Quelite : Dandelion
Featured Image by Saad Chaudhry Taraxacum officinale Also called : Diente de león , amargón (bitter), plumerillo, panadero, moraja (Sinaloa), cerraja (Jalisco), globillo, chipule, achicoria, lechuguilla, nocuana-gueeta (Zapotec), botón de oro (gold button) Dandelions are an ubiquitous weed that can be found in all environments from the countryside to the inner city. They are considered native to Eurasia but have migrated to all countries on … Continue reading Quelite : Dandelion
Agave straws : An Alternative to Plastic
In December 2019 Jose Cuervo, producers of the archetypal Mexican drink Tequila (1) since the late 1700’s, launched the Agave Project. This initiative is part of a general worldwide push seeking renewable and environmentally friendly solutions to issues of human impact on the Earth. The Agave Project is one of many community based projects initiated by Jose Cuervo over the last 21 years. They are … Continue reading Agave straws : An Alternative to Plastic
Nocheztli : The Cochineal Beetle
(Cochineal/Cochinilla) From Nahuatl “nochtli” (the opuntia/nopal cactus) and “eztli” (blood) Another product introduced to the world courtesy of the nopal is the bright red colourant known as cochineal. Cochineal is produced from the dried bodies of a female insect of the dactylopius genus which is a parasitic scale insect that lives off the nopal. This insect is farmed and its cultivation potentially dates to around 1000AD … Continue reading Nocheztli : The Cochineal Beetle
Glossary of Terms used in Herbal Medicine.
glossary/ˈɡlɒs(ə)ri/an alphabetical list of words relating to a specific subject, text, or dialect, with explanations; a brief dictionary. Throughout this blog I use terms that many may not be familiar with. Due to my training as a naturopath and herbalist I tend to use the terms I was taught without thinking that others may not have a clue about the words I am babbling forth. … Continue reading Glossary of Terms used in Herbal Medicine.
Achiote (Annatto)
Alo called : urucum, açafrão , açafroa , açafroeria-de-terra (Brazil), axiote (Mexico), bija (Peru, Cuba), santo-domingo (Puerto Rico), urucu (Argentina, Bolivia), bixa (Guyana), analto (Honduras), onotto, onotillo (Venezuela), guajachote (El Salvador), lipstick tree Achiote is a Yucatecan spice obtained from the seeds of the Bixa orellana shrub/tree. Achiote held a sacred function for the Mayas and Aztecs as an extract of the plant was regarded as a symbolic … Continue reading Achiote (Annatto)
Los San Patricios : Saint Patrick’s Brigade : The Irish in Mexico
Commemorative plaque placed at the San Jacinto Plaza in the district of San Ángel, Mexico City in 1959 “In memory of the Irish soldiers of the heroic St. Patrick’s Battalion, martyrs who gave their lives to the Mexican cause in the United States’ unjust invasion of 1847” March 17th is the day we traditionally celebrate the feast of the Irish saint St Patrick. In México, on September 22nd … Continue reading Los San Patricios : Saint Patrick’s Brigade : The Irish in Mexico
Quelite : Verdolagas : Purslane
Portulaca oleracea, It is commonly known as purslane in English also called : itzmiquilitl (obsidian arrow quelite), pigweed, pursley, verdolagas (en Español), graviol (quecchi), paxlac (quiché), xukul (Maya), Mixquilit (Nahuatl), X’pul cac (Totonaco), Matac’ani (Otomí), Sa´luchi Chamo (Raramurí); (Asian names) gulasiman (Phillipines), kulfa (Hindi), ma chi xian (Chinese), (Australian aboriginal names) munyeroo (Diyari), baragilya or thibi (Wajarri), Like many of the quelites, purslane is an agricultural … Continue reading Quelite : Verdolagas : Purslane
What is Mole?
Featured Image courtesy of Luis Cordova 2010 Often referred to as the “Mexican sauce with chocolate in it” this dish is poorly understood outside of Mexico. Even referring to mole simply as a sauce is somewhat a misnomer as it is so much more than that. A mole is no less than a culinary work of art. Each ingredient is individually cooked and prepared according … Continue reading What is Mole?
Quelite : Sowthistle : Sonchus oleraceus
also called : smooth sowthistle, milk thistle (1), rauriki, pūhā, pūwhā, pororua, lechuguilla, cerraja, cola de zorra (foxtail), colewort, hares lettuce, hares thistle, rabbit thistle, kŭcài (苦菜)(bitter vegetable) Another plant introduced into Mexico that can be considered a quelite is sowthistle. Sowthistle is an annual herb native to Europe, Asia and northern Africa. It is a common urban plant, which in many places is considered … Continue reading Quelite : Sowthistle : Sonchus oleraceus
Edible Insects : Axayácatl (Ahuautli)
Mesoamericans ate a wide range of insects. The Aztecs (and modern “in the know” locals) ate ahuautli. Ahuautli is the name for the edible eggs of an aquatic fly in the Corixidae or Notonectidae families. They are found in the lakes of the México basin. The eggs (like michihuautli)(1) look (and supposedly taste – although this is subjective) like fish roe. Cakes of it were (and still … Continue reading Edible Insects : Axayácatl (Ahuautli)
Masa Americana 