November 2020 – My Slice of Mexico

Cheesy Elbow Pasta – Comfort Food for a Fancy Dinner

November 29, 2020February 10, 2021by Irene13 Comments

Pasta and cheese have been baked together in Italy and the rest of Europe for centuries. In Mexico, thin noodles from the Middle East (fideos) were brought by the Spaniards sometime during colonial times (1521-1821), but baked pastas became known during the Second French Intervention, and more broadly under the long presidency of Porfirio Díaz, who favoured all things European, particularly if Italian or French. Nowadays, this dish, AKA macaroni cheese, Mac ‘n’ Cheese, or “Coditos en salsa de queso” continues to be comfort food that may be a weekday meal on its own, or a side dish as part of a special dinner ... click on title for more

Celebrations, Ingredients

A Christmas Dinner Preview

November 26, 2020November 26, 2020by Irene17 Comments

Today is Thanksgiving Day in the US; since I did not get a chance to post about our Canadian celebration this year, I am sharing the menu that I prepared back in October, which may come in handy while assembling menus for Christmas and end of the year celebrations ... click on title for more

Ingredients, Mexican Cuisine

Guisados – Longaniza in Red Sauce

November 24, 2020November 27, 2020by Irene5 Comments

Longaniza is, like chorizo, a type of sausage brought from Spain to Mexico and its other colonies sometime in the sixteenth century. One of the characteristics that make longaniza great in saucy dishes, is that it keeps its shape much better than crumbly chorizo; I have shared a classic Mexican recipe for longaniza in green sauce in another post, and this one in red sauce is equally delicious ... click on title for more

Ingredients, Mexican Cuisine

Guisados – Green Beans with Chorizo

November 24, 2020November 27, 2020by Irene7 Comments

In Mexico, guisados are, in general terms, any kind of stew or savoury preparation. They are versatile and may include meat, or vegetables, or as in this case, have both ... click on title for more

Celebrations, History and Regional Cuisine

Tacos Acorazados – A Portable Dish from Mexican Revolutionary Times

November 19, 2020November 24, 2020by Irene22 Comments

November 20, 2020 marks 110 years since the onset of the Mexican Revolution War. Food and diet were influenced during these violent times; any dish that could be prepared and served from one pot (de la olla), or easily transported, became an asset when improvised cooking had to make use of whatever was available, and could get interrupted by hailing fire without notice. Tacos acorazados hit the bill ... click on title for more