On Food & Culture
“Do the Basics Brilliantly!” That was the constant mantra of my chef instructor at the Culinary Institute of America, Chef Hinnerk Von Bargen. It was also the oral and lived tradition at home: “pon atención!” I learned care and technique from the “práctica” at my […]
Albóndigas illustrate the dynamism of food pathways, the routes by which foods travel via bird flights, human wars, marriages, etc. As it travels, food changes, adapts into new cultural types. This Texas Mexican meatball, albóndiga, originally comes to us from the Spaniards who arrived in […]
I’ve refrained from publishing this post because here in Coahuila, Texas, everybody and her/his cow has the authentic Texas “chili” recipe. Yup, replete with that “secret ingredient” and those implausible anecdotes about a cow falling into a vat of chiles, a deer getting stewed by […]
Salt “Aire” is the foam created by Chef José Andrés for the margarita served at his Oyamel restaurant in D.C. The first time I tried it I fell in love with it. Some of my friends eschew it, though. They are orthodox and demand the […]
The rustic French peach tart is belovedly famous world-wide. Add Native American peaches and, once again, a beautiful marriage: French pastry genius with delectable indigenous flavor. Whoa, I hear you saying, peaches are from Europe! Here’s where I’m happy to enjoy this peach tart with […]
Serrano Salsa is a classic Texas Mexican table salsa. If you’re from this region, send me an email or comment about how you’ve savored this in your home. Amá (we did not use the Spanish word, mamá) always had this salsa on the kitchen table. […]
This story is another about delicious foods that evolved when foreign, imported products (pork) encountered the natural terroir (chiles) of Mexico. Chorizo is the creative culinary result of imported pigs meeting the local chiles. It’s famous, of course, as a breakfast treat but it is […]
Dominga Medrano, my mom, was an excellent and creative cook who every Holy Week would gift us with Capirotada. Our kitchen overflowed with aromas of cinnamon, cilantro and piloncillo and even now I can see her face serving us this bread pudding on Good Friday. […]