On Food & Culture
This fresh corn skillet, Guisado De Maíz, is all about simplicity and the importance of basic cooking techniques. “Do the basics brilliantly” was the constant mantra of one of my chef instructors at the Culinary Institute of America, Chef Hinnerk Von Bargen. It was also […]
Someone always brings cactus salad to my potluck parties. Robust and earthy is how I would describe the flavor of cactus, and in this salad the bright colors make it an inviting buffet dish. Did you know that the cactus is also an enduring, elemental […]
Queso Fundido is sometimes called choriqueso (chorizo-cheese). It’s a favorite throughout the Texas Mexican food region, which includes central and south Texas and northeastern Mexico. I make it regularly, especially when unexpected company drops in. Just pop it in the oven and wait for it […]
Texas Mexican Food Event In San Antonio, Texas Texas Mexican food gained fame In 1800s when Texas Mexican business women ran outdoor diners, and their delicious cooking made San Antonio a culinary destination, tourists arriving via railroad. These entrepreneurial women began to be called “chili […]
WHAT? The Mexican candy advertisement above is from around 1915’s -20’s. The candy shop was owned by Clyde Corrigan, according to Sarah Gould archivist and researcher at Institute Of Texan Cultures in San Antonio, Texas. It is discussed in the book chronicling segregation of Mexican-Americans, […]
Green Salsa, Serrano chile, 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 […]
Rajas Poblanas with cream are most often served as a side dish with your meal. In this recipe some cheese is added at the end. The dish makes a great appetizer for company. With rajas Poblanas you mix the earthy flavor of Poblano chiles with […]
These fish tacos are a variation of the famous Baja California fish taco. I omit the wheat flour batter, thereby focusing exclusively on the flavor and texture of the freshly-made corn tortilla. It also foregrounds the sweet fresh fish. I use tomatillo salsa to continue […]
In Chicago I presented a slide show about how cooking is memory, relationship and ethics. I also conducted a cooking workshop to demonstrate how to make gorditas, working with dried chiles, cactus, corn masa, and pinto beans. No lard, thank you. It was a 4-hour […]
“Nacho’s” is an original Texas Mexican (not Tex-Mex) dish that was 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 chips, longhorn cheese and […]