Tequila and Mezcal : A Primer : How to read a tequila or mezcal label.
All tequila is mezcal but not all mezcal is tequila. Tequila and mezcal are both spirits created by the distillation of the juice that has been sourced from the heart of an agave. This heart (or piña) is roasted (in the case of mezcal) or steamed (in the case of tequila) (1) then crushed to obtain the juice. This juice is then fermented and distilled … Continue reading Tequila and Mezcal : A Primer : How to read a tequila or mezcal label.
Ecologically friendly alternative to leather from the Nopal cactus
This October two inventors from Guadalajara in Mexico will travel to Milan in Italy to showcase a new product made from the nopal cactus at Lineapelle. Lineapelle is a prestigious international trade exhibition of leather goods which is held twice a year and exhibits “New trends in leather, textiles and synthetics for shoes, handbags, leather goods and leatherwear”. In the upcoming October fair Adrián López … Continue reading Ecologically friendly alternative to leather from the Nopal cactus
Quelite : Epazote
Chenopodium ambrosiodes (Synonyms: Teloxys ambrosioides, Dysphania ambrosioides) Epazōtl : from Nahuatl, epatl – skunk and tzotl – sweat (1). I have seen this translation noted as being “epatli = skunk; zotli = grass”. There’s no confusion re skunk but I think there may have been over “zotli = grass”. The Nahuatl word for grass is zacatl (zacate en Español). There is a Nahuatl word “tzontli” … Continue reading Quelite : Epazote
Flor de Maguey : The Agave Flower
We primarily know the maguey as being edible for its “juice” which can be used to make the fermented drink pulque or the distilled drinks mezcal, tequila, bacanora and raicilla (as well as all the un-named vino de agaves). But…..did you know the agave can be eaten? The baked pencas (1) and quiote (2) are quite edible (3). The outer petals of the maguey flowers … Continue reading Flor de Maguey : The Agave Flower
Quelite : Tlapanche
also called, quelite de venado, lapandzi, lapantsi, átlapántsin, aclapanchis, papalo de cerro, papalo criollo Jesús Hoyos Hernández on his blog (1) speaks of this herb. It is not very well known and can be confused with papalo as it is similar in appearance although, according to Jesús, its aroma and taste is very different. This plant has previously been identified as P.punctatum but P.pringlei, P.ruderale, P.nutans (2) and P.calcicola have … Continue reading Quelite : Tlapanche
Quelite : Porophyllum obscurum
(Syn: P.eremophilum, P.oblanceolatum, Kleinia linifolia) also called Catinga-de-urubu, curupaimi, kilkina, quirquina, matapulgas (literal translation “killing insects”), yerba de la gama, ruda blanca, cominillo, yerba del venado, yerba del ciervo. Another of the less well known species of porophyllum. Found south of Brazil into Paraguay and the north east of Argentina there is very little information to be found on this particular variety of pore leaf. … Continue reading Quelite : Porophyllum obscurum
Tacos al pastor
Moorish culture had an impact on more than just the medicinal practices of the Mexicans. The method of cooking tacos al pastor (in the style of the shepherd), is a dish developed in Central Mexico that is based on shawarma spit-grilled meat brought to Mexico by Iraqi immigrants in the early 1900s and Christian Lebanese following the Israel-Lebanon war in 1948 and the 6 day … Continue reading Tacos al pastor
Moorish Influence in Mexico
Spanish thought and culture was influenced by nearly 800 years of Muslim occupation and European civilization in general was profoundly affected by Moorish culture. The use of aromatic herbs and spices was popular in the Old World. Empires were being built on the acquisition of the most exclusive and expensive cooking ingredients (many spices were also used as medicine) and spices too were readily taken up by … Continue reading Moorish Influence in Mexico
Cebadina
Cebadina is a carbonated red drink common on the streets of León in the (Free and Sovereign) State of Guanajuato in central Mexico. Cebadina is a refreshing drink in hot weather. The drink has a tart, sweet, refreshing flavour. It is taken cold and is often used as a digestive beverage due to the inclusion of baking soda and is regularly consumed as a hangover cure. … Continue reading Cebadina
Did Columbus Cheat? The Piri Reis Map
The Piri Reis Map of 1513 is the first surviving map that shows the Americas. It is said to show North America, South America, Greenland and Antarctica. This was surprising since Antarctica had not been discovered until 1820 and somewhat more intriguingly it appears to show the land mass before it was covered in ice, over 6000 years ago. The map showed the outline of … Continue reading Did Columbus Cheat? The Piri Reis Map
Masa Americana 