Indulge me (by Michelle)

Ode to a Croqueta #1

Croqueta,
mysterious, divine,
Engima to foreigners and pilgrims
What are you?
Potato? Cheese? Golden manna from heaven?

But later . . . truth revealed--
elegant Croqueta?
Could it be?

You are only humble flour and milk
with modest scraps of meat,
bathed in bread crumbs and
baptized in hot oil --

a housewife's penance
for leftovers.

Ode to a Croqueta (#2)

Impudent croqueta,
You are so like a little boy --
Outside
appearing difficult
with arms folded across a puffed up chest
with face and jaw fixed

Ah, but we know,
we all know --
Inside
you are soft
vulnerable, delicate.

So delicate, croqueta,
that I must cup my other hand to my chin
(to save you from falling)
while indulging as I leave the take-out cafeteria,
Spanish passersby in the crosswalk noticing that
(uncouth American)
I couldn't even wait until I got home.

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OK, so I am no Pablo Neruda, but I thought other croqueta fans out there might find these amusing. For those who don't know, a croqueta is a common Spanish food. Though often mediocre, when they are good they are comfortfoodheaven. I was surprised (as is everyone else) to discover that they are basically an extremely thick white sauce (can you call it a sauce still?) that is rolled in breadcrumbs and deep fried.

Above is a sample from Mari Carmen's, the take-out cafeteria near our apartment. Mari Carmen is younger than me with dyed red hair and she always has a smile. She was always generous and patient with me (recommending, "Para ninos, no. Eso es picante para ninos. Esto es mejor para ninos") . This was the best way that we had to sample real Spanish cooking. Her lomo con salsa de nata y pimienta (pork loin in a peppercorn sauce) was a revelation that I will no doubt be trying to replicate for months. And her stuffed red peppers-yum. We didn't go there often, until the end, when we started to realize (yikes!) that this is our last chance for everything.