(Rhythmic music)
- (narrator) Mr. Valise is from Laredo, Texas.
A city that sits right at the border
before you enter Mexico.
It's about a two-and-a-half-hour drive from San Antonio.
- (woman) Cut it like this?
- (man) Yep.
Well, we don't need the spine, mom,
if it's easy or hard or whatever's easier for you.
- (woman) Posed to do it or don't, I don't know.
(laughter)
- (narrator) A lot of the culture is built around food.
Food is how you show prosperity and gratitude.
Food is how you show love and appreciation.
Food is how you bring everyone together.
So whenever we come down, there is a lot of food to be had.
But it's not just about eating.
The time spent preparing the food
with the people closest to you is just as important
as the meal itself.
- (woman) The insides.
- (man) You have the kidney.
- (woman) The kidneys
- (man) That's the liver.
These are the lungs.
- (woman) And the heart.
- (man) And the heart.
All this will be cut if there will be enough
of the mesh.
- (woman) This is for the calido.
- (narrator) Mr. Valise's mother loves to cook.
And prepare food.
Both of his parents do, actually.
They purchased this goat for us to freeze
and take back to San Antonio so we can have calido
to grill at home.
(dishes clanging)
(man talking in background)
(rhythmic music)
(dogs barking)
(rhythmic music)
- (narrator) One of my favorite places to eat
when we come down to Laredo is Tacos Ravi.
Now I'm not going to sit here and tell you
that they have the best tacos in all of Texas.
I'm not stupid enough to make such a bold proclamation.
Especially as someone who was born and raised here
in the state.
But I will say this:
when I'm in Laredo,
no matter how long or how short the trip
I will make sure to make time to go and eat
at least one molleja taco from Tacos Ravi.
If you ever find yourself in Laredo
for whatever reason, check 'em out.
(speaking Spanish)
- (man) A hundred pieces
- (woman) A hundred (speaking Spanish)
- (man) for 12 bucks?
- (woman) for 12 dollars.
- (man) Dang, that's cheap.
(laughter)
- (narrator) Mr. Valise's father is a retired police officer
for the railroad.
So he's always had a service dog at his side.
Tiger is one of the last dogs he had before he retired.
While yes, he is technically trained to hurt you on command,
he's actually a really sweet dog.
And is living out his old age here in their backyard.
German Shepherds are really sweet dogs
and can be extremely loyal, loving, and devoted
family members.
You just have to have the right skills to raise them.
She's very happy here.
And she keeps Tiger on his toes
which is good for an aging dog like him.
(speaking Spanish)
(drum music)
(beans shuffling loudly)
- (woman) Ooh, baby, I haven't seen those pictures
in a while.
Eh, they're all with the piano it looks good.
- (man) I think we should hang this
- (woman) We should hang it, yes.
- (man) This one is a monochrome?
Did you take that picture?
- (another man) Yeah. I took this picture.
- (man) Oh wow, love the picture.
Yeah, 45 (mumbles)
(beans shuffling loudly)
- Oh wait a minute.
I don't like those.
- (woman in floral shirt) Guys, come to the mountains
for my birthday!
In December.
- (man in green shirt) Of this year?
- This year, I'm going to be 60.
I'm going to be 60.
Let's go to the mountains.
Let's go to the mountains for a few days.
You don't have to be there the whole Christmas season.
- Which mountains?
- Let's go to Ruidoso. I'm not...
- Where's that?
- New Mexico
- Ruidoso, New Mexico. -Oh, okay!
- I'm not that...
I don't want to go to Colorado or
I don't know.
- They have good steak houses too.
(background conversation)
(bubbling)
- (woman in floral shirt) That one goes here
- (woman) and the white one here (voice fades)
(dishes clatter loudly)
- (narrator) If you have a mother-in-law who loves
to cook like mine,
the best thing you can do is the dishes.
Without being prompted.
Just walk over there,
start helping and just do them.
Because again, preparing the food is just as important
as the meal.
And chances are she's going above and beyond what's normal
because you're here.
- Well hey you!
- (narrator) It's Easter Sunday.
So Mr. Valise's uncle Theodore Ojelio usually hosts
a barbeque at his home.
They live right next door.
- Good morning.
- (narrator) Good morning.
Everyone is up preparing food.
Theodore Ojelio, like Mr. Valise, and most of the men
in this family, takes his grilling very seriously.
He'll be cooking a goat, or cabrito
via an inverted pit.
(laughter)
My father-in-law is roasting some peppers real quick
to take back next door for salsa.
- It's time.
(lively music)
- My daughter's all like "No, no, I'm going to cheat.
You have to hide 'em, not me."
(laughter)
- What you doing?
- (woman) You have to help me hide eggs.
Here, let me go get...
Let me go get a bag.
- (woman) No, no, no, no, no, no.
No, no, no, mine.
- (narrator) You don't really hide the eggs, per se,
because there are so many you just kind of
scatter them around the yard.
You haven't lived until you've seen adult men and women
find their inner children via cascarones.
(lively music)
It's always nice to come down and see Mr. Valise's family
here in Laredo.
Because they're just that-
they're a family.
They have cooky cousins and funny aunts
and everything a family is supposed to have.
They are all the reason I'm trying to learn Spanish.
Because through marriage they're my family too now.
(harmonica)