The Second French Intervention in Mexico – Relevance and Celebrations of Cinco de Mayo

The Second French Intervention in Mexico – Relevance and Celebrations of Cinco de Mayo

In Mexico, May fifth (Cinco de Mayo) is still commemorated as the day of victory in the Battle of Puebla, but in the United States and other countries, Cinco de Mayo has become a celebration of Hispanic pride. Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes and cocktails are always part of the celebrations ... click on title for more

Chicago’s Pilsen Neighbourhood

Chicago’s Pilsen Neighbourhood

Chicago's neighbourhood of Pielsen is named after the city of Plzeň in the Czech Republic.  Until the 1950s, it remained mostly inhabited by European immigrants, but gentrification and new infrastructure in the Near West Side displaced many Mexican families, which then moved to Pilsen. Nowadays, Pielsen is a vibrant neighbourhood with schools, Mexican grocers, restaurants and bakeries, as well as parks, a community centre, and the renowned  National Museum of Mexican Art ... click on title for more

Discada – A Farmer’s Meal

Discada – A Farmer’s Meal

Traditional discadas were cooked on a plow disc, and included a variety of meats, fresh or cured.  Onions, tomatoes and hot peppers, particularly jalapeños, were brought from the fields for the disc.  More contemporary recipes may be prepared on a propane bbq, or indoors, in an iron skillet or pan, and have added cold cuts, such as ham, and hotdog sausages, and other vegetables and aromatics. Pouring some beer in towards the end of the cooking process was probably introduced by a sassy cook who was drinking by the side of the disc, noticing the dish getting too dry, which works well and also helps to scrape all the good charred bits at the bottom of the pan ... click on title for more