Category: Mexican Tourism

Boulevard de Tortas Ahogadas: Morelia’s Homage to A Guadalajara Sandwich

A waiter at Morelia's Tortas Ahogadas Guadalajara restaurant, on the run with a tray full of delicious tortas and tacos ahogados for hungry customers.

Mexico Cooks! lives in a beautiful and primarily residential neighborhood of Morelia, Michoacán. However, just down our street and around a couple of corners is a wide street lined on both sides with small businesses. On Wednesdays, our weekly tianguis (street market) sets up in a plaza on the west side of that street. A wonderful La Michoacana ice cream store is next to the market, along with an upholsterer, a small discount pharmacy, a stained glass maker, an upscale kitchen design center, a shoe store or two, and several take-out food shops.

The torta ahogada from Tortas Ahogadas "El Chile".

Best of all, this street is home to at least three–or four, or maybe more–open-air restaurants that specialize in tortas ahogadas, the signature 'drowned' sandwich from Guadalajara. The torta ahogada is a like a French dip sandwich gone crazy. The restaurant-lined boulevard is affectionately known as el boulevard de la torta (Sandwich Row). Every restaurant is popular and every diner has his or her favorite torta: this bread is more 'authentic', that sauce has more chispa (spark), the outside edges of this pork filling are crisper. It's the kind of debate that creates conversation and friendly argument for years, not unlike the debate over thin versus thick crust pizza, Coke versus Pepsi, and soft-serve versus scooped ice cream.

Tortas Ahogadas "El Chile" opened about six months ago. The afternoon we were there, our table and two others had a total of six customers, although the restaurant seats about 50. It's hard to be the new kid on the block.

Mexico Cooks! decided to take on the down-and-dirty job of taste-testing three of these tortas ahogadas joints. As Judy pointed out, "It's in the name of research, you know. It's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it." To keep the taste-test fair, Judy got to order whatever she wanted, but I ordered the same style torta at each of the three restaurants. We dined at each place at about three o'clock in the afternoon, prime time for the main meal of the day in Mexico.

Long lines, day after day after day, are the hallmark of Tortas Ahogadas Guadalajara. This Morelia restaurant has been serving tortas ahogadas and little else for 17 years. The restaurant seats about 150 people and has an equally busy second location just a few blocks away.

The formula for a torta ahogada is simple: split open a crusty, densely crumbed birrote salado (sugarless white flour sandwich roll), fill it with lean chopped pork, thoroughly drench the sandwich with a tomato-y salsa picante (hot sauce), and top with thinly sliced pickled onions. It's that easy, and it's that complex. For starters, where does the restaurant get its bread? It's almost impossible to find a real birrote salado outside Guadalajara. Is the pork overcooked and mushy, is it tender with those crispy, caramelized edges, is it fatty? Does the salsa have just the right amount of vinegar, just the right amount of chile de árbol, just the right amount of tomato? Are the pickled onions white onions or red onions? Restaurant rivalries are born from these differences, as are friendly debates over the merits of various tortas.

The torta ahogada at Tortas Ahogadas Guadalajara.

Originally from Guadalajara and still served at carts, stands, and restaurants everywhere in that city, the quintessential torta ahogada is best eaten at Estadio Jalisco during a game of fútbol (soccer) while the sauce runs down your hands and arms. Tapatíos (nickname for a Guadalajara resident) or not, people now snarf down tortas ahogadas all over Mexico.

The sign at Ahogadas Jalisco reads, "Here and now and for many years, we are Ahogadas Jalisco, giving you, your family and your friends something different." Ahogadas Jalisco seats about 80 people and has been in business for seven years. It was jammed with customers the day Mexico Cooks! ate there.

Anywhere you eat a torta ahogada, you ask for it brought to you at just the level of picante you like: 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, or muerta. One-quarter means that the sauce for 'drowning' your sandwich is mostly very thin tomato sauce mixed with a quick hit of chile. One-half means the sauce will be twice as hot as the 1/4. Three-quarters…well, you get it. Muerta means that your sauce will be 100% chile, no tomato. Muerta
means DEAD, and you might well be if you eat this and aren't accustomed
to its substantially more than intense level of mouth heat. For
research purposes, I ordered mine media (half) and added more chile as required.

The torta ahogada at Ahogadas Jalisco.

Here's a recipe:

Torta Ahogada Estilo Guadalajara (Guadalajara Style 'Drowned' Sandwich)

600 grams fresh ripe tomatoes
50 grams chile de árbol
pinch of pepper
pinch of salt
1 clove of garlic
1 bay leaf
Water
2 whole cloves
2 Tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp oregano, preferably Mexican
1 medium white onion, minced
600 grams thinly sliced freshly made carnitas
12 birrote salado or other small loaves of crusty, dense bread

Thinly sliced pickled onions for garnish.

Cook the tomatoes, minced onion, and garlic in water, until soft. Drain, reserving cooking liquid. In a blender, blend until as smooth as possible. Use cooking liquid to thin as necessary; the salsa should be quite thin. Strain. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Reserve.

Cook the chiles. Add vinegar, oregano, cloves, and salt to taste. In a blender, blend until very smooth. Strain. Reserve.

Split open the birrotes, leaving the top and bottom halves hinged together. Put each one on its serving plate (a shallow soup plate is the best). Pack 100 grams of sliced carnitas into each birrote.

Ask each of your comensales (diners) how much picante he or she wants on the torta and custom-mix the chile you prepared with the reserved tomato sauce. Douse the torta very liberally inside and out with the sauces your guests requested. The sandwich should be soaked and swimming in sauce. Garnish with pickled onions, and serve.

Serve bowls of chile and bowls of thin tomato sauce on the side so your guests can add more of either.

Serves six.

These young Morelia beauties ordered tacos ahogados and shared a papa rellena (stuffed potato) at Ahogados Jalisco. For an order of three tacos, the restaurant covers crisp-fried tacos de carnitas with tomato and chile sauce to your taste, then tops it all with shredded cabbage and pickled onions.

All three restaurants are bargains. A torta ahogada costs about 15 pesos, an order of three tacos ahogados costs about 18 pesos. All of the restaurants offer soft drinks, beer, and aguas frescas at reasonable prices. Some of the restaurants have specialties other than standard tortas. For example, El Chile has tortas y tacos ahogados de camarón (shrimp) on the menu and Ahogadas Jalisco sells addictive papas rellenas (baked potatoes stuffed with thin-sliced fried ham, melted cheese, and mustardy cream sauce and garnished with a chile toreado).

The outstanding papa rellena (stuffed potato) at Ahogadas Jalisco.

Just for you, Mexico Cooks! sacrificed herself on the altar of culinary research and ate tortas ahogadas for days, to the point that Judy laughingly said the next stop was Peptobismolandia. Which tortas were the best?

We loved the tortas at Tortas Ahogadas Guadalajara for several reasons: the delicious, crisp-along-the-edges meat, the marvelous flavors of the sauce, the ambiance (including the recorded music), at the jumping restaurant, the attentive service. The bread at Ahogadas Jalisco was the best, the tacos ahogados were great, and we swooned over the papa rellena. The owner at Tortas Ahogadas El Chile was completely accommodating and trying his best to succeed, but his restaurant has a hard act to follow: it's right across the street from Tortas Ahogadas Guadalajara, the major player on el boulevard de la torta. You'll have to visit Morelia and try them all yourselves!

Looking for a tailored-to-your-interests specialized tour in Mexico? Click here: Tours.

18 de July de 2009
Simposio de Quelites en la UNAM :: Symposium on Wild and Cultivated Mexican Greens at the UNAM

Mexico Cooks! attended the July 1, 2009, Simposio de Los Quelites (Symposium of Wild and Cultivated Mexican Greens) at the Jardín Botánico (Botanical Garden) of the UNAM (National Autonomous University) in Mexico City. The day-long symposium featured talks by scientists, chefs, nutritionists, and other members of Mexico City's culinary community.

Quelites are the edible, tender, newly grown parts of wild (and in some instances, cultivated) plants. Those tender parts include buds and flowers, shoots, and new leaves. The name quelite comes from the Nahua word quili-tl. Quelites that are commonly eaten today are verdolagas, guías de frijol, puntas de calabaza, papaloquelite, flor de pitahaya, guaje, pata de gallo, huihuila, quelite cenizo, and hoja santa. Some quelites are eaten as vegetables and some are used like herbs, for flavor in a prepared dish. Many are common, both in fields and markets, and some are quite rare.

Dr. Javier Caballero, director of the Jardín Botánico, gave opening remarks about the history of research at the 50-year-old garden. He celebrated not only the ongoing work at the research center, but also the part the center has played in the preservation and rescue of ancient Mexican greens.

In the pre-Hispanic era in Mesoamerica, maíz (corn) was the king of plant food. Corn's companions in the kitchen were chile and wild herbs, in addition to occasional wild game. In his Codice Florentino, Fray Bernadino Sahagún documented this same diet that prevailed after the Spanish conquest and which, in many instances, continues to be the predominate diet. Almost five hundred years post-conquest, maíz is still king in Mexico.

The stage display at the symposium featured both native Mexican quelites and vegetables that came to Mexico during and after the Spanish conquest.

Many of the speakers referred to the Spanish Franciscan Fray Bernardino de Sahagún and his exhaustive Codice Florentino, a compendium of 16th Century 12-volume Nahua, Spanish, and Latin writings accompanied by hand-drawn illustrations. In the Codice, Sahagún described thousands upon thousands of details about indigenous life in Nueva España, including an entire volume about everyday and ritual foods.

Maestra Edelmira Linares and Dr. Robert Bye were both organizers and presenters at the symposium. Their well-received talk covered the discussion of quelites in the Codice Florentino. Dr. Bye and Maestra Linares stressed that Mexico eats all of its weeds; of the nearly 2000 species of quelites known to Fray Bernadino Sahagún, 500 are still used in Mexico's kitchens.

Dra. Karen Dakin (left), noted UNAM linguist, and prominent chef and writer Diana Kennedy animatedly discussed Dra. Dakin's fascinating talk about the etymology of Nahua naming of various quelites. In the afternoon session, Sra. Kennedy gave a delightfully informal talk about the quelites consumed in rural parts of Mexico. Sra. Kennedy drew a laugh from the audience when she said, "Some of these dishes may be treasures in the pueblos where they're made, but not all of them are to my liking."

Dra. Dakin stressed that the 'why' of words–how they are formed, what their roots are–is as important as their definitions. This slide from her fascinating talk shows that the Nahua word ayoh-yaca-quili-tl (guía de calabaza [squash vine tendrils]) comes from ayoh (calabaza=squash), yaca (point, or nariz=nose–the part that goes out in front), and quili-tl (green vegetable). A later speaker pointed out that right up to the present day, children running ahead of of a group of adults–like a squash vine's tendrils running out in front of the main vines–are sometimes called narices (noses). Another speaker, Maestra Jiapsy Arias, pointed out that the Codice Florentino contains nearly triple the amount of information in Nahua as it does in Spanish.

Berros con elotes y crema (watercress cooked and served with corn kernels and cream).

Mid-afternoon at the symposium was devoted to what was touted to be a muestra de gastronomía y degustación: a food demonstration and tasting. Mexico Cooks! and the rest of the assembled assumed that the degustación would include small tastes of a variety of edible plants. Some people (names deleted to protect the guilty) actually thought we'd best plan to have our comida (the main meal of the day) elsewhere: these weeds would never sustain us through the rest of the day! We were so wrong.

Rollitos de pechuga de pato con quelites (little rolls of duck breast with quelites). These tidbits were simply fantastic: the flavors of the delicate breast of duck, the deep green quelites, and the pepitas combined to be more than the sum of their parts.

The group of chefs in charge of the degustación prepared so many beautiful and delicious dishes that it seemed we were in the presence of a latter-day loaves and fishes miracle. Nearly 150 people ate until we were all but comatose.

Tamalitos de quelites con queso (little tamales with quelites and cheese), from Chef Ricardo Muñoz Zurita's magnificent on-campus Restaurante Azul y Oro at the UNAM.

Rollos capeados de huauzontle con queso de cabra (Rolls of huauzontle and goat cheese).

The flavors of every dish were superb. Mexico Cooks! is hard-pressed to say which of the many dishes were her favorites. The rollitos de pechuga de pato were a revelation, as were the tamalitos de quelites from Restaurante Azul y Oro, as were the berros con elote y crema.

Jericalla de quelites con hojas de quelite, estrella de anís, y tres mieles (custard of quelites with cheese, star anise, and three kinds of honey). These tiny custards, no more than an inch in diameter, were marvelous as prepared by Chef María Elena Lugo Zermeño of Mexico City and Querétaro.

If pushed to the wall, however, I think I would have to choose–for sheer surprise and perfection–the jericalla de quelites (photo above). The unexpected silky sweetness of the custard,
the speck of crystalized leaf, the crackle of the star anise, and the drizzle of
three honeys made this finale to our comida simply breathtaking.

The symposium was an enormous WOW! from start to finish. The organization, execution, and thoughtful details were absolutely tops. It doesn't get much better than this.

Looking for a tailored-to-your-interests specialized tour in Mexico? Click here: Tours.

11 de July de 2009
A Fresh Look at Mexico’s Tianguis (Street Markets)

Fresh from the fields, these gorgeous pimientos morrón rojo y amarillo (red and yellow sweet peppers) sell for about 60 pesos the kilo ($2.25 USD the pound) at the tianguis where Mexico Cooks! shops.

Nearly two years ago, in August 2007, Mexico Cooks! featured every sort of produce, dairy product, and meat sold at a local tianguis (street market) near Guadalajara, Jalisco. For the entire month of August 2008, you read about seasonal availability of fruits and vegetables at the dozens of regularly scheduled tianguis (it's the same word in singular and plural) in Morelia, Michoacán. Mexico Cooks! would rather shop at a hot, crowded, and sometimes smelly tianguis than at an air conditioned supermarket, rather shop for supremely fresh foods at a tianguis than give a second glance to anything frozen, boxed, or canned that's offered for sale elsewhere.

A signmaker with a sense of humor stuck this tag on his fresh Roma tomatoes: "Like you saw it on TV". These were offered at 14 pesos the kilo (about 50 cents US the pound).

The tianguis, wherever in Mexico it's held, is a basic part of the culture of modern Mexico. Its name comes from the Nauhatl word tianquiztli, market. Although Nahuatl markets are centuries old, the present-day form of the tianguis is fairly recent, originating during the 1970-76 Mexican presidency of Luis Echeverría Alvarez. The author of the tianguis project in Mexico was José Iturriaga, Echeverría's former finance minister.

Cooked in a sweet syrup, whole calabaza de castilla (squash, left), camote (sweet potato, right), and higos (figs, rear) are available at the tianguis by the kilo or portion of a kilo. They're to be eaten for breakfast or supper.

Although Iturriaga was himself a wealthy, educated, and cultured man, he worried about the ability of Mexico's poor to feed their families. He was especially concerned about the availability of nutritious fresh foods sold at reasonable prices. The tianguis, otherwise known as a mercado sobre ruedas (market on wheels), was his idea. The government took charge of giving Mexico's working-class housewives and other food shoppers stupendous quality at the lowest possible prices.

Beautiful cebollitas de cambray (knob onions), ready for serving with carne asada (grilled meat, usually accompanied by grilled whole onions like these.

Still operated by local government, today's tianguis only sometimes reaches Iturriaga's ideal. Often the produce can be second-rate, the meats and seafood far less than fresh, and the market's hygeine questionable–while prices are often as high or higher than the días de plaza (sale days) in upscale supermarkets.

Higos–figs, at the peak of maturity and ripeness–enjoy a relatively long season here in Mexico. We recently paid 100 pesos for two kilos of beautifully ripe figs and prepared half a dozen jars of you-don't-want-to-know-how-good fig conserve. Later this winter, spread on a toasted and buttered bolillo (small loaf of fresh-baked bread) from our tianguis, served over ice cream, or licked off the finger, the conserve will be an intense memory of summer.

Mexico Cooks! is a regular customer at one of the better tianguis in Morelia. Our tianguis, set up early Wednesday mornings, is quite near our house. Our normal purchases include tortillas, bread, seafood, excellent pork ranging from maciza (fresh pork leg) to tocino (bacon), all of our fruits and vegetables, cheeses and cream, grains, and flowers for the house. We don't eat much beef and prefer to buy raw chicken at a supermarket.

Tiny plátanos dominico (finger bananas, about 2.5 inches long) are just one of the banana varieties we usually see at the tianguis.

Prices at the Wednesday tianguis in our neighborhood, while not substantially lower than those at the supermarket, are still not higher than we care to pay. We usually budget 400 pesos (about $30 USD) to buy what we need at the tianguis for a week's meals, including pork and sometimes shrimp. We budget another 400 pesos for purchases at the supermarket.

On a recent Wednesday–when the refrigerator was bare of produce, as we had been out of the country for more than a week–these were our purchases:

6 large fresh white onions
1 huge cantaloupe
4 big mangoes
6 red-ripe tomatoes
1/2 lb mushrooms
1 big avocado
2 large bananas
1 large papaya
1.5 lb fresh green beans
8 h
ot-out-of-the-oven bolillos
Total cost: 150 pesos–the equivalent of about $11.00 USD.

Stands offering prepared foods are always popular at any tianguis. This woman at the Tianguis del Sol in Guadalajara is preparing hand made huaraches (a long, thick oval of corn masa (dough), similar to a tortilla, served with various toppings).

Times and needs change. Urban Mexico views the tianguis as both a terrible bother (who would want one on their street, with its attendant noise and mess) and a joy (but where else can we get produce this fresh!). Mexico Cooks! knows people who will not shop at a tianguis, and we know people who will not shop anywhere else. Come with us some Wednesday and see what you think.

Looking for a tailored-to-your-interests specialized tour in Mexico? Click here: Tours.

4 de July de 2009
Violin Shop Querétaro: Laudero (Luthier) Alejandro Díaz Martínez

Irene Adriana Carrasco (Judy's cello teacher, foreground) and Judy, rehearsing in our garden, just before the guests arrived for Judy's mini-recital in April. It was a delightful evening spent among friends.

Living with a cello is lovely when its deep-voiced, sweet music pours out of the rehearsal room. Occasionally the tone is so beautiful that tears spring to my eyes. Living with a cello is not so lovely when the cello suddenly changes its tune, as Judy's did about six months ago. After a number of attempts to give the instrument a quick fix, she decided it needed more radical treatment. Her cello teacher, Irene Adriana Carrasco, recommended Maestro Alejandro Díaz Martínez of Violin Shop Querétaro, in the state of Querétaro, and offered to take Judy's cello to him for a consultation. A few days later, Judy and I visited Maestro Alejandro in his taller (workshop).

Maestro Alejandro Díaz with Judy's cello. Maestro Alejandro is a Morelia native with deep family roots here in the city.

With a twinkle in his eye, Maestro Alejandro recounted a bit of his history. "I liked the idea of studying architecture, of designing a building and watching it come to life. But I also liked studying music, especially the violin. When I was almost finished with my architectural studies, after three years at the Universidad de Michoacán de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, I had to switch. Some people thought I was crazy to quit my architectural studies when I was so close to finishing my degree, but it was something inside me that I could no longer deny: I had to study violin. It was a passion.

Clamps and other tools of the luthier's trade hang at the ready.

"I dropped my architectural courses and went to study violin at the Conservatorio de México in Mexico City. Fortunately my parents, the rest of my family, and my friends supported my idea. Four years of hard work were all worthwhile. I was honored to study with Arón Bitrán, one of the founders of the Cuarteto Latinoamericano. My grades were good and I loved to play, but something new was happening to me. I discovered another path, that of the laudero (luthier): building and repairing stringed instruments. It was risky to take yet another direction, but it was so fascinating! And in some ways, laudería combined my love of architecture with my love of music. It made sense to me, and once again, with the help of some friends, I made a new decision.

One of Maestro Alejandro's several work benches. It may look disorganized, but he knows exactly where to find what he needs.

"In 1985, I was studying violin for six hours a day, then studying for six hours a day at the taller de laudero (luthier's workshop) with Maestro Luthfi Becker, who specializes in Baroque instruments. I built my first violin during that same year, and I graduated in 1987 with six others, the first generación de lauderos (luthiers' graduating class) in Mexico City.

A violin in process of repair.

"In 1992, I came to Querétaro, where the Instituto de Bellas Artes in Mexico City founded the Escuela de Laudería in the mid-1950s. In 1993, I started teaching at the school, and I've been giving classes here for 16 years. I have nine students right now. They're studying the full course that leads to licenciatura (similar to a bachelor's degree) in laudería.

Various tools for cutting, piercing, and sanding new parts for stringed instruments.

Maestro Alejandro removed the top of the cello, made and replaced the bass bar, and re-glued the top. He kept the top clamped until the glue was thoroughly dry. Photo courtesy Alejandro Díaz.

"Learning laudería requires tremendous discipline. It's not just about patching up an instrument that needs repair, using any wood you happen to have on hand. The course consists of ten semesters and includes studies in everything from the biology of wood to the history of instrument building. For example, when I looked inside Judy's cello, I could tell the age of the trees used in its construction–by the rings of the wood. I could see the type tree the wood came from, and I can tell you exactly where those trees grow. I could also approximate the age of the wood itself, when it was used to
build the cello.

Erick Iván Díaz Garcia polishes Judy's cello. Erick has studied with Maestro Alejandro for two years. The long program of studies for luthiers at the Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro is unique in Mexico.

"One of the joys of laudería is receiving an instrument, whether an ancient violin or a late-20th Century cello like Judy's, and bringing it to its fullest expression of tone, resonance, and beauty. The instrument that still gives me chills when I think of its restoration is an 18th Century violin that came to me in dire condition. The 'stomach' of the violin was sunken, the bridge feet were dug into the top of the violin. Little by little I used my skills–traditonal skills as well as inventions that I thought up to overcome the obstacles of the violin's condition–and slowly brought the instrument back to life. The violin's owner, Cathy Meng Robinson of the Miami String Quartet, insists that the quality of the instrument since I repaired it is better than a Stradivarius violin that she owns.

Maestro Alejandro explains a fine point of cello repair.

"Lauderos in other parts of the world–in the United States, for example–would like me to go work in their talleres, even take ownership of their workshops. But how could I? Here in Mexico, there are so few of us, maybe 100 fully trained lauderos. I have the responsibility and the joy to teach the lauderos of the future, and to rescue the instruments of the past. Here in Mexico, I have such a full life: my family, my work, my students. Compared to the fullness of my life right now, what could more money, the money people in other countries promise me for my work, give me? My son is 15; he studies violin and will soon study with me to follow in my footsteps. My daughter is only nine; her future is yet to be told. Laudería gives me the chance to know the world, from the United States to Canada to Cremona. And look–I've just begun, and already happiness fills my life."

Contact
Alejandro Díaz Martínez
Violin Shop Querétaro
Calle Ángela Peralta#19
Centro Histórico
Santiago de Querétaro, Guanajuato
Tel. 01.442.243.1488
Cel. 044.442.136.9128

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27 de June de 2009
Santuario de Jesús el Nazareno, Atotonilco, Guanajuato

The facade of the mid-18th Century Jesuit church in Atotonilco is simple. The interior of the church is astonishing. Built between 1740 and 1776, the Santuario is still visited and revered by religious pilgrims.

Several weeks ago, while Mexico Cooks! visited San Miguel de Allende, we took advantage of some free time to go to Atotonilco to visit the Santuario de Jesús el Nazareno (Sanctuary of Jesus the Nazarene), one of the best-kept secrets of central Mexico. In 1996, the church was added to the World Monuments Fund, and in July of 2008, UNESCO named the Santuario to its list of World Heritage sites.

The main altar in the Calvary Chapel, the largest in the church. Sculptural figures important to Christ's Passion give visual impact to the meditations of the faithful. A relicuary rests on the red cloth.

The Santuario is a mixture of European Baroque and New World Mexican decoration. It consists of a large church, and several smaller chapels, all
decorated with oil paintings by Rodríguez Juárez and mural paintings by
Miguel Antonio Martínez de Pocasangre. Inspired by the doctrine of St. Ignacio de Loyola, the founder of the Companía de Jesús (the Company of Jesus, otherwise known as the Jesuits), the glowing paintings and murals in the church served in the evangelization of Nueva España, where the indigenous spoke their own languages but could neither read nor write, and where the Spanish conquistadores knew little if any of the languages they heard in the new land.

St. John the Baptist pours baptismal waters over Jesus as a dove, symbol of the Holy Spirt, hovers above them. In the 18th Century, the Santuario also served as a retreat house for the Jesuits. Pilgrims still make week-long retreats at this church, praying in a chapel reserved just for their needs.

Judas Iscariot betrays Jesus with a kiss. Note the demon monkey on Judas's back. Every inch of the Santuario walls is covered with paintings of the many details, Biblical and apocryphal, of Jesus's life. Nearly all (or perhaps all–stories vary) of the murals were painted by Miguel Antonio Martínez de Pocasangre, a native of the area. He worked for thirty years painting the murals.

St. Cristopher carries the infant Jesus on his shoulder. Captain Ignacio Allende, for whom San Miguel de Allende is named, married María de la Luz Agustina y Fuentes in this church. It was here, on September 16, 1810, that Miguel Hidalgo took up the standard of Our Lady of Guadalupe and bore it into battle during the Mexican Revolution.

This side chapel, one of several at Atotonilco, is dedicated to Nuestra Señora del Rosario (Our Lady of the Rosary). The mirrors that surround the figure of Our Lady are painted with oils, probably by Rodríguez Juárez.

Detail of the chapel window.

Detail of the Marian litany in the Lady Chapel.

The Santuario has been in the process of restoration since 1997. Scaffolding still fills the church but detracts very little from the amazing paintings.

Mexico Cooks! will return to the Santuario de Jesús el Nazareno in mid-July and will bring you updates on the restoration plus information about el Señor de la Columna (the Lord of the Column), the Santuario's santo patrón (patron saint).

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20 de June de 2009
Rancho Casa Luna and the Rib-O-Rama

Nuestra Señora del Rancho Casa Luna (Our Lady of Rancho Casa Luna) watched over all the proceedings at the Rib-O-Rama.

Remember last March, when Mexico Cooks! and a cast of thousands prepared five rabbit recipes at Dianne Kushner's Rancho Casa Luna? A few weeks ago, we all gathered again at the Rancho, this time to cook pork ribs–yes, in spite of the H1N1 (aka swine) flu scare in Mexico. We'd planned this event long before the so-called pandemic that started in late April. Knowledgeable experts agreed that the consumption of pork meat was not a health danger. So: several kinds of ribs, along with huge numbers of botanas (appetizers), guarniciones (side dishes), and postres (desserts) were on the menu for both Friday and Saturday!

On Friday, Ben brought a botana (appetizer) of incredibly delicious home-made pot-stickers and their sauce. Twenty or so dinner guests demolished two platters of pot-stickers in a split second. Several more appetizers prepared by others at the party were gone as fast as a chocolate Easter bunny's ears.

Ben knelt on the floor to baste and turn his magnificent ribs. His recipe (below) includes oyster sauce, lemon grass, and a surprise ingredient: 7-Up. With a little advance preparation, this recipe is a sure winner. Everyone at the Rib-O-Rama loved these ribs.

Far East Spareribs
2 or more kilos baby back ribs
3 tsp fresh garlic, minced fine
1 tsp ground white pepper
4 tbsp freshly ground lemon grass
2 chiles jalapeño (or more, depending on your heat tolerance)
1/2 cup honey
2 large pieces fresh ginger, peeled
2 tsp sugar
3 cans 7-Up or Sprite
1/3 cup soy sauce

In food processor, purée the garlic, ginger, lemon grass, and chiles jalapeño. Mix with all ingredients except the ribs.

Wash the ribs and marinate in the puréed mixture for two to three days.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Put the ribs in a large oven-proof pan and brush liberally with the sauce. Baste and turn the ribs frequently, adding more sauce as they bake. When the ribs are dark golden brown and tender, plate and serve with more sauce on the side.

Jewel-like watermelon and papaya aguas frescas (fresh fruit waters) graced the tables at the Rancho on both Friday and Saturday.

JohnRoy smoked Texas-style ribs, another big hit on Friday. That little pitcher in the background holds more of his secret sauce.

On Saturday, Mexico Cooks! prepared costillas de cerdo en mole estilo Uruapan: pork ribs in mole, Uruapan style, arroz a la mexicana (Mexican rice), and frijolitos refritos estilo Cristina (Cristina's style refried beans)–four and a half kilos of ribs, a kilo of rice, and another kilo of beans went into the preparation, along with countless chiles serrano. The bowls in the photograph are huge.

Henri's enormous platter of Vietnamese pork ribs vanished in no time at Saturday's comida (main meal of the day).

Henri oven-roasted a huge platter of mixed vegetables: carrots, zucchini, onions, beets, and more.

Anado helps himself to ribs on Friday. That's Russi, reflected in the mirror, and that's her pasta salad in t
he bowl nearest Anado's right hand. Russi added heavenly smoked bacon, along with a slew of other ingredients, to the pasta salad.

Ben baked a sachertorte as one of Friday's desserts.

Billie Mercer wore Betsy's diadema (tiara) and reluctantly consented to have her picture taken. Those huge leaves behind her are penca de maguey–the leaf of a cactus similar to a century plant.

The last dish served on Friday, but certainly not the least, was Billie's marvelously authentic key lime pie! Ever inventive, she made the crust from Marías cookies instead of graham crackers. As one of our San Miguel de Allende friends insisted, "There's always room for dessert–it goes to a special place in your stomach."

Betsy McNair and Ben get down after comida on Saturday. Betsy has to be the world's best get-'em-up-to-dance girl. We had a blast!

The very best dish at the party: our beloved friend Dianne Kushner, owner of the two Casa Luna B&Bs in San Miguel de Allende. Dianne is definitely the hostess with the mostest! Photo courtesy Henri Moyal.

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13 de June de 2009
Semana Santa (Holy Week), Part Two: La Feria de Artesanía (The Artisans’ Fair), Pátzcuaro, Michoacán

Paper maché marionettes from Michoacán dance merrily during Semana Santa (Holy Week)in Pátzcuaro.

Mexico Cooks!, as you've probably guessed, rarely turns down an opportunity to visit an artisans' fair. Although we had traveled to Uruapan for the mother of all artisans' fairs just a week before, out-of-town company meant a trip to nearby Pátzcuaro to shop at the fair set up in its Plaza Don Vasco de Quiroga.

The Pátzcuaro fair is smaller than the Domingo de Ramos Tianguis de Artesanía in Uruapan, but navigating through its booths is no less fun. The Michoacán arts and crafts in Pátzcuaro are similar to those in Uruapan, but many are more commercial and less expensive.

Small laca (lacquerware) boxes in the Pátzcuaro style, made with substantial gold leaf.

Catrines (fancy-dress skeleton figures of men and women) parade through a booth at the fair in Pátzcuaro. Several pirates maraud across the center of the photo, two chef figures in their tall white toques bring up the rear, and a woman models an 1890s-period dress at the far left.

The monarch butterfly is a brilliant natural symbol of Michoacán. These are worked in copper and enamel.

These handmade wooden flowers move when you push a button under the flowerpot.

Wooden toys are everywhere, and all are made by hand in Michoacán. The chickens peck their seed on the paddles in the foreground when you move their string-operated mechanism.

During Semana Santa, Pátzcuaro honored Nuestra Señora de los Dolores (La Dolorosa)–Our Lady of Sorrows–with numerous altars set up around town. Monseñor Diego Monroy, rector of the Basílica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City and a native of the Pátzcuaro region, designed this immense altar on Pátzcuaro's Plaza Don Vasco de Quiroga.

Altar detail. The Virgin Mary mourns for her son.

The heart aflame is set high on the altar. It represents the Sacred Heart of Jesus, borne aloft by doves and surrounded by spectacular cut paper.

Mexico is a land of contrasts and contradictions. Semana Santa, which includes revelry and ritual, the Virgin and vacations, is simple evidence of Mexico's complexity.

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30 de May de 2009
Semana Santa (Holy Week), Part One: Feria de las Flores (Flower Fair), Erongarícuaro, Michoacán

In Erongarícuaro, a golden calla lily and a pot of deep purple Martha Washington geraniums made us smile.

Sometimes the simplest things turn out to be the best: the most fun, the most beautiful, the most memorable. When Mexico Cooks! slipped into Erongarícuaro to see the annual flower show during Semana Santa (Holy Week), we had no idea what to expect or what a lovely hour we would enjoy.

At the flower show opening, Eleazar Aparicio Tercero (Erongarícuaro's mayor, who served as master of ceremonies) presented each of the organizing committee members with a certificate of appreciation.

Erongarícuaro's Parroquia de la Asunción de la Señora (Parish of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin) hosted this year's flower show. This small-town Feria de las Flores (Flower Fair) began in 1974 but was discontinued after a few years. In 2002, various ladies of the town re-initiated the fair and it's been popular among local home gardeners ever since.

Lovingly cultivated pink malvas were a popular exhibit.

We were amazed by the size and variety of home-grown azucenas (amaryllis).

We thought we'd see professionally arranged displays of flower arrangements at the flower show. We were thrilled to realize that all of these flowers were thriving potted plants grown by home gardeners. The seasonal blooms were sensational.

These tiny orange orchids are known locally as Espíritu Santo (Holy Spirit).

The variety of flowers presented at the show included bougainvilleas (known in this region as camelinas), orchids, geraniums, roses, cactus, and others.

An exhibit of miniature succulents and other greenery, planted in colorful 2" high yoghurt containers and egg shells, won a first prize and created quite a buzz of conversation among fairgoers.

More amaryllis, this variety sported huge cream and pink blossoms.

The proceeds from the 2009 Feria de las Flores will be added to funds set aside for building a commercial greenhouse for gladiolas in Erongarícuaro and an orquidarium in nearby Uricho.

Alstromeria (Peruvian lily).

The 2010 Feria de las Flores in Erongarícuaro will include flowers, products made from local fruit–including wines–and regional culinary exhibits. Commercial flower growers in the area will once again benefit from the fair.

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23 de May de 2009
Concurso de Artesanos :: Artisans’ Competition, Uruapan 2009

Fábrica San Pedro, a textile factory
built in Uruapan in the late 19th century, still operates along the banks of the Río Cupatitzio, just a few blocks from the Uruapan's downtown Plaza Morelos. One of the largest water-powered mills in the region, this
factory produced as many as 40,000 blankets during its heyday.

American expatriates Walter and Bundy Illsley, residents of Mexico since 1954, bought the
mill in the late 1980s. Their company, Telares Uruapan, still
produces hand-loomed natural fibers in traditional local colors and designs, as well as in the
custom designs that the Fábrica exports all over the world. Walter Illsley died in late March 2009, but his wife and their son, Rewi, continue to carry on the traditions of the Fábrica.

Hand-woven tableclothes are made and sold at the Fábrica San Pedro in Uruapan.

The Illsleys' restoration of the Fábrica San Pedro is a joy to behold. From the entrance to the back reaches of the buildings, enormous care has been taken to maintain its beauty. A portion of the mill is devoted to a well-designed
convention center, an upscale gallery and a shop overlooking
well-manicured gardens fronting the Río Cupatitzio. Old mill wheels, converted to metal art, separate rooms and galleries from one another. One hundred-year-old wooden floors creak, mile-high ceilings allow for light and air, and jewel-tone bolts of fabrics glow in the muted light of the Fábrica.

Hand-lacquered wooden bateas (shallow trays) are a specialty of the Pátzcuaro/Uruapan region. The maque (lacquer) technique is intricate and time-consuming; the tray is carved from pine, cured, and then decorated using centuries-old craftsmanship and dyemaking knowledge. This batea measures approximately 50cm in diameter (1.5 feet).

The artisans' competition, an important part of the annual Uruapan Tianguis Artesanal de Domingo de Ramos (Palm Sunday Artisans' Festival), occupies the Fábrica de San Pedro during the fair's opening days. Any of the artisans who exhibit at the fair can enter the competition; they show the best of their best work.

Clay spheres and their tray are made in Zinapécuaro, Michoacán.

These cocuchas (clay pots from Cocucho, Michoacán) can be as tall as an adult person. Cocuchas are wall-built, not made on a wheel. The black spots on the clay are kiln burns characteristic of the work. Once the pots are fired, they are burnished with stones to create the shine.

A guaje (hard-shell squash), hollowed out, cured, and decorated with hand-prepared maque (lacquer). The artisan applies the base color lacquer and allows it to cure. After preparing vegetable dye lacquers, the artist incises a design into the dry base lacquer and removes the individual color sections, leaf by leaf and stem by stem, petal by petal. The artist inlays all of one lacquer color and allows it to cure. He or she then removes the design elements of the next color and repeats the inlay process. Finishing a guaje as detailed as this one requires many weeks of work.

Another batea, this one made of extremely heavy hand-hammered copper from Santa Clara del Cobre. The copper is hammered from an ingot and then engraved and finished. The value of a copper piece such as this depends on two variables: weight and artistry.

Guanengos (regional blouses) are hand-cross stitched in many Purhépecha towns in Michoacán.

Mexico Cooks! tried to purchase this clay tray filled with 14 calabacitas de barro (little clay squashes). We were so disappointed to find that it had already been sold to the Michoacán State Museum. It would have looked quite charming on our dining room sideboard.

Try to come to the Tianguis Artesanal de Domingo de Ramos with us next year. There's nothing like it back home.

Looking for a tailored-to-your-interests specialized tour in Mexico? Click here: Tours.

16 de May de 2009
Feria de Domingo de Ramos :: Palm Sunday Fair, Uruapan, Michoacán

Waving papel picado dance sticks and elegantly dressed in red velvet aprons trimmed with lace , these Purhépecha women danced their way through the opening day parade at the annual statewide Feria de Artesanías.

Mexico Cooks! has attended the Feria de Artesanía de Domingo de Ramos (Palm Sunday Artisans' Fair) in Uruapan, Michoacán, every year for nearly 15 years. The two-week-long fair is always the same and yet never boring, a remarkable combination. This largest artisans' fair in Mexico draws vendors and contestants for the best-of-the-best from all over the state of Michoacán. It attracts international tourism: we've heard languages from all over the globe as we walk the vendors' aisles.

Purhépecha women's festive ropa típica (native dress) includes a knife-pleated skirt, a hand-embroidered guanengo (blouse), a cross-stitch apron, and the long, rectangular blue, black, and white striped rebozo (shawl) that is typical to the region.

This woman marched while carrying an enormous huarache (shoe made of woven leather strips) representing the goods that her region of the state produces. She's also carrying a bag of souvenir key chains that she tossed to individuals in the crowd. Look closely and you'll see the tiny huarache key chains that decorate her sombrero de paja (straw hat).

Clarinets, trumpets, trombones, and a pink tuba–what a great band!

Artisans hawk thousands of traditional low-fired clay pots and pitchers. These are from Tzintzuntzan, Michoacán.

Michoacán is famous world-wide for its traditional arts and crafts. For hundreds of years, artisans in this state have produced highly decorated articles made from locally found materials: clay, wood,
lacquer, textiles, copper, reedwork, and paper maché, among others.

Ollas para frijoles (clay pots for cooking beans) from Capula, Michoacán.

Molinillos (little mills) are used for whipping chocolate caliente (hot chocolate) to a thick froth.
For more about hand-made Mexican chocolate, look here: chocolate Joaquinita.

These blue jarras y platones (pitchers and platters) with their finely painted, intricate white designs come from one family workshop in Capula. Mexico Cooks! does not…DOES NOT…have room in the house for more pottery. Well, maybe just one more piece! These glorious jarras were all but impossible to resist.

Clay sculptures from Ocumicho, Michoacán, are full of whimsy and bright colors. Did you notice Our Lady of Guadalupe, in the upper right corner?

Hand-embroidered traditional cotton guanengos (blouses) are so important and finely made that they have their own concurso (competition) at the Feria de Artesanía (Artisans' Fair).

Next year will be the 50th anniversary of the Artisans' Fair in Uruapan. Come see it with us!

Looking for a tailored-to-your-interests specialized tour in Mexico? Click here: Tours.

9 de May de 2009