Several times I’ve mentioned the Mexican restaurant we love in Carthage. I almost always get the Tacos Al Pastor. Vince has been getting the “al pastor” meat in whatever dish he gets so one day in there, he said to me “I’m going to learn to make this!” Now . . wouldn’t one think from that statement that it was very clear that VINCE is the one going to learn to make it? Yes, that’s what I thought too.
Yesterday he presented me with a recipe he had found online and said “maybe YOU can make this tomorrow”. Hmmm . . I was kinda looking forward to Vince cooking, serving a hot meal and then cleaning the kitchen but I’m thinking that’s NOT going to happen.
He handed me this recipe, which calls for achiote paste and epazote, neither of which I have in this house and seriously doubted Walmart would have it since it isn’t available for pickup or delivery and not sold by Walmart in their online store. There are other sellers – but not WM. I knew there was a Mexican grocery down in Joplin and kinda planned to go get it Monday when we take the Honda BACK to the transmission shop . . another story for another day!
As it turns out, we were in Carthage yesterday, I googled and there’s a Mexican grocery in Carthage so I pulled up the recipe on my phone, went in and showed them the two things I needed. They had both . . how lucky was that. The achiote paste is in a tube, kinda like a tube of tomato paste (or toothpaste). The epazote I was expected to be in a tube or in a can but it’s fresh . . kinda like a bunch of cilantro.
On the way home I was reading the recipe in the car and here’s our conversation:
Me: Oh, here . . the recipe tells us what epazote is.
Vince: I hope it doesn’t taste like cilantro!
Me: Go back! Go back to the Mexican store. Turn this car around!
Vince: (starting to slow down) Why??
Me: “Epazote is similar to oregano and fennel with minty notes. It’s found in Mexican cooking and is typically used in beans, helping reduce their tendency to cause flatulence.”
Vince: Why do we have to go back?
Me: We need a bundle for every day. It works on flatulence (and this was after he’d had baked beans at the BBQ restaurant).
I think we may be planting epazote in our raised beds . . nothing but epazote! 🙂
Paula Hidalgo says
LOL,LOL, LOL too funny!
Rosalie says
I think I planted epazote once. It has a very unusual odor.
Judy Laquidara says
I smelled it and it really does! I think I’m going to taste it before I add it to anything.
Twyla says
We were itroduced to epazote at Old City Park in Dallas (has another name now)(I hate chage). The lady outside the log cabin was cooking pinto beans and cornbread that day and had epasote in the litttle garden just outside the door of the cabin.
Janet B says
I love it when the hubbys say “I’m going to…” and it ends up being something for for us to do. I get that a lot.
Judy Laquidara says
Tonight he was talking to a friend on the phone and Vince was saying “We’re making Tacas Al Pastor tomorrow. Today we got the meat marinating!” I looked at him and said “WE?” He said “I’m paying for it so yes, we’re doing it together” so I guess by that way of thinking “WE” cook all the meals around here. He’s a funny one sometimes! 🙂
Claudia Duke says
Love epazote! When I taught Pre K we had some Cuban mother’s who would bring us lunch on Friday’s. They used it in the foods they brought us. It was the first time I ever had it and had to ask what it was. Boy, they made some great tasting stuff!
Judy Laquidara says
I love being exposed to new to me and different foods. How nice that the Cuban mothers shared their authentic foods with you! I looked for epazote seeds last night and other than Amazon, didn’t find any but I’m not done looking.