Dick;
Great story! There are a couple of Mexican food places "not far from some
railroad tracks" in Tucson-- I've been to both and the food there wasn't bad
at all. You have to ask to get the hot stuff specially prepared, though.
"Stock" Sonora-style Mexican food isn't Tabasco- hot but it sure could be if
the right chiles are added. I learned long ago to NEVER challenge a cook to
"do his worst."
BTW, my introduction to Mexican food was also when I was working for Uncle
Sam-- at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, AL. A friend from El Paso found a
Mexican restaurant there called "Leta's Hacienda". One visit and I was
hooked for life.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
-----Original Message-----
From: Dick J [mailto:lsr_man@yahoo.com]
Sent: Thursday, December 12, 2002 2:34 PM
To: Albaugh, Neil; 'W S Potter'; 'Russel Mack'; Jon Wennerberg; 'Dave
Dahlgren'
Cc: 'LSR list (E-mail)'
Subject: Tucson Mexican Food Not Hot - - HA!
"Albaugh, Neil" <albaugh_neil@ti.com> wrote:... ...It is NOT hot, just
spicy and full of flavor.
HA! Back when I was flying for Uncle Sam, we had a crew member who prided
himself on devouring hot, Mexican food. He carried Tobasco with him to eat
on crackers. He added it to everything he ate. Once, while stopping over at
D-M, one of the local guys took us to a small, back-road Mexican place
somewhere not far from some railroad tracks. When the waiter came, Jim
asked what was the hottest thing on the menu. The little waiter repeated:
"Hottest thing on the menu??" Then he added: "Oh, senior, the hottest thing
is not on the menu." Yeah, that's what I want then, and a cold Cervesa,
replied Jim. I ordered a lot more conservatively. The little man walked to
the back of the long narrow dining room, and through a swinging, squeaky
door into the kitchen. A moment later, the door squeaked a little, the
waiter leaned out, and another man, presumeably the chef, peeked around the
edge of the door as the waiter pointed at ! Jim. I caught a glimpse of a
smile as the two retreated back into the kitchen.
I loved my lunch. That was the only time I ever saw Jim cry. It was the
only time I ever saw Jim not be able to finish his meal. He demanded that
the waiter bring the chef out. I feared a fight was to follow, and could
just imagine the Tucson police showing up and delaying my trip home. To my
surprise, Jim stood up, shook the chef's hand, told him it was, without a
doubt, the best, and hottest damned meal he had ever had in his life (while
clearing tears from his eyes), and tipped the chef with a twenty dollar bill
(for a $3.99 lunch). That kind of tip was usually reserved only for topless
waitresses at the Saigon Tea Room outside Pope AFB in Fayettville, North
Carolina!
Find that little Mexican place near the railroad tracks, and you will never
again claim than Tucson/Mexican food is not hot!
Dick J
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