Mexican Cooking Competition: 9/16/10 at the MCM!

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September 16th is the Bicentennial of Mexican Independence Day and we could not be more excited that the date coincides with a Thursday this year! In honor of this occasion, we’ll be going full-speed at the Mission Community Market with music, food and all kinds of fun, including a Mexican Cooking Competition.

Here’s the deal:

Send an email to gmoskowitz at gmail dot com with your name and the name of your dish.

Prepare a single portion of your very best Mexican entree (no desserts or drinks) and bring it to the Market on Thursday, September 16th. The competition will get started at 6:30 PM, but make sure to arrive by 6 to make sure your entry gets in.

We will have a fabulous panel of celebrity guest judges who will taste the items and judge them on creativity, presentation and over-all quality.

The winner of the competition will receive a $25 credit to the MCM (not to mention all the fame and glory associated with winning!)

See you there!

Mission in the Street: A lesson from Madame Hunger

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Claribel and Hilda of Antojitos Salvadorenos Aminta

Aminta Calderón and her family set up Aminta’s Antojitos Salvadoreños inside the Mission Market about five years ago. On Thursdays, they set up a stand in the Mission Community Market for passersby looking for a savory hot pupusa, empanada or pastel to fuel their promenade. The pupusas are made of corn masa and stuffed with cheese, beans and/or chicharrón (pork cracklings). Aminta has lived in the Bay Area for 15 years now, and commutes out of Daly City. “It’s a real family business. Among the employees are my nephews, nieces, grandchildren, and husband, who all work in the restaurant.” At the outside stand, Claribel and Hilda (who are not family) expertly and expediently deliver the food to patrons. They are tough women, who know how to handle a crowd. I ask Aminta if she learned how to make pupusas in El Salvador. She says, yes. I pry a bit more, “Did your mother or aunt or grandmother teach you?” She laughs and delivers a wry smile, “La Señora Hambre me enseño cómo hacer pupusas; la mejor maestra.” “Madame Hunger taught me how to make pupusas; she is the best teacher”. I startle wondering about what other stories Aminta holds in her apron pockets. I order two pupusas for home with repollo (a cabbage and carrot coleslaw with vinegar) and salsa. Later at home, munching into my pupusa, I delight in thinking that I am biting into handmade food made from a recipe of life.

by Adriana Camarena

Eat Antojitos Salvadorenos at the Mission Community Market
Every Thursday 4-8pm – Bartlett Street and 22nd.

Keep on Positive

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Keep street life POSITIVE! In the wake of last week’s violence, let’s keep our streets active, safe and fun. This week at the MCM: the Mission Beacon and Mission Girls host t-shirt making, jump rope and activities. Painted Wonderland will face paint. The Community Music Center will be out there with instruments you can try out at the musical petting zoo!

Mission in the Street: Jason Wong

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This marks the first installment of Mission in the Street: little snapshots of our community members and neighbors coming in, through or to Bartlett Street and the Mission Community Market. This week, Jason Wong from just around the corner on his first market visit! Thank you to Adriana Camarena for writing and interviewing, to Twin Girls’ pluots, and to all the great Mission neighbors for sharing and getting out in the street:

Jason, con pluot

Jason Wong is joyful. He was walking back home, when he came across the Mission Community Market. He lives just a few blocks away. “I was going home, and I saw all of this. I ran home and got some money.” Jason is 15 years old and just concluded his summer job. With his earnings, he is purchasing a few groceries for his mom. Said to myself, ‘Gonna go get us some fruits!’” He opens his bag of purchases, and with a twinkle in his eye shows me some beautiful peaches, pluots and plums. He had never heard of pluots before, but he is taking them home now. “I guess not a lot of kids like me. I’ve never seen that before, that a kid like me, dressed like me, goes out and gets some fruits because he loves fruit so much.” He laughs, “But who knows, maybe if I tell my friends there was some good fruit here, they would come.” Jason has lived in the Mission all his life, and prides himself of his Asian-Salvadoran heritage. I ask if he is going to come back to the market next week. He responds, “Just as long as ya’ll keep it strong!” He moves on to buy mountain blueberries. (I’ve already sampled those little berries of bliss, and I know he is in for a treat). It was inspiring to see Jason spontaneously understand and embrace the bounty of a farmer’s market. Jason represented for Mission youth!

by Adriana Camarena

Amazing Shows This Week!

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This week, what an amazing array of musical talent we are blessed with! Did we mention it’s free? Come out for our first market of…summer?

4pm Albino!

6pm Vic Wong w/ Panique