Beer aficionados in festival crowds and in noisy cantinas will be guzzling popular cerveza brands. But, the true beer connoisseur doesn’t need a holiday as an excuse to sip a cold brew. 

A true beer connoisseur has a year-round, life-long affair with the frothy elixir that is the alcoholic lubricant to get feet dancing, throats singing and the party rolling.    

Cerveza and tequila go mano a mano for the title of the national drink of Mexico (although some historians contend that pulque deserves that title); both have evolved from humble homemade beginnings to be the country’s largest domestic and export products. Some brewers have even tried mixing the two in certain brands. However, according to the Beverage Media Group, there are more beer consumers than tequila and wine drinkers in Mexico and the United States. 

A primer of beer’s evolution in the country south of the border is as colorful and boisterous as Mexico’s history. So this month, Latino Perspectives tips its bottle in salute to this fascinating tale of the ale.

Cerveza derives from the Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the scientific name of the ale yeast

Fermented drinks similar to beer in Mexico date back centuries to ancient Mesoamerican cultures, according to the book, La Cerveza en México, published by Cervecería Cuauhtémoc. Long before Hernán Cortés and his soldiers crashed the Aztec party, imbibing native tribes were micro-brewing their own. Pulque, from the fermented sap of the maguey plant, was the pre-Colombian drink of choice. Tesgüino, made from fermented maize, created a low-alcohol, amber liquid that gave a light buzz. It canbe found in Mexico today among the Tarahumara in Chihuahua, who still drink it from a gourd, and in Sonora and Colima. Another ancient beverage, pozol, is produced in Oaxaca, Chiapas and Tabasco with corn and cacao beans. 

After the Conquest, Spaniards introduced European-style beer brewed with barley, which most beer fans in Mexico and the United States have since come to know and love. However, the brewery industry in Mexico took off with the arrival of German immigrants in the 19^th century. By 1918, there were 36 brewing companies quenching the thirst of Mexicans. 

By 1925, cerveza had displaced pulque as the alcoholic drink of choice for Mexicans. European immigrant beer-brewers campaigned against native drinks by claiming they were produced by unsanitary methods, including the use of feces as fermenting material, and promoted beer as “rigorously hygienic and modern.” This negative campaigning effectively ended pulque’s popularity. 

Throughout the 20^th century, consolidation eliminated the multiple competing breweries until only two survived: Grupo Modelo and FEMSA (Fomento Económico Mexicano, S.A.B. de C.V.). These two conglomerates control 90 percent of the Mexican beer market. Today, beer is a big export, with most ending up in the nearby U.S., which ranks 12^th in the world for beer consumption per capita. In addition, Mexican beer is sold in more than 150 other countries.  

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]]> http://latinopm.com/features/the-cerveza-report-16817/feed 0 http://latinopm.com/arts-culture/sera-posible/cash-cows-and-dogs-and-frogs-16839 http://latinopm.com/arts-culture/sera-posible/cash-cows-and-dogs-and-frogs-16839#comments Wed, 08 May 2013 14:24:08 +0000 Robrt L. Pela http://latinopm.com/?p=16839 It seems the animals are taking over the world – or at least the world of excuse-making. And, they’re getting loads of help from man’s best friend and his compatriots. In Montana, a man claims he can’t pay his taxes because his dog ate his money; in New York, a man swears he can’t function because of a fear of frogs.

Paul Marinaccio, a 65-year-old resident of Clarence, New York, last month became a millionaire when his property was swarmed with frogs during construction on a nearby real estate project. The developer had diverted water runoff towards Marinaccio’s home, and hundreds of puddle-loving frogs followed. Instead of rejoicing that his property would be fly-free, Marinaccio wigged out, thanks to a lifelong fear of frogs.

Marinaccio’s frog phobia stems from a childhood assault by a neighbor in his native Italy. The poor kid was out looking for figs to eat, he recently told the The New York Times, and was chased away by a man holding two large bullfrogs. Ever since, the sound of “riddip!” has filled him with fear.

In 2006, Marinaccio sued Clarence, claiming that he couldn’t enter or leave his house because it was surrounded by big green croakers. “In the winter, it’s okay, because I know there’s no frogs,” Marinaccio told a court reporter. “But, in the summertime, I mean, I’m a damn prisoner in my own home.” The court ultiamtely awarded the anti-amphibian fellow $1.6 million.

Marinaccio would do well to keep that cash from Wayne Klinkel’s golden retriever, Sundance. The Montana man claims that he won’t be able to afford to pay this year’s taxes because his pup gobbled up five $100 bills when he was left unattended in his master’s car for 45 minutes. Klinkel has asked the federal government to replace the bills.

We are not making this up.

The 12-year-old dog, Klinkel says, “has been getting weirder and weirder as he gets older, and he will pretty much eat anything and everything.”

Klinkel told the Montana Independent Record that, for days after the incident, he followed his pooch around with a pair of rubber gloves and a plastic baggie hoping that the cash would exit Sundance undigested. Once he retrieved large parts of two different bills; he washed, dried, ironed and re-assembled the bills with scotch tape, then took them to the U.S. Treasury Department’s Bureau of Engraving and Printing and asked them to replace the money, because, apparently, that Department does such things.

“I hope the publicity my case has gotten will expedite things,” Klinkel told the Record, where he works as a graphic designer. “Otherwise, it could take up to two years for me to get my money replaced.” 

On the other hand, Klinkel might end up getting fined by animal rights activists, if they get wind of his having left his pet in an automobile for the better part of an hour. 

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To a strong swimmer, a large expanse of water in a natural setting must be irresistibly inviting, particularly in contrast to the usual repetition of laps in a single lane of a concrete pool (probably shared with another swimmer). Open-water swimming is a draw for the recreational swimmer who just wants a change of scene, but is also becoming more popular among amateur and professional athletes who train for endurance events, such as triathlons and channel crossing.

Locations for open-swimming near Phoenix

Many municipalities prohibit swimming in natural water features within their boundaries. Water quality could be an issue and, most likely, there is an unwillingness to incur the inevitable expenses associated with habitual public use. In Arizona state parks, visitors are permitted to swim anywhere, but finding a place suitable for a real long swim may not be so easy. The best choices for open-water swimming near Phoenix are large lakes/reservoirs with developed recreational facilities. Many have specially designated areas for swimmers (no motorboats or jet skis) and include safety features, like platforms and buoys, along with other amenities, such as picnic areas and lavatories. Information about lake conditions (temperature, wind speed, etc.) can be obtained before planning your visit. A few destinations appropriate for swimmers of average skill are listed below.

Lake Pleasant

Part of the City of Phoenix Parks System, Lake Pleasant Regional Park surrounds a very large lake formed by Waddell Dam. The Lake has several coves that are “wake-free,” and, thus, safe areas for swimmers. In Castle Creek Cove, it is possible to do a three-mile swim from the mouth of the cove to the tip and back. A day pass is required to enter the park; it is $6 per car and $1 if entering by bike or on foot. Map and more details at maricopa.gov/parks/lake_pleasant 

Bartlett Reservoir

Bartlett Reservoir is 22 miles east of Carefree. Formed by a dam of the same name on the Verde River, the area is notable for its spectacular scenery. The Reservoir is located in the Cave Creek Ranger District of the Tonto National Forest, so vehicles need to purchase a $6 pass to park at the facility. Rattlesnake Cove, off-limits to motor boats, is the spot for open-water swimming inside the buoy line. The undeveloped beach front slopes gradually down to deeper water. Windy conditions often prevail in the area and can produce choppy water. Map and info at fs.usda.gov/tonto

Canyon Lake

canyon Lake

Canyon Lake, 15 miles up the Apache Trail from Apache Junction, is part of the Superstition Wilderness area of the Tonto National Forest, Mesa Ranger District. The Boulder Creek Recreation Area, off limits to motorized watercraft, is most recommended for open-water swimming. It is possible to swim a one-mile loop non-stop. As for all Tonto sites, a $6 parking pass is needed. Info at fs.usda.gov/recarea/tonto

Lyman Lake 

If higher elevations appeal as the hot summer months approach, Lyman Lake at 6,000 feet is the largest lake in the White Mountains along the Little Colorado River. Because the Lake is so expansive (1,500 acres), it is popular for boating, but the west end of the Lake is a buoyed-off, no-wake zone great for swimming. Lyman Lake, 17 miles north of Springerville, is part of the Arizona State Parks system and has a $7 entrance fee for vehicles and $3 for individuals/cyclists. Map and info at azstateparks.com/parks/lyla

The special challenges of open-water swimming

Physical exposure

Open-water swimmers are exposed to greater extremes of  temperature than pool swimmers. Usually, the issue is cold. A warm body rapidly loses heat in cold water through conduction, and exercising in the water will accelerate heat loss due to convection. According to active.com, responses to cold include “shivering, constricting blood vessels, increasing metabolism, increasing urine volume, increasing lactate production and decreasing VO₂max,” all conditions guaranteed to diminish athletic performance. Wetsuits permit longer stays in the water but detract from the sensual experience of the water most recreational swimmers desire. 

Overexposure to the sun can also be a particular hazard for the open-water swimmer who, having committed to a long swim with no opportunity to rest, neglects to consider that, even in cool waters, parts of the body can be subject to sunburn.  

Sighting

In choosing a destination, the open-water swimmer will presume a straight line trajectory, but swimming in a straight line is easier said than done. Most swimmers take breaths on the same side every few strokes, which tends to cause the swimmer to veer to one side. Correcting for this tendency is easy when lap swimming, but for open-water swimmers, frequent stopping to adjust direction really slows down the swimmer’s progress and wastes energy. Ideally, open-water swimmers should adopt a symmetrical stroke with bilateral breathing. It also helps to learn to keep a low head position while taking frequent looks to stay on course. Learning such new techniques requires practice. 

Isolation

The lure of open water can also be a great disadvantage if a swimmer gets in trouble and there is no one nearby to note their distress. Even if there is a lifeguard on an ocean or lakeside beach, the surveillance of wide, open spaces is difficult. Take care not to underestimate distances or overestimate your swimming prowess. If the goal is to cover a significant distance, advise companions of your intentions; inexperienced open-water swimmers shouldn’t stray far from fellow swimmers or from a landing place.

Persons desiring to take up open-water swimming in a serious way ought to consider professional coaching in order to learn the special techniques appropriate for long-distance and/or competitive swims. With training and experience, swimmers can enjoy open-swimming in a greater variety of water contexts. 

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Devious Maids at play while the boss is away, played by (left to right): Roselyn Sanchez, Dania Ramirez, Judy Reyes and Ana Ortiz

The number of Latino television writers is at an all-time high, says a new report from the Writers Guild of America, West. But, even Hollywood Latino insiders aren’t gloating yet. The numbers are still in no way proportionally representative of the Latino population in the nation.

Latino writers in televisionland have grown from 1.1 percent of staff writers during the 1999-2000 season to 4 percent during the 2011-2012 season. The latter figure represents about 66 writers out of a total of 1,722 for 190 TV and cable shows.

That’s low when you consider that the almost 50.7 million Latinos comprise 16.7 percent of all Americans, and their numbers are increasing faster than other segment of the U.S. population.  

Los Angeles area film industry writers warn that more Latinos creating more Latino characters doesn’t mean that these roles are going to reflect the authentic Latino experience. Latinos in Hollywood continue to be stereotyped, they add. 

“I think the issue with being a Latino writer is when we are asked to play into the stereotypes of Latino characters,” says Shawna Baca, a writer and filmmaker. “I have seen many times where Latino characters are asked to have heavy accents or to play the gardener, gangster or maid. I thought we would have evolved from those stereotypes and, yet, you still see them.”

One example of what Baca talks about is Lifetime’s June premiere of a new drama, Devious Maids, whose executive producer is Eva Longoria. The ensemble cast includes Ana Ortiz (Ugly Betty), Dania Ramirez (Entourage), Roselyn Sanchez (Without a Trace) and Judy Reyes (Scrubs). These veteran actresses portray five maids with ambition and dreams of their own while working for the rich and famous (guess what ethnicity?) in Beverly Hills. 

On the other hand, Latino portrayals of mainstream characters has increased: detective Christian Arroyo in Golden Boy, doctor Callie Torres in Grey’s Anatomy, and Santana Lopez of Glee.

Jesus Salvador Treviño is a writer/director whose TV credits include Law and Order, ER and many other mainstream shows. He also was co-executive producer on Showtime’s Resurrection Blvd., which portrayed a Latino family in East Los Angeles, a heavily Latino area in which Treviño himself resides. This Hollywood writer and director began his career as a student activist documenting the 1960’s Chicano civil rights movement with a Super-8 camera. He also has created a website, Latinotopia.com, to which he uploads the short films he has made of Latino leaders in all fields. 

“I am a Chicano and I am a director and I am a writer and, above all, I am a storyteller,” he says. “And, all of these are not contradictory qualities but rather complimentary qualities that inform each other and make me better at what I do.” 

Treviño says one obstacle that has not been erased in his more than 30 years in the industry is that minorities continue to be under-represented as executive producers. The majority of producers are still clueless about Latinos, he adds. 

He remembers meeting with a studio executive who asked whether fellow directors, Luis Valdez and Gregory Nava, came from Mexico. “I informed him that both Luis and Greg had been born in the United States.”

One reason there are more Latino writers today is because of pressures put on the TV networks by Latino advocacy groups, such as the National Hispanic Media Coalition, which created “report card” ratings of Latino writers employed on network shows. 

The industry is also economics driven, both writers say, and TV executives are forced to take notice of a population that has a $1 trillion buying power and are the largest consumers of entertainment. 

“I agree that we need minority-specific family shows like (the now defunct series) Resurrection Blvd., American Family, The Brothers Garcia, and The George Lopez Show,” Treviño says, “but this is not enough. No, we need to see Latinos as a thorough and integrated part of all American television.”

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Rep. Jeff Flake and Sen. John McCain. Photo by Connor Radnovich, Cronkite News

The political rhetoric and debates about undocumented immigrants has changed drastically since the U.S. Senate’s “Gang of Eight” – two of whom are Arizonans (Sen. John McCain and Rep. Jeff Flake) – started piecing together comprehensive immigration reform legislation. Where once unauthorized immigrants were referred to as “invaders” and “potential terrorists,” they are now being referred to as “hard-working people” and “boosts to the nation’s economy.” 

“There has been a huge shift in the conversation about undocumented immigrants, from terrorists to law-abiding U.S. citizens,” said Joseph Garcia, a former journalist and now the director of the Morrison Institute Latino Policy Center, during a panel on April 17 titled “U.S. Citizenship: The Economic Pathway.”

Garcia tempered the conversation with a dose of reality about the final product of the piecemeal draft bill revealed on April 15 – ironic timing consider that day was also the deadline for tax filing.

“I don’t think anyone would call this Frankenstein monster of a bill sexy,” he said. “But it’s a first step. It’s anything but ‘instant amnesty.’ And it focuses on workers.”

A new study unveiled during the panel discussion at ASU’s Cronkite School of Journalism asserts that legal status and a path to citizenship for the nation’s 11 million undocumented immigrants and Arizona’s approximately 160,000 unauthorized workers could mean substantial boosts to the country’s and the state’s economies in the near future. 

Reading between the lines of the study, it reveals the economic arguments that immigrant advocates have been making: unauthorized immigrants are currently earning far less than their potential, paying much less in taxes, and contributing significantly less to the U.S. economy than they potentially could.

The Morrison study examined two immigration reform scenarios: immediate legal status and a path to citizenship within 13 years, and “non-citizenship legalization, which gives immediate legal status that after eight to 10 years can lead to permanent residency status, but provides no path to citizenship.”

The first scenario that promises immediate citizenship, would provide the biggest economic boost, adding from $174 million to $246 million in additional individual income a year in Arizona. These income increases would go primarily to low-income families, making them more financially stable. The additional income spent in Arizona would have a multiplier effect on the state’s  economy, which could mean an overall economic impact of about $200 to $300 million per year. 

The above economic benefits would not result from a legalization program without citizenship, the study says. 

Another point made was that, once these workers were legalized, their employers potentially could invest more in their training, leading to better positions; there would be more jobs created, more small businesses created, and more growth for our state’s economy.

Therefore, the study explains, a path to citizenship means increased earnings and a more skilled workforce. There is also evidence that the legalization of parents will benefit their children, too. Children from economically stable and legal families perform better in school. A more stable education could lead the younger generation to stay in school and aspire to higher education more often, becoming higher-skilled workers. 

“There’s going to be a labor shortage [in the U.S. and in Arizona],” Garcia said, adding that a path to citizenship and a guest-worker program being considered as part of the immigration reform bill would help ease a national and state labor shortage that could possibly result in an economic recession.

A copy of the Morrison Institute Latino Policy Center study can be downloaded at Morrisoninstitute.asu.edu/Latinos

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Controversy also followed her MTV Movie Awards appearance on April 14 during the first performance of her new single, Come and Get It. The choice of a Bollywood look, including a bindi on her forehead and vaguely Middle Eastern dance moves, was considered “culturally insensitive” by not a few viewers. Such is the price of fame.

The “new,” daring Selena is scheduled to begin her Stars Dance World Tour in October, which will feature extravagant musical numbers channeling the iconic spirits of Britney Spears and Janet Jackson.  

Fans should buy tickets early; the Tour has just a one-night stop in Phoenix on November 5 at the U.S. Airways Center. Tickets are $64.25.

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Photo by Adam Rodriguez, courtesy of Desert Botanical Garden

The popular Flashlight Tours return to the Desert Botanical Garden. Starting May 30, and continuing through August 31, visitors to the Garden can engage in a sensory adventure and see, hear, smell and feel the night desert. Tortoises, nighthawks, critters and night-blooming flowers add to the beauty of the Garden.

Flashlight Tours take place on Thursdays and Saturdays at 7 p.m. Tour price is included with Garden membership or with paid Garden admission: $18, adults; $15, seniors (60+); $10, students (13-18) and college students with ID; $8, children (3-12). Visitors should wear comfortable walking shoes and take their own flashlights. The Desert Botanical Garden is located at 1201 North Galvin Parkway in Phoenix. Visit dbg.org to learn more.

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You will need:

1 bottle El Jimador blanco

1 bottle prosecco

4 oz. (.12 liter) Aperol (if you can’t find Aperol, Campari is a good substitute)

1.5 liters (about 6 cups) pink grapefruit juice

750 ml (about 3 cups) honey syrup

Garnish: pomegranate seeds, raspberries, lime and pink grapefruit discs

Method:

The best sort of ice for punch is lump or block ice – it reduces dilution and keeps the punch colder for much longer. One of the best ways of creating block ice is to fill a balloon with water, tie it off and place in a bowl in the freezer the night before. 

Before adding ingredients, place the punch bowl where you intend to serve from; otherwise, it will be too heavy to move. Place the ice block carefully into the punch bowl, then add all liquid ingredients. Stir gently but thoroughly, then introduce the garnishes. 

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Art of food preparation offers life lessons to children. Book cover courtesy of the author

Albert Monreal Quihuis released his first children’s book in 2011. Sofía’s Awesome Tamale Day is a tribute to the author’s parents and their tamale-making tradition. 

The Chandler resident, who is a financial planner by training and a storyteller at heart, tells LPM that he never thought he’d venture into writing children’s literature, much less a book series, but felt compelled to capture the camaraderie and bonding that occur when a family gathers around the kitchen to prepare food. “I want to inspire young and old readers to discover their history, culture and heritage so they can be proud of who they are.”

His latest book, In Search of the Lost Art of Making Tortillas, follows the travails of Sofía and her talkative parrot, Pepe (characters from his debut story) as they help Abuelita, travel to the Festival of Zapopan, and follow the path of the Jaguar looking for answers and The Lost Art.  

Sure, Sofía and Pepe could buy a packet of tortillas at the supermarket for under two dollars, but there’s no fun in that!

In Search of the Lost Art of Making Tortillas

$16.95, paperback; 38 pages 

Illustrated by Susan Klecka 

Perfect Bound Marketing + Press, 2012

ISBN-10: 0988457601

ISBN-13: 978-0988457607

To contact the author for the purchase of a single book or bulk sales, visit aquihuis@msn.com 

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Cano-Murillo’s latest novel combines fresh repartee, folksy philosophy and a free-wheeling approach to fashion

Phoenix’ own Kathy Cano-Murillo has brought her Crafty Chica brand to a national audience through her books, blogs and video classes. Her approach to handicrafts emphasizes the use of low-cost raw materials assembled with flamboyant Latina flair. More recently, Cano-Murillo’s surfeit of inventiveness has found an outlet in literature. 

The latest novel, Miss Scarlet’s School of Patternless Sewing, is a jaunty, fast-paced narrative. The main characters are three strong-minded women whose lives intersect in a sewing class. In the process of challenging one another to pursue their most most cherished dreams, they tear away at one another’s delusions and secrets. It’s a wild ride for all concerned, but the subtext, as with all of the Crafty Chica’s creations, is fun. And, for a limited time, the book can be purchased for under $10.

Miss Scarlet’s School of Patternless Sewing: ISBN 978-0-446-50923-7

Waking Up in the Land of Glitter: ISBN 978-0-466-50924-4

From Grand Central Publishing/Hachette Book Group, available in paperback or Kindle editions at craftychica.com, a website celebrating its 12-year anniversay! 

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