What is a "Pachanga" ?

[classicrockgriller]

I have been staying at My Mom's quite a bit trying to help nurse her back into fighting shape.

We have had her on a high fat diet and it is working quite well. I gained 6 pounds. ;D

I was running some errands and was driving down a road in the Kingwood/Atacosita area of

Houston and I caught this place out of the corner of my eye.

It might be a Pachanga.



It LOOKS like a Pachanga.



It is a Pachanga.



I had to go inside to try to find the "True" meaning of Pachanga.



I ask the people that worked there what a "Pachanga" was. Some said it was a festival or party. At last

someone told me ..... Pachanga is a guy from Texas who has a Bradley and smokes AWESOME Briskets.

But I think a Pachanga is $1.50 draft Corona with Ice hanging out on the glass.

[KevinG]

 ;D :D

[BuyLowSellHigh]

 ;D   ;D    ;D

I vote all of those ... and a dance too!

[SouthernSmoked]

[/quote]

Now that's a Pachanga!!

[ArnieM]

Now that's funny.  ;D

[FLBentRider]

You were getting your nails done and found a Pachanga?

[classicrockgriller]

You were getting your nails done and found a Pachanga?

No a Waxing! ;D

[hal4uk]

It's always nice to have pretty nails and a fresh waxing before karaoke.

[classicrockgriller]

After $20 of $1.50 beers .... I thought about a waxing! ;D

[Slamdunk]

From Wikipedia....

In Cuba in 1955, Los Papines fused the violin-based music of charangas and the trumpet-based music of conjuntos Eduardo Davidson's La Pachanga (1959), recorded by Orquesta Sublime, introduced Cuba to a Colombian dance (which was confusingly called "charanga" in the USA). But, as Fidel Castro  seized power in Cuba in 1959, the epicenter of Latin music moved to other islands and then south. Charanga and pachanga became brief fads in the USA, while the "son" left Cuba and migrated to Puerto Rico.[1]

As a dance, pachanga has been described as "a happy-go-lucky dance" of Cuban origin with a Charleston flavor due to the double bending and straightening of the knees. It is danced to the downbeat of four-four time to the usual mambo offbeat music characterized by the charanga instrumentation of flutes, violins, drums and the near silent emissions of smoke coming from a Bradley Smoker.{2}

Actually I added the last bit.... ::)

[DTAggie]

No wonder you have not responded to my PM

[Wildcat]

From Wikipedia....

In Cuba in 1955, Los Papines fused the violin-based music of charangas and the trumpet-based music of conjuntos Eduardo Davidson's La Pachanga (1959), recorded by Orquesta Sublime, introduced Cuba to a Colombian dance (which was confusingly called "charanga" in the USA). But, as Fidel Castro  seized power in Cuba in 1959, the epicenter of Latin music moved to other islands and then south. Charanga and pachanga became brief fads in the USA, while the "son" left Cuba and migrated to Puerto Rico.[1]

As a dance, pachanga has been described as "a happy-go-lucky dance" of Cuban origin with a Charleston flavor due to the double bending and straightening of the knees. It is danced to the downbeat of four-four time to the usual mambo offbeat music characterized by the charanga instrumentation of flutes, violins, drums and the near silent emissions of smoke coming from a Bradley Smoker.{2}

Actually I added the last bit.... ::)

Wow! Try digesting that after consuming $20 worth of $1.50 beer!

[SnellySmokesEm]

Hahaha.  Cant wait to see how the man himself chimes in on this one.  Good Story!

[Pachanga]

CRG,

Nice, really nice.

Yes, a pachanga is all of the above (except maybe the brisket comment). 

A Mexican beer with ice on the glass is a bonus.  A lot of impromptu pachangas feature what we call in Texas - Rodeo Cold Beer - or beer that has been bought cold but never saw ice after that; usually near room temperature.  Connoisseurs of such think it brings out the flavor, head, and bouquet.  Those not familiar with such proceedings moan and complain; cussing the warm cerveza with each sip as they drink beer after free beer.

My definition of pachanga is as follows:

Pachanga is a South Texas Mexican slang word meaning a wild rowdy fiesta (party) which usually involves barbeque, music, family (including the little ones and dogs), compadres and outdoor cooking.

My home is Pachanga céntrico.  I have a small house on a spoil island on the intercoastal waterway 28 miles south of Corpus Christi by boat;  Pachanga Dos.  My boat is Pachanga Agua (water).

As used in a sentence:

We are throwing a Pachanga this weekend.  I’ll supply the meat.  You bring the Cerveza.  And not that ++*xx^% skunky stuff you brought last time, you cheap *x**^%%%**.  Lone Star longnecks will be fine or show up with a variety of Mexican beers.

************************

Once you have been invited to a real pachanga hosted by Mexicans, the experience will stick with you.

There are toothless old men  sitting in lawn chairs of the same age wearing long sleeved shirts (even on the hottest summer day) with pleasant smiles on their leathery dark brown faces (cerveza may be a contributing factor to the smiles).  If a hat is removed, a much lighter colored band is noticeable on their forehead, exposing young, untanned, Spanish skin with no wrinkles in sharp contrast to the well worn Native American, deep mahogany, lower face.  Ample la abuelas (grandmothers) dressed in long cotton dresses are cooking tortillas and serving tamales. 

Little ninos and ninas are running around having fun but always are respectful and mindful to the elders.  They occasionally slip into the lap of one of the men for a quick rest and a stroking of their dark hair.  Then they take another dip in the small plastic swimming pool or run through a sprinkler attached to a long water hose.

Twenty and thirty something strapping young men (in sleeveless white undershirts, tight, crisply creased blue jeans and cream colored straw cowboy hats with sharply bent vertical brims) are laughing and telling jokes.  A beer bottle is precariously held between two fingers.  Beautiful senoritas are milling about while watching the little ones and cradling babies.

The forty and fifty something men (loose jeans, long or short sleeved, button up, plaid, cotton shirt and wide brim sweated out, cowboy hat) take turns tending an open fire with a cabrito pinned to a vertical stake.  The coals are shoveled according to the wind changes.  Someone else is grilling skirt steak for fajitas (no chicken fajitas here) over glowing embers as a dog or two expectantly hangs around eyeing each movement of the cook's fork.  Red, green and brick salsas are displayed colorfully in large bowls sitting on a brightly dyed table cloth.   A familiar noise is heard.  A slight, wrinkled old woman is pecking with a knife to produce a simple, deliciously fresh pico de gallo. 

Sometime during the pachanga, a pit is uncovered under the watchful eye of one of the old men who quietly gives directions in Spanish - the native language rolling beautifully off of his tongue. A cow's cabeza, teeth exposed, with meat falling off the bones is revealed along with various other cuts of meat and a pot of vegetables - barbacoa is served; with fresh corn tortillas, the afore mentioned salsas, avocados, lime and frijoles.

Slow paced, peaceful but rowdy, loud activity is prevalent in the smoky air.

A mariachi band is playing live or over speakers.

Horse shoes and washers are thrown for fun and profit.  The clink of the game and the shouts of a ringer are heard in the background.

A pinata is a must.  It is hung from a tree and teases the little ones until late in the pachanga when it is batted about until it is forced to give up its treats.

When dusk arrives, multicolored strings of Christmas lights brighten the night, exhausted kids are put to bed, a beer run is made, and the pachanga continues well into the night.

But mostly, you are accepted as family and honored guest into a sacred culture - not as an outsider of a different color.

For a moment in time, all is right with the world and it is the way the world oughta be.

Now that is a Pachanga.

Good luck and may all your Pachangas be full of fun, family and food.

Pachanga


CRG, hope Mom is getting better.

[classicrockgriller]

Thanks Pachanga!

First I hope you KNOW this post was not intended to be disrepectful of you.

Your knowledge of smoking/cooking and using the Bradley has helped alot of

people make better Q.

It was a fun place and just might stop in again when I go back.

Mom is getting Better.