“Ragtag Daily Prompt” – Page 34

About my family, Celebrations, International Topics

Being Thankful

October 10, 2022October 15, 2022by Irene16 Comments

One of my daughters is currently working from the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, which was subjected to the fury of Hurricane Fiona. My husband and I had planned a trip to visit her this fall, and had already bought our plane tickets to Halifax (capital city) for the Monday right after the storm; because both my husband and my daughter had also booked their time off from work, we decided that, if the airport was open, we were going, even just to give our daughter some moral support in the aftermath. Once there, I realized there were other ways to help, and many reasons to be grateful ... click on title for more

Celebrations, Ingredients

National Taco Day 2022

October 4, 2022May 3, 2023by Irene7 Comments

In the USA, and recently here in Canada, National Taco Day is marked on the calendar on October 4; that is the date I have adopted, which has become an integral part in my blog, to take the opportunity to make a list of my posts with a taco theme during the year. This year, I have another delicious selection of tacos ... click on title for more

Ingredients, Regional Cuisine

Quintana Roo Style Empanadas

September 25, 2022October 10, 2022by Irene11 Comments

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

main course, Regional Cuisine

Quintana Roo Style Pork and Cabbage – Makum de repollo

September 21, 2022September 26, 2022by Irene1 Comment

All the states in the Yucatan peninsula share common Mayan roots, so it is not surprising that their cuisines also share many traditional dishes, such as it is the case of Makum, a stew that is made with marinated meat, traditionally tightly wrapped in banana leaves and cooked in a clay pot for long times. In the state of Yucatan, the most elementary ingredients for makum are fish and annatto sauce, but in the neighbouring state of Quintana Roo, a unique regional version is prepared with pork and cabbage ... click on title for more

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