International Women's Day, Obesity and Pastry

Rambling thoughts with tenuous links:

I cannot prove it, but it seems the lower people are on the economic ladder the heavier they are. Hildago County is very poor and unfortunately it is the most obese county in America. It is awash in fast food, there are taquerias on every block, the grocery stores are filled with prepared food, candy and junk snacks. It is not the grocer's fault; grocery stores stock what sells. A young man of possibly questionable status told me, "South of the border people are all skinny, here in the north, they are all fat". People have come across the border and left a lot of their day-to-day food traditions behind. Not quite that simple I am sure, but possible. Enough about that.

There was a lot on the morning television about International Women's Day. My wife is a woman who always has been a social activist so I asked her what she would particularly like to mark International Women's Day. She hesitated. I wondered what was it going to be? Gender pay equality? Reducing spousal abuse?  Eliminating sex trafficking?  Reduction of the bullying of young girls? The causes she backs passionately is long - after a long time, she finally said, "Pastry".

The El Manjar Bakery is two blocks down the the street from us. It's great. You grab a paper sack and a grabbing clamp and browse the full length glass case on the south wall selecting whatever American or Mexican style pastry that strikes your fancy. Then you set the sack on the scale at the register and pay the pretty young clerk whatever it weighs. Pastry by the pound! Wonderful pastry by weight! They don't make cinnamon rolls or caramel rolls, but they make a pretty fine Danish, a little heavy on the sugar, but still good. (It's hard to believe that a man of Danish heritage would think any pasty is too sweet.) I have developed quite a liking for their pumpkin empanadas. We obviously have to pace ourselves, least we start contributing adversely to the county weight average. We try never to buy more than two or three items and we often divide what we buy. Another theory I cannot prove: Two or three ordinary sweet rolls are not more satisfying than two or three bites of one good one. With coffee.

(Spellcheck has wiggly red lines under "taqueria" and "empanada". What English language are they living in?)