On Food & Culture
WHAT? The picture above is from around 1915’s -20’s. It appears in the book chronicling segregation of Mexican-Americans, “A Place At The Table,” by Maria Fleming (p.97). Like all the ingredients of Tex-Mex food, the pecan has a fascinating people history. It is Native to …
In our Centro/SouthTexas and Northern Mexico region pinto beans are the staple in all native Mexican-American homes. No exceptions, not ever. It is only restaurants and caterers that pass them over and use black beans in their recipes. It’s not that we don’t think black …
This San Antonio tamale recipe was taught to me by my sister, Esther M. Martinez, who learned it from our mom, Dominga M. Medrano, who learned it from her mom, María Victoria Vargas, and so forth. Esther also learned aspects and nuances of tamales from …
In the 1950’s the Iceberg lettuce wedge with blue cheese dressing was ubiquitous. It is now a cool retro food on many menus. I think of Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers who in the early 1970’s were picking the lettuce under miserable working …
This crunchy salad gets a velvety, unctuous mouthfeel from a vinaigrette infused with chervil. Recipe for Four Ingredients Greens: 6 cups romaine lettuce, washed, dried, cut into medium pieces 8 marinated artichoke hearts, halved or quartered, with tender leaves included Vinaigrette: 6 Tbsp extra virgin …
Cooking delicious Mexican food is at the heart of justice and mercy. “El Tren de las Moscas” is a 14-minute video that truly grips. One of those gems of art that keeps hope alive that art is well and growing. I always ask: “Can there …
I learned to make this mustard dressing from the locals in Lyon. It’s got a freshness and a heartiness that’s hard to beat. Green Salad Moutarde Lyonnaise Salad for Four Ingredients ⢠6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil ⢠1/8 tspn finely minced fresh garlic …
Today I’m just thinking out loud about how we give names to food. When I first started making “coquilles St. Jacques à La Provençal” I followed Julia Child’s recipe religiously, just as I read it in her “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” and as …
Today I started fasting and I’ll do it for two days. It’s to bring attention to the many poor who will go hungry and also those who will die because of the legislation being passed in Congress right now that cancels food for the poor. …
I’ve shot five video interviews for my documentary about “food trends and their impact on identity and the sense of belonging.” I’m focusing in on TexMex Cuisine as the first story line (not the only one) and these are two of the books that provide …