Delicious Days of Christmas

Dreaming of a white Christmas? Dream on. If you are spending Christmas in Mexico, you won’t see much white, but then you also won’t miss it. The festivities here are vibrant and meaningful in a more-than-a-month long colourful celebration that begins on December 16^th with the Posadas (special processions) and doesn’t end until February 2^nd when the Nacimiento (Nativity Scene) is finally put away. During that time there are Pageants, Pastorelas, Pinatas and Parties, and lots of memorable foods and drinks along the way.

Posadas is the first celebration. From the nine days before Christmas, little processions take place, with candle-holding followers being led by Joseph and Mary. Traditionally it’s four boys of the same height carrying small statues of Virgen María, and San José. Or, you might see a costumed Mary perched on a donkey led by a diminutive Joseph. Depending on the elaborateness of the particular village procession there can be other costumed children as angels, shepherds and kings. The pilgrims walk from door to door, asking for shelter until a manger is found.  A Nacimiento (Nativity Scene) is set out in most homes, and also in public places. When the pilgrims have journeyed long enough, they find a Manger, and a holy prayer is chanted by everyone. This celebration culminates on the 24th, Christmas Eve, known as the Noche Buena or the 'Holy Night'.

Pastorelas

Pastorelas (Shepherds Plays) are staged throughout the holiday season by both amateur and professional groups. Traditionally improvised, these theatrical presentations date back to Mexico's Colonial period when Roman Catholic missionaries wooed converts and taught doctrine through dramatizations of Biblical stories.

The light, almost comedic skits tell a tale where good triumphs over evil. As the shepherds attempt to follow a great star, the promised emblem of Hope, they are plagued by a series of misadventures, presumably provoked by the devil. In the proverbial all's-well-that-ends-well finale, the shepherds reach their destination and their perseverance is rewarded.

Piñatas

Piñatas are a common celebration game for children which, some say, originated at Christmas. Today they play a role in the party revelry surrounding the Posadas. The most traditional piñata shape is the bulbous 7 pointed star. The points represent the 7 deadly sins, (pride, anger, greed, gluttony, lust, anger, greed, sloth) and the act of breaking the piñata is symbolic of the birth of Jesus and his role in washing away the sins of mankind. So, a festively decorated Piñata, is filled with candies and other goodies. The children take turns trying to break it, while blindfolded – a task more difficult that one might think! Like the shepherds pursuit of the star, the game ends when someone’s effort is successful and one and all are rewarded with a shower of fruits, sugar cane and little candies.

Ponche con Piquete is a hot punch made with fresh and dried fruits, brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves and rum. Traditionally served during the parties that ensue at Posadas I like to think of it as a spirited Piñata-in-a-cup, for grown ups!

Noche Buena

This is the climax of the pre-christmas festivities of las Posadas. On Holy Night, or Christmas Eve, everyone gathers for midnight mass and following that the major Christmas dinner with friends and family. There is dinner for the orphans in the manger in the Nativity scene. In the past, Christmas gifts weren't distributed on the Christmas eve, but now as the times are changing, 'Santa Clos ' is seen giving out gifts.

At The Little Mexican Cooking School, in Puerto Morelos we teach as much about the traditions of family life surrounding the food as we do the recipes themselves. And, Navidad, an especially favoured holiday time, is no exception.

For Chef Pablo, who was born and raised in Mexico City, Bacalao a la Vizcaina is his treasured memorable dish.  Traditionally made with Salt-cured Codfish, Olives, Peppers, Tomatoes and Potatoes,  Bacalao is served as a first course, prior to the Roasted Turkey. Pablo says his mother’s recipe is ‘to die for’ and she uses it as the main event of Noche Buena. The recipe now has as many variations as there are serious home cooks, but critical to all versions is the gentle soaking in several changes of water over a 24 hour period before preparing the dish. The purpose, of course it to remove all traces of the salt. Why, you might wonder is Salt Cod used? The answer takes us back to Colonial times, when the act of creating a special dish involved utilizing the items at hand. Salt cod and olives from the Spaniards ship stores, thus married beautifully with the New World ingredients they found on Mexican soil. Bacalao was born and lives on vibrantly commemorating the feasts on Holy Night.

The secret to a good Bacalau lies in using a good olive oil. It is eaten simply with French Bread and if you are impossibly lucky enough to have some left over, it is excellent for Recalentado (the next day’s leftovers!)

Bacalao a la Vizcaina

A generous splash of good olive oil

1 white onion, fine chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 lb Roma tomatoes, roasted, peeled & diced

1/2 cup green olives

1 green bell pepper charred, peeled and diced

1 tsp black pepper

3 bay leaves

2 whole cloves

1 sprig of thyme

1 tbsp sugar

10 baby potatoes, scrubbed and cut in half

1-2 carrots, peeled and cut in rounds

3 Guero (blonde) chiles

1 1/2 lb salted cod

1 cup chopped parsley

Place the cod in fresh water 24 hrs before starting the recipe. Change the water every 6 hrs. The next day, shred the fish to remove the bones and reserve some of the water from the last bath.

Heat some olive oil in a large pot, add the onions and cook for 5 minutes, add the garlic and keep cooking for another 3 minutes stirring so it does not burn.

Bring the tomatoes and the rest of the ingredients to the pot. Add and the fish with the water and cook over medium heat until the potatoes are done -- about 35 minutes. Add the parsley and check the seasoning. Cook for another 15 minutes checking that it has enough liquid.

Serve with slices of toasted French bread.

Pablo's Day Off

Today, on his day off, Chef Pablo Espinosa, is perfecting the dishes he will present at his cooking demonstration at our next exciting public event -- A Taste Of Playa, in Playa del Carmen on November 21st. This festival is a celebration of the Riviera Maya's culinary palate and The Little Mexican Cooking School is honoured to have been invited to take part.  We are expecting about 5000 locals and travellers so Chef Pablo will  present a meal that is a reflection of the paradox that is Mexican food -- simple to prepare but full of fascinating flavours reflecting the fusion of Mexico's rich culinary heritage. It goes without saying, but Catriona is looking forward to her lunch today!

FRESH SEAFOOD MENU PREMIERES & EXTRA CLASSES THIS WEEK ON FRI 5th & SUN NOV 7!

Due to popular demand we've begun to open our doors for extra classes. This week we do classes on Tuesday, Thursday AND... FRIDAY and SUNDAY!
Book online now or if you are in the area you can also call Catriona at the school. Exciting thing is we are premiering one of our new Pablo menus with fabulous fresh local seafood.

Menu Four
Guacamole, Tortilla making, Salsa Cola de Rata, Guajilla Salsa, Ceviche Riviera Maya, Pescado Veracruzana, Ensalada Maya and one of Pablo's new signature desserts.

Several special guests will be here -- join us for the fun!

Days of the Dead

From my perspective as a Canadian, the images customarily associated with this time of year  -- skeletons, skulls, ghostly spirits, fire, graveyards, tombstones and jack-o-lanterns always signal only one thing -- the second largest celebration in North America next to Christmas, Halloween. Halloween, also known as Witches Night, Samhain, Summer’s End or All Hallow’s Eve, is a holiday that's celebrated annually in North America on the night of October 31, the eve originally calendared by the Irish, as the night before the onset of winter.

But if you’re in Mexico, this autumnal celebration conjures up a ghost of a slightly different colour. While many of the images are similar, the festival celebrated in Mexico, from October 28 – November 2^nd, called Day of the Dead, pre-dates Halloween by a couple of centuries. The essence of Day of the Dead can perhaps best be described by what it is not. It is not a morbid fascination with death. It is not mournful. It is less of a macabre mockery of death with the spooky costumes and pranks of Halloween revelers, and more a celebration of life. Or the natural cycle of life, to be more exact. Indigenous peoples here believe that souls do not die – they simply go to a place of rest (Mictlan) where they continue to live on. The Day of the Dead is the annual celebration where those souls of our loved ones are welcomed back for a merry old visit.

Is Day of the Dead simply a Mexican version of Halloween? The short answer is Yes,  but with an important twist.

BACKGROUND: The modern celebration of Halloween is a descendent of the ancient Celtic festival called "Samhain;" meaning Summer's End. Samhain was the first day of winter, and the end of one pastoral year. It was the time when the night became longer than the day, the last apples were picked, and the year began again with its dark winter half. It was marked like the other key annual Celtic festivals – with fire. The Celts believed that during this time the normal order of the universe was suspended and the barriers between the natural and supernatural worlds temporarily thinned to allow spirit interlopers.

When the Romans conquered the Celts, their festival Feralia, a commemoration of the passing of the Dead, melded naturally with the fire celebrations.

By the 7^th century the Roman Catholics had designated November 1 as All SAINTS Day, and November 2^nd as All SOULS Day (so as not to leave anyone out) both being an attempt to replace the paganistic Celtic festival of the dead with a church-sanctioned holiday. The whole shebang took its’ name from Middle English  ‘All Hallows’ meaning ‘All Saints’ (or souls) and added their word for ‘eve’ - ‘een’. Hallow’een  embraced the paganistic aspects, incorporating big bonfires, parades and dressing up in costumes as saints, angels, & devils.

By the 15^th century, when the Spanish Conquistadores landed in what is now Mexico, they discovered the Aztecs had a ritual that seemed to pay tribute to death. In existence for over 3000 years, what was later coined Dias de los Muertos, was a celebration to honor the dearly departed, those beloved folk who had passed on to the ‘other side’ of existence. The celebration implied that death was not an ending, but a continuation of life. Skulls were used to symbolize not only death but re-birth. They were used as emblems of respect, and wisdom. Instead of fearing death, the natives embraced it, for it was only in death did they become truly aware and all-knowing. In spite of the Spaniards efforts to quell this pagan ritual, the Day of the Dead refused to die. So, the best they could do was wrangle it in by shortening the previous month long event into a few days, changing the date so it coincided with the Roman Catholic All Saint and All Soul’s Days. 

Yucatan Sand Painting

Today, the Day of the Dead remains one of the most celebrated traditions in Mexico, in parts of the US, and Central America. While it may seem strange for us to accept the fact that "death" and "festivities" can go hand-in-hand, for most Mexicans, the two are inextricably entwined.

The familiar Halloween-esque images are everywhere, in the markets and on the streets as the Mexican people collect items they need to pay homage to their relatives both at gravesites, in schools and at home.

Ladislao Loera

FROM FOLK LORE TO ART: Some of the popular symbols have become so iconic, the legendary Catrina (elegant lady skeleton in her oversize, festive hat), for example, that an entire craft industry has emerged around it. Find yourself at any mercado and you can buy, year round,  those plastic woven shopping satchels adorned with her visage. Artist Ladislao Loera has made it his life’s work to explore and create paintings and art objects founded in this milieu. He explains his passion: “Dia de los Muertos art is meant to show the duality of life, which is that it can only exist surrounded by death. This is reality, not superstition. The artwork is meant to show this and make death a part of life, to be accepted and acknowledged instead of feared.” 

This is not just a festival for the grown ups. The duality of life is importantly instilled in children at a young age. Fear of death is expelled through the use of toys like the calavera (skulls). Loera points out: “The first toys I can remember were a plastic skeleton and winged devil, gifts from my grandmother. Other kids had GI Joes or Batman action figures but I was never envious of them. My toys allowed my imagination to stretch its boundaries and make friends with the very things that gave other children nightmares”

At the Cooking School

ALTARS FOR THE DEAD: Nowadays, during Oct. 28 – November 2^nd, in most homes, the focal point of the tributes is an altar -- erected on a cloth covered table. It is festooned with photographs of the dearly departed, and all manner of items that will comfort, feed and nourish the traveling souls, including a wash basin and soap for freshening up. There will be zempasúchil (marigold flowers), copal incense, candles and perhaps trinkets they may have loved during their time on this plane.  Sometimes they’ll make a trail of marigold petals leading into the house to the altar. The room might also be decorated with implements or tools the deceased may have used. Drinks for children, such as Horchata – the almond rice milk, or chokó sakam, a protein rich, thick beverage made from maize will be served alongside bottles of Tequila and Mescal for the adults. Tamales and Pan de Muerto (a fragrant egg bread) are traditional food offerings as well as candied delicacies like sugared skulls.  Of course, the favourite snacks of the deceased, themselves are ever present.

EVERY DAY A DANCE WITH DEATH:  If you live in Mexico, it comes as no surprise to learn that each region of this complex and glorious country has its own unique approach to celebrating Day of the Dead: in the highlands of Michoacan it is known as Jimbanqua -- the party honoring the people who died that year with flowers; in San Luis Potosi, Hidalgo and the southern part of Oaxaca they call it Xantolo, which stands for “a communion between man and nature or man and god”; in the Yucatan it is known as Hanal Pixan which means “the path of the soul through the essence of food”.

By whatever name it is called, Dias de los Muertas is at the core of the culture of the Mexican peoples. For many of us in other cultures, death imparts a feeling of pain and loss especially for those who have not known their purpose or their path in life. 

But, in Mexican culture, as the old saying goes: “Every day is a dance with death.” And death is transcendence, transformation and even resurrection.

Hispanic-American Rebecca M. Cuevas De Caissie sums it up this way: “I will once again come face to face with the gift my culture has given me and my family. The ability to love without the fear of losing. The ability to live without the fear of dying. The ability to remember predecessors without the fear of being forgotten. We will remember by celebrating El Dia de los Muertos.” 

There is nothing like a man...

in the kitchen! 

I know, I know it is customary to see more males as professional chefs, but at The Little Mexican Cooking School there is a lot of estrogen floating around, so you can appreciate our delight when Pablo Lopez Espinosa de la Monterra answered our call and met all the criteria we were looking for to be a part of our burgeoning little cooking adventure. The fact that he is not only brilliant but charming, and funny only makes our job easier, and our classes more fun!

Pablo is a 'bred in the bone' Mexican and seasoned restauranteur-Chef. While his heart lies with the cuisine of his roots, -- his mind is cleverly adding a gentle, modern touch to some of the heavier Yucatecan specialties. Our menus now include more fresh salad courses and begin and end with palate refreshers like Pablo's signature Fresh Lime Tart. Buen Provecho!

Season 2 to Launch October 5th!

Riviera Maya, Puerto Morelos

In Puerto Morelos, the little colonial gem midway between Cancun and Playa del Carmen, activities are afoot to prepare for the beginning of tourist season. Like many other businesses, The Little Mexican Cooking School, a fairly new feature on the Riviera Maya landscape, is no exception. Re-opening it’s doors in October after summer hiatus, launches their second season of “Food Adventures for Curious Travellers” on October 5^th.

After putting over 500 tourist-students through their school last season, and being rated by TripAdvisor as #1 Excursion in the region, The Little Mexican Cooking School is committed to stand by it’s reputation: to offer Authentic Mexican Cooking classes to curious travelers, in an intimate setting. And to exceed expectations.

There are new things brewing for the new season, of course  A new chef, some new recipes and new products in their store. But first…

HOW IT STARTED:

Oddly, the partners of such a successful venture, did not know each other beforehand. Both, curious travellers (an Australian, Cat Brown, newly planted in Puerto and a Canadian, Patti Murphy, who met in Puerto Morelos through happenstance), found common ground in the idea of a local cooking school. As food-nut travellers themselves, they felt that stepping into an authentic Mexican kitchen and learning the ropes from the natives, would be a deeply satisfying way to experience Mexico. With Catriona’s business acumen fully established and the local town charity under her belt, and Patti’s background in the restaurant business, the venture took root and the two began their conversation by internet, producing a ‘real live school’ 5 months later. Launching Dec 8, 2009 most of the classes sold out and they never looked back.

NEW THIS SEASON:  Chef Pablo Lopez Espinosa de los Monteros joins the school after spending 7 years in Canada operating his own restaurant in Squamish British Columbia. Café Maya, specialized in healthy versions of authentic Mayan fare. Café Maya was awarded the CRITICS CHOICE AWARD in Squamish B.C. Canada in 2008.

Mexico beckoned. And Pablo brought his wife and daughter Maya back to Mexico last year to reconnect with his roots, helming a restaurant in Nayarit. When the call came to lend his talents to our cooking school in Puerto Morelos,  Pablo responded!  Teaching the way of Mexican food and culture is really his passion. We are very pleased to have him as our main chef this season.

CLASSES: will be held Tuesdays and Thursdays and some Fridays, during the fall more starting December. Classes start at 10 am and include a little breakfast of Mexican Coffee and pastries and go on to include the teaching session in the kitchen followed by the hearty ‘sit-down’ Mexican late lunch.

OTHER NEW THINGS:

A little shop at the school offers many authentic Mexican culinary tools as well as our cookbooks, aprons and signature prepared spices and bottled preserves.  More items are on offer this season.

And… THE ULTIMATE MEXICAN FOODIE WEEK!

Stay at one of the school’s two, double bedroom suites for your week in Mexico and live the life of real foodies! This package includes your personal use of the pool and rooftop terrace; your own luxury bathroom; the use of the kitchen for your breakfast and the fun of partaking  in 2 cooking classes and all lunches prepared that week.

The BIG BONUS: travel with us on our shopping expeditions to Cancun’s authentic Mercado 23 each Monday, the Puerto Morelos experience in the Mexican colony of shops and corner markets - La Colonia, most mornings; and weekday walks to the fisherman’s’ wharf for our fish.

To get more information and to book a class or the ‘Stay With Us” Foodie Adventure online go to:www.thelittlemexicancookingschool.com

Delectible Dish Debuts on Eve of Cinco de Mayo

While it is not a widely celebrated holiday in Mexico, the Cinco de Mayo (the 5th of May) is a holiday celebrated mostly in the US by the Mexicans there, and primarily limited to folks here in the state of Puebla. It commemorates the Mexican army's unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, under the leadership of Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín.

Those of us who choose to pay tribute to this certain victory, do so as a tribute of Mexican heritage and pride. So at the Little Mexican Cooking School -- we say that any excuse to celebrate the traditions and culture of Mexico and it's people… is a good excuse for a feast.

A woman whose reputation for being both a political activist, a much revered magic realist painter and a flamboyant hostess -- Frida Kahlo -- was the object of our little tribute.  Well known to embrace every Mexican holiday (even inventing some of her own) with an unrivalled, creative fervour, Frida was also an enthusiastic cook. 

The Menu of the Day, simply had to include two of Frida's celebratory favourites: Chiles Nogada (Stuffed Chiles with a Walnut Sauce) and Flag Rice. The Chiles Nogada was rich, and multi-flavoured with it's velvety walnut sauce. Savouring it confirmed it as a fitting centrepiece for such an auspicious occasion. Yeah, it was pretty 'good to the last bite' delicious.  

Oh, and the ghost of Frida, herself convened the proceedings. 

If you want to try the recipe, find it in "the R Files" on the upper right. Lots of ingredients and a number of steps but it's not difficult and it is worth it!

Surprises in the Kitchen

"You expect me to hand make a tortilla? No possible way!" 

Yeah, that's what most people think. Truth is, it's not so hard, really. When you know the tricks. Take 1 tortilla press + some Masa (corn flour and water in a proven recipe amount) + plus the super Mexican secret trick -- a little piece of plastic bag... and you're there!

Hundreds of students are having a blast with our tortilla presses and discovering just how easy it is making tortillas. And, how delicious.

The results when you make tortillas from scratch and bake/toast on a cast iron skillet or a "comal" if you live here -- are amazing. The flavour of the corn flour is pronounced. And so tasty. They are even good all by themselves. I am paying attention to the comments when those first tortillas come off the comal and are tasted by our students, and time and time again people are astounded by the flavour. And of course, the freshness. Because it is all about the freshness in a Mexican Kitchen for your corn tortillas. You make the Masa that day and you use it! You make a new batch the next day.

Tortillas are so versatile. They transform themselves into so many things. At The Little Mexican Cooking School we use the basic tortilla recipe to create several variations and they are all so great for parties! A certain technique of pressing down on the tortilla on the griddle will cause it to separate and rise up. IT becomes a Gordita. Akin to Pita, it creates a pocket to stuff! That's fun

Sopes are thicker and smaller tortillas that have their edges pinched upwards to allow for toppings (not unlike a pizza) but more like a little boat. 

And this tortilla masa is good for so many things I am discovering. You can make a taco out of guacamole... beans and cheese... chicken and cream with herbs...  A sopes out of beans and cheese or beef and beans with cilantro or... well, you get the picture.

Pink Paper

Operating a little tourist business in the Yucatan Peninsula, is what we do. We do it because of a growing trend in tourism where travelers, like ourselves, are seeking more than a sightseer's glimpse of the world. We are also a part of a vibrant little community - Puerto Morelos.  A resident for over ten years, Catriona and has witnessed first hand a village struggling to keep up with the rapid growth tourism brings, while dealing with the ravages of not one but 2 hurricanes in 2006. 


After the devastation of hurricanes Wilma and Emily the primary school of 700 students had barely enough water to flush the toilets twice a day, the clinics had meagre medical supplies, and the emergency response team had zero safety equipment. 

So the El Mundo Para Puerto Morelos  was born. They rallied local residents, expats, friends and tourists and encouraged everyone to dig deep into their pockets to get this village back on its feet.  Recovery from those natural disasters is, in large part, behind us (until the next one!), but the work of the charity has not stood still. Their goal is to enrich the lives of everyone in the community through maintenance and improvement in the areas of health, education, and welfare.
Ongoing projects include:

• Sponsors for monthly school first aid supplies
• Books for distribution to all children in kindergarten and levels 1 & 2 of primary school
• Ambulance service and supplies
• Sponsors for shade tree planting at the schools
• Computers, computers, and more computers
• Fire station, trucks, and equipment
• Emergency supplies for Civil Protection
• Paramedic and first aid training for adults and children
• Bi-lingual and English classes for adults and children
• Special Education Teachers needed all levels
• Supplies of medicines and vitamins for public clinics

At The Little Mexican Cooking School we receive a steady stream of goods and supplies to be delivered to the school across the highway in the Colonia. And, every now and again, we pop a whole bunch of rolls of the pink paper we use for our dining table covering, into the load of stuff.  For us it's a happy way to recycle.  For the kids--  it becomes bright coloured craft supplies!

Don Habanero Gets His Due

If you are in Cancun and surrounds today you might pick up a copy of USA TODAY, The Mexican Caribbean Edition and see my article on the Habanero Festival happening this week in the Yucatan. For those not in the region, here is the full article.

It seems like it’s always Fiesta time in Mexico, and this coming week is no exception. In the Yucatan, there are no less than 7 festivals dotting the peninsula, this week, and that doesn’t even count Merida, which is always a buzz with cultural celebrations.  Unique in its way of combining religion and the Don of hot chiles, this event - Feria de la Flor de Chile Habanero – April 15 through April 21 is a traditional fair in honor of the Blessed Virgin of the Immaculate Conception. This is a wonderful opportunity to partake (if you have not yet) of that spicy little chile, a signature of the Yucatan.

HOW HOT?

The habanero chile (Capsicum chinense)) is one of the most intensely spicy varieties of chile peppers of the Capsicum genus. Green when unripe, they mature into many shades of orange, yellow, red, brown and pink.  The Habaneros’ size belies it’s reputation. These little guys  are about the size of the tip of your thumb, but pack a walloping 100,000–350,000  Scoville Heat Units. By comparison, the Jalapeno chile hits the scale at only 10 – 15,000 heat units.

Mexicans revere their chiles, and Yucatecans are especially proud of the fact that the first chiles were domesticated on this peninsula.

Hence the prestigious label: Yucatan, Origin of the Habanero Chile. But they don’t stop here. While Mexico is the largest consumer of this little fruit, its popularity will astound you. Hundreds of tons of these chiles are exported from the Yucatan all over the world. Rumour has it one Japanese company alone imports 30 tons of Habaneros every month!

WHY?

Its’ distinctive,  citrusy flavor, backed by its searing heat has made it the indispensable foundation of so many Yucatan dishes.  Where would we be without habaneros for our slow roasted Cochinita Pibil, our refreshing Coastal Ceviches, or for our highly revered Yucatecan Lime Soup?  We’d be lost or worse… hungry. Life without our beloved chile of chiles would be dead boring.

BUT IS IT HEALTHY?

Those of us who regularly chow down on spicy foods are familiar with the rush of endorphins that happen in the brain. You could call it some kind of a high. Research has indicated that there are in fact health benefits of eating capsaicin (the chemical component that makes chiles hot) since they are also antioxidants. But one wonders how many of these little devils one would have to ingest to get those anti-cancer benefits. Capcaisin is now being used in some  Arthritis pain relieving potions. One can’t help but wonder how applying the chemical of searingly hot chiles, that normally burn your skin, on your skin, actually combat pain in your joints? Apparently, it can. Local Yucatecans will tell you that if you maintain a steady diet that includes Habaneros & lime, you’re not likely to get sick, in the first place. Perhaps the intense heat of the chile and the acid of the lime are all that’s needed to render any germs defeated before they even reach your stomach!

So, this is the week Yucatecans in Halacho, just south of Merida have chosen to celebrate their beloved Don Habanero. There will be local signature dishes available in all the eateries, and lots of local colour. The Blessed Virgin will be overseeing the proceedings as Don Habanero gets his due!

To learn more about the Habanero chile, why not take a cooking class on Authentic Mexican Cuisine? In the Yucatan, at The Little Mexican Cooking  School in Puerto Morelos, Chef Claudia Garcia Ramos de Celis delves into the art and science of chiles in an entertaining way. She regales curious travelers with stories of her roots in Mexico City as she demonstrates many authentic regional recipes all involving chiles, of course. At Los Dos, Merida’s premiere cooking school Chef David Sterling takes his students to the local markets to sniff out the authentic chiles and other indispensable ingredients to Yucatecan cuisine as part of his day long classes.  Both schools have become highly rated and a “MUST DO” in their respective locations.

YUCATAN FESTIVALS THIS WEEK
Timucuy Fiesta 6 Day Event – April 10 through April 15

Traditional County Fair

Akil Fiesta 7 Day Event – April 12 through April 18

In honor of St Ines boasting street dancing and a competition.

Halacho: Feria de la Flor de Chile Habanero – April 15 through April 21

The Blessed Virgin gives Don Habanero her blessings.

Tekal de Venegas Fiesta 5 Day Event – April 15 through 19

In honor of San Pedro

Tekax Fiesta 5 Day Event – April 18 through 22

A celebration of spring

Tahmek Fiesta 1 Day Event – April 18

         To honor San Pedro apostol

To Market... to Merida!

Running a little cooking school for tourists in Mexico has many challenges, to be sure... especially when you are catering to a collection of astute, curious travelers who are expecting - and deserve - a high quality experience. (read: a big bang for your buck!) That's good because it keeps us sharp. Also, on the plus side it means we need to source out certain special markets once in awhile, for the unique and authentic wares we offer in our little shop. Like the ones in Merida. So today's the day to visit the capitol of the Yucatan - a beautiful historic colonial city - to explore some of the specialty shops where we find the Molcajetes, Lime Squeezers and Tortilla presses.

The molcajete (derived from the Náhuatl molcaxitl from molli - seasoning or sauce - and caxitl - box) is the Mexican Spanish name for a traditional stone mortar-and-pestle, and is of pre-historic ancestry. It is a tool that was being used in Mesoamerica thousands of years ago. No Mexican kitchen today is complete without one. The one we use at the school has an indentation on the lip where the stone has been worn away by so many years of grinding spices and salsas. It belonged to Claudia's grandmother, and being the baby of the family, Claudia was the lucky one it was passed on to. Claudia also recently found a unique artisan's version in Mexico City that incorporated a beautiful hand carved wooden exterior. We didn't stock molcajetes in our shop originally, thinking that travelers would steer clear of them -- they are stone and are pretty darn heavy. But when we tried a couple of them, a few weeks ago, they flew off the shelves. Hence the need to get back to the Markets of Merida.

The things we do for love!

What goes on behind the scenes here at The Little Mexican Cooking School, may surprise you. Sometimes we're collecting items from the local expats to deliver to the local school -- Catriona runs the town charity -- sometimes we're doing little arts and crafts projects in the back room like braiding our silken cord for the official cookbooks -- and even sometimes we are putting on lipstick and kissing our cards!

Okay... it's a little design feature to promote the fact that we love our dogs and we bake a line of healthy dog bikkies. Catriona's dog Alex is the official recipe tester and I am not entirely sure that was such a good idea. She loves the bikkies so much that she now comes bounding over to the kitchen each morning, where I am baking, and insists on getting some attention (read: where is my morning treat?) and while, normally a very congenial creature, Alex will actually BARK at me if I don't respond with the aforementioned bikkie.

I suppose it's a good sign. Of course we know dogs love food but this dog is not normally food motivated. Her thing is  love and play. But these bikkies ... there's just a little something about them. We are using all natural ingredients that are healthy for dogs. That said,  I will finally get to recipe test our next Bikkie -- Chocolato For Dogs -- since Luke, who is a friend of the school -- is arriving today from Wisconsin and is bearing the natural chocolate substitute -- carob. Stay tuned for the results. As you might expect, Alex is standing by.