Recipe for Calabaza en Tacha (Mexican Candied Pumpkin)
Filed Under Food History, Recipes Mexico
When my sisters and I were growing up, my parents would frequently find ways to turn the seemingly garbage parts of fruits and vegetables into something else. We planted apple seeds in paper towels, turned lemon and orange rinds into slightly bitter candies, and we had a compost bin until we moved to an apartment. Perhaps most memorably, every Halloween we took our Jack o Lantern innards and separated the… Read
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Quick and Easy Meals: Summer Steak Tacos
Filed Under Kitchen Tips, Recipes Mexico
One of my favorite meals in summer are tacos. You can throw anything on the grill and turn it into a delicious taco. While steak tacos usually call to mind carne asada, these steak tacos use flank steak marinated in a chipotle lime marinade and then cut thinly into strips. This marinade can be adapted for other meats as well, or for fish or shrimp to make seafood tacos. And… Read
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Tlacoyos Recipe
Filed Under Destination Features, Food History, Kitchen Tips, Recipes Mexico
When trying to describe tlacoyos to my kids, I said they were a cross between a tamale and an empanada. They have the thick, corn-masa breading on the outside, like a tamale. But unlike a tamale, they aren't steamed in corn husks, they are cooked on a hot griddle (with our without oil) or, sometimes, deep fried. Their shape is also unique, like a football that has been flattened by… Read
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History of the Margarita and a Recipe for a Classic Margarita Cocktail
Filed Under Food History, Kitchen Tips, Recipes, Wines & Spirits Mexico
Happy National Margarita Day! The margarita cocktail is a bit like the Italian dessert tiramisú. There are many different stories for how it got invented and by whom! And there is not even consensus on how the name of the cocktail came about. One thing there is consensus on? That it is one of the world's most beloved and recognizable cocktails. So what is a margarita? It always includes three… Read
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5 Best Beach Vacations for Foodies with The International Kitchen
Filed Under Destination Features, Travel Tips Greece, Italy, Mexico, Portugal, Spain
You may think that, when organizing your next vacation, you have to choose between a culinary vacation and a beach vacation. But you would be wrong! We have plenty of fabulous foodie trips that combine both hands-on cooking classes and foodie tours with amazing time at the beach. And let's face it. We're all ready for some relaxation after a year of pandemic. So whether you're looking to travel this… Read
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The Culinary Traditions and Altars of Dia de Los Muertos in Mexico
Filed Under Destination Features, Food History, Special Occasions Mexico
What is the Day of the Dead? It is a popular and long-standing Mexican celebration of the deceased that occurs over Halloween (All Hallow's Eve), All Saint's Day (November 1), and All Soul's Day (November 2). This is the period when the threshold between the living and the dead is seen as at its "thinnest" and most permeable. The holiday is celebrated throughout Mexico and in communities of Mexican heritage… Read
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