Eating: A Memoir

When a quick bite becomes a bottle of mezcal.

March 17, 2020/in Memories /by Jamie Kelly

Casa Nela in downtown Mexico City is the sort of family-run restaurant that will never cross your radar as a visitor. But it should. There were incredible flavors delivered in immense portions at seemingly impossible prices. We stayed for hours on a lazy Sunday afternoon, tasting and sipping our way through Oaxaqueño delights.

Alaia: Where Mexico City Indulges in the Flavors of Spain

March 17, 2020

One of my earliest eating experiences in Mexico City, many years ago, was at Alaia. It was my first taste of Basque cuisine - the tang of a salsa verde, mineral sting of squid ink sauce, and pure joy of a perfect croquette. It ignited in me a passion for all things Basque that still burns within. These many years later, I found Chef Israel Aretxiga masterfully stoking the fires.

Eloise Chic Cuisine: A Romance

November 8, 2019

A girl cannot live on Mexican food alone. Well, not for more than five weeks, it seems. For a change of pace, I indulged in the French creations of Chef Abel Hernandez at Eloise Chic Cuisine. It was a brief but all-consuming romance to remember.

Fonda Fina: A Paradox Perfected

November 6, 2019

Within the cozy atmosphere of Fonda Fina, there is a treasure trove of Mexican delights, each interpreted beautifully by the hand of Chef Juan Carbera Barrón. For diners wishing to sample hallmark flavors from across the country, Fonda Fina is at the top of my list in Mexico City.

Two heads are better than one

August 16, 2019

De Cabeza is making the gutsy move of showcasing the succulence of peri-cranial carne for an American audience. Tongue, brain, eyes, oh my!

The Making of Lamb Barbacoa: Superstition, Sacrifice, and Suspense

August 6, 2019

This is my story of how one short-haired black lamb taught me that when cooking begins with an animal sacrifice, you have no choice but to strive for perfection.

Discovering the Twin City Taco Trove

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July 16, 2019

Every major city in the US is harboring a taco-trove. Some are brightly adorned, mariachi-infused tourist destinations but others are low-key neighborhood collectives sharing century-old family recipes from every corner of Mexico. In either case, a day of exploration is a day well spent. Minneapolis/St. Paul did not disappoint!

Chef Chats

Chef Martín San Román

June 29, 2018

Martín San Román, Chef Consultant and Executive Chef, Dobson's, San Diego, CA

Chef Ismael Iglesias Esquivias

June 28, 2018

Executive Chef, Restaurante Rita, San Sebastian, Spain

Chef Carlos Ramirez Roure

January 13, 2018

Chef/Co-Owner, Sucre i Cacao Pastisseria, Mexico City, Mexico

Chef Christian Hererra

January 12, 2018

Chef, Asador Campestre at Casa Frida, Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico

Chef Felipe Bertin Rodríguez

January 12, 2018

Private Chef, San Jose del Cabo, Mexico

Chef Luis Armando Mukul

January 3, 2018

Chef, Gastro Bar by Martín Berasategui, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Recipes

Essentials • Small Bites • Soups/Stews • Salads • Entrees • Sauces • Desserts • Beverages • All Recipes

Tinga de Pollo Tostadas

March 25, 2020

The first mention of Tinga came in 1881, when dish was prepared by stewing the viscera and the blood of the pork with chipotle chile, onion and tomato, and eaten with fresh cheese and avocado. My version is mercifully less authentic. There are as many recipe variations for Tinga as there are cooks in Mexico. I've added a couple warm spice elements to the sauce but if you have nothing more than tomatoes (canned are fine!), chipotles (also canned) and onion, you will achieve tasty Tinga.

Verdolagas en Salsa Verde con Carne de Cerdo (Purslane in green sauce with pork)

June 30, 2015

Few dishes deliver more flavor with so little effort. Locating the verdolagas will be the hardest part of making this incredible purslane and port stew in salsa verde.

Salsa Verde San Román

June 29, 2015

I could spend the rest of my life learning what Chef Martin San Román, trained in France and a past competitor in the Bocouse d'Or culinary competition, knows about gastronomy. But, for now, I will happily enjoy his simply delicious raw salsa verde.

Hazelnut Butter

June 29, 2015

With the right equipment, it is a cinch to make your nut butters. Make almond butter to enrich your smoothies, fresh peanut butter or even hazelnut butter for a mouth-watering lava cake.

Carajillo

June 29, 2015

A Carajillo is a shaken cocktail served over ice made with espresso and Liqueur 43 – a vanilla-flavored elixir with an aroma as intoxicating as the alcohol itself. It is perfect as a digestive or to prepare for a long night ahead.

Tortilla de patata (Spanish Omelette)

June 27, 2015

Unless you were raised in Spain, the name of this dish probably has you picturing a breakfast burrito. Not even close. In this case, tortilla refers to the technique of pan cooking a “cake” of mouth-watering confit potato slices and onion bound by custardy eggs.

3 Keys to Success

Workplan

Eliminate facepalm moments that discourage even seasoned cooks by learning to make a fail-proof workplan.

Tips

Learn professional tricks of the trade that are game changing to the success and happiness of a home cook.

Lingo

Stumped by kitchen speak, technical jargon and foreign cuisine? Master the lingo and mystify your dinner guests.

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