A specialty of Oaxaca, where fruit is often cooked with meat and poultry, this dish is easy and delicious. For a variation, try substituting pineapple slices for the oranges. This recipe is from Oaxacan cook Maria Conception Portillo, who collected over 250 Oaxacan home-style recipes. Ingredients 1 chicken, cut into serving pieces 2 tablespoons corn oil […]
Continue ReadingOne of the most interesting aspects of writing about Mexican food is its history, which spans at least five centuries and reflects the cultural and social influences of both the pre-Hispanic Mesoamerican people and those who came later from other continents. While researching Mexican cuisine is rewarding, once in a while the reader comes upon […]
Continue ReadingThe combination of chicken and fruit is a hallmark of southern Mexican cooking. This recipe is adapted from one by Maria Concepción Portillo, a native of Oaxaca who collected over 250 recipes from her home state. Freshly ground spices make a big difference in cooking, and I recommend buying a spice grinder or a coffee […]
Continue ReadingThe bottle gourd, cucurbita Ficifolia, a rather bland member of the squash family, is common in Oaxacan cuisine, either cooked in stews, used to make a dulce something like candied pumpkin, or in this unique, refreshing beverage. It does not get strained, so the sweet pulp of the squash and pineapple remains in the drink. If chilacayote is unavailable, substitute yellow […]
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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 ReadingGaceta Consular 30 day business visitor form can be secured upon presentation of: A valid passport or a certified copy of the birth certificate or a citizenship card plus a recent picture identification. Letter from the company represented of by the interested individual if traveling alone, stating the specific purpose and the length of the […]
Continue ReadingThe following is a practical guide to driving in Mexico compiled from experiences over the last several years. Driving in Mexico, in my opinion, is no more hazardous than driving anywhere else, however, it is different than driving in the United States or Canada. There are simply different things you have to be on the […]
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