5:20am
Returned to East Dallas from Oak Cliff with 2 tupperware full of tortillas & another with diced onion & cilantro. Adrian scooped me up earlier that night around 9pm then headed directly to Fiesta. No list , from the heart, he gathers ingredients for a red salsa, tortillas and a marinated skirt. With each ingredient he delivers their intention thoroughly. Such as ‘the right limes should be thin-skinned’ or ‘ the romas will be grilled so ripeness not important.’ This being our first time kickin’ it in like 6 years we be chatting lots midst aisles. He really kept us on track and we were in & out.
Arriving back at his with our fresh supply, my 0% Stellas, and his favorite beer that was on sale. Jumping into it , he halved the onions for me to dice while he chopped a bundle of cilantro. Grill gets fired up for the romas, jalapeños, and serano and once everything is all chopped ‘n charred he brings out the Molcajete . Leaving me to it while he gradually adds in the onion, cilantro and garlic cloves. I continue smashin’ & stirrin’ while gets the chips goin’. Cutting the store bought corn tortillas into quarters he continues to spill his kitchen lore: ‘ Vegetable oil is the key to good chip flavor’.After they been sittin’ on the dryin’ rack we sprinkle the real good flaky salt.
This is our appetizer for his teaching and my learning the art of making flour tortillas from scratch ‘ like a Mexican grandma.’ I make them with flour, lard, and water then let them sit room temp for 15-20mins before rolling them into smaller balls to be pressed or rolled. Rolled with rolling pin for the irregular shapes and using his bright orange tortilla press for the perfect circles. We watch them bubble and puff. Once the perfect coloring (no signs of doughy) we transferred them into a towel inside the tortilla holder placing its lid back on top for its last and final process : steaming. Emphasizing ‘ a tortilla is not finished cooking until its steamed”. Success , joy, and abundance strike again. All along the way we reminded ourselves we are just having fun, not letting ourselves be pressed for time or perfection— Tortillas only.
Lastly the marinated skirt was thrown on the grill its cook getting cut short as the rain goes from sprinkle to heavy fall. The black & mild lit while out there still goin’ so we finish it under the awning while movin the meat to the oven. It gets late / early AM so after some tasting it is separated and tupperwared to be sent home with me. I snuff out the Santa Muerte candle I snagged from Fiesta. It was lit to invite Marvel to join us, a very good friend we both tragically lost. Today I lit it again and left an offering of Sopapillas, another art Adrian threw in midst the kitchen magick.
Gosh dang the veil is thin , Fairy angel mermaid of my heart we love you and miss you greatly. Marvel Dennis Faythe Bubeck.
💧🪦🌻
🕊️Tail
Tail Lore 