Part II: Las Rancheritas and the Food

My greedy plate:  Taco, tamal, chile relleno de queso, chongos en salsa, taquito or flauta, cactus salad, and salsas (with rice and beans below)

Part II:  Las Rancheritas and the Food

by Victoria Challancin

For over twenty-five years, Mexico has filled my heart to over-flowing.  The people, marked by that special generosity of spirit that graces them, dazzle me.  Over and over and over again.  Last Thursday at a fund-raiser, I experienced yet again, that great rush of appreciation I feel for being able to live, participate, and have my being in this amazing culture.  Here is Part II.

In my last post I wrote about a truly wonderful luncheon that I attended as a member of Mujeres en Cambio, a non-profit organization that works to enhance the lives of women living in the rural communities surrounding San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.  As I said in that post, this grass-roots organization mainly works to raise money for scholarships, but also assists an incredible group of motivated women with their rug-hooking cooperative (click here for information and beautiful, poignant photos of the women and their families taken by photo-journalist Charlotte Bell).  

Last Thursday, as a fund-raiser, the women of the cooperative provided a beautiful comida, or lunch, for about 50 people, who bought tickets to support Mujeres en Cambio.  This was a true Mexican celebration, complete with music, donkey rides, authentic food, and joy.  Joy all around--on the part of the guests as well as the women who provided it.  Marking the 18th year of Mujeres en Cambio's existence as well as the inaugural opening of the Rancherita's, as they call themselves, new store, it was a celebratory day in every way.  And as an added bonus, the women were able to sell many of their products to the luncheon guests, who were charmed with the work and with the women.  

The Menu:

I should have taken notes, but this is the bulk of the menu of what the women served as I remember it:

• Tamales made with rajas, or strips of roasted poblano chiles
• Several guisados, or stews, made of beef and chicken
• Chiles Rellenos, battered and fried poblano chiles stuffed with cheese and served with a tomato caldillo
• Hard (fried) cheese tacos (large and small)
• Flautitas,  little flutes of fried tortillas stuffed with various things
• Nopalitos,  nopal cactus salad
• Tortitas de Papa, fried potato patties
• Several kinds of Mexican rice (red, white, and green)
• Beans
• Chongos, or curds, cooked in sauce
• Salad of cucumbers, avocados, and tomatoes--with lime
• Fresh, hot homemade tortillas, in two colors, blue and yellow
• A variety of salsas (no Mexican meal would be complete without these condiments)

Beverages:

• Purified water, of course
• Agua de Jamaica, Hibiscus fruit water, or drink (I wrote about Aguas Frescas here)
• Agua de Guayaba, Guava fruit water, or drink
• Atole de Vainilla, a hot vanilla-scented cornmeal drink

 Nopalitos: a salad of cooked nopal cactus with fresh tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and serrano chiles

 The ubiquitous pot of ranch beans

 More beans and a salsa for the stuffed chiles

 Salad plates on each table--note the sprinkle of chile on the cucumber, always--and with lime juice, a must

 A steaming pot of vanilla atole, a rich cornmeal drink

Agua de Jamaica, ice, and Agua de Guayaba

 A pot containing homemade blue corn tortillas (the women slake the corn and grind their own masa,  or dough--a time-consuming process) topped with a tortilla cloth

 Another pot containing yellow corn tortillas, made with the same love, covered with another pretty cloth

 The women asked MEC to put up a sign that says:  We practice safe food-handling   All veggies purified  (very important here in Mexico)--and the women kept bottles of anti-bacterial in evidence on the serving table

 One of the many plant centerpieces--note the photo of the fabulous calaca, or skull which was featured on a rug

The women of the co-operative, ready to serve the meal

 A special carrot birthday cake Mujeres en Cambio ordered to celebrate their 18th year 

And the Village Participates...

In addition to the store, which sells only items made by the Rancheritas Co-operative, the villagers added a few things they made for sale and lovingly and with hope, placed them on the small stone wall in front of the new store.  Many of the men of this village, in addition to being subsistence farmers, work as stone carvers when they can.

 A stone turtle atop a corncob trivet

 An embroidered pillow with the Virgin of Guadalupe

 A home made stone plant holder with local plant, a stone turtle and another corncob trivet

 And I just had to purchase this whimsical corncob rosary with a cross made from cactus parts 

 Donkey rides were provided as well

A True Mexican Fiesta!

©Victoria Challancin.  All Rights Reserved.

Please ask permission before using photos.  Thanks!

Part I Las Rancheritas: Women Empowered

From the Rancheritas' new post card, above and below:

Las Rancheritas:  Women Empowered

by Victoria Challancin

There are days, people, and occasions that touch the heart in indelible ways--poignant, illusive, and ineffably pure and true.  A simple luncheon on a Mexican ranch last Thursday touched me in all these ways and more.  To see what can be done by motivated women, living in rural poverty,  with a little help, training, and a few basic tools, is awe-inspiring.  Truly awe-inspiring. And deeply humbling.

I gratefully experienced all of this when I attended a fund-raising luncheon hosted by Mujeres en Cambio, a "non-profit, all-volunteer, grass-roots organization committed to enhancing the lives of women living in the rural communities surrounding San Miguel de Allende."  To accomplish this, the group raises funds via donations and fund-raising events such as this one.  Over 98% of the money goes to scholarships for rural girls (we give out 150 a year, 38 of which are now in university, having been with us since junior high school), with the remainder used to help projects such as The Rug Hookers of Agustin Gonzales, who have bonded together to form a co-op to sell their handicrafts.

For over seventeen years, I have worked with this group, specifically in the scholarship program, which, as a former teacher, is particularly dear to my heart.  But Mujeres en Cambio has another prong  that is equally important, one that supports women with projects that will economically enhance their lives.  In this case it is the rug-hookers of the rural community of Agustin Gonzales. 

Charlotte Bell, friend and fellow volunteer in Mujeres en Cambio, is a photo journalist who donates her time to be the marketing consultant and more to the women's craft cooperative.  With help from fellow members and friends, she tirelessly brings down wool, mainly in the form of clothing, from Canada and the U.S. for the women to use in their rugs.  This is from Charlotte's blog:

In the small village of Agustin Gonzales, located in the central Mexican highlands near San Miguel de Allende, 20 people spend what little free time they have hooking rugs.  You will find them working late at night by kitchen tables after children are asleep or perhaps you will see them sitting under a tree on the hillside tending the cows and working on their rugs.

Their subject matter is the life around them:  mountains, cactus, cows, horses, burros, flowers, a small house, a church, ducks, rabbits, chickens, roosters or fish.

The people of the area are subsistence farmers who grow corn, beans, and squash.  The proceeds from selling these art pieces help with paying for additional food, children's schooling, doctor visits, and other family needs.  Many of the women are the sole support of their families.

Each art piece is entirely unique as is the skill of rug hooking in Mexico.

The Store

Thursday marked the inaugural opening of the Rug Hookers Store, which they built using their proceeds and a bit of extra money from Mujeres en Cambio.

Lovingly decorated

 With the help of MEC volunteers, the women also have cards to sell that feature some of their rugs

 Luncheon guests shopping in the new store

 Details of an embroidered tablecloth

 Papel chino, blowing in the wind

 Details of a rug

 An embroidery of the Virgin of Guadalupe, the Patron Saint of Mexico

 Rug Detail that says "My daughters and I don't understand Spanish."

Napkin Rings made with brass wire and agate found on the land 

The Women

The women of the village were positively beaming with the excitement of seeing their efforts rewarded.  Most of them wore brightly embroidered tortilla cloths intended to keep tortillas warm, an essential in every Mexican home and in my own, instead of aprons.  The embroidery and crochet work is an example of their skills.

 The incredible, dedicated Charlotte Bell, with two of the the women, one holding a shawl for sale that  she crocheted by hand

 Bonifacia Tovar, the Queen and Matriarch of the group

This group came together mainly through the efforts of Bonifacia Tovar, the matriarch of the group.  For years and years, when Boni attended our fund-raising luncheons, I was seated next to her because I could chat with her in Spanish and help her feel at ease in the sea of Gringas that could have been overwhelming to a lesser woman.  Once, when I served as auctioneer at a luncheon, I handed Boni a check for U.S. $250.00 for her absent daughter's rug that we sold.  With tears in her eyes, she said, "Never in this life did I imagine that a child of mine could earn so much money with her hands."  Need I mention that Boni wasn't the only one with tears?

Boni keeps the books, though she only has a fourth-grade education, and her husband did all of the metal-work for the store.  And she has spearheaded the efforts to bring the idea of a store to fruition.  And most excitingly of all, Boni, who has never traveled far from her village, will be attending with Charlotte a Crafts Convention in the United States next year!

An example of the bios provided on the members of the co-op.  Note that her mother, who has no education, speaks the native Otomí language

 The Mujeres en Cambio banner

 The women, preparing for the luncheon

Drop by in a few days to see Part II, which will feature the food !

©Victoria Challancin.  All Rights Reserved.

Please ask permission before using photos.  Thanks!

The Chili and Charros Cook-Off: A Bi-Cultural Event

A giant paper mache mojiganga

"Wish I had time for just one more bowl of chili."  Alleged dying words of Kit Carson (1809-1868), Frontiers Man and Mountain Man

The Chili and Charros Cook-Off:  A Bi-Cultural Event

by Victoria Challancin

Chiles may have originated in Mexico, but "Chili" is purely American, with hats off to Texas, New Mexico, and California.  And San Miguel de Allende's annual chili and charros (beans) cook-off is a perfect example of one of those rare occasions when the local gringos, especially the transplanted Texans, get to strut their stuff in an event that benefits various charities and provides a good time for the foreigners and locals alike.

 For the past six years the San Miguel Community Foundation has put on an outstanding event that benefits various charities and non-profit organizations in San Miguel.  "Chili and Charros" 2012 features a competition for Best Chili, Best Charro Beans, and Best Margaritas.  Local residents, restaurants, organizations, and temporary visitors here just for the event, compete for the various "crowns," with the proceeds going to charity.  In addition to the actual competitions, ticket-holders can sample the various chiles and charros, casting their votes for their favorites.  Also, live musical bands featuring different kinds of music, stunning rodeo ring performances, a denim jacket fashion show, donkey rides and face painting for children, and a silent auction round out a full day's activities.

Now I am not about to get into an argument involving any of the controversies that habitually swirl around the beloved regional dish of chili, such as: about where it originated, beans vs no-beans, the degree of heat required, or even the appropriate type of chiles to be used.  No, not this humble cook.  Reams have already been written on these topics, with more being added almost daily.  Let's just leave it to say that chili lovers take their recipes seriously, and nowhere it is more evident than in a good old-fashioned chili cook-off.

My well-used tasting bowl

Cornbread!  One booth served delicious cornbread to sop up equally delicious chili

Some Signs

Personal Note:  For the Chili Cook-Off I worked as a volunteer representative for Mujeres en Cambio, a non-profit organization that I have worked with for over 15 years.  This group, an all volunteer, grass-roots organization committed to enhancing the lives of women living in the rural communities surrounding San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, currently provides educational scholarships to 150 young women, 38 of whom are now in university.  As a former educator, this is particularly important to me, but I am equally proud of our rug hooking project, which developed into a women's craft cooperative that supports a number of rural families.

A Few of the Cooks

Props and Humor

A Bit of Other Food

One Satisfied Customer

Musicians, a Donkey, and Kids

My Own American-Style Chili

One of the best chilis I have ever made is a beanless version from the late Craig Claiborne which I found in an early New York Times Cookbook.  For years, this was my "go-to" recipe for chile.  When I had clients request that I teach an American-style chile here in Mexico, I had to come up with something I could produce in less time, hence the recipe below.  I cobbed the Homemade Chili Powder recipe together from various sources whose identities have been lost over time.  The chili itself is what my Mother made, although she used packaged spices and I prefer to grind my own.

Homemade Chili Powder

(Recipe by Victoria Challancin)

Cook's Note:  I change the chiles every time I make this, using whatever I have on hand, which is usually quite a selection.  Usually, I toast and grind whole spices as well instead of using previously ground ones.  This recipe can be used as a dry rub for meats as well as for chili.

3 ancho chiles, seeded and torn into pieces

1 chile pasilla, seeded and torn into pieces

1 guajillo chile or 4 chiles de árbol, torn into pieces

1 tablespoone cayenne

2 tablespoons ground coriander

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon sweet paprika

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon top-quality garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon sugar

Toast the chile pieces on a comal, griddle, or in a dry skillet until fragrant, being careful not to burn.  Briefly press the chile pieces with a spatula as they toast.  This process will take about a minute.  Grind the chiles to a powder in a spice mill or food processor.  Add the remaining ingredients and pulse again to combine.  Strain through a fine mesh strainer if a smoother texture is desired.

My Chili Recipe

(Recipe by Victoria Challancin)

Serves 10

1/2 lb dried pinto or red kidney beans, soaked overnight in water

3 to 4 tablespoons vegetable oil or bacon fat

2 large onions, chopped

5 garlic cloves, minced

2 lbs lean ground beef

3 (14.5-ounce) cans chopped tomatoes with juice (or use whole canned tomatoes and chop them)

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 to 6 tablespoons homemade chili powder (see recipe), or more to taste

1 to 2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, minced,  or 1 dried chipotle chile left whole

1 cinnamon stick

4 whole cloves

2 tablespoons masa harina, cornmeal, or cornstarch

Cook dried beans in water to cover for 1 1/2 hours or until done, adding more water as necessary.  You can also use a pressure cooker, but be careful not to cook the beans until they are mushy.

In a large, heavy pot heat the oil over medium heat.  Sauté onion and garlic until soft.  Add the ground beef; cook and stir until the meat is no longer pink.  Add tomatoes with liquid, salt, pepper, chili powder, chipotle chiles, cinnamon stick, and cloves.  Cover and simmer for 45 minutes.

Stir in cooked beans with a bit of their liquid, and cook another 25 minutes.  Remove cinnamon stick and dried chipotle chile, if using.  Mix in the masa harina. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes more to marry the flavor and thicken the chili, stirring occasionally.  Add more water or liquid from the cooked beans, if necessary.

Optional garnishes:  lime wedges, sour cream (preferably Mexican crema), shredded sharp cheddar cheese, cilantro, onion, and avocado cubes.

Enjoy!

And remember that it will be better the next day, for as in the words of businessman/humorist John Steele Gordon, "Chili is much improved by having had a day to contemplate its fate."

As for me, I would have to agree with the following words, apocryphal or not, that Pat Garret supposedly said to Billy the Kid, "Anybody that eats chili can't be all bad."  




©Victoria Challancin.  Please don't use photos or text without prior arrangement.  Thanks!