The Cheese, Salsa (on the side) Enchilada Paradox

Let me begin by saying: “The customer is always right..”

I’ve heard that phrase at least twenty times since we opened Hacienda de Vega. Every single one of them uttered by a customer who wanted to change, modify, arrange and/or transform one of our traditional recipes to his exact specifications.

Almost in every one of those instances a paradox with far reaching consequences can occur.

Paradoxes. We come across them every once in a while. They are absurd, contradictory and, most of the time, confusing statements, actions or persons that happen given the right situations.

The CSE Paradox (please keep up with the acronyms.) is a recurrent one, and it showed its ugly face again two nights ago in the covered patio. I had the pleasure of being asked to the table and listen to the guest’s polite request.

She wanted an Enchilada Tlaxcala (MENU ALERT: Chicken enchiladas in a tomatillo sauce with melted cheese on top, sides of refried beans and rice) transformed into a CSE with a side of potatoes.

Sounds easy right? Take the chicken out of the picture, put the cheese inside with just a dab of refried beans, salsa on the side in a little rammekin and add some of our house potatoes -also in a little rammekin of their own.

Any chef worth their salt can do that with their eyes closed while scrambling an order of eggs on a frying pan with their free hand, so, what are the far reaching consequences I’m referring to?

Let’s forget that the bloodthirsty Aztec gods would punish us because we transformed a traditional enchilada into a commonplace quesadilla (which BTW is also on the menu). Let’s get past the issue of presentation, which is a big deal when chefs design their dishes. Many times have I been deceived into tasting something really bad because my eyes said “Go, Julian, go.” (I’m especially fond of the time I had chocolate covered cat food at a friend’s house but that story is for another post).

Let’s go past all that and say that we do take part in the CSE Paradox and violate the rules of the Traditional Mexican Food Continuum. Soon, very soon, we would open the gates to gorditas, chimichangas, nachos and (buurrrhhh) hard shell tacos and, in their wake, combo orders would follow. Why not deep fried carnitas? Or jalapeno poppers with ketchup? Or Mexican burro wings?

Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy gorditas and nachos once in a while. All those items have their niche and place in this world of ours; their hard core followers. But it’s not here.

We would not partake in a CSE. Not on my watch at least…

“That sounds more like you’d like a quesadilla.” I told my guest politely pointing at the item in the menu. “I can send you the sauce on the side if you want.” And waited for “The customer is always right.” remark. Which thankfully, never came. She smiled and changed her order and the paradox was averted, the continuum continues unscathed.

Score one for the Aztec Gods!

P.S.
BTW, No matter what they say, what they do, smear, or put on top of a tostada it will never, EVER become a Mexican Pizza.