Sunday Cooking

The weather reports The Weather Channel, The weather URL’s they all promised one good day of weather, in the 70’s then more inclement weather. So I was up, early yesterday dressed and out for my Saturday shopping. To the grocery got what we needed for the week the usual: milk, assorted vegetable, a fast scan of the “throw a way meats” and precipitations and flowers. I have started buying flowers at the market because I like to. Dianne likes the effort, I think, and I like having the color in the house. The flowers last about a week too just in time for the next weeks shopping. Then because I really wanted to barbecue I looked for the local Mexican butcher shop. The on I have used for the past couple of years was kicked out of their shop to make more room for the lawn mower shop which who owns the building. (That is a whole blog entry in itself). I remembered a little further south on State street there was a shop made from an abandoned KFC—seems appropriate for some reason called the El Toro.

I love these places, little pieces of a foreign country. It’s like taking a trip just entering their front door. It’s pretty cool. I come in and invariably all talking stops. Everyone turns to stare at me. It’s enough am a gringo –which I am sure is suspicious as hell but a gringo in a power wheelchair; that’s something you do not see everyday. The management never speaks English but usually enough to get by. Pointing and using fingers to indicate poundage I usually come out with what I want. I even try to speak a little Spanish. I am actually getting pretty good, at least for buying stuff. At the old shop I was becoming quite a fixture. Their faces actually brightened when I came in and they started knocking them selves out trying to please me.

Well, I rolled in. All talking stops, there are a couple of kids playing on the floor in the rear of the store. A grandma type seems to be supervising. The Mexican music is on in the back and two guys at the check out watch me. The are very Mexican, the older guy about my age- middle 50’s is wearing the cowboy shirt and a straw hat. This could be scripted—this guy is right out of casting. The other guy is much younger, college age wearing the T-shirt something about Che, written in Spanish, and a clenched fist onthe back. Too cool. Let’s call him Juan. I roll over to the meat display—just like in the old days. Juan saunters and nods. I am impressed and asked

“ Can I help you”

“Habla English”

“piketo”(sp?) holds up his hands fore finger a few CMs away from his thumbs and smiles. There is something genuine about Juan and I like him instantly. He is the kind of guy you know you could go out for a night drinking and have a great time.

“Cool” I reply and tell him I want flat meat Flat meat is meat these guys cut very thin. They use it in their Mexican wraps or what ever. I like it to BBQ . Te meat cooks fast and I have it all week then in my lunches. I cook a big bowel of rice ad some vegetables an I have a great inexpensive lunch. But, I tell Juan I want to cook out. Juan smiles and seems to understand. This summer I am really going to learn the different meats names. There a couple of different cuts, some more fatty then others. The fatty ones are more expensive. I don’t understand this but I well.

So, buy three pounds. I should just by one pound maybe two but I always buy three and this turns out to be a lot. But I leave the carcerina (sp) quite pleased with my purchase. By the time I get home the clouds have turned dark, the winds have shifted and the temperature has dropped with spits or rain making the supposedly great day a lost day for anything outside.

Today is worse then yesterday—lots of rain, clouds and cold. I gotta use the meat so I just did the usual, chopped the onion in to rings, did the same with a green pepper and added garlic and cooked the messed down—I weakened and added the mushroom soup and now it’s turning to something. I may even add sour cream before it’s over. The last I checked the meat was becoming tender—a couple more hours should do. I’ll have to cook some rice an a couple and everything should be edible. I wish it hadn’t rained.