THE VERY BEST ENCHILADAS I HAVE EVER EATEN

About this time last year, I was with a friend in Roy Pope's Grocery while a woman and her mother were demonstrating their enchilada sauce in hope that the customers would like it enough to interest the store in adding their product to the shelves. When I tasted the offered product, I was immediately thrilled as it had the taste that I had been looking for since 1970, a wonderful blend of everything that everyone else seems to use, but mixed in such a way as to be better than any enchiladas I have ever eaten. And I have eaten a lot of enchiladas in the 60 years or so that I can remember eating Mexican food.

When David and I lived in Quanah, Texas, we used to drive to Vernon on a weekend night, eat at the Santa Rosa Cafe, and go to the movies. The Santa Rosa has long been gone from Vernon,. but I can still remember the taste of their food; and their enchiladas had a very special flavor. And now, here in Fort Worth were two women making a sauce with near that same flavor. I had thought of going over there and buying the sauce and making enchiladas several times, but had simply never done it. But this week, I decided that this was to be the week. And so, this morning I went to Pope's hoping the sauce had been a hit and would be on the shelves.

I walked into the store and asked about that product I had seen demonstrated so long ago and the woman at the desk brightened and said, "Enchilada Ole! Oh yes, we have it." She seemed as excited as I was that I was about to purchase the sauce and not stopping to tell me where to find it, she hurried down the aisle, me trailing behind, and handed me two jars.which I paid for and brought home as if it were a precious gift. I could hardly wait to try it.

Good sense directed me to shred the cheese and chop the onions before I did anything else and I was so glad to have a food processor that made very short work of shredding two pounds of cheese and chopping two onions. And now, I was ready. I tossed the cheese and onions together in a third bowl, opened the package of corn tortillas, and heated the sauce. Soon, I had a huge baking dish filled with enchiladas which I topped with more cheese and onion and another layer of the sauce. As a final touch and remembering the enchiladas at the Santa Rosa, I added more cheese to melt on the top, stuck the dish into the oven, and waited for the cheese to completely melt into the sauce.

Now that I am thinking about it, I am sure that at the Santa Rosa, they stuck the customer's plate of enchiladas under the broiler to get that last good melt of the cheese so that it practically became a part of the sauce, but this was wonderful without the broiler!  I took the enchiladas to the table and served them onto my bright red plates, added a salad of tossed lettuces, onion, tomato, and avocado topped with sour cream and salsa. And we ate. Oh my! Did we eat. I had made 18 big fat enchiladas using two pounds of cheese, a quart of the sauce, and adding two sliced avocados. Oh yes, there were chips for scooping up every last bit of the sauce and cheese. We did everything but lick the plate.

Everyone who had a taste of these enchiladas loved them and no, it wasn't anything I did. It was that delicious sauce. I understand that the women are putting their products in other stores as well. I believe it is in Central Market both here and in Dallas and they have plans to put      Enchilada Ole into Albertson's. Surely, one day, it will be on a shelf in a super market near you. If so, try it. It's delicious.

http://enchiladasole.com/