Teotitlán del Valle, Oaxaca

Brad and I decided to take a week long trip to Teotitlan del Valle, Oaxaca to visit our Zapotec friend Doña Antonietta. We met Doña Antonietta and her husband Lucio in Ajijic, where they visited and sold their wonderful tapetes or rugs. Together we created "Weaving Week in Ajijic" and brought a week long weaving exhibition and sale to the plaza in Ajijic.

Donia Antonietta, Brad and Lidia

Teotitlán del Valle is a small village and municipality located in the Tlacolula District in the east of the Central Valley Region, 31 km from the city of Oaxaca in the foothills of the Sierra Juárez mountains. It is part of the Tlacolula Valley district. It is known for its textiles, especially rugs, which are woven on hand-operated looms from wool obtained from local sheep and dyed mainly with local, natural dyes. They combine historical Zapotec designs with contemporary designs such as reproductions of famous artists' work. Artists take commissions and participate in tours of family-owned workshops. The name Teotitlán comes from Nahuatl and means "land of the gods." Its Zapotec name is Xaguixe, which means "at the foot of the mountain." Established in 1465, it was one of the first villages founded by Zapotec peoples in this area and retains its Zapotec culture and language.

The town of Teotitlan del Valle is extremely clean.  The town runs a recycling program and the street signs are in Zapotec.

Recycled material skirt designed by a local 8 year old for a school pageant

Antonietta and Lucio comprise part of the Familia Vicente Galan.

Brad studied with Antonietta's daughter Maestra Susana.  Lucio had handed down his knowledge of natural dyes and weaving to her and Brad was glad to have her as his teacher.

              

Susana y Brad dyeing with black Zapote

Everyone in Teotitlan is a weaver.  Everywhere you went you saw looms in the courtyard of homes and skeins of wool hanging from the rafters.

Susana's wool inventory....amazing !

Her home was a weaving compound with a big central atrium, with numerous looms and yarns distributed throughout for each family member's needs.

Susana's teaching area

Brad spinning wool

Damian looking at a cochinilla dyed rug

As I said, everyone in Teotitlan weaves, even the smallest of the family. That would be Damian who is 4 years old.  He and I hung out while Brad was learning from Maestra Susana.  Damian showed me his small loom and the first rug he had every woven.

Damian's child sized loom

Damian's first rug

Another family member who is an accomplished weaver is Susana's son Alex.

We watched Alex work.  Brad noticed that he is a very precise and quick weaver.

We were interested in natural dyes and techniques and Susana led us through the world of dye plants.

Of special interest was the Cochinilla that grew on the Nopal de Castilla.  It's vibrant red hue is one of the most prized and admired and a mystery to most people.

Harvested and dried Cochinilla

The hues of Cochinilla

Brad's Cochinilla dyed wool

A wonderful Cochinilla dyed rug

Brad's Black Zapote and Cochinilla dyed yarns

Susana taught us the varied plants needed for the dyes and we discussed

how to process and use the dyes and mordants.

Pomegranate colors

View from Antonietta's front door

 

Zapotec ruins in back of town church

Construction plans of church built over Zapotec ruins

Fco. on church steps

Brad and Fco. examining new adobe wall

Beautiful home in town square

We also took a day trip to Oaxaca City to see if our memories of it were still true.  Unfortunately what we saw was a city decaying with urban sprawl, dirty streets full of car traffic, Walmarts and Oxxos. The historic center offered a bit more tradition and history but it was also deeply infected.

After a few hours in Oaxaca City we high-tailed it back to Teotitlan del Valle.  It was a sweet welcome to be back in the small town with mototaxis and a few automobiles.

We had a meal at Restaurant Tlamanalli located in a beautiful, recently renovated

traditional home.

Brad ordered the black zapote ice and I the tlayuda quesadilla...yum!

There were so many wonderful weavings that we could not stop walking the town 

and visiting its many vendors and shops.

At the end of our trip we realized that we had purchased too many items

to pack in our bags.  Doña Antonietta was kind enough to offer to send

our packages to Ajijic.

Brads fibers packed into just one parcel.

Wherever you are...be it with family, friends or traveling, we wish for you 

the most peaceful, calm and satisfying

holidays this year.

Danzante Fco.

 

THIRD PAELLA FESTIVAL OF LAKE CHAPALA

ARROCERIA DEL LAGO

Nine teams cooked wonderfully different paellas, a testament to the fine dish full of flavors, imagination and camaraderie.

        By Fco. Nava


Winding up the hills of the Sierras above the Racquet Club, we arrived at our destination, the Fraccionamiento Residencial Constanza, the location of the 2nd Paella Festival of Lake Chapala.

At the top of the hill, with an amazing view of Lake Chapala, the billowing white chandeliered tents marked the spot where nine teams of culinary challengers gathered to test their cooking wares and passions. This year’s teams were Huerto Café, Casa Albufera, Paella Valeriana ,Sazon de San Juan, Gastronomo Callejero, La Paella de Pedro, La Cocina Española, Paella Mimendi and Paella Don Alfonso.

La Arrocería del Lago organized the festival. The passionate organizer of the festival is Paco Romero, “architect by profession and cook by vocation.” On a trip to Valencia, Spain, he fell in love with paella and learned how to cook it. Regarding his initiative to create the paella festival, the promoter of Arrocería del Lago commented: “I am going to come to live here, so this festival is my welcome to the lake and the lake to me. The participants are basically amateurs, people who like to make rice dishes. I hope that the festival will grow and that professionals will also join in future editions”.

Paco Romero

In the paella pans glistened the ingredients of various version s of the dish: yellow, red and orange bell peppers, onions, clams, mussels, squid, snap beans, shrimp, crab, scallops, sausages, bacon, asparagus, chicken, rabbit, pork, green beans, zucchini , paprika, habaneros… and the sacred saffron.

The Lake Chapala Paella Festival was, above all, a space for camaraderie and “covivencia.” The cooking teams truly seemed to be enjoying themselves and the event. Some of the paellas were ready to serve as the event started, while others were well on their way to being completed

What is paella?

The dish takes its name from the wide, shallow traditional pan used to cook the dish on an open fire, paella being the word for a frying pan in the Valencian or Catalan language. As a dish, it may have ancient roots, but in its modern form it is traced back to the mid-19th century, in the rural area around the Albufera lagoon adjacent to the city of Valencia, on the Mediterranean coast of Spain. There are now many types of paellas and each is different…hence the variety seen at the 2nd Paella Festival of Lake Chapala.

From Valenciana paella to a version made with rabbit, the variety drew your eye to the delicious paellas. Some were made with seafood while others incorporated red meats and vegetables. The flavors ranged from sharp, strong essences to milder, more balanced faire. Each was subtly different.

And the aromas whetted the appetite of the diners who kept arriving and arriving.

Beverage sponsor Tequila Tromba was on hand to pass out samples of their

product. Those who needed something stronger were provided with a full, no-host bar. Red and white wines were served with the meal.

An Andalusian gazpacho was also served along with a Patata Tortilla.

Pancho’s Market provide appetizer plates of select cheeses and cold meats. A special treat was an appetizer plate of Iberian ham.

Dessert consisted of pay de coco a recipe created by Tania Romero, owner of “Pay de Co.”

Tania Romero

The Winners

As diners enjoyed their desserts they also cast their votes for their favorite paellas. The winning paella was Paella Valeriana followed by Huerto Café’s seafood creation. The Cocina Española took third place.

Rocio Meillon, Huerto Cafe

After the flamenco dancers concluded their performances and as the sun set beautifully over Lake Chapala, the 2nd Paella Festival of Lake Chapala started coming to an end. As we left the unique event, we heard music and laughter waft through the hills. With the tables filled to capacity and all stomachs content, the 2nd Paella Festival of Lake Chapala was declared a success.

Lakeside Jazz Trio: Gil Rios, Arne Wernink and Ross Hubbell

Pilar Espectaculo Flamenco

Don’t miss the 3rd Paella Festival coming in May 2023.

Mariposario - Butterfly Garden in Jocotepec

Mariposario - Butterfly Garden in Jocotepec, Jalisco Mexico

Brad at Mariposario Entrance

Brad and I recently visited the newly installed Mariposario - Butterfly Garden in Jocotepec. As many of you know Brad raises Monarch butterflies at his home nursery in Chapala so we are invested students of Lepidoptera.

Mariposario Plan

Butterflies of Mexico City

We were greeted by Ameyalli and her brother Emilio Jr.  Ameyalli is a botanist and Emilio is a agro-engineer hailing from Hidalgo. They spend 2 weeks a month at the Mariposario in Jocotepec and return home for the remainder of the month. Their father, Emilio Sr. has been working with BioTu for many years.

Mali, Emilio Jr., Emilio Sr. and Ameyalli

BioTu is an organization dedicated to education towards sustainability based in Mexico that incorporates the knowledge of native peoples on how to live within natural limits with the benefits offered by the modern world.

 
We were the only visitors on the final tour of the day. The Mariposario was recently
opened in October 2022, so is still in its infancy of development, but there was plenty
to see and learn.

Some of the project learning boards

They also have an Aquaculture installation where they are growing tilapia, carpa y bagre fish.

The pool with the sunning turtles was an extra treat!

If you are interested in a visit, call for their tour days and times.

333-831-1260 Calle Rivera del Lago # 800, Jocotepec Mexico (next to the Malecon at CETAC)

Second Paella Festival of Lake Chapala

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                        

SECOND PAELLA FESTIVAL OF LAKE CHAPALA

 San Juan Cosala, Jocotepec, Jalisco Mexico – November 3^rd, 2022

The Second Paella Festival of Lake Chapala will happen on Saturday November 12th, 2022 at 2:30 p.m. in San Juan Cosala, Jocotepec Jalisco.  This event will be a culinary competition challenging the competitors to outdo each other by creating traditional and alternative forms of the well known dish.

Live music will be heard in the open air by Lake Side Jazz trio.

There will also be flamenco music throughout the afternoon from Pilar Villasante Espectaculo Flamenco. 

Entry to the afternoon of food and fun is $470 pesos per person. Ticketed entry includes Gazpacho, Tortilla de Patatas, Paellas, Dessert and a complimentary glass of wine.

A no-host bar will be available.

Reservations should be made beforehand at the phone #’s listed on the invitation.