For months after we moved to Mexico several years ago, my favorite place to eat here in Cholula was a hole-in-the-wall tortería called Tortas Alex. Although a Mexican torta goes far beyond what is normally described as a sandwich – it was something delicious, satisfying and comforting when we needed it most. This was long before tortas […]
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Mexican Kitchen The warm season in Mexico is not summer, but spring, especially right around Semana Santa, which is probably why many people try for an Easter vacation near water. Whether heading for the beach or the local balneario (usually a huge outdoor pool) most have two things on their minds. One is a dunk in the […]
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Mexican Kitchen The winter season brings with it a culinary conundrum. Part of you craves the comfort foods, mostly creamy and carby, that the cold weather seems to inspire. Some of this is induced by childhood memories of Mom baking bread and cooking hearty stews as chill winds blew outside. Another part of you is […]
Continue ReadingIngredients: 2 bunches dried corn husks or a package of banana leaves cut into 24 rectangles, 8″ x 12″ 1 pound lard or vegetable shortening 2 1/4 pounds fresh masa or masa prepared with masa harina 1 1/2 cups water or broth 1 1/2 tablespoons salt 1 teaspoon baking powder Filling of your choice (see […]
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Mexican black bean soup with masa balls could easily be a whole meal, accompanied by a salad. A nopales salad or a watercress and spinach salad would both be good choices. Ingredients For the soup: 2 tablespoons lard or oil ½ medium onion 1 roma tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped 2 cups cooked black beans […]
Continue Reading Although the Mock Turtle sang the praises of “soup of the evening, beautiful soup”, here in Mexico it’s “soup of the day”, that first course that is required on any comida corrida menu. Most Mexicans do not consider their main meal complete without a bowl of soup to start it off. Comforting, nourishing, easy to swallow, soup […]
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One of my younger daughter’s most vivid food memories of Mexico was her first taste of tamarind candy. As a newly-arrived fourth grader, fascinated by the huge assortment of candies available nearly everywhere, from the dulcerías to the corner store, she seemed determined to try all of them. But the one that hooked her, with its tangy, […]
Continue ReadingDriving northward along the Tamaulipas coast, the traveler goes from the tropical region of the Veracruz border to the plains of south Texas. A mid-point on the journey is the small town of San Fernando, which has one of the best norteño beef restaurants around. A specialty there is a dish called Fajitas al Sombrero, the “sombrero” being […]
Continue ReadingThis is a basic coastal recipe, adaptable to several different kinds of fish and shellfish. We first tried it in Boca del Rio, Veracruz, but some version of it is on the menu of nearly every seafood restaurant in the country. The stuffing ingredients are not limited to those listed and any combination of seafood […]
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Foreigners in Mexico often complain about the quality of the potatoes. They are accused of everything from being unbakeable (too hard) or gummy (too soft). These are not baking potatoes, but in a number of Mexican recipes they do work quite well. When I first arrived in Mexico over 20 years ago, I heard a […]
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