ME ENAMORO DE OAXACA

I am in love with Oaxaca!! I have been so busy walking around exploring, eating, drinking, visiting with Irma and with Ellen and Ron, listening to music, and watching parades that I haven't taken time to write.

Today is an example. I met Ellen and Ron early and we walked up the hill to the west of the city for good exercise. Then I picked up my laundry at a place a couple of blocks from my hotel, Las Mariposas, and then hightailed it back to change my clothes and get to my cooking class on time.

The cooking class was by Nora Andrea Valencia and was advertised to be vegetarian. I wouldn't have chosen vegetarian, but it was the only class I could find that wasn't already filled. But what luck!!! It was spectacular!! We first went to the market, El Merced, which is a small market for the barrio. Nora explained that many of the venders at this market come in from the outlying pueblitos with vegetables and herbs they have grown in what we would call an organic way, but it is the way these families have been growing things for generations. The vegetables and herbs are small, but have great flavor. They are referred to as "criollo" foods. She pointed out and described the uses of many different kinds of grains, vegetables, herbs, chilis, cheeses, and, of course, chapulines (grasshoppers) and gusanos (worms).

We then returned to her home -- which was quite beautiful by the way -- and began to cook. The menu was Empanadas de Verduras, Sopa de Hongos, Salsa de Miltomate con Gusanitos de Maguey, Frijoles Con Hierba de Conejo, Guacamole de Molcajete, and for dessert, Tamalitos de Pina. Nora was an excellent teacher and an inspired cook. Everything had a depth and complexity of flavors that she attributed to the great variety of herbs and chilis used and her methods of preparing them.

Oaxacan cuisine is the best I've had in Mexico. I would call Oaxaca the New Orleans of Mexico -- because in my opinion New Orleans has the most distinctive, varied and delicious food in the U.S.

I didn't get back from the class until about 4:00 and was exhausted so napped for a couple of hours. Then I left to walk to the Zocalo to see what was going on there. On the way I happened on a little musical group in front of the Temple of Santo Domingo playing things like Pachebel's Canon in D. I stopped and listened until they finished and then continued down Calle Alcala where I ran into a little parade of a group of men in lovely Spanish looking costumes singing "Cielito Lindo". They passed and I continued on to the Zocalo which was filled with people as usual and about 3 different musical groups.

On the way home from the Zocalo, I found another parade -- this one was for a wedding -- complete with large puppets (Monos) and a gigantic cloth globe (marmota), a band, folkloric dancers and men handing out small cups (a little less than a jigger) of mescal.

Just another day in Oaxaca during the season of Navidad.