The Somewhat-Official Murphy Street Raspa Company FAQ
1. What the [heck] is a raspa?
A raspa is a shaved ice treat SLASH! snow cone. Raspa comes from the Spaniardian word “raspar”, meaning to scrape. Anyways, you hear it called a raspado in certain parts but we’re gonna keep it simple.
2. So why don’t you just say shaved ice?
Cuz it sounds so…bleh…
3. Where are you guys?
We are at the corner of 5th and Murphy, right across the tracks, in the old Valadez Grocery building, in beautiful Alpine, Texas.
4. & 4.5 Are you guys open? What’re yr hours?
Yes. And we’re open from 10am to 9pm most days, ’til 10pm Friday and Saturday…and we’re closed on Tuesdays.
5. How can I contact you?
Well, we prefer e-mails sent to us at info@raspaland.com, what with the Internets and all making things more convenient. But we might also try to return yr calls if you leave a message at our land-line: 432-837-5556. Maybe, but prolly not. Facebook is easier (see badge on the homepage).
6. What’s chamoy again?
Sigh. Chamoy is the liquid-y paste-y, spiced up, mashed up sweet and sour pickled plum and/or apricot (usually) sauce that is considered by most culinary specialists to be “totally awesome”. It’s great (and necessary) for turning yr raspa into a chamoyada.
7. Is it good?
Yes. Very.
8. What flavors do you have?
Too many to list here, but at least once a week someone comes in and asks for a flavor we don’t have and they settle for Wild Cherry.
9. Is Santa real?
Who do you think ate the Easter Bunny?
10. What else do you guys sell?
Ice cream. Art. Gifts. Mexican folk art. Cold things to drink. Coffee. And we have free wi-fi for customers.
11. Chamoy sounds like it’s an acquired taste.
Even tho that’s not a question, it sounds like a polite, indirect way of asking if it’s nasty peasant food. It’s not! Look, you may not like it, but you may end up LOVING it and wanting to marry it and have kids and grow old together and get back into buying vinyl records and hunting down a new needle for yr phonograph with it and everything. Especially if you like sour-y stuff.
END
