Wednesday, July 12, 2017

July 2017 Slices of Quince

Our village, Ixtlahuacan de los Membrillos, is named for the quince we grow and sell here. As far as I can tell, it's mainly used to make cajeta-a local sweet. Cajeta has the consistency of canned cranberry sauce only with a little more fiber. You remember, it came out in a slab and your mom cut it into perfect 1/2 in slices. Cajeta's taste is reminiscent of apple sauce. A slice is eaten before bed with a glass of full-fat milk, or with sharp cheese and a shot of tequila. The bravest eat membrillo raw, off the tree, with Tajin and lime. Owl and Pussycat eat it with a runcible spoon.

We sell the membrillo from our yard or trade it for cajeta that we give away to Lupe and Jose. Today was harvest day, we all agreed we had fewer fruit than last year but they were bigger and less blemished. It's so satisfying to pick a crop you've nurtured and see it sold to become what it's meant to be. I loved working with Jose today-we chatted about cock fights, moving to the USA, his girls and the general state of the world. Ev went with Jose to sell them, where we discovered our former gardener was getting a much better price per kilo than he was passing on to us!






About two weeks ago, Kino was attacked by a pack of street dogs during our morning walk. Hilde was with us, I don't even remember getting home with them after it happened. Ev got him in the car and we took him to the vet immediately. She had to put him to sleep to evaluate his wounds and stitch him up. Physically he is recovering, emotionally I'm struggling-which means he is struggling. We went on a long migratory walk together as a pack yesterday. Everyone is more at ease when daddy goes.
This beautiful butt is scarred forever.

Feeling confident with Evdad.
As we made our way home I looked up and every hot cowboy in this town that owns a horse was riding towards us.

Our Fiestas Patronales, celebrating San Santiago, coincide with the membrillo harvest and start Sunday. The festival ends on July 25, his feast day. It's a big deal.  Our village bought a new effigy this year, he arrived and was installed today. We happened to be coming home during the installation, a big crowd was gathered. He's gorgeous, with extra long false eyelashes and silver stirrups. The crowd gasped with pleasure as he was raised on to the platform-there are so many things to cherish about Mexico. (not the M80's that go with the fiestas)

Is the spectator with his head on his arms, underwhelmed or overwhelmed?

The smaller version of Santiago lives in our church. During the Fiestas Patronales, he is taken out and paraded each evening through a different bario or neighborhood. That day, your 'hood is decorated with papel picado and is treated to all day fireworks. It pretty much sucks if you're a dog or if you startle easily. Everyone sits out on their stoop to watch the parade. As the parade passes an elder, the men who are carrying him ease him down off of their head and bring him over so the elder can touch him and whisper a prayer. It is the sweetest thing ever to behold.



This year, I sat with Catalina and Elario for the parade. The look on Catalina's face as she got to touch San Santiago's hem was reverent, hopeful and all other good things. I felt lucky to get to witness it. The festival is drawing to a close, our village has had enough hoopla to last us a year.