The Folkloric Ballet (Ballet Folklórico) of Guadalajara, Mexico

The whirling skirts of a dancer from the Ballet Folklorico at the Teatro Degollado in Guadalajara fill this month’s cover. The costume belongs to the Jalisco segment of the show, which features traditional dances from all regions of Mexico, now in its 37th consecutive year. Following the Sunday morning spectacle, I spoke with Carlos Ochoa, […]

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The Mayan site of Coba (© Trevor Burton 2016)

The Ancient Maya – A Commercial Empire

The ancient Maya achieved compelling and impressive socio-economic complexity during pre-conquest period. Extraordinary ancient cities such as Tikal and Caracol are scattered through out eastern Mexico and Guatemala. These economic centers exemplify the economic might and wealth of the ancient civilization. How did the ancient Maya attain such great affluence? The development of an extensive […]

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Puerto Vallarta

A ten year retrospective of Puerto Vallarta real estate

*Statistics from Multi List Vallarta The last decade of the millennium has brought a multitude of changes to the real estate market of Puerto Vallarta. The effects of this can be seen by the expansion of the market itself beyond the confines of the Bay of Banderas. New phrases have been coined to describe the […]

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Dining in the DF: food and drink in Mexico’s capital

Last month’s column focused on the gastronomy of the Estado de Mexico, the state that nearly surrounds Mexico’s capital. This month, we’ll take a look at the myriad dining experiences to be had in the capital itself, Mexico City, commonly known as “el D.F.”, short for Distrito Federal. The city has been a center of migration […]

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Mexican beef stew with beer: Guisado de res con cerveza

Dark beer and dried red chiles make this Mexican beef stew a hearty cool weather dish. Add vegetables such as potatoes, chayote and quartered ears of corn to make the guisado de res a one-dish meal. Ingredients 3 ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded and soaked in hot water until soft 4 guajillo chiles, stemmed, seeded and soaked in […]

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Beet and mango salad © Karen Hursh Graber, 2013

The beautiful beet: A Mexican salad and drink favorite

Having family members spread out across the globe, we are fairly frequent travelers, with chances to try the cuisines of different countries and their regions. And inevitably, when presented with a new ingredient or use for a familiar one, I ask myself, “How is this used in Mexican cooking?” or even “Is this used in Mexican […]

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Yucatan Style pickled onions: Cebollas encurtidas estilo yucateca

Both white and purple pickled onions are served as condiments in the Yucatan. The purple variety is generally served with cochinita pibil, and both Yucatan style pickled onions make great additions to sandwiches. Blanching them for a few seconds first takes some of the sharpness out of the onions, making them good for people who like raw […]

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