Connie,
Unlike you, I did develop the taste for all the unusual Mexican foods, tripitas, lengua, menudo, cesos I eat them all, provided they are well prepared.

Yesterday on PBS I was watching the cooking show, Mexico, ONE PLATE AT A TIME, with Rick Bayless, he was in Mexico City cooking and eating insects such as worms and grasshoppers which I have never tried but would be willing to try, given the opportunity.

I have been to Mexico when they kill a pig and everyone is gathered around the CAZO (big copper cooking vat) where they cook the carnitas over a metal drum filled with fire wood. Everyone gathers for hours around the CAZO, laughing and telling stories, stirring the big pot, waiting for the carnitas. As soon as they are done, hot out of the vat, we all warm our tortillas and the condiments are set out, cebolla, cilantro, salsas, frijoles etc.

I can smell it and taste it already..........thanks for sharing your story with us!!

Alicia,
San Jose, Calif

________________________________
From: Corrine Ardoin
To: general@nuestrosranchos.org
Sent: Saturday, January 10, 2009 6:35:35 PM
Subject: Re: [Nuestros Ranchos] Christmas traditions

Hi,
I'm a little behind in my emailing, due to computer difficulties, so I
apologize for trying to catch up with the many wonderful discussions.

Anyways, I remember going to my grandma and grandpa's house where they lived
in Inglewood (Los Angeles area) and going into the kitchen to see the
turkey. Well, she always cooked tongue, too, "lengua," so I would see that
big ole thing plopped there on top of the stove and my eyes would bug out.
"You eat that?" And everybody laughed, "Try some! It'll put hair on your
chest!" Seemed like there were a lot of things they ate that would put hair
on my chest, which I didn't really want, seeing as how I was a girl! I
never developed a taste for any of the organ meats and such that she served,
but I did love the traditional guacamole. Last year, I got all my family
to compile recipes and I put together and had printed a family recipe book.
My aunt had all my grandmother's recipes, so they all went into the
cookbook.

Corrine Ardoin
Santa Maria, California