CupCakes and CrabLegs: SMA Shorts:

Bullfighting Collages by Merry Calderoni

Merry Calderoni is an abstract artist and was the first to establish an art space in at La Aurora. Her work has strong colors with a total emphasis on texture. It's a very unique style that even I can now identify.

Her new work, some of my favorite, is a series of paintings made from old bullfighting posters.

The upscale Bed and Breakfast, Casa Calderoni, located on Callejon del Pueblito #4 is also filled with her work.

Weavings by Nelly Lorenzo

This award-winning weaver who creates tapestries and rugs was teaching a weaving lesson when I came in.

Her beautiful gallery is filled with hand crafted items.

SMA AM

Did Someone Say Free?

A free shuttle leaves on the half hour from Insurgentes and Loreto to Plaza La Luciérnaga, Libramiento Manuel Zavala # 165, and on the hour from the mall back to town.

Best thing is that it takes the long way back so you get a free mini-tour of San Miguel.

Can't beat those prices.

Mexico is: All things Corazon. Everything here is done with the heart!

Love: Friends with red shoes... and friendly dogs.

Making: Carnitas with spicy slaw

Eating: Alex’s Salsa Verde

Tomatillos - 3/4 pound

2 medium jalapeños

Cover with water. Cover pan and place over medium heat 10-12 minutes until they get soft.

Put tomatillos in a blender.

De-stem jalapeños and place in a blender.

Add clove garlic, 1 tablespoon salt, and a cup of cooking water from boiling the tomatillos. Add a small handful of Chili de Arbol.

Blend and serve.

Bacon: Here's Chef Kevin Hickey's (Bottlefork Chicago) new Bacon Burger recipe:

l lb, 6.4 oz tallgrass grass fed beef (chuck – 80/20)

9.6 oz applewood smoked bacon

Grind together on fine die and mix in a mixer with a dough hook until fully combined. Form in 8 oz patties. Season burger, toast Brioche bun. Grill burgers to desired temperature. Add Vermillion blue cheese. Place on top of toasted bun and top with lettuce sauce mix and top that with crispy shoestring potatoes.

Special Sauce

12 oz mayonnaise

8 oz ketchup

8 oz Dijon mustard

2 oz cornichon, minced

2 oz mustard seeds, pickled

salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients and store in refrigerator.

High Altitude Baking...

Recently, Michael Coon, one of San Miguel's culinary experts, brought in Susan Purdy, author of the award winning cookbook 'Pie In The Sky' to teach a class on high altitude baking. The class was a sell out.

Michael and Susan baked the sea level and high altitude adjusted recipes so we could see and taste the difference.

One of the most valuable parts of the lesson was the segment on ingredients...what's the best flour, leavening agent, butter, cocoa and other things to buy when baking in Mexico.

I went away with enough information including a General Purpose High Altitude Adjustment Guide to start baking.

Now if I could only get a handle on this unpredictable oven.

Email Michael about classes at insiderroute@aol.com. His classes change monthly and fill up quickly so be sure to confirm right away when you get his email.

Cranevino

Calle Ancha de San Antonio # 22

An attractive little wine store with surprisingly good prices. At least 3 interesting looking Chardonnays around 125 pesos from France, Argentina and Chile.

The new girl there did not know what Oaky meant when I asked her about Chardonnays so I gave her a quick lesson.

I like the idea of butter in my glass and love the classic style of oak-aged Chardonnay. Trouble is I haven't found much of it here.

Oaked Chardonnays are very rich, full-bodied wines with hints of vanilla, butter and sometimes even caramel from the oak.