The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1888-01-23

A good many of the guests thought
"Caldo MeXicano'' meant cold Mexican
and they were wondering how he would
be served, when little teacups filled
with greasy soup were brought on.
Mexican soup is more like the drippings
from roast beef than any thing else.
The proper way to get rid of the soup
is to drink it. The Mexicans did. The
American guests did not. They smeled
it and smiled.
Plates containing boiled rice mixed
eggs chopped fine, were next. That
mixture was called ''Arroz seco. The
rice was very red, having been stained
in the boiling by the carrots. Some
liked it. ''Tortillas'' followed-a flat
corn cake that looked like pale board
ing-hOuse buckwheat cakes, the kind
bOarders in arrears usually get. The
tOrtillas were made of crushed corn,
which was ground into meal upstairs.
The process is to lay the corn on stone
and roll it with stone bar until it be-
comes meal The tortillas are baked
on little sheets of tin over charcoal
fires. The Mexicans rolled the cakes
up into rolls, first spreading salt on
them. Then they ate them much the
same.as an American would nibble at
lady-fnger.
''Puchero," which came next, was
made of fried cabbage, goat meat, fried
carrots and fried bananas, and is known
as Mexican Irish stew
'Ensala' was composed of lettuce
spread tkickly with sweet oil. Mixed in
the lettuce there were onions chopped
fine and a good deal of garlic. Ac-
cOmpanyinG the salad on the same dish
was stewed4veal stuffed with almonds.
There was a dish served which was not
on the menu card. 1t was called
Chill ii no" 1t is to Mexicans what
a soft nell crab is to an American.
Greer peppers were followed out and
the s. ellwas filed with chopped chicken
with few raisins mixed in it. The
pepper was then dipped into batter and
fried in a pan of hot lard. This dish
was very much in favor. Every body
nearly took to the ''friioles, - chocolate
colored beans. They were very tender
and were dressed with sauce that was
very platable. The ''frijole'' has quite
as great a reputation in Mexico as the
baked bean has in Boston. The most
unique dish served was the ''tamales, u
croquette made of corn meal, raisins,
nuts and fruits. 1t is boiled in a corn
husk and looks a good deal like boiled
pig foot at distance when removed
from the corn husk.
ssMole de Guajolote." The mystery
OF turkey was a fricasse of that bird
with vegetable gravy. The gravy was
principally hot fat and red pepper, and
every body who ate the gravy asked for
Ice to soothe their burning tongues.
Inc Mexicans smiled and ate the gravy
wit with relish, dipping their bread in it.
Inc Mexican wine ''pulque" was served
TO the guests in small wine glasses. 1t
LOOKS ike milk and tastes like bakers
yeast. 1t is to the Mexican what book
peer Is to the German. 1t is the juice
Oh the maguey plant, a species OF
century plant. The maguey plant takes
seven years to mature. At maturity it
Is about seven feet high. Then the
central stalk is cut off at the base and
tne juice of the plant is sucked
through a gourd and carried off by the
4, IN skins The plant yields about
'"o cations every day foR two at lnree
4 me. 77'.'r e',e stalk is tut III aai
AZ ''t5 iha Juice is put,into jars ii
30; 60 ''.r- AID allowed to ferment for
"a boa. Then the pulqre is
y. o't 1 'FaE a Mexican ean drink
Y>Sicu-5. "A'i'o1' Decoi'aii's ih-