Entering La Cosecha Oaxaca farmer’s market, look to the left and you will see…
… murals by Ulises Martinez celebrating the gift of maíz.
Archive for the ‘Food’ Category
Art of the maíz
Posted in Agriculture, Creativity, Culture, Flora, Food, Markets, Travel & Tourism, tagged @frontealcolor, corn stalk images, farmers' market, La Cosecha Oaxaca, maíz images, Mexico, murals, Oaxaca, organic market, photos, popular travel destinations, Ulises Martinez, wall art on September 3, 2020| 7 Comments »
Greeting the dawn
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Flora, Food, Gardens, tagged Dragon fruit, flowers, fruit, Hylocereus undatus, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos, Pitahaya, white flowers on July 24, 2020| 6 Comments »
This morning as dawn broke, a pitahaya bloomed in Oaxaca. Tipped off by my neighbor, I ran upstairs with my camera — before coffee, no less!
The eight inches across flower was definitely worth it because, alas, by late morning this beauty will have wilted. It will dry, eventually drop off, and fruit will begin to form on the section hiding behind the flower and from which it emerged.
In a few months, there will be a red luscious dragon fruit, like this one on a neighboring stalk. I miss the pitahayas that used to climb the chain link fence surrounding my terrace.
By the way, if you are confused about the difference between pitahaya and pitaya (as I used to be), this page from the Mexican government gives the most complete explanation I’ve seen. It’s worth running through a translator if you don’t read Spanish.
My entry in Cee’s Flower of the Day photo challenge.
At least I’m eating well!
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Food, Restaurants, Travel & Tourism, tagged cocineras, cooks, coronavirus fallout, COVID-19 fallout, food, food porn, home cooking, Kalisa Wells, leftovers, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos on July 12, 2020| 11 Comments »
Up until last week, under semáforo rojo (red stoplight), dining at Oaxaca’s much celebrated restaurants had been prohibited and food-to-go became a new and popular option. The Facebook group, Taste Of Oaxaca! soon was filled with restaurant takeout and/or delivery menu options. It was really quite wonderful to see how creative restaurants and chefs became in trying to maintain their businesses, keep staff employed, and meet the needs of their clientele. However, I was blessed with an alternative — mi amiga y vecina (my friend and neighbor), Kalisa, whose passion is cooking and sharing her flavorful fare.
Roast chicken with saffron rice
Homemade pizza with chorizo, cheeses, mushrooms, arugula, and more
Pork loin stuffed with prunes, jamón, spinach, and secret herbs and spices
And, leftovers in my freezer
Pork and beans (with the requisite) epazote
Chicken with broccoli, new potatoes, and olives
Grilled Mennonite cheese sandwich with argula and (Boulenc’s) kimchi
Goat cheese lasagne
While living in the age of Covid-19, at least I’ve been eating well — and this is just a small sample! By the way, rumor has it that tonight I will be going up and over the rooftop with my bowl in hand for pozole rojo. Yummm…
Mask up!
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Food, Restaurants, Travel & Tourism, tagged Café Brújula, coronavirus fallout, COVID-19 fallout, cubrebocas, graphic arts, masks, Mexico, Mister D artist, Oaxaca, photos, skeletons street art on July 3, 2020| 8 Comments »
Even if you’re just going out for coffee, mask up!
A reminder from the shutters outside Café Brújula in Plaza Santo Domingo on Macedonio Alcalá. Artist: Mister D.
What next?
Posted in Buildings, Churches, Food, Health, Science & Nature, Tragedy, Travel & Tourism, tagged Chapulines, construction workers, coronavirus fallout, COVID-19 fallout, disasters, earthquake, grasshoppers, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos, Templo de San José on June 24, 2020| 8 Comments »
This morning’s headline in NVI Noticias: Oaxaca revive pesadilla de los sismos en lo más álgido de la epidemia por COVID-19 (Oaxaca relives the nightmare of earthquakes in the height of the epidemic by COVID-19). I wasn’t in Oaxaca for the 8.1 earthquake September 7, 2017, so I don’t know what it felt like. However, I still have vivid memories of experiencing the magnitude 6.9 Loma Prieta earthquake in the San Francisco Bay Area. As scary as that one was, yesterday’s 7.5 temblor was definitely more violent and lasted longer.
The good news is I, my neighbors, and all my friends in Oaxaca are okay and the city sustained mostly minor damage. However, there is much devastation to roads, homes, and other structures closer to the epicenter near Huatulco. And, saddest of all, the death toll is now up to seven. For a more complete report, with dozens of photos, click on the article, Suman siete muertos por el terremoto.
Two months ago work stopped on the roof and bell tower of Templo de San José — due to virus restrictions on construction sites. This morning, workers returned to check out earthquake damage.
This, and the state of Oaxaca’s coronavirus statistics, like most of Mexico, continue to rise precipitously. And, unfortunately, many of the hospitals near the quake’s epicenter sustained damage. (Click on image to enlarge.)
Side by side statistics: June 19 and June 23. Grey=cases notified; green=negatives; orange=suspected; red=confirmed; turquoise=recovered; black=deaths
Oh, and did I mention, we have had massive rain storms the last two nights? We are all wondering what is next, locusts? 
Yikes, look what I found on my screen door this morning! At least in Oaxaca, we know what to do with chapulines (grasshoppers) — toast them on a comal with lime and salt. They are a great source of protein. Yummm…
When all is over…
Posted in Culture, Food, Restaurants, Signs, Travel & Tourism, tagged Catedral Restaurante, coronavirus fallout, COVID-19 fallout, culinary lovers, Gastronómicos, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos on April 27, 2020| 4 Comments »
Painted on the front of Catedral Restaurante, a message to Oaxaca food lovers…
When all is over, I will look for you and I will hug you so tight that we will forget time.
When all is over, I will need you more than ever.
When all is over, I will need you more than ever.
Sunday stroll in the time of…
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Flora, Food, Restaurants, Travel & Tourism, tagged breakfast, Dama de noche, Epiphyllum oxypetalum, flowers, Mexico, murals, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, Primavera rosa, street art, trees, wall art on March 22, 2020| 16 Comments »
Sunday mornings have always been my favorite time to wander through the neighborhoods of Oaxaca. Traffic is light, sidewalks are mostly empty, and the city seems nestled under a blanket of tranquility. Thus, in these days of an abundance of alone-at-home time, a long peaceful walk with my neighbor (maintaining sana distancia/social distancing, of course) was just what the doctor ordered.
Out the door and up the hill, we went.
“Hola, buenos días” greetings were exchanged with the few people we encountered — many walking their dogs.
Though we weren’t planning to eat, we stumbled on a lovely garden restaurant – Ancestral Cocina Tradicional — and couldn’t resist sitting down in their sun-dappled courtyard for a quesillo and huitlacoche quesadilla, washed down with a healthy jugo verde. Everything about the restaurant was done with care and attention — including being mindful of COVID-19 concerns.
Emerging from the restaurant, we continued our ramble, admiring architecture, street art, and the beauty of dry season flowers.
This Dama de Noche (Epiphyllum oxypetalum) stopped us in our tracks!
After three hours, we returned to our homes feeling refreshed, appreciative of Oaxaca’s many gifts, and feeling like we can get through this — despite the puppet masters.
Beverages of Oaxaca, 72 and counting
Posted in Beverages, Books, Celebrations, Culture, Food, People, Travel & Tourism, tagged Bebidas de Oaxaca, Beverages, books, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos, Ricardo Bonilla, Salvador Cueva on March 3, 2020| 4 Comments »
Aguas, atole, aguardiente, cafe, chocolate, compuestos, destilados, pulque, tejate, tepache, and té, oh my! Those are only fraction of the 72 beverages (alcoholic and non) found in the eight regions of the state of Oaxaca and featured in the “hot off the press” book, Bebidas de Oaxaca. Authors, Salvador Cueva and Ricardo Bonilla spent a year traveling up and down and over and through the mountains, valleys, and coastal regions of this most diverse, both geographic and cultural, state.
Ricardo Bonilla and Salvador Cueva.
They met the indigenous men and women whose families have handed down through countless generations the recipes for everyday and ceremonial beverages. Most of all they got to know, learn from, and appreciate the people and their traditions. A poem, composed and recited by Emma Méndez García from Huatla de Jiménez, expressed the pride and strength of the rich cultures of those who contributed their time, histories, and knowledge to the project.
Emma Méndez García (Huautla de Jiménez) reciting the poem she wrote in honor of the occasion.
The relationship the authors developed with their subjects was obvious at Saturday afternoon’s book presentation at the gloriously dilapidated and magical Proyecto Murguia (site of the 2012 El Sueño de Elpis). They presented each of the cocineras and cocineros featured in the book with the book, a book bag, a mug, and much gratitude and appreciation.
Ricardo Bonilla, Jovita López Cruz (Unión Nacional Zafra), and Salvador Cueva.
Ricardo Bonilla, Carina Santiago (Teotitlán del Valle), and Salvador Cueva.
Ricardo Bonilla, Catalina Chávez Lucas (Tlacolula de Matamoros), and Salvador Cueva.
Ricardo Bonilla, Reyna Mendoza (Teotitlán del Valle), and Salvador Cueva.
Ricardo Bonilla, Celia Florian (La Ciénega, Zimatlán), and Salvador Cueva.
Following the formal presentations, 20 of the beverages were free to sample and purchase directly from their makers.
Mezcal from Graciela Ángeles Carreño (Santa Catarina Minas).
Pinole prepared by Elisa León Pérez (Santa Catarina Ixtepeji).
Estella serving Chocolateatole con cacao blanco by Carina Santiago (Teotitlán del Valle).
Tepache con rojo by María Díaz Cortés and Juana Gallardo Jiménez (Santa María Tlahuitoltepec).
Bebidas de Oaxaca is available in Spanish and English and in hard and softbound editions. For information regarding purchasing the book, go to their website. Or, if you are in Oaxaca city, attend the book talk at La Jícara (Porfirio Díaz 1105) on Thursday evening, March 5, 2020 at 7:00 PM. A percentage of the sales of the book will go to the Bebidas de Oaxaca foundation to support the people and families who participated in the book.
Felicidades Tlamanalli
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Food, Restaurants, Travel & Tourism, tagged Abigail Mendoza, jicalpextles, Mexico, mole, nicuatole, Oaxaca, photos, Restaurante Tlamanalli, soups, tamales, Teotitlán del Valle, Zapotec cuisine on February 16, 2020| 10 Comments »
Valentine’s Day in Mexico is known as Día del amor y la amistad (Day of love and friendship) and I had the extremely good fortune to spend it in Teotitlán del Valle (one of my favorite places in the world) among friends at the thirtieth anniversary celebration of the restaurant, Tlamanalli.
Iconic Restaurant Tlamanalli tapete.
Special garlands of papel picado fluttered above the heads of the 150-200 invited guests, centerpieces of jicalpextles filled with handmade sugar flowers, papel picado flags, and marshmallows wrapped in colored tissue paper graced the tables, and each place setting included a commemorative menu.
Papel picado celebrating 30 years of Tlamanalli.
One of Teotitlán’s several bands was positioned just inside the door and played throughout the afternoon.
Musical entertainment to accompany the dining.
The open kitchen was a beehive of activity and, no doubt, had been for at least two weeks — in preparation for this auspicious anniversary.
Family working together in the kitchen.
Four courses honoring their Zapotec heritage were prepared with love and respect by world famous cocinera Abigail Mendoza Ruiz, her sisters Adelina, Marcelina, Maria Luisa, Rosario, Rufina, and her niece Diana.
Soups: Higadito de fandango, Flor de calabaza con quesadilla, and Garbanzo molido con tortillita.
Tamales: Chepil en totomoxtle, Mole amarillo con carne de conejo en hoja de milpa, and Frijol en totomoxtle.
Moles: Rojo con carne de gallina, Seguesa con lomo de puerco, and Negro con carne de guajolota.
Desserts: Nicuatolli de maiz azul con tinte de cochinilla, Flan Tlamanalli, Dulce de calabaza, Nieve de zapote negro, and Nieve de pétalos de rosa.
And, I got a bit of a chuckle when it was pointed out to me that it was the men in the family who were on washing and drying duty.
The men continued washing and drying throughout the day.
We were surprised we recognized so few of the attendees — only later discovering, thanks to this article, that many were dignitaries (not our usual crowd). However, we were more than delighted to have been seated at one of the tables in the section reserved for family members, several of whom we knew, and where conversations were in equal parts Spanish and Zapoteco, with only bits of English thrown into the mix — keeping us on our toes!
Commemorative jicalpextle centerpiece.
What an honor it was for us to be invited to share this special day with the Mendoza family — a day filled with love and friendship and very good food!
(For more photos and commentary, check out Chris’s blog post.)
2019 through the rear view mirror
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Food, Holidays, Travel & Tourism, tagged Ayotzinapa, cactus flowers, candles, cocineras, construction workers, convite, cooking, cooks, Danza de la Pluma, danzantes, Mexico, nacimiento, Nativity scenes, Oaxaca, photos, San Juan Guelavía, street art, tamales, Teotitlán del Valle, Tomb 7 treasures on December 31, 2019| 13 Comments »
Looking in the rear view mirror at images from 2019. They bring fond memories of life in Oaxaca — ferias, festivals, food, and friends, not to mention exhibitions, random street scenes, and the unexpected at Casita Colibrí. They were also a reminder of many days and nights spent in Teotitlán del Valle this year.
January – San Juan Guelavía town hall.
February – Wall on Niños Heroes, remembering the Ayotzinapa 43.
March – Cactus flower on the Casita Colibrí terrace.
April – View from a gas station along Carretera Federal 175.
May – Construction assistance from the balcony of Casita Colibrí.
June – The tamales brigade at a 50th birthday fiesta in Teotitlán del Valle.
July – Newly made candles in Teotitlán del Valle.
August – Necklace from Monte Albán Tomb 7 exhibition at the Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca.
September – Convite during the Fiesta a la Natividad de la Virgen María in Teotitlán del Valle.
October – Danza de la Pluma at Fiesta de La Virgen del Rosario in Teotitlán del Valle.
November – Día de Muertos tamales in Teotitlán del Valle.
December – Nacimiento (nativity scene) in the Plaza de la Danza.
Many thanks to all my wonderful blog readers — for reading, for commenting, for sharing, for the opportunity to meet some of you, and for inspiring me to continue blogging from my rooftop terrace in Oaxaca. Wishing you all the very best in 2020!!!
Five bags full
Posted in Food, Markets, Travel & Tourism, tagged grocery shopping, healthy eating, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, salads, shopping baskets, vegetables on December 4, 2019| 6 Comments »
Shopping baskets ready and waiting to be filled…
Bounty from Abastos ready and waiting to be prepared…
Salad ready and waiting to be eaten…
There was more, but I was too busy eating to stop and take photos!
Mining mezcal in Minas
Posted in Beverages, Celebrations, Culture, Food, People, Travel & Tourism, tagged Félix Ángeles Arellanes, feria, festival, Los Arellanes, Luis Arellanes Cruz, Mexico, mezcal, Mezcal El Minerito, Oaxaca, popular travel destinations, Santa Catarina Minas on November 25, 2019| 1 Comment »
What can I say? The poster for the 4th Annual Mezcal Fair in Santa Catarina Minas came across my Facebook page and I said, let’s go! Thus, friends and neighbors rented a van (with non-drinking driver) to head an hour south of Oaxaca city for day two of the 2-day fair.
A barro for distilling mezcal enhancing the basketball hoop.
Naturally, it was held in the municipal basketball court, adjacent to the church!
Food vendor and family member setting up.
Of course, being gringos, we were early, so we headed for the food stalls (all the better to absorb the mezcal to come) — including empanadas from San Antonino Castillo Velasco. Though, in all honesty, they weren’t nearly as good as the gal we usually go to in San Antonino.
Maestro mezcalero, Don Pablo Arellanes Ramírez.
The mezcal stalls hadn’t quite begun to be staffed.
Luis Arellanes Cruz atop the outdoor oven pit used to cook the agave piñas.
However, thanks to mi amiga K, who went in search of cervesa (beer) to wash down our empanadas, we were introduced to Luis Arellanes Cruz, who then took us to the Los Arellanes palenque, explained the process of turning agave piñas into mezcal to the new initiates among us, and introduced us to maestro mezcalero, Rufino Felipe Martinez.
Félix Ángeles Arellanes
Returning to the feria, several of us were delighted to renew our acquaintance with Félix from Mezcal El Minerito where, the last time I was there, friends and I watched the process of layering agave piñas, bagaso, and a tarp to begin the cooking process.
Folkloric dancers from Sección XXII of the teachers’ union of the City of Oaxaca.
Of course, no feria would be complete without entertainment. According to the schedule, there were bands and presentations and parades and dancers and…
The road out of town.
After three hours of wandering, eating, tasting, and enjoying, it was time to head back to the city. As they say, a great time was had by all!
Hot off the comal
Posted in Food, Travel & Tourism, tagged comal, cooking, Empanada de Amarillo, empanadas, food, Oaxaca, photos, San Antonino Castillo Velasco, traditional cuisine on November 7, 2019| 3 Comments »
An hour south of Oaxaca city, the Zapotec village of San Antonino Castillo Velasco has much to recommend it. Besides the fields of flowers raised to decorate graves and altars throughout the valley and inspire elaborate floral designs on its blouses and dresses, the cocineras (cooks) of San Antonino serve a distinctive and delicious Empanada de Amarillo — a dish I never miss and one that has earned the village the (perhaps self-proclaimed) title, “world capital of the empanada.”
The main ingredients of the filling are pork broth, chile guajillo, masa, manteca, and cilantro. However, undoubtedly each cook adds her own secret seasoning(s).
Hot off the (tortilla) press, tortillas are placed on the comal to cook.
Once they reach the correct texture, the filling is spooned onto the tortilla and it is folded in half to be cooked, flipped, cooked, and flipped again until ready to serve.
The empanadas are traditionally served on a bed of lettuce and garnished with radishes and lime wedges and there is usually a small dish of pickled onion slices to further enhance the flavor. Yes, I ate the whole thing and it was riquisima!
Nourishing the departed
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Food, Travel & Tourism, tagged cemetery, Day of the Dead, Día de los Muertos, Día de Muertos, death, fruit, graves, Mexico, nuts, Oaxaca, pan de muerto, panteón, photos, Tlacolula de Matamoros, tombs on November 1, 2019| 10 Comments »
The difuntos have begun arriving and, like every year on November 1, I escape the tourist craziness of the city to spend time in the tranquility of the panteón in Tlacolula de Matamoros. Under the dappled sunlight of early afternoon, families clean, bring flowers, and celebrate. The departed must have nourishment for their travel between the world of the living and dead, thus fruit, nuts, bread, and beverages are placed on the graves.
The difuntos also seem to appreciate artistry.
What’s on your list?
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Food, Markets, Travel & Tourism, tagged 20 de noviembre mercado, César Villegas González “VIYEGAX”, food, grocery shopping, markets, Mexico, murals, Oaxaca, photos, wall art on October 18, 2019| Leave a Comment »
Located in the main entrance to the 20 de noviembre market, the mural by César Villegas González raises THE issue we should keep in the forefront of our minds when we set out to go grocery shopping.
Alimentación mortal — Food that can be deadly?
Or, Comida de los Dioses — Food of the Gods?
I choose to take a ride on the magical metate!
The mural was inaugurated in March 2019 as part of the “Vive tu Mercado 2019” program which seeks to promote the cultural and gastronomic riches found in the city’s mercados.
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- Last Sunday of summer walk
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