A Market for the Senses

Strolling through a noisy, crowded marketplace in a small village, air perfumed by the scent of mangoes, fresh tortillas, and the exotic granada, anona, and chicayotes, sounds of a parade rise above the cacophony of market day chatter. The deep roots of Mayan, Spanish and Afro/Caribbean music and food creates a party that is distinctly Guatemalan.

Amid this wonderful saturation of senses are some of the most beautiful fabrics in the world Guatemalan hand-woven cottons.

Guatemalan Cottons

Before Spanish conquest, only plant fibers were used in weaving, which was done by women on a back-strap loom.

A Back-strap loom

After European contact, cloth was woven by Mayan men on a treadle loom, a tradition that continues today. Vivid, intense colors are woven into stripes or jaspe′ (ikat) that speak of the warmth of this land, the rich Mayan textile history, and the natural world in which this tradition thrives.

Nothing says festive more than a gorgeous Guatemalan stripe or ikat.  Heavier stripes and solids for a seat cushion or pillow, a banquette, a dining room chair or window cornice, yet pliable for that slouchy bag thrown over a shoulder for market. Ikats generally have a gentler drape that will cover a pillow or window, and mix beautifully into soft pants, shirts, and dresses. 

A Glorious Guatemalan Brunch

Pupusas de Queso
Fried Plantains
Over-easy eggs
Black Beans
Guatemalan Coffee

Pupusas de Queso (cheese-stuffed tortillas)
2 c. masa harina
1 c. water
queso fresco

Stir the masa harina and water together in a mixing bowl until smooth; knead well. Cover bowl, and let the dough rest 5 to 10 min.

Shape the dough into eight, 2" diameter balls. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each ball into 6" diameter round. Sprinkle 2/4 c. queso fresco over each round. Place a second tortilla over the cheese, and pinch the edges together to seal in the cheese.
Heat ungreased skillet over medium-high heat. Place one tortilla into the skillet at a time, and cook until cheese melts and tortillas are lightly browned, about 2 min. on each side.

Fried Plantains
Choose plantains that are almost black. Slice lengthwise and fry in either a small bit of unsalted butter or a neutral oil. Sprinkle with freshly grated cinnamon and serve.

Black Beans
Soak dried black beans overnight and cook in water or broth with quartered onion. Remove onion and cook down to thicken beans.

A Mayan Design

And now....a word from Reggie

I've been told that I need to talk about those furry things that I live with cuz I'm not supposed to hog all the space. So here's a story Mom wrote about the little gray thing.

10:00 PM Opera

It starts in the evening, but sometimes when we return during the day, the evidence is still there. Red rags strewn about, and sometimes a hand towel thrown into the mix. When I get up in the morning, I pick up at least three of the treasured red cloths on my way to the kitchen.

Red Rag

My husband and I live with three animals: Reggie, a rescued Pit from a shelter in heroin-land, Desi, our special needs cat, and Lucy, our last addition who got a bit of an attitude when we found out that this shelter kitty is pure Turkish Angora.

Although all three are hugely entertaining, Lucy has demonstrated a very unique talent. Somehow, this 9 lb. wonder can "sing" at the top of her lungs while running through the house with one of the red rags in her mouth. She'll then drop the cloth and continue the yowling opera for another minute. Never anticipating the moment of this performance, naturally I don't have my phone video ready. Not that this act could compete with the cat climbing straight up a bedroom wall, playing taps on the piano, or walking across the room on only its front legs. But, we're not big YouTube providers anyway. This just comes under the category of "you have to see this to believe it" for our friends and family.

Having read plenty of literature on cat behavior, and doing a bit of sleuthing on-line, I've found no explanation for this strange routine of Lucy's. Is she creating a nest? The Vet did say that she had obviously had a teen-age pregnancy. Are these gifts to be presented to my husband or me, like the half-dead mouse if she'd been outdoors? Or is she reaching back to her ancient feline wildness - a version of some primal prehistoric roots?

I decided, after all of my investigation, that it isn't necessary to understand why our pets do what they do. In spite of the wonderful "understanding your pet" shows on PBS, animals are still a mystery to us. I don't need to create an allegory for my own life out of Lucy's showmanship; I don't need to see it as a microcosm of the universe's balance, or another spiritual voice giving me guidance.

I just need to enjoy Lucy's uniqueness. We have a counter full of framed pictures of cats and dogs who have passed through our lives. Each one has brought his or her personality to the wonderful mix of love and play into our house. The crowd that now shares our space is as interesting in their interplay as any group we've had before. Reggie is cowed by Desi's fearlessness, and completely besotted with Lucy. Desi is the smartest and most curious cat we've had. Only he could figure out how to remove the cover over the mechanics of a whirlpool tub just to see what's in there. The morning and evening shenanigans of Lucy and Desi together, along with Reggie's demand for chase-the-squeaky-green-alien play is the best stress-reliever ever.

Poems have been written about our pets, our own human attributes have been assigned to them, and metaphors have been created to make a good read. But really, our beloved critters deserve more than that. Let's just give them the simple acknowledgement of their important role on our planet. They give far more to us (even the independents like Desi) than we give to them and, like all creatures, they're a window into the amazing world beyond us humans. So I just sit back and enjoy the show for exactly what it is: Lucy doing her thing with great delight, and giving me a free ticket to see it.

Lucy