Abraham's: Our Home Away From Home

Nestled in the Valley of Tehuacan, the city of Tehuacan is a large city with the feel of a small town.  With a population of almost a quarter of a million citizens, Tehuacan is the second largest city in the Mexican state of Puebla.  Like any city, Tehuacan has large stores and supermarkets, as well as restaurants and cafés.  One of our usual cafés is La Lonja in the town center because it has open seating on the patio and free wi-fi for its patrons.  Our favorite place to eat, though, is a small taqueria near our apartment.  We don't actually know the name of this stand,but it's run by a man named Abraham.  Abraham's is, essentially, a hole in the wall, just large enough for a flat grill and four small tables.  There is a tiny cooler in one corner for sodas and fruit juices, and if we want bottled water or una cerveza, he has to send out his assistant to purchase some at a nearby shop.  The food at Abraham's, though, is amazing.
We first met Abraham on our first morning in Tehuacan. We had gone out in search of a late breakfast and coffee, but, finding none, decided to try a small taqueria with a friendly proprietor.  From the very beginning, Abraham was open and engaging, delighted to talk to us.  Although it is the second largest city in Puebla, Tehuacan is not a popular tourist destination, particularly in January.  In the nearly two weeks since we've arrived, we are the only discernible outsiders I've noticed.  I think it's safe to say that, as a group, we stand out.  But Abraham immediately welcomed us and told us about beautiful sights to see, gardens to visit, and where to find the best seafood.  By the end of our first meal (a chorizo enchilada burrito with Abraham's super spicy red salsa), I adored this gravelly-voiced cook and his quiet assistant.
Since our first meal, we have returned almost nightly. After our second visit we were greeted as old friends and, before departing for the evening, we were told what the next night’s specialty would be.  By our third visit, we had stopped consulting the menu; instead, we walk in, chat for a moment, then ask what's good tonight.  In this way we have been to treated to some truly amazing meals that we might never have known to order on our own.
Our nightly fare so far:

Visits Number 1 and 2: Enchilada burrito.  We've learned that enchilada roughly means “in chili,” so an enchilada burrito is cooked with chilis, rather than the enchiladas with red or green sauce that are common in the United States.
Visit Number 3: Argentine Chorizo in a quesadilla; this was some of the most flavorful chorizo I had ever encountered before.
Visit Number 4: Burritos with local chorizo and meats, paired with Oaxaca cheese.  Oaxaca cheese is a local favorite and looks a bit like string cheese, but tastes ten times fresher and better.  I believe Abraham purchases his cheese from a local mercado, so it is incredibly fresh and, delightfully local.
Visit Number 5: Alambre.  Alambre is a popular dish in Tehuacan, much like a stir fry or fajitas, but with an emphasis on meats and cheese.  For the five of us, Abraham recommended two plates of alambre with a constant influx of flour tortillas.  We had local ham, chorizo, and beef delicately grilled with bell peppers, onions, and Oaxaca cheese melted on top.  It was accompanied by fresh avocado and tomato slices and wedges of lime, and by the end we were groaning with over-indulgence and pleasure.  As a final treat, Abraham made a small sample of “carne marinada,” beef grilled in pineapple juice, with grilled pineapple and Oaxaca cheese. Amazing.
Last night, after an absence of three days in which we fended for ourselves, we returned to have the Carne Marinada in burrito form.  Our general consensus is that Abraham outdoes himself each evening.

Since we have arrived we have made several friends within the institute and through students and host families.  Abraham’s is our first independent friendship.  His taqueria has a television, so as we eat, he often educates us on news items and cultural tidbits, such as La Dia de Reyes.  This is the day of the Three Kings, when we celebrate the Wise Men reaching the baby Jesus.  This is the day when children get their presents, rather than on Christmas.  La Dia de Reyes is also celebrated with a cake, Rosca de Reyes, which is a pastry/cake hybrid topped with candied fruits and has a small baby Jesus hidden within, much like a King Cake.  According to Abraham, whoever finds the baby must host the next party.  He also has internet, and as he tells us about the beaches we need to visit, he has his assistant pull up pictures for us to see and, last night, they looked up bus and plane ticket rates.
Sunday night, after a day of extensive lesson planning and more than a little frustration, we headed to Abraham’s seeking the comfort and warm welcome of friendship and food.  When we discovered that he was not there and that we would now have to fend for ourselves, we turned away like heartbroken children abandoned by papa.  Fortunately, though, Abraham was waiting for us last night, with rejuvenating beverages and the culinary delight that is carne marinada.  I may be speaking prematurely, but I expect that as we trek home tonight at 8:30, after a full day of teaching and prepping, we'll have a barely cursory consultation before heading to Abraham’s for dinner again.

Bienvenido a Mexico

In the months following my last post on Emma, I have attempted to write numerous times, only to be thwarted by numerous setbacks: my laptop finally stopped recognizing the Internet, so I literally could not post; I became so absorbed in Jeffrey Eugenides’ The Marriage Plot that I completely abandoned my latest novel, Conrad’s Nostromo; I was suddenly packing to move from Eugene back to Blackfoot and had no time to sit down and write a thoughtful post; I was so busy studying Spanish and reveling in the delights of being home that I didn't have time to write... The list could go on, but underneath each of these reasons or excuses was the plain truth that I am, for once, at a loss for words and have been since the day that I signed on to temporarily move to Mexico.
At first I intended to write about how exciting this new change would be, and how deliciously relevant my book choice was--Nostromo is not only set in a Spanish speaking country and full of Spanish-speaking characters, but the title character is Italian.  The novel itself blends South American history with Italian, peppering character dialogue with a curious mix of English, Spanish, and Italian.  After signing with the HELP! Organization, this intersection of cultures in my life and in my book seemed serendipitous to say the least.  Each time I sat down to write, though, words failed me and soon enough some excuse or distraction presented itself and off I went.
After I moved home, again I had ideas of filling my blog with pictures of home, of my sweet Carlee, of my new kitty friend Gracie, and all the beautiful elements that make my parents’ house such a wonderful escape.  But again there were distractions--Carlee, Gracie, and all those elements of home that needed attention one last time before I left for Mexico.  My blog languished as, again, the proper words seemed to fail me.
Now, however, I am in Mexico and my whole world is teeming with words.  Instead of struggling over what to write, I am trying to figure out how to fit the adventures of each day into a readable post.  I've been here less than a week and already I've made several new friends, tried more interesting dishes than ever before, and embarrassed myself on a regular basis and I'm loving it all.  I've seen cockroaches (live and dead), carried on (small) conversations in Spanish with some of the locals, befriended a waiter at a bar and the owner and cook of a delicious taqueria, and I've learned how to efficiently brush my teeth with bottled water.  Our apartment has been without power for over a day now, and our water stopped working this morning.  As I write this, one roommate is doing crosswords by candlelight while another is washing up via waterbottles and a teacup.  It seems like my companions and I have had an adventure dictated by Murphy’s Law thus far, but despite it all, I am nothing short of euphoric at the moment.
I could wax on longer over the amazing effects of this trip thus far, but suffice to say that this trip has been in no way what I expected, and for that I am grateful.  And I hope that, as this trip continues, I continue to be surprised by myself and by Mexico.