CALDO DE PIEDRA

I think we all know the childrens' story "Stone Soup" --- as I remember it, the poor family has nothing but a pot and some water, so they put a stone in it and invite everyone they know over to have some "stone soup", but everyone has to bring something to put in the pot. So in the end everyone enjoys a soup full of lots of yummy things.

Well, this stone soup -- caldo de piedra -- is altogether different. It is a prehispanic ritual meal prepared only by men. As I said in the last post, Aurora , Javier and I arrived in Oaxaca earlier than expected -- in fact we arrived at the time most Mexicans eat their big meal of the day, at about 3:00. So Yolanda, Aurora's and Javier's friend, directed us to meet her outside of the city, and she took us to a restaurant that specializes in this particular meal. The man who owns the restaurant had gotten permission from the elders of the pueblo where this dish originated to make and serve it in his restaurant, and a certain percentage of his income goes back to the pueblo.

It is the preparation of the soup that makes it so special. One man puts the ingredients into bowls made from gourds that grow on a local tree: tomato, onion, cilantro, salt, chili pepper, whole shrimp (heads and all) and a chunk of local white fish. He hands the bowls to other men who line them up on a bench in front of an open fire where river stones are being heated (reminiscent of the temezcal). They fill the bowls with water and then add a stone from the fire to each one. The mixture instantly boils and when it settles down, they add another stone, and continue this way until the seafood is cooked.

The bowl is then set down in front of you, held by a little donut shaped straw thing (because the bowls are round on the bottom) with the final stone still resting inside. It's quite steamy so you have to wait a bit to dig in. While waiting for it to cool, we enjoyed quesadillas made with the huge tortillas particular to this area.

What a feast!!!