Soya Texturizada

In a quest to try all culinary delights at least once, I purchased something at the market this week that resembles dog food (or, if you prefer, porous rocks). In Spanish, it's called soya texturizada, or textured soy, and you can usually find it hanging out with the beans and grains. Given its appearance and the Mexican love for meat, I wondered how many people have been daring enough to try it? 'Cuz, again, it looks like dog food. But, somebody's eatin' this stuff up -- Google has 57,000 hits for "soya texturizada".

After rehydrating the soy, I threw them into pad thai, thinking it might be a good substitute for tofu. Soy chucks = tofu, right? Not so much. At first, you think -- despite their tastelessness --they're not so bad because 1)it's chewy like meat and 2) they're packed with protein. Then, you get to the grit, and you are SOOOO disgusted. It was like eating a bowl of sand.

Did I buy low-grade textured soy? I'm hoping so, because I think it has a bright future in my kitchen. Ma-po tofu with textured soy, textured soy burgers, tacos al pastor with textured soy...

See here for some recipes with textured soy.

Couldn't the manufacturers have done something to improve its appearance?

It doesn't look any better rehydrated

Driving in DF

At last, I've done something here that I promised I'd never do: DRIVE!! There might be worse places to drive than Mexico City, but driving here seemed like my personal hell. There are serious safety laws not being followed, lane markers not being used, random cars stopped in the middle of traffic, red light runners, and drivers criss-crossing through traffic like Super Mario Kart. In fact, in the worst case of road rage I've ever witnessed came straight from some Demolition Derby competition with two cars engaged in a deliberate ramming of their vehicles. That scene pretty much squashed any desire I had to drive.

But, after one too many no-show and "you look foreign, I shall rip you off" taxistas, I decided to drive myself to work. Since the typical rules of defensive driving don't apply -- following a safe distance, using your signal, stopping at red lights -- I first had to relearn how to drive. Over the weekend, I got in the car, practiced the route, cut a few people off, swerved between lanes, and stopped using my signal (actually, I'm still in the process of unlearning that good habit :)) It was basically a route overview to work and figuring out which lanes were safe, i.e. which lanes wouldn't suddenly end. FYI, you can never go wrong with the middle lane.

So, here I am, having completed two roundtrips to work and back, and I feel so empowered! I still love the convenience of public transportation, but I am loving even more this new and reliable way to get to work. And, I conquered a dreaded fear, and it just wasn't as bad as my mind had made it out to be.

Letting Men be Men

Besides the safety issue, another issue that I realized I've become numb to while living in Mexico is the machismo attitude. The kind of manliness that drives many men here to whistle, honk their horns, yell crude pick-up lines, and even engage in 180 degree head turns when women -- particularly bust-a-licious or booty-licious women -- walk by. And, as amorous as couples seem here, there's a good chance that the man, while hugging and kissing his woman, has his eyes open, gazing at the other women walking by. To combat these machismo ways, I've learned to dress modestly, avoid eye contact, stare down at the pavement, walk quickly, and wear my iPod. But only when I'm alone; most men wouldn't dare say something when I'm with Nick. There are rules to this game, y'all...

Another machismo attitude that I find really disheartening is that many men here keep other women in addition to their wife/girlfriend (or, for lack of a better English word, their mujer). A security guard at Nick's work likes to brag about his women, that he can keep them all by "getting in and out quickly." When questioned about his wife, he replies "Ahh, no importa!" Or, my taxi driver de confianza that openly confesses to me about the many women he has despite having a mujer.

Cheating happens a lot, so much so that it's making me rethink the machismo attitude here in Mexico. Not so much the affairs, but the catcalling and such. As in, this open type of self-expression is very genuine. It's a very real and biological need that men have. Is it still annoying? Yes! Do I think there are better ways to meet one's needs? Definitely! But, I'm over the catcalling. Let men be men, and I'm just gonna keep on keepin' on with my frumpy clothes and anti-social street persona.

Meeting Mafalda in Buenos Aires

This week, we're in Buenos Aires for some work and play. Besides trips back to the US, this is our first trip to another country, and we've been reflecting on the enormous differences we see here and back home.

Of the main differences we've experienced is the sense of safety. Don't get me wrong, I feel safe in Mexico City when taking the necessary precautions, but now I realize that I take A LOT of precautions in Mexico to get through the day safely. Here, we can drink tap water, hail a taxi off the street, walk where we want to go at 2 am, and take the subway without bear-hugging our belongings. I'd gotten pretty accustomed to a vigilante lifestyle in Mexico City, and, whew, it feels freeing to let loose a bit.

Anyway, I could go on and on about the loveliness of Buenos Aires (which, honestly and ironically, has much more pollution than Mexico City), but what I really wanted to inform you of was my run-in with Mafalda. She's only the most cutest and clever little girl in Argentina, and her comics are super, especially if you're a novice at Spanish and needing some motivation. Mafalda's been a great Spanish teacher, and when I saw her on a bench in the San Telmo neighborhood, it seemed like destiny. We sat down for a small chat, I had my picture taken with her, and went on my way. It was a fantastic way to start the trip!

Mafalda lives on a bench on Defensa Street in San Telmo in case you want to hang out with her sometime, too.

Tacos al Pastor

Tacos al Pastor may be the greatest food ever. For me, it's uprooted sushi in the coveted favorite food division. As in, "What food could you eat every day for the rest of your life and never get tired of it?" Yes, I could eat tacos al pastor every day. And conversations at home have even gone like this:

Husband: Wanna open up our own tacos al pastor restaurant someday in the US?

Me: Oh my god, yes, and we could have tacos al pastor every single day!!

Husband: Let's see if we can franchise a Faraón (our favorite pastor restaurant)

Or, another conversation:

Me: Wanna build a bola (the spit) in our next kitchen?

Husband: Umm, no.

Roasted pork meat shaven off a spit, sitting atop a warm, slightly crispy tortilla, topped with fresh cilantro, onions, and a slice of pineapple, and a generous helping of salsa. Nothing's better ... until the husband made it at home for my birthday, on my request. I thought to myself, if I love something so much, I should probably learn how to make it at home. Just in case we move away from our favorite taco al pastor restaurant two blocks away. Or, gasp, should we leave this beloved country.

Okay, so the homemade tacos weren't better in taste than Faraón (Calle Oaxaca 92, Roma Norte), but they were better because they were made with homemade TLC and pretty comparable to the street tacos. Get the recipe and instructional video at Cooking With Married to a Mexican. I was a little skeptical that tacos al pastor could be delicious baked in an oven and not on a bola, but really, amigos, if you love and crave pastor like I do, you need to learn how to prepare it on your own.

The bolador (or bolero?)

Tacos al pastor at Faraón

Tacos al pastor de la casa

Dr. Pepper Sighting

I discovered Dr. Pepper at the store today, and like a giddy little school girl, I couldn't wait to rip it open for just one sip. But then I decided that if I truly wanted a special first-time-in-Mexico-drinking-Dr.-Pepper experience, I better do it right and chill it first. So, as it sits to chill, I'm pondering whether it's going to be as good as Dr. Pepper in the states. Coke is better here; maybe Dr. Pepper tastes better, too.

A full, in-depth analysis is in the works, but I wanted to let you know about this super find in case you're a fan, as well. Just imagine -- one day -- washing your delicious tacos al pastor down with an ice-cold Dr. Pepper!

Super Lujo in La Costa Esmeralda

We usually stay in budget accommodations here in Mexico, but we couldn't pass up staying at Azúcar on La Costa Esmeralda (the 19 km strip of the Gulf from Tecolutla in the north to Nautla in the South). Azúcar is one in a series of Design Hotels around the world and one of ten in Mexico, and it's also the most affordable. So when smart design meets affordability, I say, "Vamos!" It might slightly be the whole reason we went to Veracruz. ;)

This is a take-your-breath-away view

outdoor library with an ocean breeze