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All food was peasant food once. Cuisines are not static things. They develop and change. There's nothing inherent to Mexican food that would keep it from being upscale anymore than French. At one level, it's just a matter of perception. There's no reason why a tamale should be given less prestige than a souffle. There's no reason why a tortilla should be regarded as less than a crepe. There's no reason why a pico de gallo should be passed over for a tapenade. Cocina mexicana has a great tradition of upscale ingredients: fish, shellfish, mushrooms, duck, venison, and so on. Plus, they have uniquely indigenous ingredients, such as corn, tomatoes, squash, and chiles. What else? Is Mexican food elaborate? Seen a list of mole ingredients? Is it elegant? It certainly can be. Quality ingredients? See above. Creative? Impeccable technique? An impressive reinterpretation through craft of the history of consumption? All depends on the chef. The first step is admitting that you have a problem, Mexican food doesn't. Perceive Mexican food as haute and it is. I think if you look at several of the menus out there for upscale Mexican places, you see the promise of the cuisine. That it doesn't always live up to the menu has less to do with the cuisine and more to do with the chef.

They are updated. eg, I think a lot of the dishes have been made leaner or at least have leaner options. I'm sure many of the other updates have more to do with necessities. There are also a decent number of new recipes.

You can see pics of Naia here: http://www.extramsg.com/modules.php?set_al...=view_photo.php Just click the next button to see more. Really, you might want to check out my most recent report from California that covers a couple days in the east bay as well. Plus, the east bay pics I have in general (just click on the thumbnails for bigger pics): Report: http://www.extramsg.com/modules.php?name=N...e=article&sid=8 Pics: http://www.extramsg.com/modules.php?set_al...=view_album.php And if you haven't been to the Berkeley Bowl, certainly go, just for the impressiveness.

We even get them in normal stores sometimes and in lots of Mexican markets in the summer. Last year at the Portland Farmer's Market, someone was selling them on the stem so you could keep them good in water. It was fabulous. Way cheap, too. Huge amounts for a $1. I haven't made many soups. It's too expensive normally. The canned up here are about $3 for a small can. I've had the soups in Mexico and they can be very good. Not sure exactly which ones. I really like a touch of squash blossom in many sauces, too. They add a really interesting flavor.

I just bought some queso Oaxaca today to make some squash blossom quesadillas. Now I just need to find out who's selling the fresh flor de calabaza this year. (Usually zucchini flower around here -- in Oregon.) Have you tried any soups? In Mazatlan, a popular antojito is the chorreada. It's a thick corn tortilla with cheese and carne asada. The thing that makes it good for summer is that it's often grilled. I'm not sure why they're called chorreada since chorrear means to drip or spill. Maybe that's what they do while you eat them. That I could understand.

I can't believe no one has recommended taking that car and doing a quick trip to Oakland. Vaya a Oakland! Really, the taquerias in Oakland are excellent. See here: http://www.extramsg.com/modules.php?name=N...ticle&sid=8#mxo A search for Fruitvale and Oakland on here or Chowhound should give you some results. Otherwise, look at Berkeley for Indian, if you like that. Also, I really second Cheeseboard. I've had a lot of pizza and Cheeseboard is my favorite. A little foofy to some, maybe, but excellent quality. Worth a wait in line. See this pic: http://www.extramsg.com/modules.php?set_al...=view_photo.php

Hawaii's bento is pretty similar to Oregon's. It's usually just a lot of rice in a rectangular plastic container with choice of entree (or mix of entrees) and a couple vegetables. This is, of course, the way the locals eat it. I'm sure in places like Honolulu there are real bento places. (Though I don't know what that means.) But bento like this serves as an alternative to the plate lunch, which has two scoops of rice, mac salad, and choice of entree.

1 C flour (AP or bread flour) 1/4 C lard (shortening works, but don't tell me) 1/4 tepid water Salt Basically the same recipe both Kennedy and Bayless use. You can cut the lard by as much as half (and you probably shouldn't add it all at once). But I like them fatty. Add the salt to the water to dissolve (about a 1/2 tsp). Integrate the lard into the flour, add the water (half at first) and combine. I like to use my hands to integrate the fat into the flour, but a Cuisinart works, too. I just think in the long run you're better off doing it by hand because you'll get a feel for it. You can melt the fat into the water instead, but I don't think that provides as good texture in the end, but it's much easier. It shouldn't be too sticky. You'll want to knead for 5 minutes until it's nice and elastic. Let it rest before using. Then roll out and stretch balls into tortillas and cook on medium high griddle (comal). Cast iron works excellent for this. Don't be afraid to let it cook, though it shouldn't take long. There should be mottled brown spots on it. Look at these: http://www.extramsg.com/modules.php?set_al...=view_photo.php btw, there is a recipe in the RecipeGullet: http://recipes.egullet.com/recipes/r820.html

Is this about some sort of real 'eel'...or is he using the word eel instead of mother?? Vinegar eels are nematodes, little worm-like creatures. We used to grow them in middle school and high school honors biology.

la otra carne blanca

Jaymes, you can actually use flavors in the "confit" method. You just have to be a little more careful. The first time I did it, I used orange juice and zest (actually, quartered oranges) and went ahead and fried using the same fat (at above 350). The oil was black by the time I was done. But subsequently it's been fine. You can either use two different sets of oil for the frying and simmering, or you can brown first, then simmer. People do the same thing for confit, adding flavors to the duck fat. Obviously it's not going to be the same, but then again, the water method isn't going to produce the same texture as the fat method. Pick your pleasure. Some flavors should be carried better by the fats, while some should be carried better by the water, too, I would think. I have no idea which would be which, though.

Thanks, Scott. Nice pics. I actually did a side-by-side comparison not too long ago, but didn't post so I wouldn't be dominating the thread. Essentially, I did the same method as you. I didn't want to complicate things with flavorings, etc. So I did straight lard cooked pork vs water cooked pork. I had a harder time getting the water to cook off and ended up simmering the water ones for about two hours, which was about the same as the fat simmered ones. That should make them more tender, though. At this point, without any frying, the "confit" carnitas were clearly better. However, there was still a step left, the frying to carmelize. After this step, the water-method got a lot better. My suspicion is that fat actually seeps into the fissures in the meat and lubricates them. Imo, the fried ones are still better (and I did confirm this with a blind taste test on my wife), but it's not such a difference that covered in salsa, on a sope, in enchiladas, or whatever, you'd really be able to tell, I don't think. However, this does lead me to believe that crisping using a method other than frying might make them too dry. So, I'd be really interested in someone doing a side-by-side comparison of fried vs broiled or something like that. I imagine they'd be just too dry broiled crisp to be to my liking, though I know a lot of people like their stuff lean. I'm still interested in getting a second opinion on the two major methods side-by-side, though. So whenever you have time (and take more great pics)....

Canita went out of business. According to the Willamette Week, it was because of problems with the building and they're looking for a new spot. Also, this from a Bite Club: Some others here: http://www.wweek.com/story.php?story=5179

Interesting. I know what's-her-bucket from Mother's is planning an Italian-American joint. Any links for the rumor?

You mean Essentials, Sharon?

I don't think there is any true Chicago style pizza in Portland. I haven't been able to find it. Some people play at the stuff making "deep dish", but it's no more deep dish, truly, than Godfather's or Pizza Hut's pan pizza, stuff like BJ's. It's really just thicker toppings, usually covered with cheese, and a thicker crust. But it's not the pastry/pie like crust and almost pot-pie nature of true Chicago deep dish, where you're busting your belly with two slices.

Thanks for posting Andrew's site, Jill. That's where I started a couple years ago and it still holds up as the best source of info on pizza in Portland, even if it tries to narrow itself to those that provide slices. I don't think I've ever disagreed with his assesments. PS Considering my face looks like a pepperoni pizza right now, I think I'll avoid taking you to the ravenous lines outside Escape. PPS Anyone willing to name their favorite pizza place of all time? For me, it's Cheeseboard in Berkeley. That's one of the few pizza places I am willing to wait my 15-30 minutes in line to eat, though they do have lots of "weird" toppings like feta. Mmm. I said God Damn... God Damn! (Sorry, I just watched Pulp Fiction the other day for the umpteenth time.)

Does the white stuff look like this: http://www.waynesthisandthat.com/eels.htm

Most people like Escape from NY and Hot Lips for NY style pizza in Portland. I've never had the issues with the "attitude" that some complain about at Escape. I happen to prefer it a little. On here, I'd say Hot Lips probably gets the nod usually. In a pinch, there's Pizza Schmizza which is challenging Starbucks for a store on every corner in town. But it's a step down, though still decent.

What were the costs for the cooking classes?

Masa does have one advantage if you're going to do it by hand...no gluten. You can work the stuff as much as possible. I've used two sheet pans back to back, two cutting boards, and some other methods for making tortillas without a press. Much easier than trying to roll them or hand pat them. Just try to apply even pressure quickly and put something such as plastic sheets between masa and the implement for flattening so it doesn't stick. Using something cast iron to push down one of the implements of pressing helps a lot. (If you ever buy a tortilla press get one of the heavy ones, not the light ones.)

Ditto on most of the points Mayhaw and Esperanza make. You might try something really simple if you like a "creamy spicy sauce", like mixing adobo or Bufalo's chipotle sauce with crema, sour cream, or even creme fraiche, heavy cream, mayo and water, or yogurt, depending on what you can find in Tokyo. For the corn tortillas, one thing people often don't do and I think they should, is let the masa rest after it's first hydrated. Hydrate it with tepid water, then let it rest in a covered bowl for 20 minutes or so, then add water until it's the correct consistency. It should feel almost like a soft cookie dough or moist playdough. In my opinion, too dry is worse than too wet.

Some pics (more here): 3 pumpkin porridge Lots of food Crispy-fried seaweed and sweet rice Ground cod Soup and chicken Tea and cookie

All you can do, really, though is talk about an ideal or talk about Portland relative to other places. All cities fall short of the ideal, but it doesn't mean people like us shouldn't be working towards it. Even great food cities like Chicago have Cheesecake Factories with 2 hour waits and longer. It's truly only the quantity and diversity of people in cities like NY and Chicago that make them look so much like the ideal. If you limited the number of people in those cities to the numbers in Portland and gave ourselves similar ethnic percentages, I think you'd find populations that are very similar in taste. Of course, that doesn't mean those aren't, overall, better food cities, just that Portlanders aren't any less, I don't think, adventurous or food conscious, really. There are just a lot more rich people to support places like Trio, Trotter's, and Tru, and more ethnicities to create a base for lots of great Indian restaurants, Mexican restaurants, etc. Portlanders seem to be a B+ when it comes to openess relative to others. We're probably worse at knowing what's good relative to others just because we don't have the size to have the competition. Things are improving in some areas, though. I think there's been a lot of improvement in Thai food over the last year or two.

I want the special treatment you get!