the mission is now closed...

Sometimes you need to say, "Enough is enough!"  Sometimes it is time to say cue the finale and ed the show. Today is that day and I wanted to let all 12 of my dedicated readers know that.  Okay, that's a slight exaggeration, but you get the point. I started blogging in May of 2005 as a creative release and to have a place to share my sometimes outside of the box thoughts on life, God, politics and sports.  Now my life is going in another direction and I need to free up the time to make things fit. I'm still passionate about politics.  As recently as this weekend, I thought we should offer Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-Ind.) who said on Saturday that Obamacare should be repealed because it "...shows a disregard for the will of the people" a deal.  Here's the deal I'd offer since he seems to believe it is the job of our political leaders to follow the will of the people. Pass the gun control initiative that was defeated in Congress.  The people overwhelmingly support it. Raise taxes on those making more than $150,000.00 a year.  Again, the people overwhelmingly support it. End all this talk and pass the debt limit extension and a continuing resolution to fund the government so even more people do not lose their jobs. Finally Mr. Stutzman, if you feel strongly that we should follow the will of the people regarding Obamacare, fine, repeal it, but then replace it with a single payer government backed system for all Americans since that would truly reflect the will of the people. Of course I am still passionate about God and in fact, my time serving in Mexico as a host receiver for short-term teams increases every year.  I will continue to write about that over at Notes from Dave, where my latest post is about American Exceptionalism and Mission.  I also send out a weekly Monday Mission Moment that you can subscribe to through my ministry, Adventures in Life. I still love sports and will continue to follow my teams, albeit not as fanatically and I will still be thinking and writing about life, just in another context.  After over 20 years of living, working and traveling in Mexico, I've decided to dedicate the majority of my writing time to that great country.  I'll be writing about the people, the culture, the art, the food and the beauty that can be found not just in the normal tourist areas, but off the trail as well. To that end, along with my good friend Joe Ramirez, who will providing most of our top level photography, I have started a new WordPress blog dedicated totally to my experiences in and around Mexico and her culture. It's up now, has a few posts and I'd love you to visit, give us a look.  If you like it, please take the next step to subscribe and recommend it to your family and friends, asking them to also subscribe.  We want to win a few awards next year for our work and no matter how good your blog is, you need readers, so please, come on over to Dave Miller's Mexico and follow me on the journey to My Mexico! Blessing to all of you.  I'll still be commenting here and there when something catches my fancy or gets my goat, but this will be my last post here at the mission. (All material posted on this blog is the sole property of Dave Miller (c) and represents his personal views.  This blog is in no way, nor has it ever been officially associated with Adventures in Life Ministry, for whom Dave has worked for over 20 years.)

Give the Gift of Water... literally!

$100.00. One Benjamin.  A C-note.  One bill. What if I told you that by giving just $100.00, you could change a family’s life?  Would you do it? What if I told you that $100.00 could be the single most important ministry gift you make this year because it could save someones life?  Would you make that donation? And what if I told you that by giving one C-note, you might save a little boy or girl from dying of dehydration?  Would you empty your change jar and instead of turning it into Coinstar, give it to Adventures in Life Ministry? Here’s the newsflash... it’s all true! That’s right.  A single donation of $100.00 to Adventures in Life Ministry, in response to this appeal will literally save lives. Let me explain. More than 10% of all babies born to indigenous women in Mexico will die before they reach five years old.  I have personally heard from many parents that one of the reasons they have so many kids is that they assume at least one child will die young. One of the main reasons for these early deaths is lack of quality water.  Many rural parents lack an ability to buy clean water and often, they are living in an area with no potable water source or sewer system.  That means two things... one, outhouses and two, water from polluted wells near those outhouses. Taken together, this is a recipe for disaster, especially mixed with a lack of quality medical care when your baby does get sick. So, how can you help? With a Sawyer Water Filter. It really is as simple as that.   A $100.00 donation will help a family in our little corner of Oaxaca, Mexico have a water filter that will literally change their life.  Pastor Chable, with whom I’ve worked for many years told me in March that his family has not been sick since they got their filter in August.  It is the first time in all his life that his family has ever gone 6 months without being sick! Incredible isn’t it? In an age when almost everything we want is at our fingertips here in the United States, our neighbors just to the south are needlessly dying for need of quality water.  And we have within our grasp the ability to change that equation for less than the cost of a few Vente Mochas at Starbucks. Think about it.   Every $100.00 will give us one filter to put into the hands of a family in Oaxaca and help support the ongoing ministry of Adventures in Life and Pastor Chable in this challenging area. Are you able to help us save a life today so that we will have the opportunity tomorrow to share about an eternity with Jesus?   If so, follow this link to our support page and then drop me a line to let us know you are on board.

Through the Looking Glass as Americans Celebrate Up as Down and Down as Up

One mans trash is another mans treasure.  Or, to put it another way, if I like a policy, it's good, if you do, and your politics clash with mine, you're an idiot. That about sums up the mess we call Washington these days.  Especially in regards to the current kerfuffle over Benghazi. It used to be that certain tragedies were just that, tragedies and not some partisan cudgel to be wielded for future political gain.  Administration officials were generally given the benefit of the doubt about “fog of war” incidents and responses. The nation came together under President Reagan when our Marines were bombed in Lebanon in 1983 resulting in 241 deaths.  Even though President Reagan’s Sec. Def. Casper Weinberger warned against putting the Marines on the ground in Lebanon, there was no call for impeachment and no charges of incompetence. No one was calling the incident, and our retreat, a giant government scandal even though this happened in the run up to the 1984 presidential elections. In response to the brutal act of terror that took the lives of our Marines, President Reagan relocated the remaining soldiers off shore on ships to keep them safe and then within a few short months, withdrew them totally. Did we hear a peep from anyone denigrating the quintessential conservative president for retreating even though in a February 1984 radio broadcast days before withdrawing our troops, he stated that Americans “never cut and run” right before we did just that? Did we hear people expressing anger for negotiating with Iranian terrorists when in fact President Reagan did just that, even personally admitting it later?  How about when the Bush Admin was actively negotiating with the Taliban?  Was that scandalous?  Of course not.  It was sound government policy based in the Kissinger model of realpolitik. Up until Barack Obama was elected president, our Commander in Chief was given wide latitude by his political opponents in the areas of foreign policy and leadership of the military. Even when those policies led to unspeakable human tragedy, as was the case in Lebanon, Vietnam and later Afghanistan and Iraq, partisanship was generally left at waters edge or engaged in at your peril When Jane Fonda mounted a North Vietnamese anti-aircraft battery in 1972 and was critical of her president and US foreign policy, she was pilloried for being anti-American.  When Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks was critical of the pre war run up to the invasion of Iraq, her career was decimated by Americans demanding to know why she was not being patriotic and supporting our president. And yet when entertainers like Ted Nugent call our president a Nazi and Hank WIlliams Jr. says President Obama hates Americans and essentially state that he is unAmerican, we hear nary a peep from the same voices that slammed people like Fonda and Maines. Clearly, there is a double standard in operation and it looks like this. When it happened on a previous presidents watch, no matter the party, it was a tragedy.  When it happens on President Obama’s watch, it’s because he is, choose one, or all, incompetent, a liar, a communist, a socialist, or just plain stupid. When people were critical of past presidents, they were anti-American, now in some Alice in Wonderland twist of logic, they’ve become patriots. I said earlier that we had not seen this type of behavior before in recent American politics.  I fear that we have left that age behind.  Sadly, the Democrats will be hard pressed to withstand the pressure to respond in kind if and when the GOP finally gets one of their own in the White House again.   Even sadder will be the defense that Dems will mount on behalf of their actions by partisans angered by the foul treatment President Obama received at the hands of the political right. We are a sorry lot.

Spring in Oaxaca... while teachers protest, kids are left behind...

Scene from 2006 teacher protests If it is spring, it must be time for the annual teacher strikes in Oaxaca.  This year instead of descending on the city center, thousands of teachers have made a pilgrimage to Mexico City to voice their displeasure and share their plight.  Others have taken up the call to block highways and generally disrupt life in their attempt to publicize their cause. Each year, as surely as the swallows return to Capistrano or the monarch butterflies descend on Pacific Grove, teachers in Oaxaca organize strikes, marches, demonstrations and protests, disrupting life across the state. And each year, thousands of children in one of the most impoverished states in the country are deprived of good quality education as these teachers leave their communities and classrooms to take part in the annual protests. Yet you will never hear that from the teachers. They will never tell you about parents that must leave kids alone at home because class has been canceled.  They will never tell you how far behind Roberto and Julia are in their studies because their teachers decided to take another day or week off of classes to protest.  And they will never tell you that many teachers in Oaxaca have never received any formal training to be a teacher. They won’t tell you these things because it does not serve their purpose. If you travel, as I have, in the villages of Oaxaca and talk to the parents, they are fed up with the powerful teachers unions.  How, they ask, can their kids get an education if you never know when a teacher will show up?  The frequency of the teacher strikes and the demands of the union leadership for participation in those strikes are not helping solve the education challenges in Oaxaca.   They are exacerbating it. Teaching in Oaxaca is not easy and at some point, people reach a boiling point as they did in 2006, almost bringing down the state government of Ulises Ruiz Ortiz.  For a good look at that fateful time, watch the documentary "Un Poquito de Tanto Verdad."  I was there and can tell you, while this movie has a bias, it rings true and is pretty accurate.  I get that wages are low for teachers.  I understand that many of the schools are pretty crappy.  I’ve been in some of those tin walled rooms on hot days in Oaxaca and it isn’t pretty.  I can tell you from experience how hard it is for a family to buy the necessary uniforms and supplies for their kids to attend school. Many of the schools in Oaxaca are miles away from the people or, if they are close by, lack the basic necessities like electricity and running water.  In some areas school is taught by video satellite and discipline is enforced by a different untrained parent each day.  The challenges that are faced with educating population groups that grow up speaking indigenous languages and have no written alphabet are legion. But teachers walking out of classes to get the attention of the government officials is not the solution.  The only people hurt by this shortsighted strategy are the children the teachers claim to be helping. The teachers union, known locally in Oaxaca as Seccion 22, APPO, and the government of Gabino Cue must find a way to solve the educational crisis in Oaxaca in a way that benefits everyone.  Ignoring the teachers, refusing to negotiate and walking out on classes and leaving thousands of children behind to somehow educate themselves is not the answer.  Grow up people, Oaxaca, her children and her future are depending on you!

Mezcal! Understanding the new hippest drink in America…

I watched as the young man, hoping to one day be called a maestro mezcalero waited nervously.  He’d come to In Situ, the mecca of mezcalerias where Ulises Torrentera, the Godfather of Mezcal in Oaxaca, holds court daily in his quest to show off the finest mezcals in Oaxaca. Ulises Torrentera at In Situ, Oaxaca And here he was offering a taste to this modern day romantic and Diego Rivera lookalike.  As Ulises tasted, he asked questions before offering his verdict. For many Americans, the idea of mezcal conjures up images of Clint Eastwood in one of those old spaghetti westerns with a cigarette in one hand and a worm-laden bottle in the other.  But as Ulises explains, those days are long gone as mezcal is starting to take its rightful place among the worlds great spirits as it emerges from the shadows of its cousin, the better known tequila. Mezcal, an intoxicating drink that can immediately transport you to a place of incredible memories is quickly becoming a spirit trend-setter in United States cities like Seattle and Chicago.  Part of the reason for this is the wide variety of mezcal that is being distilled across Mexico, but primarily in the southern state of Oaxaca. I recently sat down with Ulises to learn what makes him tick and see what I could learn about this great drink, for as my friend Paco Garcia says “Oaxaca is mezcal and mezcal is Oaxaca”, or as he explained it, “David, you cannot understand Oaxaca until you understand mezcal!” In a wide ranging interview that went from terroir [it’s vitally important] to his desire as a young child to be a writer we started with the early history of mezcal. Mezcal… a look back Mezcal as we know it has existed for over 400 years despite the insistence of some that it has become an overnight success.  Discovered and distilled originally by the indigenous people of Mexico, mezcal has lived a checkered past. L to R: Ulises Torrentera, Dave Miller and Paco Garcia For a while mezcal suffered the type of persecution more familiar to spirits in the neighbor to the north. Accused of being responsible for all types of evil, perhaps its biggest sin was that it was the favored elixir of the poorer classes for their fiestas and celebrations.  The Spanish ruling elite of Mexico laid the blame for everything from childhood ills to local crime, violence and corruption at the feet of mezcal, which naturally led to its prohibition. Fast forward to the mid 1940’s and the industrialization of tequila. Mexico, steeped in its macho culture embraced tequila, tossing aside the poorer cousin mezcal that was often seen as an unrefined drink for the lower classes. It wasn’t until the mid 1950’s that we started to see the modern version of mezcal begin to take shape in an area east of Oaxaca City, known as Matatlán, the Cradle of Mezcal. Brewed in clay and copper pots at local palenques, local mezcaleros the same methods handed down by their forefathers hundreds of years ago when  used then, and still do today, the same methods of distillation used hundreds of years ago by their ancestors. The maguey and process Brewed in clay and copper pots at local palenques, local mezcaleros use the same methods handed down by their forefathers hundreds of years ago when the indigenous people of Mexico discovered that if you distilled the pulp and juices of the maquey and agave cactus you could make a powerful elixir. Once that maguey is harvested it is cooked in essentially an inverted volcanic oven.  It is then treaded out under a millstone before going into wooden vats to ferment.  Next, depending on the mezcalaro, it is distilled a number of times and the bottled for delivery. As Ulises said, this process has remained mostly unchanged over hundreds of years.  Perhaps the biggest change being the addition of the copper still, although some palenques still use the classic clay pots. Magueys Espadin, Tobala and Madre Cuishe There are three magueys used in the majority of mezcal from Oaxaca, the most popular being the Espadin.  This is what most Americans think of when they think mezcal.  Tall with spindles sometimes reaching over 6 feet, the Espadin takes over 7 years to mature. While the maturation process takes years, the good thing about the Espadin is that it is easily reproduced.  That is why you can see farms with literally hundreds of this type of maguey planted around the countryside in Oaxaca. The other two principle magueys used are the Madre Cuishe and the Tobala. These magueys are prized for the complex flavors they bring to mezcal. But there is a problem brewing.  Both the Madre Cuishe and the Tobala are less plentiful than the Espadin and can take up to 15 years to reach maturity, double the Espadin.  Despite efforts by some dedicated mezcalaros, notably the Garcia family of Wahaka Mezcal, there has not been much success in reproducing or replanting either of these magueys. Ulises calls this a looming crises.  If the efforts at reforestation of these magueys are not successful, there may not be enough wild product to satisfy the growing demand of people desiring the subtle nuances they bring to mezcal.  What will the industry do he asks if we suddenly find ourselves facing a shortage?  It is a question few really want to ponder, choosing instead to hope that somehow nature will solve whatever problems come. Yet even as the mezcaleros face this issue, some are choosing to mix and blend other types of magueys as part of their strategy to survive.  These efforts at mixing flavors give us what Maestra Mezcalera Cecilia Rios, La Nina de Mezcal, calls the beauty of mezcal. Unlike tequila that strives for a certain consistency, every type of mezcal is different and takes you on another adventure.  And while part of that difference is due to the wide variety of magueys used for mezcal, another large factor is where the maguey is grown, sometimes known as terroir. Terroir To many, this is the central most important thing that influences the taste of the maguey and by extension, mezcal.  The environment, the soil, the altitude and the weather all combine to play a crucial role in the final product. A finely tuned palette can taste the subtle differences in minerals, local flora and climate of the area where the maguey is found. It’s one reason many believe that both the palenque and the mezcalero must be close to their maguey.  It is this proximity and familiarity that connects all of the dots.  By being at one with the land, knowing his plants, his local environment and using the same processes passed down through generations, the mezcalero closes the circle with their ancestors. This, in Ulises opinion, is indispensible. I asked Ulises if he thought mezcal would ever break out of its niche in the United States.  He said he hoped not because he wanted people to come to Oaxaca to try the great mezcals. Why? Because Oaxaca is mezcal and mezcal is Oaxaca! Measuring up I watched as the young man, struggling to keep his composure, answered all of Ulises’ questions, knowing his future was on the line.  And then came the moment of truth.  The taste.  Ulises swirled it around in the glass and smelled it.  He took one, two, maybe three sips before finally giving his verdict. Yes, he’d be glad to put a bottle of this mans mezcal on the wall of the greatest mezcals in Oaxaca and thus was born another in the long line of maestro mezcaleros. © All rights reserved by Dave Miller [A special thanks to Ulises Torrentera, Cecilia Rios, Paco, Beto and of course Ed Draves of Premier Wines for help on this article]

It's Friday, but Sunday's Comin...

I think I was 19 years old when it happened. I was up at a Christian Camp in the mountains, with my soon to be wife and hundreds of my closest friends.  The place was packed because that particular year, we had someone speaking to us who was unlike anyone else we had ever heard way back in 1978. His name was Tony Campolo and he was to become a larger than life figure for me. Throughout the weekend Tony weaved a call to serve the poor with Jesus call on our lives, admonishing us to do something great for God with our lives. I remember one person shared with him that she wanted to be a doctor in the nice suburban area where she had grown up.  Tony looked right at her and asked why she would want to do that when she could serve the poor and make a real difference.  "There will always be plenty of doctors to serve the haves" he said, "why not help those who can't get to a doctor?" She was devastated by his challenge. I was stunned. For the first time in my young life, the Gospel made practical sense and I made the decision that weekend to give my life to missions and serving the poor. Almost 15 years later, in 1992, along with a friend, I founded Adventures in Life Ministry to do mission work in Mexico.  Add another 20 years on that, and today, the majority of our work in Mexico is centered in the state of Oaxaca, the second poorest state in the country. There is no other way to say this... I am a missionary because God used Tony that weekend and over the years to touch and call me in ways I never expected. At the end of that conference where I first met Tony, he shared his now famous "It's Friday, but Sunday's Comin'" sermon. I think it's appropriate today on Good Friday to take a listen and reflect...

Coffee in a Barrio? Of course... in Oaxaca!

The Church of Saint Matthias in the Barrio Jalatlaco Coffee in the barrio? Yes please… When I am in Oaxaca, inevitably, I will be spending time in El Barrio Jalatlaco, the oldest neighborhood in the city.  When I first started coming here back in 1999, good coffee was something desired, but seldom found. Thankfully as this area of the city has started to find it’s personality, it has left behind the vestiges of years of coffee abuse at the hands of Nestle and their ubiquotis brand Nescafé Classico, or as it is known here, No es Café! Now we are seeing a growing coffee and culture in Jalatlaco anchored by Café El Agora, owned by Arnel Cruz, longtime owner of Casa Arnel, a wonderfully quaint bed and breakfast hotel that has been in the area for years.  (Full disclosure, I have stayed at Casa Arnel many times and count the owner Arnel as a friend.] Think of Café El Agora as the gathering place.  Holding court at the corner of Aldama and Hidalgo, Café El Agora has been open a little over two years.  In that time it has gradually increased its menu and is now offering baguettes and breakfast alongside the typical coffee house menu of frappes, lattes and cappuccinos.  Weekends also give you live music in this beautifully designed shop. If an up and coming crowd, live music, coffee and a snack is what you are seeking, this place is for you. Next up is Café Xiguela, located a block away in the shadow of the Church of San Matias.  This is the anti-hip option in Jalatlaco.  It serves up organic coffee and has an extensive tea list.  Small and friendly, Xiguela is only open until the afternoon. The coffee is good, fresh and strong, the way I like it.  Xiguela is quiet and they also offer free Wi Fi, not an option at Café El Agora. With lots of tables, clean restrooms and plenty of snacks to munch on, it’s a great addition to this part of Oaxaca, and if you need to work and connect, it’s perfect. Finally, we take a look at Café Blasón, located kitty corner to Xiguela in Jalatlaco.  This is a small place and it is more like a coffee bar.  In fact with only four tables, their bar is actually filled most nights with people talking to the baristas like they might talk to their local bartender. Now if you’ve been in Mexico for any length of time, you will recognize the Blasón name as one of the more famous Mexican coffee brands.  For years you could only find this brand in local tienditas and supermarkets.  The trouble was, what you found then was not what you would want to drink.  Think dry, bitter and old. But the product that this company store is offering here was remarkably smooth.  I ordered a latte and it was strong, but not overpowering.  Just like I wanted it.  The barista even added a nice little touch of latte art. I went back a few days later and ordered a half kilo of their coffee and it made a great, smooth pot of coffee. So here’s the deal… you just want coffee?  Go to Café Blasón.  Looking for a quiet place to work while getting some great organic Oaxacan coffee? Head over to Café Xiguela.  And if you are on a date or maybe want a late night snack for cena, you can’t go wrong at Café El Agora. All three are within a block of each other in the Barrio Jalatlaco, the oldest corner of Oaxaca City, Oaxaca, Mexico.  And all three are, in their own right, adding a few distinctive touches to the growing reputation of Oaxacan gastronomy and cuisine.

Tlayudas Done Right... San Jacinto Amalpas, Oaxaca

The tlayuda sometimes spelled clayuda, is a handmade traditional Mexican dish consisting of a large, thin, crunchy, partially fried or toasted tortilla covered with a spread of refried beans, asiento, lettuce or cabbage, avocado, meat, Oaxacan cheese and salsa. But the above description from Wikipedia is like saying Willie Mays was just a baseball player, Josh Grobin just a singer or Michael Phelps just a swimmer.  They are all technically true, but woefully miss the mark in explaining true greatness. You see, when it’s done right, the traditional tlayuda is more than just a Mexican dish, it is one of the anchors of the gastronomical galaxy known as Oaxaca. The tlayuda is an all star baseball player, an award winning singer and a multiple Olympic gold medal winner all in one.  And if you ever find yourself in Oaxaca, you need to get a taxi right away and head over to Tlayudas San Jacinto. When you arrive the outside is going to worry you if you don’t typically eat off the beaten track in Mexico.  It’s just an opening in a residential area with blue steel doors and a banner that tells you the place has a good, clean atmosphere.  Yet, as soon as you walk in, you realize you are somewhere special, like an enchanted garden.  Lots of greenery, bamboo like plants, umbrellas and a rich almost tropical feel.  It is as if you could sit there all day, and you can because once you walk in, you are treated like family.  There’s even a playground if you bring the kids. The menu is simple and hangs from the ceiling.  Tlayudas.  Pick your topping.  Beef, pork, ribs, skirt steak or eggs from the grill.  Add your drink, soda or beer, and you’re all set. Once we ordered, it took about 15 minutes for our food to arrive. And here’s what you get.  A gigantic fired roasted quesadilla like creation stuffed with cheese, black beans and finished with your desired topping.  I had the eggs, which came perfectly fried hard.  Now, I’ve had lots of tlayudas around Oaxaca, but this one was different, because the tortilla was cooked to perfection. When I picked it up, there was no sag at all.  This wonderful creation was crispy through and through, the result of just the right amount of time over the coals.  The beans were not over the top and there was just the right amount of that great Oaxaca string like cheese, quesillo. Once I added avocado, chepiche, a Oaxacan herb, and a some roasted chile de aqua, it was off the charts wonderful. Now, I’ve got to tell you, this place can be hard to find.  It’s in the Colonia San Jacinto but it is not along the row of the other locations that sell tlayudas.  Look for the San Jacinto signs that call you to this little slice of heaven in Oaxaca and prepare yourself to fall in love with this all star of Oaxacan cuisine, maybe for the first time, or all over again. Tlayudas San Jacinto Colonia San Jacinto Amilpas Calle Benito Juarez #11 Tlayuda and a soda... $6.00 con una cerveza… $8.00

Dinner in Wisconsin... a little bit of midwest food and culture...

I’ve been in Wisconsin a few days for a conference.  One of the joys of travel is the chance to partake of the local culture, particularly the food.  This trip was no different. Even though my time was limited, I was still able to get a sense of what you might find in a small rural Wisconsin town like Ripon, [pronounced rip - en] birthplace of the Republican Party and home to “Ripon Good Cookies.” As s our custom at this conference, our first night is dinner at one of the local eateries.  Our host Randy, a Wisconsonite, asured me about halfway through dinner that we were indeed in what would be known as your typical Wisconsin supper club. If what I experienced was a supper club, it was clear pretty early I was not in Las Vegas anymore. We went to Alibi’s Dining and Spirits.  For Tuesday Taco & Pizza Buffet Night... Including the salad bar for only $6.99. As someone who spends considerable time in Mexico, you know I was excited to get a chance to experience some good Mexican food north of the border.  Being all you could eat was just a bonus. I started with the salad.  Shredded iceberg lettuce, cherry tomatoes, a few sliced bell peppers and topped with... wait for it... Bac-os!  Top that off with some Hidden Valley Ranch and you get the classic American Salad.  Without any real bacon, because bacos only contain some artificial bacon flavor. Next up was my trip to the pizza bar.  As I surveyed my options, one pizza caught my eye.  It was a different looking concoction with some type of mystery meat melted into the Wisconsin cheese topping. I took it back to my seat anxiously awaiting the upcoming explosion of flavor when it happened.  On my first, and only bite, the pizza oozed everywhere.  I sat there trying to somehow compute in my brain what had just happened.  I was holding what felt like pizza and had the shape of pizza, but was unlike any pizza I have ever had in my life.  There before me was a half eaten triangle of gooey, cheesy, meaty pizza dripping thousand island dressing and sauerkraut. Yep, you guessed it.  I had unwittingly picked up a slice of Rueben Pizza and it was now dripping all over the table.  I may have had a worse tasting pizza in my life, but I would be hard pressed to recall it.  Never before, and never again will I ever eat a Rueben Pizza.  It was absolutely horrible.  You’d think the international pizza review board would have prevented this idea from ever moving forward. As I sat there facing a two strike count, I knew there was no way I was going to hit the hard slider known as the taco bar, but I had to try.  So up to bat I went. And there it was.  In all it’s full glory, the classic midwest interpretation of the taco bar.  6 flour tortillas, a pan of thin crispy hard pre-cooked shells and of course, seasoned hamburger meat.  Add in the canned refried beans, more shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, the generic guacamole from a factory and some pico de gallo sin chile, and you’ve got all the makings of a first class taco. Notice the yummy hard shell tortillas You know what?  This was the best part of the meal.  Was it Mexican?  Not at all.  Was it good?  Of course.  And it was a lot better than some odd pizza concoction exploding all over the table, and my face. Add in the Spotted Cow Beer from Wisconsin Brewery New Glarus, and you hardly noticed the downsides of the night. Would I go back?  Probably.  On Pizza, Salad, and Taco Tuesday?  Never.  And neither should you, unless of course you want to live dangerously and get the Rueben Pizza.  Just make sure you take your bib. Average price, $7.00 - $15.00 for dinner plus your beer, a Wisconsin must. Alibi’s Dining and Spirits, Ripon, Wisconsin.

Dinner with Dave... at Casa Oaxaca

Last night, after a long week of ministry, I had the pleasure of taking my wife to one of the best and most acclaimed restaurants in Oaxaca City... Casa Oaxaca. Chef Alejandro Ruiz has definitely created a magical place to sit, relax, and enjoy the full impact of the rich flavors that make up Oaxacan gastronomy. Situated in view of the historic Cathedral of Santo Domingo, we were seated on the rooftop terraza, perfect to watch the sunset and the sky change colors before us. As the captain seated us, he took our initial drink orders and soon returned to make our salsa for the evening right at the table.  Carefully hand grinding guajillo chiles, garlic and onions in a molcajete, our salsa was made complete when roasted green tomatoes were added.  He then invited us to try our fresh made salsa on a blue corn roasted tortilla sprinkled with asiento [seen above with both chile and herb salt].  It was wonderful, made even more so when paired with a margarita or some Real Minerva Madre Cuishe mezcal.    Soon our salads and appetizers arrived and they were visually stunning.  Chef Alejandro says that a chef is like a painter seeking a balance between colors.  He certainly succeeded here. I had the shrimp stuffed avocado role while my wife had the tropical salad.  Both were wonderful.   The roll, seemingly floating on a sea of cilantro dressing was carefully sliced and stuffed with baby shrimp and cheese and then topped with perfectly cooked chicharrón, or pork skin bits.    The tropical salad which was adorned with passion fruit, mango, avocado, slivered almonds and goat cheese alongside a wonderful jamaica dressing.  If your grandmother ever told you to avoid lettuce when traveling in Mexico, forget it!  Next time you are in Oaxaca, you’ve got to try this salad. Next up were our entrees, vanilla scented shrimp and a traditional tlayuda topped with rib eye steak. The tlayuda was covered with that wonderful Oaxacan cheese, quesillo, and the steak was perfectly done, just as I had ordered.  But I will warn you, unless you are extremely hungry, plan on sharing this one.  Perhaps a slightly smaller tlayuda would make this seem a little less daunting. The shrimp platter was unbelievable.  Who thinks of pairing shrimp, vanilla and an apple puree together?  Only someone daring enough to stretch your ideas about food.  Grilled to perfection, the shrimp, when touched with the puree was simply out of the world. Finally it was time for dessert and we were presented with an extensive dessert menu complete with paired dessert wines.  At the waiters suggestion, I had the flan of the day, a wonderful coconut infused version topped with a dollop of ice cream and a rose petal.  My wife had chocolate rolls, one stuffed with a chocolate ganache and the other a guanabana cream... both were light and wonderful. Served with coffee and Oaxacan chocolate covered espresso beans, the dessert was a wonderful end to a fantastic meal made even better by the sounds of latin jazz wafting up from the courtyard below. If you decide to go, you can walk from almost any place in the city.   Located on Avenida Constitución, between Reforma and 5 de Mayo, make sure you get reservations on the weekend as this award winning restaurant fills up quick. As for cost, dinner for two, including appetizers, drinks, a great view, incredible service and tip will run about $100.00US.  Well worth it in the wonderful city of Oaxaca, or as we say in Spanish, "Vale la pena!"