Women make their mark on Chihuahua’s developing sotol industry.
This is the story of three women who share a passion not only for Chihuahua sotol, but also a mission to bring something positive to Ciudad Juárez’s troubled reputation. As Ariana de León succinctly puts it, “I love [my sotol project] because it gives me the chance to generate good news about the area, to demonstrate something good about [Ciudad] Juárez.”
Conserving the small mezcal tour means conserving traditional mezcal
The current boom in mezcal is, in part, a reaction to this, and there are encouraging signs that perhaps mezcal’s internationalization may not suffer [tequila’s] fate. One of these signs is the work of educational tour guides in places like Oaxaca, which has the potential to spread into all of the 10 states in which mezcal can be produced under that name.
Can Sotol be the next big thing?
To understand why Ricardo Pico’s work in bringing sotol to national and international attention is so important, you must understand the spirit’s history, which has some unique twists,
The dogs dutifully ran out to bark at me at the front gate but very quickly decided that if this silly human wanted to stand in the desert sun, she was more than welcome to. The Tradición de la Familia Distillery is on the eastern edge of Mexico’s massive Chihuahua Desert, west of the city of Saltillo. It’s just off the side of Highway 40D, but it feels like you are in the middle of nowhere.
Exploring the rise of Mexico’s craft beer industry
Most of the world knows about Corona, Tecate and Dos Equis. These and other brands have made Mexico the world’s number one exporter of beer. However, over the past three decades, the country has developed a craft beer industry, which may have a similarly bright future.
How are women shaping the world of mezcal?
The recent rise of mezcal has been meteoric, and women are finding opportunities with the beverage’s chic status in Mexico City and beyond. Traditionally, the mezcal world has been male-dominated, with women playing a secondary role at best in production and sales.
From New York jeweler to Mexican whiskey pioneer
Forty plus years ago, a young Jesús Montiel Hernández left his home in the Mixtec Indigenous region of southern Puebla. He eventually made his way to New York, working all kinds of jobs for 10 years until he and his family founded a jewelry business. That business became successful enough that Hernández could send money to invest back home, a rural area just southwest of Izúcar de Matamoros.
Why is it hard to find real vanilla in Mexico?
Why is it hard to get real vanilla in Mexico?
On my first visit to Papantla, in the north of Veracruz, I saw vanilla everywhere – plants, beans, extracts and more besides. Back in Mexico City, I was surprised that it was nearly impossible to find, even in pastry supply businesses. This situation has not improved all that much in 20 years.
US-style barbecue in Mexico City — a story of integration?
You can certainly find ethnic (non-Mexican) restaurants in Mexico City, but it is not accurate to compare them with the food scenes of places like New York, Sydney or London.
Mexico’s relationship with immigration and new foods is different. Perhaps the story of U.S.-style barbecue can shed some light on this.
Mexicans eat that, too? Surprisingly familiar-looking foods found in Mexico
My inspiration for this article was trout — yes, trout. Believe it or not, Mexico produces over 4,000 tons of rainbow and other types of trout per year in 18 states. The fish was first introduced in México state at the end of the 19th century as a source of protein for those living in very high mountain areas. Today, Mexico’s cooks prepare it in a variety of ways, and it can be found in restaurants in tourist areas such as the Bosque de las Truchas in Hidalgo.
At Cava Quintanilla, a tomato farmer is pioneering SLP’s wine industry
A new industry almost always starts because someone was willing to pursue an idea despite being told it is impossible. For wine in the Altiplano region of San Luis Potosí, that someone is Carlos Quintanilla.
In Oaxaca City’s restaurant scene, look for substance over style
Twenty years have passed since I first visited the city of Oaxaca, and I’m struck by how much has and has not changed. Perhaps nothing indicates this more than the food scene.
Did the Philippines have a forgotten role in developing Mexico’s mezcal?
With all the coconuts along Mexico’s coast, you might think the tree is a native, but not so.
Their existence here is a testament to Mexico’s colonial connection to Asia, which links two very different beverages in Mexico: Pacific coast tuba and the iconic mezcal/tequila.
The history of San Luis Potosí - one sip at a time
When you visit a place, trying its food and beverages is a must because it is a very accessible and tangible way to experience its history.
This is particularly true for a region called the Altiplano of San Luis Potosi (SLP or San Luis), a semi-arid region in the western part of the state. This area has been a crossroads for millenia, and starting in the early colonial period, its alcoholic beverages in particular reflect its history, culture and economic development.
Tamales: the food that crosses eras, religions and national borders
Granted, there is nothing that stops people from enjoying tamales year-round today in all kinds of social settings. Originally, however, in the Mesoamerican world, they were a food fit for the gods and eaten only by the elite during certain ceremonies, according to early colonial-era historian Bernardino de Sahagún.
Gorditas: little fat treats with more variety than you might think
Despite the vast number of articles and books on Mexican food, the gordita is one Mexican preparation that’s relatively overlooked.
This may be why they came under scrutiny recently in the media and the internet by those who interpreted the food’s name as the derogatory “little fat woman.” But there is controversy about this interpretation because gordita makes sense as a feminine word: the dish is indeed a little, fat tortilla; the word “tortillas” is feminine in Spanish; and Spanish adjectives match the gender of the noun they’re describing.
Tracing the roots of the mezcal boom in Mexico City
If you want to experience mezcal in Mexico City, you will almost certainly start in the trendy twin neighborhoods of Roma and Condesa. Here, bars and other businesses specializing in the spirit have proliferated.
Fifteen years ago, almost no one outside of marginalized enclaves of migrants drank mezcal here. Associated with a lack of sophistication, middle and upper-class Mexicans preferred “foreign” drinks such as whiskey, with tequila being the only exception. Such choices are generally attributed to malinchismo. This is a Mexican cultural phenomenon named after La Malinche, the Indigenous interpreter for conquistador Hernán Cortés. It assumes that anything being associated with European conquerors (and the US) is superior to that native to Mexico. In the case of tequila, the twist in its status today in Mexico came about in large part by its popularity abroad.
Is Durango the next mezcal mecca?
Say the word “mezcal,” and, by far, most people think of Oaxaca. But the obscure state of Durango might just be the Mexican liquor’s next big producer.
Agave spirits can legally be called “mezcal” if they are produced in certain areas of Guerrero, Michoacán, Zacatecas, Durango, Puebla and San Luis Potosí, as well as Oaxaca. The variety of agave species and distillation processes make for mezcal with a wide range of tastes.
Whatever happened to Chapala’s Sandy and Daniel tequila?
In the last couple of years, questions like these have popped up every now and then on expat social media groups around Lake Chapala: “Does anyone know where to buy Sandy & Daniel tequila?” “Are Sandy & Daniel still selling their tequila?”
Raspberries in winter? You can thank Mexico for that
Mexico News Daily’s John Pint did a good job discussing the issues related to berry cultivation in Jalisco back in March, but despite the problems, berry cultivation isn’t going anywhere for one compelling reason: money.
Primer: get to know central Mexico’s burgeoning winemaking region
It is grape harvest season (vendimia) in Mexico, and while the wines of northern Baja have had almost all the attention for decades, its successor could be the Bajío winemaking region.
Primer: getting acquainted with Michoacan’s traditional cuisine
Despite its millennia-old history and important culture, Michoacán still does not get the attention from visitors it deserves.
But it is every bit as rich as Oaxaca and preserves much of its indigenous heritage. What generally holds the state back is its reputation for narcos, but if your first visit sticks with places like Pátzcuaro and Morelia, you will be fine.
In San Luis Potosí, these brothers champion Mexico’s traditional liquors - and find new ones
Tomás and Carlos Nava just might be the future of alcoholic beverages in San Luis Potosí, and it all started by reviving one of their old hangouts.
La Piquería calls itself a pulque and mezcal bar, but it is really a full-service establishment, with all kinds of beverages and bar food. Located in an old mansion in the historic center of San Luis Potosí, its backstory makes the place special.
Now, with so much corn here, you would think that Mexico has a long and widespread history of making some kind of alcohol with it. But this is not so.
Pioneering farmers aim to change Veracruz’s mediocre coffee reputation
Unfortunately, despite being the second largest producer of coffee in Mexico after Chiapas, Veracruz’s coffee reputation is highly linked to low-quality beans used for instant coffee, in particular the ubiquitous Nescafé brand.
Bacanora? Tuxca? Charanda? Mexico’s wealth of regional liquors includes many you might not know
I must admit, my first experience with the word for Mexico’s distilled spirits — tequila, mezcal and the like — was with the rotgut available in those plastic beehive-looking jugs back when I lived on the Arizona border.
Since then, however, I’ve gotten an education.
Is there anything Japanese about Mexico’s popular Japanese peanuts?
So what’s up with “Japanese peanuts” in Mexico that are in every convenience store in the snack aisle? The peanuts are not grown in Japan, nor is the snack imported from there. But there is a Japanese connection.
Many foreign cuisines are found in Mexico but mostly as a niche market
Many of us English speakers come from countries where eating food from elsewhere is common enough to be pretty much normal.
We bring this habit with us to Mexico, but it can be difficult to indulge it.
And to all a good night: Noche Buena beer is Mexico’s Christmas favorite
If you’ve ever noticed around this time of year the cases and bottles of beer decorated plainly with poinsettias and named Noche Buena, what you’ve seen is one of Mexico’s most eagerly awaited seasonal beers — and its only traditional Christmas beer.
A French cookbook’s secret weapon: the Mexican cooks in a CDMX test kitchen
James Oseland may be an award-winning food writer from New York, but the local cooks he works with in Mexico City are the secret behind his latest cookbook on French cooking.
Far from crazy, Lalocura’s organic distillery aims to save real mezcal
When I first encountered the mezcal brand of Eduardo Javier Ángeles Carreño, I thought that its name, Lalocura, must come from the Spanish la locura (madness).
Apples are Mexico’s hidden fruit - except at Christmastime
You probably don’t associate apple farming with Mexico, but it is regionally important, especially in areas where few other commercial crops grow.
The main reason is that apples grow well in the high, cold and very rugged areas of Mexico, as they need the cold that would kill many other fruits.
This Mexican Independence Day. don’t forget pomegranates and walnuts
Chiles en nogada, Mexico’s traditional Independence Day dish, may be the nation’s only case where one particular crop is almost exclusively dedicated to one particular food preparation.
Mexico’s avocado boom benefits rural farmers - but also organized crime.
Armed avocado farmers have recently made their way into the news again, for challenging not only the cartels that threaten their livelihoods but also the federal government’s unwillingness to do much more than plead with them to lay down their weapons.
Chef and restauranteur Alam Méndez is Oaxaca’s culinary messenger
“As chefs, we are the ‘messengers of our mothers and grandmothers who cooked for centuries. We are tasked with conserving the cooking traditions of our communities,” says Oaxaca chef Alam Méndez. “Our role is particularly important for those people who did not have the pleasure of being born in Oaxaca.”
Chef and Oaxaca cuisine authority got her start in grandma’s kitchen
Celia Florián sums up Oaxacan cuisine with the words mole, corn and mezcal. But the cuisine and the culture behind it are a complicated tapestry of local and seasonal ingredients that distinguish dishes among the many small valleys of this mountainous state.
How San Cristóbal de las Casas became a haven for chocolate, coffee
It’s a far cry from what 88-year-old expat and artist Helen Bickham remembers about visiting San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, in the 1960s: back then, she found an isolated town, a village even, somewhat hostile to outsiders.
Five decades later, “San Cris” is not only a lot bigger, its streets are filled with shops, foreigners and cafes to rival anything in Europe or the United States.
Food writer travels the world for his art but adopted Mexico as his home
As the former editor of Saveur magazine and a cookbook author, veteran food writer James Oseland has traveled the world for over 30 years, visiting international cultures and their cuisines, but his passion for travel and food began in Mexico.
Specialty coffee markets provide a way for Mexican growers to shine
Can your morning cup of joe help support hardworking, dedicated Mexican farmers?
An unfortunate truth is that Mexico is not considered a prime producer of coffee, even among Mexicans. Nescafé instant coffee is ubiquitous on supermarket shelves and in restaurants. “Gourmet” coffee is often associated with Starbucks. Even though the country could easily satisfy the demand for all kinds of coffee, Mexico still imports the stuff from places such as Brazil, Colombia, and Vietnam for reasons of price and prestige.
Mexico’s Christmas dinners combine Spanish and indigenous flavors
I know that it’s a few days out from Christmas when my husband announces it’s time to go the market and buy dried salted cod. He can forego some Mexican traditions, but this is not one of them.
Monterrey’s “little goats” obsession emigrated here with Spain’s unwanted
Not exactly vegetarian-friendly, the north of Mexico loves meat cooked over a fire.
Such images of vaqueros (cowboys) cooking over open fires lead some culinary experts to think that there is nothing here to offer, but they are wrong.
Chocolate: A gift from Quetzalcoatl to Mexico and the world
As if avocados, tequila, and tomatoes weren’t enough, Mexico is also the land that gave the world chocolate.
But not as a candy. That’s a European invention.
In Mexico, tuna is not a fish but a fruit
Growing up in New Jersey in the 1970s, I would have thought the idea of cacti producing anything edible to be crazy. It turns out that all cactus species produce fruit you can eat, and it happens that we are currently in one of the major seasons for cactus fruit in Mexico.
The rain brings out a culinary delight in Mexican forests
The rainy season is upon us and if you live anywhere near a forest in Mexico, you may have the chance to try some local delicacies — wild mushrooms.
The true story of Mexico’s ‘Happy Chicken’ restaurant chain Mexico News Daily
If you live or travel anywhere between Baja California and Yucatán, you have almost certainly come across a Pollo Feliz restaurant. You may have even seen one in the United States.
Mexico’s favorite taco has immigrant roots
Mexico’s most popular taco originated in the Middle East but why they should be called “shepherd’s tacos” is anybody’s guess.
Native corn gets legal protection, prevents ‘intellectual plundering’
A controversial federal law to promote and protect native corn was approved recently by the Senate, ending the possibility of what one supporter calls the “intellectual plundering” of indigenous communities.
The quest to preserve Mexico’s richest legacy: its cuisine
When we think of amas de casa (housewives, literally ladies of the house) in rural Mexico, we picture older women in traditional dress, slaving over wood fires in adobe homes.
El Bajío: how a ‘simple cook’ created a globally renowned restaurant
El Bajío is a culinary institution in Mexico City with an international reputation, started by a “simple cook” who not only made it what it is but did so while raising five children alone.