Nacatamales

I really do live on a farm. Animals are everywhere, the roof leaks when it rains sometimes and the fresh food lasts all day. It is possible to have too much corn. Had tamales (made from sweet corn masa or dough) as well as regular corn on the cob and tortillas. The community of Cenizabu, where the big baseball field is, decided they do not want a youth league.  Walking back and forging the river, had to recognize that not everyday is going to be perfect with a big success story. Everyone in Cuatro Esquinas wanted to know what happened-it’s like a bad game of telephone. It’s called chisme or gossip. Met my immediate neighbors. 4 of my youth live there, but with their aunts because their mother’s work in Managua. It is very common to have a family member in each family work in Managua or Costa Rica- the pay is better and more consistent. They have no other source of income and need to buy all their food since they do not technically have land.

So you have to do what nature intended with the chicken first. And the duck (apparently the duck was bothering the chickens- so he had to go too). My host mom got a big kick out how I already knew how to depluck both-thanks MERCK Forest!)

 Grandma Zoccorro taking care of business! The duck and chicken are barely recognizable in a few short minutes. She is older than 80 by the way. And bones- they get wacked really hard with the machete.

 Choice cuts of both birds. The innards go to the dogs and pigs. Got a 101 anatomy lesson for poultry.

 Both Lidia and Zocoro taking care of the duck.

 Mixing the masa (dough)-corn dough of course. Everything is literally done by hand. Nica women have the strongest hands in the world!

 Nacatamales-corn dough, rice, potatoes, piece of meat, sauce, wrapped in a steamed plaitain leaf-done!

Got to watch how tamales are made. First cut the kernals off a lot of corn, then grind into dough, then wrap in steamed corn leaves. The trick is to pour the dough in and fold the leaves over so it all doesn’t spill out before you put it over the fire in a big pot. Sticking to only planning to do 2 things at the most everyday. Also bucked up the courage to ask Edwin for shelves for my things.