The cuisine of the Yucatan: a gastronomical tour of the Maya heartland
The Mexican state of Yucatan, located on the peninsula of the same name, is the home of one of the most distinctive regional cuisines in the country. A long tradition of fine dining, going back to the ...
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Rompope: Mexico's Holiday Season Beverage
Rompope, or "Mexican eggnog," is one version of the many combinations of egg, milk, sugar and spirits that are traditionally used to toast the winter holidays in Europe and the Americas. English eggnog...
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Seasonal Dining: Mexican Wild Game - Part Two: Rabbit and Venison
As discussed in last month's column, wild game played an important culinary role in pre-Hispanic Mexico. Although the Aztecs, Maya and other Mesoamerican people relied on corn as the staple food, along...
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Cinnamon: Mexican cooks use the real thing
As part of the 16th century culinary fusion that resulted in Mexican cuisine, the Spaniards brought spices to the New World, along with olives and olive oil, almonds, grapes, dairy and wool-bearing ani...
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Fabulous frijoles: Mexico's versatile legumes
When asked by the New York Times magazine to write about the most important contribution of the past millennium, Italian author Umberto Eco chose the humble bean. In How the Bean Saved Western Civiliza...
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The Humble Peanut Stars in Mexican Cuisine: Los Cacahuates
Many years ago, two young students of mine in California went on a family trip to visit their grandparents in Mexico. When they returned, they couldn't wait to tell me the funniest word they'd heard: ...
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The cuisine of Jalisco: la cocina tapatia
If there is one state that can be considered quintessentially Mexican, it is Jalisco. Home of mariachis, tequila, famous regional dances and equally well-known culinary specialties, Jalisco is at the heart of the country's culture and contributes significantly to its cuisine. The lakes yielded a variety of fish while hunting provided ducks, doves and partridges. Europeans introduced cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, dairy products and lard, as well as wheat, olive oil, rice, spices, and several European varieties of fruit, nuts and vegetables.
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Early Fusion Food: Inside A Colonial Mexican Kitchen
One of the rewarding aspects of investigating the history and evolution of Mexico's rich and varied cuisine is the availability of authentic sources. The Spanish chroniclers took painstaking notes on n...
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The Cuisine of Hidalgo: Spanning Climates and Cultures
Over the years, on road trips from Central Mexico to various parts of the U.S., we have explored different routes, some more scenic than others. One of the most unforgettable included the state of Hida...
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The Pineapple: Sweet Symbol of the Tropics
"The pineapple," wrote Fernandez de Oviedo in the 16th century, "appeals to every sense but that of hearing." This chief steward to the royal family of Spain may seem, from a 21st century point of view...
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Preserving The Fall Harvest: Mexican Pickles And Vinaigrettes
In many places, including much of North America, fall marks the end of the growing season for several crops, including various fresh fruits and vegetables. Cooks often choose to can, freeze or otherwis...
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A yearly culinary ritual: La matanza
Beginning in mid-October, and lasting for a month, a five-hundred-year-old ritual encompassing history, tradition and cuisine takes place in the valley of Tehuacan, in the Mixteca Poblana region of sou...
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The Cuisine of Michoacán: Mexican Soul Food
If Michoacan is "the soul of Mexico," as it has often been called, then its food is Mexico's soul food, for few other places in the country can claim such a profound and long-lasting indigenous influence on their regional cuisine. This western state, part of the Bajio region located north and west of Mexico City, has retained its culinary roots for over a millennium.
read moreTehuana Mamas Cook Up Magic: Food and Fiestas in the Isthmus
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 ...
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Mexican Cuisine and its Origin
It is often said that "cuisine is culture", and to understand the development of Mexican cuisine it is important to know something of the history of Mexico.
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Immigrant Cooking in Mexico: The Afromestizos of Veracruz
This month we'll continue to take a look at the cooking of the immigrants who contributed to the modern Mexican culinary repertoire. Unlike other groups discussed previously -- including the Mennonites...
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