EatNopales

BTW, while I am doing with the Blog posts phase I am happy to keep answering any questions you might have today or tomorrow before our next blogger gets going.

Another note on the Stats worksheet.. when I translated the terms in 2007 I was very incorrectly labeling "Criollo" varieties as Wild... some of the produce would be Wild but the vast majority of the time in this context Criollo means "domestic Mexican heirloom varietal" because the large quantity of Heirloom varietas and the relatively small quantities the Central's management decides to roll up all heirlooms into a single category.

In Mexico, "Socialist" programs are used to enable Pure Capitalism in the food distribution business? What? Most municipalities in Mexico offer a tax payer subsidized Central Market with under market rents which basically compels wholesale food vendors to sell side by side at the lowest possible, yet profitable, prices for consumer benefits... the Pure Capitalism that Adam Smith waxed poetic on. In contrast, in the U.S. food distribution is much more fragmented with each major chain running their own, and using other factors... marketing, convenience, comfort etc., to see food for "abnormal" gross profits. Clearly biased writers (pontificating on behalf of large corporate interests) on the States have written quite extensively in recent years about the rampant success of Walmart, Costco, Carrefour & others in Mexico... and how the traditional Markets of Mexico are a failure etc., Yet even while holding out Walmart & Costco as the ideals they admit that the traditional Mercados offer better produce at lower prices... so instead of the "inherent superiority" of Megamarket approach (which in the U.S. is almost solely justified on the example that Walmart & gang are the low cost leaders)... what one can discuss is that for many middle class Mexicans.. the time value of convenience, the comfort of the shopping space etc., is worth more than getting better produce at lower prices... fair enough. Mexico City's Central de Abastos is the self proclaimed largest retail market in the world. Sprawling over 800 acres (34.5 Million Square Feet) in the Southern part of the City (really a small contained city in its own right) it is the distribution point for almost every bit of produce sold by independent stores, mercado stalls, street vendors & restaurants in the city & nearby municipalities. Every morning produce is harvested on farms located within 500 miles of Mexico City... every night that produce arrives at the Central and is unloaded... the professional buyers arrive before dawn, serious home cooks & small restaurant operatins in the mid morning, bargain hunters right before & after Comida... overripe produce is cleared out for the next day's shipment. The blistering pace of this produce distribution / reincarnation life system is the reason why you almost always find perfect, dead ripe tomatoes, avocados & oranges at almost any market, of any town with paved roads in Central Mexico. Back in 2007, I received from the market's Director a spreadsheet of statistics on produce grown in Mexico & sold at the Central de Abastos... I have translated the names & organized into my own categories.. this list should give you a good empirical sense of what mainstream urban Mexicans are buying for their meals. Then a way to keep up with Contemporary Mexican cuisine is to do an advanced Google search for recipes withing .mx domains for said ingredient. For example you are curious what people are doing in Mexico with Alcachofas (Artichokes): http://www.google.com/search?q=alcachofa+receta+site%3A.mx&hl=en&biw=1600&bih=756&num=10&lr=&ft=i&cr=&safe=images&tbs= Recipes such as Dip de Alcachofa, Alcachofa estilo Arabe, Alcachofa en vinagreta de Parmesano are clearly attempts at recreating foreign classics.. but you also find some domestic gems... Alcachofa Gratinada al Chipotle etc., Remember all these pages can be easily translated to English when you use the Google Chrome browser.. and of course recipes by homecooks on sites like Recetas.com.mx might be more intersting (from an "authenticity" perspective) than something from a Publication or Chef. Central de Abastos Stats (2007) Well this post concludes my food week in the life of EatNopales blog.. I hope you enjoyed what I had to offer, and if you ever need the services of a brilliant Finance & Information Executive / Consultant please keep me in mind. I am also available for Children's Parties, Quinceaneras & Bar Mitzvahs (no circumcision requests please). P.S.... a few items on the Stats are strange.. namely the huge quantity of Barley & Sorghum... in a follow up email I discovered that the Central also process grain for livestock... so the vast majority of those greens are for cattle feed.. however they are used in Mexican cooking to some extent.

Last Night's Dinner Mrs. Nopales roasted bone in chicken breast (350F, Skin Up, 45 minutes) For Chicken Caesar Salad Great... how is this guy going to spin Caesar Salad into a Mexican dish you might be thinking. You all know it was invented in Mexico right? Food writers tend to discount its invention in Mexico as an accident, and when you consider that more people in Canada (for pie sake) know & have eaten Caesar Salad than in Mexico, and that Tijuana is physically closer to Vancouver B.C. (1,412 miles) than it is to Mexico City (1,716 miles) it would certainly seem like an easy case to make. More than a decade before it was known as Caesar's Salad, it was called Ensalada de Aviadores... Airmen's Salad which is very interesting given that Alex Cardini, brother, had been in the Italian Air Force before relocating to Mexico. Alex is particularly interesting because prior to joining his brother at Caesar's Place in Tijuana circa 1927 he had been a well known chef at the Hotel Penafiel in Tehuacan, Puebla (a town of hot springs that was a primary weekend jaunt for Mexico City elite at the time... now it is more of a blue collar weekend getaway). By the late 30's, Caesar salad had become very popular with the Hollywood jet set & Caesar moved to Los Angeles where he opened a Gourmet Store to sell his sauce... and Alex in turn returned to Mexico City where he was a celebrated chef open three restaurants. Alex's story is vital in this thread because he is credited, by prominent Italo-Mexican food historians such as Giorgio D'Angeli (author of Larousse de la Cocina Mexicana & a major player in Slow Food Mexico and the number of Slow Foodesque food movements that have existed in Mexico since the 1970's)... with having popularized the Italo-Mexican dishes that regularly show up on Mexico City menus today and which are now part of the cooking lexicon of everyday Mexican cooks... Ravioliin Creamy Poblano Sauce, Huitlacoche Lasagna, spicy Carpaccios, Milanesas etc., etc., Another interesting thread in this story is the original name... Aviadores. The Alex Cardini side of the family alleges that Alex named in honor of his follow Italian Air Force mates who lived in Tijuana and regularly patronized Caeasar's Place.. which brings is the city's Italian roots. Before Prohibition, Tijuana was a very small town adjacent & deriving its name from Rancho Tijuana. It was actually Americans, the same people who "invented" / developed Los Angeles, that bought up most of the land of Rancho Tijuana & developed it into to a playground of the Hollywood elite. Tijuana doesn't really doesn't seem to have much Mexican roots... consider at this time people of Chinese ancestry outnumbered people of Mexican or Spanish ancestry in Mexicali... and similarly the area south of Rancho Tijuana (Rosarito, Ensenada etc.,) was a prominent Italian immigrant region... further south there were prominent Japanese fishing settlements. But the Chinese & Japanese influence is for another day... the point I want to make is that Ceasar's Place sourced all their ingredients locally... wines being made by the Cetto family (today the largest producer of the Baja wine region), Parmesan & other cheeses (Baja has a wide range of world class cheese today made by 4th generation immigrants), Olive Oil (Baja Olive Oil is similarly in demand by connoisseurs), the produce, the pasta etc., Today, Tijuana's most prominent Chef-Restaurateur is Javier Plascencia whose maternal grandfather grew up in one of these Baja Italian communities making the cheeses & pastas used at Ceasar's & other Italian restaurants in the area. He later went on to establish the most iconic Pizza houses in Tijuana... and now Javier is creating absolutely cutting edge, world class cuisine at his many restaurants in the area... most impressive at Mission 19 where he sources the best ingredients from Farmer's Markets within a 100 mile radius on BOTH sides of the Border. Once referred to as "Mexico's Toilet" by the Mexico City literati and mercilessly mocked in the U.S., Tijuana is a very interesting place, neither fully Mexican nor North American, a chaotic blend of identities, sounds & aesthetics.. home to some of the greatest, "natural" vs. forced Chef attempts, proven by time to be classic fusion food on the planet.. Caesar Salad is just the tip of the iceberg... Tostadas de Erizo (Sea Urchin Roe), Ensenada Fish tacos, Baja Steakhouses from the 1920s (Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignon served with Guacamole), Shark Fin tacos at "Mexburger" in Mexicali's China Town.. the list goes on & on. If the Michelin guide over gets its head out of.... and reviews the Tijuana-Ensenada-Wine Country region people will be shocked how many Michelin Stars will be awarded. Check it out if you have a chance. Final thoughts on the Ceasar Salad - Mexico legacy... you can put together a damn fine 7 course meal with all the classic Italianesque & Italo-Mexican fusion dishes created in Mexico since 1880 when the first ship loaded with Northern Italian immigrants landed in the port of Tamaulipas.

It wasn't my intent! Or was it? So this is Lola's? I'd heard it was in Petaluma but now I'm figuring out it was Petamula Road and maybe i wasn't listening. It's incredible. Is it easy to get to off the freeway? I hear there's an incredible superstore in Vallejo as well. Not Lola's but something else. We are lucky. Yes sir that is Lola's... it is on Petaluma Hill Rd. near the Sonoma County Fairgrounds: http://maps.google.com/maps/place?q=Lola's+Market,+Petaluma+Hill+Road,+Santa+Rosa,+CA&hl=en&cid=5903594520822939758 There is another Lola's smack in the middle of the Roseland Barrio which is Santa Rosa's "Little Mexico"... a place where you can find upwards of half a dozen Tamale & Atole carts on any chilly morning... and half a block away from that Lola's is Rancho Mendoza... which are both great little stores in their own right... they are smaller & more chaotic than Lola's on Petaluma Hill Rd... but usually have fresher produce & more variety of the more interesting stuff. For example if I want Hoja Santa, Huitlacoche, Quail, Rabbit, Trout I will go those markets instead. http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Roseland,++Santa+Rosa,+CA&hl=en&ll=38.430354,-122.726354&spn=0.001469,0.00327&sll=38.429631,-122.729228&sspn=0.026007,0.044717&t=h&vpsrc=6&fll=38.430221,-122.726786&fspn=0.001469,0.00327&z=19 Come over the hill some day & we can go on a Roseland crawl... there are even some places with damn good Michoacan style Ice Creams & a guy from Guadalajara selling Jericallas baked in clay pots.

I never finished the "Market Tour" portion of the blog so here goes... Prepared Foods, Spices & some Dry Goods

Well, that puts my picture to shame

Come on down.. Sonoma / Napa is lovely most times of the year... plenty of good food to share here. Don't tell anyone but the Camarones Borrachos (Shrimp in Tequila-Guajillo-Arbol sauce at El Michoacano is fantastic)

Lunch with friend & e-gulleteer Rancho Gordo at La Mixteca in Napa "Faux Chicharron" Preparado (Shredded Cabbage, Pickled Pig Skin, Salsa Mexicana / Pico de Gallo, Avocado Slices, Drizzle of Crema sitting on a freshly fried Durito i.e., wheat pasta instead of fried pig skin) RG went with the Oaxacan Mole Coloradito (a brown mole in the same genre as Poblano) served over Chicken with Arroz & Frijoles I went with their Mole de Olla (Beef Shank, Guajillo-Xoconostle broth, Calabacitas, Green Beans, Chayote, lots of Cilantro & Parsley simmered in the broth, freshly made Tortillas) Here is a close up of the luscious meat, tendon & marrow (although by the time I took the photo I had gotten all the marrow into a tortilla) Also had a refreshing Canteloupe Agua Fresca. I was ready to burst at this point so no dessert (which was Strawberries & Crema on that day) Solid Mom & Pop shop situated across the street from Napa High School... such a waste though the vast majority of their customer base are high school kids showing up for burritos & snacks. If you are in Napa.. this would be a delicious, wholesome, easy for the pocketbook alternative to the 4 star restaurants. Incidentally their house specialty are the Costillas en Chileajo... luscious spareribs and a to die for garlicky guajillo-sesame sauce that you would want to drink by the pint... stop by Ceja Vineyards on the way to get some of their Bella Flor rose to pair with either the Ribs or the Mole de Olla. If you are not into wine... then a Sour Lambic would be interesting with the Soup, or a rich Belgian ale with the Chileajo. If you are wondering about Xoconostles.. they are a sour variety of prickly pear that is a common soup, mole & salsa ingredient in Hidalgo, Guanajuato & the Lower Mixteca regions of Guerrero & Oaxaca. You can see them in my market photos above the cactus paddles:

For dinner I pulled some of the leftover Fried Green Tomatoes (not exactly beautiful at this point), served them with the Pipian Rojo I had made for the book club, and took some leftover Quinoa... tossed with Ponzu, Sesame Seed Oil, lots of Pistachios & sliced Apples (I imagine this sounds strange, but is quite tasty on its own and was a fine pairing for the other elements of the dish). As I was finishing up my entree I heard the toaster oven "ding"... so I pulled my little attempt at a Nicautole / Custard hybrid... quite pretty I thought: After unmolding it I decided it needed to be jazzed up a bit, so I went into the pantry and came up with: I tossed the chopped banana with a little Banana Vinegar imported from Veracruz (by our friend Rancho Gordo), drizzled everything some Clover honey, sprinkling of honey roasted peanuts, sea salt & black pepper. The dish was not perfect as is but has a lot of promise... once I get the recipe down & experiment with the garnishes I think it will be quite nice.

Last night Mrs Nopales had a book club outing so we made a couple of small plates for that: Graveinstein Apples, Chevre, Crispy Sage, Walnuts, Honey & drizzle of Sage infused Olive Oil, Lemon Juice, Honey vinaigrette We also made a little "paleta" of roasted butternut squash cube on a stick, dipped in Pipian Rojo (which she assembled on site). Ingredients for the pipian: For the kiddos I made Grilled Cheese sandwiches & slices of Gravenstein apple with drizzle of Cajeta As was pondering what I would have for dinner... I had an extra Ancho chile that had been toasted & soaked... hmm what to do with it?

Beans... I did the Rancho Gordo method... soften onions and garlic in the fat, then add water and beans.

Thanks... I appreciate the contribution!

Yup.. the first time I saw pictures of Cahokia artifacts I thought these people must have had contact with Mayan... having read up on it quite a bit since then.. there is very little doubt that the Mayans or Huaxtecans were heavily involved at Cahokia... the ritual sacrific, "pyramid" building, the intense focus on astronomical observation, the accurate solar calendar, the timing... Cahokia emerged a century after the demise of Highland Maya cities & their artistic style - the Mayans & Huaxtecans had a unique style different than the Aztecs / Mexica, Otomi / Toltec, Zapotecs etc.... what are the odds that a completely unrelated group 1,000 miles away would independently invent a Mayanesque style? After the demise of Highland Maya civilization in Chiapas & Central America we see the emergence of Lowland Maya civilization in Yucatan.. is it too farfetched that some Maya pushed northward until they found the lush soil of the Mississippi River Valley? Or perhaps with the Maya pushing into the Yucatan & Veracruz around 600 AD... as the Huaxtecans prospered maybe the Huaxtecans chose to grow northward to avoid a major conflict? They were already as far north as Tamaulipas... maybe Cahokia was a trading colony that grew to be its own City-State?

I am in the mood to hear myself speak so I want to address wine. Most people think of Margaritas or Beer when thinking of Mexican cuisine... let me tell you a couple of things that will surprise you... The first winery in Mexico was established in 1597 Mexico produces (and drinks) more Brandy than Tequila The first brewery in Mexico was established in 1860 Casa Madero established in 1597 is producing award winning wines today.. but was object of persecution by the Spanish crown during colonial times. The wines from Casa Madero were successful that the criollos (Spaniards born in the New World) stopped importing wines from Spain which royally ticked off the king... this was a time when the expected order of things was... Colonies export Gold, Silver & other valuable raw materials to Europe, Europe uses technology to turn raw materials into something exportable to be sent to the new rich of the Americas so those in Europe could also become new rich. The Wine industry was hamstrung for centuries but has made a come back over the last 100 years... Mexico now produces (albeit small quantities) award winning wines that are starting to find an identity independent of European & California wine traditions. One of the most successful varietals in the salty soils of Baja's wine industry is the Chenin Blanc... unoaked, a dry chenin blanc is a brilliant grape to pair with the complex, deep, often spicy flavors of traditional Mexican cuisine. It is nearly impossible to get Mexican wines where I live, nor would it make sense given the abundance of Sonoma & Napa wines... the Dry Creek unoaked Chenin Blanc, although lacking in the characteristic minerality & brine of the Baja terroir, is similar to what they are doing there & a fantastic, unobtrusive wine to pair with Mexican cuisine particularly when you want to avoid the syrupy, sweet Rieslings & other stuff that is traditionally suggested for Mexican, Thai & Indian food. Incidentally... Queretaro which lies just north of Mexico City is a major producer of sparkling wines in Mexico... and let me tell from the first time I was served a queso fresco sope paired with local sparkling at a downmarket bar in Mexico City's Centro Historico... I have been completely sold on the Sparkling Wine - Masa based Antojio pairing... give it a try you wont be disappointed. Trust me you don't want to pair, good, hand crafted Mexican cooking with Margaritas... I like Margaritas and drink them somewhat regular as a cocktail... but please make yourself a palette cleanser and serve yourself something that pairs adequately with whatever you will have.

I am in the mood to hear myself speak so I want to address wine. Most people think of Margaritas or Beer when thinking of Mexican cuisine... let me tell you a couple of things that will surprise you... The first winery in Mexico was established in 1597 Mexico produces (and drinks) more Brandy than Tequila The first brewery in Mexico was established in 1860 Casa Madero established in 1597 is producing award winning wines today

Hmmm Turtle Pie... I'm game

Earlier in my blog I have mentioned the 8,000 year culinary history of Mexico, and the term Milpa. For the benefit of those who live on another continent and are only remotely aware of Mexican food traditions... In my personal opinion, Mexican cuisine / gastronomic tradition was born the day that people in Southern Mexico first figured out agriculture. Until proven otherwise.. it was circa 6,000 B.C. that nomadic tribes in Oaxaca domesticated Cucurbita better known as Squash, Pumpkin, Zucchini & new world Gourds. In effect, every single Squash, Pumpkin or Zucchini consumed anywhere in the world today.. whether it is Kabosha Pumpkin in Japan, green Squash in the Philippines, Zucchini in Italy, Butternut Squash... you name it.. all these descend from the first cultivars in Oaxaca about 8,000 years ago and then quickly spread to other continents in the 16th & 17th centuries. Over the next several thousand years the ancient peoples of Mexico continued experimenting with various plants and perfected agriculture. The major break through came when they bred the inedible, thumb size Teosintle in modern Corn. Somewhere between 3,000 BC & 4,000 B.C. the proto Mayan peoples of Eastern Mexico (Veracruz & Yucatan Peninsula) figured out that if you intercrop Squash / Pumpkin with Beans & Corn you get a sustainable farming system that produces ALOT of nutritious food... this system is of course the Milpa. The first high civilization of the Americas, the Olmecs of Veracruz, emerged in 1,500 BC enabled by the Milpa. Shortly thereafter they exported their technology North, West & South.. influencing as far away peoples as the Pre-Inca populations of Ecuador & Peru. Cacao (Chocolate) is actually native to the Amazon not to Mexico, but it was in Mexico where these early agronimically advanced civilizations figured out the complex process of turning indedible Cacao beans into the delicious indulgence we know today. Similarly the Tomato is native to the North Amazon not Mexico... but it was in Mexico where it was first cultivated & bred to be the tomatoes we know today. In fact, the Zebra tomatoes so popular with the heirloom seeking, farmer market fashionistas is one of the oldest known cultivars & a native of Oaxaca. Mexico is also the birthplace of Vanilla cultivation & elaboration..... as well as Chiles of the Capsicum family... many of the world's favorite flavors & foods originated in Mexico and are a foundation of the cuisine. Think about it for a second... 500 years there were no Zucchinis or Tomatoes in Italy, there were no Chiles in Thailand or India, there was no Chocolate in Belgium, no Vanilla in France, no Beans in Provence or Sicily.... all these foods (and many more) are the legacy of an 8.000 year agricultural & gastronomic tradition. Elaborating a bit on the Milpa and how all the plants help each other, the soil & achive astonishing yields.... Corn stalks provide the pole for beans to grow on, beans replenish the nitrogen that corn depletes from the soil, squash / pumpkin / zucchini providing soil stability... beans have the lysine missing in corn's amino acid profiles... squash seeds are high quality protein & source of essential fatty acids etc.,... aggresive growing edible greens (known in Mexico as quelites) as well as tomatillo milpero encouraged to colonize the system crowding out inedible weeds... chiles & other strong aromatics planted throghout to discourage cerrtain pests. The Milpa is an ancient organic, VERY HIGH YIELD farming (the yields of the Milpa rival those of very intensive factory farming)... read the fascinating article below for other examples of modern Milpa methods. The nutritional yield of the Milpa is so high, that such a mountainous country like Mexico (Afghanistan & Mongolia have got nothing on Mex) with really poor soil defied all odds and improbably became the seat of advanced ancient civilizations and accomplished some of the highest population densities in the history of man kind (even today the population density of the Yucatan, Chiapas & Guatemala absolutely pales to the population density during the height of Mayan civilization). http://blogs.worldwatch.org/nourishingtheplanet/the-forest-gardens-of-quintana-roo-mexico-irrigation-fertilizer-farmers-agriculture-culture-drought-education-food-security-hunger-income-innovation-tradition-trees-water-nourishing-the-planet/

Thanks! Roasted Calabacitas (Mex zucchini), heirloom tomatoes from our garden, chopped jalapeno, chopped cilantro, squeeze of lime, course sea salt.

Incidentally, the Zarco bean variety comes from San Jose de Iturbide in Guanajuato state; the beautiful olla is handcrafted, lead-free, in the Alta Mixteca region of Puebla (near the Oaxaca border) and is also a Rancho Gordo import (I would recommend pre-ordering one from them) The beans may look simple but the dish is so delicious... I would not trade good beans for a steak. Nopalitos a la Mexicana is such an iconic dish in Central Mexico... almost always served if they are in season. But what do Mexicans do when Nopales are not available? You find something else do prepare "a la Mexicana"... the primary substitutes are Ejotes (Green Beans), Calabacitas (Zucchini), Quelites (Wild Greens) & Cauliflower... however Eggplant is also used regionally in Sinaloa (where most of the country's eggplant bounty is grown) as well as in Xalapa, Puebla & Merida where Eggplant is stocked in the mercados for the benefit of Lebanese immigrants. So Darienne if you can't source Nopales... don't sweat it, use some beautiful local Green Beans instead. Parboil them them macerate with white onion, chopped jalapenos / serranos & lime juice... add in some diced tomato (or not), cilantro, salt.... voila.

Beans cooked in a Clay Pot (aromatized with onions, garlic), something a la Mexicana, homemade tortillas, queso fresco)... perhaps the proto-typical meal of Central Mexico

Nopales have colonized the world... they grow wild in the Andes, China, Italy, Spain, North Africa, South Africa, Australia and more places. Interestingly of all the places where Nopales now grow around the world the only place were I have learned of it being used as food is China. In a Cuzco restaurant they had them growing in pots in a pation dining room.. when I asked how they cooked them the owner looked at me like I was absolutely crazy... even after I explained Nopalitos a la Mexicana he still didn't quite believe me. Who knows maybe in a decade I will go back & Nopalitos with Rocoto Peppers and Palta will be a regional specialty & there will be some interesting folktale about how the restaurant had run out of food so they decided to improvise with kitchen scraps & the only plant growing on the premises... Tip.. cut of the most tender, pale looking leaves about the size of your palm... you can purchase specialty tools for de-spining http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/Articles/Ethnic-Unique-Foods-Ingredients-645/nopalitos.aspx

Lunch Teaser Duck fat from the Sunday: Going in to this beauty:

Oooh is that a pork larded pie crust?