


Alaia: Where Mexico City Indulges in the Flavors of Spain
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
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
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
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
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.
Chef Chats

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

Chef Ismael Iglesias Esquivias
Executive Chef, Restaurante Rita, San Sebastian, Spain

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

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

Chef Felipe Bertin Rodríguez
Private Chef, San Jose del Cabo, Mexico

Chef Luis Armando Mukul
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
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)
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
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
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
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)
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
Eliminate facepalm moments that discourage even seasoned cooks by learning to make a fail-proof workplan.
Learn professional tricks of the trade that are game changing to the success and happiness of a home cook.
Stumped by kitchen speak, technical jargon and foreign cuisine? Master the lingo and mystify your dinner guests.
The Latest
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A cooking adventure at home: Beef Empanadas
/in Memories /by Jamie KellyI was heartsick from lack of travel during this seemingly endless pandemic until I realized that all the culinary adventure I need is right at home in Todos Santos, Baja California Sur. Join me as I share in the Ruiz family tradition of empanada night, where the family recipe includes teamwork, lots of muscle, and patience. The end result is something you simply cannot find any where else.