Mexican Christmas Traditions

Happy National Tequila Day!

4 · Jul 24, 2013 · 2 Comments

July 24 is National Tequila Day and we're ready to celebrate with our favorite tequila cocktail: The paloma! We served this drink at a party this past weekend and many of the guests were having it for the first time. It was a hit!

And although it's the middle of the summer now, I suggest you bookmark my two favorite recipes for hot drinks using tequila that will warm you up in the winter.

WARM WINTER MARGARITA RECIPE | PONCHE DE TAMARINDO RECIPE

Now it's your turn! Do you have a favorite tequila recipe to share? Food or drink, add a link to your own recipe or your favorite recipe that uses tequila as an ingredient. ¡Salud!

Wordless Wednesday: Paletas in the Test Kitchen

6 · Jul 24, 2013 · 4 Comments

We've been really busy this sumer in the test kitchen developing paleta recipes. Here's the most recent batch that got taste-tested this week: Fresas con crema!

It's so much fun developing flavors! This recipe was a big hit with my taste-tester group... there's nothing better than seeing everyone smile and ask for a second one, right?

Do you have a flavor you'd like me to make? Let me know in the comments below and you might see the recipe here soon!

Wordless Wednesday: Prickly Pear Sorbet

11 · Jul 17, 2013 · 1 Comment

Last week I stopped at a Whole Foods in West Los Angeles to pick up a few things for dinner on my way home from work. I always eye the dessert case to see what's new in case something catches my interest. I was delighted, then, to see this red prickly pear sorbet!

Prickly Pear Sorbet from Whole Foods in West Los Angeles ...

How to make iced café de olla with a Keurig machine

42 · Jul 15, 2013 · 2 Comments

Café de olla is one of my all-time favorite Mexican recipes. In fact, it was the first recipe I ever posted here on The Other Side of The Tortilla. During the spring and summer, I love to drink iced coffee. Naturally, I came up with this recipe to enjoy a summer version of café de olla so I can drink it on ice—and it doesn't take me more than five minutes to make, so I can grab it to go in the morning as I head out the door to work.

Of course, you can also make this recipe without the ice for a quick, hot version of café de olla if you're in a hurry. It doesn't have all the flavor depth of the traditional version which is infused slowly, but it's perfect for a quick fix!...

Avocado paletas

14 · Jul 12, 2013 · 1 Comment

This post is part of a compensated campaign in collaboration with Latina Bloggers Connect and Avocados from Mexico but my love for avocados from Mexico is 100 percent authentic and the opinions and recipe in this post are my own. This post includes affiliate links to my Amazon aStore, El Mercadito, recommending products that I used to make this recipe.

Summer means paleta time in my house. And though we like the traditional flavors, I also like to branch out and make flavors that are considered “normal” in Mexico, but that are not as common to see in the U.S., such as avocado. A few friends have looked at me sideways when I said I was working on a popsicle recipe with avocados, but I assure you that you’ll be won over by the creamy texture and pleasantly earthy, sweet taste.

I prefer to buy avocados from Mexico because of that distinctive, earthy taste due to the fertile volcanic soil in which they’re grown. They’re packed with nutrients and are a versatile ingredient that can be used in both savory and sweet dishes—but most people don't think of using avocados in a sweet dish. The thing I especially love about this recipe is that the light coconut milk and sweetened condensed milk (also known as lechera) don’t overpower the natural flavor so you can still taste the earthiness of the avocado....