Memoir draft

My first Spanish paella

-Be good and grateful. I love you so much, my daughter- my mum told me before she left me there in that big two-story house with white walls with those  women who did not know and with whom I would live thereafter. They were three Spanish sisters who came to Peru sent by their parents before the imminent defeat of the Franco regime in Spain. That was how Spain came into my life, so suddenly and without asking. From that moment I only remember my childhood steeped in Spanish flavor. Extremadura crumbs, paella, Madrilean stew, marzipans, churros with chocolate, lentils with chorizo and all kinds of dishes that Miss Ana Maria prepared for the family and for Anita and me. It was so different from my mum’ food .... Mom was not a professional cook but had been working in the kitchen since she was young. She made the most delicious dishes I remember, for me she is a master of traditional Peruvian food, especially her delicious Pachamanca. ... Unfortunately I remember few, mom worked hard every day, but when she did not, she endeavored to prepare their best dishes, green rice with chicken and Peruvian ceviche. We could not afford those meals prepared by Miss Ana Maria, but Mom gave everything, often with very little, to see our smiles and see us grow. that is why I understood her reasons, I did not blame her for not spending time with us and less for leaving me there.

With Miss Ana Maria I learned a lot about the art of cooking, she was a passionate cook in her young age. He had a business of paellas. I remember the first time I helped her make a seafood paella. I liked helping, I was very restless, and the worst that they could tell me was that I stay seated. They knew it from the first time I arrived at the house, I wanted to see everything and try everything, so they always kept me busy.

The days of paella, were noticeable, they were all up and down the house, as if they were nervous. The tension in the environment was noticeable. The doorbell rang. It was a man bringing vegetables and seafood for the paella. Miss Ana Maria had promised me to help her to prepare the paella so there I was, eager she tell me what to do, watching them carefully until they caught nervous and I was sent to do something. - Go to the kitchen and help Anita- I ran into the kitchen but Anita was not there. Something sounded in the sink, I approached, there was a white bag with something moving. I did not dare touch it but wanted to know what it was. The smell given from the bag was unpleasant and nauseating, like the odour of those mornings when the smell of sea came to the house. Anita entered the kitchen. She must have noted the horror on my face because she laughed mockingly. She went straight to the sink and washed her hands. Then she took the bag and opened it without a second thought. They were two red spiders with huge claws, larger than my own fingers. They were horrible, they were really ugly. Anita took a knife, the biggest one in the kitchen drawer and with her hand grabbed one of those spiders.- They're crabs, do not panic. Come here and see- she said. I approached, but kept a considerable distance, just in case one of those beasts dared to jump. Pointing the tip of the knife in the thorax of the crab said - if you remove this part of the crab it dies- she did at the same time she explained it to me. I stared intently watching the crab until it stopped moving its horrible legs suddenly. She did it quickly, at least the crab had a quick death. Then, Anita put the crabs in a pot of boiling water that had prepared above the kitchen. I felt so bad for them, really bad.. I helped peel the peas, garlic but I couldn't stop thinking about the poor crabs. I peeled so many peas that my nails hurt. Anita cut the peppers, onion, garlic, and prepared the seafood as she listened and hummed to cumbia playing on the radio. When she finished chopping vegetables put them in separate Tupperware containers, to make the work easier for Miss Ana Maria. Miss Ana Maria, came with an apron and a white hat into the kitchen. She looked so funny, but I could not laugh, it would be disrespectful. The paellera was ready since the night before, seated on the round little stove, on a table in the middle of the courtyard. Miss Ana Maria ordered Anita to turn off the radio and to put his Sevillanas CD, a smile drawn on her face whilst listening. She began preparing the paella. I watched everything she did carefully. She sprayed a little oil on the paellera then put the onions and green and red peppers finely chopped until they were poached. You could see her experience, her passion when you saw her cooking. After stirring the rice, she grabbed the pot with broth crabs and added it until it covered the rice. The broth bubbled, now yellow from the saffron. The paella was ready. It looked like the Spanish flag, yellow as the rice and the red pepper and crabs decorating it. The smell of the paella was so strong that it permeated my clothes, it was a new smell, I had not tasted food that had that smell. I wanted to try - Can I try some? I asked Anita. - No, Mirtha, that food is not for you.- I was disappointed, I did not understand very well because I could not try, it was unfair. I helped and she did not even give me a little to try. I later overheard Miss Ana Maria on the phone, talking with one of her customers about a paella order and the price. Now I understood everything, I could not afford the price nor the smallest. Paellas was for rich people. Not for me.