Dolores Hildalgo - Part 2

   After leaving Dolores Hlldalgo's parish church (Part 1), Lori, Bob, and I continued exploring the city with a visit next door to the Museo de la Independencia (Museum of Independence).  The museum's building was once a prison, and when Father Hildalgo issued his 'Cry of Independence' on the church steps, one of his dramatic gestures was to march next door and free all the prisoners, inviting them to join the cause.  Besides local history, the museum's rooms also portray early Mexican history.

    Another long-lasting legacy of Father Hildalgo's was the introduction of pottery-making techniques to the area.  Today, Dolores Hildalgo is well-known as the center for production of Talavera, pottery which is decorated in vibrant colors and fired at very high temperatures for durability.  There are hundreds of shops along the streets and everything can be packed and shipped to accommodate shoppers from all over the world.  As we walked through the streets, some of the beautiful plates and bowls I saw were very hard to pass up.

   We found on this trip that when visiting Dolores Hildalgo it's important to save room for dessert!  The city is famous for its ice cream stands in the Zocalo, or Plaza.  These stands offer hand-made ice cream in creative flavors.  Pine nut (tried it - good!) and guacamole as well as shrimp, tequila, pork rind, and even octopus (I've heard it's chewy).  I learned that I could make up any flavor and ask for it.  I'd be told by the vendor that they were out of it but to come back the next day.  And it would be there!   Maybe something like 'Chile, Rum, Avocado, Chocolate Chip'.....??  Unfortunately, our trip was only a few hours - not enough time to create a new flavor.  For me, this is a good reason to plan a return trip.  There's also plenty to explore while I'm waiting for my new flavor.

This lovely Colonial building facing the Plaza is constructed of pink granite with Baroque columns.

Here's a 'visual' in the Museum of Independence depicting Father Hildalgo releasing the prisoners.

A painting in the museum illustrates the Aztec Calendar Stone, which was found in Mexico City and dates back to the 15th Century.

  

These Talavera toilets could certainly be a focal point of any bathroom.

More colorful bathroom ceramics

Lori next to a few mugs.

Here's a creative way of washing a windshield, not sure I'd recommend it though.

Saturday is one of the city's market days and there are many stands selling fresh fruits and vegetables.

A VERY popular snack in Mexico is fried pork rind.  In the Plaza, a vendor sells huge slabs - looks like the whole skin of the pig.  

One of the vendors selling hand-made ice cream in the Plaza.

El Santuario de Atotonilco

   It's Sunday, and Marlene, Max and I are visiting the sanctuary of Atotonilco (meaning 'Place of the Hot Waters').  Before our visit, I wanted to spend some time researching its history because this area is strongly related to Mexico's fight for independence.  

   Here's a short version of its very interesting past.  The sanctuary is a complex of buildings dominated by the original church, founded in 1740 by Father Alfaro.  This area is full of hot springs where public bathing occurred (inappropriately, he believed), and Father Alfaro decided that a religious presence was greatly needed.  The church took over 35 years to build.

   After building this grand church, he commissioned a local artist to paint murals depicting his own instructive verses, with much emphasis on the consequences of leading a sinful life.  The murals and his verses cover the interior walls and ceilings.  There are, in no particular pattern, flowers, fantastic creatures, virgins, Christs, sculptures, gilded mirrors, and altars.  It has sometimes been called the 'Sistine Chapel of the Americas.'

   The church has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the complex still functions as a pilgrimage for people coming from all over the country to spend a week of prayer and meditation.

   As we walk from our car up the path to the church, it's market day and there are vendors all along the way, many selling hats, veils, and scarves preparatory to the church visit.  

The outer church is very large.  Inside, it's composed of smaller, separate chapels.

Murals depicting the consequences of sin and Father Alfaro's verses written along the arched openings.

The main chapel of the church

The chapel of the Virgin of Guadalupe

The ceiling of the Chapel of the Virgin

A beautiful, carved wood door from the 18th century

   Father Alvaro built Atotonilco on the spot where he was visited by a vision of Christ.  Coincidentally (?), seventy years later in the nearby town of Dolores, another Father, Miguel Hildalgo, who was leading the fight for independence from the Spanish, was warned of his imminent capture.  He fled immediately towards San Miguel. 

    En route, he stopped at Atotonilco and took the church's image of the Virgin of Guadalupe as his banner, declaring her the protector of the new nation of Mexico.  The image of the Virgin has continued to protect Mexico's independence and individual spirit throughout these many years to the present day.

Father Miguel Hildalgo with the banner of the Virgin of Guadalupe

We are visiting on Sunday, when the path to the church is lined with vendors selling hats, scarves, and souvenirs.  There's also food for sale, like these chickens being prepared on grills fashioned from metal barrels.

This perro (dog) is NOT friendly!  I think he would like to bite all of us.

San Miguel de Allende - Friday afternoon cooking class

While language school occupies most of our day Mon - Thurs, our Friday afternoons are free and one of our options is a cooking class taught by Carmen.  In addition to doing administrative work in the school office, Carmen happens to be a fabulous cook!  On a personal note, Max is staying with her and her family during his time in Mexico and considers himself extremely lucky.  Carmen and her husband speak only Spanish in their home and Max's fluency is really improving.  AND, he's also eating wonderful meals three times a day!

Today we're learning how to make Chile Rellenos.  We're also going to make seasoned rice and refried beans.  Regarding the beans, we use canned and then 'refry' in a skillet with more oil.  Heart-stoppingly delicious!  

Carmen is so expert at preparing these dishes that I have to take photos just to remember each of the steps involved.  We students also get to help in prepping, cooking, stuffing, and cleanup.  This entire meal is prepared in the small outdoor kitchen at the school.  Notice the great tile counters (with two burners built in). I've copied Carmen's recipe below in Spanish and translated afterwards into English. 

As you may have already guessed, everything turns out amazing and is completely consumed by all students.  Carmen made preparing this dish seem so easy.  The challenge remains for me to try it at home without her help.

The key to great food - fresh ingredients!

Max is a willing helper 

First browning rice in a little oil before adding water and seasoning

While Carmen's recipe lists only cheese as stuffing, our chiles are 'adapted' and also have sauteed beef, tomatoes, and onion added as filling.  

After burning the skin and 'sweating' in a plastic bag, the skin of the chiles is scraped off with a knife

Then, the chiles are opened and the seeds are removed.

The chiles are stuffed with Ranchero cheese and the meat mixture, then closed with toothpicks and coated with flour.

Here's something more - small tortillas filled with extra meat mixture and fried.

The floured chiles are then dipped in the egg mixture and fried in hot oil.  The warmed tomato salsa is used to cover the chiles and tortillas

Perfecto!!

Great food and great company!!

Chiles Rellenos (Carmen's recipe)

10 Chiles Poblanos

1 Queso Ranchero Grande (1 large block of Ranchero cheese)

5 huevos or 4 si son grandes (5 medium or 4 large eggs)

3/4 kilo de jitomates (1 3/4 lbs  tomatoes)

2 dientes de ajo (2 cloves of garlic)

1 cebolla mediana (1 medium onion)

1/2 taza de harina más o menos (1/2 cup flour more or less)

Aceite para freirlos (Oil for frying)

Se asan los chiles directamente en la flama hasta que la piel se queme.  Se van metiendo en una bolsa de plastico para que suden.  Se les quita la piel, se abre cada uno con cuidado para limpiarlos bien de semillas bajo el agua.  Se escurren, se rellenan con el queso, se enharinan y se dejan en espera.

Roast the peppers directly on the flame until the skin is burned. Then put into a plastic bag to sweat for a few minutes.  Then remove the skin.  Carefully open each chile and clean out seeds under water.  Drain, fill with cheese, flour and then set aside


Se separan las claras de las yemas; a las claras se les agrega una pizca de sal y unas gotas de agua.  Se baten a punto de turron, se les agregan dos yemas y 3 cucharas de harina.  Se 
capean los chiles y se frien en el aceite bien caliente.


Separate the egg whites from the yolks, Add a pinch of salt and a few drops of water to the egg whites. Beat until stiff, then add two egg yolks and 3 tablespoons flour. Coat the peppers in this mixture and then fry in hot oil.

Salsa

Se muelen los jitomates con los ajos y un buen pedazo de cebolla.  En una sartén se frien hasta acitronar, 5 rebanadas más or menos; de cebolla y ahí se agrega el jitomate molido.  Se frie bien, se sazona, con esta salsa se bañan los chiles.  Se acompañan con arroz y frijoles fritos.

In a blender, puree the tomatoes with the garlic and a slice of onion. In a skillet, saute the rest of the onion then add the puree.  To serve, ladle warm salsa over fried chiles and accompany with rice and refried beans.

Fiesta!! Our first night in San Miguel de Allende

After arriving in SMA and resting, we're hungry and ready to explore. We haven't bought a a map yet so we set out walking and start wandering up and down streets.  It seems that out of nowhere we find the perfect place--Tortitlan!  One of San Miguel's fast food restaurants, they specialize in many kinds of tortas, a Mexican version of a sandwich. These are huge - mine has breaded chicken, a thick slab of cheese, pineapple, tomato,  lettuce, and some delicious secret sauce.  There's interesting soda flavors here too--tamarind, mango, hibiscus.  After three large tortas and drinks, our dining tab is less than US$15.

It turns out that there's a fiesta going on this night in El Jardin.  El Jardin is the main plaza in town and is located across from La Parroquia, the tall parish church and the emblem of San Miguel.  A stage has been erected and dancers from different regions and states (Mexico has 31 states) are performing.  A highlight is the Dance of the Little Old Men (El Baile de Los Viejitos) from the region of Michoacán.  The history of the dance goes back to the time of the Spanish conquistadors and was a mockery of the ruling class.  Performers are hunched over with canes like old men and wear masks of pink faces with white hair.

Here's Tortitlan.  When we first arrived, we thought we 'discovered' it on a small side street but found out later that it was a fairly busy street just around the corner from our apartment!

Just one of many cobblestone streets in the historic section.  Beautiful, rustic, and a little hard to walk on.

                La Parroquia, Neo-Gothic design and one of the most 

photographed parish churches in Mexico.

A local mariachi group--there are many in SMA

Dance of the Little Old Men

Performers are hunched over with canes like old men 

and wear masks of pink faces with white hair.

The plaza at night, a social gathering spot

Another mariachi band warming up for their performance

A curious onlooker checking us out during dinner.

Our final view of the plaza as we leave to walk back home.