Mexico Cooks!: February 2008

Comments about Mexico Cooks!

Praise for Mexico Cooks!
Cristina Potters is the ultimate tour guide. She knows Mexico and its traditions, food and artesanías like no other. And she makes it so much fun. Take a trip with her. You will LOVE it! --Cathy Fetka, Jalisco, Mexico
Praise for Mexico Cooks!
We will never forget the tour of Michoacan you took us on. It was, and still is one of our most cherished memories of our life's travels to over 43 countries so far. Unbelievable! Amazing! Professionalism beyond compare, oh and your encyclopedic knowledge of Mexican history and culture is truly amazing. Love, Love, Love your tours! --Larry Orinovsky, Tucson, Arizona
Praise for Mexico Cooks!
Cristina Potters is for me the single most important person for inspiring love for and appreciation of México. Her food blog is justly one of the most famous and revered in the world but her influence extends way beyond that. She has spent decades tirelessly educating other expats and her ability to move seamlessly between cultures and to help any visitor to or resident of México appreciate and respect their good fortune is remarkable. And when it comes to speaking truth to power or defending the powerless you’ll never find a fiercer friend. All of which is to say if you enjoyed this post please spend hours reading her writing. She is a treasure. --Kevin Knox, Tucson, Arizona
Praise from Culinaria Mexicana:
"The most powerful English-language website in the world about Mexican cuisine is Mexico Cooks!, by the culinary writer Cristina Potters. She travels everywhere to investigate and bring the information to the world..." Culinaria Mexicana, http://www.culinariamexicana.com.mx
Praise from Puerto Vallarta Information:
"...the famous Mexican food writer from Morelia, Cristina Potters, who I consider to be right up there with Diana Kennedy and Rick Bayless..." Puerto Vallarta Information, Our Vallarta.
Praise from Susana Trilling, Seasons of My Heart
"It was inspiring to be around all your knowledge and network of wonderful people that you got together to show us the magic of Michoacán! I can see why you love it so much. Not only is it physically beautiful but the spirit of the people is engaging and contagious. We left feeling so well received and in awe of the talent of Michoacanos, and we felt that we learned so much! ! Everyone at the school was impressed by the dulces [candies] and the artesanías [arts and crafts] we brought back. If it hadn't been for you, we never could have seen and done so much...You are incredible!"...Susana Trilling, Seasons of My Heart, Oaxaca.
Praise from El Mural, Guadalajara:
Mexico Cooks! has been featured in: --Lonely Planet Mexico --The New York Times --Afar Travel Magazine --Time Out Mexico --The London Times --El Mural, Guadalajara --South China Daily Post --and travel websites all over the world!
Praise from Tony Burton, Geo-Mexico:
"Cristina - the support and good wishes of Mexico aficionados/experts such as yourself is sincerely appreciated. I am in total awe of your amazing blog which has to rate as one of the all-time most fascinating displays of Mexico-related knowledge, erudition and insight ever compiled - surely, a book must follow!"...Tony Burton, author, Geo-Mexico (release date January 2010) and Western Mexico, A Traveller's Treasury (1992).
"Looking at your website and viewing the images of the the people, places the food, truly bring back fond memories of my childhood. For that I thank you. Your blog is making Michoacán call out to me. I truly thank you for what you're doing with your page, hopefully we'll meet someday if I make it to "God's Country" in Mexico. My mother's beautiful Michoacan! I truly think it's time..." Ollie Malca
"Thank you for your truly insightful, intelligent website! Few are so thoughtful and well researched as yours. I'm hooked! Each and every article is just fantastic! I look forward to reading many more posts, please keep them coming! xo"...MexChic
Praise from the South China Morning Post:
"American-born Cristina Potters, like British cookbook writer Diana Kennedy who preceded her, looks at the cuisine of her adopted country with the fresh eyes of an immigrant but also with the knowledge of a long-time resident of Mexico..." South China Morning Post, 6/24/09
Praise from Lonely Planet Mexico Guide:
"American-born Cristina Potters is a food writer living in Morelia, Michoacán. Her web page is the most compelling and well-informed site about Mexican food and culture to be found on the web. Cristina writes weekly about food and drink, art, culture and travel."...Lonely Planet Mexico Guide, 2009.

Books, Music, Equipment

Tom Gilliland: Fonda San Miguel: Forty Years of Food and Art
It was my privilege to write new text and re-write other text for this lovely new version of stories and recipes from Fonda San Miguel, Austin, TX. If you only want to add one new Mexico cookbook to your shelves this year, let it be this one! Tom Gilliland, Miguel Rávago, and the entire Fonda San Miguel team will make your home kitchen a showplace of fine Mexican cooking. (*****)
Sandra A. Gutierrez: Latin American Street Food: The Best Flavors of Markets, Beaches, and Roadside Stands from Mexico to Argentina
Want street food without leaving your own kitchen? Buy the book and make it yourself!
David Sterling: Yucatán: Recipes from a Culinary Expedition (The William and Bettye Nowlin Series in Art, History, and Culture of the Western Hemisphere)
A truly brilliant book--beautiful and easy to use. Get it. (*****)
Betty Fussell: The Story of Corn
Think you know about corn and its history? Betty Fussell's book is chock-a-block with stories, laughter (who would have thought!) and everything you need to know to understand the critical importance of corn in the life of the world. (*****)
Roberto Santibanez: Truly Mexican: Essential Recipes and Techniques for Authentic Mexican Cooking
Truly Mexican is truly wonderful, a terrific cookbook to start or add to an English-language collection of Mexican recipe books. The recipes are, as the title says, truly Mexican. Chef Roberto Santibáñez gives us the gift of honest Mexican food on our tables! (*****)
Earl Shorris: The Life and Times of Mexico
Without question the best history of Mexico that I have ever read. Shorris deftly leads the reader from before the Christian era to the Fox administration in a way that opens our minds and eyes to Mexico as it really is. (*****)

February 2008

February 23, 2008

Indigenous Market: Color and Craft in San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas

Hand made woolen animal toys at the San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, artisans' market.

Mexico Cooks! is home again in Morelia, Michoacán. We have just enough oomph left to give you a photo essay from San Cristóbal de las Casas. You'll have a brief but very colorful idea of what we saw during our stay with friends in Chiapas. By next week we will have had enough respite from our vacation to write about local customs, incredible crafts, and, of course, the food.

Every day of the week, indigenous artesanía (crafts) makers and vendors gather to wait for the tourist trade in the plaza of Templo Santo Domingo in San Cristóbal de las Casas. Embroidery and other textiles, leather goods, beads, toys, and trinkets of every kind are on the sellers' tables. Mexico Cooks! was particularly taken with how many of the artisans' goods march along in patterns of vertical and horizontal stripes. Be sure to click on the individual photographs to appreciate the details.

Come look:

Bright yellow-dyed corn and colored beans strung as necklaces.