Chaoacocopin has been previously noted as one of the common names of Papaloquelite (Porophyllum macrocephalum) (1). I have come across this plant in an old text and would like to delve a little more deeply into this particular pore leaf (P.macrocephalum is most definitely my favourite pore leaf so far. I am however waiting to get the chance to grow some of the narrow leaved … Continue reading Papaloquelite : Chaoacocopin
When you think of rice in Mexican cuisine it is often as rice, beans and tortillas. Rice, beans and tortillas are often the only foods available to the poorest (financially speaking) people in México (1). Rice (Oryza sativa) is considered to have reached the New World via two main means. Initially it was introduced by Spanish colonists through the port of Vera Cruz, probably in … Continue reading Green Rice : Arroz Verde
*See Post : Papaloquelite : What’s in a name? Why “butterfly” herb? papalotl.Principal English Translation:a butterfly (see Molina and Karttunen); also, a person’s name (attested as male and possibly female) Alonso de Molina:papalotl. mariposa.Alonso de Molina, Vocabulario en lengua castellana y mexicana y mexicana y castellana, 1571, part 2, Nahuatl to Spanish, f. 79v. col. 2. Thanks to Joe Campbell for providing the transcription. Frances … Continue reading Papaloquelite : The Butterfly Herb* (salsa recipe included)
Cover Photo : by PhotoMIX Company from Pexels That’s right. Not just ONE salsa verde but MANY salsas verde (or would that be salsa verdes?) This all started with a papalo based recipe involving baked potatoes. I feel that I must mention again my love for the quelites (papalo in particular) and all the wild green leafies in general. The Irishman in me has a … Continue reading Salsas verde.
Cover image : atole street vendor atole (Spanish) from atolli : a beverage made from finely ground maize, mixed with water. “a gruel made of maize, which they call atolli . . . agreeable, harmless, and provides a pleasant and healthy food . . . for those suffering from a hot, dry fever; it calms the chest, is very nutritious, strengthens and fattens the emaciated, … Continue reading Atole de Grano
A tlaltequeada is a kind of vegetable based rissole (1) typically made with vegetables, fruits, flowers and seeds. It is the perfect example of a quilitl (quelite) based dish and it could be argued that it is representative of a vegetable based cuisine as it would have been practised by prehispanic Mesoamericans. rissoles are what an Australian might call meat patties that include some grated … Continue reading Prehispanic Veganismo – The Tlaltequeada
This is just a quick entry. One of my regulars, a delightful Peruvian woman by the name of Lyda, dropped by today to give me some of her alfajores as a Christmas gift. Lyda is a naturopath/nurse who came to Australia a few decades ago. Joyous Yuletide. An alfajor (plural alfajores) is a traditional sweet biscuit.. In South America alfajores are found most notably in … Continue reading Alfajores
This Post combines two of my favourite things when it comes to Mesoamerican food science. Quelites and mole. Now by and large quelites are plants we would (in some parts anyway) consider to be weeds, both agricultural and urban, but these plants are some of the most nutritious and medicinal that nature has to offer us. We underestimate these plants at every turn. Mole is … Continue reading Quelites y Mole
Cover image via Antojitos Mexican Curious on Facebook Typically tacos al pastor are made with marinated pork which has been stacked onto a vertical spit known as a trompo and cooked much in the same was as the Middle eastern doner kebab (1). The doner kebab (and tacos arabes) are of course not made with the forbidden flesh of the swine but the meats more … Continue reading Recipe : Al Pastor
Alrighty then whingers, it turns out there is a growing undercurrent of distaste for food blogs that expound unnecessarily. This does not bug me at all. I want the story. I want the history. I want some kind of cultural understanding of the dish (if this is relevant). The recipe is the climax. I want foreplay. I want the whole experience. My Recipe Posts however … Continue reading Recipe : Mole Colorado
Masa Americana 