Dear Readers: Your faithful Mexican is putting the final touches to his coming magnum opus, Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America (out April 2012) and is thus at the rancho, getting handmade tortillas made by his chica while he works on rewrites. But instead of a Best Of columna, I've decided to print excerpts from one of my all-time-favorite reader interactions. Remember back in 2007, when I asked ustedes who are half-Mexican and half-something else to tell us what you call yourselves? The brilliant, hilarious responses offered show how genius the Mexi brain truly is. Space doesn't allow your local rag to print all the responses, but below are just some of the best. You can find the full list HERE—in the meanwhile, enjoy and see you in una semana!
IF YOU'RE HALF-MEXICAN AND . . .
Half-African: Afrijoles.
Half-anything: Inbetweener-beaner.
Half-Arab: Garbanzo beaner, America's Worst Nightmare.
Half-Armenian: Armexian.
Half-Australian: Aussican, Dingoles (say like frijoles), Fosters Especial, Mexi-roo, Ortegamite, Wallican.
Half-Black: Black Beans, Blaxican, Bro-Vato, Choco-Taco, Choligger, Mack, Mexiblack, Mexicoon, Negrexican, Tino Noir, Watermexican, Wetblack.
Half-British: Limey Beans.
Half-Cajun: Bayou Beaner, Mexi-Gumbo, Mexicajun, Red Beans and Rice.
Half-Canadian: Canexican.
Half-Caribbean: Carribeaner.
Half-Chinese: Chexican, Chinacan, Chinkano, Combination Plate, Mexinese, Rice and Beans, Soy Bean.
Half-Colombian: Skakirikan.
Half-Cornish: Cornish Tortilla.
Half-Costa Rican: Mextica (“tico” is a nickname for Costa Ricans).
Half-Creole: Creolican.
Half-Croatian: Cro-Mex.
Half-Czech: Czecano, Czex-Mex, Czexican, Mexislovakian.
Half-Eskimo: Mexkimo.
Half-Filipino: ChicaPina (for Chicana and Pinay, which is a Tagalog slang term for Filipina), Chilipino, Filixan, Filitino, Flipamex, Flippican, JalaPinoy, Mexipino.
Half-Flemish: Fletino.
Half-French: Frenchican.
Half-Gabacho: Amerilanga (combination of American and chilanga, nickname for someone from Mexico City), Caucano, Chicangüera, Gabaxicano, GMC (Gringo-Mexico cross), Güerexican, Latinglo, Mexiglos, Mixican, Pochingo (half-pocho, half-gringo), Whispanic, White Bean.
Half-German: Beanerschnitzel, Chili Kraut, Germexican, Wiener Beaner.
Half-Greek: Greexican, Grec-Mex, Mexi-eek (I never said all of the nicknames were clever).
Half-Guamanian: Chamexorro (Guam natives are called Chamorros), Guamexican.
Half-Guatemalan: Chapano (chapín is a nickname for Guatemalans), Guacamex.
Half-Hawaiian: Jalapiña, Pineapple Salsa.
Half-Hippie: Hippsican.
Half-Honky: Chichonky.
Half-Hungarian: Bohunk-Beaner.
Half-Indian (the India kind): Curry Tamale.
Half-Indian (the non-India kind): Apachichano, Cherocano, Cheyennexican, Commanchano, Mexiskin (half-Mexican, half-Redskin), Navacano, Navajole, Navajo Taco.
Half-Irish: Celtic Aztec, Green Bean, Irlandicanos, Leprecano, McBeaner, McSpic, Mick Spic, O'Beaner, Paddy-Mex.
Half-Italian: Mexican Pizza, Mexitalian, Spicawop, Spic-talian, Wopsican.
Half-Jamaican: Jamexican, Rastacan.
Half-Japanese: Japanic, Mexanese.
Half-Jewish: Jalapeño Bagel, Jumex (also the name of a delicious Mexican fruit nectar drink), Kahlua-jewa, Kosher Burrito, Mexi-Jew.
Half-Korean: Kimchicano, Kimchinero, Korexican, Mexirean.
Half-Lebanese: Lebxican, Mediterraxican, Mexiterranean (for those from the Mediterranean region in general).
Half-Lithuanian: Baltican, Baltic Pepper, Lexican, Mexicainis, Mexiuanian.
Half-Michigander: Michicano, Mixicano.
Half-Nicaraguan: Nicatamal.
Half-Norwegian: Lutefiskan, Mexinorske, Norskecan.
Half-Oklahomian: Chokies, Okie-Frijoles.
Half-Pakistani: Mexistani.
Half-Panamanian: Panamex.
Half-Peruvian: Lima Bean.
Half-Polish: Bean Pole, Polo-Cholo, Polexican, Polexiqui (this particular gal was Yaqui Indian on her Mexican side; she also called herself a Mexipolaqui), Taco Polaco.
Half-Portuguese: Mexi-guese, Pork and Beans.
Half-Puerto Rican: Bori-Mex, Messyrican, Mexiricaña, MexiRican, Porto-Mex
Half-Redneck: Rednexican, Redback, Wetneck.
Half-Russian: Brown Russian.
Half-Salvadoran: Salvexican.
Half-Samoan: Samexican.
Half Scandinavian: Hispandinavian.
Half-Scottish: McRiguez, Scottsican.
Half-Slavic: Slavspic.
Half-Somali: Hot Somali.
Half-Swiss: Swexican, Swexicano.
Half-Thai: Thaimex
Half-Turk:Turxican.
Half-Ukrainian: Borscheros, Cossackeros, Kievicans, Pysankeros.
Half-Vietnamese: Vietnamexican.
Half-White: Honky-Tonk, Gringateca, Mejiyanqui, Mexi-melts, Whics.
