tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17871724535858743752024-03-14T08:59:54.561-07:00YO QUIERO SABER "I want to learn"Cooking facts, tips techniques and methods that will make your cooking great!Francisco Alejandrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10276329776571641232noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787172453585874375.post-55212142360363596812011-04-19T11:10:00.000-07:002011-04-19T21:33:20.070-07:00Science and cooking go hand in hand and what a beautiful couple they make"Cooking is the manipulation of food for the purpose of rendering it suitable for consumption"<br />How many times have we tried to cook a recipe that is dear to us or followed our mother`s/grand mother`s recipes or any recipe, only to be disappointed with the end result?<br />I hope this bit of information gives you the idea of how cooking should be approached. Cooking to me is more than just following a recipe, adding things to a pot or regulating heat. There is a bigger picture to be seen here, we need to think in advance, before we even read the recipe.<br />In life I have two greater passions, cooking and learning about the universe and the cosmos and my own personal opinion is that there is nothing more fascinating and humbling than that. You might wonder why I mention the universe and the cosmos if i`m talking about cooking. Well; like everything else in the universe, cooking is subject to the laws of nature, so when we cook we can control the outcome if we understand the applicable natural laws.<br />In other words, once we know the science of cooking, we know what will happen before we even start, basically there is no more guess work, no more wondering how a dish will turn, trust me.<br /><br />Cooking is not just following a recipe, a recipe is only a map to give us direction, but what happens if we don`t know how to read the map? Simply said, we won`t reach our destination. We also know that maps leave out a lot of important information that is key. Likewise a recipe can not account for all the factors that affect successful cooking, such as the amount of juice in one lime versus another, the stove`s BTU or the quality of our cooking equipment pots and pans), and their ability to conduct heat. This is why I always recommend copper or stainless steel. The best way to navigate in a kitchen is to learn as much as you can about the natural laws behind cooking, and please, do so before you start cooking.<br /><br />To be a good cook, it helps to be conversant in many different fields, both hard sciences and social sciences. These are the ones I consider important and the ones that will facilitate the work and understanding of what happens when we cook.<br /><br /><em><strong>Chemistry;</strong></em> understanding the chemical makeup of ingredients enables us to predict how they will react to heat or cold, or to other ingredients. it tells us why sugar melts or why meats brown in the skillet.<br /><strong><em>Anatomy</em></strong>; knowing how an animal is put together tells us how to take it apart. If we know the skeletal structure of the chicken for example, it will help us to break it down in minutes.<br /><strong><em>Mathematics</em></strong>; without an understanding of numbers or ratios, you`d never be able to recreate a dish. It would be pointless trying to cook using more than one ingredients without the concept of what "how much" means<br /><em><strong>Biology</strong></em>; the science of life tells us why veal bones are better than beef bones for making stock, and what happens to chlorophyll when it comes into contact with acid.<br /><strong><em>Geography</em></strong>; The geographical origin of a given dish or cuisine can tell us a lot about what to expect from it. As the cuisine of any region is heavily influenced by the ingredients that are locally available in that region.<br /><strong>History</strong>; The story of a dish is an echo of the story of the people who created it. To understand the popularity lets say of my cuisine (Mexican), follow the paths of the New World explorers.<br />One of the things thati have always loved about cooking is the range of knowledge that you acquire when you are learning how to do it <strong><em>WELL,</em></strong> simply put, the better informed you are in all things, the better cook you will be, with or without recipes.<br />The key to cooking, then, is understanding your ingredients: what they`re made of (protein, starch, fiber, water, etc), how they are put together ( what is the skeletal structure like, where are the seeds?) we must understand how they interact with each other and how they react over time when exposed to various types of heat. Knowing that the seed of a mango dictates how you cut the flesh into pieces. Knowing that acid affects protein the same way heat does will Help you obtain a great ceviche when preparing one, in which raw fish is "cooked" in an acid such as lime jjuice. Knowing in advance what is going to happen to an egg if you crack it into a pot of boiling water, rather than the much lower temperature of poaching (160F to 180F), will help you avoid a mess<br />In addition to learning as much as you can about ingredients, to become a skilled cook you must have a good understanding of method and technique. Method is the order in which you put ingredients together; technique is what you do to food to get it ready to cook: cutting up vegetables, scaling a fish.<br />if you know your ingredients and you know your methods and techniques, you will be able to cook virtually anything. And that to me is priceless and a great place to be.<br />Greater results will be achieved when doing this with love and passion.Francisco Alejandrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10276329776571641232noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787172453585874375.post-52320942765995233282011-01-03T16:56:00.000-08:002011-01-04T14:22:59.487-08:00One Tequila, two Tequila, three Tequila, floor (George Carlin)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaNnU3WfJLjXCLFFrr2AOlH5-9lK5_6TJc5-WuosahNh0TjA8aldeLkVDlYzZyvPNZVuEk96kcIPMx7uRWvaagT3bmVwun2gOQZkwQ9kDn_H9__k9P_FVb6_XEMknUSnK8FPKvy2u_PLs/s1600/IMG_0169%255B1%255D.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558453544173185618" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaNnU3WfJLjXCLFFrr2AOlH5-9lK5_6TJc5-WuosahNh0TjA8aldeLkVDlYzZyvPNZVuEk96kcIPMx7uRWvaagT3bmVwun2gOQZkwQ9kDn_H9__k9P_FVb6_XEMknUSnK8FPKvy2u_PLs/s200/IMG_0169%255B1%255D.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Mb030SVVGtIoXkiifMdPpU9MvwOSFZ3RRAYreVVhJbpfh4zVw9JOSrAPGR6QaMJ20Li-wL-8PxJNMyhVfeq83GuiGLtsbR2_BERj-6ONEfCfzHxL4PYUp2zZ_T8DEJJyzuyd01EIbxw/s1600/IMG_0012%255B1%255D.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558149095065474210" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Mb030SVVGtIoXkiifMdPpU9MvwOSFZ3RRAYreVVhJbpfh4zVw9JOSrAPGR6QaMJ20Li-wL-8PxJNMyhVfeq83GuiGLtsbR2_BERj-6ONEfCfzHxL4PYUp2zZ_T8DEJJyzuyd01EIbxw/s200/IMG_0012%255B1%255D.JPG" /></a> Tequila history lie with the indigenous Aztec people of Mexico, the Chichimecans, the Toltecans, the Otomis and the Nahuatls who made a beverage with the agave plant long before the Spaniards arrived in a village called Tequila in the shade of a dormant volcano called tequila in the land they called Tenchinchan<br /><span style="color:#000000;">Tequila was first produced in the 16th century near the location of the the city of tequila, which was not officially established until <em>1656</em>. The Aztec people had previously made a fermented beverage from the agave plant, which they called Octli (later and more popularly called pulque), long before the Spanish arrived in <em>1521</em>. When the Spanish conquistadors ran out of their own brandy, they began to distill agave to produce North America`s first distilled spirit</span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#000000;">The tequila that is popular today was first mass-produced in the early <em>19th</em> century in Guadalajara, Mexico.</span></div><div><span style="color:#000000;">Don Cenobio Sauza founder of Sauza tequila and president of the village of tequila from 1884-<em>1885</em> was the first to export tequila to the United States and shortened the name from "tequila extract" to just"tequila" from the American market. Don Cenobio`s grand son Don Francisco Javier gained international attention for insisting that "there cannot be tequila where there are no agaves!"</span></div><div><span style="color:#000000;">His efforts led to the practice that real tequila can only come from Jalisco</span></div><div><span style="color:#000000;"></span></div><div><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>The tequila process</strong></span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#000000;">The "jima" consists in cutting off the leaves of the plant Agave tequilana Weber blue variety down to its base, to keep only the heart of agave, which is the raw material of tequila. The person who does this is called "jimador"</span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#000000;">Cooking or hydrolysis. is the process of transformation of the complex starches of the agave into simple sugars, which are easily fermented and converted into alcohol, this is done through heat or other methods like hydrolysis.</span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#000000;">Extraction of honeys: before or after cooking, the sugars or starches obtained from the pineapples of agave must be separated from the fiber in order to use these sugars for fermentation</span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#000000;">The formulation: in this step, it will be decided which category of Tequila will be done and the juices obtained from the extraction are prepared for fermentation</span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#000000;">The fermentation is where the transformation of vegetable sugars into ethylic alcohol is carried out thanks to the work of yeasts. Other components will also be formed during this step that will contribute to the final sensorial attributes of the Tequila</span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#000000;">Aging is the slow transformation of Tequila that lets it acquire additional sensorial characteristics like odor, color and texture by physical chemical processes that in a natural way have place during its storage in recipients or barrels of wood oak or holm oak. The extra aged and ultra aged tequilas must be matured in wooden barrels not larger than 600 liters</span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#000000;">Bottling is the action of pouring the Tequila in the recipients that will contain it in order to keep it and protect its physical and chemical stability and market it. Tequila must be bottled in new recipients, allowed by the sanitary authorities. The range of alcoholic content allowed by the standard of Tequila is from 35 to 55 alcohol percentage by volume. Both categories of Tequila may be enhanced by the addition of sweeteners, colorings, fragrances and/or flavorings allowed by the Ministry of Health of Mexico</span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>STATES PART OF THE APPELLATION OF ORIGIN OF TEQUILA</strong></span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#000000;">The appellation of Origin of Tequila is formed by 181 municipalities from 5 different Mexican states, which are Jalisco in its entirety with 125 municipalities, Nayarit with 8, Guanajuato with 7, Tamaulipas with 11 and Michoacan with 30.</span></div><div><span style="color:#000000;">Only in these municipalities the raw material for Tequila, Agave tequilana Weber blue variety, may be harvested and used for the production of Tequila</span></div><div><span style="color:#000000;">No other alcoholic drink produced in Mexico or abroad can be named "Tequila"</span></div><div><span style="color:#000000;">The agave tequilana Weber blue variety is the heart and life of Tequila. It belongs to the amaridillaceas family, with long, fibrous, green-blue colored leaves, and whose main and colorful parts is the pineapple or heart</span></div><br /><div><br /><strong>CATEGORIES AND CLASSES OF TEQUILA</strong></div><div></div><div>There are two basic types of Tequila 100% agave and Tequila, and five classes for each one; white or silver, young or gold, aged, extra aged, and ultra aged</div><div>Tequila 100% agave is produced only from the fermented and distilled juces of the Agave tequilana Weber blue variety and it is bottled exclusively at the AOT</div><div>Tequila is made with at least 52% of Agave tequilana Weber blue variety sugars and 49% of sugars from other sources.</div><div>Silver</div><div>Gold</div><div>Aged (2 months aging)</div><div>Extra aged (1 year in barrels)</div><div>Ultra aged (3 years in barrels)</div><div><br />The Tequila Standard NOM-006-SCFI-2005 allows the existence or two categories: Tequila 100% Agave and Tequia, and five classes for eachone, white or silver, young or gold, aged, extra aged, and ultra aged.</div><div><strong>Interesting facts:</strong></div><div>*In the United States, July 24 is National Tequila day (go figure)</div><div>* the Agave is not a cactus plant as rumored, but belongs to the lilly family and has long spiny leafs (pencas)</div><div>* it takes 8 to 12 years for the agave plant to reach maturity</div><div>*More than 300 million plants are harvested each year in Jalisco alone</div><div>*If you are not sure of the authenticity of your Tequila look for the acronym NOM and the *unique 4 digit number and the acronym CRT</div><div><span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>THE WORM</strong></span></div><div>There is a common misconception that some Tequilas contain a "worm" in the bottle, only certain Mezcals usually from the state of Oaxaca, are ever sold con gusano (with a worm), and that only began as a marketing gimmick in the 1940s. The worm is actually the larval form of the moth <strong><em>Hypopta agavis</em>,</strong> which lives on the agave plant. Finding one in the plant during processing indicates an infestation and correspondingly, a lower quality product. However this misconception continues, and even with all the effort and marketing to represent Tequila as a premium liquor similar to the way-Cognac is viewed in relation to other brandies, there are some opportunist producers for the shooters-and-fun market who blur this boundaries</div><br /><div><br /><br /></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><br /><br /></div><br /><div></div>Francisco Alejandrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10276329776571641232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787172453585874375.post-82475087838869295862010-11-11T14:00:00.000-08:002010-11-13T20:57:40.817-08:00Words borrowed from NahuatlTotopo (<span style="color:#ff0000;">totopo</span><span style="color:#000000;">)</span><br />Totopo is an action that comes from the Nahuatl word <em>totopotchtli</em>= to fry or to toast<br /><br />Chia (<span style="color:#ff0000;">chia seeds</span>)<br />Chia comes from the Nahuatl<em> chiyan </em>and it is a plant from the family salvia Hispanica that was cultivated by the Aztecs in pre-Hispanic times and it was so valued that it was given as an anual tribute from the people to the rulers. This plant has blue leaves with edible seeds and it is related to mint<br /><br />Chocolate (<span style="color:#ff0000;">chocolate</span><span style="color:#000000;">)</span><br />Chocolate comes from the Nahuatl xococlatl or chocolatl which would be derived from xococ=bitter and atl=water (with an irregular change of x >ch). However the word <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">socolatl</span></span> does not appears in Nahuatl language until the 18<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span></span> century. This was a foamy drink made with cacao beans, drank only by the emperors.<br /><br /><br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Chayote</span></span> <span style="color:#ff0000;"><span style="color:#000000;">(</span><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">chayote</span></span></span>)<br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">chayote</span></span> comes from the Nahuatl word <em><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">chayotol</span></span></em><br /><br /><em></em><br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Epazote</span></span> (<span style="color:#ff0000;"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">epazote</span></span></span>)<br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">Epazote</span></span> sometimes mispronounced <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">ipasote</span></span> or <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">ypasote</span></span> is <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">devived</span></span> from the Nahuatl <em><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">epazotl</span></span>. </em><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">Epazote</span></span> is a leaf vegetable and a herb with a pungent flavor that is hard to describe.<br /><br /><br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mezcal</span></span> (<span style="color:#ff0000;"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-error">mezcal</span></span>)</span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_16" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_16" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mezcal</span></span> comes from the Nahuatl <em><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_17" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_17" class="blsp-spelling-error">mexcalmetl</span></span>=<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_18" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_18" class="blsp-spelling-error">maguey</span></span>.</em> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_19" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_19" class="blsp-spelling-error">Maguey</span></span> grows in many parts of Mexico and it was the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_20" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_20" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">conquistadors</span></span> who began experimenting with the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_21" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_21" class="blsp-spelling-error">maguey</span></span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_22" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_22" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">plant</span></span> to find a way to make a distilled mash. The result is <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_23" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_23" class="blsp-spelling-error">mezcal</span></span></span><br /><br /><br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_24" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_24" class="blsp-spelling-error">Nopal</span></span> (<span style="color:#ff0000;"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_25" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_25" class="blsp-spelling-error">nopal</span></span></span>)<br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_26" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_26" class="blsp-spelling-error">Nopal</span></span> is a word that comes from the Nahuatl word <em><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_27" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_27" class="blsp-spelling-error">nopalli</span></span></em>=for the pads<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="color:#000000;"></span>Francisco Alejandrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10276329776571641232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787172453585874375.post-16716604664103692842010-11-11T09:26:00.000-08:002010-11-12T22:31:53.043-08:00An Ancient language but very much alive<em><span style="color:#ff0000;"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Chipotle</span>, avocado, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">chia</span>, tortilla, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">totopos</span>? what do these words mean?</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#ff0000;"></span></em><br />To understand what these words mean and where did they come from? we have to first know the language they came from.<br /><br />Nahuatl.<br />Nahuatl has been spoken in Central Mexico since at least the seventh century AD. It was the language of the Aztecs who dominated what is now Central Mexico during the last <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">postclassic</span> period of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mesoamerican</span> Chronology. During the preceding century and a half, the expansion and influence of the Aztec Empire had led to the variety spoken by the residents of Tenochtitlan becoming a prestige language in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mesoamerica</span>. With the introduction of the Latin alphabet. Nahuatl also became a literary language and many chronicles, grammars, works of poetry, administrative documents and codices were written in the 16<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span> and 17<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span> centuries. This early literary language based on the Tenochtitlan variety has been labeled classical Nahuatl and is among the most studied and best documented languages of the Americas.<br /><br />Many words from Nahuatl have been borrowed into Spanish and thence have diffused into <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">hunderds</span> of other languages. Most of these loanwords denote things indigenous to Central Mexico which the Spanish heard mentioned for the first time by their Nahuatl names. English words of Nahuatl origin include. "Avocado", "<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">chilli</span>", "coyote", and "Tomato".<br /><br />Lets explore some of these words.<br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">Aguacate</span> (<span style="color:#ff0000;">Avocado</span>)<br /><br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">Aguacate</span> comes from the Nahuatl word <em><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">ahuacatl</span></em> ('testicle' in reference to the shape of the fruit) and <em><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">atl</span>=<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error">agua</span>, water</em><br /><br /><em>Guacamole (<span style="color:#ff0000;">guacamole</span>)</em><br /><br /><em>Guacamole comes from the Nahuatl word <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-error">ahuacamolli</span>.</em> <em><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_16" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ahuacatl</span>+ <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_17" class="blsp-spelling-error">molli</span>=s</em><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_18" class="blsp-spelling-error">auce</span>,stew<strong>,</strong> porridge, so the word guacamole means 'avocado soup'<br /><br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_19" class="blsp-spelling-error">Jitomate</span> (<span style="color:#ff0000;">tomato</span>)<br /><br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_20" class="blsp-spelling-error">Jitomate</span> comes from the Nahuatl word <em><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_21" class="blsp-spelling-error">xictli</span>=</em>belly botton and <em><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_23" class="blsp-spelling-error">tomatl</span>, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_24" class="blsp-spelling-error">tomahuac</span>=</em>something fat, thick and corpulent<br /><br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_25" class="blsp-spelling-error">Huitlacoche</span>, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_26" class="blsp-spelling-error">cuitlacoche</span>, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_27" class="blsp-spelling-error">cuiclacoche</span>, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_28" class="blsp-spelling-error">guitlacoche</span> (<span style="color:#ff0000;">corn smut</span>)<br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_29" class="blsp-spelling-error">Cuitlacochtli</span> comes from the Nahuatl words (<em><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_30" class="blsp-spelling-error">cuitlatl</span></em>=excrement or "rear end" and <em><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_31" class="blsp-spelling-error">cochtli</span> </em>"sleeping" from <em><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_32" class="blsp-spelling-error">cochini</span></em>="to sleep"), thus giving a combined <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_33" class="blsp-spelling-error">meanig</span> "sleeping excrement" or "corn excrement" meaning part of the vegetable that did not survived, instead it went asleep.<br /><br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_34" class="blsp-spelling-error">Chipotle</span>, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_35" class="blsp-spelling-error">chilpocle</span> (<span style="color:#ff0000;"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_36" class="blsp-spelling-error">chipotle</span> pepper</span>)<br /><br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_37" class="blsp-spelling-error">Chilpoctli</span> or <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_38" class="blsp-spelling-error">xipoctli</span> comes from the Nahuatl words <em><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_39" class="blsp-spelling-error">chil</span></em>=pepper and <em><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_40" class="blsp-spelling-error">pectli</span></em>=smoke (smoked pepper)<br /><br />Tortilla <span style="color:#ff0000;">(tortilla</span>)<br /><br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_41" class="blsp-spelling-error">Tlaxcalli</span>,<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_42" class="blsp-spelling-error">tlaxcallan</span> comes from the Nahuatl word which means ('cooked bread or bread house') <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_43" class="blsp-spelling-error">tla</span>=a thing or something; <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_44" class="blsp-spelling-error">xcalli</span>=cooked, boiled "the cooked" name given to the tortillaFrancisco Alejandrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10276329776571641232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787172453585874375.post-41643879089514266562010-10-30T13:39:00.000-07:002010-11-13T21:01:19.631-08:00EL DIA DE MUERTOSTo us Mexicans the day of the dead is a celebration in which we bond with the souls of the people that we love and have left before us. To us <a href="http://www.agaveyaguacate.blogspot.com/"><span style="color:#ff0000;">THE DAY OF THE DEAD</span> </a>is a celebration of family and life. It is a tradition of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">pre</span>-<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">hispanic</span> origins and was celebrated by the Mayans, Aztecs and Incas.<br /><br />The United Nations Educational, scientific and Cultural organization has declared this festivity "<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">patrimonio</span> cultural intangible <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">de</span> la <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">humanidad</span>" (intangible cultural heritage) and it is now the most celebrated Hispanic festivity the world over.<br /><br />The day of the dead celebration in Mexico can be traced back to indigenous cultures. Rituals celebrating the deaths of ancestors have been observed by these civilizations perhaps for as long as 2,500 to 3,00 years. In <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">pre</span>-Hispanic era, it was common to keep skulls as trophies and display them during the rituals that symbolize death and rebirth.<br />The festival that became the modern Day of the Dead fell in the ninth month of the Aztec calendar, about the beginning of August and was celebrated for an entire month. The festivities were dedicated to the god known as "The Lady of the Dead" corresponding to the modern <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_catrina"><span style="color:#ff0000;">"La Catrina"<br /></span></a>In most regions of Mexico, November 1 honours children and infants, whereas deceased adults are celebrated November 2. This is indicated by generally referring to November 1 as "<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Dia</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">de</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">los</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">Inocentes</span>" (Day of the innocents) but also as "<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">Dia</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">de</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">los</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">Angelitos</span>" (Day of the little angels) and November 2 as <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error">dia</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-error">de</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_16" class="blsp-spelling-error">los</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_17" class="blsp-spelling-error">muertos</span> or <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_18" class="blsp-spelling-error">dia</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_19" class="blsp-spelling-error">de</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_20" class="blsp-spelling-error">los</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_21" class="blsp-spelling-error">difuntos</span> (Day of the Dead)<br /><br />The adults souls will begin arriving at their loved ones homes anytime of the night of the 31. All saints` day is for the "<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_22" class="blsp-spelling-error">Angelitos</span>" or little infants, it is on this day that their souls return to be our guests. In many places people confuse Halloween with the Day of the Dead because of the calendar overlap.<br /><br />People go to cemeteries to be with the souls of the departed and build private altars containing their favourite foods and beverages as well as photos and memorabilia of the departed. The intent is to encourage visits by the souls. so that the souls will hear the prayers and comments of the living directed to them. Celebrations will often take humorous tones as people remember funny facts and stories of the deceased.<br />People often go to cemeteries to clean grave yards and decorate them with <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_23" class="blsp-spelling-error">ofrendas</span> ("Offerings") it is common to see graves decorated with <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_24" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Mexican</span> orange marigolds called <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_25" class="blsp-spelling-error">cempasuchitl</span>, originally called <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_26" class="blsp-spelling-error">cempoalxochitl</span>. Nahuatl for (twenty flowers), it is also called "The flower of the dead" and it is thought that its scent attracts souls of the dead to the offerings, the paths to the graveyards are covered with the petals of these flowers to guide the souls<br />The most common offerings to attract spirits are: Marigolds, beverages like tequila, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_27" class="blsp-spelling-error">mezcal</span> y <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_28" class="blsp-spelling-error">atole</span> (it is thought that the word "spirits" as in wine and spirits had its origins here.)<br /><br />Pan <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_29" class="blsp-spelling-error">de</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_30" class="blsp-spelling-error">muerto</span> (Bread of the dead)<br />Mole<br />sugar skulls with the name of the departed written across its forehead<br />and the deceased favourite foods, music, and things the loved one was close to.<br />The <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_31" class="blsp-spelling-error">ofrendas</span> are left out in the homes as a welcoming gesture for the departed. Some people believe the spirits of the dead eat the `spiritual essence` of the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_32" class="blsp-spelling-error">ofrendas</span> food, so even though the celebrators eat the food after the festivities, it is believed that the food lacks nutritional value.<br /><br />I consider this festivity appealing because of the combination of art, culture, food and folk. It is not intended to be a morbid celebration at all, but a celebration of Life itself.<br /><br />The Mayans and the Aztecs considered this life to be nothing but a dream, and when we die is when we truly awake and are able to enjoy. Given the situation we are in at the moment, climate changes, the quality of life and all the chaos and atrocities happening here on this big blue ball of clay, I do not think it would be such a bad idea to wake up somewhere else where we can truly enjoy ourselves, but that`s just me.<br /><br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_33" class="blsp-spelling-error">FELIZ</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_34" class="blsp-spelling-error">DIA</span> DE <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_35" class="blsp-spelling-error">MUERTOS</span> TO YOU ALL.Francisco Alejandrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10276329776571641232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787172453585874375.post-14632422110166206952010-09-10T12:14:00.000-07:002010-09-10T12:44:46.180-07:00MORITA CHILE<strong>Morita chile</strong> <div><div></div><div>The morita chile is a small, dried, smoked chile. triangular in shape with a smooth shiny, mulberry-coloured skin. An average one is 2.5 cm (1 inch) long. It is hot and should be used with discretion. it is sometimes available here in Toronto ( Kensington market). As far as I know (not quiet sure). Moritas are the last picking of the serrano crop.</div><div></div><div>Preparation</div><div>The chile is either toasted lightly and blended with other ingredients or soaked in boiling water until soft, but veins and seeds are not removed</div><div> </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvSCUJjHxdGnlVpuPh-c9Vw-FgmFYCN8Gql9JFJjRyPIe7cZjLgaIZ9mk1qawLo4ioBxf3uBo_wZxMHzhHiBDkt0ACVroT3DI6AsL2HlUxfJonMv84I190FA5mzIKARZz0QzMLvmKdyQQ/s1600/DSCN1651.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515366386939154194" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvSCUJjHxdGnlVpuPh-c9Vw-FgmFYCN8Gql9JFJjRyPIe7cZjLgaIZ9mk1qawLo4ioBxf3uBo_wZxMHzhHiBDkt0ACVroT3DI6AsL2HlUxfJonMv84I190FA5mzIKARZz0QzMLvmKdyQQ/s200/DSCN1651.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_hK8YhOt545topLohhRNV_qwsMy1luxI36AR5VDEuso4PBRYTY0vSrQbY1f0fY2YJo4rKgappYL_JPMPCWv_wgZpwGqAYV3nYD0vIvt6U4jT4M4xuzwXAMX53Gs0s1OIji9Y2k5mCZiw/s1600/DSCN1650.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515367112499834114" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_hK8YhOt545topLohhRNV_qwsMy1luxI36AR5VDEuso4PBRYTY0vSrQbY1f0fY2YJo4rKgappYL_JPMPCWv_wgZpwGqAYV3nYD0vIvt6U4jT4M4xuzwXAMX53Gs0s1OIji9Y2k5mCZiw/s200/DSCN1650.JPG" /></a></div></div>Francisco Alejandrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10276329776571641232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787172453585874375.post-52494934464582550802010-09-10T11:41:00.000-07:002010-09-10T12:13:30.917-07:00CHIPOTLE OR CHILPOCLE?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjqDqm_U8TpfUKsq1upRo4SLtGb3JwKGWxPuorHzzfS0A4GXj0UDGlRWuSRNtudSRjoqDVkcd6EkHm48zcymnVEFLwNJSrRXBpiehEbH0hvUPE32Q6WrzerUn-pZuAx5gG59a4avQNVYI/s1600/DSCN1615.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515362623240575714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjqDqm_U8TpfUKsq1upRo4SLtGb3JwKGWxPuorHzzfS0A4GXj0UDGlRWuSRNtudSRjoqDVkcd6EkHm48zcymnVEFLwNJSrRXBpiehEbH0hvUPE32Q6WrzerUn-pZuAx5gG59a4avQNVYI/s200/DSCN1615.JPG" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg40FAD4BeLI9GvPnm5ACoTfmvGdcsI1D-umTJukZqXbKUFGNM6W3XVoD1yNYfN1ojr2aw_siRZFNSsmp_wpxvTPjOPvSgPaPeACLLQevC2LK6-GaC7ZXmKzyIlHvAJR6n_lrvHgXf1vVk/s1600/DSCN1604.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 256px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515360719736634114" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg40FAD4BeLI9GvPnm5ACoTfmvGdcsI1D-umTJukZqXbKUFGNM6W3XVoD1yNYfN1ojr2aw_siRZFNSsmp_wpxvTPjOPvSgPaPeACLLQevC2LK6-GaC7ZXmKzyIlHvAJR6n_lrvHgXf1vVk/s200/DSCN1604.JPG" /></a><br /><div><br /><div>The chipotle chile (as it is known colloquially) or chilpocle is the jalapeno chile ripened and smoke-dried, as its Nahuatl name (chil, chile; pectli, smoke) suggests. It is a leathery and wrinkled with a sweet-smokey smell. it is actually a darkish brown color highlighted with golden brown ridges. The size of an average chipotle and this depends on the crop is (6.5 cm) long 2 1/2 inches and 1 inch wide at its widest part.</div><br /><br /><div>canned chipotles in adobo sauce are a popular condiment, and in this form they can be used in most dishes where chipotles are called for. the plain dried and smoked ones can be used for pickling to flavor soups and pasta dishes, or soaked and ground with other ingredients in a sauce for meatballs, shrimp or meat. They are extremely hot and are available dried or canned in adobo sauce here in Toronto (kensington market)</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><strong>Preparation</strong></div><br /><div>This chile is always used with the veins and seeds.</div><br /><div>For sauces it (not the canned one) is often soften and then put to soak before being blended with other ingredients. the soaking time depends on how dried it is but usually from 15 to 30 minutes is average</div></div>Francisco Alejandrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10276329776571641232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787172453585874375.post-9063292792466736702010-09-09T11:47:00.000-07:002010-11-01T20:56:34.979-07:00Dried chiles, General information<span style="color:#000000;">in this section I will describe some of the most commonly used dried chiles in Mexico, Characteristics, uses and preparation.</span><br /><span style="color:#000000;">Drying chiles is a well known method (at least in Mexico), of preserving chiles, and it is a method that is probably unacceptable anywhere else..</span><br /><span style="color:#000000;">There are two important steps when dealing with the preparation of the fleshy chiles like anchos. mulatos, and pasillas for thick moles, they should not be soaked for long periods of time, or their flavor will be left in the soaking water.</span><br /><span style="color:#000000;">Second, Never attempt to skin the chiles once they have been soaked, the skin provides flavor, color and texture (acting as a thickener agent)</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#660000;">CHOOSING AND STORING</span><br /><span style="color:#000000;">What I recommend when it comes to choosing and storing dried chiles is that you should always buy chiles that are loose, so you can see what you are getting. A dried chile should be dry but flexible at the same time, if the chile is too dry it will be hard and crumbly and this translates to more time soaking in water and only after that you will be able to remove the seeds and veins. If you try to clean them before soaking they will crumble in your hands.</span><br /><span style="color:#000000;">Avoid chiles with transparent patches of skin; a fruit fly has been at work and eaten the flesh from the skin. It has probably also laid eggs inside and in time, with the right conditions, little grubs will hatch out.</span><br /><span style="color:#000000;">Your dry chiles can last for years when stored properly. I recommend storing them in a cool, dry place, your fridge or freezer are great options as well.This will prevent insects from getting at them, but no matter where you store them always open one up and see if it has any traces of mildew. if this is the case throw it out or better yet, burn it in the oven, then dispose of it.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#660000;">Chile de arbol</span><br /><span style="color:#000000;">Many people may think that the chile de arbol comes from a tree as its name implies but from a tall plant. It ripens from a gree to a bright red and retains its color qhen dried. It is a long, smoth-skinned, thin chile with an average length of 8 centimeters (3 inches) and it is very hot.</span><br /><span style="color:#000000;">This chile is mostly used for table sauces in some occasions it will be blended with other more fleshy chiles for meat stews. It is available here in Toronto in Kensington market.</span><br /><div><br /><p><span style="color:#000000;">Preparation. </span></p><p><span style="color:#000000;">Never, ever clean the veins and seeds of this chile, it is supposed to be hot, y</span><span style="color:#000000;">ou can either (tatemar) toast the chiles on a hot comal or cast iron skillet, turning them constantly until it is lightly browned and crisp or heat a little bit of oil, add the chiles and fry until lightly browned and crisp. Do not soak. Place it in the jar of a blender or follow the recipe instructions.</span> </p><p><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJff4bA9FTFsHe1KRNfkJHXP2_1OyMpimWbLWlDOko7w-03jSHKwCtBWHM_2pys8lagej-ChrKBTRl7ruTgNTJYFOXBINoNqFP-9ThdFgPXz2Wk58gd3J-jJg6mX86a2lH03OvrysVe8/s1600/DSCN1643.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515079926207027202" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJff4bA9FTFsHe1KRNfkJHXP2_1OyMpimWbLWlDOko7w-03jSHKwCtBWHM_2pys8lagej-ChrKBTRl7ruTgNTJYFOXBINoNqFP-9ThdFgPXz2Wk58gd3J-jJg6mX86a2lH03OvrysVe8/s200/DSCN1643.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyIJ31FLsGdr7XqiEmSgVK9dkB1TzkxprMamgqusdxDzffJuEKrYkoc0QlYXYftHrAaKPzuqdX35iHNxc1H1sey28zumBbryBHPzlAoXosa3xgduyhc4B_9r7ZdPQABNMrQwDmeEl8rog/s1600/DSCN1641.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515079276410061858" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyIJ31FLsGdr7XqiEmSgVK9dkB1TzkxprMamgqusdxDzffJuEKrYkoc0QlYXYftHrAaKPzuqdX35iHNxc1H1sey28zumBbryBHPzlAoXosa3xgduyhc4B_9r7ZdPQABNMrQwDmeEl8rog/s200/DSCN1641.JPG" /></a></p></span></div>Francisco Alejandrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10276329776571641232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787172453585874375.post-3589307044056133672010-09-07T19:28:00.000-07:002010-11-13T21:03:31.465-08:00Cooking with black beans and other beans<a href="http://www.agaveyaguacate.blogspot.com/"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Black beans</span></a><br /><br />Each type of bean has its special flavor and quality. I think that the best way of cooking beans is doing what Mexicans do. Cook them in a simple way. Use an earthenware if you have one, flavor them with lard and a little bit of white onion and<em> no more!</em> use<a href="http://www.agaveyaguacate.blogspot.com/"><span style="color:#ff0000;"> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">epazote</span></span> </a>for black beans<br /><em></em><br />Timing your beans.<br /><br />Never soak beans in water the night before. Black beans will lose some of their color and soaked beans lose their vitamins and mineral properties<br /><br />Always clean your beans from any debris and rinse them on your hand under cold running water to remove any traces of dirt<br /><br />Always start your beans in hot water, bring this to a simmer, then cover and cook them for about 3 hours maybe more, cook them until they are very soft. 2 1/2 hours should be enough time for the other varieties. It is difficult to be precise. (much will depend on the age of the beans, how long they have been stored, and if they have dried out too much) Add salt and cook for another<span style="color:#ff0000;"> </span><a href="http://www.agaveyaguacate.blogspot.com/"><span style="color:#ff0000;">half hour</span></a> or until the beans are completely soft<br /><br /><a href="http://www.agaveyaguacate.blogspot.com/"><span style="color:#ff0000;"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Epazote</span></span></a><br /><br />The fresh leaves, or a whole stem with leaves, are used extensively in the cooking of central and southern Mexico. It is indispensable for black beans, tortilla soup and other <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">brothy</span> soups, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">quezadillas</span> and in many other recipes. Never use dry <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">epazote</span><br /><br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Epazote</span> is available in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Kensington</span> Market and in some other markets here in Toronto<br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;"><a href="http://ww.agaveyaguacate.blogspot.com/"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Pork lard</span></a></span><br /><p><span style="color:#ff0000;"><span style="color:#000000;">Pork lard is extensively used in Mexico and still preferred by many traditional cooks, especially for moles, for tamales and for <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">antojitos</span>. it gives food a distinctive taste and it is a favorite one in my kitchen</span></p></span>Francisco Alejandrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10276329776571641232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787172453585874375.post-7991505340449488802010-06-19T12:50:00.000-07:002010-09-09T11:33:45.447-07:00The Queen of Mexican condiments<div align="center"><span style="color:#ff0000;">THE SALSA</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ff0000;"></span></div>They are reminiscent of our ancestors cooking, and can be: Fresh, zesty and spicy; sometimes fiery, tangy, smoky and complex in flavors, and of different textures and colors. It is the most common condiment throughout Mexico; I am talking of course about the ubiquitous<a href="http://www.lacocinadeltiopaco.blogspot.com/"> <span style="color:#ff0000;">salsa</span></a> found in every household, every restaurant, every fonda and every taco stand from the North to the South of Mexico. Some of them have had some slight changes to them, some are from the sixteenth century and still remain the same. Salsa will always be there sitting patiently on the tables adorning them with their earthy colors and aromas, waiting to be degustated by the humblest of diners to the proudest connoisseurs. There are two types of salsas in Mexican cooking salsas made with fresh chiles and salsas made with dried chiles, and those are divided in four basic salsas. Salsa cruda (raw salsa), where the ingredients are blended or mashed in a <a href="http://www.lacocinadeltiopaco.blogspot.com/"><span style="color:#ff0000;">molcajete </span></a>and served like that. The fresh chopped tomato-chile-cilantro "relish" known as pico de gallo or "salsa Mexicana"; the thin vinegary very spicy chile sauces, and the ones that are typically made with cooked tomatoes or green tomatoes also known as green tomatillos and fresh or dried chiles. My preference are the cooked salsas, because they are the more versatile of the three. I compare them to cooking with fish, the possibilities are endless, these salsas use the great variety of chiles and have a wide range of flavours. They keep well. This salsa is the perfect condiment when added to a freshly made tortilla with a piece of roasted pork and a thick slice of avocado.<br /><br />Cooked or roasted salsas are divided in two categories<br /><br />The first are based on fresh chiles and roasted tomatoes these salsas are specifically developed for small fresh chiles<span style="color:#000000;"> (</span><a href="http://www.lacocinadeltiopaco.blogspot.com/"><span style="color:#ff0000;">serranos or jalapenos</span></a>), or for large fresh chiles (<a href="http://yoquiero-saber/"><span style="color:#ff0000;">poblanos</span></a>)<br /><br />On second place we have the salsas based on dried chiles. All these salsas rely on tomatoes or <a href="http://www.lacocinadeltiopaco.blogspot.com/"><span style="color:#ff0000;">tomatillos</span></a> and sometimes a combination of the twoFrancisco Alejandrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10276329776571641232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787172453585874375.post-45127668549131422302010-06-08T20:34:00.000-07:002010-09-09T11:35:34.158-07:00To brown or not to brown. That is the question.Enzymic or <a href="http://lacocinadeltiopaco.blogspot.com/"><span style="color:#ff0000;"><span style="color:#000000;">(</span>Enzymatic</span>) <span style="color:#ff0000;">browning</span> </a>is a chemical process involving, poliphenol oxidase or other enzymes that create melanins, resulting in a brown color. Enzymic Browning is an important color reaction in food, vegetables and seafood.<br /><br />Enzymic browning is beneficial for:<br /><br />Developing flavor in tea (Here the reaction is incorrectly called "fermentation")<br />Developing color and flavor in fruits such as figs and raisins<br /><br />Enzymic browning is detrimental to:<br /><br />Fresh fruits and vegetables, in particular apples and potatoes<br />Seafood such as shrimp<br /><br />Enzymic browning is usually controlled with chemicals, or by destroying the responsible chemicals with heat. Blanching to destroy the enzymes is commonly used to preserve color in vegetables. Lemon juice and other acids are used to preserve color in fruits, particularly apples, by lowering the ph and removing the coper <em>cofactor necessary for the enzyme to function</em><br /><em></em><br /><em></em><br /><em><strong>Non-enzymic browning</strong></em><br /><em></em><br />Non-enzymatic browning, or<em> oxidative,</em> browning is a chemical process that produces a brown color in foods without the activity of enzymes. Melanins and other chemicals are responsible for the brown color. The two main forms of non-enzymatic browning are <em>caramelizing and the Maillard reaction.</em> Both vary in reaction rate as a function of water activity.<br /><br />Caramelizing is the oxidation of sugar. it is used extensively in cooking for the result of nutty flavor and brown color. as the process occurs, volatile chemicals are released producing the characteristic brown color<br /><br />The Maillard reaction is a chemical reaction between an amino acid and a reducing sugar, usually requiring the addition of heat. The sugar interacts with the amino acid, producing a variety of odours and flavors. The Maillard reaction is the basis of the flavouring industry, since the type of amino acid involved determines the resulting flavor. It also produces toastFrancisco Alejandrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10276329776571641232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787172453585874375.post-76782289068478330402010-06-03T14:36:00.001-07:002010-06-08T20:23:49.358-07:00A hot MexicanYou might think I am talking about me, but this is not the right site for that so I rather talk about a real "hot Mexican" I know. El chile (chili pepper)<br /><br />Here in Toronto, Canada. The popularity of Mexican cuisine is flourishing rapidly and so is the arrival to Kensington Market of more and more Mexican produce and products, mainly from the states. We can now find a variety of chiles both frescos and secos (fresh and dry)as well as many other goodies. The Mexican market is still growing here and so is the Mexican community. Soon we will be able to find a greater selection of hard or impossible to find ingredients<br /><br />I will be giving a brief description of the chiles as I include them in my recipes.<br /><br /><br /><strong>HOW TO STORE YOUR FRESH CHILES</strong><br />Make sure that there is no deterioration in the form of wrinkles, dark patches, mold or softness.<br />if you are not going to use them right away, wrap them in two layers of paper towel and then in a plastic bap; in this way they will not dry out. Even then they will not last long, a week in average without loosing flavour and texture.<br /><br /><strong>CHILE JALAPENO</strong><br />I believe that jalapenos are perhaps the best-known chile outside of Mexico since much of the crop is pickled and canned. there is a great variety of this chile, but their shape is unmistakable; like an elongated, blunt triangle varying from mid to dark green, some with dark patches on them, other with a vertical brown line as if they were wearing striped pants. The chile jalapeno is called by different names depending on the type and season in which they are harvested or just the local usage: <em>chile gordo </em>in Veracruz, <em>chilchote</em> in the Sierra de Puebla, or <em>tomachile </em>in old cookbooks, <em>cuaresmeno</em> in Central Mexico. An average chile jalapeno is 2 1/2 inches long and just under 1 inch wide; it can range from hot to very hot it measures 2,500- 10,00 <a href="http://yo/">Scoville</a> units, it is used either in its mature but green stage or when fully ripened and red in color.<br /><br /><strong>SELECTION</strong><br />Good-quality jalapeno pepper should be firm to the touch, smooth-skinned and have green solid coloring, the stem should be bright green. Dry lines they are not a blemish. They are sings of mature pepper and indicate hotness.<br /><br /><strong>AVOID</strong><br />Avoid product that is soft, bruised, has wrinkled skin or spots of mold. When dull and wrinkled, they have lost their fresh flavor or crisp texture<br /><br /><strong>SEASONAL INFORMATION</strong><br />Jalapeno peppers are available year-round<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480607422422002610" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZn8f2F2c1yiPHRHXlVi-SwdOfT9pip-3TG3qUJ7vAvZnErhCQdhiPS7kz9q435RlNfXJqBuSnncXwIFUtRECdeceL3KU_Qi6Otu2dsR6nHVhKXou74YGZSvTci0EfbTxFL5TTjkstQI8/s200/DSCN1400.jpg" /><br /><strong>INTERESTING FACTS</strong><br />The jalapeno gets its name from Xalapa, a town in Veracruz Mexico, where it has been grown for centuries.<br /><br />A chipotle, is just a jalapeno that has been smoked and cooked in adobo sauce<br /><br />If you don`t like the heat in peppers but like the raw taste of them. Remove the veins and the seeds will take away some of the heat<br /><br /><br /><strong>CHILE SERRANO</strong><br />The name serrano or verde for this chile seems to be in general use throughout Mexico with the minor exception of the<em> Sierra de Puebla</em>, where it is often referred to as tampiqueno.<br /><br />It is a small mid to dark green chile, depending on the variety of seed used, that ripens to bright red. The new varieties tend toward a lighter color and larger size about 2 inches long and 1/2 inch wide. while the chile serrano tends to be a darker green, more pointed at the tip, and smaller in size, an average one being 1 to 1 1/2 inches long and 1/4 inch wide<br />they all have shinny smooth skin and can range from hot to very hot. They are generally preferred for fresh or cooked sauces in their mature but green stage, they are still used when very ripe and red.<br /><br /><strong>DESCRIPTION</strong><br />Because you don`t have to char, steam or core this thin-skinned chile, just cut it into thin slices and mince it, it is the fastest one to use for salsas. The flavor is bright and biting with a delayed fuse<br /><br />Serrano chile is smaller and hotter than jalapeno. The serrano life`s cycle resembles a leaf`s: these small, skinny, pointy chiles are about five times hotter than jalapenos<br /><br />Thick flesh do not dry well. Crisp, fresh flavor. It is one of the hottest peppers commonly available here in Toronto, with a Scoville heat units of 7,000-25,000<br /><br />Most common uses are table sauces, guacamole, relishes, vegetable dishes, seasoning and garnish<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480608132194529778" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha8eashM1QGmRLPZXyyjJKNU0YQaJcHo_onJ_vzIIDJDUtamde_xP2eJ9JL8FbYv_erHMMDJv0N-rX7R67L3jJvY2kAKUXx2AAcLlexAjM0EF4w9XZaKENAEYNDSTrKrNuWl_zha6leuw/s200/DSCN1399.jpg" /><br /><br /><strong>INTERESTING FACTS</strong><br />The word serrano comes from the Spanish "serranias" meaning "foothills", the serrano is believed to have originated in the foothills of Puebla in Mexico.Francisco Alejandrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10276329776571641232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787172453585874375.post-56322478766862720052010-06-03T01:26:00.000-07:002010-09-09T11:37:39.549-07:00tips for making the best guacamole<a href="http://lacocinadeltiopaco.blogspot.com/"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Guacamole</span></a> was made by the Aztecs as early as the 15oos. The name comes from the Aztec dialect via Nahuatl <em>ahuacamolli,</em> from ahuacatl (avocado) plus molli (sauce).<br /><br /><strong>Tips for preparing guacamole</strong><br />I highly recommend using a <em>molcajete and tejolote</em> (Mexican Spanish, from Nahuatl <em>mulcazitl).</em> The traditional Mexican version of mortar and pestle.<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480611320006490146" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2XYbFwKeIQPn3Xy9OKKmdUVdblQlCJPeZ9CWnOcy2ol1OTn0ckVG3D8PI1kIae7RrJ51jJYiQsnYJhvco6Z_GQU7m4mmu8yjMdeETXUjqBCMSgzOAxgmgV6Ucae5ORc0z4hRWOcK88Ic/s200/DSCN1409.jpg" /><br />Molcajetes were used by pre-hispanic Mesoamerican cultures including the Aztec and the Maya. it is carved from vesicular basalt, molcajetes are typically round in shape and supported by three short legs, they are frequently decorated with the carved head of an animal on the outside edge of the bowl, giving the molcajete the appearance of a short, three legged animal. The pig is the most common animal head used for decoration. the matching hand-held tool know as tejolote (Mexican Spanish, from Nahuatl texolotl), is also made of the same basalt material.<br /><br />In Mexican cooking we use the molcajete to crush and grind spices or to make chile pastes or salsas or the popular guacamole because the rough surface of the stone creates a superb grinding surface that maintains itself over time as tiny bubbles in the basalt are ground down, replenishing the textured surface.<br />Salsas and guacamole prepared in molcajetes are known to have a distinctive texture, and some also carry a subtle difference in flavor, from those prepared in blenders. I also recommend serving the prepared guacamole in the molcajete, using it as serving dish it makes it taste earthier<br /><br /><strong>Preparing guacamole</strong><br />Always make a fine paste with the chile, garlic, coriander* and salt, this paste will greatly enhance the flavor of your guacamole.<br /><br />*Always wash coriander thoroughly and in lots of water. Spin the coriander dry; removing the stems of the coriander is not necessary since these are not bitter nor tough.<br /><br />Rough chop your coriander, due to its high water content it bruises easily and looses its color and texture<br /><br />Eat guacamole right after it has being prepared and always serve at room temperature. It does not keep well in the fridge<br /><br />Stir in tomatoes, never mash them in since doing this will give your dip an undesirable colorFrancisco Alejandrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10276329776571641232noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787172453585874375.post-49554213659894382712010-06-02T23:18:00.000-07:002010-11-13T21:12:30.341-08:00It is fatty with a distinctive and subtle flavor, smooth and has a creamy texture...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgikbWOtB-DRtzYYquwj5JlNBFAMhJqRFAWhHfTZt6K8HmObrtpT9WlfLQrav9s15JjNgEwneqB5itAl3KP93bRtuJDl8UwlwdZlx4kz4e0eRMedAKjb7GA2FOfQWWJNW5h9g6D50UJ4eI/s1600/DSCN1420.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 268px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 216px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480621699689756338" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgikbWOtB-DRtzYYquwj5JlNBFAMhJqRFAWhHfTZt6K8HmObrtpT9WlfLQrav9s15JjNgEwneqB5itAl3KP93bRtuJDl8UwlwdZlx4kz4e0eRMedAKjb7GA2FOfQWWJNW5h9g6D50UJ4eI/s200/DSCN1420.jpg" /></a><br /><div>A sumptuous description like this, can only fit the description of one of my top ten favourite fruits. I am of course talking about the<a href="http://www.agaveyaguacate.blogspot.com/"> <span style="color:#ff0000;">avocado</span></a>, an amazing fruit native to Mexico<br />The avocado (<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Persea</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Gratissima</span> or <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Persea</span> Americana), originated in the state of Puebla, Mexico. The oldest evidence of avocado use was found in a cave located in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Coxcatlan</span>, Puebla, Mexico that dates around 10,000 BC. The avocado tree also has a long history of cultivation in Central and South America, a water jar shaped like an avocado, dating to AD 900, was discovered in the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">pre</span>-<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">incan</span> city of <em><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">chan</span>-<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">chan</span> </em></div><div>The word "avocado" comes from the Nahuatl word <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">ahuacatl</span> ("testicle", a reference to its shape)Avocados were known by the Aztecs as the "fertility fruit". In some countries of South America, the avocado is known by its Quechua name,<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">Palta</span>. The Nahuatl <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">ahuacatl</span> can be compounded with other words, as in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">ahuacamolli</span>, meaning "avocado soup or sauce", from which the Mexican Spanish word guacamole derives.<br />The Spanish brought this fruit to the English. The early Spanish explorers discovered the Aztecs enjoying avocados, but it was long considered a tasteless food.<br />Avocados can not only be tossed in salads or mashed for dips like the popular<span style="color:#ff0000;"> </span><a href="http://lacocinadeltiopaco.blogspot.com/"><span style="color:#ff0000;">guacamole</span></a>, but are also used alongside a variety of breads, desserts, main dishes and non-culinary creams.<br /><br /><strong>Seasonality</strong><br />Although the prime season for avocados is late winter/early spring. They are readily available in markets year round<br /><br /><strong>How to choose avocados</strong><br />A ripe avocado will yield to a gentle pressure when held in the palm of the hand and squeezed. The flesh is typically greenish yellow to golden yellow when ripe. The flesh is prone to <a href="http://lacocinadeltiopaco.blogspot.com/"><span style="color:#ff0000;">enzymatic</span> <span style="color:#ff0000;">browning</span> </a>and turns brown quickly after exposure to air. To prevent this, lime or lemon juice can be added to avocados after they are peeled, but a good advice is to use them right before eating them because nothing will stop them from deteriorating<br /><br /><strong>Most common types are:</strong><br />Bacon, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">Fuerte</span>, Gwen, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">Hass</span>, Pinkerton, Reed, and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error">Zutano</span>, with many chefs having particular preference for the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-error">Hass</span> variety<br /><br /><strong>Interesting facts of avocados</strong><br />Avocados are generally served raw, mostly because heat makes the avocado turn bitter so the suggestion is, if you need to cook an avocado do it for a brief period of time only. Prolonged cooking induces a chemical reaction in all the different varieties of avocados that renders the flesh inedible<br /><br />Both green and dried leaves of the avocado tree can be used for wrapping tamales, or seasoning for barbecues and stews. Dry leaves will keep for several months on a tightly-closed container<br /><br />The avocado plant was introduced to Indonesia in 1750, Brazil in 1809, the Levant in 1908, and South Africa and Australia in the late 19<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_16" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span> century. Since the 15<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_17" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span> century the largest producer is Mexico, particularly in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_18" class="blsp-spelling-error">Uruapan</span> in the state of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_19" class="blsp-spelling-error">Michoacan</span><br /><br />Avocados did not become a commercial crop until the early 1900s</div>Francisco Alejandrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10276329776571641232noreply@blogger.com0