CHILES EN NOGADA

Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day—a statement that usually surprises my non-Mexican friends. Every September, I practically go on a two-week blitz campaign to educate my friends about the real Mexican Independence Day. The celebration technically begins on September 15th, La Noche del Grito. People all over Mexico gather in their town squares [...]

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HOW TO: ROAST POBLANO CHILES

Poblano chiles are used for a number of Mexican dishes such as chiles rellenos, chiles en nogada and rajas to name a few. I can’t think of any dish I make without roasting the poblano chiles first, which gives them a more robust flavor. I sometimes make the mistake of using my bare hands to [...]

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COCHINITA PIBIL

Earlier this summer, I found myself searching every ethnic food aisle and every Mexican grocery store in Chicago for Chata-brand canned Cochinita Pibil. Having had it before, I knew it wasn’t as good as the real thing but I was yearning for that delicious achiote-flavored pork. Sadly, it was nowhere to be found. In a [...]

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SALSA VERDE

Salsas are the lifeblood of just about every Mexican dish. They can be cooked or raw, made in the blender or in a molcajete. Salsa can make or break any dish, add a special dimension of flavor or even make a dish edible (you wouldn’t eat chicharrón without cooking it in salsa to soften the [...]

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