Of late in Mexico

Recently in Mexico much has been made of the bad press; it is hard not to dwell on it or let it color each day here.

I have to laugh when I think of a phrase about Mexico told to me tongue in cheek: Life in Mexico isn't like a box of chocolates. it's more like a jar of jalapenos. What you do today, might burn your butt tomorrow. That said on those days when the negative seems to sink into each tiny moment I try to think about those things that surround us here. There are milliseconds when I may blink & the fleeting image before me is gone. In those seconds I just may view a spectacular glimpse of something or someone I never would have seen if I had skipped Mexico altogether...If I am lucky the camera is close so I can capture the moment, keep & remember it~



Don't dance so fast, Time is short, The music won't last.





And then when I found it,
Wherever it blew,
I should know that the wind
Had been going there too.

So then I could tell them
Where the wind goes…
But where the wind comes from
Nobody knows. A.A. Milne

Thanks for asking & yes, she is that smart!

This Persian cat may have bloodlines that originate in Mesopotamia but our little Mexican kitty is muy intelegente & loves to get wrapped up in t.v. drama.



















There are hieroglyphic references as early as 1684 B.C. to Katerina's Persian origins. While this is a lofty ancestry, she is a very smart kitty & certainly has kept us entertained down here south of the Rio Grande. Katerina has made her interest in television known for some time now. Sunday evenings she will position herself at the t.v. & watch Animal Planet non stop. She doesn't restrict her shows to Animal Planet though. She is quite fond of Desperate Housewives & seems to like Dr. McDreamy on our favorite Dr. show. Katerina has great taste but tends to drift off if the commercial interludes aren't to her taste!


...and she is bilingual too, Spanish language novelas aren't out of the question!

South of the border stampede!

Even if the Bull Fights are synonymous with bovines in Mexico, the Cow Parade is here. There is no doubt that some people are just plain confused when they see the Cows for the first time. This woman obviously was, she kept looking & shaking her head!




Cow Parade which began in 1999 was started as a public art exhibit which makes art accessible to everyone. It is the considered the world's largest public art exhibit. Since Cow Parade is inspired by cultural aspects & artists interpretation the Cow Parade in Mexico has many centuries of both art & history to draw on. In Mexico City one artist even painted a Frida Cow as an homage to famed Mexican Artist Frida Kahlo. The Torreon cows are certainly eye catching in the downtown area near the Museum. But my favorite by far is one of the privately owned Cows is near my husband's office & he walks past it each day on his way into the office.
Most important, CowParade ultimately benefits charity. To learn more about the Cow Parade go to: CowParade.com




















The Privately owned Cow: La via del Primer Picad, in front of Tyson de Mexico offices.
Cow Parade in Mexico: A Moo~y Bueno Experience!

Color & Accessories do alot for a dull space!

With a little bit of paint, live plants, a modest budget & a shopping buddy this lobby of one of Torreon Manufacturing Giants was transformed into a better place to receive guests!
Yep, paint can make a huge impact!








We rearranged things, ditched some ancient silk plants, hung a picture & made a huge impact with color. Even managing to find a not so shabby copy of the prehispanic "Colima Dog" to place in the lobby. With some primitive Mexican pottery, a rug & terracota paint the whole place is warmer & much more inviting. All in all, mucho better!






















Like the HGTV show Design on a Dime, alot can be done with paint, fresh plants & accessories in a small amount of time!

Flower Markets in Mexico

Blanco Street in Torreon, Street of many flowers.




The floral market in Torreon is a total assault of the senses. It's an area which is something akin to a flea market & shady place you wouldn't want to be after dark.... Blanca Street is packed with flower vendors & small shops that make floral arrangements to order. The prices for fresh flowers & arrangements is incredibly inexpensive. The combination of low prices with many vendors in a small area make the vendors very pushy & ready to pitch their wares at each curious shopper. We bought some large arrangements that would have been 4 to 5 times the price at home & only cost $250.00 pesos. As we peeked into the back room of the Lupita Floreria shop one of the men making up the arrangements kept saying "beautiful" in English, apparently one of the few english words he knew. Some of the arrangements were 3 ft across at the center & filled with roses & lilies & birds of paradise; still the same cheap prices! Glad we visited early in the morning as the selection is best & the flowers haven't wilted from the mid day heat. Flower markets in Mexico don't have large walk in refrigerators for keeping the flowers fresh, the vendors use buckets of water to keep their blossoms fresh till all are sold for the day.

Jicama, fruit or veggie?

Jicama, the strange looking vegetable that is sold in the Latin section fruit section in most grocery stores at home rarely gets more than a glance since the appearance makes one think it could be something like a turnip or parsnip. In Mexico the vegetable is routinely featured on salad bars or as part of fruit salad. The plain starchy taste gains a burst of flavor when served with fresh lime & a sprinkle of chili.

This salad recipe is a wonderful warm weather concoction & is a nice change from the standard summer favorites.













Watermelon & Jicama Salad

Ingredients
2 med. jicama (peeled and cut into thin match sticks)
1/2 c. fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1 piece watermelon, about 2 lb piece
2 c. fresh pineapple chunks
1/2 c. chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 jalapeno or serrano pepper, seeds removed & minced very fine
1/4 c. Pine nuts, toasted
lime slices (garnish)

Toss jicama with lime juice and salt. Cover & refrig. 30 mins.
Cut rind off watermelon & discard. Cut melon into 1/4 inch cubes to
equal 4 cups. Remove seeds. Add melon , cilantro,jalapeno or serano to the jicama/lime juice mixture; toss well. Refrigerate & toss with Pine nuts just before serving.

Elotes!!! Fabulous Mexican Street Food

Roasted corn is a popular street food served all over Mexico but is also widely popular in Texas & Arizona these days. I have seen it sold deep in the heart of Texas & recently at the Festival in Parque Alameda. So common now north of the border that Austin American Statesman did an article more than a year ago about street foods & gave Elotes high reccomendations. Here in Mexico you can buy it by the ear or eat the shelled kernels from a cup with mayonaise, lime & cream.

Roasted Corn w/ Chipotle Butter
corn
1 stick butter, at room tempurature
1-3 tbsp pureed chipotle in adobo (depending on how spicy you like it)
juice from half a lime
salt and pepper

*to get Chipoltle puree: take 1-105 gram can (a teeny tiny can) Chipotle in Adobo & puree in blender.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Once the oven is heated roast the corn, husk on, for about 30 minutes or until the corn is soft. Ahead of time combine the butter, chipotle puree & lime, dash of salt & pepper in a bowl and mix thoroughly, keep at room temp so mixture stays smooth & soft to spread. Once the corn has finished cooking, remove it from the oven and pull down the husks. Once the corn is roasted the husk & silk should remove easily. Slather on the Chipotle Butter & Serve.

Corn is wonderful grilled & is sold grilled streetside more often than not in Mexico.
Remove outer husk. Turn ... on grill. Turn often. Roast 12 to 15 minutes. Husks will brown but corn will be delicious.