Home Away From Home: Pastes/Pasties

Church, next to the Union HQ. One-stop shopping.

Ages ago our coworker Edgar told Sasha about a little mining town about two hours north of Mexico City that was very "tranquila," surrounded by forest and featured a little-known delicacy called the "paste." Sasha lit up when she discovered that the Mexican paste was in fact a "pastie" -- the Cornish meat pie favored by miners the world over, and a specialty of the ol' Upper Peninsula. She squirreled away the directions and determined that this would be a definite "do" when her mom Kathe visited. A little bit of the family homeland here in the middle of Mexico.

So on the 4th of July, we bundled up Ivan for what we hope is his first of many, many family car trips. Mineral del Monte is an old silver mining town just past Pachuca (north of D.F) and the site of the New World's first labor strike: in 1776 according to our guidebook -- very apropos for Independence Day, right? Solidarity Forever! Also, according to legend, this is the spot where soccer was introduced to Mexico with the first game played right here in this little town.

Thar's silver in them there hills...

Ivan was happy as a clam in his carseat for the two hours it took us to climb up to the mining district aka Little Cornwall (again, thanks to the Moreno Grandfolks for his safe, comfy ride---he loves it.).

Adorable traveling hoodie care of DeeDee and Jake.

First order of business on arrival: eating lunch! We found the paste shop Edgar recommended straight off (this was not a big place) and got in line.

As old as, well, Sergio.

We ordered all types and found them to be quite tasty -- actually, tastier than the yooper version Sasha's grandma made (Kathe confirms) but not entirely traditional either. A little more empanada than cornish meat pie. And we're pretty sure nobody in Michigan's Iron Range ever made pasties with green mole...but what a brilliant idea!

As usual, Ivan eats first.

We scooted around the town square and headed back home for a neighborhood hamburger party that night.

All-terrain stroller tested very well at 8,800 feet up.

Local parking lot attendant.

Saturday got off to a good start with our one-month pediatrician check-up where we got some advice on Ivan's budding colic (sigh!) and got the good news that Ivan is two pounds heavier and a half inch longer since our last visit. Sasha beamed when the doctor pronounced to her that "the milk is good!"

Sasha and Ivan took it easy back at home while Sergio played tour guide for Kathe that afternoon, introducing her to the Centro where she got to see the zocalo, murals galore, some artesania shopping, and the golden post office -- not to mention a stop at one of our favorite downtown tacos pastor joints.

Hey Kathe, look at the camera...

...Thanks.

This scene happens at our house more often than you'd think.

Ivan welcomed them home that night with a rousing bout of colic-inspired fussiness. Not even crowning him King Pantshead made the little guy feel better...

ALL WILL FEEL THE WRATH OF THE GREAT PANTSHEAD!

But we have other tricks up our sleeves, and a warm bath with his hood hound friends watching seems to help.

Most of the time, after all, he's a pretty happy guy!