One of the most requested recipes from this column is agua de jamaica, a refreshing drink made with dried hibiscus flowers. This sorbet has the same clean taste and is perfect for the palate that may have been overwhelmed by rich food. Ingredients: 3 cups water 3 tablespoons jamaica (dried hibiscus flowers) 3/4 cups sugar Place […]
Continue ReadingThese were first served to us at the nopal fair in Tlaxcalancingo, Puebla. I have since had them in restaurants in Mexico City. They are aptly named for the flat soles of the country people’s sandals that they resemble. Ingredients: 6 large nopal cactus paddles, cleaned 1/4 medium white onion 1 large garlic clove, peeled […]
Continue ReadingAs its name implies, this dish is traditionally served at weddings. The addition of chocolate makes it reminiscent of mole poblano, but the depth of flavor is achieved with far fewer ingredients. One reason for this is the use of whole spices, lightly toasted and ground, rather than powdered spices, which lose flavor quickly. Ingredients: 3 ancho […]
Continue ReadingAlthough classified under “soups,” Chambarete español is really a stew, served as a main course. A reflection of the European heritage of Aguascalientes, it is similar to the Spanish caldo gallego, which is also meat-based and loaded with vegetables such as garbanzos, cabbage and carrots. What makes this version typically Mexican is the addition of xoconostles, the sour nopal cactus fruit. Nopales […]
Continue ReadingAlso known as arroz negro, or “black rice”, this is one of the easiest ways to start cooking with huitlacoche. It is prepared like the traditional Mexican red rice, which needs to be soaked in hot water, rinsed of its starch in a colander until the water runs clear, and left to dry before cooking. […]
Continue ReadingFruit atole is a great morning or late night drink. It can be made with several kinds of fruit, but Veracruz guava atole is my hands-down favorite. The easiest way to remove the seeds is to cut the fruit crosswise and scoop them out with a spoon. Ingredients 3 cups water ½ cup piloncillo or dark brown sugar 1 […]
Continue ReadingAgua de betabel is the drink seen on the altar of Nuestra Señora de Dolores, the sorrowful mother, on the Friday before Semana Santa. I have yet to find out why beets were chosen for this particular occasion, but the Mexican beet drink is quite refreshing, especially during the hot season, when Semana Santa occurs. I have cut […]
Continue ReadingPicaditas are fun to make as well as eat. As each one is baking on the comal, the sides are pinched up, creating perfect little containers to hold the toppings. Veracruz, being a port city, has seafood variations on its picaditas, which are sometimes known locally as pelliscadas. A very attractive presentation for an appetizer or buffet table is to garnish each picadita with […]
Continue ReadingIngredients: 1 ½ cups flour ¾ cup sugar ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon ¼ teaspoon ancho chile powder (optional) ¼ teaspoon salt 1 cup water 4 tablespoons melted butter ½ tablespoon vanilla extract 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans Powdered sugar for sifting over cake (optional) Combine […]
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Timothy J. Knab Mescal, mescaline, mescal bean, mescal button; what are they? They are all intoxicants, which was what the word mescal meant in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Today mescal generally refers to a type of aguardiente – water with a bite, firewater, a liquor distilled from the agave, a relative of the century plant or maguey commonly used to […]
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