These mini tostadas with spiced tomato confit are based on the classic Puebla spiced tomato dish, but made without the chicken or chorizo, so vegetarian guests can munch happily on the mini tostadas wi... read more

Nuts and cocktails are a no-brainer combination, and these chipotle almonds go well with the frozen mango margaritas. There are several recipes for these, some adding powdered cocoa or even powdered dr... read more

Called chispas, chispitas, or in some places just the English "sprinkles," these colored decorations are fun and festive. They add pizzaz to that favorite Mexican cake — pastel de tres leches. Ingre... read more

No kids' party in Mexico would be complete without a gelatin, and this one is so easy and attractive. It really does look like sparkling mosaic tiles set in a background of white, and is just like the ... read more

Miniature torta rolls or any small water rolls work well for these mini chicken tortas. Refried beans, tomatoes and avocados are always found on tortas, but either ham or Oaxaca cheese is an easy subst... read more

There are approximately 8,000 avocado farms in Michoacan and, although Mexico exports a great many, supplying 45% of the world's avocados, there must be a lot of room for avocado-themed culinary creativity among the region's cooks. What do they do with them besides making guacamole, cold soup, salads and dressings, salsas, and using the dried leaves as seasoning? For one thing, they make ice cream. read more

Here's a creamy texture without dairy. These delicious Mexican avocado ice pops are adapted from My Sweet Mexico by Fany Gerson. Ingredients 1 cup water ½ cup sugar 2 small, ripe avo... read more

This Mexican avocado lime pie is something like a creamy version of key lime pie, but with the nutritional value of avocados. Ingredients 1 prepared 9-inch graham cracker pie crust 1 cup a... read more

This recipe for Mexican avocado ice cream is simplicity itself, and can be served as a softie ice cream or frozen longer for a firmer, more scoop-able version. Ingredients Pulp of 3 medium avoc... read more

This is a basic recipe for a Mexican avocado smoothie. Feel free to add banana, strawberries, or even apple, and to substitute soy milk for regular milk. It's a great way to start the day with the gene... read more

Pieces of firm-fleshed fish can be prepared this way, too, perfect for fish tacos. Batter fried shrimp (camarones rebozados) is much lighter and fluffier than breaded fried shrimp (camarones empanizado... read more

The secret to the sweetness of Mexican shrimp cocktails, which can become addictive, is the unlikely addition of orange soda. I didn't believe it until I tried making the sauce myself. Bufalo and Valen... read more

Mexico. After many years in the country, my husband and I had bought countless wrestling dolls, wrestling masks, wrestling themed tee shirts, purses and refrigerator magnets for eager friends and family members up north, not all of them children. We'd even gone to see Nacho Libre, the Jack Black movie about a Mexican luchador filmed in the Central Valley region of Oaxaca. But, somehow, we'd never gone to see lucha libre, despite the fact that Puebla, just a few miles away, has one of the most important venues and passionately dedicated aficionados. read more

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

I read cookbooks the way some people devour novels, not with the casual perusal of, say, a newspaper or a magazine, but with the curl-up-and-dig-in enjoyment of die hard mystery or romance fans. Many, though not all, of the cookbooks I've read in the last 25 years or so are Mexican, and my favorites are those that tell the story of a region, an era, or a family. One that tells all three is La Tradicional Cocina Mexicana y sus Mejores Recetas by Adela Fernandez. Author, playwright, director and folklorist, Fernandez grew up in the beautiful, colonial Mexico City neighborhood of Coyoacán, daughter of the iconic film director Emilio Fernandez, known as "El Indio." read more

What better recipes to accompany a still from the 1944 film Pasión Jarocho, or "Veracruz Passion?" This classic regional dish goes perfectly with the story of lovers in a small Mexican fishing village who seem destined to be kept apart by rumors and jealousy. read more

From Tuxpan, Jalisco, this dish is traditionally eaten in a clay bowl called a plato cuachalero, but it can be served in any kind of soup bowl. read more

In the introduction to her cookbook, Adela Fernandez talks about the flowers that adorned her father's table and the heavily embroidered tablecloths and napkins, often with flower motifs, that were mad... read more

The basic, traditional Mexican diet is essentially gluten free. Gluten is a type of protein commonly found in wheat, rye and barley, all of them introduced by Europeans and not included in the diet of pre-Hispanic Mesoamerica. Corn, the subsistence carbohydrate of Mexico, is gluten free, and so are beans, sources of protein when consumed with corn, and amaranth, an important ritual food in ancient Mexico. Of the grains cultivated here after the conquest, rice stands out as being a gluten free Mexican staple food. read more

Possibly no other country in the world has as many festivals, fairs and feast days as Mexico. National holidays, religious holidays and people's santos (saints' days) are all celebrated with gus... read more

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

Many of Mexico's holiday dishes are inspired combinations of seasonally available ingredients. Just as the chiles en nogada prepared for Independence Day celebrations combine the best of the late summer harvest, ponche navideño, the traditional Christmas punch, uses the fruit of late fall. Various combinations of apples, pears, tamarind, and tejocote (hawthorne fruit) come together in a drink flavored with sugar cane and cinnamon, and made irresistibly fragrant by the presence of guavas. read more

Guavas, being so plentiful in Aguascalientes, are used in several desserts. A common combination in Mexico is ate, a paste made with guava, quince, pears or other fruit, and cream cheese, served toge... read more

The slight sweetness of this Mexican guava vinaigrette dressing works well with peppery and bitter greens such as arugula, endive and frisee. The Vinagreta de guayaba recipe is adapted from Larousse de la Cocina Mexicana by Alicia Gironella and Giorgio De'Angeli. read more

Although no margarita lover would be without it, Triple Sec is not just for cocktails. In this Mexican guava glazed chicken recipe, Triple Sec or Cointreau makes a glaze and pairs with guava to create ... read more