My first cow brain.

It's a festival, but I'm not sure why. The mariachi band plays for the crowd of maybe 200 people. Fireworks go off almost in rhythm with the percussion section. Between the endless chore of keeping the beers fresh, the bartender lights the fireworks in his hand which then shoot off into the air and explode with a loud clap. The guest have all brought at least a few hundred to be lit off during the fiesta.

The food arrives after a half dozen beers. The main dishes are a soup made up of all the insides of a cow; I can only understand liver and stomach, but the list goes on and on. It was incredibly tasty and new for me. Each bite is an explosion of new tastes and textures without a vegetable in sight. The second dish is slow roasted beef in olives and prunes. A tendure and savory dish that was more familiar to me. I gorge myself to prove that I actually enjoyed all of the food. I don't realize that my true quest, to eat a cow's head, is still to come.

We stay for a couple more hours drinking beers, sipping brandy, and making jokes. I comment that the grandmother in the crowd is my "Little Dangerous Women" because of the frequency she tops up my drinks. Just as the party gets going, my "Peligrosita" says that it's time to go. We move around the crowd and I we say our good-byes. This was only our pre-party.
We drive to the family house. Introductions are quick because everyone is hungry. The cow's head, wrapped in tomatos, chilis, herbs, and a canvas sack, has been buried in a fire pit for a whole day. Everyone gathers around to watch my "Peligrosita" carve the meat.

A fatty piece of cheek is slapped on my plate with some limes and green sauce. The richness of the cut is not exactly the best for an already stuffed belly, but I press on. "Quires ojos?" I am asked. "Porque no" I respond. This little back and forth continues until I eat tongue, eyes, and brains. Brains were not my favorite, but the rest was quite delicious. Slathered in green sauce, listening to some great music, while talking with curious and interesting people, this is truely one of the great meals in my life.

I spend the next day and half with my "familia nueva mexicana" drinking tequila, swimming, playing basketball, de-combing chickens, and laughing and joking the whole time.
As different the food experience was, it felt familiar. Every family has their own traditions, customs, foods, and inside jokes; I feel priveledged to have been given the chance to share this one's.