Chatting with the Seamstresses & Atol de Elote

As you may remember, our group of seamstresses began with learning how to sew on a pedal machine. It isn’t as crazy an idea as it may sound because we lose electricity FREQUENTLY and they don’t have to stop working. However, in time they have learned how to sew on the serger and have started using the electric machines once in a while.

We were chatting the other day about how far they had come since they first began their sewing lessons.

“In the beginning it was very hard because we didn’t know how to run the machines, but now we can make many different kinds of products and we have learned different skills.”
“Now we can work to earn money to get out of our poverty and provide for our children.”
“We feel very good when our products turn out well.”

As for Atol de Elote
Last week’s blog brought a request for our recipe for the sweet corn drink “atol de elote”.
Here is our “gringa” recipe (because it uses a blender):
You need about 3 cups of fresh (cooked and taken off the cob) or frozen corn. If you wish, save about ¼ cup of the kernels for garnish. Place the corn with 2½ cups of water in the blender and blend on high speed until it is smooth – except for the hulls. Strain out the hulls and discard them. Then, put the corn mixture in a saucepan over medium heat with a stick of cinnamon. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes. Bring 1½ cups of milk to a boil and stir it into the corn liquid. Continue cooking on low heat about another 20 minutes. Taste the mixture. Depending on your corn, it might already be sweet enough. If not, add ¼ cup of sugar. Add a pinch of salt. Garnish with the reserved corn and serve in mugs. If you do not have a blender, you may make it the traditional way, grinding the corn with mortar and pestle. (Recipe adapted from Favorite Recipes from Guatemala, by Laura Lynn Woodward, Editorial Laura Lee, Antigua Guatemala).

Buen provecho.