Archive for the ‘Food’ Category

Sazon Market Tour & Cooking Class

Monday, December 28th, 2009

Sazon Cooking School- Chef Fernando Padilla

Well, as many of you know, part of my goal in San Miguel is not just to eat the food, but learn to create it. So today was my first cooking class.

My landlord is a chef in the Bay Area- Agustin Gaytan- and he actually helped found the Sazon school. The class I took  was a market tour and then bringing back our finds & watching chef make several recipes, and then eating them.

The regular chef was on vaca, so they tapped Chef Padilla, of Hotel Atotnilco el Viejo, a very upscale resort just out of town. Chef Padilla has training from the Culinary Institute (the other CIA, in NY), great patience, and (thank goodness) a sense of humor.

He led us thru the whole market, introducing us to all kinds of unfamiliar foods, waiting for me to take photos & buy coconut meat (yum!) and answering all kinds of bizarre questions (where can I buy agave nectar?) (more…)

Mexican Hot Chocolate!

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009
Chocolate Johfrej in San Miguel

Chocolate Johfrej in San Miguel

Last night was the only time it’s rained since I’ve been here. In fact, there was quite a nice thunderstorm rolling thru the valley.

There was even a little rain today & some mist on the mountains, so a lot of people seem to have just stayed home.

For me, it was the perfect day to go exploring. The rain had stopped, but the temperature was great. So I took a taxi in to Centro & started wandering.

One thing I found was a wonderful chocolate shop. I was kind of peering in & a very suave Mexican gentleman on his way out told me to go on in- I wouldn’t regret it. He was certainly right! It’s not the sort of thing I could do every day, and thank goodness I’m not a chocolate fanatic like some. This was the best hot chocolate I’ve ever had.

All the cocoa used comes from nearby Tabasco (where our friend Cain is from) or Chiapas (which is where my favorite coffee originates.) There is just a hint of cinnamon, and maybe some vanilla as well, and it’s not overly sweet. The colorful bowl  has raw sugar for those who like it sweeter. Notice that the table has a glass top, and there are cocoa pods under it!

The same shop also has counters of chocolate candies & ice cream as well (The usual ice cream flavors plus tequila, coffee, and fruit of the day.) Here are more pictures.

I should mention that there’s a bookshop across the street. I have a feeling I’ll be haunting Calle Jesus quite a bit.

Buenos Tardes from San Miguel de Allende!

Thursday, December 3rd, 2009
Casita Garden

Casita Garden

Yes, dear readers, I finally made it! Got in last night after dark, and have set a new record for sleeping.

What am I doing in San Miguel? Here’s an article that explains it. And here’s where I’m staying. I’ll be adding more pix of my own here.

But mostly, I’m getting away from the snow, and experiencing a different culture. The kind where my landlord’s brother comes to fix the heater & stays to drink tea & tell me about his adventures in OK, being mistaken for a Choctaw Indian. And then goes back to work, across the street b/c that was his lunch break. (He’s a very fine artisan, with his own shop, who did a lot of the metalwork & furniture in the casita.) (more…)

A nice bowl of soup

Monday, November 2nd, 2009

Well, it’s going to get cold again. So I sat in the sun & read, raked some leaves (basically trying to clear a path to the front door from all the black walnuts) and made some split pea soup. Somehow fall just calls for a hearty soup, don’t you think?

Here’s my crockpot split pea soup, in case you want to cook along:

1# green split peas, rinsed
1 hambone or meaty hamhocks, or 2 C diced ham
3 carrots, peeled & diced
2 stalks of celery, w/leaves, chopped
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1/4 C parsley, chopped
Salt & Pepper to taste
6 C hot water

Put in crockpot in order listed. Don’t stir. High for 4-5 hrs or low for 8-10 hrs. You can add a little sherry @ serving time if you like it. (It’s better than it sounds.)