Cooking
What we don’t know about Mexican cuisine could fill the pages of a massive book. And now it does. Margarita Carrillo Arronte, a chef, teacher, restaurateur, TV host and the Mexican Ministry of Agriculture's chef is the first Mexican author to have written a comprehensive book on Mexican food in English. Last week I had the great pleasure of meeting her and learning more about Mexican cuisine and her book, Mexico: The Cookbook.
- All About Hatch Chiles
A few weekends ago I went to a Hatch chile roast.Hatch chiles are a very prized New Mexican variety. They are available fresh from August through September and once roasted, they can be kept in the freezer for up to 2 years. They are very high in vitamin...
- Mexican Cooking Class With Ruth Alegria
It's hard to spend time with Ruth Alegria, and not want to jump on the next plane to Mexico City. To say she knows Mexican food would be an understatement. Ruth has lived in Mexico City for almost 10 years and before that studied the cuisine with...
- Mexican Cookbook Roundup
Last year I received a copy of Truly Mexican by Roberto Santibanez. It made it's way into my kitchen and never left. I am often skimming through it and planning my shopping and meals with it. The book focuses on salsas, sauces, moles and adobos....
- Chopper Chef Knife Giveaway & Favorite Knives
Congratulations to Greg Patent, A Baker's Odyssey cookbook author (a great book by the way) and The Baking Wizard blogger who won the Chopper Chef Knife in the giveaway. In looking at the comments I found it interesting that so...
- Best Laid Plans
One of my birthday gifts this year was Diana Kennedy’s “From My Mexican Kitchen: Techniques and Ingredients”. It is a beautiful book and fantastic resource loaded with photographs of ingredients, equipment, and techniques. ...
Cooking
Interview with Margarita Carrillo Arronte, author of Mexico: The Cookbook
What we don’t know about Mexican cuisine could fill the pages of a massive book. And now it does. Margarita Carrillo Arronte, a chef, teacher, restaurateur, TV host and the Mexican Ministry of Agriculture's chef is the first Mexican author to have written a comprehensive book on Mexican food in English. Last week I had the great pleasure of meeting her and learning more about Mexican cuisine and her book, Mexico: The Cookbook.
How long did the book take to write and why did you write it in English?
It took two years, but a lifetime, starting with being raised in Mexico, eating and cooking there. I always wanted to write this book in English, because I saw a need. There are other books on Mexican food in English, but not written by someone from Mexico.
The book is on the cuisines of Mexico, not the cuisine. Because there are eight regions and the weather, the culture and the people are different. The cuisine is completely different from one region to another. The Northern part of Mexico doesn’t have the range of ingredients you find in the South but all they have some great recipes. Some regions have indigenous people with very strong food traditions. We have influences from many different countries--France, Spain, the Philippines. We had trade relations with Asia going back hundreds of years ago.
What are the major misunderstandings about Mexican food?
1. That it’s unhealthy, greasy and cheap
2. That it’s too spicy
3. That it’s about quantity not quality
4. That Mexican food is served with rice and beans. That’s Tex Mex, not Mexican.
5. That red rice! It’s often cooked badly. The rice is over toasted and it doesn’t taste good.
When people come to Mexico, what should they eat?
A variety of food, such as the real burritos of Baja which are nothing like what you find in California, and different kinds of beans. Eat at the little places with local flavors. Eat what the locals eat, not just what’s served to tourists.
Your book has 700 recipes, what are the recipes readers should try first?
1. Start with the easy recipes, ceviches and salsas.
2. Learn the technique of dry toasting, we toast everything—chiles, tomatillos, onions, garlic, spices.
3. Try some of the simpler soups
4. We have lots of egg dishes, try one like Huevos Rabos de Mestiza, a Yucatecan dish of eggs with chiles, tomatoes and tomatillos.
5. Make a dessert such as arroz con leche.
Gracias Margarita!
- All About Hatch Chiles
A few weekends ago I went to a Hatch chile roast.Hatch chiles are a very prized New Mexican variety. They are available fresh from August through September and once roasted, they can be kept in the freezer for up to 2 years. They are very high in vitamin...
- Mexican Cooking Class With Ruth Alegria
It's hard to spend time with Ruth Alegria, and not want to jump on the next plane to Mexico City. To say she knows Mexican food would be an understatement. Ruth has lived in Mexico City for almost 10 years and before that studied the cuisine with...
- Mexican Cookbook Roundup
Last year I received a copy of Truly Mexican by Roberto Santibanez. It made it's way into my kitchen and never left. I am often skimming through it and planning my shopping and meals with it. The book focuses on salsas, sauces, moles and adobos....
- Chopper Chef Knife Giveaway & Favorite Knives
Congratulations to Greg Patent, A Baker's Odyssey cookbook author (a great book by the way) and The Baking Wizard blogger who won the Chopper Chef Knife in the giveaway. In looking at the comments I found it interesting that so...
- Best Laid Plans
One of my birthday gifts this year was Diana Kennedy’s “From My Mexican Kitchen: Techniques and Ingredients”. It is a beautiful book and fantastic resource loaded with photographs of ingredients, equipment, and techniques. ...