Artichoke season has arrived in Central Mexico, the time of year known locally as the temporada de calor, or hot season. By the standards of most other places, it really would not be called “hot,” but at 7000 or so feet, it doesn’t usually get much hotter. And the arrival of this Spring weather means artichoke […]
Continue ReadingIn recent years, immigration has become a topic of intense focus, not only in the United States and Mexico, but worldwide. Although generally seen as a political question, there is no doubt that the movement of immigrants also falls into the cultural realm, of which cuisine is a significant part. Much of the history of […]
Continue ReadingAlthough the season for outdoor grilling has just begun north of the border, here in Mexico grilling is done nearly year-round. Whenever our family and next-door neighbors in Cholula had a Sunday free of other events, someone would inevitably suggest having a parillada – building a fire and preparing a whole meal on the grill. Derived from […]
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Food writers are constantly keeping up with the latest culinary trends and, although the buzz words “gluten free” are not new, the number of cookbooks, food columns, and even entire websites devoted to gluten-free diets during 2011 was impressive. And they continue to appear; every day another gluten free cake mix or pasta makes its […]
Continue ReadingThe word mixiotes refers to one of the most delectable dishes within the wide spectrum of Mexican cooking, as well as the wrapping used to contain these steamed individual meat stews. This wrapping, also known as a mixiote, is the outermost layer of a maguey leaf, called a penca. (Maguey is the century plant, a succulent from which the Mexican alcoholic […]
Continue ReadingHere in Mexico, the month of May brings many holidays: Workers’ Day (3rd), Cinco de Mayo (5th), Teachers’ Day (15th), and the day set aside to honor Mamá, Mother’s Day, always celebrated on May 10. Mexicans observe Día de las Madres wholeheartedly and enthusiastically. Cynical comments about another “Hallmark holiday” and complaints about retailers’ ad campaigns are not heard here. Instead, the […]
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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, a descendent of the milk and sherry combination called posset, German biersuppe made with beer, Puerto Rican coquito made with coconut milk, Peruvian biblia con pisco made with pisco brandy, and […]
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Just the aroma of fresh guavas is enough to inspire visions of lolling in a hammock in some tropical hideaway. Guavas have seed sacs nearly identical-looking to those found in tomatoes, and they are removed before using the fruit. They have a thin skin which is easy to peel and, though not particularly attractive, hold […]
Continue Reading The year was 1987, and the walk through the Cholula tianguis, or outdoor street market, was our first. In those days, we were unfamiliar with so much of the produce, and our comments that day on the “crazy looking Mexican broccoli” were directed at huazontle, a green having little to do with broccoli except the appearance of similar small […]
Continue ReadingComo pan caliente – “like hot bread”- is the expression used in Mexico to indicate something that is popular, best selling, or in demand. And indeed, going for hot bread is one of the daily culinary routines in households throughout the country. Everyone knows what time the bread comes out of the neighborhood bakery oven and […]
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