Letters to Santa (Update)

"Mama, do you think Santa exists?" she asks knowing the answer as she sits across from me in the Indian restaurant that we decide there is a reason we never come to.
I arch my eyebrows at her. "What do you think?" I smirk.
She grins back, "No?... Yes?... No?... Yes?" there is a hopeful upturn to her voice, as she knows quite clearly that this is about her consumer thrust and not about her deep-rooted belief in some mystical fat man that will plummet through our non-existent chimney.

"So, uh, Borders is closing..."
"We're not going shopping today...."
"I wish..." she later says, and lets her voice trail dramatically, hanging between us and our saffron paneer and chicken tikka masala.
"Not today, kid. I'm tired. And I hate crowds."
"I know..." she feigns dejection.

When we get home she sits down and diligently writes in a notebook, her room is cleaned up and she looks as if she were doing homework, except that she's already on vacation and did all her make-up work before school was out.

She sneaks in and shreds the previous petition to the Santa mama. She has, she claims, an updated letter (replete with an orange Christmas tree on top, with a star at its peak, and an animal of dubious provenance that she asserts, with an arrow, is "Ruddolf") and could I make sure that Santa gets it? This looks much more like a wish list than a sweet, innocent petition of credulity.

Dear Santa,

This year for Christmas I would like these things...

1. Converse (Black)
2. How 2 draw everything book
3. The encyclopedia of immitureity [sic]
4. funny t-shirts
5. Batteries
and possibly if my mom agrees a stuffed animal

Thank you!

I./Little I. [names omitted to protect the innocent, but both her given name and nickname were included, just in case]

P.S. Give your elves my regards.

Letters to Santa

Just in case you were thinking that because we are Jewish, we escape the Santa clause... a not-small, sheepishly-grinning girl delivered this missive to my hands for my "review."

Dear Santa,
I hope you don't mind me asking, but could you possibly come to give me presents? All I really need is to know you exist. The thing I really want is a "how to draw everything" book and a good set of pencils, markers, and possibly good paper. Anything else is optional.

Thank you so much,
Little I.

P.S. Happy Holidays!
P.P.S. I would also like a nice stuffed animal -- Please!

Literary thoughts from the almost 11 year old

So, I. and I, as we know often frequent (free) lectures on campus, colloquia on literature (Mexican and otherwise) and films of every sort imaginable. It makes me smile when she claims that she "loves" reading subtitles, for example, or when she has particularly poignant and insightful things to say about the talks that we have attended. I'll admit, she is as likely to snuggle up and sleep on my arm (like she did recently at the Autry Museum while three of my dear friends were panelists on stage), or read her own book (like she has done for years during conferences sponsored by my home department), but the fact of the matter is, like it or not, this is a kid who has one ear in EVERYTHING at all times.

Her adorably snarky retort (and deflection of compliments alike) would be: "Well, I am your daughter." (In fact she used this on me just today as I praised her for her valiant attempt at writing a thank you card in Spanish... yup, she's a heritage speaker, alright!)

That said, her most recent reports on books that she has read for class (and she plows through much more than one book a month; is often annoyed by having to do a report on one that takes away from her other reading) have been quite something. I shall collect them here, for posterity, or for bragging rights, or both, just a little reminding the putative audience that these are all entirely her words. She is my girl, after all.

After listening to a reading by Sandra Cisneros, she read The House on Mango Street and reports:

The House on Mango Street

By Sandra Cisneros

Esperanza is the oldest child of four that moves to an ugly home, where she finds herself friendless. She is a 10 year old girl living in Hispanic Chicago. Finding friends is a challenge that Esperanza has to learn to deal with, and it is the thing that helps her grow. She lives on a street that is anything but the dream home her mama and her papa always talked about, but at least it was not an apartment, and had no stairs.

Not long after she moved in, did she meet Rachel and Lucy. Rachel and Lucy are not well-educated and are wild, but they are the only friends that Esperanza has. The whole book is told in vignettes about people on Mango Street and how different they are from each other. Another thing the vignettes tell is how Esperanza makes friends and how her life changes as she gets older.

One particular vignette that really stood out for me was: “And some more…” which is a vignette about Esperanza, her younger sister, Nenny, Rachel and Lucy looking at clouds when they start arguing about whose mama is fatter and whose mama makes better tamales and silly stuff like that. The reason I chose that vignette is because I realized that my friends and I argue about the same sort of silly stuff.

There were other vignettes like that, and different and I felt I could connect with the character. At the end of the book, Esperanza realizes that even if in the beginning your home is not your dream home, if you try and connect with the community, if you like it or not, it will become your home.

This month's report was on a biography, and she was so excited by Annie Oakley and her proto-feminism that she talked my ear off about her for the entire week following her reading (and even while distracted by the very engaging Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins)

Annie Oakley: Legendary Sharpshooter by Jean Flynn

(Also consulted: Bull’s Eye: A Photobiography of Annie Oakley by Sue Macy)

Annie Oakley wasn’t always her name. Her parents named her Phoebe Ann Moses. In her childhood she was nicknamed Annie. She was the fifth child born out of seven. Annie’s mother and sisters thought her tomboyish. When Annie’s father died of pneumonia, Annie’s mother moved to a smaller farm and made a living working as a nurse, helping women who were giving birth. At age seven Annie decided to do her share by making traps her father had taught her when he was alive.

When Annie was eight she took down her father’s rifle from the fire place (which the children were forbidden to use), and went outside to shoot. After that she was her family’s hero. When she had too much for her family, she would sell it to the hotel. People always liked buying game from Annie because it was always shot in the head.

In 1867 her mother remarried and had a daughter named Emily. Sadly, soon after Emily was born, her father died. There was so little money that Annie was sent to live with Samuel and Nancy Edington. Soon after she was sent to the Edingtons, a man named Mr. Wolf came and asked for a girl to help at his home. He promised to give her good food and schooling and she would still be able to shoot. But, when she was sent there, it was nothing like the “He-Wolf” (Annie’s name for the family) had said. She was underfed and abused. She was so over-worked that she didn’t have time for riflery, or schooling. After 2 years of this, Annie ran away.

She came home finding her mother destitute and her stepfather dead. Too poor, Annie’s mother had to send her back with the Edingtons. Once Annie gave her mom enough money she came back. Annie’s mom thought she needed a proper education. She took Annie to the city. There she stayed with her sisters and brother-in-law. Her brother-in-law taught her about men’s guns clubs, and for the first time, Annie heard about pleasure shooting. When a man by the name of Frank Butler heard of Annie’s talent, he challenged her to a competition. Annie and Frank’s relationship grew as Annie, “sent notes” to Frank’s dog, “George.” After less than a year of sending notes to one another, Frank finally proposed. Annie and Frank became performing partners. Later on Annie changed her name to Oakley.

In a shooting contest in the mid-west, Annie met Sitting Bull. Annie reminded him of his daughter who had died some years before. Sitting Bull offered to adopt Annie and it was a start of a big, big friendship. A couple months after this, Annie and Frank joined the Sells Brothers’ Circus. When traveling in New Orleans, Annie and Frank liked the look of an entertainment show called “Buffalo Bil’s Wild West.” When the shooting season was over, Annie and Frank were left jobless. To show that Annie was her own person, Frank became Annie’s manager. At first Buffalo Bill was skeptical of this 110 pound shotgun. Annie proved herself a success.

Annie worked with Bill for a few years, every year more famous. They went to England and became huge there too. After that they quit for some unknown reason. They went back to the circus and after about 2 years went back to Buffalo Bill. Annie kept shooting and practicing well into her 60s. Many people think that Annie is from the West but really she was from Dark County, Ohio.

Annie died in 1926 at age 66.

The legend of Annie Oakley is well known, but her reality needs to be renewed so I had great pleasure learning about this amazing woman.

Caldo tlalpeño

This is a "caldo tlalpeño" so named for the city of its origin, Tlalpan, now a zona in the southern region of Mexico city. Its most notable features are the use of a piquant chipotle broth, and melted cheese. It would typically eat as a meal, but can be served with heated tortillas, quesadillas or even warm bread.

To make this soup, you begin with a large (Large!) pot of broth: I always use boneless chicken breast (but for a richer broth you can use bone-in... involves more work than I am willing to do). Several (free-range, organic, local is best) breasts, salt, onion, garlic, even some celery if you want... you will discard these vegetables after you strain the broth. Set boiled chicken aside to cool, and then separate with a fork into bite size shreds to be reintegrated later.

In a stock pot: add chopped large onion, 2-3 garlic cloves, 1-2 tomatoes (Mexicans never bother to seed and blanch, but if you feel so inclined, you can... also, you could add a little tomato paste to brighten the tomato flavor), add 4-5 chipotles (plus sauce when using canned chipotles), sautee until this mixture becomes mushy. You can puree if you feel so inclined... I don't often, something about the joy of getting a whole mouthful of pepper is part of the excitement of this dish. Add your strained broth back in to this mixture and begin to simmer.

Add: 1-2 cans (depending on how much broth) cooked garbanzo beans, wash before adding, and rub between your hands to remove the majority of the skins. I always cook my garbanzos myself in a pressure cooker, but more for economic (and health!) reasons than taste. If you choose this route, they should already be cooked before you start.

I also like to add some rice. Lesson learned from last night: adding uncooked rice can make for a surprising amount of cooked rice in the final soup... best to pre-steam some rice and add it towards the end, or use a cautious amount, so it won't suck up too much liquid. Of course, you can always add extra broth etc... but... let's try and "fix" the problem before it arises.

Optional vegetables: Mexicans often add carrot, zucchini to their broths (caldo). Other common additions are diced potato or chayote (Mexican pear squash) or green beans. I used red cabbage instead last night and it was delicious. Feel free to experiment, making sure that the vegetables won't have a jarring flavor combination. For example: cauliflower would be ok, broccoli, definitely not. Adding vegetables to soups has always been a way for me to trick I. into eating them, when she was younger and didn't like them on their own. It has become habit to "improve" on the quality of soups this way, but don't over-do it, this soup is delicious in its simplicity. All vegetables should be chopped into small pieces, and the broth should be the salient feature, hence its name.

Add shredded chicken and optional veggies back into the simmering broth. Adjust salt, and add an extra chipotle if you feel it needs a bit more kick : )

Give it about 15 minutes for the flavors to marry and then you are ready to serve.

Garnishing:

Cheese: queso oaxaca, or mozzarella di bufala (or fresh cow's mozzarella too) would work best, last choice would be the American variety sold for use on pizza. Second best, muenster or sharp cheddar . You are looking for a high fat content to add to the chewiness. The cheese shouldn't be the type to disintegrate or make the soup creamy, but it should become stretchy and not just be a hard lump. Cut the cheese into little cubes, or hebras (strings) they should be spread out in the bowl to maximize pleasure.

Note on authenticity: This soup really NEEDS the cheese and should not really be considered "optional" if your guests are not allergic. You might consider adding this to the bottom of the bowl before serving, so that it will have some time to get melty and gooey before their first wonderful mouthful.

In bowls to be added at will by others:

Quartered limes: in Mexico most broths are not considered worthy until a squeeze of limón has been added.

Chopped scallion or onion: if using scallion, you can use some of the green part too.
Sliced radish: both these and the onion are typical garnishes on pozole. (I don't usually use them for my caldo tlalpeño, but I can see the value in using them for some, and many cook books claim they are essential.)

VERY necessary (in my book): sliced avocado, it really adds to the richness of the soup.

Y ya está. Guaranteed to clear your sinuses and warm your mucous membranes, if not your heart... and I have it on good authority that the chipotle doubles as an aphrodisiac :)