In Mexico City, I am observing that food and family are intertwined.

Even when those dining together are not related the people present create a feeling of family around the food.

Everywhere I go I see food,
and with the food is always the presence of family.

I didn't have to do anything. This food just magically appears in front of me.

Other hostel guests and volunteers disappear out the front door
and quickly return with food.

It's beautiful how they often share with me!

Because of all the fresh bakeries everywhere
the ingredients for great sandwiches or tortas are easy to obtain.

I don't know what they did to that burger
but it had everything RiGhT with it.

These Chicken and Cheese Tacos are made fresh, right in front of the customer on the sidewalk.

The green tortillas are made from naturally GREEN corn.

Too bad, Monsanto!!

Kike comes in every morning to work reception.
One of the things he does everyday is cooks all of us a lunch.

This is juice that another volunteer made.
It's a tea made from an herb I am not familiar with but it looks like rose petals.

Now is my turn to show off my cooking skills.

When they asked what kind of soup it is I replied,

"The Bottom Drawer of the Refrigerator Soup."

I used my own potatoes and squash then added...

...ginger, leftover grilled corn, onions, peppers and lots of curry powder.

I used leftover chicken broth that Kike had made at an earlier date.

Only after a couple of days at the hostel, Punto DF,

the family environment was easily revealed to me but it did not stop there.

Upon strolling about in the surrounding neighborhood
I easily realized that the presence of family is everywhere,
unlike anything I have ever witnessed in the United States.

One afternoon I was lured by great aromas into this little restaurant.

While waiting for my food I discovered something very unexpected.

At first, I only saw this little boy, then I saw the little girl sitting between the refrigerator and the prep table.

After a couple minutes I see what is obviously abuelo or grandfather.

Pretty much every business I go into or walk past there are children, teenagers, parents, grandparents together, working.

I am also watching this man cook my food.

Although, I don't really know what I ordered.

open to trying something new.

The deep fried foil technique is something I had never seen before.

when I used to take my daughters camping with the Girl Scouts.

However, aluminum is a horrible contamination to food.
Dr. Mercola says,
"Aluminum has been long known to be neurotoxic,
with mounting evidence that chronic exposure is a factor in many neurological diseases,
including dementia, autism, and Parkinson's disease..."

Regardless, it was an interesting technique that I will likely never try.

I blessed my food, gave it some Love then ate it all.

For me, it was three meals.

Any day I take a walk scenes like this,

playing together,
families together are everywhere.

Upcoming blogs will cover more FOOD.

Kike made enchiladas from scratch.

His process will be documented but first,

my trip to Tenochtitlan,

from the Aztecs, Oaxaca, Toltecs, Mixtecs and so on.

and ALWAYS...