Category Archives: Salvadoreños
Salvadoran Problems – Colones
You’ve probably heard of “First World Problems”, “White Girl Problems”, “Mexican Problems” and various other versions, but today I give you a “Salvadoran Problem.” There might already be websites and hashtags for this, but here is my first contribution because this actually happened to me yesterday and I started laughing when I realized some of you out there might be able to relate.
As you can see, we have this big jar of pennies and when we are really scraping the bottom of our checking account and need gas or something, we bring the pennies to our bank to send them through the coin changing machine. The only problem is that somehow colones often get mixed up in the jar, (I don’t know how since I try to keep these types of coins in a special box and it’s not like these are even circulating anymore.)
I believe the coin changing machine is supposed to catch foreign coins and spit them back out, but I never want to risk losing one, so I have to dig through the pennies, one-by-one, to make sure I take the colones out.
#101HispanicWaysToDie
#101HispanicWaysToDie was a trending topic on social network Twitter today.
The range of responses to the hashtag was interesting. The vast majority, including myself, had fun with the hashtag – just some light-hearted joking around. Others became nostalgic for childhood, even when it meant remembering being smacked with a chancla. Some people expressed disgust at the hashtag, possibly assuming the worst, and not actually checking it out. Then there were the racists who couldn’t resist jumping in and talking about illegal border crossing – decidedly NOT funny.
One Latina tweeted “say [to your parents] you’re going out with a moreno” – It was unclear whether the person who wrote it meant it seriously, as an honest commentary on their reality, or if they were trying to be humorous. This unfunny tweet which points out the racist tendencies of some parents, was re-tweeted 301 times and favorited 119 times at last count and there were other similar tweets which, perhaps reflect a sad reality that deserves more discussion en la comunidad latina.
Whenever there’s a trending hashtag on Twitter, you’re going to get this diverse mix of funny, honest and offensive. I jumped in and tried to keep my tweets light and funny. Here they are re-purposed for this blog post. Feel free to add your own in comments!
13 Latino Ways to Die
1. Suffocation after too much Vicks Vapo-Rub has been put up your nostrils.
2. Pine-Sol and bleach fumes after your mother cleans the house.
3. Setting off illegal fireworks.
4. Third degree cheese burns from not allowing the pupusa to cool before attempting to consume.
5. Laughing with your siblings during misa.
6. Accidentally telling your Mom that you’re “embarazada” when you actually mean to say you’re embarrassed.
7. Parents use a lesson from the old country. You respond “But we’re not in El Salvador! We’re in the United States!”
8. Empacho
9. Riding in the back of a pickup truck.
10. Laughing when your parent translates a Spanish idiom to English but it makes no sense.
11. Rooting for the U.S. team when they play your parent’s home country in soccer.
12. Kicked in the nalgas by a bota picuda.
13. Making too much noise in the room when your abuela is trying to hear her horoscope from Walter Mercado.
Update! Related Link: #101HispanicWaysToDie Shows True Colors on ModernMami.com
Dog Naming in El Salvador
Today is Spanish Friday so this post is in Spanish. If you participated in Spanish Friday on your own blog, leave your link in comments. Scroll down for English translation!
Como dije la semana pasada, nosotros adaptamos a un perro y le pusimos el nombre “Chico.” El otro día Carlos habló a un amigo en El Salvador y le contó sobre nuestro nuevo miembro de la familia.
Carlos: “Le pusimos el nombre Chico.”
El amigo: “Y es el nombre de alguien con quien no te llevas bien?”
Carlos: “No, ¿por qué?”
El amigo: “Porque así hacemos a veces en El Salvador. Un vecino ya pusó mi nombre a su perro.”
Después de la llamada, Carlos me contó que dijo su amigo.
“Qué interesante,” dije, “Pero ¿no crees que ‘suegra’ es un nombre extraño para un perro?”
[ENGLISH TRANSLATION]
As I said last week, we adopted a dog and named him “Chico.” The other day Carlos called a friend in El Salvador and told him about the new member of our family.
Carlos: “We named him Chico.”
The friend: “And is that the name of someone you don’t get along with?”
Carlos: “No, why?”
The friend: “Because that’s what we do sometimes in El Salvador. The neighbor already named his dog after me.”
After the phone call, Carlos told me what his friend had said.
“How interesting,” I said, “But don’t you think that ‘mother-in-law’ is a strange name for a dog?”
Atol de Elote
Today is Spanish Friday so this post is in Spanish. If you participated in Spanish Friday on your own blog, leave your link in comments. English translation is below!
“Tenemos Atol de Elote!” dijo el cajero salvadoreño en el mercado latino. Él sonrió y tocó un gran recipiente de metal que parecía un pequeño barril.
“Atol de Elote?” dije, tratando de ganar tiempo.
“Sí, bien rico!” dijo el cajero.
Yo no quería ser desagradable pero Atol de Elote nunca me tentó. Que quiero decir, es una bebida hecha de maíz. Si tú dices “bebida de maíz” a la mayoría de los gringos, se sentirán disgustados.
De todos modos, acepté una taza de Atol de Elote y tomé un sorbo. Yo estaba dispuesta a regalar una sonrisa y decir que estaba delicioso sólo para estar agradable pero me sorprendió. Realmente era delicioso! Atol de Elote es perfecto para el clima frío, también – mejor que el Chocolate Caliente porque te llena.
Decidí tratar de hacer mi propio Atol de Elote pero en los Estados Unidos no podemos comprar mazorcas de maíz en el invierno. Esta receta utiliza maíz congelado. También usé leche de 1% por lo que es un poco más delgado que lo que traté en el mercado latino. Si quieres tu Atol de Elote más espesado, creo que usando leche entera iba a funcionar. Dale una prueba la receta y déjeme saber lo que piensas! … Acabo de hacer una olla y Carlos bebió una taza grande. Cálido y lleno, se quedó dormido en el sofá.
Atol de Elote
Necesitas:
5 tazas granos de maíz amarillo enteros congelados
6 tazas de leche
6 tazas de agua
1 1/4 tazas de azúcar
1/2 cucharadita de sal
3 rajas de canela
1 cucharadita de extracto de vainilla
Instrucciones:
1. Deja una taza de maíz a un lado.
2. En una licuadora, agregue 4 tazas de maíz y 4 tazas de agua. Mezcle 1 minuto.
3. Vierta el líquido de maíz en una olla grande con 2 tazas más de agua, la taza de maíz, palitos de canela y azúcar.
4. Revuelva constantemente a fuego medio por 5 a 10 minutos.
5. Agregue la leche. Revuelva constantemente por 15 minutos.
6. Retire del fuego. Añade la sal y el extracto de vainilla. Mezcle para combinar.
7. Sirva caliente en tazas.
[ENGLISH TRANSLATION]
“We have Atol de Elote!” the Salvadoran cashier said at the Latino market. He smiled and touched a large metal container that looked like a small barrel.
“Atol de Elote?” I said, trying to buy time.
“Yeah, it’s good!” said the cashier.
I didn’t want to be rude but Atol de Elote has never tempted me. I mean, it’s a drink made from corn. If you say “corn drink” to most Americans, they will feel disgusted.
Regardless, I accepted a cup of Atol de Elote and took a sip. I was prepared to give a polite smile and say it was delicious but I was surprised. It really was delicious! Atol de Elote is perfect for cold weather, too – better than hot chocolate because it fills you up.
I decided to try to make my own Atol de Elote but in the United States we can’t buy corn on the cob in the winter. This recipe uses frozen corn. I also used 1% milk so it is a bit thinner than what I tried at the Latino market. If you want your Atol de Elote thicker, I think using whole milk would work. Give the recipe a try and let me know what you think! … I just made a pot of it and Carlos drank a large cup. Warm and full he fell asleep on the sofa.
Atol de Elote
You Need:
5 cups frozen whole kernels of yellow corn
6 cups milk
6 cups water
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cinnamon sticks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions:
1. Set a cup of corn aside.
2. In a blender, add 4 cups of corn and 4 cups water. Blend 1 minute.
3. Pour the liquid corn mixture into a large pot with 2 cups of water, the cup of corn, sugar and cinnamon sticks.
4. Stir constantly over medium heat for 5-10 minutes.
5. Add the milk. Stir constantly for 15 minutes.
6. Remove from heat. Add the salt and vanilla extract. Stir to combine.
7. Serve hot in mugs.
Celebrating Día de los Difuntos
Today is Spanish Friday so this post is in Spanish. If you participated in Spanish Friday on your own blog, leave your link in comments. English translation is below!
Este año no pensé que ibamos a tener una ofrenda por Día de los Muertos. Dos años pasados, sin realizar que los salvadoreños no celebran Día de los Muertos igual que los mexicanos, hice una ofrenda para el papá de Carlos. Carlos agradeció el gesto pero ponía algo triste y esto no fue mi intención. El problema fue que Carlos no estaba acostumbrado tener una ofrenda porque en El Salvador no se hace eso.
Mientras que los mexicanos llaman el día “Día de los Muertos” y celebran la muerte, abrazan la muerte, aún se ríen de ella – los salvadoreños llaman el día “Día de los Difuntos” y lo consideran un día de recordar sus queridos fallecidos en una manera mucho más sombría.
El año pasado, no queriendo repetir mi error, no tenía previsto hacer una ofrenda, pero mis hijos me dijeron que les gustó la tradición y querian tener una. Entonces, hicimos una ofrenda por nuestro perro que se murió.
Este año no tenía planes por hacer una ofrenda otra vez, pero Carlos me dijo que ya se siente comodo en tener una ofrenda con sus queridos fallecidos. Entonces, nuestra ofrenda incluye el papá de Carlos, la abuela de Carlos, el abuelo de Carlos, (que se murió sólo una mes atrás), mi abuelo y dos perros.
Hay demasiados detalles en la ofrenda por explicar, pero les voy a explicar un poco. Tal vez ustedes pueden buscar los artículos en la foto que menciono.
El papá de Carlos, (“Don Max”) le gustó mucho el casamiento – un plato hecho de arroz y frijoles. Por eso, hay arroz y frijoles. También tuvo un camión pick-up, y estaba muy orgulloso de él. El papá de Carlos era un entrenador de fútbol y le gustaba echar chile en su comida, (algo raro por un salvadoreño, pero algo que le gusta a Carlos también.) Don Max no era muy religoso pero era super dedicado a San Antonio.
Mi abuelo tampoco era muy religoso, pero identificó como judío. Le gustó la música “Big Band” y se comió Corn Flakes cada mañana.
Hay una historia sobre el abuelo de Carlos. “Papá Milo” era muy bueno por nadar y a veces cruzó el Río Lempa nadando para traer grandes bolsas de maíz para su familia. El abuelo de Carlos también fue el alcalde de un pueblo de Chalatenango, y casi siempre andaba con sombrero de vaquero.
La abuela de Carlos se llamaba “Mamá Juana” y era una mujer muy dulce. Ella tuvo diez hijos, y le encantaban las flores. Yo recuerdo que a veces Mamá Juana, en la manera de muchas salvadoreñas del pueblo, usaba un delantal encima de su vestido, aunque no estaba cocinando.
¿Hiciste una ofrenda tú? Quién estás recordando?
[ENGLISH TRANSLATION]
This year I didn’t think we’d have an altar for Day of the Dead. Two years ago, without realizing that Salvadorans don’t celebrate Day of the Dead the same way Mexicans do, I made an altar for Carlos’s father. Carlos appreciated the gesture but it made him kind of sad, which was not my intention. The problem was that Carlos wasn’t used to having an altar because Salvadorans don’t make them.
While Mexicans call the day “Día de los Muertos” and celebrate death, embrace death, and even laugh at death – Salvadorans call the day “Día de los Difuntos” and consider it a day to remember your passed loved ones in a much more somber way.
Last year, not wanting to repeat my mistake, I didn’t have plans to make an altar, but my boys told me they liked the tradition and wanted to have one. So, we made an altar to one of our dogs which had died.
This year, again I didn’t have plans to make an altar, but Carlos told me he feels more comfortable now to have an altar with his passed loved ones. So, this year we have an altar which includes Carlos’s father, Carlos’s grandmother, Carlos’s grandfather, (who died only a month ago), my grandfather, and two dogs.
There are too many details to explain them all, but I will explain the altar to you a little. Maybe you can find the items I’ll mention in the photo.
The father of Carlos, (“Don Max”) really liked casamiento – a dish made from rice and beans. For that reason, there are rice and beans. He also had a pick-up truck which he was very proud of. Carlos’s father was a football coach and he liked to put chile pepper on his food, (kind of rare for a Salvadoran, but something Carlos also likes to do.) Don Max wasn’t very religious but he was super dedicated to Saint Anthony.
My grandfather wasn’t very religious either, but he identified as Jewish. He liked Big Band music and ate Corn Flakes every morning.
There’s a story about Carlos’s grandfather. “Papá Milo” was really good at swimming and sometimes he would swim across the Lempa River to bring big bags of corn to his family. Carlos’s grandfather was also the mayor of a town in Chalatenango and almost always wore a cowboy hat.
Carlos’s grandmother was called “Mamá Juana” and was a really sweet woman. She had ten children and she loved flowers. I remember that sometimes Mamá Juana, in the way of many Salvadoran women from the countryside, used to wear an apron over her dress, even though she wasn’t cooking.
Did you make an ofrenda? Who are you remembering?
El Desayuno Universitario II – The University Student Breakfast II
I shared this recipe before here, but I make it so often that I’ve made a few changes. For one thing, Carlos prefers toasted bread, and for another, he prefers Parmesan cheese over Mozzarella because it doesn’t upset his stomach the way heavier cheese does.
So, here is another way to make it! (By the way, I learned recently from my friend Maura over at The Other Side of the Tortilla, that Mexicans eat the same dish. In Mexico it’s called “molletes” – Check out some interesting history and Maura’s recipe, which was also featured on NBC Latino.)
El Desayuno Universitario II
1 loaf French bread
butter
Parmesan cheese, grated (preferably fresh, not powdered)
Refried Beans/Frijoles Molidos
1 large Roma tomato, diced
1 handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
Directions:
1. If making beans from scratch, follow the recipe HERE to make a pot of Salvadoran beans, and then the recipe HERE to make them frijoles molidos. You can use canned refried beans, too.
2. Cut the French bread loaf in half lengthwise. Spread each inner half with butter. Place on a hot comal (griddle) to toast for one to two minutes.
3. Place toasted French bread halves on a baking sheet. Spread each half with refried beans and then top with as much Parmesan cheese as you like.
4. Put into oven at 350 F for 5 to 10 minutes or until bread is warm to the touch on all sides.
5. In a small bowl, combine diced tomato and chopped cilantro to make a quick fresh salsa. You can also add diced fresh onion, green bell pepper or your favorite fresh chile pepper, such as jalapeño.
6. Cut French bread loaves into serving sizes and top with fresh salsa.
The Pumpkin Patch – An American Tradition
Click this image to see this post featured on Mamiverse.com
Carlos pulls the boys in a wagon through a pumpkin patch. 2009
One of the first places I brought Carlos when he was my boyfriend was to a pumpkin patch, and one of the first things I showed him was how to to carve a jack-o-lantern. I’ve always been interested in other cultures and traditions, but there was also something exciting about showing Carlos my own.
Fifteen years later, going to the pumpkin patch as a family each October is one of our favorite things.
The pumpkin patch we usually go to has goats and you can buy food pellets for them from a bubble gum style machine for a quarter. Over the years, Carlos has come to be more of an animal lover. He looks so happy petting the goat here.
After feeding the goats we considered giving the corn maze a try but it takes 45 minutes to go through, (maybe an hour given my sense of direction) – so we decided we’ll come back another day to do it.
Into the pumpkin patch.
My boys are getting bigger, (The oldest is taller than Carlos), but they haven’t outgrown the pumpkin patch.
There’s a type of squash in El Salvador called Pipián. We aren’t sure if this squash here is related but when you’re accustomed to their palm-sized Latin American cousins, these are kind of hilarious.
Now that we’ve picked our pumpkins and brought them home, we’ll soon carve them into jack-o-lanterns. When we clean out the inside of the pumpkin we always reserve the seeds for roasting and eating. Roasted pumpkin seeds, funnily enough, remind Carlos of El Salvador.
Keep Calm & Respetense Uno al Otro
If you’re a fútbol fan, chances are you know a big game is on tonight. El Salvador vs. Mexico. (The U.S. vs. Guatemala also!)
If you’re Salvadoran or Mexican, you know that games between the two tend to stir up some animosity. Even though a lot of people tell me I’m naive to think I can make a difference, each time Mexico and El Salvador play each other, I tend to make a public appeal that the teams, as well as the fans, respect each other and the game. Carlos has told me before that I’m wasting my time and that the two will always be bitter rivals. There’s no problem with a little rivalry, but I still think we can be respectful rivals.
If I keep even one Salvadoran from throwing things at Chicharito, or encourage even one fan of El Tri to rethink and ultimately decide not to make an ignorant comment about Salvadorans, then I’ll be happy.
Here are two graphics I made which I encourage you to share around social media. Help me spread the word. Keep Calm and Respect Each Other. Mantengan la Calma y Respetense Uno al Otro.
Click for larger version.
Click for larger version.
While I was creating these graphics, I stumbled upon a photo of President Obama holding a blue T-shirt. I couldn’t help but do a little photoshopping.
Looks like Pres. Obama is a reluctant fan of La Selecta. I think his facial expression reflects what a lot of us are feeling about tonight’s game. We’ll put on the azul, but maybe we’re not feeling all that hopeful.
Either way, buena suerte to both teams. Win or lose, I hope they give us a good game.
Casamiento
Nope, I’m not talking about getting married – I’m talking about Salvadoran Casamiento.
“Casamiento” means “wedding” and it’s the name of a bean and rice dish in El Salvador. Although Casamiento is usually made from leftover beans and rice which are mixed together, it can also be made from scratch. I made a video showing all the steps – from making a simple pot of plain, white rice, to making a pot of Salvadoran beans, to then combining them along with some other ingredients to create Casamiento.
Because Casamiento is usually eaten with Platanos Fritos and Crema, I decided to throw that recipe in the video as well… So here’s the video, and the recipes are typed up below, too.
Plain, White Rice
You need:
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 cup rice (Salvadorans traditionally use white rice. I use Jasmine.)
1 3/4 cups water
a little less than 1 teaspoon salt
Directions: Heat oil in a medium pot. Add rice and stir around for a minute or two. (Do not brown the rice.) Add the water and salt. Stir just to distribute the salt and then no more stirring after that! Bring to a boil. Cover and lower heat to low. After 12 minutes your pot of rice should be ready. Uncover and fluff with a fork. If using for Casamiento, set aside or refrigerate when cooled.
Salvadoran Beans
You need:
1 lb. beans (these can be black beans or Salvadoran red beans/frijoles rojos de seda.)
1 medium onion, peeled and cut in quarters
a few cloves of garlic, peeled
water
salt
Directions: Pour beans into a large pot. Cover with water to rinse. Remove any debris or shriveled beans. (I don’t usually find anything to remove but it’s just a precaution.) Drain water and add fresh water to cover.
Now you have a choice – If you want to cook the beans as soon as possible, you can do a “quick soak.” Bring the beans and water to a boil, then cover and remove from heat. Let beans sit for one hour. This is a quick soak and your beans are now ready to cook.
If you aren’t in a hurry, you can simply cover the beans (without heating the water), and let them sit overnight. The beans will be ready to cook in the morning.
Once your beans have either been through the “quick soak” process, or have sat overnight, you’re ready to cook them. Drain the water and add fresh water again. Make sure the water covers the beans by about a half inch. Add the onion and garlic to the pot. Simmer the beans covered until tender. This can take up to five hours and you must frequently check the beans to make sure they have enough water. Add water when needed and do not let the beans cook dry or they will burn. NOTE: Do not add salt until the beans are completely done cooking. If you add salt while the beans are hard, they will not soften. When the beans are tender, add salt to taste.
Casamiento
You need:
3/4 cups green pepper, diced
1 large roma tomato, diced
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 to 2 tablespoons canola oil
2 cups cooked rice
1 cup cooked beans
1/2 cup bean broth (the liquid from cooking the beans)
salt, to taste
Directions: Add the green pepper, tomato and onion to oil in a medium pot. Cook over medium heat until onion and green pepper become tender. Add in the rice, beans and bean broth. (If you prefer a drier Casamiento, use a little less bean broth.) Mix until combined. Remove from heat. Add salt to taste.
Platanos Fritos
You need:
1 platano, (should be yellow with many black markings)
oil for cooking
Directions:
Use a sharp knife to cut off the ends of the platano. Slice through the peel length-wise to remove. Slice the platano in circles or quarters length-wise. Fry in a tablespoon or two of oil, flipping to brown both sides. Remove to a plate covered in a paper towel to drain. Serve with crema. (If you don’t have Salvadoran crema available near you, sour cream will do.)
Street Sounds of Soyapango
Today is Spanish Friday so this post is in Spanish. If you participated in Spanish Friday on your own blog, leave your link in comments. English translation is below!
Como escritora, me baso en la memoria de los sonidos del ambiente para llevarme de vuelta a otro lugar y tiempo. Cuando trabajo en una de mis novelas que se lleva a cabo en El Salvador, cierro los ojos y recuerdo lo que he oído.
Puedo oír el tráfico, los carros al ralentí, los bocinazos de los carros, los autobuses que pasan, y el chirrido de los frenos cuando hacen sus paradas.
Puedo oír las campanas del paletero, la voz cantarina de la mujer que vende quesadillas temprano en la mañana, los loros que hablan en los árboles, y baten sus alas verdes.
Puedo oír un aguacatero ladrando, una mujer barriendo la acera, los niños placticando en su camino a la escuela, los murmullos de un borracho caminando por la calle.
Puedo oír la lluvia a media tarde comenzando a caer – las gotas de lluvia caen gordas y lentas al principio, pero después hay un aguacero ensordecedor que ahoga todos los otros sonidos.
— Tu turno! Piensa en un momento y lugar. ¿Qué sonidos oyes tú?—
[ENGLISH TRANSLATION]
As a writer, I rely on the memory of ambient sounds to take me back to a different place and time. When I work on one of my novels that takes place in El Salvador, I close my eyes and remember what I heard.
I can hear the traffic, cars idling, cars honking their horns, buses passing by, and the screech of their brakes when they make their stops.
I can hear the ringing bells of the man pushing his ice cream cart, the singsong voice of the woman selling quesadillas early in the morning, the parrots talking in the trees and flapping their green wings.
I can hear a stray dog barking, a woman sweeping the walk, children chatting on their way to school, the mumblings of a drunk walking down the street.
I can hear a mid-afternoon rain begin to fall, the fat rain drops slow at first, and then a deafening downpour that drowns out all other sounds.
—Your turn! Think of a time and place. What sounds do you hear?—
