Discover and re-discover Mexico’s cuisine, culture and history through the recipes, backyard stories and other interesting findings of an expatriate in Canada
This recipe, which calls for both wine and grapes, comes from the state of Aguascalientes, where there is not only a vast wine production, but also a spread of table grape vineyards ... click on title for more
This recipe was initially inspired by the seafood chowder that my husband and our older daughter enjoyed at the Black Sheep Restaurant, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, an iconic dish in the region; back at home, I created my own fusion recipe, with a Mexican twist ... click on title for more
My husband and I were visiting our older daughter in Nova Scotia, Canada. I felt timorous and we almost did not make it because of Hurricane Fiona, but the stars aligned, and I was so grateful. We enjoyed an overnight visit to the west side of Cape Breton Island, and the rest of the week we took daytrips to other interesting places, where we found amazing views, learned some history and tried iconic food, such as these traditional oatcakes ... click on title for more
Mexican pipián is defined as any dish composed by cooked meat or vegetables, smothered in a very rich sauce, thickened with ground seeds. There are many regional pipianes, which may be red, green or even white, from using different chiles, tomatoes, tomatillos, or their absence, and a range of textures and flavours may be obtained from the use of pumpkin seeds, or others, such as almonds, peanuts, and sesame. Pipián verde (green) is very traditional nationwide; my recipe is close to Central Mexico styles, where squash is often paired with this bright green preparation ... click on title for more
There is an ongoing debate in Mexico about whether a folded patty may be called quesadilla even if it has no cheese (queso) inside. Mexico City dwellers say "yes", while pretty much the rest of the country says "no". In Southern Mexico, patties are called empanadas, which means "with bread", and this recipe from the state of Quintana Roo really fits the bill, since wheat flour and baking powder are added to masa (corn dough) for a softer, fluffier, more "bread-like" patty. Other unique features are the filling, traditionally seasoned shark meat called cazón, and the condiment, consisting of marinated onions and Habanero peppers, instead of bottled salsa. I am starting with nixtamalized corn flour (masa harina) since already-prepared masa is not available in my region in Canada, and instead of shark, I am using cod filets from frozen ... click on title for more
My Slice of Mexico 