Category: Travel

Festival Internacional de Música Morelia 2008–Tapetes Florales: Morelia’s 2008 International Music Festival, Floral Carpets

Standing at the entrance to the tapetes florales (floral carpets), this little cow made entirely of flowers and other plant materials welcomed visitors to the inauguration of Morelia's 20th Annual Festival Internacional de Música (International Music Festival).

Dignitaries from Argentina (Gustavo Souto, far left) and Mexico (Miguel Bernal Macouzet and Magdalena Ojeda Arana, second and third from left) introduced the tapetes florales.

For two weeks each November, Morelia hosts an exciting international music festival with a particular country or region as its honored guest. In 2007, the guest of honor was the European Union. The guest of honor for 2008 is Argentina. Strains of Argentine folk music and the sensual tango have echoed in Morelia's concert halls and public plazas since the festival opened on November 15. It's easy to notice the music lovers who come from all over Mexico and from numerous other countries: after two weeks, we're all desvelados (sleepless) and a little groggy after the chance to attend more than two dozen concerts in the space of two weeks.

If you'd like a look at last year's festivities, you'll enjoy what you read here.

The tapetes florales are laid out along two blocks of Morelia's Calzada Fray Antonio de San Miguel, from the Fuente de las Tarascas to the Santuario de Guadalupe. This photo offers an idea of the dimensions of each segment of the construction. Each of the panels is approximately two meters wide by three meters long.

Maestro Neftalí Ayungua Suáres heads up the dozens of Patamban artisans who come to Morelia to create the floral carpets.

Mexico Cooks! loves music of many kinds and avidly looks forward to each November's festival. We've heard glorious concerts this year. However, our favorite part of this grand event happens not in the concert halls, not in the glittery mid-autumn Morelia nights, but on the morning of the festival opening. The tapetes florales (floral carpets), laid out during the night by Maestro Neftalí Ayungua Suáres and his teams of dozens of artisans from Patamban, Michoacán, appear as if by magic along Calzada Fray Antonio de San Miguel, one of Morelia's most charming walking streets.

A mazorca (ear of corn), framed by bougainvillea flowers and flanked by a jar of cempasúchiles (marigolds).

Detail of the clay and floral guari (the P'urhepecha word for woman) figure made by Maestro Neftalí and his son.

This year for the first time, vertical figures made of clay and plant materials dot the tapetes florales. The large bunch of flowers the guari (above) holds are chrysanthemums and wild orchids. Her necklace and earrings are made of tejocotes (a fall/winter fruit similar to crab apples).

A rabbit made of two kinds of chrysanthemums and petals from the white mirasol (wild cosmos) flower.

This figural piece is a little pine tree and a squirrel, munching on a pine cone while sitting on a stump.

Mexican themes: a slice of sandía (watermelon), a huge sombrero (hat), a colorful olla (jar), and a guitarra (guitar).

A variety of young music students, including this saxophone quartet, entertained us while we enjoyed walking alongside the tapetes on the Calzada. Dappled sunshine, clear air, and delicious fall temperatures made for a beautiful day.

This flower is made of acorns, flower buds, and aserrín (sawdust).

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29 de November de 2008
Artesanía en Madera (Artisan Work in Wood) in Cuanajo, Michoacán

The mid-autumn landscape is lovely along the road to Cuanajo, Michoacán. Sun-struck shocks of corn stand out against the patchwork of fields and mountains.

During September and October, expanses of mirasoles (wild cosmos) grace every open field.

The MIchoacán hillside near Pátzcuaro cradles Cuanajo, an entirely Purhépecha town of about 12,000 souls. The Purhépecha are the largest group of indigenous people in Michoacán. Nearly 500 years ago, when the Spaniards first traveled through this part of Mexico, the settlement lay some two kilometers south of its current location. The Purhépecha covered their yácatas (pyramids) with earth to prevent their takeover by the conquistadores and the town moved north.

The Casa de Artesanías (Artisans' Center) in Cuanajo is the home of artisan-carved wood furniture, textiles, and decorative items.

Several weeks ago, Mexico Cooks! had an opportunity to talk with Emilio García Zirangua, the head of government in Cuanajo. Sr. García is deeply concerned about the future of centuries-old wood crafting in his town. "The Purhépecha of Cuanajo began carving wood when Don Vasco de Quiroga, the first bishop of Michoacán, brought Spanish artisans to teach us their methods. Now, we don't know what our future holds. So much wood has been taken from our mountains, legally and illegally, and even though the government makes promises about reforestation, we don't see the results of those promises."

Furniture factories are often just one small room.

"Cuanajo is part of the municipio (similar to a county in the United States) of Pátzcuaro. Actually, next to Pátzcuaro, we're the largest town in the municipio. We're working on gaining standing as a separate municipio because our needs here are so different from Pátzcuaro's needs. Our town is very rural, not so modern as that town."

Colorful Mexican themes decorate this queen-size hand-carved and hand-painted headboard. You'll find this one or others that are similar at Fábrica de Muebles Buenos Aires, at the corner of Guadalupe Victoria and Lázaro Cárdenas in Cuanajo.

Soft pastels decorate hand-carved larger than life size alcatraces (calla lilies) on this double bed headboard. It was also made at Fábrica de Muebles Buenos Aires.

Sr. García continued, "Not too many years ago, everyone in Cuanajo spoke Purhépecha. Today, few of the young people bother to learn the language. It's a huge loss. In that way, it seems as if our heritage is disappearing. What will be the next to go?"

One corner detail of a finely carved and painted dish cupboard from Cuanajo.

"At least we still take pride in our heritage of working with wood. Nearly everyone here knows wood carving and painting, and most of us earn our living from those things. We have an international reputation for making beautiful furniture and decorative items for the home."

This gorgeous bench from Cuanajo, hand-carved and hand-painted with images of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, is for sale at the Casa de Artesanía, Morelia.

This Cuanajo chair, one of a set of four painted with images of figures from the 1810 Mexican revolution, is also for sale at the Casa de Artesanía, Morelia.

This is just one detailed scene from a Cuanajo-made table top.

Cuanajo is substantially off the beaten tourist track but well worth the time and effort to get there. If you're looking for highly detailed painted furniture or other home decoration, it's the best place in Michoacán to find what you want. Please contact Mexico Cooks! if you'd like a guided tour.

Looking for a tailored-to-your-interests specialized tour in Mexico? Click here: http://mexicocooks.typepad.com/mexico_cooks/2008/05/rinconcitos-esc.html

22 de November de 2008
Calabaza en Tacha: Winter Squash Cooked in Syrup

Calabaza de Castilla, the squash Mari brought us, seen here with a charming artisan-made cloth figure of a Purhépecha woman with her miniature pottery. The squash was about 8" high and weighed about three pounds.

Mari, the woman who spoils Mexico Cooks! by doing all of our housework, gave us a squash. She brought two home from her rancho (the family farm) out in the country, one for her and one for us. The squash wasn't very big, as winter squash go, but it was plenty for us. Mari's first question, after we had happily accepted her gift, was whether or not we knew how to cook it. "Con piloncillo y canela, sí?" (With cones of brown sugar and cinnamon, right?)

Even though we knew how to spice the squash and knew how to cut it apart, knowing and doing these things turned out to be worlds apart. Faced with the project, we waffled and hesitated, intimidated by a large vegetable. The squash sat on the counter for several days, daring us to cook it before it molded. Then Chepo (one of the cats) toppled it over and rolled it around the counter, so we moved the squash outside onto the terrace table and gathered our nerve.

On Sunday, I finally decided it was Cook the Squash day. I chose pots, knives, and gathered the rest of the simple ingredients for a mise en place.

The squash with the first section cut out.

Cutting the squash in sections was the only difficult part of preparing it. The shell of the squash is hard. Hard. HARD. I was careful to keep the knife pointed toward the wall, not toward my body. With the force I needed to cut the squash open, one slip of the knife could have meant instant and deep penetration of my innards. Later that night, our friend Araceli told us that her mother usually breaks a squash apart by throwing it onto the concrete patio! The next morning, Mari told us that her husband had cut their squash apart with a machete. I felt really tough, knowing that I'd been able to cut it open with just a knife and a few choice words.

The squash, cut into sections and ready for the pot. On the counter behind the squash is a 1930's Mexican covered cazuela (casserole), the top in the form of a turkey.

Once I had the (few choice words) squash cut open, I scooped out the seeds and goop and cut it into sections more or less 4" long by 3" wide. I did not remove the hard shell.

Meantime, I had prepared the ingredients for the almíbar (thick syrup) that the squash would cook in. Mexican stick cinnamon, granulated sugar, and piloncillo (cones of brown sugar) went into a pot of water. I added a big pinch of salt, tied anise seed and cloves into a square of cheesecloth and tossed the little bundle into the water. The pot needed to simmer for at least three hours, until the syrup was thick and well-flavored.

Clockwise from left: Mexican stick cinnamon, anise seed, piloncillo, and cloves.

Several hours later (after the syrup thickened well), I added the pieces of squash to the pot. Cooking time for this very hard squash was approximately an hour and a half over a low-medium flame.

As the squash cooks in the syrup, it softens and takes on a very appetizing dark brown color. Calabaza en tacha is one of the most typically homey Mexican dishes for desayuno (breakfast) or cena (supper). Well heated and served in a bowl with hot milk and a little of its own syrup, the squash is both nutritious and filling.

Squash for breakfast! On Monday morning, Mexico Cooks! served up a bowl of squash with hot milk, along with a slice of pan relleno con chilacayote (bread filled with sweetened chilacayote squash paste).

Calabaza en Tacha estilo Mexico Cooks!

Ingredients
One medium-size hard shell winter squash (about 8" high)
6 cups water
14 cones of dark piloncillo (coarse brown sugar)
2 cups granulated sugar
4 Mexican cinnamon sticks about 2.5" long
1 Tbsp anise seed
1 tsp cloves

Preparation
Heat the water in a large pot. Add the piloncillo, the granulated sugar, and the cinnamon sticks. Tie the anise seed and the cloves into a cheesecloth square and add it to the pot. Cook over a slow flame until the liquid is thick and syrupy, approximately three hours.

While the syrup is cooking, prepare the squash. Cut it into serving-size pieces as described above. If the squash shell is very hard, take adequate precautions so that you do not hurt yourself as you cut it in sections. You can always throw it onto the patio!

Add the squash pieces to the thickened syrup and simmer until the squash is soft and takes on a deep brown color. Cool for 15 minutes or
so before serving. Re-heat for desayuno (breakfast) or cena (supper). Serve with hot milk poured over it.

Makes about 16 servings.

¡Provecho!

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15 de November de 2008
Día de los Muertos en Michoacán (Day of the Dead in Michoacán), Part 2

There's always a new wrinkle in hand-made sugar mementos made for each November's Día de los Muertos. All of the photos are of regional specialty items made in Pátzcuaro. These bottles are (left to right) Cazadores tequila, Bacardí rum, and Pedro Domecq brandy. The nearly life size bottles are decorated with icing, down to the last detail of the labels.

Today's sugar skulls, angels, and other sugar figures were, in bygone years, made of wood and clay. Because wood and clay were so expensive and difficult to work with, artisans searched for materials that not only cost less but were easier to handle. Sugar proved to be ideal.

A sugar skull, two angels, and a pink-spotted pig wait for customers, side by side on the artisan's shelf.

The sugar figures are formed and allowed to harden in molds, then hand-decorated with stiff confectioner's icing. The artisan uses a small plastic bag to hold the icing, squeezing tiny lines of decor onto the figures from a hole cut in the corner of the bag.

These life-size fruits are made entirely of sugar.

Artisans report that the preparation and organization for sugar figure sales during the Día de los Muertos festivities begins in January, nearly an entire year before the holiday. Due to the scarcity of molds for the sugar and the need to allow the sugar to dry to the necessary consistency for decorating, making the figures is the work of many months.

These figures represent the Purhépecha indigenous population of the Lake Pátzcuaro region. The woman wears her typical skirt, blouse, and rebozo (a type of shawl) and holds a plate of lake white fish, a regional culinary specialty. The man beside her wears typical clothing and a large sombrero.

Average prices for sugar figures are: catrina (skeletal female figure), 45 pesos; coffins, 6 and 8 pesos; large granulated sugar skull, 50 pesos. More elaborate sugar figures, such as the two in the photo above, are approximately 60-80 pesos apiece.

Sugar fish!

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8 de November de 2008
Día de los Muertos en México: Day of the Dead in Mexico, Part 1

Highly decorated cardboard skull for Noche de Muertos.

During November 2007, Mexico Cooks! was so excited during the Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) festivities to tour both Guadalajara and Morelia with our friend Simon, who was visiting from England. Here's a look back at that trip, which was Simon's introduction to some of the joys of Mexico: Día de los Muertos 2007 and Día de los Muertos 2007, Part 2.

Pantéon Municipal (Municipal Cemetery), Tzintzuntzan, Michoacán.

Mexico Cooks! is touring Morelia and Pátzcuaro again during this special time of year. We've attended one or another special Noche de Muertos event every day for an entire week! Traditional ofrendas (altars dedicated to the dead), spectacular crafts exhibits, concerts, and annual concursos (contests) have filled our days and nights. Known in most parts of Mexico as Día de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead), here in Michoacán we call it Noche de los Muertos (Night of the Dead). By either name, the festival as it's celebrated in Mexico is unique in the world.

These four-inch-long skeletal figures, laid out on their petates (woven rush mats), are hooked up to intravenous bottles of either beer or tequila!

Tiny sugar footwear, in styles from baby booties to high-heeled pumps, ready to be given as gifts or for placement on an ofrenda.

Mexico celebrates death as it celebrates life, with extreme enjoyment in the simplest things. Life and death are both honored states. The home ofrenda (altar) may memorialize a cherished relative, a political figure (either reviled or beloved), or a figure from the entertainment world. Traditional decorations include the cempasúchil (marigold) and cordón del obispo (cockscomb) flowers, which are used in profusion in churches, cemeteries, and homes.

Sugar skulls are often inscribed in icing with a living friend's name and given to that person as a small token of admiration.

Relatives take favorite foods and beverages to the grave of a loved one gone before. It's said that the dead partake of the spirit of the food, while the living enjoy the physical treats at the cemetery.

Pan de muertos (bread of the dead) is decorated with bone-shaped bread and sugar. The bread itself is flavored with orange and anise.

This miniature ofrenda (altar) is filled with tiny representations of treats that the deceased loved in life.

Several years ago, an article in the New York Times quoted Mexico Cooks! about the Noche de los Muertos: "There's a mutual nostalgia. The living remember the dead, and the dead remember the taste of home." That nostalgia imbues the cities and villages of Michoacán at this time of year just as surely as do woodsmoke and the scent of toasting tortillas.

Looking for a tailored-to-your-interests specialized tour in Mexico? Click here: http://mexicocooks.typepad.com/mexico_cooks/2008/05/rinconcitos-esc.html

1 de November de 2008
Morelia’s Best Regional Specialty Restaurant

Just south of the Cathedral on Calle Abasolo in Morelia, this inconspicuous doorway is the gateway to the best regional food in town.

Entradas (appetizers) include frijolitos (beans), queso fresco del rancho (freshly-made farm cheese), salsa, and hot tortillas. The red drink is a conga, a mix of freshly-squeezed fruit juices and grenadine.

Salsa, frijoles, and a tortilla…

Conjunto "Vargas" plays and sings terrific música abajeña (music from the lowlands) as they stroll around the restaurant.

Even the photo of this carne asada (grilled steak) plate still makes my mouth water. Two huge pieces of grilled steak, grilled onions, rice, sliced ripe tomatoes, avocados, and crunchy cucumbers are accompanied by fresh limones (Key limes) to squeeze over everything.

A common home-style dish, aporreadillo, is hard to find on a restaurant menu. The dish combines cecina (dried beef) and egg with a very spicy broth. It's not for the faint-hearted, but oh my, it's so good.

Toqueres! Mexico Cooks! has eaten in hundreds of Mexico's homes and restaurants and has never before seen these on a menu. Similar to corn gorditas (thick tortillas), they are unbelievably delicious. You can try making them at home if you have access to fresh field corn.

TOQUERES

Ingredients
5 ears fresh white field or dent corn (don't try to use sweet corn, the recipe won't work)
1 egg yolk
1/2 small white onion, sliced thin
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
pinch of white sugar
1/3 cup melted butter
lard

Equipment
Blender
Sharp knife
Bowl
Spoon
Griddle

Procedure
Cut the corn kernels off the cob and grind in a blender together with the egg yolk, sliced onion, baking soda, sugar, salt, and butter.

Heat the griddle and grease lightly with lard. Pat the corn dough into rounds approximately 4" in diameter and 1/4" thick. Grill until golden brown on one side; flip and grill until golden brown on the other side. Be sure to keep the grill well-greased with lard or the dough will stick.

Serve with pure Mexican crema (or substitute creme fraiche) and a salsa de mesa muy picante.

Provecho!

Looking for a tailored-to-your-interests specialized tour in Mexico? Click here: http://mexicocooks.typepad.com/mexico_cooks/2008/05/rinconcitos-esc.html

25 de October de 2008
Alfareros de Patamban: High-Fired Ceramics in Rural Michoacán

Six high-fired ceramic plates from Alfareros de Patamban, Michoacán.

A few days ago, Mexico Cooks! headed for Patamban, Michoacán. Our dear friend Claire, visiting from California, accompanied us. Our goal was the taller (workshop) of Alfareros de Patamban (Patamban Ceramists). We’d set up an appointment to spend some time with the owner, our old friend Ricardo Calderón. Although we were delayed by traffic and arrived too late to meet with Ricardo, we were warmly greeted by long-time employees Sras. Cecilia Valentín Suárez and Gloria Méndez Álvarez.

Where in the world is Patamban, Michoacán?

Entrance to the Alfareros de Patamban taller (workshop). When you arrive in Patamban, ask on the main street for directions to Ricardo Calderón’s workshop. Any adult in town can point you the right way.

The door to the taller is inset with tiles that the workshop used to produce.

Ricardo Calderón, who moved from Mexico City to Patamban as a child, and his French wife, Catalina Bony, founded the workshop a little more than 25 years ago. One of the first rural talleres of its kind in Mexico, Alfareros de Patamban makes only high-fired ceramics.

Cecilia Valentín Suárez hand-kneads masa de barro (clay).

Doña Cecilia has worked at the taller for nearly 25 years. Today, the workshop employs between 16 and 20 townspeople.

The barro that Doña Cecilia prepared is ready for further processing. The dishware is produced using a mix of three types of local clay: one kind is mined near San José de Gracia, Michoacán, and the other two types come from mines near Patamban. You can see Doña Cecilia’s hand prints in the damp clay.

A small selection of the many dish forms made in the workshop. You can buy anything from a single caballito (tequila cup) to a full vajilla (set of tableware) for six, eight, or more people. The dishware is kiln-fired at more than 1200°. All products are safe to be used in a microwave oven and washed in a dishwasher.

Jarras (pitchers) decorated with hand-drawn and hand-painted folkloric scenes.

Alfareros de Patamban traditionally exhibits at the annual Domingo de Ramos Feria de Artesanía in Uruapan, Michoacán, at the Noche de Muertos Feria de Artesanía in Pátzcuaro, and several other well-known artisans’ shows in the area. You can also purchase their dishware at the Casa de Artesanía in Morelia.

Mexico Cooks! purchased four large coffee mugs, a covered salt dish, a cream pitcher, a small three-compartment serving dish, and one of the small square serving dishes pictured above. Our bill was 420 pesos–about $32.00 USD.

The traditional trastero (dish cupboard) in Mexico Cooks!’s kitchen holds a collection of plates, bowls, and other dish forms from Alfareros de Patamban. Some of the dishes are fifteen years old or more.

Alfareros de Patamban
Melchor Ocampo #24
Patamban, Michoacán
México
Tel: 355.558.4118

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18 de October de 2008
Muestra de Gastronomía Regional in Pátzcuaro: Regional Food, Pátzcuaro Style

Seasonal chiles en nogada (stuffed chiles poblano in walnut sauce) were the most popular item at the Pátzcuaro food show in September.

Pátzcuaro has just celebrated its 474th anniversary as a certified municipio (similar to a US county seat). Lots of events were scheduled during the weekend of September 19-21, including a parade, an artisans' fair, concerts, and two regional muestras de gastronomía (food exhibits and sales).

Joaquín Pantoja, Plaza Don Vasco de Quiroga, Pátzcuaro.

Mexico Cooks! was there, of course. Would we miss a reason for a fiesta? We spent a full and diverse day in Pátzcuaro, first listening to a concert by the incredibly talented Joaquín Pantoja, visiting friends at a nearby gallery opening, attending a talk at Casa Werma Buddhist Center, and eating–you guessed it–wonderful chiles en nogada at Sunday's Muestra de Gastronomía Regional on Plaza Don Vasco de Quiroga.

Imagine the taste of spicy chiles poblano stuffed with a rich meat and fruit picadillo (hash), bathed in creamy walnut sauce, and garnished with fresh pomegranate seeds and cilantro. Normally served in Mexico during late August, September, and October (the time when both pomegranates and walnuts are harvested), this beautiful dish represents the colors of the Mexican flag. For a recipe, look at this archived article from Mexico Cooks!

Just one of the Muestra de Gastronomía Regional tables in Pátzcuaro. From the beautifully presented platillos (individual courses) to the hand-embroidered tablecloth, the table was a feast for all the senses.

Pollo en Cuñete, a superb example of comida casera michoacana (Michoacán home cooking) that Mexico Cooks! has never seen on any restaurant menu.

Pollo en Cuñete

Ingredients
1 whole chicken, 4 to 5 pounds, skinned and cut into serving pieces
11 cloves of garlic, mashed
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2 tablespoons corn or other vegetable oil
20 new potatoes, peeled
3/4 cup vinegar, either white or red wine
1/3 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
6 bay leaves
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 chiles serrano

Romaine lettuce
Pineapple slices
Orange slices
Avocado slices
Radishes

Procedure
Rub the chicken pieces with garlic, sea salt, and pepper and refrigerate for one to four hours.

In a large frying pan, heat the oil and sauté the chicken pieces, putting them in a large casserole dish as they brown. In the same oil, lightly brown the potatoes. Remove the potatoes from the oil and reserve.

Allow the oil to cool slightly. Add the vinegar (carefully, it will splash) and heat until it begins to boil. Remove the brown pieces that stick to the bottom of the pan. Pour the vinegar through a strainer and over the chicken. Add the olive oil, the salt, the bay leaves, the thyme, and the oregano to the chicken in the casserole dish. Place the chicken over a high fire until it begins to boil. Cover it tightly and lower the flame. Every 10 minutes, turn the chicken. After 30 to 40 minutes, test for taste and add the chiles and the potatoes. Cover and cook over a slow fire for approximately 15 minutes, or until the potates are done.

To Serve
Cover a large platter with romaine lettuce leaves. Arrange the chicken pieces on the platter. Garnish with decoratively cut radishes, peeled orange slices, thinly sliced pineapple, and sliced avocados.

Serves 6 to 8 as a main course.

This gorgeous jewel-colored drink is actually ensalada del obispo a Morelia traditional speciality served only during Semana Santa (Holy Week). It's prepared with beets, oranges, lettuce, other vegetables, and peanuts. You eat it with a spoon and drink the liquid.

This little section of the muestra de dulces regionales (regional sweets exhibit) features gelatina de frutas con leche (milky gelatin with fruits), pastel de almendras (almond cake), rollo de chocolate (chocolate roll), and ate casero de membrillo (home-made quince paste). We split a slice of almond cake and a little cocada casera (home-made coconut candy).

Pátzcuaro is famous everywhere in Mexico for its ice cream, especially the nieve de pasta (richly creamy ice cream flavored with ground almonds, cinnamon, and honey). Mexico Cooks! didn't have room to eat even a small cup, but instead stopped a passer-by who waited patiently before taking a bite to have a photo taken of his treasure: nieve de pasta con mermelada de zarzamora (with fresh blackberry marmalade).

11 de October de 2008
La Inmaculada Concepción: Supper at La Concha in Morelia

The Templo de la Inmaculada Concepción (Church of the Immaculate Conception) is located on Calle Tejedores de Aranza in Morelia, Michoacán. The Immaculate Conception, a dogma of the Roman Catholic Church, means, "conceived without stain of original sin" and refers to the Virgin Mary.

Shortly after Mexico Cooks! moved to Morelia, a friend here insisted that we go to supper with her at a local institution. She wouldn't tell us exactly where we were going, just settled herself in our car and told us, "Turn here. Now here, and left at the next corner. Then right…" In a few minutes we were parking at the curb in a well-kept working class neighborhood, a huge church looming on the corner. Imagine our surprise when she told us that we were going to supper at the church!

Just a few steps down from the sidewalk, we were astonished to see a huge room filled with tables, chairs, and the hustle and bustle of a horde of people.

Bring enough people so that some can stand in one line, some in another, and some can save a place for your group to eat supper.

This was no run-of-the-mill church supper, with covered casseroles and your Aunt Joan's coconut cake. Morelia's Templo de la Inmaculada Concepción (Church of the Immaculate Conception) started its nightly food fair as a kermés, way back in the 1960s. A kermés is a street fair devoted to the sale of food, soft drinks, and sweets for the purpose of raising money for a cause. More than 30 cooks in the neighborhood of La Concha (that's the affectionate nickname for any woman named Concepción, and it's the nickname for the church as well) prepared enchiladas, pozole, tamales, buñuelos, atole and an infinity of other typical Mexican dishes, all for sale in front of the original adobe church. Every night of each kermés, thousands of people ate their fill of delicious food. Before long, the funds from kermés La Concha made the new church a reality.

Pay for everything from drinks to dessert with tickets you buy at the booth pictured below. Denominations range from one to five pesos.

When you finish your meal, you can exchange any leftover tickets for money. You can rent silverware, too, and turn it in for a refund when you're finished eating.

The nightly kermés has changed a lot over the course of more than forty years. When the neighborhood built the new church, the lower level became a permanent cenaduría (supper spot) that continues to raise funds for the parish. Nearly 30 booths range around the perimeter of the huge space, serving everything from soup (pozole, a thick, rich pork, chile, and corn stew) to desserts (tamales dulces (sweet tamales) and crispy, crunchy, syrupy buñuelos). Prices for food range from 28 pesos for a plate of chicken with enchiladas and vegetables to 5 pesos for a soft drink.

These quesadillas fritas (tortilla dough stuffed with cheese and deep-fried) are garnished with thick crema, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, a spicy red salsa, and crumbled cheese.

This fellow has a little cheese problem with his quesadilla!

Approximately 300 people donate their services each suppertime at the Inmaculada. Cooks, cleanup crew, and security staff see the work as their apostolate: what they do for their faith, as a service to God. About 40 youngsters under the age of 14 are the volunteer waitstaff, frequently passing by each table asking if there is anything any diner needs. "Me traes un refresco…a mi unas servilletas…me falta un salero, por favor…" "Bring me a soft drink…some napkins for me…I need a salt shaker, please…" When you're finished with your supper, the children take your plates, clear the rest of the table, and make it spotless for the next round of guests. A tip is nice for the kids, even if they've only cleaned your table. Give them a couple of your leftover food tickets–your waitstaff will exchange them for cash.

Ready for the customer who ordered them: four orders of enchiladas with chicken and a pambazo, Michoacán style. To make a pambazo, start with a really good bolillo, split almost in half. Stuff the roll with as much picadillo as you can. Dip the whole thing in rich enchilada sauce and deep fry
it till it's smooshy and crunchy and totally decadent. Plate it with fried diced carrots and potatoes and top with freshly diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, and crumbled cheese.

Mexico Cooks! took Morelia newcomers–and good friends–Jim and Linda Pierce to eat at La Concha last week. The smile never left Linda's face.

We had eaten too many quesadillas, enchiladas, and other delicacies to want dessert, but the man who ordered these buñuelos let us take a picture.

Buñuelos are similar to very large flour tortillas. They're formed, deep-fried, and covered with a rich syrup of made from piloncillo (cones of brown sugar)and anís (anise). The buñuelo in the picture above was broken into three or four pieces so that it would fit on the eight-inch plate.

The choice of drinks is almost endless. In addition to soft drinks, you can also choose from several house-made aguas frescas. Alcohol is not permitted.

So, you might ask yourself, if the biggest bill comes out to 28
pesos for a big plate of food and 5 pesos for a drink to go with it, how profitable could this neighborhood charity be? Naturally most people order other foods as well, raising the cost of their supper by a little. When Mexico Cooks! eats at La Inmaculada, we usually spend about 100 pesos per couple. It's almost impossible to resist eating too much.

Okay, how much money does the parish take in? Are you sitting down? Every night, the profits are approximately 40,000 pesos (about $4,000 USD). The parish priest administers the funds, which are used, among other things, to provide school breakfasts and food baskets for the needy. The parish also provides a free doctor's office and a variety of other services.

Last week, mariachi sang at La Concha.

At the Templo de la Inmaculada–La Concha, when we're feeling tender-hearted–we eat well and we know we're contributing to a variety of good causes. Next time you're in Morelia, come along with us!

Looking for a tailored-to-your-interests specialized tour in Mexico? Click here: http://mexicocooks.typepad.com/mexico_cooks/2008/05/rinconcitos-esc.html

4 de October de 2008
La Feria del Hongo (The Mushroom Fair) in Senguio, Michoacán

Along the winding road to the Feria del Hongo (Mushroom Fair) in Senguio, Michoacán. The pink flowers in the center foreground are mirasoles (wild cosmos); behind them is a good-size corn field, then trees, then the lush blue-green mountains of north-central Michoacán.

Senguio, Michoacán, a tiny town much closer to the border of the State of México than to the city of Morelia, recently hosted its eleventh annual Feria del Hongo (Mushroom Fair). More than 100 locally found varieties of edible mushrooms were on display, along with 15 poisonous varieties and a few that are used medicinally.

Biologist Oralia Díaz Barriga Vega informed Mexico Cooks! that residents of Senguio consume more than 40 varieties of local woodland mushrooms. "The mushrooms most frequently eaten are the patitas de pájaro, the orejas de puerco, and a few others. People here in Senguio have a good bit of knowledge about edible as well as poisonous mushrooms that grow in local woodlands. Medicinal mushrooms are also widely used here, for diseases that range from viral and bacterial infections to high blood pressure to muscular dystrophy, chronic fatigue syndrome, and many types of cancer."

Hypomyces lactifluorum, known in English as lobster mushroom and in Spanish as oreja de puerco (pig's ear), is widely eaten in the mountains of Michoacán, particularly around Lake Pátzcuaro.

The level of cultivated, commercial mushroom production in Senguio has not been able to keep up with the demand for high-quality product demanded by international clients. Mushroom producers in Senguio harvest approximately two tons of mushrooms every month; that quantity satisfies only about five per cent of the demand from restaurant owners and other consumers. Juan González Ramirez, one of Senguio's top producers, says that within a short time, Senguio will produce a ton of mushrooms each week.

Patitas de pájaro (little bird's feet), occasionally known as manitas de santo (little saint's hands) is in season right now. It's found throughout the mountainous pine forests of Michoacán.

Pancita, or Boletus edulis, has until now only been used for medicinal purposes in Michoacán. Like most of the rest of these mushrooms, it grows wild in the pine forests here.

Boletus edulis, known in Mexico as the pancita mushroom, has traditionally been used medicinally. Because Mexican mushroom producers are unaccustomed to its use in cooking, its cultivation has not yet been prominent. In the year to come, mushroom growers in Senguio plan to produce a substantial quantity of what the world's kitchen knows as the porcini mushroom. "On the international market, this mushroom can bring as much as 800 pesos per kilo," mentioned one of the Senguio growers.

Pedos de burro–donkey farts–are better known (but much less picturesquely named in English) as the common woodland puffball. They're edible–and delicious–when picked while the flesh is white.

The beautiful russula emetica isn't edible; it provokes vomiting and diarrhea.

Although the festival organizers labeled this mushroom Amanita parva, the label appears to have been moved from another mushroom. This very large mushroom has been tentatively identified by another mycologist as Omphalotus sp.

Dr. R.E. Tulloss, a specialist in the genus Amanita, told me, "Amanita parva is a very small, white species ('parva' means 'little') that is known from sandy pine-oak forests between Long Island, NY (USA) and (probably) the Gulf Coast states of the US. I would not think that it would be a good choice as an edible. In fact, there is a possibility that it is poisonous. To my knowledge, A. parva has never been reported from Mexico."

The seta is one of three mushroom varieties (setas, shiitake, and common white table mushrooms) grown commercially in Senguio.

Mexico Cooks! talked at length with Ezequiel Gómez López, who grows both setas and shiitake mushrooms. In the photo above, setas are growing in a plastic bag stuffed with sterilized hay. The bag is about 18" square. The setas in the picture sprouted the day before the photo and will mature in three days.

Lentinula Edodes, the shiitake mushroom originally cultivated in Japan and Korea, is heavily produced in Senguio.

Sr. Gómez explained that the shiitake mushroom grows on harvested oak branches about three to four feet tall and three to five inches in diameter. "Growing mushrooms on these branches is so much better than burning the branches as fire wood!" he said. "Each branch can produce shiitakes for seven years." The mushrooms grow from spores to maturity in only a week. Once the shiitakes are harvested the branch is allowed to rest for a period of time and then is re-inoculated with spores for another crop. Sr. Gómez showed off a picture of his shiitake farm. It's a long, narrow room with oak branches leaning against the walls, not at all what Mexico Cooks! ever thought of as a mushroom farm.

Mexico Cooks! ate quesadillas de hongos (mushroom quesadillas) at the Feria del Hongo. The filling on the left is chicken with mushrooms and cheese; the filling on the right is rajas de chile poblano (poblano chile strips) with mushrooms and cheese.

The food at Senguio's Feria del Hongo was substantially different from the food at most Mexican festivals. Some names were the same: quesadillas, pozole, ceviche, and tacos, but all of the dishes were prepared with mushrooms as the predominate ingredient. We also saw mushroom yoghurt and various mushroom ointments.

The Senguio Feria del Hongo is small in scale but filled with information and ideas. Mexico Cooks! had a marvelous time.

Looking for a tailored-to-your-interests specialized tour in Mexico? Click here:
http://mexicocooks.typepad.com/mexico_cooks/2008/05/rinconcitos-esc.html

27 de September de 2008