The get-together in that Chinese city

[AlohaDawg]

Yeah, we smuggle kielbasa across the border when we go visit my brother in Toledo.  Nothing like J&G's House of Meats for some good ol' fashioned sausage goodness. 

Man, I am ALWAYS being accused of smuggling kielbasa. I can't figure it out.

[Carlos del Vaca]

Better that than be accused of smuggling Vienna sausage.

[theinevitable]

OK, empanadas gets you back on the huuuuuugs list.

I occasionally yell out at Family "They're not just for Christmas!!!"

Why would Empanadas be a Christmas food??

They are yummy. But my grandma always puts weird things in them, I like really basic ones. In Chile we went to this famous empanada place where they only make cheese empanadas... they were amazing.

[Asherdan]

Out here the hispanic folks tend to cook the hell out of huge batches of tamales and empanadas around the holidays. It's just a thing.

Plus, my Polish by way of Argentina relatives can only be stirred to the effort around those holidays as well.

Hence: me yelling.

At least I can drop down to the carniceria and buy me some tamales any old time from the mestizo lady who looks like a weathered soapstone rock with eyeballs.

[theinevitable]

hah.

I just had a moment where I thought "wait, I DO tend to eat empanadas and sopaipillas and stuff around christmastime..."
and then I realize that that is because my grandma is here at that time. OOPS!

[Asherdan]

Ironic turn of events story time:

My closest relative who will do a straight up empanada throw down had work send her to Madrid, where I'm assuming this is, like, street corner fare as far as food acquisition.

I've asked them to give her back and take me instead.

No. The empanada answer is no. No empanadas for me until Christmas.

I'ma go home and wrap some beef flesh in bacon just to drown the empanada sorrow at this point.

Bacon hint for the BBQ: tight wraps and soaked toothpicks keeps everthing where it should be.