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Cultura/Culture

The Best Mexican Hangover Cures

303 · Dec 31, 2016 · Leave a Comment

Did you know Mexican hangover cures are among the best?

We’ve all been there. You had too much fun, and you’re paying the price the day after. You might even have what my friend Victor calls “cruda del agua,” which is when you’re so hungover that you can’t even keep water down. That’s the worst, and if that’s the case, as soon as you can hold anything down, try the recipe for suero below before you eat anything.

 A few notes: I’m not a doctor and this isn’t medical advice. Some say they benefit from taking an antacid after a night of heavy drinking before consuming anything with tomato or chile to aid in curing a hangover because they’re acidic and sometimes can provoke heartburn and acid reflux.

MEXICAN REMEDIES FOR CURING A HANGOVER

Best remedy for the kind of hangover that makes you vomit: 

Suero is an amazing Mexican hangover cure that's similar to Gatorade, but easy and cheap to make at home. See more Mexican hangover cures at theothersideofthetortilla.com

Suero is like homemade Mexican Gatorade. In fact, it’s similar to a limonada, but with salt instead of sugar. It’s a very simple recipe and surely you’ll already have all the ingredients, but it’s the best remedy for ANY hangover. (And it can also be used to help you recover from a workout!) The salt helps you retain liquids after you’ve been dehydrated. Remember: table salt tastes saltier than Kosher salt (which is what I usually cook with). Start with 3/4 of a teaspoon and add more if necessary….

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Cultura/Culture, drinks, Recipe

Happy birthday, Frida Kahlo!

1 · Jul 6, 2014 · 1 Comment

Today marks the 107th anniversary of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo’s birthday. She was born in Mexico City on July 6, 1907. I’ve written many times about Frida Kahlo, visited the Museo Frida Kahlo—also known as La Casa Azul—in Mexico City, and admired Frida’s work in books, museums around the world and online. To say I am a fan of Frida Kahlo is probably an understatement. I try to visit La Casa Azul each time I visit Mexico City and explore the streets of Coyoacán, where she once walked too.

On one of my recent visits, my father-in-law took a photo of me in front of La Casa Azul, which I’ve printed and framed to have a little piece of Frida at home. If you’ve never been to the museum, you can take a virtual visit online of the Museo Frida Kahlo.

Maura Wall Hernandez of theothersideofthetortilla.com in front of Museo Frida Kahlo, La Casa Azul in Mexico City…

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Cultura/Culture Frida Kahlo, Museo Frida Kahlo

Wordless Wednesday: Cesar Chavez

0 · Apr 2, 2014 · Leave a Comment

Cesar Chavez Day is celebrated every year on March 31, the birth date of the famed Mexican-American labor leader and civil rights activist who helped unionize farm workers. I recently had a chance to visit a strawberry farm in Southern California with the California Strawberry Commission, where I had the chance to ask farmers questions about everything from how they grow their crops to their workers’ safety and healthcare, and immigration issues in the agricultural industry.

"If you really want to make a friend, go to someone's house and eat with him... the people who give you their food give you their heart." —Cesar Chavez | theothersideofthetortilla.com

I’m sharing one of my favorite Cesar Chavez quotes with you, written over a photo I took at the strawberry farm. More on that trip soon, but for today, just the quote.

  • If you’d like to know more about Cesar Chavez, you can read his biography and about his work, archives of his speeches and writing, and more, courtesy of the Cesar Chavez Foundation.

 

Cultura/Culture, Wordless Wednesday California Strawberries, California Strawberry Commission, Cesar Chavez

How to make sugar skulls for Day of The Dead

76 · Nov 1, 2013 · 1 Comment

What are sugar skulls and why are they used to decorate for Day of the Dead?

One of the most common decorations on altars for Day of the Dead is the sugar skull. Decorated with colorful icing, foils and other adornments—often including the names of loved ones who have died—sugar skulls symbolize the departed souls to which the altar pays homage.

Mexican sugar skull decoration for Day of the Dead

You might not know how easy they are to make; they just require a little time (drying overnight) and patience (decorating with royal icing). All you need to make your own sugar skulls is a plastic mold, sugar, meringue powder and water. I’ve put together a detailed tutorial with photos so you can see how easy it is!

You can even do this project with the kids—but be sure to use a drop cloth in case they make a mess with the sugar.

…

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Cultura/Culture, Day of The Dead, Holidays, Recipe calaveras, Day of the Dead, Día de Los Muertos

Ofrendas: An ebook to celebrate Día de Los Muertos

3 · Oct 28, 2013 · 2 Comments

Día de los Muertos, also known as Day of the Dead, is one of my favorite holidays. It’s an opportunity to reconnect with our loved ones lost through constructing an altar in their honor, and it’s also an opportunity to pass on traditions and inform others about the beauty of this holiday.

I’m excited to share that I’ve collaborated with six amazing bloggers to release this beautiful ebook full of recipes and crafts for Día de los Muertos! Here’s a sneak peek at some of the pages (read the full ebook embedded below).
Day of the Dead ebook: Recipes and Crafts to celebrate Día de los Muertos…

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Cultura/Culture, Holidays Day of the Dead, Día de Los Muertos, ebook, ofrenda, Ofrendas ebook

2013 McCormick Flavor Forecast gives Mexican food a global twist

0 · Dec 6, 2012 · 4 Comments

We’re always looking to share Mexican food and culture in new ways here at The Other Side of The Tortilla. I recently had the opportunity to talk to McCormick Spices executive chef, Kevan Vetter, about global trends and the McCormick Flavor Forecast for 2013. You can watch the video with some clips from our interview below. Some of the flavor pairings this year include combinations such as black rum, charred orange and allspice for an awesome twist on the classic piña colada cocktail, smoked tomato, rosemary, chiles and sweet onion for handcrafted sauces and salsas, hearty meat cuts with plantains and cinnamon sticks, and anise and something muy Mexicana—cajeta, a goat’s milk caramel.

Today I’m sharing the five trends from this year’s Flavor Forecast report and what I love about each of them.

Be sure to check back soon for another video with more from my chat with Kevan and for recipes and a holiday giveaway from McCormick just for you!

5 TRENDS OF GLOBAL FLAVOR FOR 2013

No apologies necessary.
This trend is all about diving headfirst into flavors to enjoy the gratification of a momentary escape.
What I love about it: Family dinner is especially a time I like to momentarily escape from the pressures of work and life and just enjoy a meal together, talk and relax. It’s an important part of our culture to share meals as a family without having to be apologetic to others about flying under the radar for a bit. Savoring your food and your time with your family is a great habit to develop early with your kids so they come to expect it as they grow older.

Personally handcrafted.
This trend signifies the hands-on approach to showcasing the very best of ourselves.
What I love about it: There’s no more personal gift than making something yourself to give to the people you love. And when I say gift, I don’t mean only gifts that you give for holidays and special occasions. Making home-cooked meals for your family is also a gift to them, even if they don’t always realize or appreciate it. The other day I made the extra effort to make José a special salsa to go with milanesas for dinner, and he said it was the best part of the meal. It makes me feel good to know that going the extra mile with personally handcrafted dishes makes such an impact on the happiness of those around me.

Empowered eating.
This trend includes creating harmony of health and wellness through a highly personalized, flexible approach to the way you eat.
What I love about it: When it comes to empowered eating, it bothers me that a lot of people think Mexican food can’t be healthy and that everything we eat is swimming in cheese, which isn’t true. Como mamá siempre nos dijo: ¡Todo en moderación! For the English speakers, that’s “everything in moderation.” There are so many Mexican ingredients that pack a lot of flavor without the addition of calories or fat. Chiles are a prime example in Mexican cooking because they can be used in so many ways—fresh, dried, powdered, and the list goes on. Finding the right balance is up to the individual.

Hidden potential.
This trend is all about the “waste-not” mentality and uncovering the fullest flavors from every last part of the ingredient.
What I love about it: This trend is actually also a way of life when it comes to Mexican cooking. If you think about Mexican dishes such as carnitas, you use just about every last bit of the pig so nothing is wasted. I may not like to eat riñones (kidneys), but my suegro does! Check it out, amigos Mexicanos… we were doing this way before it was trendy! Even with tortillas that are a little too old to eat, I hate to throw them away. So I bake them to make tostadas, or cut them up and fry them to make totopos (hearty tortilla chips).

Global my way.
This trend includes discovering the unlimited flavor possibilities of global ingredients and using them outside of their traditional roles in ethnic cuisines.
What I love about it: I’m always trying to incorporate my favorite Mexican ingredients into non-Mexican dishes, or to put a Mexican spin on a non-Mexican dish by infusing a traditionally Mexican flavor. Chef Vetter shared with me a tamal recipe that pairs with a Japanese katsu sauce, which I thought was pretty cool and that I’m looking forward to trying out soon.

  • Watch some of my conversation with McCormick Spices executive chef Kevan Vetter and then let me know which trend you like best in the comments below.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBQ4yrCvLO4[/youtube]

Want to know more? You can read the full 2013 McCormick Flavor Forecast report on the future of global flavor trends and how they develop the forecast at flavorforecast.com.

Disclosure: This post is part of a sponsored series to promote McCormick Spices 2013 Flavor Forecast global flavor trend report. We received promotional materials and an exclusive interview with McCormick’s executive chef to assist in writing this post, but all opinions in this series are our own.

Cultura/Culture, Sponsored Kevan Vetter, McCormick Spices

Día de los Muertos at the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood

0 · Nov 15, 2012 · Leave a Comment

In Chicago, we’re very lucky to have a lot of Mexican food and culture at our fingertips. But one of my favorite places, particularly around Día de los Muertos, is the National Museum of Mexican Art. Located in the Pilsen neighborhood, the museum is free (thanks to sponsors) and open six days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Every year, they have an excellent exhibit for Día de los Muertos. This year’s exhibit, titled “Hanal Pixán” which means “food for the souls” in the Mayan language, is no exception. And it runs until December 16 if you haven’t seen it yet.

Every year, I love going to the museum around Día de los Muertos not only for the exhibit, but also for the calaveritas de azúcar (sugar skulls) that are handmade and decorated by the famous Mondragón family from Toluca, Mexico.

But one of the things I love most about the museum is open year-round: the Tzintzuntzán gift shop, which has all kinds of Mexican treasures from art to books and music to home decorations and more. Especially during Day of the Dead festivities, the gift shop is filled with Día de los Muertos trinkets and goodies—they’ve got papel picado (that is actually reasonably priced), shadowboxes with mini ofrendas, sugar skulls, paper mache food for ofrendas such as paper mache pan dulce, and the list goes on and on.

Below is a slideshow of some of my favorite items for sale in the gift shop during a recent visit.

[imagebrowser id=3]

The National Museum of Mexican Art is located at 1852 W. 19th St., Chicago, IL 60608.

  • Have you been to the museum? What’s your favorite exhibit or thing you’ve seen in the gift shop?

Cultura/Culture, Finding Mexico in Chicago, Holidays "altar de muertos", altar, Day of the Dead, Día de Los Muertos, National Museum of Mexican Art, ofrenda

Celebrating Día de los Muertos with friends: Un Dulce Hogar

0 · Nov 7, 2012 · 2 Comments

Día de los Muertos was this past week and as a special treat, I’ve asked some of my friends to send me photos and descriptions of their altars to share here on The Other Side of The Tortilla to show the variety of ways that people celebrate this holiday.

Today, I’m sharing the altar of my friend Danielly Lara from Un Dulce Hogar.

 

Danielly Lara from undulcehogar.com shares her altar for Día de los Muertos. PHOTO/COURTESY OF DANIELLY LARA

Where in Mexico are your family’s roots?
I am a first generation immigrant from the city of Cuernavaca in the beautiful state of Morelos, known for its spring weather all year long. All my family lives in Mexico, and they have been denied visas to come visit the U.S. so I literally live between two worlds. My dad lives in California, but he left me and my family when I was 8 years old. Although I’m glad he’s here, I haven’t lived with him in California.

Who does your altar honor?
My altar mainly honors my culture and my roots. I put together my altar at the last minute. I called my dad and asked him to expedite me a box full of sugar skulls (some of them arrived broken), marigolds, bread and papel picado. Then I went through my files and found pictures from two of my great grandmas and one of my tía abuela.

Why do you make an altar for Día de los Muertos?
I made the altar because I wanted my kids to learn about my traditions. This is my first attempt to recreate a Mexican tradition with them and it was a success!

How does it keep you connected to Mexican culture?
Last summer I had the chance to take my kids to Mexico to meet my family. They connected with my family in a very deep way, the Latin way. Saying goodbye to come back to the U.S. was heartbreaking, not only to me, but to them as well. They not only learned Spanish, but they also learned that there is an entire family that loves them in a different part of the world. They had never had many adults around in their lives who paid individual attention to them. Ever since we got back to Utah, they think that every airplane that goes by our house is either going to Mexico or coming back from Mexico. I know that they will forget those relationships they formed if I don’t maintain their connected to Mexico. I don’t know if they will continue these traditions, but I know that at least they will be exposed to them. They will have to decide for themselves if they want to pass them on or not, but I surely hope they do.

For more photos and a story about Danielly’s altar for Día de los Muertos, click here to visit Un Dulce Hogar.

  • Share your altar with us! Fill out this form by Nov. 10 to participate and your altar could be featured here.

Cultura/Culture, Holidays "altar de muertos", altar, Cuernavaca, Day of the Dead, Día de Los Muertos, Morelos, ofrenda

Celebrating Día de los Muertos with friends: Presley’s Pantry

0 · Nov 4, 2012 · Leave a Comment

Día de los Muertos was this past week and as a special treat, I’ve asked some of my friends to send me photos and descriptions of their altars to share here on The Other Side of The Tortilla to show the variety of ways that people celebrate this holiday.

Today, I’m sharing the altar of my friend Nicole Presley from Presley’s Pantry.

Nicole Presley from Presley's Pantry made this altar for Día de los Muertos 2012. PHOTO/COURTESY OF NICOLE PRESLEY

Where in Mexico are your family’s roots?
My family is from Juarez- Chihuahua, and Tijuana. A mixed-bag of Mexican border towns.

Who does your altar honor?
My altar honors my uncle Robert. He’s the first person in my immediate family to pass on. His death strongly impacted all my living loved ones. We miss him dearly and hope that he appreciates his offerings. It also honors my fiance’s father Alfonso, who passed two years ago. 

Any special ofrendas or items on your altar?
I always put a shot of Vodka on the alter for my uncle. He loved having a good time and vodka was his drink of choice. Since he was a figurine artist, I make sure to include one of his pieces of work. His daughter is also a great artist and I include one of her pieces on his altar, knowing he would be so proud of her accomplishments as an artist. For Alfonso, I include coins and cookies. He had a huge coin collection in his days on this earth and they were one of the things that made him the happiest. 

Why do you make an altar for Día de los Muertos? How does it keep your connected to Mexican culture?
I make my alter in remembrance of my Tio. A way to celebrate his life and hope that where ever he is now he is able to know that we love him and miss him. And if all else fails…. At least he can enjoy his vodka. Then a few years ago when my fiances father passed, we started to celebrate his life through the alter as well. On November 2nd we play music all day long to celebrate this honorable men.

For more photos and a story from Nicole about celebrating Día de los Muertos in Los Angeles and a recipe for pan de muerto, click here to go over to Presley’s Pantry.

  • Share your altar with us! Fill out this form by Nov. 10 to participate and your altar could be featured here.

Cultura/Culture, Holidays "altar de muertos", "pan de muerto", altar, Day of the Dead, Día de Los Muertos, ofrenda

Celebrating Día de los Muertos with friends: Mama Latina Tips

0 · Nov 3, 2012 · Leave a Comment

Día de los Muertos was this week and as a special treat, I’ve asked some of my friends to send me photos and descriptions of their altars to share here on The Other Side of The Tortilla to show the variety of ways that people celebrate this holiday.

Today, I’m sharing the altar of my friend Silvia Martinez from Mamá Latina Tips.

An altar for Día de los Muertos in Guanajuato, Mexico. PHOTO/COURTESY OF SILVIA MARTINEZ

Where in Mexico are your family’s roots?
My family is from Guanajuato, a beautiful state in central Mexico. Before I moved to the U.S., I don’t recall participating much in the type of Day of the Dead celebrations that have become so popular recently. What we do is this: each year my family goes to the cemetery, with literally thousands of others, to place flowers on the graves of family members and clean up around the grave site. There is usually music and even food—it feels more festive that one might think—and then we go to Mass. Since living in California with my own family, the desire to share this particular part of my culture with my boys has increased. We just spent Day of the Dead in Mexico and it was both fun and fascinating.

Who does your altar honor?
We didn’t prepare an altar this year at home; however, the boys had two at school, and we really enjoyed walking downtown to see all the beautiful altars displayed by both students and families.  At school, their altars honored a patron saint of the school and a friend of the school’s who recently passed. There was a contest in El Jardin (the central court in the city), where we saw everything from pre-hispanic altars, to traditional altars, to modern altars. Many of the students’ altars came with explanations of the symbolism behind their ofrendas and some history of the Day of the Dead tradition, so we learned a lot.
What do you typically put on your altar?
As I mentioned, we didn’t have our own altar this year, but typical items include, an image of a saint dear to the family, bread, salt for purification, fruit, images of souls in purgatory, candles, and favorite belongings of family who have passed.

How has celebrating Día de los Muertos in Mexico this year been different for you than the way you celebrate it in the U.S.? Have you noticed anything interesting or different than what you remember it being like from when you were growing up in Mexico?
I would love to share something that I haven’t seen before, as it seems to be a new tradition in my pueblo. On the night of November 1st, families go out into la calle (what we call the streets downtown) and kids carry bags and ask for candy just like on Halloween in the U.S., but instead of saying “trick-or-treat,” they say “Mi calaverita” (which means “my little skeleton”). Also, a lot of women dress up as Catrinas, some with elaborate dresses and hats. Catrinas have been a symbol of Day of the Dead for a long time and I think it is just beautiful seeing them embrace and expand on this tradition.

For more photos and a story from Silvia about celebrating Día de los Muertos in Mexico, click here to go over to Mamá Latina Tips.

  • Share your altar with us! Fill out this form by Nov. 10 to participate and your altar could be featured here.

Cultura/Culture, Holidays "altar de muertos", altar, Day of the Dead, Día de Los Muertos, Guanajuato, ofrenda

Celebrating Día de los Muertos with friends: Sweet Life Bake

0 · Nov 2, 2012 · Leave a Comment

Día de los Muertos is this week and as a special treat, I’ve asked some of my friends to send me photos and descriptions of their altars to share here on The Other Side of The Tortilla to show the variety of ways that people celebrate this holiday.

Today, I’m sharing the altar of my friend Vianney Rodriguez from Sweet Life Bake.

Vianney Rodriguez from Sweet Life Bake's Día de los Muertos altar for 2012. PHOTO/COURTESY OF VIANNEY RODRIGUEZ

Where in Mexico are your family’s roots?
Both my mom and father are from Matamoros, Tamaulipas.

Who does your altar honor?
My altar honors my Uncle who died in Vietnam and both of my grandfathers.

Any special ofrendas or items on your altar?
I have a small metate which represents the one given to me by my grandfather, and whose mother gave it to him. I also have original Día de Los Muertos artwork by local Texan artists from San Antonio, McAllen, Edinburg and Houston. My main is altar is very small, but in every room I display objects or art that family members, my husband and children have gifted me over the years. Dia de Los Muertos is my favorite holiday and they shower me with gifts they find along the way in their travels.

Why do you make an altar for Día de los Muertos? How does it keep your connected to Mexican culture? And do you involve your kids to pass on the tradition?
I make my altar to honor my family. My altar keeps me connected to my childhood summers spent in Mexico with my grandfathers. I did not have the honor to meet my uncle, so every year as I begin to display my altar I read the letters he wrote from Vietnam to my daughters. I involve my daughters in every step of putting together our altar. We make papel picado, paper marigolds and they help me to decorate the table, arrange the flowers for the grave sites and help me in the kitchen as we prepare the meals that will honor our loved ones.

For more photos and a story about how Vianney celebrates Día de los Muertos, click here to go over to Sweet Life Bake.

  • Share your altar with us! Fill out this form by Nov. 10 to participate and your altar could be featured here.

Cultura/Culture, Holidays "altar de muertos", altar, Day of the Dead, Día de Los Muertos, Matamoros, ofrenda, Tamaulipas

How to celebrate Day of the Dead

55 · Nov 1, 2012 · 17 Comments

Day of the Dead (aka Día de los Muertos) is a holiday celebrated in Mexico, the changing landscape of the United States means that a lot more people are celebrating outside of Mexico, too.

Day of the Dead altar

According to a study released in 2012 by the Pew Hispanic Center about Hispanic origin profiles of those living in the United States (whether U.S. born or foreign born), people with Mexican ancestry or who are Mexican by birth make up nearly 65 percent of all Hispanics in the U.S.

In 2013, a third of Mexicans in the United States were foreign-born, while 42 percent of immigrants from Mexico have been in the U.S. for more than 20 years. About 26 percent of Mexican immigrants were U.S. citizens.

Of course, this makes me happy because it means there are a lot of people like us who are looking to stay connected to their heritage whether by food, culture or traveling to Mexico (or at least reading about it). Here’s a guide with information on who celebrates this holiday in the United States, and how they celebrate it.

…

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Cultura/Culture, Day of The Dead, Holidays "altar de muertos", "pan de muerto", altar, Day of the Dead, Día de Los Muertos, ofrenda

Celebrating Día de los Muertos with friends: Unknown Mami

1 · Nov 1, 2012 · 2 Comments

Día de los Muertos is this week and as a special treat, I’ve asked some of my friends to send me photos and descriptions of their altars to share here on The Other Side of The Tortilla to show the variety of ways that people celebrate this holiday.

Today, I’m sharing the altar of my friend C. from Unknown Mami.

Unknown Mami's altar for Día de los Muertos 2012. It's the first time she's ever made one.PHOTO/COURTESY OF UNKNOWN MAMI

Where in Mexico are your family’s roots?
My family is from Mexicali.

Who does your altar honor?
My altar honors my daughters’ grandfather, two friends, my tía, my tío, two primos, and my nana (abuela).

Any special ofrendas or items on your altar?
There is cerveza for my tío (he wasn’t picky, so any will do), cards for solitaire for my nana, cologne for my daughters’ grandfather, mazapan and eyeliner (she was out of it the last time I saw her) for my tía, and flowers and candles for everyone.

Why did you make an altar for Día de los Muertos? How does it keep your connected to Mexican culture? And do you involve your kids to pass on the tradition?
This was my very first Día de los Muertos altar and it made me feel more connected to my culture and family because it brought back memories of my youth and it helped me bond with loved ones I’ve missed. It was a joy to remember them and share their stories with my daughters. My daughters are very young and never got a chance to meet any of the people we are honoring, but now they will hear about them every year.

Any other details you want to share about your altar?
It never occurred to me that I would have so much fun putting together an altar, that I would remember the idiosyncrasies and likes of my departed.

For more photos and a story about Unknown Mami’s altar for Día de los Muertos, click here.

  • Share your altar with us! Fill out this form by Nov. 10 to participate and your altar could be featured here.

Cultura/Culture, Holidays "altar de muertos", altar, Day of the Dead, Día de Los Muertos, Mexicali, ofrenda

Wordless Wednesday: Las Catrinas

1 · Oct 31, 2012 · Leave a Comment

In September, I went on a quest for some new decorations to add to my altar for Día de los Muertos. I headed to the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood, where I also do most of my grocery shopping in the Mexican markets. The Tzintzuntzán gift shop at the museum never disappoints me and this time was no exception. I’ll be sharing more photos in a few days from the museum, which also has a Día de los Muertos exhibit running through December 16, but here’s a photo of the little Catrinas that I bought to place on my altar.

They’re modeled after Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posada’s la calavera de la Catrina and stand about three inches tall, not including the little feather plume that sticks out of the hat.

Que lindas las Catrinas, no?

  • Do you have any unique decorations for Día de los Muertos? Tell me about them in the comments and where they came from.

Cultura/Culture, Holidays, Wordless Wednesday Day of the Dead, Día de Los Muertos, José Guadalupe Posada, La Catrina, National Mexican Museum of Art

Celebrating Día de los Muertos with friends: Mexican at Heart

1 · Oct 31, 2012 · 1 Comment

Día de los Muertos is this week and as a special treat, I’ve asked some of my friends to send me photos and descriptions of their altars to share here on The Other Side of The Tortilla to show the variety of ways that people celebrate this holiday.

Today, I’m sharing the altar of my friend Jessica Seba from Mexican at Heart.

Altar for Día de los Muertos by Jessica Seba

What is your connection to Mexico that makes you participate in this tradition?
I love Dia de los Muertos and everything it represents, not to mention papel picado and cempasuchils are my some of my favorite Mexican things! I thought this year it would be good to make my first altar instead of Halloween decorations.

Who does your altar honor?
My altar is dedicated to my grandpa, who passed away earlier this year.

Any special ofrendas or items on your altar?
I put bars of Irish Spring soap on my altar because that scent has always reminded me of my grandpa. I happen to find Walmart selling the soap—which is not a normal shelf item in Mexico—so I grabbed a few boxes. I also put a donkey on there because my grandpa once told the family that if he were to be reincarnated into an animal after he died, he “would be an ass.” He was a real jokester. Other than that, it’s quite hard to find my grandpa’s favorite Polish foods here in Mexico so I didn’t put too much food.

Why do you make an altar for Día de los Muertos? How does it keep your connected to Mexican culture?
I made an altar because I thought it would be interesting to learn the significance behind what everything meant (the water, the colors, the levels, etc.). Mexico has been overtaken by Halloween celebrations in recent years, so I wanted to do something more traditional.

For more photos and a story about Jessica’s altar for Día de los Muertos, click here to visit Mexican at Heart.

  • Share your altar with us! Fill out this form by Nov. 10 to participate and your altar could be featured here.

Cultura/Culture, Holidays "altar de muertos", altar, Day of the Dead, Día de Los Muertos, ofrenda

Celebrating Día de los Muertos with friends: Muy Bueno Cookbook

0 · Oct 30, 2012 · Leave a Comment

Día de los Muertos is this week and as a special treat, I’ve asked some of my friends to send me photos and descriptions of their altars to share here on The Other Side of The Tortilla to show the variety of ways that people celebrate this holiday.

Today, I’m sharing the altar of my friend Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack from Muy Bueno Cookbook.

Día de los Muertos with Muy Bueno Cookbook
Muy Bueno Cookbook's altar for Día de los Muertos 2012. PHOTO/COURTESY OF MUY BUENO COOKBOOK

Where in Mexico are your family’s roots?
Our grandmother was born in Chihuahua, Mexico.

Who does your altar honor?
Our grandmother, Jesusita—the matriarch of our familia who inspired us.

Any special ofrendas or items on your altar?
The belief is that visiting souls may be hungry from their long journey and the food and drink is nourishment for their journey back. This year our altar included pan dulce (sweet bread), Mexican candies and veladoras (religious candles). I knew I needed to buy all these goodies to let grandma know I was thinking of her and to welcome her spirit.

Why do you make an altar for Día de los Muertos? How does it keep your connected to Mexican culture? And do you involve your kids to pass on the tradition?
It’s a perfect way to honor our grandmother. We are thrilled to educate our children about traditions that are part of our culture. We retell memories of our grandmother to our children and reminisce in the times we shared with her.

For more photos and a story about Yvette’s altar for Día de los Muertos and a recipe for marranitos, click here to visit Muy Bueno Cookbook.

  • Share your altar with us! Fill out this form by Nov. 10 to participate and your altar could be featured here.

Cultura/Culture, Holidays "altar de muertos", altar, Chihuahua, Day of the Dead, Día de Los Muertos, ofrenda

Celebrating Día de los Muertos with friends: Nibbles and Feasts

0 · Oct 29, 2012 · Leave a Comment

Día de los Muertos is this week and as a special treat, I’ve asked some of my friends to send me photos and descriptions of their altars to share here on The Other Side of The Tortilla to show the variety of ways that people celebrate this holiday.

Today, I’m sharing the altar of my friend Ericka Sanchez from Nibbles and Feasts.

Altar for Día de los Muertos by Ericka Sanchez of Nibbles and Feasts
Altar for Día de los Muertos by Ericka Sanchez of Nibbles and Feasts. PHOTO/COURTESY OF ERICKA SANCHEZ

Where in Mexico are your family’s roots?
Ericka: Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico

A Día de los Muertos altar by Ericka Sanchez
Ericka's altar. PHOTO/COURTESY OF ERICKA SANCHEZ

Who does your altar honor? 
Ericka:
It honors the loved ones our family has lost throughout the years.

Any special ofrendas or items on your altar?
Ericka: Most of the items displayed on the altar are artwork we’ve collected from our trips to Mexico City, Guadalajara, Oaxaca and Torreon. From a paper-mache catrina to clay luchadores, we love bringing home something that we know will have a special place on our altar.

Why do you make an altar for Día de los Muertos? How does it keep your connected to Mexican culture? And do you involve your kids to pass on the tradition?
Ericka: We love the time we spend together building the altar, talking about the friends and family we are honoring, the items on display and what they symbolize culturally. This year is special because it is the first year my son is old enough help arrange the cempazuchitl (marigold) blooms throughout the display.

For more photos and a story about Ericka’s altar for Día de los Muertos, click here to visit Nibbles and Feasts.

  • Share your altar with us! Fill out this form by Nov. 10 to participate and your altar could be featured here.

Cultura/Culture, Holidays "altar de muertos", altar, cempazuchitl, Coahuila, Day of the Dead, Día de Los Muertos, ofrenda, Torreon

Wordless Wednesday: Building my altar for Día de Los Muertos

0 · Oct 24, 2012 · 2 Comments

Día de los Muertos is next week and we’ve begun setting up our altar at home. On Sunday, we started gathering our ofrendas and hung papel picado. It’s nowhere near finished yet, but here’s a sneak peek from a few days ago.

I’ll share more details about the items on the altar as well as who it honors next week.

  • Are you making an altar for Día de Los Muertos? Let me know in the comments what kind of ofrendas you like to include. You can also share more about your altar with us and submit photos for your Día de Los Muertos altar to be featured on The Other Side of The Tortilla by using this form.

Cultura/Culture, Holidays, Wordless Wednesday "altar de muertos", altar, Day of the Dead, Día de Los Muertos, papel picado

¡Felices fiestas patrias!

0 · Sep 15, 2012 · Leave a Comment

Felices fiestas patrias to all our friends celebrating Mexican Independence Day in Mexico and beyond!

About a year ago, I did a photo essay and wrote about exploring Mexico for a photography magazine based in Singapore. It occurred to me that I’d never shared it here so I thought it was fitting to do so today. It includes photos I’ve taken on travels to Mexico City, Teotihuacán, Cancún and Aguascalientes.

Here’s an excerpt:

Mexico is my home away from home. Every corner I turn, every meal I eat and every new place I explore is a source of inspiration to me. And I never go anywhere without a camera so I can be sure to capture every experience I come across, see and feel. From the moment the plane approaches the runway and I can see the vibrant colours of the homes below to the lush, jungle-like vegetation I’ve admired in places such as Cancun and Huatulco, Mexico always takes my breath away and has me fumbling for my camera before I even touch the ground.
I’ve laid down in dirt, sand, and on a world-famous soccer field to get a shot. I’ve climbed high above the 1968 Olympic stadium and to the top of Aztec pyramids toting my cameras for an eagle’s eye view, and into the ocean, carrying my camera high above my head until the tide receded enough to safely photograph marine life. But usually the biggest thrill comes from the simplest of things: family and friends.
As we celebrate Mexican Independence Day this year in our home, we hope you’re doing the same with friends and family wherever you may be. We’ll be celebrating by eating plenty of Mexican antojitos. And of course, we’ll be watching El Grito tonight and probably tweeting about it too. If you’d like to watch El Grito from past years, click on the El Grito tag at the bottom of this post.

VIVA MÉXICO!

Cultura/Culture, Holidays, Travel día de la independencia, El Grito

Wordless Wednesday: A tribute to Chavela Vargas

0 · Aug 8, 2012 · 5 Comments

I was saddened on Sunday to hear the news that singer Chavela Vargas passed away at age 93 in Cuernavaca, Mexico. Though the legendary singer was originally from Costa Rica, she emigrated to Mexico City in her teens and would eventually become known as the queen of Ranchera and a Mexican popular culture icon.

According to her official Facebook page, her last words were “I leave with Mexico in my heart.”

I’ll never be able to listen to “La Llorona”—or many other songs—without thinking of her. Here are a few of my favorites.

“La Llorona”
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCoV4ObhiuE[/youtube]

“Que Te Vaya Bonito“
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sqz2LwQLIo[/youtube]

“El Último Trago”
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtenL7GCa04[/youtube]

You can keep up with more information of tributes taking place in Mexico on the official Facebook fan page of Chavela Vargas here (written in Spanish).…

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Cultura/Culture, Wordless Wednesday Chavela Vargas, music, musica, Ranchera

Tamales de puerco para Día de la Candelaria

1 · Feb 2, 2012 · 4 Comments

It’s Día de la Candelaria and I have to confess: I’ve been so busy with non-bloggy things (you know…normal life, work, family obligations, Mr. H’s birthday, etc.) that I just haven’t had a chance to make my own tamales yet, let alone photograph and write up my recipe to share. But I promise I will soon.

In the meantime, I wanted to share with you a very special recipe from my friend Leslie that really touched me when I read it this morning. I immediately asked her if I could share it with all of you. Gracias, Leslie, for sharing this story and your abuela’s recipe, and for letting me borrow this photo to show everyone your beautiful tamales de puerco.

Photo courtesy of Leslie Limon

 

Head over to La Cocina de Leslie for her abuela’s recipe for tamales rojos con puerco; she’s provided an awesome step by step guide with photos to help you through the recipe—especially great if you’re making tamales for the first time ever. Bet you can’t guess her abuela’s secret ingredient!

  • What are your favorite kind of tamales?

Cultura/Culture, Holidays Día de la Candelaria, La cocina de Leslie, tamales

Celebrating Día de Los Reyes with friends and family

1 · Jan 6, 2012 · 5 Comments

¡Feliz Día de Los Reyes a todos!

We took a long vacation with family for the holidays and part of our trip included a day in Ensenada, located on the West coast of Mexico in the state of Baja California (the northern part of the peninsula, a little more than 70 miles south of Tijuana).

Since we wouldn’t be together on Día de Los Reyes, we found a little rosca to celebrate a few days before. And guess who got el niño Jesus… again. I swear it’s a conspiracy because I get the baby in my piece of cake every single year. The rosca was so small that I didn’t even think there would be a baby inside, but there he was when I broke my piece off. Guess I’ll just have to make tamales for Día de La Candelaria on February 2!

Read more about how we celebrate Día de Los Reyes here on The Other Side of The Tortilla and check out the links below to see how some of our friends celebrate as well. If you haven’t celebrated yet, it’s not too late. Even if you can’t buy a rosca, you can certainly try making one on your own! You can also serve Mexican hot chocolate or champurrado alongside your cake….

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Algo dulce, Baja California, Cultura/Culture, Dessert, Holidays Día de Los Reyes, Ensenada, Los Reyes Magos, Rosca de Reyes, The Three Kings, Three Kings Day

What Las Posadas mean to me

1 · Dec 16, 2011 · 5 Comments

December 16th begins Las Posadas, the nine days of celebration leading up to Christmas Eve, also known as Nochebuena.

It’s customary for families to gather together, eat, sing and have a piñata at the party. Sometimes people celebrate posadas by going from home to home, singing the traditional song to ask for lodging the way Mary and Joseph did. But whether you travel around to different homes or stay in one place, there are certain elements of your family’s posadas that you inevitably love more than anything else, and will always try to recreate as you grow older, and especially as you have children so you can teach them your family’s traditions.

For me, the most beloved posadas tradition is making ponche Navideño. Every year, even if I don’t have access to fresh ingredients, I do my best to find canned, jarred or frozen ingredients for the things I can’t easily find in the U.S. Even though I know I’ll have it when I get to Mexico, I feel it’s really important to perfect the recipe at home with available ingredients.

I want our future children to know that it’s a Mexican Christmas staple and always have memories of the smell and taste. I want them to think of love and family and La Navidad when they think of ponche, just the way that I do. I always look forward to spending time with family in Mexico City during the holidays, and I know there will always be an abundance of ponche Navideño. It’s present at almost every family gathering but the most special thing about it for me is that it’s become a family tradition to make it together with my suegros, whom I adore con todo corazón.

We stand around the kitchen, my suegro chopping the caña (sugar cane), while my suegra takes care with the liquid measurements. I slice the guayabas and juice the oranges, add the canela and core the tejocotes. And before a few years ago when I finally put it on paper, our family recipe wasn’t officially written down anywhere with any information other than what should go in it. Learning how to make this family recipe with my suegros meant a lot to me in being able to eventually pass down this tradition.

So, last week when I was grocery shopping in a store I don’t usually frequent and I found a box of fresh tejocotes, I had tears in my eyes as I stood in disbelief in the middle of the produce aisle. This was the very first time I’d ever seen fresh tejocotes in a market near Chicago (also grown in the U.S., according to the box). Tejocotes have long been prohibited from being imported fresh from Mexico as a precaution due to the possibility of harboring exotic pests. Only in recent years have there been growers in the U.S. (mostly in California) who’ve begun cultivating crops of tejocotes, also known in English as Mexican hawthorn. I was surprised and overjoyed to see them in a local store. Though I was tempted to buy the whole box, I painstakingly picked through it to find the most perfect ones to add up to half a pound, just enough for one large pot of ponche.

This year, our family is still headed off on a vacation together as usual, but not within Mexico. As excited as I am to go somewhere new and experience new things, I can’t help but feel a little sad that I won’t be attending Tía Annette’s big posada Navideña in Mexico City.

I’ll miss sipping ponche and café con rompope and eating galletas with my other tías while catching up on all the gossip I’ve missed since my last visit. I’ll miss our tío dangling the piñata over the garden for the kids from the second story window, laughing and smiling as he tugs it just out of their reach. I’ll miss seeing how much some of the younger cousins have grown up this past year. I’ll miss Tía Nene and her famous pastel de dátil (something I still need to learn how to make). I’ll miss the nochebuenas, which are much more beautiful and exotic-looking in their native Mexico. I’ll miss posing for a huge family holiday photo, comprised of four generations of our beautiful family.

As I write this, my kitchen is perfumed by the scent of ripe guayabas, waiting to be made into ponche this weekend. There are oranges, tejocotes, canela and ciruelas pasas. I still need to find some fresh sugar cane; I have a good idea of where to get it locally, but I’ve still got some in a jar as a backup. And though there will be no cousins, tíos, piñatas, pidiendo posadas or certain favorite holiday foods this year, the memories will swirl steadfastly in my heart and my kitchen as I stew a big pot of ponche before I jet off to my holiday destination.

›› GET THE RECIPE FOR PONCHE NAVIDEÑO

›› WATCH A VIDEO OF HOW OUR FAMILY CELEBRATES LAS POSADAS (Includes lyrics to the piñata song and canciones para pedir posadas)

  • What makes you think most of las posadas? This post is part of a blog hop about posadas. I encourage you to check out some of the other related posts about how others celebrate the holidays in Mexico. If you’ve written about posadas, please feel free to add a link to your post!…

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Cultura/Culture, Finding Mexico in Chicago, Holidays, Mexico City, Mexico Today, Sponsored La Navidad, Las Posadas, Mexican hawthorn, Mexico City, ponche, ponche Navideño, posadas, Posadas Navideñas, tejocotes, Tía Annette, Tía Nene

Honoring La Virgen de Guadalupe

14 · Dec 12, 2011 · Leave a Comment

December 12th is a very important day in Mexico for faithful Catholics—El día de la Virgen de Guadalupe. If you’re not familiar with the story, here’s the very abbreviated version: in 1531, the Virgin Mary appeared to a poor Aztec man named Juan Diego, who had converted to Christianity several years before. He was so poor that he wore no shoes, and his mantle was coarsely woven of cactus cloth as he could not afford cotton. He often traveled hours to make his way from his home to the nearest church, and during one of his journeys, the Virgin Mary appeared to him and asked him to build a temple there in her honor. She appeared to him a total of four times before the miracle occurred when her image appeared on his cloak. The bishop requested that Juan Diego bring him a sign to prove what he had seen; after telling La Virgen that they requested physical proof of what he’d told them, she revealed to him several varieties of fresh, blooming Castilla roses (which were out of season), that he brought as proof and which amazed the bishop. When he unfolded his cloak (called a tilma), the roses scattered and the image of the Virgen de Guadalupe appeared, just as it exists on the tilma hanging in the Nueva Basílica de Santa María de Guadalupe today. The sanctuary that stands at the location where Juan Diego revealed the roses to the bishop is called La Capilla del Cerrito.

In the 1730s, La Virgen (also sometimes referred to as La Morenita) was adopted as the patroness of Mexico City. This is why her image can be found just about everywhere—from churches to market stalls to homes and even on quirky trinkets. She is beloved by all and today, the basilica in Mexico City is one of the most-visited Catholic shrines in the world. She is credited for performing many miracles to those who pray to her to watch over them….

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Cultura/Culture, Historia/History, Mexico City, Mexico Today, MexMonday, Religion, Sponsored Catholic, Catholicism, La Virgen de Guadalupe, Mexico City, Our Lady of Guadalupe, saints

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¡Bienvenidos!

Hi, I'm Maura Hernández. Welcome to my kitchen! I'm an award-winning food and travel blogger, recipe developer, and former journalist sharing my passion for all things Mexico. Married to a Chilango, I've traveled Mexico extensively over the last 15 years. Here, you'll find a mix of traditional and modern Mexican cooking, along with my advice on where to eat, stay and play on your visit to Mexico! READ MORE

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