dan's uncles

salsa

When Dan's aunt Gloria decided not to be helpful I realized I was on my own when it came to figuring out how to make a good salsa. Four batches later I can tell you this:

1. Roma tomatoes.
2. Use a variety of peppers.
3. Cut tomatoes and peppers in half. Seed peppers. Place everything skin side up in a roasting pan, and drizzle olive oil on top. Put under the broiler and burn the heck out of it.
4. When it's almost done (=black and bubbly), add cloves of garlic, and red onion. You don't want to burn the garlic and onion.
5. When it's done, put all veggies in the food processor, and pulse.
6. Add cumin, salt, lime juice, and cilantro.
7. Pulse a tiny bit more.
8. Let cool.

I want flowers on my head too

Let's celebrate a belated cinco de mayo (or cinco de siete, as the president would say) with this photo of my favorite Mexican, and a bunch of pretty girls.

pinto lake park, watsonville, calif.

This is the shrine at Pinto Lake Park in Watsonville, where locals believe the Virgin of Guadalupe appeared on a tree. There is an enormous amount of flowers and candles, notes and pictures.