Yucatan Living

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• Working Gringos 19 years ago

  Kathy: We think you may be on to something. As you probably know, many Cubanos have expatriated to Yucatan and they have been dropping their "S's" around Merida ever since. On the other hand, if you know any culture that is short "N's" or "V's" let us know. We don't use them here.

  Gina: Absolutely. Duly noted and added to the list. Have you noticed that from the driver's point of view - looking out the windshield - everything really is always ahead of you?

  Eduardo: Thank you so much for your insight and the history of Mariaelenas. Can you guess where we're going to eat next?

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• Eduardo Cabrera Ruiz 19 years ago

  LAS TORTAS DE LA MARIA ELENA

  A tribute of respectable tradition.

  Dear Working Gringos:

  This post was the typical list but in some way reflects some of our identity. Certainly Kalia (1991-2001) was not the only one, but yucatecos aged 40 or more remember "Bin Bon Bao" (1985-1990) disco, and years ago, "Barba Azul" (1970-79) as good places that might be part of this “Rosetta Stone” of local culture.

  As far as I remember -all yucatecos from my age use to do it- there is a place to eat in Mérida almost more popular than the Monumento a la Bandera itself.

  It is called "La Maria Elena" one of the greatest hits of Mérida's loncherías geography.

  Not just because of it´s strategic location –in the heart of the legendary suburb of Itzimná- but the name itself represents an honorable tradition from one of the urban meridano’s meal.

  In almost three decades “Las tortas de la Maria Elena” had made a contribution to our lifes by the way it socializes it’s product (I will charge for that!) in all publics: students, officers, police man, secretaries, political and religious leaders, teachers, messengers, bank executives and even the city major and all kind of huaches hang around just to satisfy an urgent need of this remarked torta made with the cheapest “pastel mosaico ham” and the lowest quality cheese we ever know. No mayonnaise, no vegetables, no nothing inside but this two “delicatessen”.

  The quintessential Yucatan eating experience of Wayane´s does not have anything in common with eating one torta of “La Maria Elena”. But hundreds of yucatecans crowding this lonchería every morning can’t be wrong when I asked my friends why they should prefer a $8 pesos torta, instead of enjoying one of Wayane´s high cuisine.

  I will try to explain as far of my PFFC ( Poor and Forgotten First Certificate) could allow me, hope you don’t mind:

  Some yucatecos told me that the secret is always there. (¿Where?, I asked)

  -You just stand there and order the number of tortas you want. (¿So What?)

  You must say: “Dos para comer acá” (Two for eat it here).

  This is to point out you have the time to stay and of course you are expected to be served earlier.

  You will see a lady in charge repeating loudly :¡Dos para acá! (Two for here) to someone behind a courtain.

  You never see or hear who or what’s behind the courtain where hundreds of tortas are served by a mysterious hand coming up every half minute.

  But certainly the secret is there and no doubt that it is an special oven or some kind of ancient machine that makes the pan francés the right grade of crispyness. ¿Could something be more enjoyable like that? The Maria Elenas does not have anything special than the way are coming from the mysterious oven: “calientitas” but the pleasure does not stop yet. You should realize that they come served in one cheap-plastic dish and a huge amount of jalapeño chilly and of course, any kind of chips you want to put inside. It is up to you choose a coke, a fresh water, but if you are not yucateco you will be asked:

  ¿De lata o de botella? (can or bottle?)
  
  Another theory –should I say psychological research line- suggest that this mix of crunchy delights tends to remind hundreds of yucatecos the kind of tortas they use to eat in their earlier eighties during the time they were students. Good theory. After all, I have been eating tortas since i was in kindergarden, then in elementary, high school, preparatory, career and recently on my master degree. A total addiction.

  But the fact is that Las Mariaelenas (please, notice this grammatical variation) have been survived among Hacienda´s inspectors, lots of imitators (There is a version called “Marianelas”) and even aggressive competitors that opened just in front of .

  Not to be considered that this place tends to be a sort of a social centre that stitch togheter many students generations, most of them coming from private high schools around and from all universities outside Mérida to pick up their “Maria Elenas” and then, go back to the classroom. I haven´t found any teacher to move students like this lonchería do.

  Two days ago I found between the crowd and old classmate from high school eating “Dos para comer acá” . We were chatting about children, wifes, business, but we didn´t realize that we were enjoying a ritual, in some way, more pleassant than save honors to our nacional heroes located 30 meters near by, at Monumento a la Patria.

  That’s what I call a tribute and I expected could stay longer.
  Long Life Mariaelenas.

  Eduardo Cabrera Ruiz
  ecabrera@cablered.net.mx

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• Gina Matthews 19 years ago

  there is one more missing in this list,
  cuando pides direcciones todos los "yucas" dicen "derecho" it seems like everywhere you go is "derecho" this is one word my gringo husband learned when we visited Merida and got lost many times going "derecho".

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• kathy 19 years ago

  Well, now I know where all those missing Cuban "s's" are. They must fly out of the mouths of the poor Cubans and land direcly across the water in the bocas del los Yucatecos. Hay que comer comida en vez del los "eses".

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