THURSDAY THE LONG WAY: CHICO'S

Thursday the long way is a new feature I intend to use to highlight food from out of the way places including important food memories that have had something to do with forming the way I look at food today, both cooking it and eating it. They may be inspired by recent meals, by the food-media, or by anything at all.

I've recently been doing a little research into American fast-food which reminded me of food I ate in El Paso, Texas, during the summer of 1999 when I visited my good college friend, a musician and poet, Fabian Saucedo. For a little longer than a month I lived with Fabian and his kind and very generous parents not far from downtown El Paso or the border over which lies Juarez, Mexico.

I won't go into too much detail about how I spent my time in El Paso. I did some renovation at the Alternative Ark, which I believe no longer exists but at the time it was the grand vision of a leaf-artist, "Chewy" (Chewy, if you're reading this, get in touch, I have something for you) an artist-owned and run gallery in a deserted bank in downtown El Paso. I worked the floor a little bit but mostly I was very productive at seeing some beautiful places (above, White Sands, Texas), writing passable poetry, meeting a pretty girl and making some wonderful memories. Between Mrs. Saucedo's dishes and salsa and Mr. Saucedo's guacamole it's easy to note that some of the best Mexican food I've ever eaten, I ate at their dinner table and hours later out of the fridge. But there are two specific meals that have come to mind.

After finally arriving in El Paso on the longest bus ride in my life starting from New York's Port Authority, before even taking me to drop off my things and meet his folks, Fabian took me to the first place he said he went to whenever he came home, "Chico's Tacos." I can't vouch for anything else on the menu beyond what I got several orders of, something I remember looking pretty unappetizing and being called 'taquitos' or 'flautas,' three rolled meat tacos swimming in a delicious tomato broth and smothered in cheese with green chili sauce. Crunchy yet soggy like the best way you like your breakfast cereal only a few moments before it's not fun to eat, in a clear yet full-bodied broth you want to drink out of the cardboard container when you're finished eating, it's one of the best fast-food memories I've ever had.

The second memory is from Juarez, Mexico. Returning to El Paso from a few of our Friday night excursions at the elaborate Juarez dance clubs and cheap bars, we'd inevitably end up hungry, in a car on a long line waiting for U.S. Government inspection. The first time, Fabian told me to follow him as he jumped out and quickly walked a block to a local sandwich street vendor where for little more than a dollar or two we bought a torta-- grilled pork or ham between two pieces of well-oiled bread with a touch of sauce and cheese and most memorably, a whole, hot jalapeno chile pepper which Fabian encouraged me to eat whole. The sandwhich was a little smaller than my fist which I wanted to bite as soon as I followed my friend's advice. Though somewhat painful, it was also one of the most exciting meals I've ever eaten.

My next time in El Paso I'll be at Chico's and stopping for torta in Juarez. Meanwhile, Fabian says he's found a good place for tortas downtown...