The Taco Shop

Last week’s posting addressed the near infinite flexibility and universal appeal of the Mexican tortilla. Perhaps its most noble task is that of efficiently conveying a variety of fish or meat (beef, pork, tongue, chicken), beans, onions, chili peppers, shredded cabbage/lettuce and salsa from the plate into the mouth of the holder. We know this gastronomic delicacy as the “taco.”

With a food so delicious, so portable and so easy to craft, it is no wonder that every village spawns sites where the hungry traveler can acquire just such an item/s.  Yelapa is no different. Any enterprising family is free to host a taqueria (taco shop) by repurposing a vacant patio, an unscreened window or by simply planting one or two plastic tables along the pathway. A small grill sears the meat while a wooden press flattens the disc of fresh maza into the appropriate size; large for quesadillas and regular for tacos. The serving area is populated with all forms of condiments. Lastly, in either small bowls or squeeze bottles reside the various colors, temperatures and flavors of that particular family’s salsas. The client is free to add whatever they choose. The repast is paired with either cold beer, jamaica or agua fresca   (freshly squeezed juice of the: cantaloupe, guanava, mango, watermelon, papaya or pineapple). Plan ahead and only order a quantity which fits on a single plate. Follow-on orders are expected and welcomed.

A taco visit for me (Memo) and Diana typically plays out as follows: Memo-one quesadilla, two tacos, one agua fresca; Diana-something between two and four tacos, one agua fresca. Total bill, less than 100 pesos ($8 USD) Do I have your attention?

Allow me to take you on a taqueria tour of Yelapa:

Senor Taco

Located up the river pathway just behind the restaurants on the main beach.  

Janet’s

Adjacent to the main path after you cross the bridge and start heading back toward village center.

Ramona’s

On your right side down the ramp which borders Yuri’s Tienda.

Abuelos

Past Ramona’s on the path between the casino and Isis Laundry.

Olivia’s

Travel up the path which leads past Leticia’s Store. Olivia’s is situated across from the billiard hall.

Yolanda’s

In the center of the village adjacent to the municipal steps.

Note: Hours of operation and nightly specials are posted. This list may be incomplete as new shops open/close each season.

Cultural Note: Do not arrive in Mexico expecting to experience a preformed hard-shelled taco filled with ground meat, crumbled cheese and chopped tomatoes. This item only exists north of the border and is rumored to have been developed by a test kitchen in Des Moines, Iowa. The design flaws associated with this product were vividly demonstrated in the movie The Three Amigos.

The Mexican tortilla is a marvel of ingenuity. Beauty, simplicity and edibility, literally, all wrapped into one. Buen Provecho! Memo

 Commercial Break

Witness the wonder of a sunrise Yelapa Yak Trip. One half kilo of fresh warm tortillas will be supplied to any couple engaged in a half-day rental and launching before 8 a.m. You can’t beat that.

La Tortilla

The humble tortilla is Mexico’s national bread. It is available from wheat flour which yields a smooth, pliable tortilla, or from corn flour which crafts a thicker but less pliable counterpart. Edge to edge the basic tortilla is approximately six inches across. Larger models, used for quesadillas and smaller models, doubled up and used for small tacos exist. These sub-groups fall into the category of specialty versions. Current pricing on a kilo of fresh tortillas is 9 pesos ($0.75 USD)  

In Yelapa, there is actually a fully mechanized tortilleria.  A large stainless steel, twelve foot long machine consumes raw ingredients via a hopper at one end and emits perfectly shaped warm corn tortillas out the opposing end. Work begins early enough so that one kilo packages (roughly twenty tortillas) can be packed into thermal coolers and delivered first to the handful of markets sprinkled throughout the village and then to a dozen restaurants plus the numerous taquerias. This delivery system consists of one young man on a small but nimble blue scooter. His movements throughout the village are announced by blasts from his metallic horn.  With commercial deliveries completed by mid-morning, he straps a blue cooler onto his scooter and cruises the streets marketing his remaining product to passersby or repeat household clients. As before, his progress is punctuated with the scooter’s brassy horn followed by his announcement “llegaron tortillas.” (Tortillas have arrived) By late morning, all product has been delivered and he retires for the day. This cycle repeats itself seven days per week, three hundred sixty-five days per year.

The combination of high humidity plus the absence of preservatives dramatically limits the shelf life of these life-sustaining disks. A paper wrapped kilo (just over two pounds) of product can be stored no more than two days. One way of extending this shelf life is to cut the tortilla into strips or triangles and fry them. This now alters the original product into chips/strips (totopos/nachos). These are placed alongside a bowl of salsa and disappear in countless Mexican kitchens before dinner.

I recently attended a birthday party for the twelve year old daughter of a good friend. The parents, both of whom are accomplished chefs, decided to produce a large pot of spaghetti topped with a rich meat and chili sauce. Seated immediately adjacent to me was a gregarious five-year old muchacho. Now, understand that pasta is not something you’re likely to see coming out of a Mexican kitchen. There is little, if any use of pasta in general. My diminutive table mate appeared quite perplexed. His repeated attempts to stab, spear or otherwise impale the spaghetti onto a fork proved futile. He paused pensively for a moment and then did what every kid in Mexico would do. He reached into a napkin which folded neatly over a nest of tortillas. His little hand re-emerged with a single item in tow. Transported to the plate in front of him, the tortilla lay empty for a second before a fork, surgically employed scooted spaghetti up and over it. Filled to some predetermined level, my neighbor carefully rolls the tortilla, pinches it and transports his tortilla full of spaghetti and meat sauce directly into his tiny mouth. Dilemma dissolved.

Commercial Break

In observation of today’s topic, I will offer a free fresh half kilo of tortillas to any new kayak booking throughout the balance of March. Some rules do apply but they’re pretty minimal. See you on the Playita.     

Yelapa Rediscovered!

A few days back I received an e-message from Patrick, a sometimes Yelapan, but reluctant resident of Chicago. He states that two friends will be visiting Yelapa. I am to act as guide and extend the opportunity to kayak the bay. A quick mental scan of my calendar reveals that I can accommodate just such a request. On the identified day, Brad and Dan arrive at the town pier having departed Puerto Vallarta roughly an hour earlier. While the morning remains overcast; they revel as the mid-day temperatures flirt with 80 F. Their mid-western turf currently “enjoys” its third major snow storm of the season. Daily temps crisscross the freezing mark.

The pair is easy to spot as they depart the water taxi. Like other visitors to Mexico, they spend the first day or two lounging around the pool or at the beach only to acquire a certain glow which wll remain uncomfortably over the balance of their stay. Spirits undaunted, they launch into a day of discovery in Yelapa with Memo. Our first destination is the town waterfall, an easy ten minute walk from the pier. They chat about their ride on the water-taxi and the various passengers. The path up to the waterfall quickly envelopes hikers in lush jungle foliage. Off the left side we hear the sounds of the creek which just seconds earlier dropped fifty feet into the pool at the base of the falls. We stop at the rosewood workshop and view, with appreciation, the crafts of the Rodriguez family. Our journey overtakes a sidewalk display of necklaces, beads and handmade shawls. We stop, we speak, and we smile as the woman details, in her best English, the time involved in creating the various crafts. We arrive at the falls well ahead of other travelers. A few moments watching, listening and absorbing are serenely special.

My guests retrace their steps; greeting oncoming traffic with a smile and an “hola.” A right turn at the corner of Leticia’s market returns us to the main path/road-Marlin Street. There are no street signs in Yelapa although most streets do possess some  label. The names are long forgotten due to lack of use or need. Only the elders of the village recall such trivia. For the ensuing three quarters of an hour, our trio ambles along, stopping to investigate some plant or flower, or to glance between buildings to gain a bearing on the bay. Unoccupied tables adorned with flowered clothes plus the disarming smile from Angelica beckon us to lunch at El Manguito. We offer no resistance. Nourished and thirsts quenched we return to the path. There is a required stop at Patrick’s house to “ooh and aah.” Debbie, a friend and local massage therapist who is currently house-sitting, grants the visitors a tour and extends her unique blend of expat hospitality.

The last leg of our journey summons us. It is a half hour stroll from Patrick’s house to the main beach. Ancient guanava trees create trellises where vines blend and offer shade. Passing small neighborhood stores, we enter one of the many beachfront restaurants. We are politely ushered to a table, my guests enjoy a margarita and I a Pacifico. Moments later I bid them “adios” and we part company. As I head towards my home, I realize that somehow/sometime I became muted by the visual beauty which surrounds me. It was reset today through the act of sharing with others. Dan and Brad discovered Yelapa with genuine appreciation through fresh eyes. Thank you, gentlemen for a most enjoyable day.                    

Commercial Break

March roared in with high tides and strong currents. Generally, not a good thang for beginning kayakers. If you are thinking of renting kayaks during your stay, please allow some flexibility as to when you wish to rent. If the surf is too active for your skill level, then I will urge that we reschedule for your safety and enjoyment.  You can reach me here in Yelapa via my cell 322 146 5064 or email: billrisdon@gmail.com. Hasta luego.

Two Gentlemen of Yelapa

Sunday morning arrives in the little bay of Yelapa. Kayakers populate the waters. Two water taxis rest on the beach awaiting a weekend spiff before returning to service Monday morning.  Blue stretches over the entirety of Banderas Bay. Another day in paradise unfolds frame by frame. And yes, Diana and I (Memo) have just returned from our weekly birria ritual at Shambhala. Life is good.

There are two gentlemen I would enjoy highlighting so that you can grasp the variety of people and personalities who inhabit our village. The first is Mario the popsicle vendor.

Mario is one of numerous food vendors who commutes to Yelapa from some not-too-distant village. Others transport coolers containing meat, chicken, bolillos, tomales, and tortillas. Mario totes two mid-sized coolers customized with several layers of duct tape.  Arriving in Yelapa mid-morning. he commences his route at the town pier and continues to the main playa where he departs at 2:30ish. He is the most sought after vendor in town. Allow me to illustrate. One day Diana and her good friend Erin were catching some tan time on the playa.  Half way down the beach they observed a large gathering of humanity. As they approached, the sounds of gleeful children, swooning women and cursing men were discernible. At the epi-center of all this was Mario and his twin coolers. Diana and Erin quickened their pace to a full on sprint arriving just in time to purchase the last two treasures. The particular flavor was unimportant, it was the shear possession of the popsicle which mattered. Just for the record, Mario offers five flavors: chocolate chip, butter pecan, strawberry, coconut, and lime. All include a core of rich yellow vanilla ice cream. Locals buy them in pairs; on a warm day the first popsicle cools the palate and sets the stage for the second one to be enjoyed as slowly as possible. They can actually “read” the popsicle not unlike their men “read” the sea. They know where and when to bite just in advance of any portion melting and dropping onto the sand. This is an evolutionary adaptation which has taken place over several summers.      

Our second chap is Pancho, the pharmacist. He arrived in Yelapa around the first of the year and rents a small space at street level in the building in which Diana and I live. His store hours are roughly 9ish-6ish daily. A personal cell number appears on his overhead sign. I have detected his returning as late as 11:30pm as he attends to a local or a visitor in need.  Over the past two months, his inventory and his client base have grown. Virtually all our ex-pat friends now deal with him on their medications. In the USA, a medical practitioner is forbidden from any ownership position with a pharmacy. The logic is that there would be a conflict of interest as the physician would clearly be enriching himself based upon the medications he prescribed. There is no such prohibition in Mexico. Pancho, who is also a semi-retired medical doctor, is delighted to refill a stateside prescription should the need arise. For him it is not an issue of conflict of interest, if in his opinion the nature of the request is reasonable, then in the interest of good customer service, he locates the medication through his supply chain, transports the item back to Yelapa and contacts you when it is available for pick-up.  It’s a win-win deal. He generally occupies a white plastic chair strategically positioned in the center of his entryway. Daily anywhere from three to five children are found at his feet reading from a book, telling a story or just sharing some intricate aspect of their brief lives. He smiles to each of them and accepts that he has become their Pied Piper. He is a peaceful man.         

 There are roughly twelve hundred stories in the village of Yelapa. You have heard two. Over the coming weeks I will endeavor to acquaint you with more.

Commercial Break

All the kayaks are washed, tuned and ready to go. MARCH SPECIAL-One free liter bottle of water to groups of three or more involved in a half-day, mid-week rental. Your choice of regular or mineral on the water.