La Fina Cocina | Chismes

Casa Q Ornament Collection

2011-09-11T21:23:00.000-07:00

Ay Dios Mio Shop now offers the exclusive ornaments by Casa Q.
These are beautiful designs, Latino themed. Great for gift giving.
They are shipped with a handsome gift box and legend card.

Ay Dios Mio Shop

2011-08-29T20:42:00.000-07:00

Ay Dios Mio Shop will open a retail store at the San Pedro Square Market Oct. 22.

The San Pedro Square Market will be a public market located in the heart of Downtown San Jose. The lively Market will include approximately 20 unique vendors selling everything from farm fresh vegetables to great sandwiches and beautiful imported kitchenwear. The aromas of fresh ground coffee and wood-fired pizza will fill three market halls. The Market will present daily entertainment and showcase beautiful art created by first-rate artists and craftsmen. The heart and soul of project is the historic Peralta Adobe---the oldest building in San Jose. The Peralta Adobe Plaza will offer outdoor seating where you can enjoy a morning coffee, a fabulous lunch, or an evening concert with dinner or a cocktail. The Market aims to be San Jose's most vibrant retail center. Come and explore the Market---take a casual stroll during the day or settle in for a relaxing evening filled with music and entertainment.

Best Burritos

2011-06-04T18:03:00.000-07:00

California's Best Burrito's
Last weekend I had the best burrito in my life! I was in San Francisco's Mission district, enjoying Carnaval, when I overheard someone talking about the burritos at El Faro.
Well they were 100% correct! I had a breakfast burrito, that was sabroso!
El Faro also claims they served the first retail burrito in San Francisco, in 1961!
Here a few other my burrito faves:

NorCal:
El Grullense Grill- Located throughout the bayarea. Excellent salsa roja.
El Tonayense (3150 24th St., San Francisco; Top taco trucks in San Francisco.
El Faro- 2779 Mission (between 23rd & 24th st) Chorizo Burrito are the best.

So. Cal:
El Tepyac - 812 N. Evergreen Ave East Los Angeles. Try the Hollenbeck burrito.
El Patio #2- 1001 N. Magnolia ave, Anaheim. Crispy edge Carnitas are tasty.
Super Cocina - 3672 University San Diego. Chili Colorado is the best.

San Francisco Carnval

2011-05-15T11:38:00.000-07:00

La Fina Cocina will be particpating at this years Carnaval.
We will have a vendor booth selling unique art from Mexico

West Coast’s Largest Annual Multi-Cultural Celebration takes over the Mission District with a Festival and Grand Parade over Memorial Day Weekend.
One of the city's most spectacular traditions, San Francisco Carnaval showcases the very best of Latin American, Caribbean, African and fusion cultures and traditions with a diverse array of food, music, dance and artistry, including works created by the talented community of Mission District residents and Bay Area artists.

On Saturday and Sunday, May 28 and 29, the San Francisco Carnaval Festival will offer food, music, dance, art, crafts and other fun activities and events on several stages for the entire family to enjoy. Spanning seven blocks, the San Francisco Carnaval Festival will take place on Harrison Street between 16th and 22nd streets (10 am-6 pm). Some highlights include: Niñolandia (children area); Zona Verde (eco Green Zone), and the popular Health Pavilion. Three main stages will feature live music.

On Sunday, May 29th, the San Francisco Carnaval Grand Parade kickoffs at 9:30 a.m. at the corner of 24th and Bryant streets, where it will proceed west to Mission Street. From there, the parade heads north on Mission down to 17th Street, where it will turn east and flow into the festival area. A total of 70 contingents in vivid Carnaval costumes will dazzle the crowd of 400,000 spectators lining the streets.

My Travels to Mexico

2011-04-04T18:27:00.000-07:00

My sister, Josie and i just returned from a Mexico, shopping trip. We were stocking up on new inventory .
Our first stop was San Miguel de Allende, along with outstanding cuisne, we picked up a lot of unique art and jewelry. The highlight of the trip was visiting fantastic Tlaqupaque,
this is a small town a few miles from Guadalajara. Great shopping, food, and tourism!

El Comal

2011-03-12T16:53:00.000-08:00

If you plan on making homemade tortillas, you must invest in a "comal " it is a flat heavy skillet that is mainly used for making flour tortillas. It is made of cast iron and is very heavy. It can come in round shapes or in longer, oblong shapes.

A comal is also great for grilling carne asada (red meats) and vegetables like tomates, tomatillos chiles and onions. The comal adds flavor to whatever you're cooking, whereas it's non-stick counterparts offer no additional flavors. You can also use one to quickly re-heat tortillas as well. A comal is versatile because you can use it on the stove, in the oven or even on a grill. Just be careful because they get very hot and you will need to use a potholder if you need to move it.

I reflect on my mother's use of the comal. She made fresh homemade flour tortillas for her 10 brother and sister's growing up. She also had eleven children, in which continued make fresh homemade tortillas on her "comal". My family will forever cherish those memories of having fresh homemade tortillas on a dialy basis.Her tortillas were also popular with the neighbors, as I recall my mother would barter her tortillas for baked goods. que sabroso!

You can purchase a comal at most Mexican Supermarkets, or on-line:
Mex Grocer

San Miguel de Allende

2010-09-11T17:15:00.000-07:00

San Miguel de Allende

I just returned from a fun filled 10 day shopping trip in Mexico. I was lucky enough to visit Mexico City, San Miguel de Allende and Tlaquepque. The highlight of the trip was San Miguel de Allende. San Miguel is a very small colonial town, founded in the early 16th century. Designated a National Monument in 1926, it retains its authentic colonial atmosphere. You'll see no traffic lights, no neon signs, no Gaps, no McDonalds, though there is one Starbucks, (but they were not allowed to utilze the branding). What you will see are beautiful children in school uniforms, mariachi bands roaming the public gardens, friendly locals, many galleries, small restaurants and lots and lots of artesian shops. The jardin, the main plaza, is San Miguel's sala, living room. One can sit for hours just watching the day and the people go by. There speciality are cooking and art schools.

There is a festival nearly every day. On many nights, fireworks light the sky. On weekend, they stage a spectacular light show on the main church, Church bells chime throughout the day and night. Every Sunday, families stroll in the jardin, enjoying ice cream cones, listening to musicians, chatting with neighbors and foreigners.

If you have a moment check out my photos:
http://www.lafinacocina.shutterfly.com

Site Password: mexico

Mexican Fruit Salad- Pico de Gallo

2010-06-27T19:50:00.000-07:00

Summer is here, and we are looking for fresh and tasty recipes.Consider jazzing up your Pico de Gallo recipe. It is often prepared as a salsa-like side dish or topping made of tomatoes, onion, chiles and cilantro, but others think of Pico de Gallo as a tart and spicy fruit salad. "Pico de Gallo" is also a brand of chile seasoning that is spicy and salty which can be added to the fruit salad. Tossed in lime juice, the fruits and vegetables used are commonly cantaloupe, honeydew, oranges, cucumbers and jicama. You can add additional seasonal fruits such as nectarines, mangos, papaya, kiwi or plums. While tomatoes, onions and chiles make a delicious Pico de Gallo, the fruit version is delicious too.

Visit La Fina Cocina's "Favoritas", and check out the video by La Fina Cocina's Director of Mexican Cusine, Joise Montano, prepare a basic Pico de Gallo recipe.

Pice de Gallo Video demonstration: http://www.lafinacocina.com/html/favoritas.html

Herbs vs Spices

2010-05-30T20:13:00.000-07:00

thoughts by Guest Blogger Marylee:

In conversation with a friend, she asked “What are the most common herbs used in the Mexican kitchen?” I didn’t have an answer, so set out to find one. I spoke to a few people; both relatives and strangers…even struck up a conversation with one woman on the bus. I wrote to an agronomist friend in Mexico working with indigenous people in the hills through out Mexico, and a chef friend of mine. I also did lots of research in both books and on the internet. All of this only leads to more and more reading…as well as more questions.
So today, not only am I asking “What are the most common herbs used in the Mexican kitchen?” But I questioning things like “What’s the difference between Herbs and Spices?” And “How can I tell if my spices are fresh/usable, or at their best for use?” Or “How do I use my spices to the best of their flavor potential”. Much of the information I came up with is kind of “cross over” information. Meaning it is information that holds true for most if not all spices, not just “Mexican cooking spices”. Because what I learned is that there are few herbs and spices that are only used in Mexican cooking and never in other cuisines.
Yet, I did learn there are number of fresh “herbs” that were rarely heard of out side of Mexican kitchens and markets until recently. But that is quickly changing so if you have any questions about herbs and spices that are not yet answered in this column; drop a line with the question/s. And if I haven’t read it somewhere, I’ll hunt for your answer. You will see the more questions that are asked the better cooks we’ll all become.
In the mean time, let’s start with a really basic question, although not the first one. “What’s the difference between herbs and spices”, I asked. I always thought that spices were dried and herbs were fresh. Not so. Spices are the leaves, twigs, bark, flowers, seeds, and fruit of aromatic plants that were originally grown in temperate regions. Herbs are the leaves, stems, flowers and or roots and tubers grown in most any region. These do not have bark or hard stems.
Both can be used dried or fresh, although dried spices are more often used during cooking to give over all flavor to the dish. And fresh herbs; leaves, stems, or roots are used during the last few minutes of cooking, and/or sprinkled or positioned on the finished plate and food as bursts of flavor to enhance the taste and appearance of the meal. Either way spices or herbs lend us their flavors and we can the use the same ingredients to make completely different tasting meals. And that makes all the difference in the world.

Joe's Taco Lounge

2010-05-12T18:17:00.001-07:00

Josie Director of Mexican Cuisne, checked out Joe's Taco Lounge in Mill Valley, ordered the grilled pasilla chile stuffed with chipotlecornbread and cheese.
You know we always think of stuffing the chile with meats or cheese even with beans, but cornbread? that's a little different. So I ordered it , I'm so glad I did. The chile was charred, not peeled with seeds removed, stuffed with a moist chipotle cornbread and monterey jack cheese, sitting on a pool of chile verde, topped with roasted red pepper sauce to balance the heat from the chile verde.
This was a great treat and so easy to make.
First time in Mill Valley I found it a cute town to visit with lots of eye candy. I'm glad we drove around and came across Joe's.
Check it out!

Joe's Taco Lounge
382 Miller Avenue
Mill Valley, Ca. 94941
Very Mexican small diner with pictures and statues of santos all over the walls, tables covered with traditional oil cloth and a very popular place for lunch.
Located next to Whole Foods

Dia De Las Madres- May 10

2010-04-24T10:57:00.000-07:00

In Mexico, Mothers Day is always May 10, vs. U.S. it lands on the 2nd Sunday of May.

Take advantage of our 20% discount, just in time for Mother's Day for both days.
We have colorful selection of Aprons and Tableware, your mom, tia, amiga would love.
Enter "chula" at check out.

La Golondrina

2010-04-21T14:39:00.000-07:00

Olvera Street

Olvera Street is called the birthplace of Los Angeles. It is a must see, if you visit Los Angeles, it is filled with shops and excellent restaurants. My favorite being "La Golondrina" or the house of swallows. They claim to be the 1st Mexican cafe, established by Consuelo Castillo Bonzo in 1924. La Golondrina menu offers many specialities to include Tacos Suaves, Ceviche, Cochinita Pibil, Chille Relleno (stuffed with crab) in addition, to all the traditional Mexican dishes, also homemade tortillas(yum). They are most famous for there Flan (a custard type dessert). They claim to add a special ingredient to the flan that gives the extra special flavor. I have tasted many Flan's and I would agree it is one of the best.

I also picked up a large (lead-free) bean pot for a great price.

For more reviews:
http://losangeles.citysearch.com/review/16641

2010-04-06T18:11:00.001-07:00

Molcajete
I love my molcajete, mainly because it reminds me of one the most traditional Mexican kitchen utensils ,with traces back to pre-Hispanic cultures. A molcajete is used to grind spices, prepare guacamole and salsas. Many Mexican supermarkets carry them, they are made of basalt stone which has a rough surface and normally has three legs. The other part of the molcajete is the tejolote, it is the grinding tool, also made of basalt.

If you purchase a new one, be sure to cure it by rinsing with soap and water. Then use the tejolote to grind some fresh garlic into a paste and spread the paste all over the inside of the molcajete and leave overnight. Next day rinse with water only, do not use soap after the first time, just hot water to clean.

Guayamas in Tuburon

2010-03-22T18:46:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, I had lunch with friends at this great restaurant called Guayamas, located in Tiburon (north of Golden Gate bridge).

They specialize in traditional Mexican Cuisine. We all know that good Mexican cuisine is not hard to find, but what makes them different, is there location, along with the excellent food. I ordered "Chiliqules" they were prepared with home made chorizo. Homemade chorizo, basically means all the fat is removed, and very tasty. They were the best tasting "Chiliqules" I have ever tasted!

They are located on the north side of bay, with an awesome view of San Francisco skyline. You have the option to drive, across the golden gate bridge, or take a ferry from pier 41 ($19.50 roundtrip).

Next time you are visiting the city, I highly recommend enjoying this restaurant with family and freinds.

Check out their website:

http://www.guaymasrestaurant.com/

Rick Bayless- Authentic Mexican- Book Review

2010-03-14T09:20:00.000-07:00

As luck would have it (or very good timing) I had the opportunity to meet Rick Bayless at his Chicago restaurant "Frontera Grill" and have him sign my new favorite Mexican cookbook:

Authentic Mexican

Regional Cooking

from the

Heart of Mexico

by Rick Bayless

He covers a full range of dishes from poultry, meat, fish, rice, beans and vegetables. He illustrates basics such as tortillas, to other favorites such as "enchilada and their relatives", and of course, what he is most famous for "mole"

My favorite aspect of the book, are the "cooks notes". Bayless elaborates on ingredient's, preparation techniques and variation of the dish. What is most touching, he is dedicates the book to his grandmother, who taught him that you can bring a lot more than food to a dinner table.

The Whole Enchilada

2010-02-15T11:42:00.000-08:00

I celebrated my Valentines Day with my familia at the Whole Enchilada, located in Moss Landing, off of Hwy 1, just south of Santa Cruz. The Whole Enchilada, specializes in Mexican seafood. My favorite are the crab stuffed enchiladas, with a light cream sauce, hmmmm it was soooo good. They have an extensive menu, with so many tantalizing choices from grilled salmon, covered in cilantro lime sauce, to a stuffed poblano with shrimp, along with traditional Mexican dishes. The chefs have a keen attention to quality and presentation. I also enjoy the decor, and ambiance, lots of bright colors. The service and price points are OK, but they do have a full bar, with an extensive tequila list. I had a margarita, one of the best, I have to admit, and I enjoy how they decorate the glass with bight colored serenas!

They were voted best Mexican restaurant serving fresh seafood by Coastal Living Magazine

http://wenchilada.com

Comida de Amor

2010-02-03T18:19:00.000-08:00

Febrero is the month for Amor. We all have our favorite foods to celebrate with our loved ones, especially Mexican desserts, like a creamy flan. My personal favorite are Chiles en Nogada.
I tasted Chiles en Nogada while in Mexico, attending a cooking class. The dish is so pretty to look at, and it has a wonderful balance of spicy, yet sweet flavors. The recipe begins with roasting and stuffing pobalno chiles. The stuffing includes beef, apples, pears, and raisins, topped with a creamy nutty sauce, and adding a final touch of pomegranate seeds.
Chiles en Nogada are the national dish of Mexico, and normally served during Mexican Independence day, as the dish reflects the colors of the Mexican flag. I like it cuz it is a fun and tasteful dish to impress your family. This recipe is inspired by "Lorencita" the mother of Maria Marquez, grandmother of Patrica Merrill, owner of Mexican Cooking Vacation in San Miguel de Allende.

2010-01-17T19:11:00.000-08:00

Hollenbeck Burrito's

This last weekend, me and my sisters were in LA shopping, and were looking forward to some good Mexican food, so stopped by a diner called “El Tepeyac” in East Los Angeles. El Tepeyac is the home of the famous “Manuel’s Hollenbeck Burrito”. Claimed to be the largest burrito in all of California. We had to stand in line outside of the restaurant, as it so small with about twenty seats plus a counter. (The kitchen is larger than dining area). It was fun standing in line, along with the anticipation of an excellent meal, we got to observe typical East LA activities; Chihuahuas running across the street, cholos hanging out, plenty of low riders cruising by in front of the Catholic church across the street. After about 15min, we were seated, and were so excited to read thru the menu, but quickly decided on Hollenbeck burrito ($8.25), knowing it was big enough to feed a football team, we continued to order the Nachos as an appetizer, and…..Chicken taquitos. No sooner had we placed the order, the burritos were served! Quickly followed by the biggest serving of Nachos and Taquitos (with tons of guacamole). The dishes were amazing, and soooooo good. The bill was only $40, so not only cheap (fed 4, plus tons of left overs), the service was friendly and effecient. So if you are in LA, look them up, it is worth the wait.
El Tepeyac is the hill that the Virgin Mary was sighted on in Mexico. In La Virgen’s honor; there was a large shrine in the restaurant and in the parking lot.

El Tepyac was profiled in National Geographic's Man vs. Food series.

Latin Star Magazine

2010-01-06T20:15:00.000-08:00

Our very own, Josie Montano, Director of Mexican Cuisine, featured her Mole con Pollo recipe, in the January edition of Latin Star Magazine. Josie shares with her readers, how her abuelita shared her with the tradition of bringing family together, with delicious food, like her Mole con Pollo recipe.

Latin Star is a national, bi-monthly, Latino lifestyle magazine. The articles are bilingual and available at newstands. Check it out!

You can find Josie's Mole con Pollo recipe, in La Fina Cocina "Favoritas" section under recipes.

Enjoy.

2009-12-08T16:15:00.000-08:00

Tamales, Tamales, Tamales

We love eating, and making them during the Xmas holidays.

Here are my favorite links, for those that want to learn how to make tamales

and some links for those that are advanced tamales makers.

The gourmet Sleuth- this link is for the advanced tamale makers:

http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/mexicantamalerecipes.htm

This link is for the beginners, step by step instructions:

http://www.cooking-mexican-recipes.com/tamales-recipe.html

This is my favorite site. The best darn tamale list!

Casa Q productions listed where you can buy some of the best tamales across the US.

http://www.casaq.com/tamales.htm

Grasshoppers and Mezcal

2009-11-17T21:17:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned before my sister, Josie and myself visited Oaxaca a few weeks ago, and she is reflecting on her expereince:

Oaxaca was everything I thought it would be and delightfully more than what I expected. For the most part, I normally don't eat 3 full meals a day, but in Oaxaca I found myself tempted in every corner with the rich flavors of the Black Mole served over chicken, stuffed with mashed plantains and yams at the restaurant La Olla, or the velvety hot chocolate served in bowls with fresh baked pan dulce in the Zocalo. Queso Qaxacano...... OMG you just can't get enough of it, it is so delicious and generously served in many dishes. The cooking class where we learned to make mole along with several other tasty meals.

But now for the fun part, I know what you're thinking. Did she eat chapulines? Come on, it wouldn't be a Qaxacan experience if I didn't. Pero ay, it took two shots of Mezcal to wash them down, y Si, quero que sepas, I did it. After my first shot I noticed there was some chile powder with salt in a little bowl to taste after you drink the Mezcal. You know like salt you lick after a shot of Tequila. Well my friends, this wasn't chile, it turned out to be Sal de Gusano! Not only did I snack on crunchy grasshoppers I followed it up with licking ground worms with salt.
I know, the top part of your body is probably shaking uncontrollably right now while an eeeeouuu sound is forming out of you mouth. It was worth it, this trip was so much fun and the culinary experience is worth a trip back.

Que Viva Oaxaca!

2009-11-03T09:14:00.000-08:00

My sister, Josie and myself just returned from Oaxaca. Our goal was to experience the best food Oaxaca had to offer. We learned that Oaxaca specializes in “Mole” “Chocolate” “String Cheese” “Grasshoppers” and Mezcal.

We first dined at “La Olla” that served “Mole Negro” referred to as king of the 7 moles, and enjoyed “rose petal” ice cream for dessert. We were convinced it was the best tasting mole ever. Josie bravely attempted to ask for the recipe, but to no avail, they were not about to give up their prized mole recipe.

The highlight, of the Oaxacan experience was attending a cooking class, offered by Casa Crespo and head chef, Oscar Carrizosa. The day began with a trip to the local market, to select the fresh ingredients, to prepare mole, fresh tortillas, plantains, flor de calabza soup and quesadillas, and Oaxacan chocolate ice cream for dessert. Oscar expertly instructed the class in an open air courtyard setting. We finally learned the secrets of the perfect mole, and flor de calabaza cream soup. Casa Crespo’s cooking school was also reviewed by Bon Appétit magazine, describing the experience as “transferring humble flavors of the Oaxacan market into brilliant dishes”. We agreed, as were in culinary heaven.

To our delight, Oscar, and his business partner, Jose Luis Diaz, also own a restaurant called “El Teatro Culinario”. Later that same evening, we dined in the there comedor, located in the Centro Historico. The menu offerings masterfully combined both traditional ingredients, with gourmet cooking techniques. For example, our first course “Nopalli”, strips of cactus pads with hibiscus flowers, figs, ginger, pureed ricotta cheese, squash blossoms and lime-flower. Followed by our main dish, “Cochinita Pibil” slow roasted pork, with avocado sauce, cilantro oil, spicy bits of red onion, fried amaranth and browned garlic. Get the picture?

Along with tasting café & street vendor food (some good, some not so good) we took a tour that ventured out of the main town of Oaxaca, and into the smaller surrounding pueblos. In a small town called “Culiacan de Guerro” we had the opportunity to taste all the 7 moles at a buffet style restaurant. My favorite continues to be mole Negro, though the mole Verde was a runner up.

We were fortunate to fully experience the range of the Oaxacan food to include Josie bravely, tasting grasshoppers and Mezcal. Next to San Miguel de Allende, Oaxaca is one of the most beautiful and culturally celebrated cities in Mexico and so far, an outstanding culinary dining experience. Buen Probecho!

Links:
WWW.casacrespo.com
www.elteatroculinario.com
www.go-oaxaca.com/overview/index.html

Dia De Los Muertos

2009-10-11T18:10:00.000-07:00

Fall has finally arrived! One of the biggest holidays in Mexico is approaching "Dia de los Muertos". Día de los Muertos is a festival celebrating the reunion of relatives that have passed on, with their families, November 1st and 2nd.

In Spanish, All Saints Day and All Souls Day are known as El Día de Todos los Santos and El Día de los Muertos, respectively. While it's strange for most of us to accept the fact that "death" and "festivities" can go hand-in-hand, for most Mexicans, the two are intricately entwined. This all stems from the ancient indigenous peoples of Mexico (Purepecha, Nahua, Totonac and Otomí) who believed that the souls of the dead return each year to visit with their living relatives - to eat, drink and be merry. Just like they did when they were living.
One of the main events is building an alter in the home and decorating the resting place of there loved ones.

La Ofrenda
In Mexico, beautiful ofrendas (alters) are made in each home. They are decorated with candles, flowers (marigolds) and mounds of fruit, peanuts, mole and stacks of tortillas. La ofrenda will traditioanally include pictures of loved ones, and their favoirte items, to include there favorite foods. The alter provides a feast for the returning spirits. Decorated sugar skulls are amongst the favorite items. Pan de Muerto is an essential food item that is placed on the alter.

Tortillas

2009-09-04T18:41:00.001-07:00

Tortillas plays a fundamental role in Mexican food. It not only finds a central place in every meal, but it also defines dishes like quesadillas, tacos, enchiladas, many other dishes Mexicans call antojitos.

Just as connoisseurs of great pasta or bread insist on an artisanal product, Mexicans seek out the best tortillas. In Oaxaca there are three different sizes, ranging from small white blonditas to giant, wafer-thin tlayudas. The finest of these are tortillas a "mano", handmade tortillas. Tortillas in Mexico almost always mean corn tortillas vs. North America, flour tortilla are more popular. My mother was an expert flour tortilla maker, I think back how she would barter with our American neighbors for freshed baked goods. Of course that was before quality store bought tortillas were avaialbe.

Making your own corn tortillas at home is easy, if you shop at Mexican market, and buy fresh masa para tortillas and pressing it out between two sheets of waxed paper with a small rolling pin or a hand tortilla press. The tortillas are then cooked dry on a hot "comal" or frying pan until they brown on both sides and puff slightly.

But if making your own tortillas is not in the picture, don't despair. Commercial corn tortillas can be very good. Look for the whitest ones (which indicate less lime used in processing the corn and, hence, a more delicate flavor), and make sure that they are fresh.

My fondest memories, is my grandmother making "gorditas", a thick corn torilla cooked over the comal, stuffed with eggs or butter. ~Que sabroso~

Chiles, Chiles, Chiles

2009-08-23T22:55:00.000-07:00

Some like it hot!

Perhaps the cheif misconception about chiles is their red hot reputation. Though many are fiery hot, many others are sweet also. Their hotness is concentrated in the interior viens or ribs near the seed heart, not in the seeds as is commonly beleived. If, when the pepper is cut open, the viens have a yellowish orange color, a sign the pepper will be a potent one.

There are more than 140 varieties of chiles are grown in Mexico alone! The most popular ones are as follows:

Jalapeno- these chiles have thicker flesh, darker green. Jalapenos are hot, and are bottled, and sometimes lableled 'hot peppers".

Pasilla- The true passilla is a long, thin pepper 7-12 inches. Pasilla turn from dark green to dark brown as they mature.

Anaheim ( California Chiles)- They are usually a bright shiney green 2 inches lone. The heat of this pepper vary greatly.

Serrano- Dynamite-hot. They are about 1 inch, a rich waxy green, change to orange and red, as they mature.

Nopales

2009-08-03T21:52:00.000-07:00

Nopales

:: Nopales ::

Nopal is a very important plant in Mexico. It is our concept of identity; it is on the Mexican Flag, coins, and Mexico's coat of arms. It is rich in vitamin B, C and calcium. The tender leaves are used as a vegetable. It gives a rich fruit called tunas, also known as prickly pears.

There are approx. 30 varieties of nopal. As a vegetable it can be prepared many ways; boiled, fried, baked and pickled. Nopal is used for soups, dishes combined with chile, chorizo, egg, fillings for tacos, and mole sauces.

I recall as a little girl, having to remove the splinters on the leafs. My mother would spread out newspaper on the floor, hand us a small dull knife, and one by one, remove the splinters. Well worth the effort, as she would prepare the nopal in a variety ways, my favorite,mixing eggs and or with mole.

The small tuna is very tasty, but be careful with the splinters! The fruit must be peeled, and splinters removed. The tuna when boiled with sugar, until thick and strained makes a syrup that can mixed with water and ice for a cool drink.

Other things Nopal is used for:

· In rural areas, planted in a row, serves as a wall

· The sticky juice serves as waterproofing

· The same juice can be used as wave set for hair

· The broiled leaves help bring down swelling

· Nopal is eaten to regulate sugar level, thus combating diabetes

· Remedy to lose weight, when prepared with zucchini, tomatillos in one liter of water.

Fridas Fiestas

2009-06-28T22:54:00.000-07:00

Mexican Oil Cloth

Since the 1940’s Mexican oilcloth is a part of many traditional Mexican kitchens. Such a great way to spice up a table, with the festive colors for both indoor and outdoor dining. Oilcloth’s main attractiveness is the durability of the product and many practical uses. To include tablecloths, placemats, aprons and best of all, shopping bags! Check out La Fina Cocina “Old Mexico” section

Frida's Fiestas a big hit!
La Fina Cocina hosted our very first Open House. The theme was “Frida’s Fiesta’ cooking favorites.
Josie, La Fina Cocina’s, Mexican Food specialist, cooked up everyone’s favorite, Meatballs in Chipotle Sauce.

Ramon Andrade, Culinary specialist, also prepared Beans, Mason Style, served on Ramon’s version of Chalupas.

Attendees were also treated with Quince Paste,

and cheese, prepared by Ysabella, under the careful guidance of Josie. Other dishes prepared from the book; Jamaica Flower Water, and my personal favorite Potatoes in Green Sauce.

Warning, the chilies, such as chipotle and Serrano are very hot, add caution if you decide to prepare them. If you enjoy Mexican dishes these recipes are a rare treat.

Aye Que Sabroso!
Oh How Delicious!

Welcome to La Fina Cocina!

2009-05-02T20:56:00.000-07:00

On behalf of La Fina Cocina, I would like to share insights that inspired me to offer this line of products:

La Cocina, the place in the home, where the family gathers and re-connects. I have 10 bothers and sisters, raised in a traditional Latino family in California, I experienced many of these moments…..

My favorite moments are spending time with my sisters (all seven of them) in each other’s cocina, sharing our chismes, but we most enjoyed sharing recipes, and secrets in preparing the perfect salsa or mole. Reflecting back on those moments, I wanted to take advantage on the opportunity to enhance the experience on how a decorative Mexican kitchen combined, with enticing aromas of Mexican cooking along with creative design and décor, enhances the experience. Mexican kitchens are known for there elegant tabletops, beautiful tile work and finely crafted earthenware, La Cocina Mexicana is itself a work of art, even before any exquisite food is prepared.

I hope you enjoy these offering of kitchen products, inspired by the brilliant colors and festive images of la cultura Mexicana.

Let me share with you my favorite cookbook:

Both of these books can be purchased amazon.com

Frida Fiestas

The book is a collection of recipes and reminiscences of life with Frida Khalo, to include outstanding photography of the meals and images of the Mexican Kitchen. The book is organized by months, followed by a typical menu that is associated with the holidays for that month. The highlight is November, Dia De Los Muertos, the menu includes: Fried bread with syrup, Pan de Muerto, Chicken in Pipian sauce, red mole and red tamales, and strawberry atole.

Authors: Guadalupe Rivera and Marie-Pierre Colle

My next second favorite cookbook is:

Tamales

Tamales are a timeless food throughout Latin America. There are special tamales to mark nearly every holiday and celebration, including weddings, Christmas and new years. The best part, they are a great excuse for families to gather and prepare them as a family in anticipation of a big celebration. Tamales can be savory or sweet; they can contain meat, poultry, vegetables, fruit, cheese, herbs and seasoning. The wrappers can be corn husks, banana leaves, grape or avocado leaves, and simple to prepare. Tamales cookbooks are abundant, there is a great non-traditional cook book called “Tamales. The recipes range from red-Chile cilantro, to sweet day of the dead recipes. My favorite is the chocolate bread pudding.

Authors: Mark Miller, Stephan Pyles and John Sedlar

Buen Provecho!

Provecho! is a very popular term which means "enjoy".
At mealtime, it implies "enjoy your meal".