Celebrations – Page 21 – My Slice of Mexico

Amaranth Paste – A Healthy Treat for the Day of the Dead

November 2, 2020November 2, 2020by Irene3 Comments

El Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is celebrated in Mexico on November 2, and amaranth was an important element in offerings for this occasion in pre-Hispanic times. Not long after the Spanish conquest, the Catholic church sent priests and missionaries to the new lands, taking the colonies by storm; they replaced the native rituals for the dead with great success, and the native amaranth was replaced with European wheat, both as a crop and for religious applications, such as for the now traditional Bread of the Dead (Pan de muerto). Nowadays, amaranth seed has become very popular worldwide, as a healthy cereal substitute; as a way to observe the Day of the Dead, I made a batch of cooked amaranth paste, and formed it into skulls ... click on title for more

Celebrations, Mexican Cuisine

Post #400 National Taco Day 2020

October 4, 2020October 4, 2020by Irene23 Comments

Ever since I learned that October 4th is celebrated as National Taco Day in the USA, I have acknowledged the holiday by making a list of my posts with a taco theme during the year ... click on title for more

Celebrations, Desserts

Classic Mocha Slab Cake

July 19, 2020February 8, 2025by Irene34 Comments

Viennese style pastries have always been popular in Mexico, and when I was a kid, mocha buttercream torte (pastel vienés de moka) was a classic item to find on the menu at restaurants and tea parlors. Slices from round or slab mocha cakes were tempting treats to enjoy with a cup of coffee (or a glass of milk in my case). I have construed my homemade version of this Classic Mocha Slab Cake with two layers of coffee-flavoured chocolate cake, and a rich coffee and cocoa buttercream filling and icing. The cake is finished with chocolate shavings … click on title for more

Celebrations

O Canada – Coffee and Muffin

July 1, 2020July 1, 2020by Irene20 Comments

July 1st is Canada Day, the official national holiday, and I thought that the beloved Canadian tradition of coffee and baked goods would be a good topic for this post … click on title for more

Celebrations, Mexican Culture

Father’s Day Weekend

June 19, 2020by Irene11 Comments

Photo at the top of this post: My dad and me (with my favourite ragdoll, Blanquita, handmade by my mom) posing for my brother in one of the garden areas at El Museo Nacional de Antropología (MNA) - the National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico City (circa 1970) … click on title for more