Mexican Food

My suegra is quite proud of my Mexican-ness.  I’ve heard her bragging about all different Mexican foods I eat or how well I speak Spanish, how well I can dance Mexican Music or even how well I can hechar un grito Mexicano.

She’s taught me quite well the simple theory – Try it.  You might like it.

Before she came from Mexico, I would eat arroz and huevos con chorizo.  That was as Mexican as it got.  She soon got tired of making rice with every single meal, and started urging me to at least TRY something else. 

I thought this over, as she handed me a plate with costillas con chile verde and a homemade tortilla.  Cautiously, I sniffed the plate.  I didn’t smell anything too offensive, so I closed my eyes and took a small bite.

I lived.

I actually even kind of liked it.

I used to be such a picky eater, and now there are only a few things I won’t eat.  I won’t even try menudo.  Don’t care too much for sea food.  Nopales are okay if they’re cooked with eggs, otherwise no thanks.  Tacos de tripas (Jose’s favorite – while we were in Mexico he ate tacos every evening for a week straight!) are another thing I’ll pass on.  Lengua is pretty good.  Kind of chewy, and I can’t really get over the whole “there’s more tongue in my mouth then just my own” thing, but I would eat it before I starved. 

Jose used to tease me, saying how in the world was i going to survive in Mexico.  I would tell him I planned on taking a cooler full of hot dogs with me!!   

When I was down there, though, I can’t think of a single time when someone offered me something I didn’t try. 

Once, at Jose’s cousin Eusebio’s house, they gave me a plate of enchiladas.  Holy Jesus, I’m telling you these things were so damned spicy that I thought for sure steam was erupting out of my ears like on cartoons!!  I had an earache all afternoon from the spiciness!!  But they were so good I just couldn’t stop eating!

Another time we went to La Chona, Jalisco and Jose’s brother Sipriano stopped at a little lonchera that was selling mariscos.  I did pass on the shrimp cocktail, but enjoyed some saltines and a Coke. 

The moral of my story is:  Mis gueras – if you’re new to the exciting world of Mexican Cuisine, at least give the food a try.  I promise you’ll live to tell about it!  I’ve never eaten anything that tasted so bad I wanted to vomit. 

ENJOY! :D