On Food & Culture
I’ve assembled four dishes that will make this Thanksgiving come together with full flavors of south Texas and northeastern Mexico, the Texas Mexican culinary region. The menu is Mexican cornbread stuffing, Brussels Sprouts with Pecans and Chile Serrano Turkey Enchilado Bourbon Pecan Pie It starts […]
The original nachos are Texas Mexican and were created by culinarian, Ignacio Anaya (nickname Nacho) in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, across the river from Eagle Pass, Texas. It is a thoughtful, beautifully balanced combination of just three ingredients: corn tortillas, longhorn cheese and pickled Jalapeños. Anaya […]
My Essay on Cultural Poachers Cultural Appropriation in the Food Industry The comida casera, home-cooking of Texas Mexican American families, has been appropriated by commercial cultural poachers who in the process harm both the cuisine and the community that created it. I use the term, […]
Make your own chipotles en adobo with this delicious combination of herbs and spices. Sometimes you have to use the canned versions, I know, but at least once savor this natural, amazing Mexican creation. My recipe makes about 20 chiles in a sauce so delicious […]
The traditional “A La Mexicana” style is the tricolored combination of tomatoes, onions, and chiles—the colors of the Mexican flag. Straightforward and nutritious. Papas A La Mexicana is a staple in south Texas and northeastern Mexico, the Texas Mexican region. I adapted this recipe from […]
I learned about pepinos del monte (wild cucumbers) from Homero Vera, a historian who is also a rancher in South Texas who showed me that they grow in his ranch and all over south Texas and northeastern Mexico. They look like lilliputian watermelons. Known also […]
Texas pecan transforms these mushrooms into a tasty, crunchy treat. Try making them for a virtual meet-up. Stuff the mushrooms and hold them, then pop them in the oven so they’re ready for you to munch on and make your friends drool during your next […]
Verdolaga, purslane in English, is the indigenous Texas Mexican herb that I love to serve for company. It is my “go to” recipe for a delicious green side dish that goes with absolutely anything. Verdolaga grows wild and is plentiful for most of the year […]
Tortilla soup is nutritious, and allows a family to stretch a chicken over several meals. With 6 grams of protein per cup, the chicken stock in this recipe can be used to make three meals for a family of four. Covid-19 means we have to […]
Chile Con Carne means chile with meat, and the name is often reversed in homes and Texas Mexican menus where it’s listed as Carne Con Chile, meat with chile. It’s one of the oldest and most common Mexican dishes, although recently the word chile has […]