Margarita Wednesdays: Making a New Life by the Mexican Sea (38 page)

S
IMPLE SYRUP

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

In a small saucepan, heat sugar and water over low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

L
IME-SALT-SUGAR

Zest from two limes

3 tablespoons sea salt

3 tablespoons sugar

Mix all ingredients in a bowl; follow instructions above. Serve.

L
ISA
’
S
S
ALSA
T
ATEMADA
(R
OASTED
S
ALSA
)

I
NGREDIENTS

4 medium whole tomatoes

2 large white onions, peeled and cut in half

2 whole jalapeños (more if you like it hot)

¹
/
₂
cup water

Put all of the above on a grill or barbecue, or in a hot pan with olive oil, and turn until they are well roasted and blackened on the outside.

Place the blackened tomatoes in your blender along with
¹
/
₂
cup of water.

Blend until liquid (add a little more water if necessary).

Add the rest of the grilled vegetables, along with the following, to the blender:

4 large cloves of garlic, peeled

Juice of 2 limes

A large handful of cilantro

1 teaspoon of salt

¹
/
₂
teaspoon of pepper

Pinch of cumin

Optional: a few drops of liquid smoke

Blend all ingredients, but not a lot. I like to keep it a little chunky. Eat with chips, in tacos, or over meats and fish.

Serves 4 with tortilla chips.

L
ISA
’
S
M
ANGO
S
ALSA

2 large ripe mangos, peeled and seeded, chopped into small cubes

1 small purple onion, chopped fine

1 medium tomato, chopped small

1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped small

1 large jalapeño, seeds and veins removed, chopped fine

A handful of cilantro, finely chopped

Juice of 1 lime

¹
/
₂
tsp. salt

Mix all ingredients together and enjoy! All ingredient amounts can be changed according to your liking.

O
PTIONAL
A
DDITION:

¹
/
₂
cup drained and rinsed black beans

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

L
ISA
’
S
M
ANGO
J
ALAPEÑO
M
ARGARITAS

This is for one margarita, but make more if you’re thirsty!

I
NGREDIENTS:

2 ounces Grand Marnier

1
¹
/
₂
ounces jalapeño tequila (see recipe below)

2 ounces lime juice

2
¹
/
₂
ounces mango

Simple syrup (see recipe below)

¹
/
₂
mango, peeled and chopped

¹
/
₂
teaspoon cinnamon

2 jalapeño peppers, sliced

Salt or Tajin chili powder for the rim

Lime wedges

TO MAKE THE JALAPEÑO TEQUILA:
Place 3 sliced jalapeños (remove seeds if you don’t like it spicy) in a large glass jar or container and cover with 2 cups of tequila. Let sit for 24 hours. Strain before using. You can keep the tequila in a sealed container for a few weeks, preferably in the fridge.

TO MAKE THE MANGO SIMPLE SYRUP:
Combine equal parts sugar and water (I usually use 1 cup of each), bring to a boil and let sugar dissolve, then turn off heat and let cool completely. Combine 1 cup simple syrup and 1 mango (peeled, seeded and cubed), and cinnamon. Blend in blender.

TO MAKE THE MARGARITAS:
Wet the rim of your glass with a lime wedge and dip in chili powder such as Tejin, or margarita salt. Fill the glass with ice. In a cocktail shaker, combine tequila, Grand Marnier, simple syrup and lime juice with ice, and shake for about 30 seconds (if you don’t have a shaker, just mix them in a pitcher and stir). Pour over ice and squeeze in lime slices. Take a few of the jalapeños from the tequila (seeds removed), and toss them in the margarita if you like.

L
ISA
’
S
C
HICKEN,
L
IME AND
T
ORTILLA
S
OUP

1 chicken, boiled for an hour or so

(Keep the chicken stock bone and chop about half the meat, save the rest for salad or sandwiches.)

4 cups chicken stock

Juice of 3 limes

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

¹
/
₂
cup chopped red bell pepper

1 jalapeno, chopped

¹
/
₄
cup cilantro, chopped

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 medium onion, chopped

¹
/
₄
cup rice (uncooked)

¹
/
₄
cup corn

1 tsp. minced garlic

¹
/
₂
tsp. ground black pepper

Salt to taste

In separate bowls:

1 avocado (per person), cut in small cubes

1 cup Mexican cheese (such as Chihuahua or Manchego), cut in small cubes. You can also use Monterrey Jack

Tortilla strips (I use corn tortillas, and fry them in a little olive oil)

Simmer chicken stock, tomato, Worcestershire, and lime juice with the jalapeno and cilantro for 45 minutes. Add green onion, chilies, red bell pepper, rice, corn, garlic and simmer for 20 minutes. Add chicken.

Place the tortilla strips, diced avocado and cubed cheese on side plates to be added by the guests as desired. (To make sure that your avocado doesn't turn brown toss it in some extra lime juice.) Serves 6-8

Readers Group Guide

Introduction

In this riveting and inspiring memoir, Deborah Rodriguez, the author of
Kabul Beauty School
, unfolds the story of her perilous flight from Afghanistan and how she forged a new life afterwards. In a seaside Mexican town, among a group of colorful expats and locals, she reinvents herself, finds love, and opens a salon.

Topics and Questions for Discussion

1. 
“My life sometimes seemed like a series of one-act plays starring the same character, a gutsy heroine who over and over seems destined to triumph, yet somehow never quite does,”
admits Debbie. What is your overall impression of her after reading
Margarita Wednesdays
? How does she view herself versus how others see her?

2. How did leaving Afghanistan—and the circumstances surrounding her departure—impact Debbie mentally and emotionally? Why was she reluctant to leave Kabul despite the danger she was in? Why do you think it took her so long to realize and to accept that she had post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)?

3. While Debbie is in California, therapist Steve Logan advises her to sit with glowworms, while Larry cautions her to wait a year before making any big decisions. What advice would you have given her at the time?

4. Why is Cynthia the person who is able to help Debbie the most with her recovery? What is the energetic force that Debbie describes feeling in Pátzcuaro? Share whether you’ve ever experienced something similar.

5. What motivates Debbie to settle in places like Afghanistan and Mexico, with language barriers and cultural differences? Would you ever consider living in another country? Why or why not?

6. Debbie’s inner voice whispers doubts into her ear during the drive from California to Mexico. What keeps propelling her forward rather than turning back? Is “Debbie Downer” right or wrong when she suggests that Deb is running away by moving to Mexico?

7. 
“Plenty of women would have killed for what I had. So why was it so hard for me?”
Debbie asks. Does her inability to embrace a quiet, secure life in Napa have more to do with her surroundings or with her state of mind? In contrast, what is it about Mazatlán and its expat community that makes her feel at home?

8. Debbie is remarkably honest about her rocky romantic past and failed marriages, including her risky union with Sam. What realizations does she come to about her relationships with men and her reasons for marrying? What new perspectives does she bring to her relationship with Denis?

9. Owning a home has always been important to Debbie, who acquired her first house when she was twenty-one. Why is home ownership such a crucial factor in her life? What meaning does living on Carnaval Street have for her?

10. Do you agree with the “tough love” stance Debbie takes with Noah? Why does she change her mind and allow her son to come live with her in Mazatlán? How does the news that she’s going to be a grandmother affect Debbie and her views about moving to Mexico?

11. Discuss Debbie’s conflicted feelings about being a hairdresser. In her view, firefighters, police officers, and military service personnel are the kinds of people who help others through their vocations. But in what ways has she changed lives using her profession?

12. Debbie tells Sergio that she has
“absolutely no interest in opening a salon here in Mázatlan.”
Why then does she change her mind and do just that? What does she enjoy about working in a salon?

13. Debbie makes a list of what the “new her” would look like if she were given a clean slate in Mexico. How many of these aspirations does she achieve? Did she make the right decision by relocating to Mexico? Ultimately, does she find what she was seeking?

14. What universal lessons and insights are there in
Margarita Wednesdays
that could benefit all women? Which aspects of Debbie’s story particularly resonated with you?

15. What factors do you think contributed to Debbie’s complicated relationship with her father, and how does her experience during the Day of the Dead help her come to terms with that relationship?

16. How does the Day of the Dead help others who have suffered loss?

17. What other religious and cultural traditions do people turn to in order to deal with a loved one’s death? Do you think these help, and if so, how?

Enhance Your Book Club

Take a virtual visit to Mazatlán, Mexico, Debbie’s adopted hometown, at
gomazatlan.com
and
allaboutmazatlan.com
.

Visit
www.mazatlanmycity.com
.

Prepare a Mexican-inspired feast using recipes found at
epicurious.com/recipesmenus/global/mexican/recipes
and
foodnetwork.com/topics/mexican/index.html
, including ones for guacamole and margaritas. Craving coconut shrimp like Debbie enjoys in the book? There are variations on that dish, too.

Enjoy a visit to a salon or spa for your discussion of
Margarita Wednesdays
, or have members bring supplies and host a “do it yourself” manicure and pedicure party before or after you talk about the book.

Along with
Margarita Wednesdays
, read
Kabul Beauty School
, Deborah Rodriguez’s first memoir.

Visit
debbierodriguez.com
to learn more about the author and her books.

Visit
oasisrescue.com
to see more about Project Mariposa.

Visit
https://www.facebook.com/DeborahRodriguezAuthor
.

Visit the Tippy Toes website:
www.tippytoesmaz.com
.

Check out Deborah’s Twitter account:
@debb_rod