The food of Easter in Mexico: a seasonal celebration of popular cuisine Karen Hursh Graber

A myriad of fresh fruit will become juices and agua fresca, a refreshing drink populare throughout Mexico.
© Christina Stobbs, 2011

Semana Santa — Holy Week — is the observance of a solemn religious occasion. But the mood in most of Mexico during Easter time is far from solemn. With the exception of the Good Friday passion plays and processions, the atmosphere is festive, with people taking to the streets and beaches to celebrate spring and rebirth. read more

culture-customs easter fiestas-traditions food-drink

A Mexican Christmas dinner: tamales, turkey, tejocotes Karen Hursh Graber

The usually bustling Mexican markets become even more so in December, when the mountains of fruit for ponche navideño (Christmas punch) compete with a wild array of tinsel-y decorations for shoppers' attention, and the excitement leading to the posadas and pastorelas builds up. The culmination of all this preparation is, of course, Noche Buena — Christmas Eve — when one of the most festive dinners of the year is served. A Mexican Christmas dinner is abundant and varied, with foods that range from tamales to turkey and tejocote. read more

christmas culture-customs food-drink

Corn, beans and squash: the life cycle of the milpa Karen Hursh Graber

The milpa, or cornfield, is probably the most important element in the life of the rural Mexican farmer, apart from his family, or maybe alongside his family, because the milpa represents generations of his people working the soil. Even in places where agricultural production has been industrialized to the point of overshadowing any importance a milpa might have had before, the campesino continues to work his plot of land, however small, following the cycle of tilling, sowing and harvesting that his forefathers did. read more

cuisines culture-customs Oaxaca

The Mexican kitchen: a taste for all seasons Karen Hursh Graber

One of the most fascinating aspects of exploring the cuisine of another country is the process of becoming acquianted with the history, customs and traditions that are an intrinsic part of the cultural landscape of cooking and eating. . .

Mexican vegetable dishes: some fall favorites Karen Hursh Graber

Visitors to Mexico, most of whom are eager to explore the markets, nearly always have the same question when it comes to vegetables: Why, when there are so many of them in the market, does it seem that... read more

culture-customs

April in Aguascalientes: Food and drink at Mexico's national fair Karen Hursh Graber

April is a warm month in Mexico and, while some people choose to spend time at the beach, many others prefer to stroll the streets of the beautiful colonial cities. One of the most architecturally imp... read more

culture-customs exploring-tourism fiestas-traditions Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes

Did You Know? Tequila dates from the sixteenth century Tony Burton

In 1897, Carl Lumholtz, the famous Norwegian ethnologist, who spent several years living with remote Indian tribes in Mexico, found that the Huichol Indians in eastern Nayarti distilled agave juice usi... read more

beverages Tequila, Jalisco

Did You Know? Oldest winery in the Americas is in Parras de la Fuente, Mexico Tony Burton

The oldest winery in the Americas is in Parras de la Fuente In Mexico, vineyards and wineries exist in several states, including Baja California, Sonora, Zacatecas, Querétaro, and Coahuila. Wine expe... read more

beverages Coahuila

Cooking in the Yucatan: bright flavors and unique ingredients Karen Hursh Graber

One of the regions of Mexico most indelibly fixed in my mind is the Yucatan, probably because the sights, sounds, flavors and aromas are so sensual that they create truly visceral memories. When my hus... read more

culture-customs food-drink Yucatán

BBQ Goat In Oaxaca: The Pomp, Ceremony And Tradition Alvin Starkman

Some say it's one of the oldest professions in Oaxaca, yet it garners little if any respect from most of the population notwithstanding the tradition and ceremony that has been its trademark for genera... read more

meat Oaxaca

Did You Know? - Mexico Gave Chocolate To The World Dale Hoyt Palfrey

Shortly after arriving at Tenochtitlán in the fall of 1519, Hernán Cortés and the Spanish conquistadores were granted an audience with Moctezuma at his breakfast table. They found the Aztec r... read more

aztec culture-customs history

Did You Know? - Tobacco / Xigar Teresa Kendrick

Did you know that the word "cigar" originates from the Mayan word xigar? The word was used to describe the action of aspirating or sucking which later came to signify the act of smoking tobacco. T... read more

culture-customs flora history

Did You Know? - Vanilla Teresa Kendrick

Did you know that the vanilla bean is from an aromatic orchid that originally came from Mexico? The Academy of Sciences and Gastronomic Arts in Paris were so taken with the fruit of this orchid, that ... read more

spices Papantla, Veracruz

Did You Know? - Peanuts Teresa Kendrick

Did you know that the first people known to have used the peanut were the Mayans of Mexico? International explorers first recorded the peanut in Haiti, but were told it had originally been taken from ... read more

culture-customs flora history

Did You Know? - Pineapples & Papaya Teresa Kendrick

Did you know that peanuts, vanilla, guavas, tomatoes, some forty different chiles, avocados, and papayas originally came from Mexico? Pineapple also grew wild in Mexico, as well as Peru and along the ... read more

culture-customs flora history

Did You Know? - Chewing Gum Teresa Kendrick

Did you know that among the many things Mexico has given to the world, chewing gum is one of them? El Tzictlil, a Nahuatl word for resin from the Zapote Blanco tree, caught the attention of three Amer... read more

culture-customs history

The Jewels Of Mexico: Public Markets by Vicki Cowal Karen Hursh Graber

Introduction Many years ago, before I began traveling around Mexico working with regional chefs and cooking teachers, I was a newly arrived greenhorn, both fascinated and confused by the country's mar... read more

vegetables seafood masa main-dishes

A traditional Mexican comida: Do-it-yourself Karen Hursh Graber

One of the most fascinating aspects of adjusting to life in another country is exploring the cultural landscape of cooking and eating. In Mexico, food is an intrinsic part of festivals, rituals, and pe... read more

culture-customs food-drink

Tehuana Mamas Cook Up Magic: Food and Fiestas in the Isthmus Karen Hursh Graber

Perhaps the most distinctive characteristic of Oaxaca is the tremendous difference between one region of the state and another. The sierras which crisscross it form natural boundaries between enclaves ... read more

culture-customs food-drink geography history Oaxaca

Mexican Wedding Feasts: La Comida de la Boda Karen Hursh Graber

June is a month of family celebrations; in México as well as north of the border, weddings, graduations and Father's Day are all prominent June occasions. This month, I happily recall a couple of the ... read more

culture-customs fiestas-traditions food-drink

Just one and I have to go: The joys of pulque Justin Dash

I always like a glass of good pulque and my friend Pedro had some of the best. Once allowed only to Aztec nobles and priests, pulque is produced by cutting out the center of a Maguey cactus an... read more

beverages

When the Church said "No" to chocolate Ann Ball

Chocolate, that perennial favorite, has been accused of being sinfully delicious, overly fattening, and the precursor to teenage complexion problems. Its history is intertwined with religion, and at on... read more

culture-customs food-drink recipe religion