On Zarela's Mind

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January 11, 2011 · Leave a Comment

I still remember when I bought my first fax machine twenty years ago and marveled that each day for 2 weeks before my fortieth birthday my cousin Hector Martinez of Hermosillo, Sonora, could send me a memory of a moment we shared during summer vacations at our ranch in Chihuahua when we were growing up. Our favorite after dinner past time was to sing and we accumulated an impressive repertoire. Each anecdote started with a line from one of the songs we used to sing that set up the story. They were touchingly evocative and I treasured them but the thermal paper was thin and curled under annoyingly... [Read the full story]

Recipes

Pastel de Carne del Istmo – Oaxacan Meat Loaf

May 10, 2010 · Leave a Comment

Pastel de Carne del Ismo www.michaelsofonski.com Pastel de Carne del Istmo Isthmian-Style Meat Loaf No one can say that this meat loaf is boring! It absolutely explodes with intense flavors, including various smoked, canned, or pickled ingredients that are popular in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. This dish is a favorite there at the parties accompanying the velas (patron saints’ fiestas) of the neighborhoods and towns in and around Juchitán. The demanding part of this dish is dicing and chopping almost a dozen ingredients. Luckily most of them — everything from the olives through... [Read the full story]

Special Days

Thanksgiving – Stuffed Pig or Turkey?

November 12, 2008 · Leave a Comment

Every Thanksgiving the big moment to decide comes: Do we want two turkeys–my sister Aida’s marvelous pavo borracho which is short on looks but big on taste and a traditional turkey that may or may not come out perfectly but the stuffing will be moist and delicious? Or do we want one turkey and a stuffed suckling pig? I’ll leave it for you to decide. We’re lucky because all my children and their mates cook so the labor is well distributed amongst all of us and no one is tired and cranky by meal time (around 5:00PM.) Most of us are in the restaurant business and the thought... [Read the full story]

Special Guests

Mexicaness by Lorea Canales

May 19, 2010 · Leave a Comment

Menu for tomorrow’s presentation on heirloom tomatoes and chiles

October 1, 2010 · Leave a Comment

LA PALAPA COCINA MEXICANA and FOOD IS ART Present ~Heirloom Chiles and Tomatoes~ ~ Antojitos ~ ~Tequila Casa Noble~ October 2, 2010 Tequila al Chile Silvestre del Amazonas organic casa noble tequila infused with wild chiles from the amazon Sangrita de Jalapeño chile~tomato~ pomegranate chaser ~ * ~ Sopa de Camote mexican sweet potato soup Taquitos de Papa con Crema de Chipotle Casero crisped potato taquitos with chipotle crema, made with house smoked jalapeno chiles Quesadillas Doraditas de Masa Verde con Rajas de Chilaca con Crema nopal-corn masa crisped quesadillas stuffed with queso chihuahua with... [Read the full story]

Ingredients

Ingredient of the Week – Canela

November 16, 2008 · Leave a Comment

There are few ingredients used in Mexican cooking that affect the taste of a dish more than canela (true Ceylon cinnamon or soft stick cinnamon.) It blends subtly with different seasonings and will not drown out other spices like the harsher cassia, the product sold as “cinnamon” in U.S. markets is not right for Mexican food. It actually comes from the cassia tree (Cinnamomum cassia) and other strong-flavored members of the cinnamon genus that are disdained in Mexico and many European countries as inferior substitutes for real cinnamon. I refuse to cook with this so-called cinnamon... [Read the full story]

Recipes

Pastel de Carne del Istmo – Oaxacan Meat Loaf

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Enchiladas de chorro

Enchiladas de Chorro Pancake-like Enchiladas from Sonora 2 onions, finely chopped Juice of 3 limes ½ pound shredded cheddar cheese 1 teaspoon oregano, finely ground 5 tablespoons ground New Mexico or ancho chiles 1 cup home-rendered lard or vegetable oil 1 tablespoon flour 1 iceberg lettuce, finely shredded 2 cups...

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Bravo! Have I broken the barrier?

Since starting my website many years ago, I have been trying to establish a dialogue with my readers to no avail. But then I met Jackie Diaz through facebook where she posted a picture of scrumptious looking fish tacos. I asked her for the recipe and she graciously sent it to me. I am very much impressed...

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