Suvir Saran

I am posting this post as Jaymes is being bashful. StellaB, Toby and Jaymes were each very generous on a thread on regional differences in the cooking of Mexico. This is a post I have pulled from there. Hope you all enjoy it as much as I did and some others have. ************************************************* ".......I got my recipe for chilaquiles from a Mexican friend, a housewife, in Querétaro. My daughter went for a visit a while back and, although I had asked for the recipe many times, got the typical "home cooking recipe" answer: "Oh, just a little of this and a little of that. I can no say exactamente, it is the recipe de mi mamá y mi abuelita (little grandmother)." I told my daughter she was to go into Lita's kitchen and not come back out until she knew how to make them. StellaB, I am including here an excerpt from an email my daughter sent to me during her stay in Querétaro. I am including it because of your fondness for Mexico...I think you will enjoy my daughter's impression of Mexican grandmothers: "Mom, I am staying at Jaime's mother's house that is close to downtown Querétaro. She is wonderful....and calls me 'mija.' I love that. I want to be a Mexican grandmother. They hug on you and kiss your cheeks, and make such good food and call everyone Mi Amor, or Mi Vida or Mija. It is so cute!" So, anyway, mi amiga Lita, has four children. The family eats chilaquiles for breakfast at least three or four mornings a week, so Lita has to be able to make it fast. And she does. This is how she does it: CHILAQUILES: Salsa verde (tomatilla sauce); torn tortilla chips (Lita uses Fritos and told me not to laugh before I tried it and I didn't and I did and she's right, they work just fine); queso manchego (or asadero, or ranchero, or fresco, or any other Mexican white cheese that you like); and sour cream. In bottom of microwaveable dish, spread a little tomatilla sauce, then layer of Fritos, then more sauce, then sour cream, then "bastante queso." Repeat, until dish is full or ingredients are all used up, finishing with cheese. Microwave one minute, or till chilaquiles are heated through and cheese is melted. You'll probably have to experiment a time or two in order to get all of the proportions just right. TOMATILLO SAUCE: (Stellabella, you said you make your own, so you proably don't need this recipe but here it is just in case. I should also add that Lita often just buys Herdéz brand Salsa Verde in the small cans if she is pressed for time.) 1 tsp or so cooking oil (just enough to cover botton of saucepan) 6 or so whole tomatillos, paper skins removed jalepeños, or other chile peppers, to desired "pica" water to cover Put tomatillos and chiles in saucepan and water, just to barely cover. Bring to boil and cook just till tomatillos are soft (not too long, don't want them "mushy"). Put tomatillos and peppers (do not discard cooking water) into blender or food processor along with: 2 small cloves garlic 1 tsp salt 1/4 cup chopped onion "handful" cilantro 2 tsp "caldo de pollo" (which I interpret to mean powdered chicken boullion, but I don't know for sure...should have asked, but never did...that's what I add and it comes out fine) Blend in food processor very well. Add cooking water to reach desired "sauce" consistancy...you want it fairly liquid, but flavorful and not "watered-down" tasting, so use your own judgment. ............."

Regional Differences in Mexican Cooking Check the above thread for Jaymes famous* recipe for Chilaquile. * Famous to me is something made by Jaymes.

Your village looks beautiful. Thanks for sharing the link. What got you to try Indian cooking? How did this come about? What kind of experience do you have with Indian cooking? What are your favorite spices? Your village seems most beautiful and precious. I am envious of you.

And pain au chocolat.

You may find even more information on Indian cooking right here in the Indian forum of eGullet. We have members with great knowledge of the cuisine. Your questions will find quick and often mostly reliable answers. My pets would be scared around Diwali. The fireworks would frighten them. But there is so much more to Diwali than firewords. I look at it as a festival to celebrate our ability to go from darkness to lightness. PS: What part of the world are you posting from? If I am being too curious please ignore my question. Thanks.

Is it clothing optional?

Thanks blackduff! What did you like about the story?

Pumpkin Halwa with Crepes........ hmmmm Is that not a Monica Bhide recipe? From Spice is right? It is delicious actually. I think it could make a new Thanksgiving staple for those that are daring and visionary.

In the last several years I have seen books from new and upcoming foodies from India. Maya Kaimal, Monica Bhardwaj, Raghavan Iyer and now our very own Monica Bhide (spicegirldc with her cookbook, Spice is Right) have added their voices and words into the world of Indian cooking. How does this change the world of Indian cooking? Where does this leave Mrs. Balbir Singh, Tarla Dalal, Madhur Jaffrey and Julie Sahni? Are these people competing with them? Are they adding new life into a cuisine that has gained tremendously from the efforts of the ones before them? Are they different from these pioneers? Is Pioneer a correct word to use to describe Mrs. Singh and Madhur? How are this new group of food writers and Indian food personalities different from the group before them? Should they be different? What would be the logical outcome of all of this?

I love both.. and cannot agree more.

Thanks for the feedback. It encourages me to make another trip there. And yes the space is very attractive.

Diwali Menu @ My Home in Village Samosas (potatoes and peas) Mathri (carom scented Indian semolina crackers) Assortment of pickles and chutneys Khatte Chane (sour chickpeas) Achaari Aloo (potatoes in a pickling spice sauce) Baingan Bharta (roasted eggplant, yogurt, onions, tomatoes) Chukee Huee Matar (sauteed green peas) Gobhi Tamatar Chutney (cauliflower sautees with Tomato Chutney) Bhaturas (puffy Indian bread) Tomato Pachadi (Southern Indian Raita, yogurt sauce with tomatoes and curry leaves and mustard seeds) Makhaane Kee Kheer (Lotus Seed Pudding) Pista Kulfi

Maybe you could lead CC to me Suzanne. Would love to see you both.

His version was very nice at the restaurant and actually, even better in room service. Can that happen? It did for me. I hope the recipe is acurate to what is created by the chef and hotel. Recipes are not always acurate. PS: At lunch with Caroline Rose Hunt, I was told rather graciously that it was she that discovered the recipe. I have felt lucky ever since that 3 day meeting with her. She is quite a inspirational person.

Michael is brilliant..... and Larry Bogdanow is great with design... I will have to find out if he is part of the show..... I love his work... And thanks to Steve Klc, there are some exciting things happening for people into desserts..

I had a nice version of this at the Mansion In Turtle Creek. It is one of their more famous dishes...Dean Fearing is the chef at the restaurant there. Maybe a search on google could get you the recipe... I will see if I can find the book... I know I have it... But so many of my books get borrowed.. I tried looking.. and have not been able to see it.. will continue the hunt. Jaymes any ideas???

Thanks for the clarification Steve.

Rumors galore... Will have to make sure I do something new then... But yes apple and halwa will be part of what I do.... And somewhere there will be some deep frying.. to keep Meredith company.

I have certainly gone there on an off day. I found the chocolates too sweet for my taste. And I have a famous sweet tooth. What I found even sweeter were the Hot Chocolate offerings... But I am spoiled by some other Hot Chocolate I have had.. and so most anything pales in comparison. I must go back and try this frosted brownie sort of thingie you mention... I love brownies. But I loved the space and the hygiene. Maybe someday they will make chocolate that is a tad less sweet.. and that would make this place magical for me. I love chocolates to be about chocolate and not too much about sugar. But maybe it is just me.... I wanted to fall in love with the store... I only fell in love with the ambience and the energy.... Maybe this next visit, I will find myself in better luck.

Make Jam... It is the best thing to do with that many. Friends and family will share in your joy and thank you for a long time after. Canning is easy.. and it will extend the pleasure these 37 Kaki bring you. Think about this suggestion before you shy away... Worth the effort...

Tony I must agree with your sentiment. I have not seen too many examples of that fusion stuff working. I think often it is the chefs and their clonies that enjoy their creations that have their heart and soul in a no mans land... But I have witnessed a rare occasion where someone with no background in one cuisine, has studied it with care and then applied what they learn from it to their own and created something that is not true to either of the two or three cuisines this chef knows but still has grounded roots in technique and lore of each of the cuisines that was inspiration. It is a rare occurence, but will be a natural change to take place. I am certain it is taking place already, but what we are served today, is stuff that is cooked by those in a rush to get press and stars... and so, it is not always stuff that will last the test of time. It certainly passes the test of those hungry for a new thing... But that alone cannot make something new a classic. I do agree with you, but also feel we can have fusion that works. It only takes dedication and commitment deeper than simply a craving for reviews and stars.

As someone who has owned and managed a restaurant, I too would want to hear the other side. It is bad business sense and also in poor taste to be rude, but what would make a restaurant manager/chefs spouse do something like this? It seem bizarre. To borrow from Bux, rather peculiar. But again, one hears strange stories all the time. Restaurants can be empty and then they can fill up all of a sudden. There is more to reservation handling than what meets the eye. Maybe Helen Everitt-Matthias knew something about that lunch service that she carelessly chose not to share with you. It happens, people fail. But being rude is not an option in my book. But maybe because I owned a restaurant in NYC. We smile even when wanting to do just the opposite.

Or tempura, a bit further back. v Or Curried Steak on eGullet itself not too long ago. Curry Steak

Thanks for the help on crowd control, Nina. Froggy, I am adding you to the waiting list. I think you'll be number 4 or 5. Suzanne, Thanks for all your help.

All that Nina said and 7:30 PM.