryant Street.

By MUNI: Take the 14 Line or the 49 Line to 24th Street. Exit and go Eastbound on Mission Street. You can then catch the Eastbound 48 bus at the corner of 24th and Mission and ride it to Bryant Street. You can also walk for about 15 minutes until you arrive at Bryant Street.

Ronaldo Fraga: Fashion, Cartoons and Disney

2009-09-23T23:45:00.000-07:00

What do theme parks, Mexican paper banners and fashion can possibly have in common? I would say a whole lot, after seeing the work of Ronaldo Fraga. Fraga is a Brazilian designer, his collection "Disneylandia" was part of Sao Paulo's fashion week. For his latest collection Fraga created an exuberant mishmash of Latin American folk tradition, theme park imagery, Disney kitsch and a bit of mid-century illustration. In the artists own words:

"My eyes melt with the thought of Mexican fiestas, Colombian textile handicrafts, emotional Argentinean cinema, Olinda’s carnival and its confetti and serpentine throws, and writings of Borges, Drummond, García Marquez, and Cortázar… all fronts of cultural resistance in a slippery world without frontiers. I think about how we, Brazilians, interact with our next-door neighbor – Miss Latin America –, who we barely greet when we meet in the elevator every day. In this collection I attempt to exchange cups of sugar with a neighbor who does not speak my language, but whom I can talk to through music, a graphic universe, political and religious discomfort, and the feeling of a possible place in the contemporary world."

A rickety wooden catwalk was created for the fashion show. The many passages made it resemble a labyrinthine favela, or Brazilian shanty town. The model's look was that of "Meme Mau", or what a friend of my grandmother's used to call the bastardized Mexican version of Minnie Mouse, by sporting enormous hair knots that resembled Mikey ears. Collars made out of little "chiclet" boxes, richly embroidered jackets, dresses stamped with Disney characters and Latin American flags were included in the collection. All the models had powdered pigment dusted on their foreheads, making them look as chimney sweeps from the movie "Mary Poppins". The pigment could allude to a splash of paint or the vitality that creates an animated character, or the ash people in Latin America wear on their foreheads during Ash Wednesday: Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Powdered pigment, to powdered pigment?

Death and other different layers of meaning pop-up in the imagery of Fraga's accessories, like the above pictured "La Muerte" lapel accessory from La Loteria, the popular Mexican bingo game or these skeletal Mikey Mouse pendants:

The collection may be best remembered for its amazing dresses inspired by "Papel Picado" or paper banners created for Mexican holidays. Fraga seems to specially like designs with skulls traditionally used during the Dia de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead holiday. Papel picado in its ethereal fragility alludes to death and mortality. In this case, fabric mimics paper.

This collection may also have a connection with mid-century illustration. Some of Fraga's folky "boho chic" creations show influences from traditional "huipiles", or roomy blouses and dresses worn by women from the isthmus of Tehuantepec. The style of the Tehuana, what the women from this region are called, is often associated with Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, who popularized the look during the 1940's. The Tehuana costume also inspired Mexican illustrator and ethnographer Miguel Covarrubias (1904 - 1957) and American designer Mary Blair (1911 - 1978).

Tehuana Inspiration

In the US, illustration styles of the 1940's to the 1960's reflected curiosity and discovery. The space race and the ability to travel to exotic locations fascinated North American audiences. Both Covarrubias and Blair benefited from travel and study "on site". Covarrubias spent years researching Olmec culture and the people and traditions of Tehuantepec, Oaxaca, where the Tehuana costume originated. He had a theory that the native culture of Mexico diffused as far north as the Mississippi delta, and as far away as Easter Island. Here is one of his illustrations for his book "Mexico South", published in 1946.

Covarrubias was a successful illustrator and cartoonist. His work was published by The New Yorker and Vanity Fair. Like Blair, he was also a talented colorist.

Mary Blair also spent some time in Mexico studying painting, before going to work for Walt Disney in 1940. She later joined her husband, Lee Everett Blair, other creative professionals and Disney himself on a gig traveling to several Latin American countries. The project was sponsored by the federal government under Franklin D. Roosevelt's "Good Neighbor" policy, that was meant to oversee Latin America in a more "benign and peaceful" tone after years of interventionism. It was also meant to prevent and discourage anti-US sentiment. The reasons for Disney to participate were many. It was an opportunity to promote his studio using Uncle Sam's money, since the studio was strapped for cash. His artists researched the studio projects that would later become Disney's animated "The three Caballeros" and "Saludos Amigos". Here's some concepts created by Mary Blair.

Mary Blair moved on to create designs and concepts for some of Disney's classic animated movies, among them "Cinderella", "Peter Pan" and "Alice in Wonderland", but her aesthetic was forever influenced by the folklore and the color of Latin America. She was also the creative force behind the ride "It's a Small World". Originally one of four Disney sponsored attractions for the 1964 World's Fair in New York, the beloved (and at times hated) ride was also created from concepts developed by Mary Blair.

Much like "Its a Small World", Fraga's "Disneylandia" speaks to us of optimism, unity and nationalistic harmony in Latin America. But is real, or just light, glitter, plywood and paint? Is the perennial Carnival-like vision of Latin America gone, making way for cultural understanding, or do we still delight in the make believe cha- cha land, complete with margaritas and an obnoxious "hot tamale train" to ride on? Personally, I just think of the artisans, weavers, textile and garment workers in Latin America, and those of Latin American origin working in the US industry, and question the real role of indigenous artists in the fashion world. Ronaldo Fraga tells us of a different Latin America that has possibly arrived to the international design and culture arena on its own terms:

"Now I look at the neighbors of a Latin America I am not familiar with, an America different than the one with cucaracha generals and dictators who were lost in time, and different than the one who is denied a US visa or bears the heavy burden of corruption".

I would add one caveat - the more that things change, the more they stay the same. Maybe the process has also gone full circle. A fashion designer inspired by a theme park; a theme park that drew inspiration from an illustrator, an illustrator that found her inspiration in the colors of Latin America. Small world, indeed.

Links and photo credits:
Check out Ronaldo Fraga's Flickr Photostream to view more of his work. You can also visit the designer's blog. Other photos by Camilo Gutierrez via Camilogr.com

The Covarrubias illustrations from "Mexico South", now out of print, come from the literary blog Bellemeade Books

The Mary Blair illustration comes from Littleverses. It includes photos from Mary Blair's Latin American trip from Life magazine, and more information about how her concepts helped influence Disneyland's look. Additional images by Peko-chan

This link is about the controversy of redesigning the ride "It's a Small World" by adding Disney characters and a patriotic "Up with America" sequence, and tampering with the original Mary Blair concept.

Sacred Fluids: The Real History of Chia Pets

2009-09-15T11:45:00.000-07:00

Chia Pets! They are impossible to miss during the holiday season, and they may be some of the least known cases of cultural appropriation. Widely available at chain drugstores, they are the kind of last minute generic gift you'll give someone out of obligation or... lack of shopping time! It is no surprise that the manufacturers of Chia Pets are San Francisco based Joseph Enterprises, Inc. creators of the "Clapper", the practical, yet impersonal gift that turns your lights on and off when you clap. But the curious pottery animals have an interesting beginning, that takes place (like many other things I blog about) in Mexico.

Whimsical Clay in the Southern Mexican Garden
Mexicans have a long tradition of ornamental gardening, its aesthetics are often shadowed by popular gardening styles of Europe, and by the erroneous belief that Mexico is mostly arid and desert like. The lush terrain of southern Mexico allows for green gardens with a variety of plants. My parents home state of Chiapas has a diverse topography that includes sierras, beaches, lakes, rivers and waterfalls. The lush Lacandon jungle and the heat of the Soconusco region contrasts with the cool highlands of San Cristobal and Union Juarez. The garden styles includes local species of vegetation as well as many local handicrafts.

There are many types of vessels used to propagate seeds and spores in Southern Mexico. My maternal grandmother, a native of the town of Tapachula, used to give me humble gifts of hens made out of peat and bark when I was little. You were supposed to plant ferns in them, once the spores propagated, the hens would have lush green "plumage". Before someone thinks they could make millions with the proper marketing and a catchy jingle they should know that it is hard to make the ferns grow outside of the right climate. In Mexico City my hen pots never reached full vegetable maturity.

Other very popular hanging planters in Chiapas are called pichanchas, they are also used for growing ferns and other plants. The large round clay pots have many little holes in them, and designers have taking a liking for creating light fixtures with them, because of the pretty shadows they cast. Just call it a Chiapas style "disco ball". Thanks to La Camara de Akutzin for the photo of the hanging pichancha and the light fixture on the back.

Other garden ornaments include aerial orchids grown attached to boards, that are often hanged on walls like art, ornate pots shaped like doves in a variety of sizes and many other pots shaped like animals. Animals themselves are part of the garden, usually pet bids like parrots and some times peacocks, and little bids in decorated cages. But why animals in pottery? Zoomorphic vessels abound in the Americas. From birds to dogs, the decoration and shape vary greatly according to region, but clay is a common material used to create these vessels. According to the University of Richmond Museums, animal shaped vessels were often associated with Shamanism in pre-Columbian cultures: "because a shaman was believed to be able to transform into different animals during specific rituals." The image below comes from the book "Frida's Fiestas". It illustrates a clay maceta in the shape of a deer.

But back to chia, as it relates to animal pottery. Salvia hispanica is the Latin name for this plant, but the name "Chia" is a derivative of the Nahuatl words Chi and Atl, meaning something close to, or under water. The Mexica (or "Aztecs" as they are often called) were imperialists. They gave names in their native Nahuatl language to regions they conquered, in this case, the name of the state of Chiapas is probably a derivative of the word Chiapan. It means "Place near the river where chia abounds". Folks in the US are some times surprised to learn that there is an entire Mexican state named after chia! Curiously, in Chiapas, pottery decorated with chia sprouts was not very popular as garden ornamentation. Chia "pets" were originally grown out of religious fervor.

A Virgin's Tears and The Altar of Sorrows
Folks north of the border may also be more familiar with the Day of the Dead holiday and the elaborate altars created for the deceased. There are many traditions in Mexico that involve the creation of altars and Ofrendas, or offerings, for a variety of purposes and holidays. One of them is the Altar of Sorrows, created on the days leading to Good Friday, before Easter. The altar is created in honor of the Mater Dolorosa, or Our Lady of Sorrows. Prominently featured on the altar of sorrows are sprouted seeds, and pottery animals decorated with chia seed sprouts. Altar creators prepare chia, oats and other seeds in containers and sprout them weeks before the altar is created.

So, are these the original Chia Pets? Well, yes and no. Not all pottery with sprouts is a Chia Pet. Sprouts were grown in containers in a variety of shapes, not only animals. However, the idea for "Chia Pets" definitely originated in Mexico. The tradition of the Altar of Sorrows is not exclusive to Chiapas. The folks of Joseph Enterprises had the original "Chia Ram" made by craftsmen in Oaxaca, they were identical to the ones used for the Altar of Sorrows. Now "Chia Pets" are made in China and are considered "American", and have quickly sprouted (yeah, sue me!) a peculiar humorous culture of its own. Websites now have "chia cams", "Improbable Research" proving the evolution of plants into animals, and hoax articles citing ecological disaster due to illegal chia dumping.

Pottery animals are still made in Mexico for the Altar of Dolors, but to this day, some of the reasons for creating the altar are disappearing into obscurity. For example, for some mysterious reasons some pottery figurines used in altars are some times sprouted while grown in the dark, while others are grown outside. This makes some of the sprouts yellow, while others are bright green. I have no idea why this is done, maybe just for the purpose of having different shades of green to beautify the altar, or for symbolic meaning. I knew about some of the symbolic significance via oral traditions I learned from my grandmother, and also did some research about these meanings on my own. Here's some of the items placed on The Altar of Sorrows:

Candles, papel picado (lacy paper cutouts), oranges decorated with little banners, reflective round glass spheres, fruit decorated with gold and silver leaf, carafes full of colorful agua fresca (fruit drinks) and white lilies are some of the items always used in the altar. All of these items allude to Mary's attributes and sorrow: The oranges are bitter, the lilies are white to represent purity and the purple color of the banners represents mourning. Chia is used for practical reasons, it sprouts fast and when soaked, the seeds create a gel-like coating called mucilago. It is this gel-like substance what helps the seeds adhere to the moist pottery and some times even bricks are used to sprout the seeds. There is also symbolic meaning to chia. When added to agua fresca, traditionally lemonade, the little seeds covered in gel are said to resemble the virgin's tears. The shiny glass spheres placed on the altar also allude to Mary's tears. Mexico is a land of syncretism, so these symbolic meanings are very likely to predate Catholic religious zeal.

Sacred Fluids, Ixtel and The Moon Cycle
The devotion for Mary is powerful in Mexico. The Altar of Sorrows is created in the Spring, but the feast of the Lady of Sorrows actually falls on the third Sunday on September. There are many holidays that honor The Virgin Mary in the month of September. This period between Summer and Fall is a time for the completion of the harvest, when the light of the full moon allowed farmers to work at night. Many holidays worldwide have festivals associated with the moon cycle during this time, the moon itself being called "The Harvest Moon". It is a time for completion and reflection, like the Jewish holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur which start after the new moon of September. It is also the time when Ramadan ends - all holidays of atonement and reflection. Curiously, the second week of September, between the full moon and the new moon, has become a time for people in the US for remembrance and sorrow. Holidays during this period for many cultures mark the Autumnal Equinox, the beginning of darkness, often associated with "female" qualities.

The particular fervor for the Lady of Sorrows in Mexico may be guised in the ancient cult of the moon goddess. The mysterious goddess of fertility for the Mayans was named Ix Chel, also known as Ixtel. She was also the goddess of the moon, the rainbow and textiles. Many of her followers used to take perilous journey to her island sanctuaries near Can Cun, today the resort islands of Cozumel and Isla Mujeres, the Island of Women. Offerings for Ix Chel included pottery and atole, a gruel made out of corn and water. According to Maya myth, corn was the basic ingredient for the creation of mankind. The gooeyness of the atole probably had symbolic meanings as well.

To the Mayas, the word "Itz" meant life force. Maya scholars David Friedel and Linda Schele describe the concept of Itz in their book, Maya Cosmos: Three Thousand Years on the Shaman's Path. Itz is also a physical gooey or watery matter that appears in nature. Rain, morning dew, the water that drips from stalactites in caves, the underground "cenotes" or pools that were sacred to the Maya were believed to be full of Itz. The Mayas also knew that humans were composed mainly of water, so blood, sweat, mother's milk, sperm and tears were also manifestations of Itz.

To ancient Mexicans, chia may have appeared to be magic. After all, it is one of the few seeds that creates "Itz" when soaked in water. It could be the reason that chia became a prominent component of the altar of sorrows, because in a case of syncretism, the gel-like seeds were not only alluding to Mary's tears, but to ovaries, cells, sperm, fertility, human preservation in a time of sorrow and the primordial cosmic goo of life force itself.

Nutritious, hydrating Chia
Lately there has been a lot of talk about chia and its nutritious properties, mainly its uses as a dietary supplement due to its high content of fiber, nutrients and fatty acids like omega 3's. Chia also has more calcium than milk, and none of the cholesterol. But the most powerful property of chia is its gylycemic factor, in part due to the mucilago it produces. When ingested, chia releases a constant stream of glucose into the bloodstream, and it keeps the body hydrated. What does that mean? A secret well known to Mexica warrios as well as present time jornaleros: If you consume chia you won't feel hungry or thirsty for many hours. Maybe ancient Mexicans knew that the most sacred of fluids are the ones that help us stay alive.

Refreshing Chia Limeade - Limonada de Chia
This drink is some times called Agua Fresca de Chia, and it is made with small Mexican limes. It can also be made with lemons or other citrus fruits. When I make this, I use my aluminum Mexican juicer, it really squeezes the juice out of the limes! You can find similar ones on-line. For each 8 ounces of water, you'll need the following ingredients:

Juice of one lime
One heaping tablespoon of chia seeds
Two tablespoons agave nectar, sugar, or flavored Torani syrup
(optional) fresh mint, cucumber slices, or lime slices to garnish

Combine all the ingredients in a glass with the 8 ounces of water and shake well. You can also make several servings in a pitcher or carafe. Let the limeade rest for several hours in the refrigerator, this will make the seeds swell up and absorb the citrus flavors. Serve and garnish if desired. Stir the limeade often with a spoon, since some of the seeds will sink to the bottom of the glass. Enjoy!

I leave you with this image of soaked chia seeds. To me, it resembles a galaxy, and makes me think of bigger issues that go beyond a silly fad.

Links:
Altar of Sorrows. Here is a link to Alberto Rosher's photos on flickr. He is a papel picado artist and altar maker, creator of some of the beautiful altars pictured. Another great collection of Altares de Dolores can be found here, courtesy of Casti_go. A global journal for responsible tourism, Planeta explains more about the tradition of Altares de Dolores in Oaxaca, Mexico.
Moon Folkore. Visit Keith's Moon Page, for moon facts photos and folklore related to the moon.
Mexican Gardening. This article talks about the history of ornamental gardening in Mexico, and a botanical garden in Xalapa, Veracruz. It is called Francisco Jardin Botanico Javier Clavijero
Chia. The folks of chia power have an entire blog dedicated to chia. It includes categories like the history of chia, chia in current events and chia humor - including the imfamous "Chia Obama".

Home Made "Paletas"

2009-09-04T15:25:00.001-07:00

Paletas
Originally uploaded by kool_raul

I used recycled plastic containers and coffee stirrers to created my own frozen popsicles! Pictured from right to left are cantaloupe and blackberry, banana berry and champagne grape.

Creamy Mamey Smoothie - Licuado de Mamey

2009-08-26T12:02:00.000-07:00

I found several fresh mamey fruits at a market on Mission Street this week! Mamey is a tree that grows in Southern Mexico and the Caribbean, and it is a popular ingredient for drinks called licuados, often drank for breakfast. As you can see from the photo, the name of the fruit is some times written as "Mamey Sapote", and the names are used interchangeably. To my understanding, the sapote (or zapote, as it is known in Mexico) is a different fruit altogether. Zapotes come in different hues and varieties (zapote negro, zapote blanco, chico zapote) and are round, as opposed to the elongated egg shape of the mamey. Mamey's flesh is always brick red, and it has a black shiny pit.

In Mexico, the word "mamey" is also slang for "sucker". Maybe it is the shape of this fruit that produces such picaresque associations, or the common conception that mamey is a powerful aprhodisiac. The taste of mamey is difficult to describe. The flavor resembles a combination of papaya, sweet potatoes and a hint of cocoa. To make a rich and creamy licuado de mamey you'll need to choose ripe fruits, similar in texture to ripe avocadoes. This vegan version makes two servings:

One large, ripe mamey fruit
Four cups of vanilla soy milk
One cup of crushed ice
Powdered cinnamon, cloves or nutmeg (optional)

Process all the ingredients in a blender. You may need to mix in small batches. Pour in a pitcher and chill for a few minutes. Serve in individual glasses and dust with cinnamon, cloves or nutmeg, or a combination of all. You can also add a sweetener of your choice, but I find the mamey is often sweet enough. Enjoy!