Rodriguez Family of Southside
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George Rodriguez was born in Chandler on February 22, 1930. He grew up on Morelos Street. He attended Winn School, and then went to Chandler Grammar School and Chandler High School. In 1951, George joined the Army and served two years.
Baltazar Rodriguez and Maria Maricio Rodriguez were his parents. They had ten children, seven girls and three boys. George was the youngest. His brothers were named Ray and Domingo. His sisters’ names were Angela (Careaga); Lupe (Baldenegro); Concha (Garcia); Manuela (Castro); Consuelo (Martinez); and Socorro (Mendez). Baltazar had a daughter from a previous marriage also named Manuela (Ramirez).
Baltazar came to the United States from Mexico. He owned the El Costeño Bar and the Rodriguez Dance Hall for about twenty years. He also had three properties that he rented out. His mother, a housewife, attended St. Mary’s Catholic Church.
In regard to food and cooking, George said that his mother had a wood stove with four iron plates on top, an oven, and a food warmer section on top. Native Americans from Sacaton would come and sell mesquite wood every weekend. “My dad used to buy it from them by the wagon loads,” he said. The wood sellers transported the wood in horse drawn wagons. The wood came in small pieces for the fireplace. His dad would buy extra wood, and he would sell it to the neighbors. In addition to a wood stove, his mother had first an icebox, and later, a refrigerator. When they had an icebox, an iceman used to go to the houses to deliver ice. “He would have a big truck with a canvas on the back and just sell big cakes of ice.” The ice truck came by every day. “He had ice in blocks, maybe 100-pound blocks, and if you wanted 25 pounds, then he would cut you off a 25-pound block.”
Hidalgo Street, 1931
George said that the family purchased food in the grocery store, and they got vegetables from his uncle’s large garden where he grew a variety of vegetables. “We had caletas, wild spinach. I loved it, and I haven’t seen any since my mother passed away.” He remembered that when he was young, he and his buddies would go hiking through the farm area. “Maybe they would have peaches, or apricots, or we got some watermelons.”
George said that they had the same type of food for all occasions. “Maybe Thanksgiving we would have turkey. Other than that the food was the same year around.” He said he liked tamales, and the sweet bread pudding called capirotada especially made during Lent. George said, “I don’t just … have it during Lent; I like it anytime.” He submitted his mother’s recipe for it.
George said, “My mother prepared this for her family every year during Lent. The dinner consisted of many traditional recipes, but the bread pudding is something we all looked forward to. Many in our family continue with the same tradition. It keeps us close to those we have lost and love dearly, always with a smile.”