Day 55: Where Chiles en Nogada Were Born
At an old restaurant in the center of Puebla, Joel (A) and his girlfriend Mariela (B) ask the owner, Gonzalo (C), about his menu's claim that chiles en nogada, stuffed peppers in walnut sauce, were first made nearby; Agustín de Iturbide led the army that won Mexico's independence in 1821.
How to study this lesson 3 steps
- Read the situation under the title. It says who is talking and how they know each other, which decides how politely they speak.
- Read the dialogue line by line with its translation, until every line makes sense. Point at (or tap) a Spanish word to see what it means.
- Spend at least 30 minutes listening to native Spanish, for example from the Resources page. It doesn't matter if you don't understand it yet.
Dialogue
Audio recordings are on the way. For now, each lesson is the dialogue with its English translation.
Keys: E hide English · ← → previous / next day · point at a word to see its meaning
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A
Oiga, señor, ¿de veras los chiles en nogada nacieron aquí a la vuelta, como dice su menú?
Excuse me, sir, were chiles en nogada really born just around the corner, like your menu says?
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B
¡Claro, Joel! Las monjas de Santa Mónica los inventaron en 1821 para Iturbide, ¿verdad, señor?
Of course, Joel! The nuns at Santa Mónica invented them in 1821 for Iturbide, didn't they, sir?
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C
Así es, señorita, con los colores del Ejército Trigarante. Esa historia se viene contando de generación en generación.
That's right, miss, in the colors of the Army of the Three Guarantees. That story has been handed down from generation to generation.
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A
Pues ando leyendo sobre el tema, y según los historiadores no hay ni un documento que lo pruebe.
Well, I've been reading up on it, and according to historians there isn't a single document that proves it.
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B
Ay, Joel, hablas como si hubieras estado en el convento revisando el recetario.
Oh, Joel, you talk as if you'd been in the convent checking the recipe book.
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C
Perdone, joven, pero las monjas no andaban firmando recetas; que no haya papeles no quiere decir que sea mentira.
Forgive me, young man, but nuns didn't go around signing recipes; the lack of papers doesn't mean it's a lie.
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A
Tampoco digo que sea mentira, pero una leyenda no se puede citar como si fuera un documento.
I'm not saying it's a lie either, but you can't cite a legend as if it were a document.
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C
Ande, pruébelo. Si después de la primera mordida sigue pidiendo documentos, no se lo cobro.
Go on, try it. If you're still asking for documents after the first bite, it's on the house.
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