The pandemic isn’t over yet. But the pandemic look has to go.
It’s time
Category Archives: Life of Marcos
Things that have broken since the pandemic started
In no particular order.
- One burner of the electric stove
- Microwave
- Fridge
- Garage door opener (door 1)
- Garage door (door 2)
- My wife’s car’s AC
- My wife’s car’s tire, not patchable
- AC (clogged drain line)
- My iPhone (water in Face ID and main camera)
Gorditas de harina
As a boy in Monterrey, I grew up eating “gorditas de harina”. This is a regional pastry that is either not known in most of Mexico or whatever they call by this name is very different. For me, there were two gold standards:
First and best, those made by Fernanda at my grandmother’s house, where I’d down them by the dozen (not healthy). She retired around 25 years ago and I never had them again.
Second best were those made by Chelito at the JCC (aka “el Club”). Loving members of my family would bring me large frozen packages of them up until she retired about two years ago.
So I was surprised when my aunt Jenny shared Chelito’s recipe:
They’re easy enough to make even for someone as useless around the kitchen as me (Ilán helped, though). And it seems like baking is the thing to do in a pandemic, and if my aunts can do it so can I. I am capturing it here for posterity.
Gorditas de Chelo
- 1 kg flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder (Rexal)
- 3 eggs
- 1 can of unsweetened evaporated milk (Carnation Clavel)
- 400 g (2 cups) lard / vegetable shortening (Crisco)
Pour flour, baking powder, sugar in a bowl. Add lard and mix with fingers. Add eggs. Finally, add evaporated milk. Mix well. Let it rest for a few minutes. Make balls and use roller to give the desired shape (~12 inch circle, thick). Cook on a griddle.
Update Jan 3, 2022: If using the electric griddle that allows adjusting temperature, set to 300 degrees and cook 5 minutes each side.
If you make them, let me know! I’ll make more soon, since my batch lasted only two days.
Mohn
A lot of people took some time to write or call me on my pandemic birthday this week. Shlomit made it super special. Thank you!
But a notable mention goes to Debbie and Arturo for sending me my favorite desert: A whole poppy seed strudel.
I ate half for dinner in one sitting. I didn’t sleep well but it was worth it. Too bad I’m socially distancing so I can’t share with you. Too bad.
Want a shout out in The MKX® (who doesn’t)? Give me food I like!
Goodbye, Civic
Today I sold my red 2008 Honda Civic Coupe EX-L. We had countless adventures together in the span of over 10 years. What a great car. I will miss it.
The Civic is in great shape, but it was an extremely tight fit with two car seats in the back. So I had to make a choice: get rid of the car, or get rid of the kids. It was a close one… but I decided to keep the kids.
Voting
Here we go again, voting for a President, although this time it’s Mexico’s. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy the whole thing was. Let’s hope I’m pleasantly surprised at the results too.
My little Mexicans
After 3 and 0.25 years (respectively) I’ve finally taken action and ensured that my poor two little kids have a team to root for in the upcoming World Cup.
Last Friday we went to the Mexican Consulate to finalize the process for making them Mexican Citizens. ¡Felicidades!
#2
Yesterday morning at 8:08 AM officially marked the end of the few slivers of free time I could hope for when my second boy was born. I am glad to report that I’m mostly doing great, except for being a little bit sleep deprived. Shlomit is also doing amazing, and seems to be a real pro at this whole popping children business. But the kid has us all beat: he is good looking, alert, active, hungry, and well behaved. Takes after his brother.
We might be able convince Ilan to pose with him later.
Moving to India
A couple of months ago, I was made a very interesting offer: Move to Bangalore, India, in order to be the Technical Lead of a new R&D team being formed at the office over there.
It wasn’t an easy decision, but after lots of deliberation with my family, I decided to accept.
This will be a three-year stint that could be extended, starting in the fall. We’re very excited and looking forward to eating lots of Indian food.
Further information on exact date, farewell party, and so on will follow.
Early vote
Yesterday morning I exercised my newly acquired right to participate in the American democratic process.
This year’s choice was especially difficult, since none of the candidates is a demagogue that praises brutal foreign dictators, denigrates women, brags about sexual assault, demonizes immigrants from my country, denies scientific knowledge, nor provides a platform for white supremacists to come to crawl out of their holes.
The process was exceedingly easy. Voting station was in the library by my house. All you had to do is follow about 200 signs like the one below, positioned 12 inches apart, to the polling station. Only two people ahead of me in line.
You vote on these machines that were probably state-of-the art back in the Bill Clinton vs George H. W. Bush. Not hard to use for me, but definitely something that would confound my mom. Doing a write-in must be especially rough, kind of like typing on a new Apple TV. Good thing “Mickey Mouse” is not that long of a name.
Conveniently located in a corner outside the library: a taco truck! Delicious!
