Discover and re-discover Mexico’s cuisine, culture and history through the recipes, backyard stories and other interesting findings of an expatriate in Canada
These days, I have been finding good-sized cucumbers on my vines in the backyard, and tomatoes of various colours and sizes. Fresh paddle cactus from the store, along with a few other basic ingredients, were enough to prepare a healthy breakfast ... click on title for more
The Friday of Sorrows – Viernes de Dolores, in Spanish - is observed by many Christians towards the end of the Lenten season, on the Friday before Palm Sunday. It is a very solemn day of remembrance of the pain of the Blessed Virgin Mary, inflicted upon her throughout the life of her son Jesus. In Mexico, many communities set up special altars to the sorrowful mother of Christ, and some people arrange them at home, as well; friends and fellow worshippers, visiting for prayer, are invited to partake of refreshments afterwards, such as horchata (rice-based), Jamaica (hibiscus), and in some states, particularly Queretaro, Guanajuato and Zacatecas, a beet-based concoction with chopped fruit, so traditional, that it is known as agua de cuaresma – Lenten Water ... click on title for more
The kitchen tool specifically designed to froth hot chocolate, and other hot beverages, is called molinillo (small mill); it is made of wood, and carved on a lathe (rotating machine) to produce flaps and rings ... click on title for more
In Mexico, hard apple cider - sidra in Spanish - has traditionally been the bubbly of choice for the New Year's toast, although nowadays, many families go for champagne or other sparkling wines ... click on title for more
As the weather is turning cooler by the day in Southern Ontario, I am getting ready to clear annuals and weeds, prune perennials, and mulch the garden beds, in preparation for the winter months. I am also harvesting as much of my herbs as I can, because even the perennials will eventually shed all their tops and go dormant. I will share my techniques for preserving herbs in another post soon, but for this one, it was time to prep some tea and treats ... click on title for more
My Slice of Mexico 