Mexican Food

A lot of things we associate we Mexican Food actually started out as "poor man's food".

Being a quater Mexican myself, and born into a not-well-to-do family of eleven children, Mexican food, or rather an American take on Mexican food has become a cuisine I associate with comfort and flavor and satisfaction.

Today my memory is drifting back to the Sundays that my beautiful but over-worked half-Mexican Madre would drive all of us kids for a two hour drive to the Tridentine Mass (for those of you who do not know, the Old Mass or "The Latin Mass" is very beautiful!) Mi Madre loved it so much that she drove all her kids in this big blue dinosaur of a van (12 seater). We loved the mass but sometimes we would have to go hungry during much of the afternoon because 1-The Mass was very long, 2-The drive was very long, 3-The drive back was very long.

Every Sunday in a while, though, we would persudae our Madre to stop through the drivethrough at Taco Bell.

(Static. Buzzing, pleasent voice) Taco Bell worker: Welcom to Taco Bell may I take your order?

Madre: Yes, please. Could I please get...12 of your 99 cent bean and chesse burritos...

My brothers wailing: Mama! We are REALLY hungry right now! We need at least two each!

Madre: Quiet hombre! I'm sorry, could you please make that 20 of those 99 cent bean and cheese burritos?

(Pause)

(Buzz)

Taco Bell Worker: Ma'am, I am sorry, could you repeat that?

Madre: (very loud and clear) 20 bean and cheese burritos, please, for 99 cents each.

Taco Bell Worker: Ma'am, did you just say 20 bean and cheese burritos?

Madre: Yes, 20.

(pause)

(Buzz)

Taco Bell: Would you like a drink with that?

My brothers in unison: YES!

Madre: NO!!!!

Taco Bell: Um...I'm sorry Ma'am do you need another minute?

Madre: One second, please...(to my brothers) If I spend any more I won't have enough money for the gas!

(Everybody groans and fans themselves with latin missalettes from the 99 degree, Southern California Summer heat)

Madre: Just the burritos, please.

(order runs through)


So you see what I mean. Mexican cuisine was invented by people who were poor who needed energy to work hard. That is why so many of the ingredients are easy to come by.

Today...I have no tortillas or tostadas but I feel like something that reminds me of the happier parts of my childhood.

Rice! I have rice, fresh salsa and some guacamole and cheese! Perfect! This is actually perfect to use as a side dish if you happed to have refried beans, or just boiled pintos handy. You know the ground beef is actually an American inovation, but it is one that I do not mind when it is handy.

When I was a little girl mi Mama used to say, "You have it much easier, Maria. Now the tortillas come in bags. I used to have to make them myself when I was your age!"

So now I guess if I have a little girl I will say to her, "Love, you have it much easier, than I did. I used to have to grate my own cheese...for a household of 13!"