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.

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

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!

5pm Gaucho Gypsy Jazz

6pm Vic Wong w/ Panique

7:15pm Abada Capoeira

We’re kicking off the school year on August 19th with activities from the Dolores Community Youth Alliance and 826 Valencia.

826 Valencia will be joining the Mission Community Market (MCM) on Bartlett Street for the first time! Come create your own stories with storyboards and art materials provided by 826! Next Thursday, 8/26, from Noon til 8:26, 826 Valencia will be hosting an all-day write-a-thon at their store! Come out to the MCM, grab some tasty fruit, then go energized into the write-a-thon!

The Dolores Community Youth Alliance (DCYA) will be opening their Thursday after-school food and nutrition program to all youth in the Mission – at the Mission Community Market! Come on out and bring the fam! Youth grades K-5 and 6-8 can check out the fruit at the market, buy some, and put together their own fruit creations! The tastiest dish for the least money wins! The DCYA will be hosting food-based activities on a bi-weekly basis throughout the fall. 

Bartlett Street for People Space

That is exactly what the Mission Community Market is doing. With school back in session, every Thursday the MCM will host a variety of youth and after-school programs on Bartlett Street – including arts, performance, nutrition, and play activities. Check it out! If your organization would like to bring its youth activities to a public space, drop us a line at mcm@missioncommunitymarket.org.

Local Line Up
This week we have the pleasure of being joined by awesome local musicians and the crazy feats of Abada Capoeira.

4pm Matt Lundquist
6pm Dave Mihaly
7:15pm Abada Capoeira

Support your MCM
The MCM is a non-profit marketplace that has a mission extending far beyond a market. To create a true public space for the Mission Community, the MCM needs your support and participation. Demonstrate your support by making farmers happy! Or eat dinner next to some live music! You can also donate to the non-profit online or at the market for amazingly designed pins, magnets or letters. All designs are by Rigel Stuhmiller and letters hand pressed at the San Francisco Center for the Book on 16th Street. $2 for pack of 4.

More on the MCM

Funds raised will contribute to public space improvements, murals and community organizations participating in the market. The Mission Community Market originated from the Mission Streetscape Plan, a community-based planning process led by the San Francisco Planning Department. The Mission Community Market Collaborative is a partnership of non-profit, private and public organizations with fiscal sponsorship from the Neighborhood Parks Council. Supporters of the Mission Community Market include: The Office of Supervisor Campos, the San Francisco Police Department – Mission Station, Lower 24th Street Association, the San Francisco City Planning Department. Thanks to our sponsors and partners for making this happen:

   

Stay updated on the Market, activities at the Market, and seasonal foods.

http://www.missioncommunitymarket.org/
http://twitter.com/MissionMercado
http://www.facebook.com/mission.community.market