Is Cinco de Mayo celebrated in Mexico?
Not so much. It's
mainly celebrated in the state of Puebla where the actual battle took place.
In the United States
however, Cinco de Mayo has become a major celebration.The holiday is celebrated
with parades and traditional music and foods. And of course drinks.
Did I Celebrate? Still Celebrating and this Pineapple Margarita was a good start.
PINEAPPLE MARGARITA
From
Casa Mezcal in New York City
11⁄2 oz mezcal
1 oz fresh pineapple
juice
3⁄4 oz fresh lime
juice
1⁄2 oz triple sec
1⁄2 oz diluted agave
syrup (1 part syrup, 1 part water)
Combine in a shaker
with ice.
Did you know?
The more fat a dish
has in it, the more salt you need to make the flavors really shine.
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Chamonix:
Wine: Antares from Chile
2013 Chardonnay 60 pesos.
I didn't think this
was bad until I found out that I could but the entire bottle at La Europa for
58 pesos.
Can you believe it? A
Chardonnay I love for 58 pesos.
Oh Happy Day! My
treat.
La Pozoleria:
Calzada de Luz 51A
12:00 Noon - 9:30 PM
Closed Monday
Dulce and Maria were
in the open kitchen cooking up the magic. And magic it was.
40 pesos for a bowl of
red Pozole with pork. I asked for extra pork and they took me seriously. I was
full half way through my helping and I ordered the small.
At this point, I can't
decide if I like the red or green better.
The Pozole came with
lots of condiments - both on top of the soup and on the table to add - and a
small tin of crispy tortillas which I managed to polish off in short order.
Yes, after eating this
a second time I'm convinced that it does have medicinal qualities. This Mexican
comfort food got rid of my summer cold in a single dose.
Conserva de Pimenta
Brazilian Pickled Chiles
From Saveur
These Brazilian
pickled chilies are a classic condiment alongside rice and beans, roast pork,
or fish.
1 lb. mixed Scotch
bonnet, habanero, jalapeño, serrano, or other chilies
½ cup red wine vinegar
½ tsp. fennel seeds
3 bay leaves
2 whole cloves
2 whole star anise
2 juniper berries
2 sticks cinnamon
¾ cup canola oil
¾ cup white wine
vinegar
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. kosher salt
Bring a 6-qt. saucepan
of water to a boil, and add chilies; cook for 1 minute. Drain, and transfer to
a bowl of ice water; let sit for 1 minute. Drain and dry chilies; set aside.
Mix red wine vinegar, fennel, bay leaves, cloves, star anise, juniper, and
cinnamon in a bowl and let sit for 15 minutes. Drain, reserving spices, and
save vinegar for another use. Place spices in a sterilized 8-cup glass jar, and
add chilies. Whisk oil, white wine vinegar, sugar, and salt in a bowl until
sugar dissolves; pour over chilies and spices. Cover jar with lid and let sit
at room temperature for 1 week before serving.
Drinking?
Like food, drinks can
benefit from quality ingredients. Fresh herbs, fruit, fine salts, and chilies
are all great additions to your mixing stations.
Bon Appetit's How to Make Beurre Blanc
Because
Everything Tastes Better with Butter!
Simmer ½ cup white
wine with a small chopped shallot in a medium skillet until there’s just a
little liquid left (about 2 Tbsp.; eyeball it).
Over low heat, whisk
in 1½ sticks chilled cubed unsalted butter, a few pieces at a time, until the
sauce is glossy and emulsified.
Season with salt and
pepper and add a handful of chopped fresh herbs (tarragon is très classique), a
little lemon juice, or both.
LOVE a good swim up bar!
In
the middle of the Caribbean
AFAR
Magazine
How Has Your Day Been?
Easy Day, Rough Day,
Don't Even Ask"
wine glass $15.00 on Etsy.
Hotel Sautto's Bacco
Southern Italian
Delicious: Amatriciana is made with fresh tomatoes, smoked pancetta, garlic,
onion and basil. 85 pesos.
Enough for two to
split.
Frying An Egg...
Forget everything you
know about frying eggs.
The secret is adding a
few drops of water to the pan and covering while the egg cooks.
The water creates
steam which slightly poaches the top of the egg while the bottom remains
crispy.
Repeat!
Charanda…
I just discovered one
of the culinary delights of Michoacán. A brandy? A rum? How about a raw rum.
Charanda is prepared
using sugar cane juice, brown sugar, molasses, and various techniques of distillation
of fermented musts.
This was a one shot
deal for me. Not sure what the survival rate is for any more.
You be the judge. Available
at Mivida at Hernandez Macias 97.
More on the markets in Oaxaca next week.
Salud and Feliz Cinco
de Mayo!