These are tlyudas, a Oaxacan food. Since we live just a few minutes from the Chiapas/Oaxaca state boarder, we a blessed to have tlyudas available in Arriaga. They are so yummy! They are dinner-plate-sized corn tortillas filled with refried beans, Oaxacain cheese, cabbage, and meat, grilled over a charcoal fire. Of course there are many variations of tlyudas, but this what is inside "tlyuda lady's" tlyudas. She is from Oaxaca and comes to Arriaga each weekend to sell tlyudas. She opens up the gates to her driveway and sets up shop in her courtyard, working from the tiny kitchen. (Many people will set up small food stands this way to earn extra money.) Once she has made enough money for the weekend, she closes up shop and goes back to Oaxaca. Too bad for you if you don't come the first night, and she is already gone.
Since we like her's best of all the tlyudas we have tried, her's are "authentic" in our minds. Each weekend we make it our "duty" to have one meal of tlyudas. Tlyuda lady keeps track of us. She knows how many we like to eat and she notices when we don't show up. We know this because she comments to other Gringos about our habits.
Well, a week ago she gave us a turtle along with our tlyudas. Sort of a treat-of-the-week to go along with our meal, I guess.
I don't know much about turtles, much less Mexican turtles. I had to Google how to take care of him. Funny thing is he doesn't like to eat what I am suppose to feed him. He only seems to like the meat found inside tlyudas. The neat thing about our turtle is the bottom plate of its shell has two hinges. It can pull up the back and front thirds, completely closing itself inside.
The kids named the turtle Papaya and a friend has agreed to take over our pet when we leave. She has a lovely backyard full of plants and I'm sure Papaya won't miss us - that is unless our friend doesn't feed him "authentic" tlyudas.
what a cutie!!
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