Just got back from a very nice week in Michoacan. I'm very lucky to have such good friends who live in such nice places!
The one little thing that slowed the skip in my walk was the damn USDA deciding I couldn't bring in three pounds of dried field corn. What jerks! If I was coming from Italy and bringing in polenta, I bet that would have made it in. I had three rare heirloom varieties and I had fantasies about tortillas this weekend. Oh well……at least they didn't take my plantain vinegar!
I did a little shopping and found this book: Rosa Covarrubias una americana que amo Mexico and about fell over.I've been fascinated with Miguel and Rosa Covarrubias for years, I think ever since I was kid taking the ferry into San Francisco from Sausalito to get my braces tightened. In the ferry building were the Covarrubias murals done during the world's fair, showing different aspects of the Pacific. I've been told it was one of the first times when the Pacific was the center of the world, not the Atlantic, on a map. Anyway, the Covarrubias' were pals with Edward Weston, Tina Modotti, Diego, Frida, etc and their biographies make for good reading. This new book is dedicated to her and it also has the start of her Mexican cookbook that was never published. For fans only but quite a find. The link above probably won't yield the book but who knows?
Steve, i thought dried foods were okay to bring in . . . . but maybe the corn would be considered “seed”. whimsy.
next time, mail it to yourself — or maybe you can get a letter from the USDA/Customs that okays your corn & beans for “import”.
Did you see any clay Perritos (supports for Comals) in Michoacan? Doug would love to have some.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/42n81/4371024712
we just got a metate today :))))
Hey Steve, please import corn, please import corn, please import corn, especially if your experience means there are new rules. I always bring back a kilo or more, no problem as of last Oct, but please import corn please import corn…Limelate