Clackamas Community Advantage Magazine October 2023

Heart of the Home

The indispensable role of women in Mexican gastronomy

kitchen is highly valued. “Let’s say your mother-in-law really likes you, right?” Maria says, “She will be so kind as to give you her great-grandmother’s mole recipe.”

As Mexican food influences and Latino flavors spread like wildfire throughout the United States and the world, the phrase “authentic Mexican food” is used frequently. But truth be told, the recipes differ regionally, created with what’s locally available in terms of ingredients and preparation methods.

“A lot of what is known as Mexican food now is mestizo food, the fusion of two worlds that collide,” Maria explains. “Like tamales. Tamales existed before the Spanish conquest, but when they came they brought lard, sugar, animal products, and spices that didn’t exist in Mexico and began using those ingredients in the tamales.” This is how traditional Mexican food has evolved.

By Angie Helvey, Contributing Writer

Photos by Brittney Waterman

When Maria Garcia was growing up in Mexico City, she was looked after by her maternal grandmother, her “abuelita,” along with her cousins, while their parents worked. Her grandmother would take the children to the market every day to buy fresh produce and other ingredients. When they returned home, the kids would help her clean beans or wash vegetables to prepare the family meal. “Since we were little ones, we helped in the kitchen one way or another doing small things,” Maria says. “Now, as an adult, I understand those things were her way of teaching and introducing us to the kitchen. And that is a big part of Mexican culture.”

When discussing Mexican food, we have to talk about women and their influence on Mexican gastronomy. The recipes are crafted mainly by women and are passed down from generation to generation, mother to daughter. “Sometimes the recipes aren’t written down,” explains Maria. “It’s just ‘call mom and ask her how to make this mole.’ And she will tell you, ‘Grab a little of this, a little of that.’” The transfer of knowledge in the

As a native Mexican woman and the owner of Yolotl Mexican Restaurant, Maria believes that recognizing the value of women in Mexican cooking is more important than ever. Our society demands that women are responsible for cooking for the family and caring for children, but they also need to contribute financially, leading them to trade home cooking for faster, easier alternatives. Though the freedom and liberation of women is a wonderful thing, women are losing their connection to the kitchen. “By doing this, we disconnect from our family. The function of women in Mexican society is deeply rooted in gastronomy.”

Maria has cultivated a team of women in her Yolotl kitchen dedicated to presenting traditional, home-cooked Mexican cuisine. “What I’m doing here is reclaiming our value, not just as cooks, but as working women offering what we eat at home, how our mothers and grandmothers taught us, and what we learn from each other because we are from different regions,” Maria says. Yolanda is from Oaxaca, and Juanita is from Michoacan. Maria and her sister Zulema are from Mexico City. All the women cook, and Zulema is in charge of the desserts. “Women have knowledge and tricks from growing up in the kitchen,” explains Maria. “It’s your instincts, your history, your memory, and we all have different experiences. One of us will say, ‘I remember going to this town and eating this thing,’ and then we’ll try to recreate it or make something even better.” Maria wants to empower other women to use their talents to make their way. “Let’s open those businesses. If you make great

salsa, sell it. If you make the best tortillas, sell them. Let’s get the help we need to provide for our families and ourselves.”

In 2010, traditional Mexican cuisine was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, especially recognizing women because “their knowledge and techniques express community identity, reinforce social bonds, and build stronger local, regional, and national identities.” “We should be proud of our heritage, proud of our food,” Maria says. “And it’s a matter of education for everyone, including Mexicans, to learn the gastronomy of other states to support our culture.”

Visit Yolotl Mexican Restaurant to experience traditional Mexican homecooking presented by hard-working,

diverse women, sharing cuisine from their family’s kitchens. The Day of the Dead and Mexican Independence Day are both coming up, and Maria and her team are hosting celebrations that will include traditional Mexican food, drinks, art, history, and education. Maria hopes to break barriers and squash negative stereotypes of different groups. “Through food, art, and activities, we can bring people together,” she says.

Yolotl Mexican Restaurant is located at 13140 SE 172nd Ave #122, Happy Valley. Check out their menu and website at yolotlmexcuisine.com, or give them a call at 503-855-4732.

Driving Away Hunger

Car donations = 580 meals to neighbors in need

while providing a wonderful opportunity for men and women to receive vocational training while in our New Life Program. Then, when the vehicle is sold, 100% of the proceeds go back to providing shelter, meals, and life-restoring programs available free of charge to those in need.

Last year Portland Rescue Mission provided 261,358 nutritious meals and 47,045 nights of safe shelter, as well as serving 295 men, women, and children in short and long-term programs. Our Drive Away Hunger program was a major contributor to this effort.

The best way to raise awareness about Portland Rescue Mission’s Drive Away Hunger program is to highlight the fact that donating is quick, easy, and towing is available. We offer the maximum tax-deduction possible, and the vehicle will

Since 1949, the goal of Portland Rescue Mission has always been to give hope and restore the lives of people who struggle with hunger, homelessness and addiction. Our Drive Away Hunger vehicle donation program plays a huge role in doing just that, as each car donated provides an average of about 580 meals to neighbors in need. More often than not a hot meal at our Burnside Shelter is our first opportunity to meet someone, learn their name, hear their story, and explore what additional support and services we can offer to help them become healthy and self-sufficient.

When a vehicle is donated to Portland Rescue Mission’s Drive Away Hunger program our staff will work alongside program participants to ensure that the car can pass a 70-point safety inspection. This increases the value of the car, providing the highest possible tax-deduction to the donor. It also ensures that whoever purchases the car gets a safe, reliable automobile all the

provide life-restoring care and vocational training to people who are working hard to transition out of homelessness and into self-sufficiency.

For nearly 75 years Portland Rescue Mission has been able to offer a wide range of highly relational, integrated services that transform the lives of people in need. While we receive no government funding at all, our services remain free of charge due to the support of the community.

Readers can learn more or donate a vehicle today online at www.DriveAwayHunger.org or call 503-647-7466.

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CASTOFFS, ROGUES AND WINNERS

Play ball! During the 1970s, umpires called out the famous phrase to launch Portland Mavericks baseball games at Civic Stadium (Providence Park) in one of the most colorful chapters in the history of Portland baseball.

Although the renegade Portland Mavericks existed for only five summers, this uniquely memorable team will forever be etched in the history of minor league baseball. The Mavericks emerged onto the Portland baseball scene in 1973 with the departure of the Portland Beavers — the city’s long-time triple-A club — moving to Spokane. The Mavericks were owned by ex-minor league baseball player and former actor, Bing Russell, best known for his role as Deputy Clem Foster on the TV Western Bonanza. Bing was the father of well-known actor Kurt Russell, who unbeknownst to many, played for the Portland Mavericks their inaugural season — batting .229 in 23 games.

Initially, trading the triple-A Beavers for the single-A Mavericks seemed like a raw deal for Portland baseball fans; however, the Portland Mavericks became a surprise success. Bing Russell’s motto for the Mavericks — that it should be “fun” — rendered the game-time atmosphere at Civic Stadium circus-like and light-hearted. Russell was a trendsetter, being one of the first to promote minor league baseball with a focus on fun and entertainment.

As an independent team, unaffiliated with a major league franchise, the Mavericks recruited ex-minor leaguers and ex-big leaguers who were looking for an opportunity to revive fading careers. At the time, Mavericks were the only independent professional baseball team in the country, and despite the fact that they could pay players only $300 a month, hopefuls continued to arrive from across the United States each June to participate in Bing Russell’s tryouts.

Unlike many independent teams, the Mavericks were competitive in their single-A Northwest League. For five seasons straight, the Mavericks were not only competitive, but won a number of league titles. In 1973, this rag-tag collection of baseball castoffs ended the season with a 45-35 record, and won the NWL south division title.

year, the Mavericks went 50-34, finishing second place in the newly formatted NWL west division. In 1975 and 1976, the Mavericks won the NWL title, but in 1977 (their last year), despite earning the best record in franchise history (44-22), they lost in the championship game to Bellingham. It was a remarkable run for an independent team of baseball rejects and has-beens who, during the course of their short but memorable existence, faced major league prospects such as Ozzie Smith, Dave Steward, Rickey Henderson, Mike Scioscia, Pedro Guerrero, and Dave Henderson—all of whom went on to become big-time stars in the MLB.

Contrary to the Portland Beavers who struggled with attendance in the early 1970s, the Mavericks packed the stands. In three out of five seasons, the Mavericks’ attendance exceeded 100,000 fans. In 1977, the Mavericks attracted 125,300 fans in only 33 games, which remains the attendance record in the minor leagues for short-season single-A level.

By Robert Matsumura, Contributing Writer

Despite the Portland Mavericks’ short existence, their seasons were distinguished by crazy hijinks, creativity, and historic firsts. Among the memorable moments in Mavericks history was the banning of manager Hank Robinson from the NWL for assaulting an umpire. Another was the 1975 game in which player/manager Frank Peters rotated all nine players in the Mavs lineup to a new position each inning. Also, when Peters wasn’t playing or managing the Mavs, he was busy operating several local nightclubs.

off field while playing for the Seattle Pilots (a former MLB team who eventually became the Milwaukee Brewers). Despite negative reaction from the MLB commissioner who felt the book painted a picture detrimental to the sport, Ball Four was a massive commercial success, selling millions of copies worldwide. As a Maverick, Bouton, along with the Mavericks pitching coach Rob Nelson, came up with the idea of Big League Chew — a shredded bubble gum alternative to chewing tobacco—that was initially picked up and produced by Wrigley gum.

The Portland Mavericks came to an end in 1977 when the Pacific Coast League decided to return to Portland. Organized baseball at the time operated under the authority of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues. In order for the PCL to return to Portland, a deal had to be negotiated between Bing Russell and the PCL for rights to the Portland market. After months of hard bargaining, Russell ended up receiving his asking price of $206,000 — far more than the standard $25,000 compensation rate to relinquish rights to a city.

So remarkable were the Portland Mavericks during their colorful five-year run that Netflix produced the documentary The Battered Bastards of Baseball, which not only recounted their amazing history, but also the Mavericks’ influence on independent baseball in the ensuing years.

consisting of the Volcanoes, Mavericks, Salem Senators, and the Campesinos de Salem-Keizer.

So, when you’re driving down I-5 near Keizer, you may notice a baseball game in progress at Volcanoes Stadium, and it just might be the newly revived Portland Mavericks. And if you’re in the mood for some good old-fashioned entertainment, stop by for a game and cheer on the storied Portland Mavericks!

BATGIRL PENNY CLEMO

The Mavericks also made history by hiring Lanny Moss and Jon Yoshiwara as General Managers. Moss, hired in 1975, was the first woman to hold the GM position in professional baseball. Yoshiwara, hired in 1977, was the first Asian-American GM in baseball at the professional level. At the same time, the 22-year old Yoshiwara was an active player on the roster as well.

Jim Bouton, ex-New York Yankee pitcher who played for the Mavericks twice, may have been the most notorious of all the team’s players. His famous book Ball Four detailed Burton’s wild experiences on and

After a forty-five year hiatus, Portland Mavericks emerged again as a member of the four-team Mavericks Independent Baseball League of the Salem Metro Area, which plays at Volcanoes Stadium in Keizer. The league was formed by the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes, a previous minor league team in the San Francisco Giants’ system. After the Giants chose to sever their relationship with the Volcanoes, the latter chose to form an independent league of their own. The Volcanoes organization bought rights to the former Portland Mavericks and made them one of the four teams in their new league,

Let’s not forget the Mavericks’ bat girl, Penny Clemo, hired in 1975. The 12-year-old sixth grader from Portland was among some of the first girls to participate in Little League, as a lawsuit in June 1974 (for Maria Pepe and Kim Green) forced them to accept girls into their ranks. She played with fellow seventh and eighth graders and gained a reputation for being the toughest pitcher in the South Powell Little League, as well as hitting three grand slams in 1975. This set a precedent and proved that women belonged on the baseball field, not just in the stands.

CYSTIC FIBROSIS FOUNDATION

Come to MWNW and help support the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation!

Celebrating 28 years in business, locally-owned and -operated Mattress World Northwest (MWNW) carries the largest selection that will fit your needs best, and the only store with the 4 major sleeping technologies: GelFlex Grid, TEMPUR® foam, Air, and Natural Latex. They carry major brands like: Tempur-Pedic®, Purple™, The Number Bed by Instant Comfort®, and Posh+Lavish™ Natural Latex. They’re all in-store, side-by-side, for your convenience! And they guarantee the lowest price and have a 90-night comfort guarantee, so you can take home a better night’s sleep with confidence. Their employees love working here and will always greet you with a smile, listen to your needs and concerns and give you a great buying experience. On average, team members have worked here for 5+ years, and their management team 10+ years, so you know they are committed to this company and making their customers happy.

Get A Better Night’s Sleep

At the heart of their business lie three core values. First, is their sincere dedication to helping every customer get a better night’s sleep. They have the largest selection of name brand mattresses and specialty mattresses in the Northwest, from handmade to 100% natural latex, as well as adjustable frames. They carry every type of mattress for every type of sleeper!

Happy Employees, Happy Customers

Second, MWNW believes in empowering employees to live their best possible lives. Happy employees means happy customers, so you can trust you’ll be greeted with a smile and an attentive ear. Mattress purchases are done only a handful of times in our lives. That experience, good or bad, leaves a lasting impression. At MWNW, they have perfected the process to ensure that you get the best possible service and overall experience every time.

A Foundation of Philanthropy

Third, and perhaps most impor tantly, is their dedication to philanthropic work. Each and every month, MWNW supports

local charities and schools in a variety of ways. To date, they have donated over $500,000 to local high schools and other charities! Giving back to the community is an integral part of what defines this organization.

Dedicated Charitable Support

In October, all locations will be accepting donations to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in support of their work to provide the means to find the cure for CF and ensure that those living with the disease can live long and productive lives. MWNW is gladly donating to this benevolent cause while also raising awareness by offering to take donations on the organization’s behalf. Please help raise funds by donating online or visiting one of their local stores.

Family-owned and -operated, dedicated to providing customers with the best products at the lowest prices, and donating to and participating in their local communities – Mattress World Northwest exemplifies the very best of retail. Get a better night’s sleep and help support your community by visiting your local Mattress World Northwest location for more information, or you can order online at mattressworldnorthwest.com.

Feeling Is Believing.

The Irish Legend of Stingy Jack

Old myth illuminates Halloween icon

By Krysta M. Nelson, Contributing Writer

Ah, autumn, what a wonderful time of year! A time to break out all my favorite sweaters just as the leaves turn into vibrant shades of yellow, orange and red, and, best of all, the arrival of Halloween, my favorite holiday. I have so many fond memories over the years, eating candy all night and wearing costumes to school.

I should mention, my nickname as a kid was “Little Miss Mess Maker,” which means my favorite Halloween activity has always been carving pumpkins, even recreating a horror movie with the guts of a gourd one time. It was epic — the mess, not the movie.

Now, most people carve pumpkins never realizing the myth behind the mess, but my brain likes to know things, so I scooped up the history and discovered “The Legend of Stingy Jack.”

Long ago, in a small Ireland town, a drunkard named Stingy Jack earned his moniker after pinning his bar tab on the Devil himself. Apparently, Jake caused a bit of trouble for his neighbors, so Satan had come for his soul. Now, Jack may have been known for being a drunk — scuttered and bollocksed — but he was also a clever lad, convincing the Devil to take him to his favorite pub as a final request. When the bill came ’round, Jack convinced the demon to turn into a coin, so Jack could pay for his drinks.

However, instead of paying up, Jack dropped the coin into his pocket, alongside a crucifix, trapping the fiery foe. The Devil begged Stingy Jack to release him, and so he did, but only on the condition the Devil would not come for him for another year, and should Jack die, Satan could not claim his soul.

True to his word, the Devil didn’t return for a whole year. When he finally reappeared, Jack convinced Satan to climb a tree to grab a piece of fruit for the journey to Hell. Once the Devil reached the top, Jack carved a cross into the bark of the trunk, trapping the Devil among the branches. Again, Satan begged Jack to free him, but this time, Jack made him promise another 10 years. Of course, the Devil agreed to his terms and was freed.

Upon his death, Jack was denied heaven because of his obvious sins. And because of his trickery and scheming, Satan wouldn’t allow him into Hell either. Instead, the Devil gave Jack a lump of burning

coal to light his way. Jack put the coal into a carved turnip and has been roaming the earth ever since as “Jack of the Lantern,” or Jack-o’-lantern nowadays.

What a guy, am I right? Because of this legend people in Ireland and Scotland started carving scary faces into turnips and potatoes.

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