Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Mexican Food


I grew up in Southern California, in Orange County. While I love the tall evergreens, mountain vistas, and clean air of the Northwest, I do miss the sunshine and the beach. And, I really, really miss the Mexican Food. Mexican restaurants in California are like Starbucks in Seattle. They’re on every corner. Making this Southern California girl eat bad Mexican food is like forcing a Seattleite to drink Folgers.

The other day I was describing good Mexican food to my South African friend, Glenda.
She asked, “What’s a quesadilla?”
“Well, it’s a tortilla folded over, with some cheese and meat inside. Sometimes beans. You dip it in salsa and guacamole.”
“Oh, well, what’s a taco?”
“Well, it’s a tortilla folded in half with meat and cheese and beans and salsa. Also guacamole.
“What’s a burrito?”
“Well, it’s a tortilla with meat, cheese beans, salsa, guacamole, but kind of all wrapped up.
“Hm. What’s an enchilada?”
“Well, it’s a tortilla with cheese, meat…well, kind of the same. But an enchilada has sauce on top.”
“A tostada? Wait. Let me guess. A tortilla. Cheese. Meat. Salsa. Beans.”
“Um, well, yeah. Pretty much. Delicious.”




9 comments:

  1. Jodie, I can so relate! When I was little, my family moved from southern California to Canada. This was back in 1968, way before you could even find the ingredients to make mexican food in grocery stores there. So whenever my dad went back to L.A. for business, he would take an empty suitcase and bring it back full of mexican groceries for my mom (who is a great cook). Somehow she managed to stretch that suitcase load of tortillas, refried beans, salsa, ripe olives, canned tamales, chiles, etc for our family of 10 until the next business trip.

    ReplyDelete
  2. you don't have In n' Out either..... But thats makes it soooooo good when you finally get to eat it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh how I miss Del Taco.....
    And Little Onion on Main and MacArthur in Santa Ana.....and the garbage burrito from Rosarita's stand in San Bernardino. And the place on 17th and Newport Blvd in Costa Mesa....and on and on.....
    Can ya tell I love my California mexican food? And that I'm a little homesick? :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. mmmm...I miss my little Mexican grandma's enchiladas, rice and tamales. I wanna go home now!

    ReplyDelete
  5. My mouth is watering just reading the comments!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Have Mike take you where he and Johnny O had mexican for lunch and see if that helps {;o)

    ReplyDelete
  7. All this talk of Mexican food is making me hungry!
    Jalapenos here I come!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'm with you--could eat it every day!! So sorry for Seattle's loss. Come on down and we'll go to Baja Fresh or wherever!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Jodie, I heard a comedian awhile ago that says exactly the same thing! Go here, I think you'll get a good laugh: http://www.comedycentral.com/videos/index.jhtml?videoId=41910

    BTW, I miss SoCal mexican food too, but locally Tres Hermanos in Kirkland is quite good.

    Patrick

    ReplyDelete

Leave a comment - your opinion matters.