Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1890-07-18
MEXICAN COOKERY.
The Dishes Are Appetizing, But
Too Highly Spiced.
Primitive Way of Making Tor
tiIas, the National Bread.

Every Mexican's yard almost has an
oven, built out of earth and rock, half
under and half over the ground; here
they bake their meats and some kind
of cakes, but their own bread is tortil-
las. These are made by an interesting
and peculiar process. The Indan-corn
IS boiled whole i'll water, into which a
little unslacked lime is thrown, until
the grain is tender. 1t is then taken
out, washed, put into clear cold water,
and allowed to soak all night. In the
morning it is drained dry and crushed
into flour between two stoncs-thc
bottom one like a three-cornercd tray
on legs of uneven height, so that it
slopes downward; the upper, like
rolling pin.
They place the tray upon the floor,
and knceling, they mash and roll the
grain until it becomes beautiful,
white, starchy flour. That is then
mixed with water into a paste, next
kneaded and flat;ened out between the
hands into broad, very thin cakes. In
the mean time the mesquite fire in the
corner of the jacal has burned into a
grand bed of Goals; on this is thrown
flat sheet of iron, which is soon hot.
Here the cakes are placed, and brown
instantancously; they are turned, and
in minute are ready to be cateu
They are good, too, but need salt, for
the Mexican mixes none of his bread.
The Mexican of the lower class uses
neither fork nor spoon, but rolls a
tortilla into a scoop, and 80 eats his
chile con carne, frijolcs, etc.
When too much softened by the
gravy to take up the food, he cats his
improvised spoon, takes another tor
tilla, and proceeds as before. They
sit on the floor TO eat, putting the dish
of food in the middle of the circle,
and not in one house ont of six of the
lower order is there a table. They
are hospitablc in the extreme, wclcom-
ing perfect stranger to their homes
and offering him of their best
The Mexican cooking, though Amer
4 I. I've a prejudice against it, is
II annetizing,. but for most,
palatcs too highly pcppered, Chile en-
tering largely into the composition of
every dish. Yet it is a rare good
feast one can have by ordering the
following bill of fare:
Sopa de Fideo
Gallina con Chile. Tamales.
Frijoles Mejicana. Enchiadas.
Chile con Carne. Tortilas.
Salza de Chile.
Pastel de Limon Granadas de China.
Cafe
Out in the street. on the sidewalk at
night, one finds here and there about
the town blazing fires, ann over them
set Q eat three-corncred pieces of iron
sheeting supported on legs. These
sheets have round places cut out of
them and over these holes are tin cans,
their contents boiling merrily.
Tamales are cooking here, and the
Mexican woman who is tending them
looks like one Of the witches in Mac
beth, as she moves about in her short
$50 skirt wth her 61atx shawl about
her wrinklcd brown face, while the
fire-light falls upon her in fitful
CLEANS, now throwing her figure into
broad relief, then leaving it in shadow.
Behind her the open door IF the jacal
shows blazing fire within, and on the
floor, playing gravely in the quivering,
dancing light, many children of differ
ent hues; for, be it known, this peo-
pie is not moral one, and family
of Mexican children may vary in all
the shades between black and white.
This is, bien entendu, of the lower
orders. - Harper's Magazine.