Pupusas

Jane over at Acts of Hope says in her posting, Light summer reading, 'You think all scholars do in the summer is eat pupusas?' Great question (instead of, 'You think all scholars do in the summer is eat bonbons?').

Now, how many people out there know what a pupusa is?

Pupusas are the national food in El Salvador. It doesn't matter what your station in life is — president to campesina — everyone eats pupusas.

They are filled tortillas cooked in a lot of grease and eaten with cabbage salad and marinated carrots, cabbage and jalepeños. Usually they are filled with cheese, refried beans and cheese, refried beans, cabbage/carrots and sometimes chicken. In San Salvador, they can be purchased for $0.25 a piece.

You eat them with your fingers, of course. Add in some cold beer (Pilsner is one of the national brands) and it's a filling dinner. Of course it may make your lower GI tract like greased lightning but that's something to worry about in the morning.

I really do like pupusas — I usually have them at least once during a visit to El Salvador. Last week, I had them for dinner (a week ago today) with a visiting group from MA, and then two days later for breakfast with a woman whom I call my Salvadoran sister, a dear person of integrity and great wisdom. M and I have spent hours talking about the political scene in El Salvador and the US. What better way to do that than with pupusas and cofffee?