EatNopales

Is it because Southern pig feet are just not compelling.. or is that the Southern culinary IQ is diminishing? If anything, I believe most southerners are really much more open to outside influence than they used to be and the result is a more eclectic general palate. However, with that, some of the less mainstream southern delicacies have fallen by the wayside. Also, a lot of the dishes were eaten mostly out of necessity because they were cheap and nobody else wanted them (as are a lot of "peasant foods") but with quality meat now relatively cheap people don't eat from "rooter to tooter" anymore. I like chitterlings and brains with eggs but you won't find many people who don't have some sort of farming in their background who do. I think pickled trotters fall into that same category. Yeah... I think that is a common global pattern as a place gentrifies & globalizes a bit. The first time I visited Omaha, I was doing a consulting gig at one of the Buffet companies, and got to interact with local professionals who grew up in the area.... I was interested in their local traditions, and in my research I came up with fried river fish & Czech dumplings as the more long rooted Omaha things.. but the locals tried to discourage me... "Oh I haven't eaten there in 25 years" with a disparaging tone & some self-pride at their new choices.. instead proudly steering me to utter crap like P.F. Chang's & Macaroni Grill, and I noted they saw ketchup based Pad Thai on a superior plateau of culinary achievement over perceived "cheap foods" It is always sad when people actually drink the Kool Aid of petty gentrification at the expense of superior traditions with deep roots & accumulated ancient wisdom... if both were free I would gladly choose a plate of exquisitely cooked Oxtails over an exquisitely cooked Tenderloin 9 times out of 10 because it is a gastronomically superior piece of meat even if current mainstream tastes & economics suggest otherwise.

Is it because Southern pig feet are just not compelling.. or is that the Southern culinary IQ is diminishing?

OMG!!! Wow that looks fantastic and that fried pork skin is perfect. How did you do that? Actually that is not mine... they sell these as snacks in various parts of Mexico (and in the U.S.)... surely it was a work of a master chicharronero.

Efficient for who? Farmers that sell at farmers' markets have generally lost profits as fuel prices have increased. Most farmers near large urban areas have 100-200 mile distances to a market. I ran some rough numbers on eggs from Iowa to California. Walmart has one of the pick-up stations on a large egg farm about 30 miles from here. They transport about 8500 dozen in one load. It cost about 35 cents a dozen at today's fuel prices. The alternative would be for markets in California to market local eggs. Unfortunately California can't grow the chicken chow nearly as efficient as Iowa so they would be importing more weight than just the finished product. In my Iowa egg example the waste is returned right back to the corn crops with minimal hauling. The OP refers to an article that cites how food is "cheaper" at the farmers' markets. They did not qualify with "other costs". Leopold also proposes that organic farming is cheaper than current practices in direct costs (not hidden). It is simply not believable when you really crunch the numbers. For starters, California is the nation's 5th largest producers of eggs and doesn't import much from Iowa... so the alternative is not for California to market local eggs.. that is the status quo. http://www.unitedegg.org/GeneralStats/default.cfm California is not as efficient as Iowa in producing chicken chow? Under what assumptions? Based on today's market structure & feed ingredients... yes. But lets look at Iowa / Midwest corn. Corn farmers receive direct subsidies to the tune of $12 billion ($8BB in form of Farm Income Stabilization act, $4BB in form of R&D grants / ethanol etc.,) A study by HSBC suggests additional taxpayer support (subsidized Ag Banks, tax loopholes etc.,) runs $7 dollars per every $1 of direct subsidies. As mentioned earlier I was in a senior financial position at California Ag conglomerate.. in that business we did not receive farm income stabilization but our loans ran trough an Ag bank & we were structured as a multi layered Coop... we were generating about $100MM in annual profit (if you use normal GAAP).. but thanks to Coop rules the federal tax bill was nominal, I have personally witnessed the extent of those subsidies. So back to corn... let us start with the $12BB in direct tax payer subsidies.. the country produces about 12.8 Billion bushels at $3.50 bushel... that means that subsidies stand at 28.5% of the current market value of corn. Interesting read on Iowa: http://www.card.iastate.edu/iowa_ag_review/fall_01/concentration.aspx I am far from a Tea Party nut, in fact, will I am independent, I would describe my politics as Anti-Republican, Anti-Tea Party... with that said my opinion as a technocrat is that we are going to have to downsize government quite a bit in the next two decades and that will most certainly include Ag subsidies & Military spending. Aside from the taxpayer subsidies.. let us look at the other characteristics of Corn farming... what happens if petro-chemical prices skyrocket and Monsanto has to increase the price of Roundup etc?, Iowa farmers double their tractor fuel costs, the cost of making / importing big scale farm equipment rises? At what point will the environment in the Midwest be so saturated with fertilizer & pesticide that it becomes an issue that affects corn prices? What is the impact of energy prices in general? As oil gets expensive (and it will have to because like or not it will run out at some point) so will electricity & other substitutes.. what will that do to processed food costs? Will it then be economically feasible to truck ingredients all over the world, make a bland, unsatisfying meal.. store in petrochemical based packaging in a freezer for months to be microwaved? As you know... the country's Ag policy is an extension of Industrial-Military complex... military brass frustrated at the level of malnutrition & trying to build a military for the World War wanted to put in a system that guarantees the country over produces grain, meat & milk... everything we assume about the wondrous efficiency of the modern factory farm is really built on that house of cards.. the reality is that the traditional Milpa (process of growing Corn, Beans, Squash & other complimentary vegetables & weeds in a system) produces as much calories (energy) per unit of land as the most efficient corn factory in the country... and does so with far superior nutritional yields (in terms of amino acids, minerals, vitamins, phytochemicals etc.,) whit far better environmental impact. By necessity, without any choice, our way of life is going to be very different at the end of the century.. personal income levels for most Americans have been stagnant for decades now... and they will remain so for a very long time.. further every year that wage stagnation reaches higher & higher up the income & education ladder.. it will affect property values as well... without a doubt the standard of living (denominated in hard currency) will slide significantly in the next 40 years.. but that doesn't mean that quality of life has to slide.. it just takes a little imagination & resourcefulness: http://blogs.worldwatch.org/the-forest-gardens-of-quintana-roo/ Who says Chickens have to be fed petrochemically based intensely farmed corn? How about an intensely managed Milpa, Free Range Chicken & Fish Farming system that reinforces itself & needs very little external outputs? There are too many reasons why our current industrial-military complex conjured food system is unsustainable during our life time... we take too many of the subsidies & hidden costs for granted, as if we are entitled to them in perpetuity.. but with a little insight & imagination food production conventions will be turned on their head.

This is an unsupportable statement. In most of the US, supermarkets are much more efficient at delivering food to customers than farmers' markets. In what way and under what assumptions are they more efficient? How much energy do they use per nutritional unit delivered? They may be more efficient at $75 / barrel oil.. will they be more efficient at $200 / barrel oil? They may be more efficient if you include the billions of subsidies.. will they be more efficient when the subsidies dry up? The trajectory of the century, in my not so humble opinion.. is that food will inevitably HAVE to travel less distance, with less warehousing & handling, less processing, and lower overhead as the U.S. adjusts to living standards in a post-Oil world. If you included all the hidden costs borne by tax payers (cost to clean up the environmental mess our current food system & energy system makes, direct subsidies to energy & food producers, military spending & aid to maintain our current trade & consumption patterns etc.,) it would certainly not be more efficient... it is only in this artificial, house of cards we have created that supermarkets appear to be efficient. For the record, I am a CFO and believe in the sustainability of capitalism done right, not some wacko conspiracy theorist... although I understand my views might seem like that upon first digestion.

I don't doubt that, but to say that farmers' markets in a place like the NYC metropolitan area (for example) are a fad is quite a stretch. http://www.grownyc.org/greenmarket for reference. Hardly a "novelty". So what percentage of food consumed in NYC runs through the farmer's markets... I would be surprised if it surpasses 1%. Until the Farmer's Markets (and also Central Markets with stalls who distribute straight from Farms as oppossed to the Supermarket warehousing system)... are a tangible % of food consumed... they aren't much more than curiosities & hipster scenes. Now don't get me wrong... I am not saying Farmer's Markets aren't worthwhile.. complete opposite... we have to love them & cherish them, urge others to shop them because you have to start with something... the age of the Supermarket is numbered... they are unsustainable, a waste of resources, and their goods are usually gastronomically inferior... what I am pointing it out is that in cultures & societies where the Farmer's Market is an actually part of the social fabric their prices are inherently cheaper than Supermarkets (of course the other side of the coin is that we have to stop subsidizing tasteless, unhealthy, environmentally damaging food as well) And yet here you sit, making sweeping generalizations. I'm sure the people who shop at our Greenmarkets would be surprised at being labelled "hipsters" and "curiosity-seekers". Please cite sources. Here's GrowNYC's annual report for 2010, in case you're inclined to read it: http://www.grownyc.org/files/GrowNYC.Annual.2010.web.pdf Once again, this isn't a passing fad. Or if it is, it's a 35+ year fad in the making that shows no sign of withering away. GrowNYC is impressive & inspiring... yet at the same time paltry. Perhaps, the better term to use for NY is not fad or hipster scene rather niche or fringe. I've been to NY, I worked for Consumer Packaging Foods company that distributed there on truck... I help start that subsidiary, I know the NY food distribution infrastructure reasonably well.. the Green Markets are not even close to providing 1% of the food consumed in NYC. GrowNYC is an impressive organization & they have accomplished ALOT in a mere 35 years... kudos to them.. if you want to use that as bragging rights over other cities in the U.S.. well okay that is not what I am about or the point I am trying to make. The key to my point is that the Mission will be accomplished when Farmer's Markets are able to handily beat the inherently higher cost Supermarkets on price.. there should be no doubt... and what that will take is a dramatic increase in scale... the great Street Market cities of the world weren't built in 35 years or even 100 years... and its not even the antiquity that matters it is the market share... something that is fringe is not part of the social fabric & way of live... we have to make part of the way of life.

With pickled pork skins... here you go for the win: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KXwRKUzp4uY/SnfuT7vnPwI/AAAAAAAAA-g/QINfoM-RPKc/s1600-h/chicharron+con+cueritos.jpg

They are tasty but the textures maybe acquired to some. Have some good corn chips or tostadas handy... a picture says so much more http://www.mis-recetas.org/foto/foto/9993/grande/manitas_de_puerco.jpg

I don't doubt that, but to say that farmers' markets in a place like the NYC metropolitan area (for example) are a fad is quite a stretch. http://www.grownyc.org/greenmarket for reference. Hardly a "novelty". So what percentage of food consumed in NYC runs through the farmer's markets... I would be surprised if it surpasses 1%. Until the Farmer's Markets (and also Central Markets with stalls who distribute straight from Farms as oppossed to the Supermarket warehousing system)... are a tangible % of food consumed... they aren't much more than curiosities & hipster scenes. Now don't get me wrong... I am not saying Farmer's Markets aren't worthwhile.. complete opposite... we have to love them & cherish them, urge others to shop them because you have to start with something... the age of the Supermarket is numbered... they are unsustainable, a waste of resources, and their goods are usually gastronomically inferior... what I am pointing it out is that in cultures & societies where the Farmer's Market is an actually part of the social fabric their prices are inherently cheaper than Supermarkets (of course the other side of the coin is that we have to stop subsidizing tasteless, unhealthy, environmentally damaging food as well)

This video should provide some perspective on why Farmer's markets in places with long traditions (not 30 years... but long rooted traditions where the Farmer's Market has a relatively large market share) are inherently less expensive than supermarkets: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=147153972018364

That is the key right there.. processed Supermarket food is subsidized with Tax Payer dollars (I was in a financial management position at one of the largest Ag concerns in Calfornia and am intimately aware of the gazillions in subsidies thrown at Big Ag & tax shields for Ag Coops)... in your example you are more expensive for two primary reasons: 1) You don't have reasonable economies of scale (I bet in your region you & other artisinal Jam producers barely have any market share.. if more people steered away from Big Jam.. you & other locals who would compete with you would find ways to be more efficient & less expensive while still delivering the all natural, local, organic stuff 2) The main barrier though is that subsidized Big Jam is too cheap for many consumers to pass up.

Call me skeptical -- and let me issue a challenge. Shall we all devote some time as the farmers' markets get going to seeking to figure out what's myth and what's reality? I pay pretty close attention to my grocery bill, and I cannot think of a single item, be it produce, meat, dairy, whatever, that is less expensive at the farmers' market I frequent. Anyone with me? I assume you mean only farmer's markets within the U.S. Personally I have seen both... the first farmer's market I frequented in the states was in the Highland Park neighborhood just north of East L.A... it was twice a month and most people who showed up were elderly or immigrants and the produce prices were definitely cheaper than super markets... of course I have also frequented glitzy see-and-be-seen farmers markets in West L.A. & San Francisco and there of course many high priced items, that might even be higher priced than a loosely equivalent product at a brick & mortar... And I say loosely equivalent because if one thinks its cool to have a choice between 10 different heirloom tomato varieties irrigated with pee from pigs fed only acorns, that tomato farmer is just never going to be able grow anything inexpensively... (add to the fact that the "cool farms" that feed the "cool farmer's markets" are usually in places with high land value... that is very big part of artisinal produce prices) Historically farmer's markets have been cheaper than supermarkets.. there has always been a premium for the perceived cleanliness & civility of purchasing your ingredients in an aseptic environment whose air is not contaminated with the intense aromas of the food you are going to purchase. However, demand for farmer's markets in urban & sub-urban location is growing faster than supply so inherently there is going to be some pricing in there. As an example, in Oahu there is a Saturday farmer's market near Diamond Head.. and gets way too mobbed for the paltry offering... prices have to be high to temper the crowds a bit.. as it is it can be very challenging to find parking. Let me offer a contrasting example... Mexico City has an average of 80 Tianguis (combination Farmer & Flea Market) on ANY GIVEN DAY... there are approximately 560 time & location combinations within a week to do your shopping.. that supply of Tianguis is the result of a continuous 800 year tradition of Tianguis in the Mexico City basin that has grown organically with the population.. and consequently prices are consistently cheaper than Brick & Mortar stores... which is what we should expect based on the economics. Farmer Market culture was all but obliterated in the wealthier, car centric Urban & Sub-urban population centers of the U.S... right now its just a fad.. but it give it time to settle & make a permanent comeback.. perhaps in 20 years consumers & retailers alike will figure out that providng 10 varieties of heirloom tomatoes irraged with acorn-fed pigs isn't really what the Farmer's Market is all about... we will get over the "novelty" and it will become a sustainable, value added part of our culture, economic system & way of life.

Thanks Jenni.. hope you are able to find all the ingredients and look forward to hearing your thoughts. BTW, you have a beautiful blog.. those foods look so delicious.

Burger King is pretty horrible the ingredient quality is disastrous, the food tastes chemically.. you certainly have to overlook the nuances and focus on the salt & grease... however, I may have just been starving last night after moving boxes for several hours.. but their newish big burger with jalapenos & cheddar in the patty was astonishingly delicious... I am actually craving one right now... and there is no food at BK (or McDonalds, KFC etc.,) that is actually cravable... tolerable in a pinch? Perhaps. Craveable? No. And now I must eat my words

Really? "SUGAR, INVERT SUGAR, CORN SYRUP, MODIFIED CORN STARCH, CITRIC ACID, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORING, WHITE MINERAL OIL, CARNAUBA WAX, RED 40, YELLOW 6, YELLOW 5 AND BLUE 1." They are bland & full of artificial color & flavor. Now these are fantastic: http://cdn.greenoptions.com/a/ae/800x600px-LL-0186.jpg The flavors are very intense & satisfying

Quoted For Truth

Yes... kiddy cookies... I kid not. Ah pork butts, shoulder etc., these end up in Chorizo & Carnitas.

Absolute. Although as Rancho Gordo and others have noted about the CONACULTA... it is hard to get recipes out of people... they just don't have them, and think everything is obvious. Fortunately, I have learned to cook like my ancestors and you might think I am crazy but, just like them, I smell every ingredient (including dried chiles) and intuitively adjust based on its particular characteristics on that given day. You really have to prod people because they give very vague instruction.. its like they believe you should make the dish your own. It will take me a while to post (possibly re-develop) most of these recipes but I will start you off with the local table salsa that is astonishingly delicious, you will want to drink it as a smoothie. 2 Handfuls of Tomatillos (smaller fruit the better) 4 cloves of garlic, unpeeled with papery husk Blacken them over a grill (preferably) until the exterior is fairly charred and the flesh has dulled in color (alternatively use the broiler method) Meanwhile quickly toast 2 Anchos, 1 Guajillo & 4 Arbol chiles then submerge them in lukewarm water & cover, letting them rehydrate for about 30 minutes then drain & place them in a blender with the tomatillos & garlic (peel the garlic after it has blackened & shriveled a bit)... add a few pinches of salt & give it a whirl.. taste & adjust for salt.. then add in a handful of cilantro leaves and give it a few whirls until each cilantro piece is the size of a lentil. Let the salsa cool down & the flavors blend for a few hours.. voila. You may also stir in finely minced white onion if you desire. It is fantastic with steak tacos, corn tortilla based quesadillas, spooned over freshly boiled whole beans with some Queso Fresco. Aw dammit... I forgot a dish.... Frijol con Quelite... yesterdays boiled beans are blended with leftover salsa (in the recipe above) & chopped wild greens (a wide range of greens are acceptable)... simmer for 10 minutes or so... grate lots of queso seco (aged, very dry "fresco" cheese) into the soup... it is very delicious, soulful & nutritious.

Well my grandma passed away last year.. she would have been my best source for beans but I will ask my mom to inquire and see if she can get some. Incidentally, half the town of Tlacuitapa (and nearby San Julian) lives in Watsonville... if I get down that area I will try to visit some relatives and make a new contact back in the region (with my peeps there is no dropping in for a few minutes.. last time I drove through there I stopped at the park where my parents told me all the Tlacuitapenos would be playing soccer & grilling.. I was just hoping to say high & give a few hugs but ended up staying a night and was lucky to escape without being married into one of the 2nd cousins)... which in this in-bred region of Mexico is considered highly desireable... Juanito look at Luz Maria del Refugio de Jesus... tell me you don't want to have little girls with her green eyes and her blond hair, and see those hips she will be very good at bearing children.

Actually I know Javier through Bill Esparza (StreetGourmetLA) and via the magic of Facebook I have seen him transform from a food obsessed ELA teenager with very cosmopolitan tastes, and perhaps not as conscious, knowledgeable or appreciative about Mexican cuisine, I read about his first trips to the heart of Mexico... D.F., Cholula etc and saw his article being developed over the last 6 months or so... and now I think his Sauveur piece was beautifully written and he represented quite well. Edit: Over the weekend we were packing up our house in Kailua, not sure if I mentioned it on Facebook... but we close on Friday... and I found my notes, so last night even though I was exhausted... having read his article pushed me to "publish" them before I lose them on the next move

How is the flank steak prepared? I'll stop there but I have lots more questions to come! There are a couple of primary approaches.. some people prefer cooking a large (2 to 3 pound) flank whole... simmered for a long time, then shredded... the remaining stock is the basis of the ranchera sauce, once the sauce is well seasoned the shredded flank is returned to absorb the flavors a bit. Other people have the butcher slice the flank into thin steaks that are then flattened in a roller, and possibly punctured as well... before cooking in the ranchera sauce they are cut into bite size pieces then gently simmered. The results are surprisingly tender. Note, some people marinade the beef (including skirt steaks that will be grilled) in beer, which they believe makes it more tender.. it certainly adds nice flavor.

What is the scalded milk fat? What's the phrase in Spanish for that? (ETA: Ooops: what SylviaLovegren said!) How is the flank steak prepared? I'll stop there but I have lots more questions to come! I really appreciate the questions... there is no doubt lots I've missed and all your questions help sharpen this up. I don't expect to do anything more with this info but you never know. Shopping & Butchers In San Jose there is one butcher who works out of a shed behind his house. This is a pig farming town making most of its income selling lard to people who live in the nearby rural settlements & towns the land around it is particularly scrubby very few cows can pasture. The butcher has a planned schedule he butchers every 'x' days and the various families place their orders ahead of time... its first come first serve for the prized cuts. My grandpa's family had dibs on the head which they would stretch out for an entire week (there were a dozen in the household) other cuts they tried to claim were oxtails & loin chops (when money was good). In general the cow was butchered in large sections ( and then people broke it down as needed.. the following diagram is very close to what they do there (and I suspect this is typical throughout rural Mexico) http://rincondelcocinero.com/wp-content/uploads/res.jpg Tlacuitapa, being a slightly larger town has a more formal butcher although it selection is sparse and inconsistent / unpredictable. He always has chorizo & longaniza, bacon, smoked pork chops, pork leg & loin, flank steaks. On Friday's he brings in goats, skirt steaks & cornish game hens. Seasonally brings in young goat, suckling pigs, red veal & white veal, turkeys. If someone shoots multiple deer they might sell the meat through him however most game, or an old ox etc., is shared with friends & neighbors for reciprocity etc. He also keeps a notepad of special requests and when enough people want lamb, red snapper, octopus, oysters, shrimp etc., he brings it in and it becomes a big deal, people get excited and it seems like the "whole" town will eat that for a day. There is a small market / corner store in San Jose mostly stocking things like toothpaste, bar soap, canned milk, knorr, canned seafood, pasta, wheat flour, kerosone very basic stuff... people here are very thrifty, hate spending money... marvelling at your bank statement or gold coin stash is literally a pastime. When people need to go shopping they typically go to San Miguel el Alto which is as much a pleasure trip as a shopping trip. In Tlacuitapa there are two markets (and a dozen corner stores)... one is a Tienda de Abarrotes (Dry Good Store) which sells bulk quantities of legumes, grain, rennet, kitchen equipment etc., and the other was an old "CONASUPO" store... the CONASUPO was a government program designed to distribute subsidized grain & consumer packaged goods into remote rural towns & villages.. the program has either been abandoned or downsized amidst corruption scandals... critics argue that it was a scheme to extend sales of big consumer products into areas that would be economically unfeasible in a free market. Any way the original store, whose construction was financed by the government, is in hands of its operators and they continue to sell the same stuff it always did.. beer, soda, cereal, pasta, gamesa & bimbo products etc., When Tlacuitapenos want to do serious shopping they typicall go to Lagos de Moreno or San Juan de los Lagos

Sorry... I guess that description is probably less useful than clotted cream i.e., th layer of milk fat & skin that rises to the top when warming up milk (I believe to make Requeson / Ricotta).. is collected used to make anything from simple tacos - a spoonful of clotted cream & blackened jalapenos for example.. to baked goods.

Diana Kennedy's books and those of other famous authors are of course fabulous but also superficial by nature. The marketing need to cover recognizable place names and take a broad regional approach, as well as how they find recipes & dishes , ultimately leads to a very superficial coverage of any particular region. Even in her recent, award winning Oaxaca book, there is very little depth into the various micro regions of the state. In contrast, I really enjoy the ambitious government backed ethno-culinary projects of the CONACULTA ministry. They have several series that seek to document the culinary traditions of every municipality in Mexico (approximately 2,500)... one such series is the Cocina Popular e Indigena (focusing on ethnic minorities & remote regions), there is also La Cocina Familiar (focusing on mainstream/urban Mexican populations) etc., What makes these so valuable is that they are usually written by a local, sometimes it is a trained culinary anthropologist with great depth... sometimes it is a first year college student... the quality is uneven but they present a familar comprehensive (including all the seasonality & festivals) unfiltered (if they eat squirrels or armadillo no need to censor that) look at their regions dishes... and full of gems that that cookbook authors unsurprisingly miss. This my humble attempt at covering the culinary traditions of Union de San Antonio municipality located within the region of the Jalisco Highlands. My dad was born in the village of San Jose de los Reynoso (pop. a few hundred), my mom on a ranch just outside of Tlacuitpa town (pop. 1,500) both within Union de San Antonio about 6 miles apart, I have spent entire summers in the region and collected recipes, stories, myths & lores from a variety of relatives and their friends... this mini essay is a faithful summarization of my notes & memories. The municipio lies 6,000 ft above sea level and is characterized by perpetual blue skies with puffy white clouds, it really only rains during the summer, the soil is sandy, poor & thin, fairly arid but with lakes, streams and small dramatic craggy mountains. The vegetation is mostly mesquite, oak trees, cactus etc. Almost all families have dairy cows, raise pigs & chickens, grow corn, beans, squash, barley, oats, tomatoes, tomatillos, chiles, onions, garlic, mex oregano, thyme, cilantro, mint, watermelon, cantaloupe, white zapote, guava, cactus pears; they also do a little hunting & forage for cactus pears, herbs, mushrooms & a few other things. People typically start the day with Vanilla, Cinnamon or Chocolate flavored Atole at dawn. After working hard you sit down for a hearty breakfast around 9AM. Most days this means a small bowl of whole beans in their broth, a wedge of homemade fresco cheese (or other dairy products), a couple of raw jalapenos, a stack of handmade corn tortillas, and glass of steaming of Mex hot chocolate. Incidentally, the local heirloom bean varieties are called Cacahuate (a brownish Pinto style bean), Morado de Agua (a purpleish bean) and Blanquito (a small white bean) Other common breakfasts are: Papas Rancheras (partly boiled potatoes that are pan fried with onions, chiles, tomatoes).. serve them with a couple of fried eggs... if there are leftover beans from the prior day you might have them refried. Torta de Huevo (basically a fritata with onions, cactus strips or green beans)... with some fried potatoes. The local butcher makes fresh Chorizo & Longaniza on Saturdays so most people eat Chorizo scrambled with Eggs or Cactus or Potatoes on Sundays. Another popular weekend breakfast is Pork Chops served with Green Salsa, fried potatoes & Fresh Squeezed orange juice (a relative luxury in that part of Mexico). Yet another weekend tradition are the Gordas de Natas... basically Corn Bread made with scalded milk fat in an iron cast dutch oven served with tropical fruit (papaya, pineapple, mangos and/or bananas which are also a luxury) these might be topped with homemade sweetened Jocoque (very similar to Lebanese / Greek Yogurt) or Cultured Cream. Bananas are the most frequently eaten fruit with breakfast... sometimes you have them with a little honey, condensed milk or sweetened cultured cream. The main meal of the day is served around 2PM, and usually involves something cooked a la "Ranchera" Chicken is the most commonly consumed meat (most people raise & butcher their own) and Pollo Ranchero is probably the most common dish eaten. A whole chicken cut into pieces, browned alongside potatoes then braised in a tomato, onion, jalapeno sauce, served with lightly boiled vegetables (usually Mexican zucchini, chayote and or green beans) and a stack of tortillas. A single Chicken typically feeds 6 to 8 people - the meal is all about a small piece of chicken with a lot of sauce & potatoes; and after you are done you eat refried beans with tortillas until satiated. Carne Ranchera... is basically the same dish but made with flank steak instead of chicken.. and for some reason no vegetables (other than potatoes). Costillas a la Ranchera is another variation on the theme but with Pork Ribs, and for the vegtables it is sliced Mex zucchini & greens (Purslane or Wild Quelites). In the non-Ranchera vein you have Caldos & Cocidos. A Caldo is a clear soup with big chunks of beef (stew meat, oxtails etc.,) or a whole Chicken cut in pieces.. the soup has green beans, mex zucchini, corn on the cob... you garnish it with raw onions, cilantro, raw chiles or salsa & a squeeze of lime. The soups are always served with Arroz Mexicano (stir fried rice cooked with tomato sauce, broth, peas & carrots) on the side. Cocidos are akin to the Irish Corned Beef & Cabbage... after boiling beef for a long time, you remove it, cook vegetables in the broth... remove those... serve the broth in a bowl with onions, herbs, chiles & limes... the meat & vegetables are served on a separate plate with a fresh made salsa & stack of tortillas. Many meals are meatless... you might eat something as a simple as Refried Beans with a wedge of fresco cheese and tortillas etc., more elaborate dishes include Chile Rellenos & Capeados. Everybody knows basic Chile Rellenos; in Union de San Antonio they come in three primary styles: Stuffed with Melting Cheese, egg battered, fried & simmered in a tomato herbal sauce with a little side of refried beans. Stuffed with Refried Beans & fatty pork bits, not egg battered or fried just roasted, served with tortillas, sliced avocados & tomatoes. Stuffed with smashed potatoes & melting cheese, then sprinkled with Cotija (aged cheese similar to Parmesan), not egg battered or fried.. but baked until the cheese melts. Capeados are vegetables cooked like Chile Rellenos. For example, round Mex zucchinis are baked for a few minutes, the insides are scooped out & mixed with cheese, then battered & pan fried and finally simmered in a tomato sauce. Similar technique used with Cauliflower, Chard & Broccoli. A dish commonly eaten on Fridays (which is a year round religious "meatless" day) - Shrimp fritters (kind of like Crab Cakes) served with sautéed cactus strips in a dried Pasilla chile sauce. On the weekends, you are typically eating Birria, Asados, Caldo Michi or Carnitas / Fritanga. Birria is a slow cooked goat marinated in spicy blend of chiles, onions, garlic, vinegar, herbs & spices then either slowly cooked in a pit or stewed it is a lot like an Indian goat curry. Asados are any number of animals grilled over Mesquite primarily Beef Skirt Steaks, Ribeyes, split Chickens, Cornish Game hens, baby goats, suckling pigs, catfish steaks, whole bass, rabbits etc., You also grill special types of Chorizo, Nopal pads, spring onions, chiles and the complete spread includes Guacamole, Tortillas, Salsa, Cactus Salad, Pickled Vegetables (Cauliflower, Carrots, Green Beans). Caldo Michi is a spicy soup of carp head, catfish steaks, bass fillets, crawfish, corn on the cob, chayotes, green beans, mex zucchini. Carnitas of course need very little explanation... Fritanga is basically the same thing but with different animals. In Union de San Antonio this means little Quails that are marinaded in orange juice, garlic, herbs & spices then "naked" fried (not battered cooked kind of like "Fried" turkeys in the South) to a crispy exterior. Other Fritanga cuts of meat include beef organs (sweetbreads, kidneys etc.), whole fish (usually sun fish, bass & catfish), pork intestines, and rabbit. Desserts are usually fresh cut fruit (guava, zapote, cactus pears), fruits cooked in syrup, sweet meats (fruits cooked in sugar and shaped into rolls), or Jamoncillos (milk fudge bars) that you have with Café de Olla (a weakfish coffee boiled with cinnamon sticks & brown sugar). On special occasions you might have Jericalla (kind of like a Crème Brulee), Bunuelos (wheat tortillas fried in lard then finished with homemade cinnamon syrup), or Torrejas de Pan (basically a French toast that is simmered in homemade cinnamon syrup the end result is kind of like sticky bun). Dinners are usually very light. You make tacos with leftover stews & beans, you make simple tacos like sliced avocado or sliced tomatoes & salt. If you live close to town you might go to the bakery for freshly baked Pan Dulce with Hot Chocolate or Cinnamon Tea brewed from sticks of real cinnamon. Restaurant Food... restaurants generally only open 1 or 2 days a week, and make just one thing. There is a lady that makes the local style of Enchiladas on Fridays only (this is a tortilla that is quickly fried then sauced with a very spicy dark red salsa, folded into triangles & topped with a light dusting of aged cheese & raw onions served with a Chicken quarter, Carrot & potatoes that were all simmered until tender then browned in the enchilada oil). On Saturday afteroons, a single stand makes Gorditas stuffed with Beans and/or Chicharron Two stands sell Carne Asada and Carnitas tacos almost every night at Tlacuitapa's central plaza. One restaurant sells Pozole (Pork & Hominy Soup garnished with raw cabbage, oregano & chile powder) on Fridays & Saturdays. Another restaurant sells Turkey in the local reddish-brown mole on Sundays. The meat markets sell Pickled Pork Skin & Pig Feet on the weekends, people buy them for botanas (tapas). You make tostadas or salads with them to have with a beer watching a soccer game or boxing match. The only regular place to get a meal on any given day are the two cantinas in town they simply cook a lot of the same foods I already described but here is the interesting part... You pay for either drinks or food.. not both. If you drink beer or bottled spirits then you pay for the drinks... have 3 or more drinks and you get all the free food you could want. Or you can order food from the menu, pay for the food and it comes with a complimentary house made Tequila (the Arandas tequila NOM is about twenty miles away, so many people have the knowledge to grow Agave & distill their own small batch artisinal drink.) All the foods mentioned thus far are the typical foods eaten by most people on a regular basis, it should give you a good understanding of how dishes fit in with the lifestyle & nutritional balance developed over the centures. The following is a compendium of dishes that I have eaten personally, cooked either in Union de San Antonio or by members of its diaspora throughout Mexico and the United States (relatives, friends etc.,) Albondigas (Pork meatballs seasoned with mint & oregano), served over a tomato broth with seasonal vegetables mentioned elsewhere. Albondigas en Blanco (Pork meatballs served in a roux based, herbal white sauce this is pared with Penne pasta that is cooked with a simple non-Italian tomato sauce) Chicharron Verdo o Rojo... they sure love making Chicharrones in this region and the fine, thin, relatively sheets of lighter colored fried pork skins are typically simmered with either a Jalapeno-Tomatillo brothy sauce or an Ancho brothy sauce to a spaetzle like, spongey texture. Enchiladas Rojas (Stale tortillas are pan fried, then bathe in a Guajillo sauce, stuffed with smashed potatoes, rolled & topped with aged cheese, pulled chicken & sauced with cultured crema) Escabeches.... the classic pickle of Mexico the locals primarily pickle Pig Feet & Skin, Jalapenos, Cauliflower, Carrots & Cabbage Fideos en Caldillo (browned vermicelli simmered with Salsa Ranchera & broth) served with aged & fresco cheese, Jocqoque, Ricotta and/or Crema Fideos en Caldo de Frijol (browned vermicelli cooked with bean pot liquour & served with lots of dried cheese) Fideos con Platano (one of the stranger dishes in the region... its the vermicelli simmered in a simple tomato sauce & topped with sliced fresh or sauteed bananas) Guisado de Verduras (Squash Blossoms, Calabacitas, Wild Greens & boiled Corn are braised in a sauce of chopped tomatoes, onions, herbs & jalapeno) Huevos Ahogados (Poached eggs served in a tomato caldillo) Lechon Asado (tender suckling pig roasted over a mezquite fire is a treat people dream about all year long) Lengua or Cabeza en Tomate (tender braised beef tongue or cheeks in tomato broth) Lengua or Cabeza en Guajillo (tender braised beef tongue or cheeks in a guajillo based adobo) Lentejas con Chorizo (the locally grown lentils are similar to the French brown lentils.. they are simmered with browned chorizo, sauteed onion & garlic and cilantro leaves) Macarrones (Macarrones is the local catch all phrase for hollow pasta such as Penne which is typically served in a very Mexican tomato sauce and/or picadillo, cotija cheese & lots of cultured crema) Milanesa con Pure (Thin beef steak Milanese served with smashed potatoes.. I should mention there is a local, very creamy potato that is collected in the wild that is preferred over the more common papa cambray) Mole Amarillo (Roux, Guajillo puree, Broth from boiling Pork Spine.. the Pork spine and cooked yellow Habas aka Lima beans served with Sopes de Manteca... a sope that is scored and bathed with hot lard) - this dish is also referred to as Mole a lo Pobre (Poorman's Mole). My dad always joked that the women of this town didn't know how to make a proper mole and the best this was the best they could come up with. Mole Dulce / Mole Tlacuitapa (This is the local reddish brown Mole made with Peanuts, animal crackers, almonds, pine nut, pumpkin seed, ancho chile, Mex table chocolate, cinammon, tomato & brown sugar served over Chicken or Pork) Nopales Fritos (Diced boiled tomatoes, pan fried with plenty of good lard) Paleta de Novillo en Barbacoa (A big hunk of Veal shoulder is marinaded a sauce of Cascabel & Chipotle chiles with Coriander seed) it is then slowly steam roasted & served with simply steamed green garbanzo beans. Not in Mexico, "steaming vegetables" is the term for salting the slightly moist vegetable & cooking, covered in a clay pot over low heat until just tender enough to eat. Picadillo de Liebre (In many parts of Mexico today they call any saucy ground meat dish - think Sloppy Joe - a picadillo... however the word picadillo means mince.. and in my parent's region they still do it the old way... gamey or leftover meats are simmered until very tender.. once they are cool they are shredded and minced then finally they are pan fried with a strong flavored chile paste. In the Union, this treatment is normally used on Hare, the occassional deer, or an old Ox.... in this region the paste is usually made with Ancho, Guajillo & Arbol chiles with vinegar, garlic, herbs & spices (similar to what is prepared for Birria) Pollo en Caldillo Blanco (Chicken pieces are browned, the resulting fat is used to make a Roux to which you add thyme, mint, chopped tomato & broth simmer until the chicken is cooked & tender) Pollo en Caldillo Rojo (Chicken pieces are browned then the resulting fat is used to make a Roux to which you add pureed, blanched tomatoes and simmer until the chicken is cooked & tender) Sardinas en Coctel (Packaged sardines are chopped up & mixed with spring onions, marinaded in lime juice then served with a cocktail sauce of ketchup, water, a few tablespoons of Escabeche vinager & salt... they are much better than they sound) Sopa de Verduras (Tomato Puree & Knorr broth with Carrots, Peas, Green Beans & Lima Beans) Tortitas de Papa (Plain & simple Potato pancakes served with Nopales that are diced & braised in a guajillo chile sauce) Tortitas de Frijol (The local white bean is boiled then drained & pureed, mixed with breadcrumbs & pan fried) Tostadas are serious business here.. as the nearby, touristy city San Juan de los Lagos might be Mexico's capital of tostadas & fried tacos. The secret are the tortillas rapadas, stale tortillas are soaked in a lime (cal) & salt solution until the release a thin layer of "skin" which is peeled off by hand, they are then drained & sun dried until crisp & flat before frying in lard.. the result are impossibly thin, almost flaky tostadas that pack a big wallop of the excellent local pork lard flavor. These tostadas are often served on meatless fridays with a very thin lining of refried beans, chopped Orejona lettuce (a type of romaine) & the local table salsa par excellence (roasted tomatillos, roasted garlic, ancho, guajillo & arbol chiles with a little minced spring onion & cilantro). Chongos Zamoranes (This is the milk colostrum that is cultured until it becomes a soft, sweetish cheese that is served with a thin piloncillo syrup) Fideos con Leche (Similar to Arroz con Leche but made with Vermicelli that is browned in butter then simmered with rich cream, sugar & sweet spices) Pan de Acero (a Challah like bread made with plenty of Natas (scalded milk), Eggs & Cream in a Cast Iron contraption similar to a Dutch oven) Platanos con Cajeta (Sliced Bananas drizzled with Dulce de Leche) Tacos de Cajeta (Larded wheat tortillas make an occassional apperance in the region, leftover tortillas are likely to be stuffed with Cajeta & local salt for a very rustic dessert) Tamales Colados (This is the name for the local sweet tamales in my dad's town they are flavored with cinammon, piloncillo & cow milk while in my mom's town they are flavored with orange rind, nutmeg, ginger, natas, aged cheese & condensed milk)

Homemade chocolate syrup is literally a staple at our house... we blend it with 2% Fage for my daughter & wife's favorite weekday breakfast, among many other applications.. and it is the simplest thing in the world 1 cup 70% chocolate chips 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup + tbsp water Blend in a sauce pan, bring to a boil over medium hot, turn heat down to low... stir vigorously for 15 seconds, let it simmer for 10 minutes... cool down & refrigerate it will remain pourable. If it is too thick go with 3/4 cup of water next time or pour in some vanilla extract to thin it down to your heart desire... experiment to your liking. An alternative way to accomplish the same... nuke the chocolate until it has melted, slow pour in 1/2 cup simple syrup while stirring voila.