In January, we took our shopping bags and some of you to the Mercado de Jamaica, one of Mexico Cooks! favorite Mexico City markets. Not only is the produce section of this wonderful market home to a huge variety of delightful signs (this one, referring to the price for tomate verde (tomatillos), means, "Lady, don't even talk about it!"), but the main part of the Mercado de Jamaica is the city's wholesale flower market. Seasonal changes in the flowers we see there include gorgeous nochebuenas (poinsettias) at Christmas, cempazúchitl (enormous marigolds) for Day of the Dead in November, and roses of every color all year long.
For the Día de La Candelaria (Candlemas Day) on February 2, the Mercado de la Merced offers a huge selection of Niños Dios (Holy Child) figures and the clothing to dress them. This particular outfit depicts El Santo Niño Doctor de los Enfermos (the Holy Child, Doctor to the Sick), with his stethoscope, his doctor's bag, and his white uniform. There are hundreds of other costumes for Him as well. Each year, February 2 marks the official ending of the Christmas season; the Baby Jesus, dressed in his new clothing, goes to church to be blessed. He is then either stored away until the following Christmas or he's placed on his own golden throne in a private home.
In March 2013, we prepared chilaquiles con huevo (chilaquiles with egg), a simple, home-style breakfast classic much eaten at Mexico Cooks!' house. Whether you want a filling breakfast or a simple comida (midday meal), these few ingredients make a tasty and popular combination.
Rajas de chile poblano con crema (strips of poblano chiles with cream) was our traditional dish for April. These large, beautiful chiles are generally not particularly spicy, but their flavor packs a terrific punch for a different kind of side dish for your table. If you haven't tried them yet, the recipe is simple and your family will love it.
May 2013 took you and Mexico Cooks! all over Mexico City. One of our favorite pastimes is giving Mexico Cooks! readers glimpses of daily life in this huge city and letting you see things that will broaden your vision of Mexico. This mariachi member is the vihuela (a stringed instrument) player along the canals of Xochimilco.
In June, dichos de la cocina (kitchen sayings) took center stage. Here in Mexico, there's a saying to fit any situation, and sayings from the kitchen are no exception. Each of them has at least two meanings, the literal and the not-so-literal. One of my favorites is Guajolote que se sale del corral, termina en mole. The turkey that gets out of the yard ends up in mole.
Ricardo Muñoz Zurita's restaurant Azul/Condesa called out to us in July--not to mention several other times during the course of 2013. This dish, buñuelos de pato rostizado con mole negro (small crunchy fried dough filled with roast duck and drizzled with black mole), is on the menu as a main course, but we often share it among three or four diners as an appetizer.
During three weeks in August, Mexico Cooks! focused on Oaxaca. These three articles were a down-memory-lane look at a wonderful trip dating to June 2011.
In September, we featured the ultimate taste of Mexican pork: these are tacos al pastor (marinated pork, grilled to order on the trompo (vertical spit). The meat is cut from the spit and knife-flicked into warm tortillas, along with a sliver of roast pineapple, for delicious tacos. This fellow, cooking on Calle Uruguay in Mexico City's Centro Histórico, loves what he does!
October found us in a most unusual place: an international dog show, right here in Mexico City. This little wire-hair terrier named Thor really captured my heart, and his picture gave everyone who saw it a big smile. Such a cheery guy!
Early November brings Noche de Muertos (Night of the Dead) to all of Mexico. This spiritual calling-home of those who have gone before is particularly lovely in the state of Michoacán. Mexico Cooks! was fortunate to be invited on a private tour of small cemeteries, accompanied by dear friends.
To close out the year, we re-visited Doña Lolita and learned a lot about the joy of making (and breaking!) piñatas. We loved visiting her and hearing her tell the traditions of her long life as a piñatera (piñata maker).
Mexico Cooks! will be on the go again in 2014. Of course YOU are always welcome to join us on a tour especially designed for your personal needs. Let us know what we can offer you!
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