Full Plate Thursday – Page 12 – My Slice of Mexico

Danish Dough Spirals – Rollos de pasta danesa

January 10, 2024January 15, 2024by Irene11 Comments

Danish dough is a very versatile medium to create all sorts of pastries, both savoury and sweet. Although in Denmark this type of pastries are called Vienna Bread (wienerbrød), since Austrian bakers introduced them there in the 1840s, they became popular worldwide as Danish pastries. French and other European bakers established in Mexico, started creating these pastries a few decades later, and nowadays, pasta danesa (Danish dough) is used in several traditional types of pan dulce (Mexican sweet bread), such as the classic rollos (spirals or rolls) shown above, with a dollop of jam, or raisins ... click on title for more

Bread, Ingredients

Hojaldras – Flaky Buns

January 4, 2024August 8, 2024by Irene11 Comments

In Central Mexico, and especially in Mexico City, these old-fashioned buns may still be found at bakeries (panaderías). They are generically known as hojaldras (layered), usually called the same when filled with cooked shredded chicken and red mole, and known as Marinas when filled with slices of ham and cheese ... click on title for more

Celebrations, snack, appetizer

Old-Fashioned Party Food

December 29, 2023December 31, 2023by Irene5 Comments

New Year's Eve and Day celebrations are around the corner; many people host get-togethers, often cocktail-party style, or as a casual night with games, and finger foods are a great option to offer at these gatherings. After sharing a very traditional menu in my last post, I thought of these old-fashioned sandwiches and canapés, maybe not the most sophisticated choices, but which sure will bring tasty memories of past celebrations to many of us who grew up in Mexico City during the 20th Century ... click on title for more

Celebrations, Regional Cuisine

Guerrero Style “Stuffing” – Relleno

December 16, 2023January 9, 2024by Irene2 Comments

Although this preparation is called relleno (literally, stuffing), and is traditional during the Christmas season in the Mexican state of Guerrero, this delicious pork dish stands on its own as a main dish any time of the year. Guerrerenses often enjoy it on Sundays, after church, or while watching a sports game, popularly stuffed in a crusty bun (hence the name), topped with a piece of crispy skin from the pork, and pickled jalapeños ... click on title for more

Celebrations, Desserts

Alcohol-Free Fruitcake

December 8, 2023July 4, 2024by Irene5 Comments

The classic aged Christmas fruitcake is kept moist by brushing rum or brandy all around the baked cake every day, for about one month. Some people do not like the texture of this cake, others cannot tolerate alcohol, and forgetting to bake the cake soon enough for it to be ready for Christmas might be a problem, as well. This version is light both in colour and texture, and is completely alcohol-free, so there is no waiting time after baking ... click on title for more