Throngs visit sites worldwide for the purpose of placing themselves in the presence of something that they revere. I get it – a shroud, an apron, a statue that seems to bleed, maybe a basilica or a rock formation – something that inspires awe in the heart of the pilgrim. For me it is more often Nature – the desert floor of Big Bend, the mountains of RMNP, or perhaps a hard-to-reach site that offers a transcendent culinary experience.
I’ve been talking with my buddy Cornelio about a trek to a Mexican grill for about a year. This particular grill is in McAllen, Texas, and it prepares and serves Cabrito al Pastor – fire-roasted kid goat prepared slowly over a bed of hot coals. Before the onset of the COVID apocalypse, Cornelio took us to Los Portales in Matamoros where we enjoyed a beer and a generous slab of cabrito. I longed to recapture that delectable experience but without the gunplay of the Mexican drug cartels. Various events foiled our plans to meet in McAllen – illness, vacations, obligations of various kinds, first one thing and then another.
This week, the stars and planets all aligned – a harmonic cabrito convergence of sorts. Susan and I drove down to Corpus to visit my brother and sister-in-law. We drove down 183 along the coast watching egrets, blue herons, and windmills. The fields were full of golden sorghum heads, maturing corn, and young cotton plants. The sights were beautiful.
We spent the evening with family, and this morning set out to El Pastor Grill in McAllen. We arrived in time for lunch and met Cornelio there. We chatted and ordered up three orders of Paleta de Cabrio (kid goat shoulder blade and leg). After a leisurely lunch and good conversation, we each went our own way – Cornelio back to Brownsville, and Susan and I home to Austin. I took my leftovers with me for dinner.
Later, while I was driving home, my brother called. “How was the cabrito?” he asked. “It was a religious experience,” I answered. He chortled. What inspires awe in each of us is different. For some it is a shroud, and for others it is a bit of roasted kid goat.
Later, we heard on the radio that the Trump indictment had been unsealed. Indictment is a dish best served with Cabrito al Pastor. 🙂
Well, it was great seeing you guys, and the cabrito was very tasty.
Glad you made it without incident.
The word “throng” never fails to take me back to the Feast of the Virgin of Guadalupe in M City. 1963 I think. Me Mudder would take me to every Feast, Celebration, or Religious hootenanny we could go to. We even went to the one in Lourdes. Any way, the Guadalupe event was almost fatal for us. For several minutes it was almost impossible to take a breath because of the waves of humanity trying to get closer to The Force or something. It was my first experience with emergent behavior.
That’s a frightening memory! 😩
Speaking of throngs…
I was at South Padre Island during Spring break.
It was a throng of thongs 😊