San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1888-07-26
NUMBER 80.
IN CENTRAL AMERICA.
A TRAVELLERS TROUBLES IN THE
CULINARY DEPARTMENT.
Tho Cook and uer "cin"-Hashcs with
out Number at tho Hoteis-''san Juans"
Innumerabie--A Guatemala Kitchen.
CoiYee and Chocolate.

out Number at tho Hoteis-''san Juans"
Innumerabie--A Guatemala Kitchen.
Conree and Chocolate.
II Is said that he who comes 10 Central
America and relishes tho "tortilla" will
remain In tho country. and ho who does
not will leave From my own experience
with tho corn cake havo concluded that
tho emigrants who settled must have
been very hungry. Tho Central Ameri-
can cook Is usually an Indian woman, who
can boil eggs and cook rice. Sho has
heard Of such things as sauces, and II
she has her own way land sho generally
has) sho never let's any meat 60 to the
table unless swimming In q lardy gravy.
All tho meat left from today which she
does not give to her own family she cuts
into meat balls for tomorrow. At first
ono can stand them once week. but
would like to wager with any professional
quail eater that he couldn't ''meat ball II"
once day fer twenty days. Cinnamon
Is used TO season or flavor nearly every
dish, and tho natives like 1t. Next to
whisky think they like cinnamon.
When you wish to engage O cook there
will advance her $l5 or 500. This Is
called an "habilitacion" might just as
well be called gift. She describes her
self as an accomplished "artiste, and
according to her own statement There
Is nothing that she can't cool,-until she
tries She brings you an excellent refer
ence from Sonora Dona So and So, who Is
probably anxious to get rid Of her. She
surprises you tho first morning with cof-
fee made with lukewarm water, and eggs
as hard as rocks, but with plato OF
smoking ''tortillas," which she likes her.
self. The dinner Is poorer, and having
by that time got fair start on meat, she
commences on meat balls. Many times a
day you think you will change cooks, but
tho thought of that twenty dollar "habil-
itacion" restrains you. As timo rolls ON
you SEQ but two courses open to you,
either to sink into dyspeptics grave or
let her go with the money. and any sane
man would let her 60. 1t Is a lottery, In
which you pay for the chance Of drawing
q cook. Tho prizes are even fewer than
in ordinary lotteries; so avoid tho specu-
laton, and have little less worry at a
hotel The proprietor then shoulders the
trouble, and he Is fortunate man If 1t
DO the excellence of his table that assures
him guests, for too often tho guests
choice is one between evils.
This of course docs not apply to the
hotels of the largest cities, such as Qua
temala, which are excellent, but 1t does
refer to some, which are not specified, rs
may want to return to them some day.
A roast Is never seen except In somc OF
tho newer and larger hotels. There are
fries and stews and hashes without num-
ber. Tho "o]la podrida" Is n dish madc
Of everything eatable that might other
wiso spoil. Spanish dictionary says 1t
Is "a dish composed Of different sorts OF
meats and vegetables boiled together
but stick to my definition. Meat, fish,
sausage prunes, ,raisins, onions, cabbage
and every other vegetable that may be on
hand is put into tho pot to boil and tho
result Is not 80 bad as when the cooks
attention is centered on one particular
article, and in the ''podrida" tho different
constituents may bo said to "gct off easy"
with only share Of her attention.
What would New England house.
keeper say II sho saw ono Of these
kitchensl A raised trench holds char
coal fire, and on this stand the pots and
kettles. Tho light enters only ut one
door, there Is no outlet for smoke, and
the accumulation Of years has formed
layers of SCOT on the rafters and walls,
and cannot find 1t in my heart to blame
the poor cooks II flies do form a constitu-
ent Of every dish
When the traveller is directed to go to
the town Of San Juan he cannot always
be sure that he will reach the right one.
In a radius of fifty miles one may find
three or four San Juans, and so numerous
are they that these towns are given sur
names, sucAes San Juan do los Leprosos.
San Juan OAuncalco, San Juan do Sacate-
pequez, etc. So IL is with the name Don
Juan. Leaving home where don Juan"
may be prohibited reading, one may re-
tain remembrance Of the name inspiring
him with an avoidance of 1t, but this feel
ing soon wears away In q country where
there are more Don Juans than there are
colonels south of Mason and Dixon's line.
How much more attractive Bryon's title
than had lie used its equal. the plain
English "Jobn"
Strangers visiting the coffee growing
country socl perceive that they drink
moro coffee than the natives. There Is
an unusually delicious flavor and aroma
TO tho Guatemala coffee, which Is not due
alone to its preparation. because the
French or drip" coffee Is universally
used. 1t is not made for each meal as In
private residences In the United States.
DuJ un lulcuhtig SlTDuH toSehNV 10 W
tanned by pouring a little boiling water
through a large quantity Of ground cof-
fee. About one half Of an inch Of the es-
sence Is poured into the bottom Of an or
binary coffee cup, which Is then hlled
with hot milk, producing better drink
than had moro water been used. and. in
deed. IL Is the custom In some families TO
use no water but to pour boiling
milk through the ground coffee. A
native woman for 81 win manu-
facture from the "cacao" berry ten
pounds Of chocolate I'm day. The berry
Is roasted with great care in removing thS
outside shell, because the slightest over
burning ruins the favor Of the chocolate
The meat while warm Is ground between
stones with the proper quantities Of sugar,
vanilla and cinnamon. When reduced TO
a pulp little ''achoto" "a red vecetablel
Is added. which gives a brown color 20
the almost black ''cacao' Of this country
The mixture Is then placed I'm thin layers
between sheets Of ''petate- (native mat
tingl and heaicn fiat with clubs. On cool
ing u acquires the brittleness of chocolate
and IL then ready 90 b. eaten. This Is
crude way of making chocolate. and. not
uithstanding the superiority u the Guato
mala 'cacao. the French product. due O.
its excellent manipulation. far surpasses
It Ga richness and delicacy. .-Oun.ernala
Cor New York Tines
Peculiar
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