Legend
has it ...
... in
1912, a band of rebels fighting in the Mexican Revolution under the leadership
of Pascual Orozco advanced pushed forward and prepared for a key battle on the
outskirts of Mexicali. The troops were in good spirits, but exhausted, and
running out of rations. The Treaty of Ciudad Juarez was fresh in everyone's minds,
and they knew that the next day's conflict will be decisive.
Spent
from a day of travel and evening of battle planning, the platoon was sloppy
packing their supplies, and failed to store them in a secure location in the
camp. A humble 17-year-old, Jose Roberto Oppermanza, made the fatal mistake of
storing tortilla shells, eggs, potatoes, onions, shredded cheese, and four
half-consumed bottles of cerveza in what could have been the worst possible
spot in camp -- directly behind Patriciarita, a beautiful but dull burro.
The
next morning, mayhem! Patriciarita had knocked over the rations!
"Mal
burro! Mal burro! No me gusta!" shouted Victoriano Huerta, the burro's
master. The raw ingredients lay in a mess on the ground, ants and raccoons
frolicking in the unexpected feast. The men were frantic. Where would they get
the strength for the push on Mexicali?
"Pero
espara!" cried Jose Roberto, who noticed that some of the food had spilled
into a skillet and was simmering over a dying fire. Famished, the young solider
reached in, pushed the good together in the tortilla with his dirty,
gunpowder-stained fingers, and wrapped it up.
Placing
it in his mouth ... magic! Taste overwhelmed young Jose. He had left his home
in Orizaba 95 days ago, and dearly missed his mother's cooking. But this happy
accident was a gift from heaven. He shared his happy accident with his
platoonmates, with Huerta, and finally Orozco. (Not with Patriciarita, though;
the true catalyst for this culinary breakthrough was left with her usual
breakfast of oats and warm water.)
Oppermanza's
platoon won the battle of Mexicali, which proved to be a turning point in the
Revolution. The morning's meal, later dubbed the Beerito, was given full
credit. Oppermanza was awarded the Mexican equivalent of the Medal of Honor for
his discovery.
As he
lived out his days as a celebrity solider, Oppermanza toured the country,
making Breakfast Beeritos for his fellow citizens. Yet he never revealed the full recipe. …
Coming tomorrow: Part 2
.jpg)
No comments:
Post a Comment