• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Other Side of the Tortilla

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • CONTACT ME
    • FAQ
    • PRESS
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • MEDIA KIT
    • ADVERTISE
  • RESOURCES
    • BOOKS
    • SHOP
    • INGREDIENTS
    • KITCHEN TOOLS
    • Thanksgiving
    • Mexican Christmas Traditions
  • RECIPES
You are here: Home / RESOURCES / Mexican Christmas Traditions

Mexican Christmas Traditions

Moras con Crema Popsicles

9 · Jul 6, 2018 · Leave a Comment

Mixed berries and cream popsicles are a spin on the traditional fresas con crema, loved all over Mexico. This version incorporates blackberries, raspberries and blueberries, in addition to strawberries.

My fresas con crema popsicles are some of the most popular paletas on the blog, and with good reason: they’re the perfect way to enjoy summer berries! I created this version with mixed berries a few years ago and loved the way it came out. It’s similar, but different enough that you get a different flavor palate with all the berries.

Berries and cream popsicles are a mixed-berry spin on the traditional Mexican fresas con crema dessert. Recipe via theothersideofthetortilla.com

The best way to get these berries to bloom with flavor is to macerate them. Similar to the way I macerate sliced strawberries with sugar for my fresas con crema popsicles, we’ll macerate the berries in this recipe, too, with one key difference.

It’s essential to break some of the blackberries, blueberries and raspberries while macerating them, otherwise you won’t get much berry juice. I gently break the berries with a potato masher, but you can also use a fork or other kitchen tool. Remember: you want broken berries that will hold their shape, but ooze some juice. You don’t want berry pulp.

A couple of acknowledgements here: Blueberries are not all that common to find in some parts of Mexico, despite the fact that Mexico grows a lot of the blueberries eaten in the U.S. If you’re not a blueberry-lover, you can sub in more blackberries (called zarzamoras in Spanish).

These popsicles are heavy on the dairy, and they don’t translate well with coconut cream (vegans and non-dairy folks who like to make substitutions, be warned, you won’t get the same results). If you don’t eat dairy, I’d suggest making strawberry hibiscus popsicles instead to avoid tummy troubles. And if you REALLY like blackberries and can tolerate sweetened condensed milk, you might want to try my Oaxacan horchata popsicles, which have blackberries and cantaloupe in them—just like you’d float on top of the drink.

During the warmest months of the year, I suggest freezing these berries and cream popsicles completely overnight before serving so they aren’t quick to melt in the heat.

You’ll need a few things to make this recipe:

Popsicle molds
Wooden popsicle sticks
Cuisinart Mini Prep Plus (or another food processor or blender that can make whipped cream)

Berries and cream popsicles are a mixed-berry spin on the traditional Mexican fresas con crema dessert. Recipe via theothersideofthetortilla.com
Print

Moras con crema popsicles

Prep 25 mins

Inactive 8 mins

Total 33 mins

Author Maura Wall Hernandez

Yield 10 3-ounce

Similiar to the popular fresas con crema dessert, this version uses a mix of summer berries for a spectacular berries and cream popsicle you'll make again and again. 

Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup chopped strawberries
  • 1/2 cup blueberries
  • 1/2 cup blackberries
  • 1/2 cup raspberries
  • 1/2 cup pure cane sugar (not white sugar) or raw sugar
  • 1 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Instructions

  1. Wash all berries, pat dry, and remove strawberry stems.
  2. Chop 2/3 cup strawberries (about 4-6 large strawberries) and add to a glass bowl.
  3. Place blueberries, blackberries and raspberries in the glass bowl and break some of the berries slightly with a potato masher to release their juices.
  4. Mix the berries gently with a spoon and sprinkle with 1/2 cup sugar. Stir to make sure all the berries are coated, then allow the berries to sit undisturbed for 20 minutes to macerate and draw out the juices.
  5. After the berries have been macerating for about 15 minutes, add 1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream to a food processor and process for about 2 minutes or until a thick whipped cream is formed. (If you over-process, you'll end up with butter.)
  6. Use a spatula to fold the whipped cream into the macerated berries, being careful not to over-mix and cause the whipped cream to go flat.
  7. Spoon into a popsicle mold, add sticks and freeze for 8 hours or overnight.

Notes

To remove popsicles from mold, gently run lukewarm water over the bottom edges of the popsicle mold for a few minutes to loosen them.

If you want to cut some of the fat and calories, you can substitute regular whipping cream for the heavy whipping cream without losing much of the creamy taste.

Courses Dessert

Cuisine Mexican

You might also like: Mangonada popsicles

Dessert, Popsicles, Recipe blackberries, strawberries

How to choose a ripe avocado

44 · Feb 4, 2018 · Leave a Comment

If you’ve ever struggled with finding a ripe avocado in the grocery store, here are my foolproof tips to make sure you never buy unripe avocados by mistake again.

A guide on how to choose ripe avocados

Avocado is a very versatile ingredient in Mexican cuisine. And although most people think of avocado just as a savory ingredient, you can use it for sweet recipes, too. Aside from typical recipes like guacamole and salsa verde with avocado, this fruit is also great for making avocado paletas, avocado fudge pops, and avocado chocolate pudding.

With so many potential uses, you’ll want to ensure you always have avocados on hand. But when it comes to choosing a ripe Haas avocado, there are a few cardinal rules to follow.

DO

  • Evaluate the avocado’s skin color and texture, and remove the stem to determine ripeness.

DON’T

  • Squeeze the avocado. There’s a difference between using your fingers to gently feel if the skin gives—indicating softness—and squeezing it, which can damage the flesh inside, and in some cases, break the outer skin.
  • Put avocado in the refrigerator before they’re ripened.

…

Read More

Guides, How To, Mexican Ingredients avocado

Té de bugambilia

105 · Feb 3, 2018 · 5 Comments

Té de bugambilia, also known as bougainvillea tea in English, is an essential Mexican home remedy during cold and flu season. It’s an excellent way to alleviate coughs, chest congestion and sore throats.

How to make Mexican té de bugambilia (bougainvillea tea), via theothersideofthetortilla.com

Years ago on a visit to Mexico City, my father-in-law taught me how to make this very effective Mexican home remedy for alleviating coughs and sore throats.

The recipe couldn’t be simpler: boil water and add the flowers until the water turns pink, then add Mexican lime juice (key limes) and honey. Some people like to add a little Mexican cinnamon stick to theirs as well, but I prefer my tea without it. Add slightly more honey if your throat is particularly sore….

Read More

drinks, Recipe bougainvilleas, tea

Guide to Mexican limes

57 · Oct 10, 2017 · Leave a Comment

Mexican limes are widely used in the cuisine and offer a bright, acidic touch to food and beverages.

Everything you need to know about Mexican limes, a guide from theothersideofthetortilla.com

All limes pictured in this post are Mexican limes. 

Lime juice is an indispensable part of Mexican cuisine. It’s used in everything from beverages to dressing ceviche, soups, salads, fruit and vegetables, meats, in desserts and more. And it’s not just the juice; lime zest also makes its way into plenty Mexican recipes as well.

The limón chico (also known as limoncito or limón de Colima) is what most people think of when they think of Mexican limes. They generally measure between 2.5 and 5 centimeters in diameter, are more round (rather than oval) with thin, bright green skin, greenish-yellow pulp, have small seeds, and a very acidic flavor. As they age, the skin turns yellow and the flavor bitter when they’re over-ripened.

Known as limón grande or limón sin semilla, the larger Mexican limes do not have seeds….

Read More

Mexican Ingredients fruit, lime, lime juice

What to order at Guisados in Los Angeles

11 · Oct 6, 2017 · Leave a Comment

Guisados is a family-owned restaurant that serves tacos stuffed with homestyle braises such as tinga de pollo, chuleta en chile verde, and cochinita pibil, and is one of my favorite Mexican restaurants in LA.

The term “guisado” literally means “stewed” and usually follows a formula of meat (most typical are pork, beef or chicken) braised in a salsa made with chiles, tomatoes or tomatillos, spices and herbs, and sometimes vegetables. The type of chiles, spices and meat combinations used vary according to region and family recipes.

Tacos and tamales from Guisados in Los Angeles
Pictured above: Tamal de pollo, regular size chicharrón and bistek roja tacos.

You really can’t go wrong with anything on the menu at Guisados. However, if you’re indecisive and want to try several kinds, the best deal is to order the sampler that comes with six small tacos.

Most everything on the regular menu at Guisados is gluten-free. (Ask servers about the specials, though—sometimes those contain gluten.) They also have some vegetarian options. If you’re vegan, they’ll make you a taco with sauteed bell peppers and onions if you ask.

The tortillas at Guisados are made fresh, by hand, every day at every location, too. They’ll sell you a half-dozen or dozen handmade tortillas to take home if you ask. They’re not cheap, but they’re damn good. A little on the thick side, but way better than grocery store tortillas for sure.

One of the things I really like about the servers at Guisados is that they always offer to tell you which tacos are which (especially if you order the sampler) when they deliver your order to your table. Although I eat there often enough to tell them apart without any help, the first time I ate there I thought it was a nice touch.

Portion sizes:

2-3 of the standard size tacos per person, or 1 sampler is usually sufficient for a meal.

Taco Sampler and jamaica agua fresca at Guisados in Los Angeles, California
The Guisados sampler comes with your choice of 6 tacos.

My favorite taco at Guisados: Chicharrón

In fact, I like their version so much that I made tacos de chicharrón guisado at home to share the recipe here on the blog.

Taco de chicharron at Guisados in Los Angeles, California

My meat-lovers’ taco picks at Guisados

Bistek en salsa roja (flank steak simmered with red bell peppers and tomato, served over a smear of black beans and topped with chile de árbol and avocado), chorizo (served over black beans, topped with red onion and salsa verde), and steak picado (flank steak simmered with green bell peppers and bacon, served over black beans and topped with salsa verde).

Taco de bistec from Guisados in Los Angeles, California

The chuleta en chile verde is consistently good, but I don’t order it often because that’s something I make regularly at home. I don’t love their tinga, but that’s more of a personal flavor preference.

Taco de chuleta en salsa verde from Guisados in Los Angeles, California

Vegetarian taco picks at Guisados

Hongos con cilantro (mushrooms, onions and cilantro, topped with a dollop of salsa verde and queso fresco) or calabacitas (squash, tomato, bell peppers, corn and onions, topped with a chipotle sour cream and queso fresco). The chiles toreados taco is also excellent but very spicy. Skip the frijoles con queso and get a quesadilla instead.

Taco de hongos at Guisados in Los Angeles, California

To drink at Guisados

Jamaica or Armando Palmero (2/3 jamaica and 1/3 agua de limón) are your best choices because they’re consistently good. Yes, they have horchata, but I don’t love the one they serve because it always has too much grit at the bottom of the cup. In my opinion, you can skip the horchata latte (iced coffee with horchata) and spend your money on another taco instead.

Other details

Also on the menu regularly (but not listed on the menu on their website), the tamales are worth exploring. My favorite is the the tamal de elote, but the chicken tamal with green chile is a close second.

There are 5 Guisados locations across Los Angeles: Boyle Heights, Echo Park, DTLA, West Hollywood and Burbank.

Restaurants gluten-free, Los Angeles

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Go to page 1
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 3
  • Go to page 4
  • Go to page 5
  • Go to page 6
  • Go to page 7
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 81
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

¡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

New recipes, fresh travel tips + more

Delivered straight to your inbox!

Copyright © 2023 The Other Side of the Tortilla on the Cravings Pro Theme