Mexican Christmas Traditions

The Tortilla Test Kitchen moves West!

3 · Mar 26, 2013 · 8 Comments

I've been wanting to write for weeks, only I couldn't find the words and I feel as if I owe some sort of explanation for the long absence here. In January, I accepted a new job on the West Coast. In early February, we said goodbye to our home, friends and family—and the Tortilla Test Kitchen—in Chicago, and boarded a flight to Los Angeles to start a new chapter in our lives. Now that we're starting to get settled in and the kitchen is (mostly) unpacked, I'm starting to get back in the kitchen and testing recipes.

The Original Tortilla Test Kitchen

Moving cross-country is not for the faint of heart; least of all if, like me, part of the reason that you've always been a little scared to move away from home is because of the unknown and unfamiliar. Where will I go for carnitas on Sundays? Where can I get a good bowl of pozole when the weather is cold? My beloved pan dulce or a tres leches cake for special occasions? And most importantly, where will I buy tortillas? Some of those questions have yet to be answered in our case, but we're finding our way little by little with help from friends and a lot of trial-and-error research.

As I find my way around the markets here, and continue getting my new test kitchen in order, I'll be sharing some of my favorite places in Chicago that were such a big part of this blog and our lives. I hope you'll join us as we continue our journey from the new test kitchen (which is admittedly a lot smaller than the original test kitchen), find new restaurants to enjoy and share new travel experiences too.

I leave you with a photo of the original Tortilla Test Kitchen back in Chicago—it'll be tough to ever replace, and I'll miss the East-facing windows in the morning, with the sunshine streaming in. I'll miss the island and my great big refrigerator and tons of deep cabinet space. But most of all, I'll miss all the memories made in that kitchen.

If you're in the Los Angeles area and have suggestions for your favorite places for everything from tortillas to where to go grocery shopping or buy the best conchas, please leave a comment below so we can check out your recommendations on how to live la vida Mexicana in LA!

Chorizo and avocado cups with chipotle cream

6 · Dec 16, 2012 · 2 Comments

Posadas navideñas are one of my favorite times of year, but they can also be a stressful time with relatives and friends dropping by with short notice. These chorizo and avocado cups with chipotle cream are sure to please your crowd, even if you don't have much time to prepare.

Since we typically head to Mexico for the holidays, it's not as stressful for me because I usually don't have to play hostess. But my family threw me a bit of a curve ball this year when they requested I bring a dish of some kind to the posada at my tía's house the same day that I arrive. I immediately began to think about what I could make that would be simple but authentic and satisfying, and that I could whip up with only a few hours in between the airport and heading to the posada. I decided on this easy appetizer because it has only six ingredients and one of them can be bought already prepared.

Many families celebrate posadas like potluck dinners where everybody is responsible for bringing a dish. But in this case, everyone in our family is assigned with tasks ranging from bringing food to a piñata, being in charge of taking photos and so on. Everybody does their part so that the party runs smoothly, even down to the end when someone is responsible for helping clean up the dishes.

While this recipe isn't a traditional one, like, say, an ensalada nochebuena, it's an excellent savory appetizer that you can incorporate into your holiday traditions. I usually have most of the ingredients on hand, and I bet you do too. You can easily make this appetizer a bit healthier and vegetarian-friendly by swapping the chorizo for soy chorizo.

Chorizo and avocado cups with chipotle cream

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 30 mini cups

3 cups per person

An easy appetizer for posadas and other holiday parties using Avocados from Mexico.

Ingredients

2 boxes of mini phyllo shells (or a total of 30 mini phyllo shells)
2 avocados
juice of 1 lime
4 ounces of cooked chorizo
½ cup crema Mexicana
1 chipotle en adobo plus 1 ½ teaspoons adobo sauce

Instructions

Cook the chorizo, drain grease on paper towels and set aside.
Prepare the crema in a mini food processor or blender by adding the crema, chipotle chile and adobo sauce and blend until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Preheat the oven to 350º F, then bake the shells on a cookie sheet for 3-5 minutes.
Remove them from the oven, add ½ teaspoon or so of chorizo into each cup and put back in the oven for 3-5 more minutes.
Score the avocados two ways while still in the skin and scoop out into a bowl. Squeeze lime juice over the avocado and gently toss with a spoon to coat the avocados with the juice.
Once the chorizo cups are out of the oven, spoon a little avocado over each cup, followed by a little crema.
Transfer to a serving platter and serve.

https://theothersideofthetortilla.com/2012/12/chorizo-avocado-cups-chipotle-cream/

For more avocado recipes for posadas or avocado recipes for any time, visit Avocados from Mexico's website. And check out the blog hop below for holiday recipes using Avocados from Mexico from other bloggers.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post through Latina Bloggers Connect to promote Avocados from Mexico. We received compensation for writing this post, but all opinions and recipes are our own.

Charred Orange Colada

4 · Dec 8, 2012 · Leave a Comment

If there's one drink I'm guaranteed to order by the pool when I'm on vacation, it's a classic piña colada. When I talked about this charred orange colada recipe with McCormick Spices Chef Kevan Vetter, it had me salivating for vacation and this interesting twist on the classic frozen cocktail.

It's a simple recipe to follow, and the charred orange and black rum give this colada a decadent depth that makes it a sophisticated version of the classic.

You can also substitute 2-3 ounces of piloncillo for the brown sugar if you want to give it even more of a Mexican flavor.

In Spanish, allspice is called pimienta dulce, and you should be able to find it in both mainstream and Latino markets.

Charred Orange Colada (Recipe from McCormick Spices)

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Charred Orange Colada (Recipe from McCormick Spices)

This interesting twist on the classic piña colada cocktail has smoky charred oranges, rich black rum and warm allspice in every sip.

Ingredients

4 oranges
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar, divided
1 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon McCormick Whole Allspice
1 can (13.66 oz) Thai Kitchen Coconut Milk
12 cup black rum
1 teaspoon McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract
1-2 cups crushed ice
4 maraschino cherries (optional for garnish)

Instructions

Cut three of the oranges in half, crosswise. Cut ends off the remaining orange and then cut into 4 crosswise slices. Dip the cut sides of the orange halves in the brown sugar. Reserve the remaining brown sugar.
Grill oranges over medium heat for about 12 minutes or until charred. Turn slices occasionally. Reserve the slices for garnish.
Place orange halves, orange juice, allspice and reserved brown sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and cool completely. Remove orange halves from the pan and squeeze the juice from them back into the saucepan. Mix well and strain juice. Refrigerate until chilled.
Place juice mixture, coconut milk, rum, vanilla and 1 cup of ice in the blender and blend on high until smooth. Add more ice if desired.
Serve garnished with charred orange slices and maraschino cherries.

https://theothersideofthetortilla.com/2012/12/charred-orange-colada/

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.

2013 McCormick Flavor Forecast gives Mexican food a global twist

2 · 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.

Christmas in Mexico: "Lalo y Santaclós"

6 · Dec 4, 2012 · 1 Comment

I was born with Christmas spirit, I think. And I'm a total sucker for organillo music. That's why, when my cuñada introduced me to this cortometraje (short film) called "Lalo y Santaclós," directed by Joseduardo Giordano, I immediately snapped into a holiday spirit mood.

This short film got me so excited about the sights and sounds of Christmastime in Mexico.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71QF9CvVsto[/youtube]

Do you have a favorite sight or sound in Mexico that makes you think of La Navidad? Share it with me in the comments.