Carni as in Carnival (The Firebaugh Canteloupe Roundup was in full swing while I was visiting my mom) and carnivorous as in total abandonment of my vegetarianism. My mom made me her, actually quite famous, beef tacos and then we made 4 dozen beef enchiladas which is one of my favorite dishes when I was growing up (we froze most of them for future use). Also had barbequed pork ribs for my sister's 60th birthday celebration.
My hometown of Firebaugh, CA is the cantaloupe capital of the world, We supply the world with cantaloupes! When I was a kid growing up, there was a cantaloupe parade (in which I performed in multiple years (either playing my clarinet or doing folk dancing), a cantaloupe queen and attendants (based on fundraising ticket sales, not necessarily beauty), dances every night of the 4 days, the roundup carnival, big truckloads of free cantaloupes, and lots and lots of food booths put on by the local churches and community organizations to raise funds for their various activities. It's a much smaller affair these days but still a significant community event. My mom's beef taco recipe was the featured item for the St. Joseph's Church Altar Society booth. Those tacos gained a statewide reputation and people came from miles and miles for those tacos, ordering a dozen at a time. It was their biggest money making event for the year. My mom headed that taco booth for decades then gave it up when my dad died four years ago. It was just too painful for her to do it without him helping. All of us in my family helped in some way with that taco booth over the years. Once it changed hands, they changed the recipe and within two years it went completely downhill, people complained about the change and whoever was now in charge stubbornly refused to go back to the original recipe. After another dismal year the booth closed down. So while I was home and because the carnival was in town, I asked my mom to make me some original recipe St. Joseph's Church Altar Society beef tacos, which she most lovingly did! I have to admit that I did make a change to make them less fattening which was to not fry the corn tortilla before stuffing it with the seasoned shredded beef, lettuce, tomato, and parmesan cheese. It still tasted GREAT! My mom and niece had the real deal, fried tortilla and all. Great memories with that meal. Then because beef enchiladas take a lot of work to make the enchilada sauce and season the ground beef correctly, my mom just can't do it on her own anymore. I told her I would help her make several dozen so she could freeze them for future use. They freeze really well and they make for a great dinner when she has company. It was a really good project for us to do together and then getting to eat the product of our efforts was fabulous. I also love bbq pork ribs and have about zero discipline when it comes to eating meat when it is all around me. Bob is so much better at being able to resist and stay with his vegetarianism. So even though I feel terribly guilty after eating meat, it doesn't impact me much when it comes to the next meal. I try to think of it as an experience in cultural melding--when in Firebaugh, do as the Firebaughians do (to paraphrase a well known saying). Had a really great visit with my family, got to see a lot of my sisters, nieces, nephew, grandnieces and grandnephews. It's good when my mom and I can share projects as there is not much to do in Firebaugh though we did make the rounds at the carnival.
Since getting back, I've been busy shopping for lots of various items to take to India, organizing all that I will need for the five weeks there, taking care of all that needs to be attended to here during our absence, and preparing the apartment for our absence and the arrival of six guests staying here over the time we are away. It's turning out to be more than I had anticipated. Thank goodness we don't leave for the airport til Friday evening. I need all the time I can get. Tomorrow I get a break and will go to Wave Hill Gardens with Margaret. Our first car outing. Should be an adventure! It's looking more promising that I will have reasonably good internet access at the ashram. Perhaps I will blog from there.
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