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Posts Tagged ‘food’

3 Kings and cake

Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Food, Holidays, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , on January 6, 2021| 5 Comments »

Feliz Día de los Reyes Magos / Happy Three Kings day! Today is the day Gaspar, Melchor, and Baltazar bring gifts to the children of Mexico. In normal, non Covid-19 times, the municipal DIF (Desarrollo Integral de la Familia) agency and private organizations sponsored a toy drive. Toys filled the Alameda to be given to the city’s disadvantaged children, along with milk and juice. Crafts, games, and music were set up to entertain. I haven’t seen or heard of any evidence it is happening this year. Let’s hope these children have not been forgotten.

In addition to kings bringing kids gifts, January 6 also calls for a special cake — the wreath shaped Rosca de Reyes (Three Kings bread). This morning, I walked up to Pan con Madre bakery to buy mine to share with apartment staff and friends.

And, surprise, there is a plastic Niño Dios figurine hidden in each Rosca de Reyes, remembering Mary and Joseph concealing baby Jesus from King Herod. If you are the “lucky” person to bite into it, you must host a tamales and atole party on February 2 — Candelaria (Candlemas).

Guess who the lucky person was? Yes, it was me!

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Game. Pizza. Fowl.

Posted in Casita Colibrí, Food, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , on November 24, 2020| 8 Comments »

It’s been a whole month since I’ve delved into the food porn photo archive. With Thanksgiving only two days away, what better time for a few of my dinners from the past ten days.

Rabbit served on a bed of fettuccine.
Eggplant, anchovy, and goat cheese pizza topped with arugula.
Roasted chicken served with tortillas (of course), guacamole, pickled red onions, and green salsa.

And, what better time to express my gratitude for having such a great and talented friend and neighbor who delights in sharing her culinary artistry with others. ¡Muchisimas gracias Kalisa!

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Intangible cultural heritage

Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Food, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , on November 17, 2020| 3 Comments »

Yesterday, Mexico celebrated the National Day of Mexican Gastronomy and the tenth anniversary of traditional Mexican cuisine being designated by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Due to pandemic restrictions, in the absence of being able to savor the sights, smells, and flavors of a food festival, I honor the day with a photo of one of Oaxaca’s ubiquitous street food stalls.

This one, at the corner of Matamoros and García Vigil, always has customers — big and little, seated and standing, human and canine.

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Then there was pozole

Posted in Casita Colibrí, Food, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , on October 23, 2020| 2 Comments »

Last night’s socially distanced dining on the terrace featured pozole!

Bowls of pozole with garnishes of avocado, cilantro with onions, cabbage, salsa, limes, and peppers waiting to be added.

My kind of comfort food. Thanks, Kalisa!

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More terrace fine dining

Posted in Casita Colibrí, Food, Gardens, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , on October 20, 2020| 16 Comments »

Given that the socially distanced dining on the terrace ice was broken earlier in the month, the entertaining continued with the arrival of L, my BFF since we were twelve. Kalisa — neighbor, friend, and cocinera extraordinaria – rose to the occasion and the three of us have been eating extremely well.

October 6, 2020 – Chicken and black bean memelas, huitlachoche and corn empanadas, salsas, and sautéed squash.
October 8, 2020 – Heirloom tomatoes, pickled onions, and queso fresco, accompanied by Parmesan Crisps hand carried from California.
October 8, 2020 – Guacamole, pickled onions, salsas, and peanuts.
October 8, 2020 – Tostadas of chicken and pork with spinach and guacamole.
October 14, 2020 – Chicken mole accompanied by rice and black beans.
October 18, 2020 – Salad of cucumber, onion, and peppers.
October 18, 2020 – Squash, fresh basil, huitlacoche, and cheese lasagna.

Lest you be concerned about the intervening dinners, the quantities were huge, doggie bags were taken back to our respective apartments, and leftovers continue to be happily consumed.

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Socially distanced dining

Posted in Casita Colibrí, Food, Gardens, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on October 3, 2020| 6 Comments »

Last week, after seven months of Casita Colibrí being a visitor free zone, friends from California came to dine. Socially distanced seating was set up at the south end of the terrace.

The counter at the north end of the terraced was used as the staging area for food and drink.

We took turns selecting the fabulous fare prepared by my previously mentioned friend and neighbor, Kalisa.

Blue corn tortillas, guacamole, cucumber, and salsas to start.
Huitlacoche quesadillas.
Poblano chile strips with goat cheese.
Chicken wings.

Masks stayed on, except when eating, and early evening quickly turned into night as we talked and laughed and enjoyed each other’s company. It had been so long!

Kalisa, the visiting couple, and I had so much fun, we did it again two nights later. And, yes, there was mezcal both nights!

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At least I’m eating well!

Posted in Casita Colibrí, Food, Restaurants, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on July 12, 2020| 12 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…

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Hot off the comal

Posted in Food, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , 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!

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What’s on your list?

Posted in Creativity, Culture, Food, Markets, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , 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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Mushrooms and more

Posted in Agriculture, Culture, Flora, Food, food festival, Science & Nature, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 23, 2019| 10 Comments »

Sunday, I headed up into the clouds for the 19th Feria Regional de Hongos Silvestres (Regional Wild Mushroom Fair) in San Antonio Cuajimoloyas. Friends had hired a van and driver to take us on the steep winding climb into the Sierra Norte. An hour and a half after we left the city, we arrived at our destination, 10,433 feet above sea level. Cuajimoloyas has an ethereal feel and seems like a world apart from the valley below.
       
Baskets of fresh mushrooms with shiny orange caps and mushrooms resembling coral, trumpets, cauliflower, and flower petals beckoned. And the aroma of grilled mushrooms, mushroom tamales, mushroom empanadas, and chile relleno stuffed with mushrooms stimulated the appetite.
There were dried mushrooms in bulk and in little cellophane baggies for purchase.
Mushrooms aren’t the only produce the region is known for — delicious apples and new potatoes are grown in these chilly mountains.
And, there there were local crafts for sale and a couple of kinds of mezcal to taste (and buy).
I came home with apples, potatoes, a bottle of the lovely A Medios Chiles mezcal made from the wild Jabalí agave, and 30 grams of dried mushrooms. While the mushrooms weren’t of the “magic” variety, the experience certainly was!
“Mushrooms were the roses in the garden of that unseen world, because the real mushroom plant was underground. The parts you could see – what most people called a mushroom – was just a brief apparition. A cloud flower.” ― Margaret Atwood, The Year of the Flood

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Tlacolula market day magic

Posted in Culture, Food, Markets, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on April 7, 2019| 4 Comments »

Today found me (courtesy of blogger buddy Chris) savoring market day in Tlacolula de Matamoros.  The Sunday market is one of the oldest continuous tianguis in Mesoamerica, a commercial center for the neighboring communities, and a beehive of energy and activity.

There is food…

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Chiles and more

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Chickens roasting on an open fire

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A bounty of fruit

Necessary cooking equipment, Oaxaca style…

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Gourds for measuring and serving, palm fans for fanning the cooking flames, and brushes for moving ingredients about the comal

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Metate for grinding corn, chocolate, dyes, etc.

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Molcajetes necessary for crushing and grinding herbs, spices, and making the best salsas and guacamole

And, most of all, people…

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Poultry shopper and hammock seller

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Tortilla vendors

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Garlic vendor

Market day in Tlacolula is chicken soup for my soul.

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Feast for the departed

Posted in Agriculture, Celebrations, Culture, Food, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , on November 1, 2018| 8 Comments »

Today, at 3:00 PM in Teotitlán del Valle, as leaves in the mountains and fields rustled, the arrival of the difuntos (departed) was announced with the sound of cohetes (rockets) and church bells.  Incense burners were lit and placed in front of ofrendas in each home’s altar room — the smoke and scent of copal helping to guide the spirits home for their yearly twenty-four hour visit.

Tonight they will feast on tamales amarillos — special tamales that are traditionally served three times a year in Teotitlán — in July for the Fiesta de la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo, in October for the Fiesta de la Virgen del Rosario, and today, November first, in honor of the returning difuntos.

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As we have done for many years, blogger buddy Chris and I came to the home of Zacarías Ruiz and Emilia Gonzalez with our offering of pan de muertos and a bottle of mezcal to place on their altar — paying our respects to their difuntos.  In turn, we were offered mezcal and cervesas (beer), followed by the aforementioned tamales amarillos.

The tamales were days in the making.  Several of the family’s organic free range chickens were sacrificed; corn from their milpa was nixtamalized to make a silky smooth masa; and the ingredients for mole amarillo were toasted, chopped, blended, and boiled.  The final preparation began at 3:30 this morning — 250 tamales were assembled, filled, and wrapped in fresh green leaves from their milpa and placed in the steaming pots.  The results were to die for!

For me, more than painted faces and parades, this is what makes experiencing Día de los Muertos in Oaxaca so special.

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Food with friends

Posted in Food, People, Restaurants, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , on October 1, 2018| 5 Comments »

At the risk of alienating readers who were drooling with envy over yesterday’s Chiles en nogada post, I bring you today’s lunch.  This time I was dining with friends, which makes already delicious food taste even better.

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Tres cocinera (3 cooks): Celia Florian, Carina Santiago, Kalisa Wells

Comida at Las Quince Letras where mis amigas Carina Santiago of restaurant and gallery Tierra Antigua in Teotitlán del Valle, Kalisa Wells (cocinera and new neighbor), and I were joined by the restaurant’s delightful owner/chef and ambassador extraordinaire of Oaxaca gastronomy, Celia Florian.  (An aside:  Celia and I were on the same flight from Mexico City to Oaxaca on Saturday night and I apologize to the other passengers for briefly blocking the aisle as we greeted each other with hugs.)

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Appetizer of Garnachas Istmeña

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Aguacate relleno

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Chile de agua vinagreta

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Dessert of warm pastel de elote

What a delicious and delightful way to spend my second day back home in Oaxaca.

 

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No words…

Posted in Culture, Food, People, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on June 8, 2018| 11 Comments »

He had words.  I don’t.

“Do we really want to travel in hermetically sealed popemobiles through the rural provinces of France, Mexico and the Far East, eating only in Hard Rock Cafes and McDonalds? Or do we want to eat without fear, tearing into the local stew, the humble taqueria’s mystery meat, the sincerely offered gift of a lightly grilled fish head? I know what I want. I want it all. I want to try everything once.” ― Anthony Bourdain, Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly

I will miss your intelligence, honesty, passion, and respect for cultures different from your own.  Thank you.  Rest in peace, Anthony Bourdain.

How to get help: In the US, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. The International Association for Suicide Prevention and Befrienders Worldwide also can provide contact information for crisis centers around the world.

 

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Gift of chocolate…

Posted in Food, Markets, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , on August 23, 2017| 3 Comments »

As I’ve previously mentioned, my grandson loves skeletons and skulls AND he also loves Oaxacan chocolate.  Recipe for the perfect gift to take to him:  Go to my favorite chocolateria, Conchita (local # 210) inside Mercado 20 de Noviembre.

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Take 1 kilogram of chocolate beans, add 1 kilogram of sugar and 25 grams of cinnamon sticks, and mill in the Mexicano embalado.

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Bring home a plastic bag full of warm chocolate, spread out on a cookie sheet, let cool, then cut and stamp.

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A recipe for the perfect gift to bring to my Day of the Dead loving, chocoholic grandson.

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