Sitting in front of the mirror, I get dolled up a Little; I put on lipstick, and mascara. My niece is with me in my room and excited because I just came home from a long trip. I ask her some questions: how she is doing in school or what she will do on her vacation.
I glance at her, and I see she is looking through my things on the shelf that is filled with books, some disorganized, some documents, magazines, several photo albums, objects such as a figurine, a piggy bank, incense boxes, little boxes. And that Pandora's box. She takes the box and opens it carefully, she just looks at me sideways with her long-lashed eyes, pert and lush, as if I did not see her rummaging through my things. I say nothing, I actually like her curiosity. It reminds me ... There are many memories there: greeting cards, little love notes from when I was a teenager, notes from passing friends, letters of deep friendships, seals, labels, stickers, and maybe a picture from my childhood.
In an instant, I detach fragments of the past and in the air the images distort, diluting as they appear. Here are those objects waiting for my visit, I dust them off, play with them, review them one by one. I look at my little niece, she is attentive, looking for something. - What can it be? - What is her interest? - The next year she will turn 11, she is growing up. I see her curiously, I continue putting on my make-up, I look in the mirror and see my reflection. I'm there, I find it entertaining to look inside mom’s bureau, little letters, an embroidered handkerchief, a rosary, earrings, love letters, poems, cancelled stamps, black and white photos - who are those people? - I wonder. Some I recognize, some I do not know. I’ll ask my mom later, I’ll find out who wrote these poems ... This curiosity makes me happy, the mystery of these things that hold secrets, and the past interwoven in time.
Here I spend my days entertaining myself on this visit, and I go to the shelves, the books are dusty. I stop for a moment, something temporary, it’s the winter, cool and warm where my feet tread. It is a time to give some space, I shelter in the tranquility, inward, in a time of introspection that follows its line to go after outward and forward.
I stop at this book, while I dust it off, "women" by Eduardo Galeano.
A compendium of papers of "The Excelsior" (1926-1927) bound in a book that belonged to my maternal grandfather.
Books that look from behind the portraits, "Woman who knows Latin" De Rosario Castellanos, "The Imaginary Invalid" by Moliere, "by himself" Balzac, "by himself" by James Joyce, complete works of Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz, The Encyclopedia of the History of Art (Editorial Salvat), a title that does happen into my head from time to time - here it is! - - I found it! - from behind a collection of boxes: "Letters of beyond "Torcuato Luca de Tena. More and more titles, more objects, more pictures. I’m about to reach the next full shelf, and the shelf of pre-Hispanic figurines, but I am interrupted by my mother's voice – Leave that be! You’ll never finish! You can clean another day! - - I'm coming! - I answer with some disappointment because I want to continue but its time to eat.
This time I will teach you the recipe for pinwheel buns, that I've done as dessert récipe. It is another one from grandmother and the mold as well. A few years ago it was becoming a tradition as I prepared them for this holiday season, until one day I stopped because they didn’t turn out. It could have been my impatience or lack of effort put into the recipe, I don’t know. This time with patience, a special touch and the experience of my mom, my niece’s help and even grandma with a wink from the sky or another world with love, this time they came out great!
Pinwheel buns
Recipe for 30 fritters
- 1 cup of flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 liter of oil
- Cinnamon (powder or cracked)
In a large bowl, sift flour with two teaspoons of sugar and pinch of salt, then add the milk, eggs and vanilla. Mix everything with a balloon whisk until mixture is smooth. Allow to stand about twenty minutes.
Separately, in a large saucepan over medium heat, heat the oil (it is important that the oil is hot and the mold is too) insert the mold into the oil, wait for it to heat, take it out of the oil and let it drain, put it into the paste and dip it until it’s flush, (you shouldn’t cover the entire mold), carefully place in the oil and with the help of a wooden spoon unstick the donut, let it brown on both sides then remove and place in a tray with kitchen (wax) paper, wait until cool, and sprinkle with sugar, previously put into another tray with the cinnamon.
If you are up for the challenge, I recommend a lot of patience ..!
