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Christmas

Polvorones

44 · Jan 3, 2021 · 2 Comments

Polvorones are also known as Mexican wedding cookies and are a tender shortbread cookie made with chopped nuts and topped with powdered sugar.

Mexican wedding cookies known as polvorones on a blue and white talavera pottery plate

These crumbly, buttery shortbread cookies known as polvorones or Mexican wedding cookies melt in your mouth. This particular recipe was passed down from my grandmother and one that my family enjoys every year between Christmas and Día de los Reyes Magos. I especially love to eat them alongside a mug of ponche navideño, champurrado, or spicy Mexican hot chocolate. These are also delicious to eat with rompope, the Mexican version of eggnog!

The origin and many names of Mexican wedding cookies

These cookies, in general, are often referred to as having European origins, and many versions exist.

The Moors brought a type of these cookies to Spain when they occupied the country from the 700s through the 1400s. When Spaniards settled in Mexico, nuns who traveled to the new world brought their knowledge of these cookies as well, and that’s how polvorones became known in Mexico as beloved convent sweets.

…

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Baking, Christmas, Dessert, Holidays, Recipe Christmas, Navidad

How to make rompope

19 · Dec 31, 2016 · 1 Comment

Rompope is a Mexican version of eggnog. This popular drink is a staple in many Mexican households and festivities from December all the way until Día de Reyes.

Several years ago, I was able to copy down abuelita’s recipe for rompope (which was for a very large crowd, based on the portions) from a typewriter-written version in a family recipe book at my mother-in-law’s house. Thinking it was going to be difficult, I didn’t make it until a few years later. It was then that I discovered the recipe wasn’t quite complete, the directions were sparse and it didn’t taste right on the first try. So I got to work in my kitchen, testing and tasting until it seemed right to us.

rompope or Mexican eggnog

I’ve amended abuelita’s recipe slightly to my personal taste but so it still maintains its authenticity, and reduced the quantity of the original recipe to make a smaller batch in case we didn’t go through it quickly enough.

I recommend if you’ll be drinking your rompope solo, half-cup servings are best, and this recipe makes eight half-cup servings. If you’ll be serving a small crowd, make double the recipe and just refrigerate any leftover rompope.

RELATED RECIPE: Ponche navideño

One year, José’s Tía Annette hosted a fabulously catered posada, which is where I learned to put rompope in my coffee or make lattes with it. I’ve done it every December since!

rompope

A few notes:

  • If you don’t have time to make everything all at once, you can make the cinnamon-infused milk and refrigerate it overnight, and finish the rest of the recipe the next day with no problem.
  • The directions below have descriptions of how the egg yolks should look at ribbon stage, but if you need extra guidance, this video is pretty helpful. It’s easiest to do with a stand mixer such as a KitchenAid than it is with a whisk by hand. Don’t suffer! Just use the stand mixer.
  • You can find aguardiente in most Latin supermarkets across the U.S. If you don’t see it on a shelf in the store, they sometimes keep it locked in a cabinet with the pricier liquors, so just ask. It’s anise-flavored liqueur that is produced from sugar cane, and much of what is available in the U.S. comes from Colombia, in my experience.
  • I advise against using imitation Mexican vanilla extract because it really doesn’t have the same taste. I only buy Nielsen-Massey Mexican pure vanilla extract, which is available online from King Arthur Flour, Amazon, and Williams-Sonoma or in-store at Whole Foods.
Rompope, also known as Mexican eggnog, served with holiday treats next to poinsettia flowers

RELATED RECIPE: Spicy Mexican hot chocolate

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rompope

Rompope (Mexican eggnog)

  • Author: Maura Wall Hernandez
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 cups 1x
  • Category: Beverages
  • Cuisine: Mexican
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Description

Mexican eggnog, called rompope, is a popular drink during the holidays.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1–1/4 cup whole milk
  • 2–3 Mexican cinnamon sticks (Ceylon cinnamon)
  • 3 teaspoons Mexican vanilla extract (Nielsen-Massey is my preferred brand)
  • 7 extra large or jumbo egg yolks
  • 1/2 pound of granulated cane sugar (I use Zulka brand)
  • 1 cup aguardiente (cane sugar liquor)
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • Optional: ground Ceylon cinnamon to sprinkle on top to garnish

Instructions

  1. In a small saucepan, heat 1-1/4 cups whole milk and Mexican cinnamon sticks over medium heat. Stir frequently to prevent milk from sticking to the bottom of the pan or getting a skin. Bring it to a boil and then remove from the heat. Set aside and allow to come to room temperature.
  2. In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, add egg yolks to the mixer bowl and bring whisk to medium speed. Start adding the sugar gradually, until you reach ribbon stage. The egg yolks should turn light yellow and look creamy and fluffy.
  3. Turn the whisk speed to low and slowly add the room temperature milk and 3 teaspoons Mexican vanilla extract. Slowly add 1 cup aguardiente (sugar cane liquor) until fully incorporated.
  4. While the whisk is still on low speed, add 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg and continue whisking for 1 minute.
  5. Pour contents of the bowl into an airtight glass bottle and store in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

Notes

The rompope tastes better on the second day, as the alcohol settles with the other ingredients. If it doesn’t taste boozy enough to you at first, wait to add any more alcohol until at least the day after.


Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/2 cup

Keywords: rompope, eggnog

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @maurahernandez on Instagram and hashtag it #TOSOTT

RELATED RECIPE: Champurrado

Christmas, Cocktails, drinks, Holidays, Recipe Christmas, Las Posadas, Navidad, Posadas Navideñas

Christmas in Mexico: “Lalo y Santaclós”

0 · 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.

Holidays Christmas, La Navidad

Turkey stuffing, Mexican-style

14 · Nov 19, 2012 · Leave a Comment

Whether it’s Thanksgiving or Christmas, I’m always looking for a way to infuse Mexican ingredients into our family’s holiday traditions. I came up with this turkey stuffing recipe that’s a riff on my mom’s traditional turkey stuffing, but with a little kick from jalapeño chiles and soy chorizo (aka soyrizo).

…

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Holiday dish, Holidays, Recipe, side dishes, Vegetarian/Vegetariano chorizo, Christmas, La Navidad, soyrizo, Thanksgiving

Nochebuenas for Nochebuena

0 · Dec 24, 2011 · Leave a Comment

Check out these beautiful pink and white nochebuenas I spotted in the grocery store last week. They’re a variation of the traditional all-red poinsettias but just as lovely.

¡Feliz Navidad!

Holidays Christmas, Christmas Eve, flores, flowers, La Navidad, Nochebuena, nochebuenas, poinsettia

Wordless Wednesday: Nacimiento en Acapulco

0 · Dec 14, 2011 · Leave a Comment

A few weekends ago when we were in Acapulco, I spotted this elaborate nacimiento at the hotel where we were staying. It’s hard to see, but near the lefthand bottom corner, there’s even a cactus with little orange tunas on it. ¿Chido, no?

  • Love nacimientos? Me too. Check out this post from last year for more information on the tradition of nativity scenes and see photos of nacimientos belonging to some of our family members.

Guerrero, Wordless Wednesday Acapulco, Christmas, La Navidad, nacimiento, nativity scene

Wordless Wednesday: Nochebuenas by the fireplace

0 · Nov 30, 2011 · 1 Comment

I spotted my first nochebuenas of the season last weekend and couldn’t resist buying some to decorate by my fireplace!

Learn more about poinsettias and how they came from Mexico in my post from last year.

  • If you love nochebuenas, take a photo of yours and post it to The Other Side of The Tortilla’s Facebook fan page and check out our photo album of nochebuenas from last year! We hope to add to it with more photos and more varieties.

Holidays, Wordless Wednesday Christmas, flores, flowers, Nochebuena, poinsettia

¡Feliz Año Nuevo!

0 · Jan 1, 2011 · 4 Comments

¡Feliz Año Nuevo!

The end of 2010 was pretty good to us here at The Other Side of The Tortilla. We had a chance to travel quite a bit within Mexico, take hundreds of photos, learn new recipes to share and spend time with family. We hope your new year was filled with food, friends, family and buena vibra for a great 2011.

But we couldn’t let 2010 pass without letting you in on a little good news that happened while we were in Huatulco. Just before Christmas, our ponche navideño recipe was featured as one of the top 20 holiday drinks on Better Recipes, a site that’s part of the Better Homes & Gardens network. We couldn’t be prouder, and we think Abuelita Elda would be proud, too.

Click on the image below to see the full list of top 20 holiday mixed drink recipes on Better Recipes.

Thank you to all of our family, friends, fans and supporters who made The Other Side of The Tortilla great in 2010. We’re looking forward to what 2011 brings, and we’ve got plenty of recipes, stories and travel experiences to share this coming year. We hope you’ll continue to visit regularly and tell all your friends about us, too. May 2011 bring you todo lo que desean!

Con todo cariño,

As Seen In Abuelita Elda, Better Homes & Gardens, Better Recipes, BetterRecipes.com, Christmas, La Navidad, ponche, ponche Navideño

¡Feliz Navidad!

0 · Dec 25, 2010 · 6 Comments

Sending you warm wishes for a Feliz Navidad

from Las Bahías de Huatulco, Oaxaca, México

As my regalito to you, I bring you the sounds of the ocean …

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TRv4Psl04o[/youtube]…

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Cultura/Culture, Holidays, Oaxaca, Travel, Video arból de navidad, Camino Real Zaashila, Christmas, Christmas tree, Huatulco, iPhone photography, La Navidad, la playa, Las Bahías de Huatulco, Oaxaca, piñata, the beach

Wordless Wednesday: Ingredients for La Navidad

1 · Dec 22, 2010 · 1 Comment

I went to the supermercado with my suegra a few days ago and saw these three things next to each other in the produce section. Nothing says La Navidad like guayabas, tejocotes and caña in a little ponche navideño, ¿Verdad? And it’s perfect to keep you warm at any posada.

  • What do you see in the grocery store that makes your mouth water at Christmastime?

Cultura/Culture, drinks, Holidays, Travel, Wordless Wednesday caña, Christmas, guava, guayaba, iPhone photography, La Navidad, ponche Navideño, posada Navideña, posadas, sugar cane, tejocotes

How to Celebrate Las Posadas Navideñas

52 · Dec 17, 2010 · 10 Comments

Las posadas navideñas are the nine days of annual Christmas celebrations that culminate with a big celebration on Nochebuena, or Christmas Eve, in Mexico.

The nine days symbolize each of the months that Mary was pregnant, and that’s also why Christmas Eve is more celebrated in Mexico than Christmas Day like in many other countries.

Posadas often include traditional foods and drinks, especially things like tamales and ponche navideño. There are many different ways to make ponche, and each family does something different. Another holiday favorite of mine is rompope, an eggnog-like drink that comes from the famous nuns of Puebla, located about two hours outside of Mexico City.

From hosting las posadas to putting out nativity scenes, and making preparations for Noche Buena and La Navidad, here are some of the ways families in Mexico celebrate the holidays.

Food and drink for celebrating Las Posadas

There are lots of typical dishes and drinks served during the holiday season in Mexico. From ponche navideño and rompope to champurrado and chocolate caliente, there’s a warm drink to make everyone’s belly happy. Tamales, pozole, ensalada de Noche Buena, turkey, bacalao, buñuelos, cookies, and more make the holidays the best time to become acquainted with the rich traditions of Christmastime in Mexico.

Ponche navideño

Mexican Christmas punch, called ponche navideño, is a stewed, warm drink that is served during las posadas, on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and even through Día de Los Reyes Magos.

Mexican ponche navideño, Mexican Christmas punch with oranges, sugar cane, guavas, tejocotes and cinnamon

Every family makes their ponche a little differently. Some are made with jamaica (hibiscus flowers) or tamarindo.

Rompope: Mexican eggnog

Rompope (pronounced “roam-poh-pay”) is a Mexican version of eggnog made with milk, Mexican cinnamon, Mexican vanilla, egg yolks, sugar, aguardiente (cane sugar liquor) and sometimes nutmeg.

Rompope, also known as Mexican eggnog, served with holiday treats next to poinsettia flowers

Meaning of the piñata

The piñata is also a staple of posadas, and everyone from the youngest to the oldest gets a turn to try to break it. Piñatas are traditionally shaped like a star with seven cones, and the cones represent the seven deadly sins.

Piñatas are an important part of any posada. Find this and more about Christmas in Mexico at theothersideofthetortilla.com.

The custom of being blindfolded while hitting the piñata is supposed to symbolize one’s faith, and the stick used to hit the piñata is supposed to symbolize virtue. And traditionally, the piñata is made of an olla de barro, a clay pot, covered in paper maché and decorated with colorful tissue paper and streamers.

A piñata is used to celebrate Las Posadas in Mexico. Visit theothersideofthetortilla.com for more information on how to celebrate this holiday.

Many people still fill their piñata with fruit such as tejocotes, oranges, and guavas, or cane sugar sticks and nuts but it is also common to fill it with candies such as tamarindo or even modern candies like one of my favorites, a strawberry jelly and marshmallow candy bar covered in chocolate called Bubu Lubu.

Piñatas are an important part of any posada. Find this and more about Christmas in Mexico at theothersideofthetortilla.com.

Song for hitting the piñata

Below are the lyrics to the piñata song, “Dale, dale dale” which is sung during each person’s turn to hit the piñata.

Dale, dale, dale , no pierdas el tino
porque si lo pierdes, pierdes el camino.
Ya le diste una, ya le diste dos, ya le diste tres, ¡y tu tiempo se acabo!

A piñata is used to celebrate Las Posadas in Mexico. Visit theothersideofthetortilla.com for more information on how to celebrate this holiday.

Song for Las Posadas

The “peregrinos” sing verse A and the “innkeepers” sing verse B.

Celebrating las posadas navideñas in Mexico: Traditional song lyrics for posadas. Find this and more about Christmas in Mexico at theothersideofthetortilla.com.

Canción para pedir posada

1a. En el nombre del cielo os pido posada, pues no puede andar mi esposa amada.
1b. Aqui no es mesón, sigan adelante. Yo no debo abrir, no sea algún tunante.

1a. No seas inhumano, tennos caridad, que el Dios de los cielos te lo premiará.
1b. Ya se pueden ir y no molestar, porque si me enfado os voy a apalear.

2a. Venimos rendidos desde Nazarét, yo soy carpintero de nombre José.
2b. No me importa el nombre, déjenme dormir, pues que yo les digo que no hemos de abrir.

2a. Posada te pido, amado casero, por sólo una noche la Reina del Cielo.
2b. Pues si es una reina quien lo solicita, ¿Cómo es que de noche anda tan solita?

3a. Mi esposa es María, es Reina del Cielo y madre va a ser del Divino Verbo.
3b. ¿Eres tú José? ¿Tú esposa es María? Entren, peregrinos, no los conocía.

3a. Dios pague, señores, nuestra caridad, y que os colme el cielo de felicidad.
3b. ¡Dichosa la casa la casa que alberga este día a la Virgen pura! ¡La hermosa María!

Then the peregrinos enter and the tune changes while all sing.

Entren, Santos Peregrinos, reciban este rincón, que aunque es pobre la morada, os la doy de corazón.

Cantemos con alegría, alegría, todos al considerar
Que Jesús, José y María, y María, nos vinieron hoy a honerar.

Nacimientos and decorations

It is very common to see nacimientos, or nativity scenes, displayed as decorations in homes, businesses, stores and outdoors in Mexico. There are all types of materials they can be made from, such as corn husks, wood, or even aluminum.

Mexican nativity scenes

My mother-in-law has a beautiful nacimiento made of corn husks that she displays every year at Christmastime.

Mexican nativity scene made of corn husks

This one below was an outdoor nativity scene at a Mexican resort we spent the holidays visiting.

Mexican nativity scene outdoors

Christmas, Cultura/Culture, Holidays, Mexico City Canción para pedir posada, Christmas, Christmas Eve, Dale dale dale, La Navidad, Noche Buena, Nochebuena, pidiendo posada, piñata, ponche Navideño, posada Navideña, posadas, rompope, tamales, tejocotes

Wordless Wednesday: Nochebuenas

0 · Dec 1, 2010 · 4 Comments

This past weekend I saw the first Nochebuenas of the holiday season! Did you know that Poinsettia flowers originally came from Mexico? Just a few hours outside of Mexico City, the first poinsettias were discovered in the valleys of Taxco and Cuernavaca but it wasn’t until after the Spanish conquest that they were incorporated as a symbol of the Christmas season thanks to the Franciscan priests. The flower was popularized in the United States after it was brought here by Joel Poinsett, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico after the country won its independence from Spain.

  • Does your family use Nochebuenas to decorate during the holidays?
The photo in this post was taken with my iPhone 3Gs using the Polarize app by Christopher Comair.

Cultura/Culture, Historia/History, Holidays, Mexico City, Wordless Wednesday Christmas, Cuernavaca, flores, flowers, Guerrero, iPhone photography, La Navidad, Morelos, Nochebuena, Taxco

SALSA DE ARÁNDANOS

5 · Nov 25, 2010 · 2 Comments

As a little girl, I never liked whole cranberries and on Thanksgiving I always preferred the canned jellied cranberry sauce over the fresh cranberries my mom or my aunt made. Now that I’m a bit older and my palate is a little more refined, I prefer to make fresh cranberry sauce for my Thanksgiving dinner. In fact, it’s probably my favorite part! I’ve been known to make tortas de pavo topped with arándanos the whole week after Thanksgiving just to have an excuse to keep eating them.

This recipe has been passed on through two generations in my family, and now I’d like to share it with you. If you’ve ever been afraid that making cranberry sauce from scratch would be too difficult, you’re in good company. This recipe, though, is so easy that you won’t believe you didn’t try making your own with fresh, whole cranberries sooner. From start to finish, it takes about 15 minutes and it’s a perfect balance of spicy and sweet. These are great for Thanksgiving or La Navidad, too….

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Algo dulce, Cultura/Culture, Holiday dish, Holidays, Recipe arándanos, canela, Christmas, cinnamon sticks, cranberries, iPhone photography, La Navidad, naranjas, oranges, Thanksgiving, Tía Annette

How to make ponche navideño

31 · Jan 30, 2010 · 6 Comments

It’s not the holidays in Mexico without ponche navideño. This Mexican Christmas punch is served during las posadas, Nochebuena (Christmas Eve) and at holiday parties, and is often spiked with brandy or rum.

ponche navideño

This recipe gives me such warm, fuzzy feelings and memories of being back in Mexico with our family for Christmas. Typically, this is a holiday punch, but in my house we sometimes drink it all winter long if we can find all the ingredients. …

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Christmas, drinks, Holidays caña, canela, Christmas, cinnamon, ciruelas deshidratadas, dried plums, guava, guayaba, La Navidad, Mexican hawthorn, naranjas, Navideño, oranges, ponche, posadas, sugar cane, tejocotes

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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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