Discover and re-discover Mexico’s cuisine, culture and history through the recipes, backyard stories and other interesting findings of an expatriate in Canada
The Greek roots of the word Amaranth mean "unfading flower", due to its resistance to inclement weather and pests. The Nahuatl name is huāuhtli and it was cultivated in pre-Hispanic Mexico for its seeds, consumed in beverages (similar to atole), as a substitute of corn (where this crop was hard to cultivate), and even as part of a ceremonial treat … click on title for more
Huauzontle (Chenopodium nuttalliae) was amongst the new-to-me crops to try this year in my backyard garden. Huauzontle is a tall plant native to Mexico, grown for its edible seed heads, which develop from inflorescences such as the one pictured at the top of this post. Its leaves are also edible, and turn bright red in the fall, which has given this herb the name of Red Aztec Spinach ... click on title for more
Right now I am enjoying looking at my Filius Blue pepper plants, with their pretty flowers and unique royal blue/purple peppers ... click on title for more
Green, white and red are Mexico’s national colours, but another one that well defines Mexican culture is pink, specifically a shade known as rosa mexicano (Mexican pink, sometimes called Mexican rose.) The name was coined in 1949 by renown author, fashion designer and painter Ramón Valdiosera … click on title for more
The species Cucurbita pepo includes several edible winter and summer squash varieties; archeological evidence in Mesoamerica, and specifically in Mexico, shows that varieties of C. pepo were probably first domesticated there, and have been grown for the past 8,000 to 10,000 years. The blossoms are bright yellow/orange,and attract pollinators, but are also pursued for human consumption … click on title for more
My Slice of Mexico 