Erlinda, Thanks so much for your recollections. Since my father left Mexico in 1913 and he died in 1966 and I never knew anyone since then from Jerez, I enjoy stories like yours because I feel I am walking in my ancestors' shoes. If we just stick to the dry subject of formal genealogy with just names and dates, what would there be to talk about, share, and enjoy? Most of us have posted the trees, and have contacted those who might have a connection, which is a requirement for this group, but after that, all that is left is to update the data. Thanks for breathing life into my Jerez, ZAC family tree. By the way, my father used to like to eat cooked yams in their skin, and he and my mother would pour a little half-and-half and smoosh it in like they were making whipped potatoes. I eat them out of the skin, too, but I eat them plain. Emilie Garcia Port Orchard, WA. ----- Original Message ----- From: Erlinda Castanon-Long Sent: Sunday, June 26, 2005 11:04 AM To: ranchos@yahoogroups.com Subject: [ranchos] FOOD and old world traditions My paternal line is also from District of Jerez Zacatecas. In 1936 my father was there for 3 months working and living with his grandparents (Sanchez/Reveles.) He said for breakfast they had a mush made from pumpkin and milk. At noon time while they worked in the fields the women would bring taquito's made from corn torillas, beans and white cheese on the side. Dinner was light. He talked about them drying chili's on the ground and someone having to stay up all night with them so the animals wouldn't eat them. He said the old men would roll 'tunas" from the cactus on the ground to remove the thorns for the children and peel them with a really sharp knife. He said while the men worked the women would take the laundry to the river to wash on the rocks and then jump in to bathe with all their cloths still on. very modest. He said they ate nopales which grew everywhere. He said they road horses to Jerez which was 5 miles away. When I visited 2 years ago they were still doing all this except jumping in the river. They had washers but most still washed in a cement tub. Turns out the washers were gifts from their children on this side of the border. They prefered the old ways. The locals said during the revolution when many left, like my gr-grandparents (Castanon/Caldera) in 1916, El Durazno was called the village of the dead and starving. In doing the records from this time period I was amazed at how many were described as died from starvation or found on the roadside dead from starvation. I found the customs in the area to still be from the old school. I wanted to walk alone at 6am to take photos and observe. I was told this would reflect poorly on my family for me to walk the streets alone, I was 58 at the time. They got their daughter of out bed to accompany me. Old traditions still abound. I was also told it was my responsibility to go to the senior member of my family and offer my respect. I didn't even know I had family there when I arrived. I ended up going to 14 homes offering my and my families respect. When it was time to leave I had to go back and "despenser" sp.. myself. At 11pm the last night a family came who said I didn't visit them so they came to me... I had no idea.. They also asked why their American cousins had forgotten them? I had no answers for them. The senior member was 96 years old and remembered my grandmother, her Tia. They pulled out photos of me when I was 2 years old! When it comes to customs and manners I found I had a lot to learn from new found family members and thier old world ways. I'm sure others visiting the "Old" country have found similar experiences. Linda
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