Tuesday, March 27, 2018

EL HUESO DEL FRAILE, COMPONTE O PONTE HASTA EL TRONCO

(Ed.'s Note: This one is too rich to pass up. Seems one of our eight readers (we're growing) was walking along Elizabeth Street in downtown Browntown when he noticed a large tree trunk adorning the entrance to our friends' Laura and Adrian Foncerrada's El Hueso del Fraile coffeeshop and eatery. The trunk was a new addition to the outdoor shrubbery of the club.

We remember when the Foncerradas and their kids opened their club called La Mansion on Southmost Road. The Southmost crowd was not always amenable to the Nueva Musica, Latin American folk music, or classical European compositions so the family sought a better venue.

Nonetheless, a core of fans to this new music had been formed and they followed the family. They finally hit upon their present location at 837 E Elizabeth St.

We had asked them what El Hueso del Fraile referred to and we were told it was a medicinal plant which bore yellow flowers and pods of seeds. Later we found out that it is the common name for Yellow Oleander, "yoyote," "ayoyote (rattle,) or Almendra quema grasa (literally grease burner).

Image result for HUESO DEL FRAILE, rattle,  BOTANYMost of the plant is considered toxic, but is used in traditional Mexican medicine for a variety of ills, including its seed pods as protection against the "evil eye" and fallen fontanel (moyera) in babies. The seed pods are also used as rattles by matichin dancers to the Virgin of Guadalupe.

Lately, several cases of poisoning have occurred with its use in some products taken to lose weight. We, of course, have since ossified our moyeras and don't have to worry about our weight (thank God), but one in a while we do congregate at El Hueso to take in the superb live music offered there to sooth the savage breast and to imbibe of their imported brews. The open mike also allows budding musicians with aspirations to greatness to offer their talents to the appreciative crowd.

Once our maladies are assuaged, we will perhaps join those in the outside area para ponernos hasta el tronco.)

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Was wondering what happened to that family. They use to play at the Sheraton on spi now know as the pearl, for years. Their boys always helping. Good to see locals doing good.

tom landrie said...

Does the kid still harasses women? The dad is kind of a creep too sometinso when he drinks a little

Anonymous said...

Do they have city parking privileges for customers, or just gringos get that special rights, and/or available only to a group of people.

Anonymous said...

Can confirm the dad is a creep.

Anonymous said...

yup, and the son too, following women around downtown.

Anonymous said...

Place is not a cool hangout,

tom landrie said...

The things he says like "mamacita" and "esa chichita apachurro" always get me lol

Anonymous said...

The dead tree is horrible. What purpose does it serve? I heard one of the patrons just dumped it there. The city should haul it off for recycling.

Anonymous said...

Is that a bike rack. Did the city put the bike rack there?

Anonymous said...

Is there a city ordinance to prevent people dumping dead shrubs downtown? I thought they were cleaning up downtown?

rita