baleada's, corn tortillas and a car wash!

Today we decided to get the car washed at the Sandy Bay car wash. They do such a fantastic job! Both the outside and the inside for only 5 dollars.

We went around lunch time so decided to go to a little 'restaurant' near the car wash. Fortunately there was an islander there who spoke English. I asked if we could have lunch and through translation she said she could make baledadas for us. There isn't really a menu it is whatever she has on hand.

"Baleadas” are a Honduran version of “burritos.” A wheat flour tortilla is folded in half and filled with refried beans, crumbled white cheese and and eggs. We love them!!

I asked about drinks. As it turned out they didn't have any cold drinks there so she sent a boy down a dusty road and in a little while he showed up with some pepsi and 4 eggs. Too funny!

Anyways we sat in the open aired restaurant and listened to the enthusiastic chatter of the 'locals'. We are slowly learning spanish so I can pick out certain words. In fact I can understand alot more then I can speak. One thing I love about the people is how incredibly friendly they are! They greet each other like long lost friends and love to tell stories and laugh. Needless to say, we were entertained while we waited for our lunch.

The balaeda's were delicious! They put a certain cheese in there that is distinctly Honduran. I see alot of different products in the dairy section but I wasn't sure which cheese they use so I asked the girl who spoke english if she could get the cook to show me the cheese. She did. Now I know which cheese to use for when we have baleada's at home. It looks a little like feta cheese.

While I was there at the counter I decided to be really brave and let them know that I am looking for someone to teach me to make corn tortillas. Lindsay, who is staying with us can't eat wheat so I am interested in learning to make the corn ones for her. All of a sudden the cook grabbed a bowl, threw in some flour and poured in some water. They she said, Agui!! Which means here. So I went. So there I was in this tiny little kitchen learning how to cook by someone who doesn't speak my language. She didn't measure anything (of course) but went by how it felt. In a matter of minutes she had made the perfect tortilla and set it on the stove to fry. Then she looked at me and gestured for me to try. Okay, let me just say it is alot harder then it looks. You take a small ball of dough, put it down and begin drumming on it with one hand, and forming it into a circle with the other. Mine was beaten to death!! She said no no no.


In the midst of all of this I hear the loud sound of my name being called.. "Deborah!!!" (that is what they call me here) and in comes Ivis to the kitchen. She is a lady I met shortly after arriving to the island who has a little shop in the West End. She is thrilled to see me and hugs me tightly and plants a customary kiss on my cheek. "Deborah, what are you doing?" I tell her about the tortilla lesson. She says.. Okay let me see.

So now I have an audience. The cook, the islander, Ivis, and about 3 men who are leaning on the counter looking into the kitchen. Talk about pressure!!! I massacre that little ball of dough!! Ivis, is a very loud and lovely lady but today I wished she was only lovely because her voiced boomed, "No no no Deborah.. don't beat it.. pat pat pat. Here let me show you." I didn't look behind me but I could hear several snickers. I am trusting that one of those snickers wasn't Bob's!

Well I owe a lot to Ivis because her technique of patting was more manageable for me. I was able to make a pretty decent tortilla and half expected applause from the audience. Jokingly I said to the cook that maybe if I practice I could come and work for her. She laughed.. she really laughed. It wasn't meant to be that funny!!




So Ivis told me that she wants to teach me to make flour tortillas (not corn) .. it is a different recipe and a different way of doing it. Of course I want to do that!! I have her phone number and I will definitely call her.

I love many things about this island. But it is the people I love the most!! They are so friendly, so helpful and their hearts are open to relate quickly and easily. It was a most memorable 'lunch'. Who would have thought they when we went to get our car washed that I would also have a lesson in making tortillas??!!It felt more like a visit to a friends place then a formal meal at a restaurant. Could you imagine this happening in Canada? Oh wow that chicken cordon bleu is really delicious, and the next thing you know you are in the kitchen learning all the chef secrets. I think not!! Well maybe in Newfoundland! :-)

So the car wash, our lunch, 2 pepsi, 10 corn tortillas, and the lesson only cost us less then 10.00. How amazing is that??!


As I have said before and I will say again.... we never know what will happen in a day on the island. I will tell you this though... I am going to go back to that restaurant to practice my spanish, to share more of His love and to maybe learn how to make pastelitos.. oh yummy!!