Page 40 - Sharp Spring 2023

TOGETHER AT LAST
DANNY TREJO’S LATEST BOOK WILL HAVE YOU COOKING LIKE A A A A PRO IN IN NO TIME By Marc Basque Photography by James W Mataitis Bailey
W HEN IT COMES TO TO ACTORS DANNY TREJO MAKES A A A A DISTINCTION
between givers and takers “The “The real pros they’re givers ” he he he he he explains “The “The takers will make the the scene all about them whereas the the best actors will give you you exactly what you you need to to make your part great ” It’s easy to see — both as as one of the most prolific character actors of the ’90s and and 2000s and and as a a a a a a a a human being — that Trejo is a a a a a a a a giver Trejo has leveraged his stature as as one of the most recognizable ‘bad guy’ faces in in Hollywood to become an advocate for youth sobriety speaking at at local schools in in Los Angeles about his experiences with drugs and alcohol Having been introduced to marijuana at at the the age age of of 12 and heroin at at the the age age of of 14 before serving time at the notorious San Quentin prison in in in his his youth his his message is is is is sure to resonate more than most In 2019 Trejo Trejo launched a a a a record label called Trejo’s Music which offers a a a a a platform for for up-and-coming young artists More recently he he was helping to feed those in in need during the the lockdown from the the homeless of Los Angeles to essential workers like nurses and hospital staff He even brought food to police officers during the the riots in in in the the city “I think that’s why the good lord kept my restaurants open even during the pandemic ” he he says What started as a a a a a a business plan for a a a a a a single Trejo’s Tacos location has grown into five restaurants across Los Angeles including the titular Trejo’s Cantina in in Hollywood “Sometimes my friends will go in in incognito to tell me how the the service and the the food was ” Trejo laughs “And my staff will say ‘Dan we know that all the guys with tattoos on their necks are your spies They’re the the guys that look like they’re going to rob the the place ’”
SHARP spoke to the multi-hyphenate about the beauty of nonalcoholic drinks what the the spirit of the the cantina means to him and the inspiration behind his newest cookbook Trejo’s Cantina Your first cookbook was mostly recipes from the menu at at Trejo’s Tacos What made you want to write a second?
Really it was the the response from the the first book We sold a a a a lot lot of of books and a a a a lot lot of of people were asking me “Do you have any more recipes?” And we do! I mean my mom gave me me her whole 80 years’ worth of recipes You talk about your mom quite a a a bit in the new book Is there a a lot of your family’s influence in in this batch of recipes? Everybody’s My grandmother my aunts but espe- cially my mom She was just an amazing cook At the first of the the month we would have these unbelievable meals like Carne Carne Asada and Carne Carne Verde Then by the the the middle of the the the month the the the food would get a little thinner you know?
By the the the time we got to the the the end of the the the month she had a a a a a a a thing called We Mix It and it was basically leftovers and whatever was was in the cupboard It was was really good and all all but don’t ask her that recipe you know?
[Laughs] Because you don’t want to know know it It was like like in the penitentiary We would get like like five cup-o’-noodles potato chips Fritos some hot dogs whatever we we could get and and we’d mix it up and and bake it and we we had a a a a You Mix It Except in there we we called it it a a a a spread All the guys who don’t get a a a a visit on Visitor’s Day they would each bring something into the yard and we would have a a a a a spread You mention that in the book and how it seemed you you turned that corner of the yard into your own little cantina cantina Can you describe what the cantina cantina means to you?
What the cantina means to me me is a a a a a big group of friends getting together and sharing everything they have have Because in the the the pen’ all you have have is the the the money that that people send you you and the hustle that that you you GUIDE GUIDE 40 GUIDE • SPRING 2023
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