El concurso de comida típica

Tonight was quite an evening at the school. Every Friday night there is a small graduation celebration and dinner for those students leaving the school. The dinner alternates between traditional Guatemala food, prepared by teachers, and "international food" prepared by students. But this week was an exception. This month has been full of festivities to mark the 20th anniversary of the school. Last week was a small road race up the nearby mountain (hill), Baul. And this Friday was a culinary competition amongst host families at the school. Over 20 families decided to participate in the event, which was judged by a panel of professional chefs. Well, semi-professional. I never realized when I raised my hand at a meeting earlier this week at the school and identified myself as someone with professional cooking experience that I would be picked to judge the contest. Somehow I ended up being one of just three judges, the other two being recent culinary school graduates from Xela, one of whom comes from a family of 5 generations of chefs! Needless to say, I was a bit out of my league, but it was quite an experience.

Each family sat at a long, long table behind their dish. We judged on 5 categories presentation, flavor, preparation, ingredients and aroma. The winners were a Pepian in the style of the Capital region, a something that I think was called Chocon, but I can't quite remember, and as the dessert, Mole de Plátano. Even though I know absolutely nothing about traditional Guatemalan cuisine (actually, I have learned to make Tamales with Chipilin and Sweet Ayote, but more on that later), I chose the Pepian and the Mole without knowing that these were the favorites of the two other judges as well. The Chocon, I probably wouldn't have picked. But I think it was very authentivc and made entirely by hand (chiles ground in a grinding stone etc.) and for that reason was a top scorer. The winners received various kitchen appliances--a toaster, a slow-cooker, a blender. I missed out entirely on the "international food" brought by other students but I think I was the one who lucked out getting to taste all the families' dishes-from potato empanadas to sweet tamales to chili rellenos, a real showcase of Guatemalan food, made with a whole lot of thought and care. The only bummer was that I didn't get to have any of the pita bread that I made this afternoon for the event, nor did I have any of the oatmeal raisin/coconut/macadamia nut cookies I baked. I guess I'll just have to make them again. Lastima. Anyway, it was quite an evening.

On top of all this, I "graduated" from the school. This involved participating in a bizarre play taken from a Paraguayan radion program about a woman who has to decide if she should follow her husband to the city. I may go back to study some more in December, but at least for now, my studying is done. Diploma in hand, I'm on to the next thing, whatever that may be.