GastroNomad in Mexico Think tequila, and many think of spring break and tequila shots, followed by who knows what? But precursors of this quintessentially Mexican drink considered a gift from the gods. A good tequila is worth sipping it to discover its flavors rather than downing shots all night long. Tequila has to do with […]
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Many of these small mountain towns have their own web page now. Some of these pages will have a button called Virtual that will take you on a stroll through the streets, plazas and churches. You’ll see lakes, mountains, rivers and blue skies. You’ll see exactly what the tourist department of the villages want you to see, […]
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When Cortes and his small band of bounty hunters first set foot on the shores of pre-Hispanic America, little did they know what real treasures they would take back to the Old World. The precious metals and beautifully crafted artifacts were certainly without equal, but the real bounty was a gift that keeps on giving […]
Continue ReadingOver 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 Hidalgo, in north central Mexico, where a great deal of the countryside still resembles the beautiful Mexican calendar art of the […]
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When I moved to Mexico 26 years ago, there were very few supermarkets. In Cholula, there were, and still are, numerous small mom-and-pop stores called miscelanias that crammed a huge variety of inventory into small spaces. And no matter what else they sold, there was always yogurt, occupying what seemed to be a disproportionate amount of space […]
Continue ReadingAlegrías, whose name is derived from the Spanish word for “happy”, are made from the highly nutritious, ancient grain amaranth. Wrapped in colored cellophane, they make a nice addition to a gift basket or tin of cookies and candy. This recipe is adapted from Cocina con Amaranto, a collection of amaranth recipes compiled by Gladys Zavaleta Ruiz of […]
Continue ReadingMade with lime juice and sweetened with sugar, agua de chia, or Mexican chia seed drink is especially popular during Mexico’s hot spring season. The seeds absorb and hold liquids, thereby helping to prevent dehydration, and the drink is delicious as well as nutritous. Ingredients 1 cup chia seeds 2 quarts water 1 cup sugar […]
Continue ReadingIn 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 otherwise preserve summer’s bounty at this time of year. Here in Mexico, there are several foods that are traditionally preserved by pickling, including […]
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As the time for the ripest summer fruit draws to a close, now is the time to capture the season’s ephemeral flavor in a jar. Actually, several jars, because the mountains of fruit piled up in Mexico’s markets now are too appealing to resist. In Central Mexico, the incredibly flavorful little peaches called oro de Tlaxcala, or […]
Continue ReadingThe 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 Valentina sauces are Mexican pantry staples and, for those outside Mexico, can be purchased at most Latin supermarkets or ordered on Amazon. […]
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