Three Lessons in One Day

lunes, 6 de junio de 2011- Momostenango, Guatemala Day 9

Today was a full, fun, and fast day. I woke up and went to the internet cafe, as usual, then Kristine and I met Maria at 11:30 to cook.  We had so much fun, and the kitchen was beautiful.  Most of the food sat out and not in the refrigerator because it was so cool.  The stove was burned by wood and the cabinets held ingredients that were just laid out on plates.

We made caldo de Res:

9 a.m. Maria started cooking carne caldo- meat, salt, boiled in water

We snapped green beans to put in water to boil.  To snap green beans you have to break of the ends and then snap the in halves or thirds, if they are longer.

Next Maria cut up the squash (wizkil).  With the squash, you cut off the top half and chop into chunks.  Leave the skin on if they do not have epina (shiny parts or threads)

Kristina and I peeled carrots and potatoes so they can be chopped and put in the water.  Then we added chopped tomato and pumpkin (which is cut the same was as the squash).

These ingredients started cooking at 12:30

While we waited Maria made sevada and salsa.  About six pounds of tomatoes were boiling in a pot.  I thought that the tomatoes would have been cut up before put in the pot, but all of the tomatoes were whole.  When they were soft, she took them out and the skin peeled right off.

12:30 We put in a handful of greens (coli) and a handful of chopped cilantro (achiote).  The pot was stirred every few minutes.  The meat cooked for four hours while the vegetables cooked for about an hour.  Finally we added cabbage, onions, and ground clove and cumin; they cooked for five minutes.  

During all of this, we also learned how to make tamalitos and tortillas

All that is needed for tamalitos is maize.

1. put maize in the leaf then fold down and around the maize, folding underneath the bottom
2. wrap the leaf around the sides and tuck into the top

The tortillas were harder for me to make.

1. Roll maize into a ball
2. flatten the ball and smooth the edges by rolling it long way in your hand
3. flatten maize between your hands by using your fingers. (at first I used my palms only and the the tortilla was flat, it got stuck to my hand.  Maria corrected me then told me to add a little water if it gets too dry.

It took me a long time to make just one little one and Maria no time to whip up a large one.  I would say the ratio of our tortillas was about 10:1. SMH. I need more practice.  She made 20 and I made like 3. . .

When the food was ready, Dr. Cook joined us for our meal.  After we left Maria's, we went to Marc's to watch a demonstration of how he makes bread.

When the bread is put in the oven it burns for four hours.  The San Cristobal is put directly on the oven floor rather than on the baking sheet so that it wont break apart when eaten.  Flour is put on the paddle so the bread does not stick to it while trying to put the bread in the oven.  There is a smaller spatula used to get the bread out.  After is is done cooking, the bread is cleaned with a white cloth and put in a basket.  This entire process takes bout twelve hours.

Usually men bake the bread and Marc is the only one to put the bread in the oven because the his mother and sister are too scared of all the heat. People who buy the bread are able to tell whether or not it was made in a conventional oven.  To prepare for holy week, they start nine days in advance and there are ten workers.  During the rest of the year they make bread once every three months and only three workers are needed.  Their oven is over 25 years old, and Marc uses the same recipe his Uncle learned from his family before him.

Afterwards, Odelia showed us how she embroidered huipils (traditional Mayan blouses).  She works on an embroidery table and it takes her a year to a year and a half to complete a huipil.  She started learning at age eleven and has been making them for over forty years.  She starts by drawing the design on a stencil, then transfers it to the huipil.  They sell or 650-700 quetzales (about $83).

We were able to try on a huipil and skirt.  There are three parts to getting dressed:

1. The huipil
2. The skirt.  There are two types. Just a long piece of fabric or one that is sewn into a circle.  You step into the skirt and then fold it around the body just under the chest.
3. A belt is added around the waist and squeezed (until you can't breathe!)

I learned so much today and I think they had more fun seeing us in Mayan clothing than we did.  I love being able to go into their houses and getting to know them better.  There is just something about interacting with people in the comforts of their home.  Today we talked, laughed, and joked like we were family and had known each other for a long time.  I hate to feel like I am just studying their culture and dissecting their lives.  It is more than that.  I came with the purpose of studying women's roles, but what I am walking away with are special memories, life lessons, and relationships I won't ever forget.

*thus completes the longest post ever