Merry Mazatlan by Ruth Ross Saucier

My friend bought a house in Mazatlan. A lovely house a half block from ocean beach with a rooftop deck that featured sunsets over the Pacific. 

I had seen Tijuana a couple times, but never “real” Mexico, so a visit was definitely in order. From day one I was in love. The first excursion we made was to a supermarket, where we bought a bunch of supplies.  There we found all sorts of lovely options, particularly liquor for sale (a novelty, since Washington State at the time did not allow such indulgences). Here we picked up rum  for me, since I don’t drink tequila, and on the mixer shelves I found a new love: peach juice! 

 Another friend had made punch at one of my parties in the States; it had peach juice as one of the main ingredients, but when I went looking for more peach juice (it goes so well with rum), I discovered that peach juice is not cheap. Not cheap at all in the US.  But there on the supermarket shelf I found canned peach juice that was less than half the price! Thrilled, I bought a slew of the cans and our vacation was under way! 

I had Peach Juice with eggs in the morning for breakfast.  Peach juice drinks at lunch time. And Peach Juice with rum before and after dinner.  But while my friend was drinking tequila, I declined tequila, because I had had an early difficult encounter with that devil juice and swore off it forever!

 

We had a delightful time, walking the beach and shopping and seeing the sights.  Mazatlan is truly beautiful. All the time I was there, I read every sign and pamphlet, trying to retain some Spanish (I have some exposure to five other languages, but not Spanish). I listened to people talking in the streets and struggled to use what little of the language I could acquire. You haven’t lived until you try reading a Lowe’s installation pamphlet in Spanish!

I fell in love with Mexico that week. It was the BEST. I loved my friend, her house, her dog, her neighborhood, the view, the ocean, the beach, the downtown, the food, everything. LOVED, LOVED, LOVED it All.  

And so when the week drew to a close and we were hanging out in the backyard, I found myself trying to read the small print, the teeny-tiny print on the back of the peach juice can. I got to ingredients and found: Durazno. Good. I had already figured out that meant peach.  But what was this? The full ingredients read: Durazno con tequila. 

Con tequila!? With tequila?*

Why, yes.  I had been drinking tequila and peach juice morning, noon, and night. With eggs. With Lunch. In the afternoon. AND with rum: Rum and tequila/peach juice before dinner. Rum and tequila/peach juice during dinner. Rum and tequila/peach juice after dinner.

No wonder I adored everything Mazatlan.

*and no, it didn't say that on the front of the can!