Mexico Cooks!: A Backward Glance at 2009

Mexico Cooks! started 2009 with a bang, offering tamales and rosca de reyes to celebrate the New Year.

In February, we purchased this gorgeous cazuela (large clay cooking vessel) at Tzintzuntzan's annual fiestas patronales (patron saint's festivities).

We ate delicious capirotada (bread pudding), a Lenten specialty unique to Mexico, in March.

The kitchen at Pátzcuaro's Museo Regional de Arte Popular (Regional Popular Arts Museum) is one of our all-time favorite displays.

The spring arrival of the infamous AH1N1 influenza virus shocked Mexico and the world.  Suddenly, everyone on the street was wearing a protective tapaboca (surgical-style mask).

June took Mexico Cooks! to Rancho Casa Luna in San Miguel de Allende for a marvelous weekend of cooking with friends.

Our culinary research assignment for July: Morelia's homage to Guadalajara's signature snack, the famously spicy torta ahogada (drowned sandwich).

Mexico Cooks! met the delightful Doña Felícitas and her family at Morelia's Mercado Nicolás Bravo in August.

In September, Restaurante LU, part of Morelia's Hotel Best Western Casino, offered Mexico Cooks! a chance to try the new menú bicentenario (bicentennial menu).  Mexico celebrates its 200th anniversary during all of 2010.

Lila Downs captivated Mexico Cooks! and all of Morelia in October.

Noche de Muertos in Tzintzuntzan's cemetery.  We dedicated the entire month of November to information about and photos of the Day of the Dead.

Frijolitos refritos (refried beans) and how to prepare them–along with some traditional Michoacán recipes for your kitchen–highlighted December.

Come along with Mexico Cooks! for the year 2010!  You'll discover as many new caminos de México (pathways of Mexico) as we can fit into every month.  We look forward to having you with us.

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