Setas is the general name for several kinds of wild mushrooms found in Mexico, which have different regional names, according to their colors and sizes. ( Yemas, duraznitos, morillas, and pambazos are just a few of the names for wild mushrooms found in Mexican markets.) In Tlaxcala, they are grown commercially for sale in large markets and supermarkets, eliminating the […]
Continue ReadingSeptember is back-to-school time, so what more fitting topic for this month’s Mexico Kitchen column than a Mexican cooking school? One of the questions most frequently asked by readers concerns the availability of cooking classes here in Mexico. While several cooking schools exist in Mexico City, the best and most authentic regional cuisines are passed […]
Continue ReadingMilpa means “cornfield,” and this soup incorporates not only corn, but a medley of other Tlaxcalan produce abundant at this time of year. Although fresh nopales are preferable, they are available canned in north-of-the-border supermarkets. This can be served as a first course at dinner, or makes an ideal autumn lunch or light supper, accompanied by a salad […]
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I had these for the first time at Las Cazuelas de Tlaxcala, a restaurant in Tlaxcala with really authentic Central Mexican cuisine. They can be served with a simple tomato sauce or with a pasilla or tomatillo sauce. Ingredients 1 pound huazontle bud clusters (the tops, with stems and leaves removed) 1 pound rice, cooked and allowed to cool […]
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Huamantla, Tlaxcala – As the bull charged towards me I lost my footing and fell backwards. As I leaped off behind the wooden fence, the bull began to butt against the plywood. Once, twice, three times. I hold my breath. Every year in this town, on the first Saturday after August 15, 20 bulls are […]
Continue ReadingMixiotes de carnero are a specialty of the central Mexican states of Puebla, Tlaxcala and Hidalgo. They are flavored with two of the most distinctively Mexican of leaves: avocado leaves, which are enclosed with the meat, and pencas de maguey – the inner layer of maguey leaves – used to wrap the meat. Mixiote wrappers- papel para mixiotes – may be used to wrap […]
Continue ReadingOne of the standard pieces of advice found in books and magazines on diet and nutrition is to “eat what’s in season.” Here in Mexico, that advice is easy to follow, simply because the available produce varies so much from the rainy season to the dry season. By early November, the variety of different colored […]
Continue ReadingTiny Tlaxcala may be Mexico’s smallest state but it is one of the most quintessentially Mexican in its traditions, especially in the realm of cuisine. The same artistic flair with which the people of this area painted their ancient temple murals was applied to the creation of their regional dishes. Since pre-Colombian times, Tlaxcaltecos have used a […]
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The State of Tlaxcala is the smallest in Mexico. Map of Tlazcala Tlaxcala (city), the state capital Tlaxcala, whose capital city is also called Tlaxcala, is a smallest state in the country of Mexico. The Tlaxcaltecas were never conquered by the Aztecs. After a fierce battle against Cortes’ army, they decided to join forces with […]
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The city of Tlaxcala (pronounced tlas-kala) is the capital of the State of Tlaxcala. Its small town atmosphere belies a listed population of 69,000. Indeed it is a sharp contrast to the activity of Puebla just 30 km south. The city has a population of about 70,000 and is at 7,382 ft. asl. (Pictures taken […]
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