The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1901-1903, 1902-09-28
MEAL HOURS IN MEXICO.
Differences in Customs Noted by Visitors
From the United states.

AglHGFouCEB IN customs noted Dy NlSitOfA
From the United States.
The Mexican breakfast. like thaE cr
the French. consists only Of bread and
coffee Lunch and dinner, or dinner
and supper, as they are called, differ
! but slightly. Dinner is usually served
about = O'Clock. 1t begins with soup
and eggs, and then follows a number
of meats; each served as a separate
course with an entire change of SER
vice every time. The meats are eaten
quite alone. few vegetables being
served in addition to the salad course,
and such as are used for garnish-
ment. The dessert courses at MeXi-
can table differ even more radically
from those served on American tables
Home made pies, buildings and cakes
are practically unknown. The Mexican
housewife pays comparatively little at
tention to the Kitchen. and rarely cooks
anything herself, If pastry is desired,
it is purchased at the dulceria.
Nothing is baked in a Mexican house,
even the bread being universally
bought from bakers Mexican cooks
do not. as a rule. understand pastry
making, and their sweets are limited
to stewed fruits, usually cooked to the
consistency of the richest and sweet
est preserves. so that very small por-
ton is satisfying. Business hours in
Mexico begin in the afternoon al go
or O'Clock, and run until or 8 in the
evening, SO that the supper hour falls
anywhere from $50 to an hour later.
This is probably one reason that MeXi.
cans are not more given to evening en-
1ertainments. Attendance upon the
theatre entails the necessity OF an un
usually early supper, or else its post
pcnement until after the performarce.
a thing that often occurs On the other
hand, a leisurely supper of an hour o.
more, beginning at O'Clock. brings
the time pretty close TO bedtime
The Mexican day laborer swallows
bowl of coffee at a street stand, on
his way to work, if he is fortunate
enough to pass one. and has the price
but usually he begins his daily toll
upon an empty stomach. About .
O'Clock his faithful spouse. or some
member Of the family and not infre-
quently, all Of them, mother and chill
dren. come trudging to the scene Of
labor with a basket containing a pitch
er of soupy brown beans. tartillas corn
cakes that form the staff of life among
the lower classes some rice ana pos
sibly some bits of meat are minced in q
tortilla, which, in addition to serving
often rs both bread and meat is also
knife and fork and spoon. Bits are
torn off and by deity curling il into
semi-eircular form and doubling the
end it is used as an effective scoop
for even liquid food. a ing of pulque,
the fermented juice of the maguey or
century plant. that is the usual beyer-
age among the masses on the table
land. is also usual accompaniment
Of this meal
The Mexican laborer does not have
midday rest, but works until about
3 O'Clock. when the morning repast
is repeated without variation as to
bill Of fare. He begins his toll ut day
break. ana is expected to work till
dark, with little regard to a clock on
the way home he stops ii a pulqueria
TO have all the drinks he can afford
and arrived al his home he may find
something more to eat aud he may
not 1t seems TO make little difference
TO him The Mexican peon can eat
more, or get along on less than almost
any other laborer on earth In the
southern part of the country. where tine
mountain Indians are sometimes draft
ed for work in the lower country. these
men bring with them a bah of heavy
corn meal paste. about the size OF their
heads sluug around their necks with
Il string When hungry they break on
a piece Of this and mix 1t in a cup of
water and upon this single ration they
will subsist for an entire week. Mod.
ern Mexico.