Perhaps no other single ingredient has had such a dramatic upsurge in mainstream culinary use over the last decade as has chile (chee-lay). Once considered an exotic component of Latin, Indian and Asian cuisines, the chile, in its many fresh and dried forms, has become a modern kitchen staple, added to everything from salad dressings […]
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Part 1 presented information on fresh chiles, capsicum anuum, New World natives that have become essential components in many of the world’s cuisines. One of their most intriguing aspects is the success with which they may be preserved by drying, nearly always changing the flavor of the original fresh chile. This change in flavor can range […]
Continue ReadingIn the month of January, cold winds from the north blow down across the altiplano of central Mexico, and those of us lucky enough to get away for a few weeks or so gravitate toward Mexico’s beaches or to the southern and western parts of the country. Staying home can be fun, too, though, especially […]
Continue ReadingLast 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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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 […]
Continue ReadingOne of the earliest food preparation techniques in many parts of the world was wrapping food in leaves and cooking it over an open fire, usually either steamed or roasted. In some instances, the food was baked in clay ovens or in pits dug in the ground. Cornhusks in Mexico, grape leaves in the eastern […]
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In recent years, “seasonal” has become a culinary buzzword, something seemingly new and novel in the U.S. and Canada, where just about anything is available at any time, no matter its origin or how far it must be shipped. In contrast, Mexican cooks have traditionally relied on local availability to determine what to buy and […]
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Papaya… Mexican papaya… magnificent Mexican papaya… a rich orange reddish pink persimmon color, glistening in its juice. Cut it into cubes, it’s pulpy flesh yielding to your tongue as you squash it on the roof of your mouth, then let it slither down your throat. A contradiction of flavors, with tart lime juice drizzled over […]
Continue ReadingAlthough rainy weather is an unpleasant thought, if not anathema, to those hoping for a little summer vacation sun-and-fun, the rainy season is one of my favorite times of the year here in central Mexico. Perhaps this is because there is such a long dry spell that by the time the rains come, they are […]
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A recent trip to the cloud covered village of Cuetzalan, high in the Sierra of Puebla, generated more of the questions that arise on each visit. How does the regional dress of pure white cotton, worn daily, stay so clean in a place where it rains nearly every day? How do any vehicles get to […]
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