Frida's Fiestas: Recipes and Reminiscences of Life With Frid

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Re: Frida's Fiestas: Recipes and Reminiscences of Life With

Postby admin » Thu Dec 13, 2018 5:28 am

APRIL: A BOAT RIDE IN XOCHIMILCO

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The Viva Lupita, one of the trajineras from Xochimilco

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The table is set with dishes for the picnic in the canal

That April was terribly hot, even in Coyoacan. To get away from the oppressive air that had taken over the house, Frida organized an outing to Xochimilco. At Xochimilco the water in the canals, the shade from the trees, and the freshness of the floating flower and vegetable gardens were certain the make the day more bearable. I thought it was an excellent idea. Frida invited Anita Misrachi, Lina Boytler, Milagros Carbajosa, and her sister Christina. The children who went along with us were Ruth and Aline Misrachi and my sister Ruth. It was a real adventure, even though all we had in mind was to spend a day in that incomparable spot, a true relic of ancient Mexico.

It turned out to be a real adventure because Frida decided that we should travel like the families with ten or twelve children who spent their Sundays boating on the lake's placid waters. And so instead of taking my father's Ford station wagon at Coyoacan, we caught the electric street car that would take us as far as the Tlalpan road; from there we went to the traffic circle at San Fernando, in the same town, where we transferred to the line that terminated at Xochimilco.

Frida thought it would be fun to sit in the second-class car so we could feel the wind in our faces. The only thing that separated us from the drivers of the other vehicles that sped along parallel to the street car rails and electric cables was a flimsy railing. The last stop of the Xochimilco line was in the garden in front of the huge church and marketplace of the legendary site. So at midday, after hours of travel --- surrounded by the baskets of women on their way to buy vegetables and flowers at the floating gardens and the merchants themselves heading to market with their earthenware pots and pans and planters -- we arrived at our destination.

Flowers and plants from all over Mexico are still bought and sold at Xochimilco. In fact the Nahuatl word means "the place of the cutting gardens." Flowers and vegetables grown on the floating gardens can be bought freshly cut, while the market offers food prepared by the same people who from time immemorial have lived on the shores of the now almost vanished lakes that used to cover the floor of the Valley of Mexico.

These renowned cooks prepare a tremendous variety of stews that are native to the region, like sopa aguada and sopa seea de tortillas; beans with cheese, squash blossoms, and baby squash; elote stew with slivers of chile poblano; and other recipes that have been handed down for generations.

The fields at Xochimilco consist of countless plots built up out of highly fertile organic matter that the peasants have dredged from the bottom of the surrounding canals. The humidity rises into the soil and helps germinate the seeds. This soil is especially favorable for growing pre-Columbian plants like tomatoes, huauzontles, amaranth, corn, chayotes, Creole squash, and different kinds of chiles and beans, many of which Frida and Diego loved to eat. A number of plants introduced by the Spanish conquistadors are also grown there, including lettuce, radishes, onions, and carrots.

In other words, Xochimilco produces all of the vegetables that are commonly used in Mexican cooking. The farmers transport them in little boats called chalupas, selling them to passersby at the dock, or out of roofed flat-bottomed boats called trajineras, which ply the network of canals.

Arriving at the dock, visitors usually rent one of these skiffs. The bows are traditionally decorated with women's names, and the visitor has the chance to rent one named after his lady companion or someone dear to his or her heart. In honor of her friend Anita Misrachi, Frida chose a trajinera with "Anita" spelled in sunflowers, marguerites, and white and yellow carnations. She continued to observe local tradition by asking a group of marimba players to follow us in another boat so we could enjoy the romantic melodies they played on their fine wooden instruments. Mostly they sang love songs, like the one called "Maria Elena," the most typical of them all. The words go like this:

Vengo a cantarte mujer
mi mas bonita cancion,
porque eres tu mi querer
reina de mi corazon,
no me abandones mi bien
que eres todo mi querer,
Tuyo es mi corazon
oh! sol de mi querer,
mujer de mi ilusion,
mi amor te consagre,
mi vida la embellece
una esperanza azul,
mi vida tiene un cielo que le diste tu.

Tuyo es mi corazon
oh! sol de mi querer,
tuyo es todo mi ser, tuyo es mujer,
ya todo el corazon te lo entregue,
eres mi fe, eres mi Dios, eres mi amor.


After we had been rowing for some time on the lake's placid waters, a group of chalupas skippered by flower and vegetable merchants and people selling homecooked food came up to us. They called to us to try their specialties, which at the time could only be found in that town. Today they are quite common delicacies -- tlacoyos stuffed with squash blossoms, mushroom quesadillas, huauzontles stuffed with cheese in green-tomato sauce, and romeritos with sour prickly pears.

We had brought our own basket of delicacies: guacamole, seasoned pork sandwiches, carnitas, manzano chile sauce, red sauce, fruit salad, and, to make us even more festive, grenadine punch. We rounded out the menu with various items from "the chalupa merchants," as Frida called them, including tortillas, black bean soup with oregano and melted cheese, fresh lima bean salad, nopales salad, and refried beans with cheese and plum tamales. A peasant pulled up in his chalupa with sweet maguey water, so fresh that it had not yet fermented into pulque.

We were about to eat when the oarsman brought the skiff to a sudden stop and asked Frida, in a worried voice, if we had any interest in joining the battle of flowers that was taking place in the canal we were traveling toward. In this event, local girls took to the water in a flotilla of boats filled with bouquets of flowers, which they would throw at other boats piloted by boys from the neighborhood and students who had taken advantage of the weekend to go rowing in the cool shadows of the trees that lined the canals of Xochimilco.

Frida was delighted by the prospect. To the surprise of the locals, who had no idea who these odd-people were, we threw ourselves into battle. Flowers rained down on us from all directions. Every time one hit us in the face we broke into laughter, wondering if the blow (which was more like a caress) had come from a rose, a carnation, a marguerite, a lily, or a combination of the above. We shouted "Hit by a rose!" or "Look where the lily landed!"

A marimba band played the whole time we took part in the battle between girls and boys. This was the end of our adventure on the Xochimilco canals, surrounded by flowers and music.

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Trajineras in the canals of Xochimilco, with vendors in their chalupas

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A detail of the gaily painted trajineras; these were among Frida's favorite colors

MENU

Black Bean Soup
Fresh Lima Bean Salad
Nopales Salad
Carnitas
Seasoned Pork Roast
Pork Sandwiches
Guacamole with Chipotle Chiles
Fruit Salad
Coconut Ice Cream
Black Zapote Ice
Grenadine Punch
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Re: Frida's Fiestas: Recipes and Reminiscences of Life With

Postby admin » Thu Dec 13, 2018 5:35 am

BLACK BEAN SOUP
(8 servings)

2 tomatoes, roasted and peeled
1/2 onion
1 garlic clove
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt
2 tablespoons corn oil
3 cups cooked black beans
6 cups cooking liquid from beans (or water)

GARNISH

Dried oregano
1/2 pound panela cheese, cut in small squares (or muenster or mozzarella)
3 tortillas, cut in small squares, fried in oil, and drained

Puree the tomatoes with the onion, garlic, oregano, and salt to taste. Saute in hot oil until thickened. Puree the beans with their cooking liquid. Add the bean puree to the tomato mixture and cook for 5 to 10 minutes to blend the flavors. Serve the soup garnished with oregano, cheese, and tortilla squares.

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FRESH LIMA BEAN SALAD
(8 servings)

6 pounds fresh lima beans, shelled
Salt and pepper
1 onion, finely chopped
2 to 3 serrano chiles, finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1/2 cup olive oil
4 tablespoons vinegar

Rinse the lima beans. Place in a saucepan with water to cover and salt to taste. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until tender. Rinse in cold water and drain thoroughly. Combine the beans with the onion, chiles, cilantro, oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Chill. Serve very cold.

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NOPALES SALAD
(8 servings)

16 medium nopales, needles removed, cut in strips, and rinsed under running water
4 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 large onion, chopped
3 serrano or jalapeno chiles, chopped
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons vinegar
Salt

Cook the nopales in plenty of water to remove the slippery coating. When tender, rinse in cold water. Soak a dish towel in cold water and wrap it around the nopales. Squeeze tightly and let stand 20 minutes so that any remaining slippery substance can drain through.

Combine the tomatoes, onion, chiles, cilantro, oil, and vinegar in a salad bowl. Season with salt to taste. Stir in the nopales and mix well. Serve cold.

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CARNITAS
(8 servings)

3 pounds boneless pork from the leg, cut into 2-inch cubes
2 large onions, cut in half
4 garlic cloves
Salt
2 tablespoons lard
1-1/2 cups milk

Place the pork in a saucepan with water to cover, the onions, garlic, and salt to taste. Cook for about 1 hour, until the pork is tender. Drain thoroughly and discard the onion and garlic.

Heat the lard and milk with salt to taste in a large saucepan. Add the pork pieces and cook, stirring often, until the milk cooks away completely and the meat is golden.

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SEASONED PORK ROAST
(8 servings)

6 guajillo chiles or 3 ancho chiles, roasted, seeded, and deveined
2 cups water
1 cup vinegar
1 or 2 large garlic cloves
1/2 large onion
1 tablespoon dried oregano
Salt
3 pounds boneless pork from the leg or butt
1 tablespoons lard

Bring the chiles and the water to a boil. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Puree the chiles and 2 cups cooking liquid with the vinegar, garlic, onion, oregano, and salt to taste.

Pierce the pork all over with a kitchen fork. Brown it in hot lard in a casserole. Pour the chile puree over the pork, cover, and roast in a preheated 375°F oven for 1 hour. Uncover and continue roasting for 30 minutes, or until the pork is tender and the sauce has reduced. Let cool completely, then slice very thin.

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PORK SANDWICHES
(8 servings)

8 crusty rolls
2 avocados, mashed
1-1/2 cups refried beans
Seasoned pork roast, sliced thin (see preceding recipe)
8 chipotle chiles in marinade, chopped
16 tomato slices (optional)
16 onion slices (optional)
Salt

REFRIED BEANS
(8 servings)

1/2 pound lard
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cups cooked beans
1 cup cooking liquid from beans
Salt
Grated anejo cheese (or parmesan)
Totopos (fried small tortilla triangles)

Heat the lard in a skillet. When it starts to smoke, add the onion and saute until golden. Add the beans and cooking liquid. Mash the beans to make a puree. Season with salt to taste. When the beans are well fried and pull away from the bottom of the pan when stirred, removed from the heat.

SEASONED PORK ROAST
(8 servings)

6 guajillo chiles or 3 ancho chiles, roasted, seeded, and deveined
2 cups water
1 cup vinegar
1 or 2 large garlic cloves
1/2 large onion
1 tablespoon dried oregano
Salt
3 pounds boneless pork from the leg or butt
1 tablespoons lard

Bring the chiles and the water to a boil. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Puree the chiles and 2 cups cooking liquid with the vinegar, garlic, onion, oregano, and salt to taste.

Pierce the pork all over with a kitchen fork. Brown it in hot lard in a casserole. Pour the chile puree over the pork, cover, and roast in a preheated 375°F oven for 1 hour. Uncover and continue roasting for 30 minutes, or until the pork is tender and the sauce has reduced. Let cool completely, then slice very thin.

Cut the rolls in half and heat them in the oven. Spread mashed avocado on half of each roll, and refried beans on the other half. Top the beans with sliced pork, chiles, and tomato and onion, if you like. Sprinkle with salt. Close the sandwiches and place them in a preheated 350°F oven until heated through or serve them as is.

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GUACAMOLE WITH CHIPOTLE CHILES
(8 servings)

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Guacamole with Chopotle Chiles

4 ripe but firm avocados, peeled
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 large tomato, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
4 chipotle chiles in marinade, chopped
Salt to taste

Soak the chiles in hot water for 10 minutes, combine all the ingredients and mix well.

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FRUIT SALAD
(8 servings)

3 cups watermelon cubes
3 cups cantaloupe cubes (or other melon)
Juice of 2 limes
1/2 cup mint leaves
Sugar

Combine all the ingredients with sugar to taste and mix well. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

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COCONUT ICE CREAM
(8 servings)

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Coconut Ice Cream and Black Zapote Ice

4 cups milk
1-1/4 cups sugar
fresh coconut, peeled and finely grated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine the milk, sugar, and coconut in a saucepan. Simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to lukewarm. Stir in the vanilla and puree. Refrigerate. When the mixture is cold, place in an ice-cream maker and proceed according to the manufacturer's directions.

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BLACK ZAPOTE ICE
(6-8 servings)

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1-1/2 cups black zapote pulp, strained

Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 3 minutes. Let cool slightly. Stir in the zapote pulp. Place the mixture in an ice-cream maker and proceed according to the manufacturer's directions.

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GRENADINE PUNCH

1 quart white tequila
Juice of 20 limes
1 quart grenadine syrup
Ice

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Serve as an aperitif.
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Re: Frida's Fiestas: Recipes and Reminiscences of Life With

Postby admin » Thu Dec 13, 2018 5:38 am

MAY: THE HOLY CROSS

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The Holy Cross always protects construction sites

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The Anahuacalli, the studio Diego built of volcanic rock in San Pablo Tepetlapa

For the many months prior to my arrival at Coyoacan, Frida and Diego had been busy with plans to build two new studios where they could work in peace. San Angel, where their studios were then located, was becoming a high-priced neighborhood. The studios that Juan O'Gorman designed had been swallowed up by a sea of houses, bungalows, and mansions that stood where there once were plum and pear orchards.

Frida and Diego wanted nothing more than to work in peace and quiet. They decided to build a new studio for Frida on the terrace behind the Blue House and one for my father in the nearby village of San Pablo Tepetlapa. Diego's studio was to be built entirely of the local volcanic rock. They would call it Anahuacalli, which in Nahuatl means "Anahuac's house."

In those days San Pablo Tepetlapa was completely cut off from the metropolitan area, surrounded on the north, south, and west by lava fields, desert growth, and a scattering of scrub oaks, mesquite, coral trees, and pepper trees that managed to grow between the rocks. It was a gray landscape relieved by splotches of green and the blue of the sky, and it appealed to the imagination first of the Master Painter and later of the Master Painter Frida, who always shared his opinions, whether they were of politics or art.

My father remembered his lessons as an architecture student and threw himself enthusiastically into the project. He drew up plans for both studios and decided to have them built by a group of master masons belonging to the old San Pablo guild of stonecutters. Every night Frida and Diego would go over the blueprints; on Friday they counted their money to see if they had earned enough to meet the masons' payroll.

One night Frida mentioned to Diego that Jose Olvera, the master builder, had been looking for him so they could discuss plans for the upcoming Feast of the Holy Cross. Everyone knew that in Mexico, on May 3, construction workers and members of traditional dance groups called concheros pay homage to Christ's Cross. The masons and day laborers had a big fiesta in mind, and they hoped my father would sponsor the event. Don Diego had earned this honor by sharing his joys and sorrows with the workers, in addition to being the chief architect. Of course Master Rivera accepted the offer, and because Frida had also endeared herself to the workers, they invited her to be cosponsor.

In the early morning of May 3 the masons, led by don Jose, began decorating a wooden cross they had made out of leftover building materials. They set it atop the highest wall at the construction site and covered it with orange, white, yellow, and red paper flowers spread on a bed of green leaves. They also affixed tiny reflecting mirrors to catch the sunlight.

Around noon, when Frida and Diego arrived with their friends and family members -- (myself included) -- the workers sent thousands of rockets into the air. The local band showed up, and people began helping themselves to a fine pulque from Iztapalapa. The food was traditional with the guild of masons and day laborers. Master Olvera contributed a duck that had been cooked in the way don Diego preferred, stuffed and garnished with lakeside herbs, packed in mud, and roasted in a specially prepared pit covered with maguey fronds.

Frida's gift to the workers was the songs that the mariachis sang nonstop. Not content with this -- since she was a sponsor -- she took it upon herself to sing some of the most popular tunes of the day. She made a point of singing one of her favorite songs especially for her famous husband. It is called "La Chandcla" ("The Old Shoe"), and it tells of the pain and contempt that a wife feels for the husband who cheats on her. The words are as follows:

You thought I'd never find
A love like the one I've lost.
But I've found one so fine
I don't mind paying the cost.

The king and queen of spades
Thought to steal from me a trick,
But I am not afraid
For we all die pretty quick.

I'll tell you something, friends,
The way it really comes down:
If they want me, pain ends;
If they forget, I leave town.

There's one favor, it's true,
I am at a loss to ask:
'Cause if I fling this shoe,
I will never take it back.


Instead of angering Diego Rivera, the song made him nearly die of laughter.

At the end of the party Frida brought out favors that she had had made for the masons, day laborers, and invited guests from Tepetlapa. Also handed out were little bulls made out of sticks and cardboard and rockets that don Diego had bought. The more daring boys held the rockets to their heads and chased the guests around and fought with boys who engaged them as if it were a bullfight. The bravest were rewarded with favors.

Leftovers from the earlier meal were reheated and served, including the lamb with "drunken sauce" (salsa borracha) made from fresh pulque, which Master Olvera had personally supervised; the meatballs in white broth and in chipotle sauce, provided by the day laborers; the beef and the beans prepared mason style; and, last but not least, the fritters in brown sugar syrup prepared on the spot by Romualda, the watchman's wife, and some of the women from Tepetlapa. Late that night, when the stars were out, we returned to Coyoacan.

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Diego and Frida on the terrace outside her studio at the Blue House

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MENU

Lamb with Drunken Sauce
Meatballs in Chipotle Sauce
Beans, Mason Style
Beef, Mason Style
Eggs, Mason Style
Chilaquiles in Green Sauce
Pork Cracklings in Guajillo Sauce
Fritters in Syrup
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Re: Frida's Fiestas: Recipes and Reminiscences of Life With

Postby admin » Thu Dec 13, 2018 5:42 am

LAMB WITH DRUNKEN SAUCE
(8 servings)

1 large plantain (or banana) leaf, toasted lightly to soften
3 pounds lamb rib chops in one piece or leg of lamb

DRUNKEN SAUCE

15 guajillo chiles, toasted and deveined
2 cups very hot water
4 garlic cloves
1 cup pulque (or beer)
Salt

Pour enough water into a tamalera or large steamer to cover the bottom of the pan. Place the plantain leaf on the steamer rack and top with the lamb. Fold the leaf over the meat to enclose it, then cover with a dish towel or cloth napkin. Cover the steamer and simmer for about 5 hours, being careful to keep enough water in the steamer to cover the bottom. Serve the lamb hot, accompanied by the Drunken Sauce.

To make the Sauce, soak the chiles in the hot water. Puree the chiles with 1 cup of the soaking liquid, the garlic, pulque, and salt to taste. If the sauce is too thick, thin it with as much of the soaking liquid as needed.

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MEATBALLS IN CHIPOTLE SAUCE
(8 servings)

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Meatballs in Chopotle Sauce, Beans, Mason Style, and Chilaquiles in Green Sauce, prepared with anafre and comal, as the workers would

1 pound ground pork
1 pound ground beef
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 eggs
1/4 cup bread crumbs
Salt and pepper

CHIPOTLE SAUCE

6 chipotle chiles, pickled or in marinade
6 medium tomatoes, roasted and peeled
1 cup chicken broth
2 garlic cloves
3 cumin seeds
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons lard
Salt and pepper

Combine the pork, beef, ground cumin, garlic, eggs, bread crumbs, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Shape the mixture into medium-size meatballs. Cook the meatballs in the Chipotle Sauce for about 25 minutes.

To make the Chipotle Sauce, puree the chiles, tomatoes, broth, garlic, cumin seeds, and oregano. Strain. Saute the puree in hot lard and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring sauce to a boil.

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BEANS, MASON STYLE
(8-10 servings)

Meatballs in Chopotle Sauce, Beans, Mason Style, and Chilaquiles in Green Sauce, prepared with anafre and comal, as the workers would

6 ounces bacon, chopped
1/4 pound chorizo, sliced
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 medium tomato, peeled andchopped
2 jalapeno chiles, roasted, peeled, and chopped
3 cups cooked pinto beans
5 cups cooking liquid from beans
6 ounces pork cracklings, cut in chunks
Salt

Cook the bacon over low heat until crisp. Add the chorizo and cook a few minutes more. Add the onion, tomato, and chiles. Saute the mixture for a few minutes. Stir in the beans and cooking liquid. Bring to a boil, simmer for a few minutes, then stir in the pork cracklings. Simmer for 5 minutes to blend the flavors. Serve piping hot.

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BEEF, MASON STYLE
(8 servings)

2-1/2 pounds beef sirloin, well trimmed and cut in 1-inch strips
4 tablespoons lard
Salt
2 large onions, sliced lengthwise
2 garlic cloves, chopped
4 jalapeno chiles, cut in strips and seeded
2 tomatoes, roasted, peeled, and chopped

Saute the beef in hot lard until well browned. Season with salt to taste. Add the onions, garlic, and chiles. Simmer for about 2 minutes, stir in the tomatoes, and cook for about 10 minutes to cook through and blend the flavors. Serve piping hot.

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EGGS, MASON STYLE
(8 servings)

5 large tomatoes, roasted and peeled
5 serrano chiles, roasted and peeled
1 garlic clove, roasted
1/2 onion, cut in half and roasted
Salt
12 eggs, lightly beaten
5 tablespoons lard
1/2 cup water

Puree the tomatoes, chiles, garlic, and onion. Season with salt to taste. Season the eggs with salt to taste and cook in hot lard to make soft scrambled eggs. Stir in the chile puree and water. Simmer the mixture for a few minutes to thicken it.

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CHILAQUILES IN GREEN SAUCE
(8 servings)

Meatballs in Chopotle Sauce, Beans, Mason Style, and Chilaquiles in Green Sauce, prepared with anafre and comal, as the workers would

24 medium tortillas, cut in triangles
Corn oil
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 pound Oaxaca cheese, shredded (or mozzarella)

SAUCE

30 tomatillos, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
5 or 6 serrano chiles
1/2 onion, chopped
Salt
2 tablespoons corn oil

Fry the tortilla triangles in hot oil until golden and drain on brown paper.

Cover the bottom of an ovenproof casserole with a small amount of sauce and cream. Top with half of the fried tortillas. Layer with half of the remaining sauce, half of the remaining cream, and half of the cheese. Top with the remaining tortillas, sauce, cream, and cheese. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for about 20 minutes, or until the sauce is very hot and the cheese topping is puffy and golden.

To make the sauce, puree all the ingredients except the oil with salt to taste. Saute the puree in very hot oil until the flavors blend and the sauce has thickened.

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PORK CRACKLINGS IN GUAJILLO SAUCE
(8 servings)

6 guajillo chiles, roasted and deveined
30 tomatillos, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup water
Salt
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons lard
1/2 pound pork cracklings, cut in chunks

Cook the chiles, water, and salt for 20 minutes. Puree with the cilantro.

Saute the onion in hot lard until translucent. Add the puree and simmer for about 5 minutes. Stir in the pork and cook for a few minutes.

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FRITTERS IN SYRUP
(8 servings)

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Fritters in Syrup, served in an earthenware casserole

1 pound piloncillo, cut in chunks (or 2-1/2 cups dark brown sugar)
4 cups water
1 teaspoon star anise
1 recipe sugared fritters

SUGARED FRITTERS
(8 servings)

3 to 4 cups flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
l/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
Lard
Sugar and cinnamon

Sift 3 cups of the flour with the baking powder, sugar, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the butter with the eggs and milk. Slowly beat in the flour mixture to form a smooth dough. Gradually add more flour, beating vigorously, until the dough is stiff. Roll out on a lightly floured surface. Shape into small balls about the size of a walnut and brush with melted lard. Cover and let stand for 20 minutes.

Roll out the balls until they are thin and flat. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Fry in hot lard until golden. Drain on brown paper and sprinkle with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon.

Note: If you like, serve the fritters with a syrup made from piloncillo or dark brown sugar, a stick of cinnamon, and water.

Combine the sugar and water with the star anise. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 45 minutes, until thickened.

Make the fritters according to the recipe, cut thin into medium pieces before frying. Soak the fritters in hot syrup. Let cool.
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Re: Frida's Fiestas: Recipes and Reminiscences of Life With

Postby admin » Thu Dec 13, 2018 5:44 am

JUNE: THE MEAL OF THE BROAD TABLECLOTHS

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Orange blossom tea, a favorite of Diego's

By June I had been living in the Blue House for almost a year. One day I came home from the university to find Frida waiting for the arrival of some friends who were going to advise her about an exhibit of her paintings. The friends were Miguel and Rosa Covarrubias, Alberto and Anita Misrachi, and Arcady and Lina Boytler. In addition to being Frida's bosom buddies, these people advised her on all matters pertaining to the sale and display of her art. Don Alberto, my father's marchand de Tableaux, advanced him money when he could not meet his expenses. Anita, Rosa, and Lina -- Frida's best friends -- enriched her store of recipes with specialties of their own. These three ladies were in fact known nationally for their expertise in haute cuisine, be it international or Mexican. Rosa Covarrubias was especially famous for her Mexican food; an accomplished painter, she was also an innovative cook, an expert in the distinctive seasonings of the distant Mares del Sur, where she had lived for many years.

That afternoon Frida was also awaiting the arrival of Chabela Villasenor, a friend with whom she used to spend rainy afternoons singing revolutionary anthems and popular songs of such great antiquity that virtually no one but Diego, Frida, and her chums remembered either the words or the tunes -- although I must confess that I eventually learned them because they were such an important part of our life in the Blue House.

While the guests were arriving, Frida and I busied ourselves tasting all of the dishes that would be served at this "meal of the broad tablecloths," as Mexicans call such a special occasion. Frida seasoned each dish, remarking: "The bacalao must be absolutely spectacular or else my bosom buddies Rosita, Anita, and Lina will ruin my reputation."

I was content to taste each of the dishes and hope that we could sit down soon and eat in earnest.

In the midst of these preparations my father arrived unexpectedly, whistling the opening bars of the "International." It was his password to let Frida know he was at the door. The three of us sat down at the kitchen table for a glass of tequila with salt and lemon, and Eulalia brought us a surprise appetizer of pica de gallo made of jicama, oranges, prickly pear, xoconostle, and piquin chile. It went well with the midday heat.

Soon the guests had all arrived, and something unforeseen happened. "The Covarrubias kid," as my father called the young painter, showed up with two elegantly attired gentlemen. They turned out to be the famous composer and conductor Carlos Chavez, a great friend of my father's and companion in artistic ventures, and Nelson Rockefeller, who had been a friend of the Riveras since their days in New York, in the early thirties. Frida was quite pleased to see them again and dashed immediately to the kitchen to "throw some more water on the beans," as we say, so that there would be enough for everyone to eat.

The meal was one hundred percent Mexican from start to finish. There were two kinds of soup, a succulent bacalao prepared according to a family recipe, pork ribs in sweet-sour sauce, potato tortitas, and zucchini salad. We also had the inevitable refried beans with cheese. A lime sorbet was served to refresh our palates before the dessert of stuffed pineapples and cat tongues, Frida's favorites. Some of the friends asked for coffee; my father drank orange-leaf and lemon-blossom tea. It was a truly splendid meal worthy of a kitchen that valued the best in traditional Mexican cuisine.

Master Rivera suggested to the guests that they take a stroll through the garden after dinner. He was proud of the way he had displayed several of his best archeological pieces in a small temple built for this purpose beneath a stand of old cypresses. One of the most beautiful and unusual pieces was a sculpture of Xilolen, goddess of young corn, who grasped two ears of fresh corn in her hands. Frida was in charge of providing frequent changes of sacrificial offerings to this goddess, as if she were actually presiding over the temple. There was also a gray stone coffer carved with scenes of homage to an important lord. My father took pride in explaining that the trunk had belonged to one of the lords of Mexico -- Tenochtitlan, Axayucatl by name. According to my father, Axayucatl had conquered vast lands to the south of the Valley of Mexico and kept his most precious treasures in this same coffer. Rockefeller and Covarrubias, who were connoisseurs of this art, recognized the value of the collection and praised my father for his good taste and the authenticity of his display.

From there we went to Frida's studio, where she somewhat nervously showed us her latest painting: a very sensual still life of flowers and fruits on a round canvas smaller than the size she normally painted. The sexual connotations of these flowers and fruits were so strong that, arranged as they were side by side, they seemed to be making love. Frida and Diego's friends thought it a magnificent piece; they praised the colors and the brush work, but they were especially taken by the strange way in which Frida had expressed the sexual dimension of these objects, which for other painters were nothing more than the products of nature.

The following day, however, Frida sent the painting to the client who had commissioned it and got the opposite reaction. Dona Soledad Orozco de Avila Camacho, wife of the President of Mexico, General Manuel Avila Camacho, had commissioned the work for the dining room of the presidential palace, where it was to have had the place of honor. But when she saw the work, the good lady found it to be indecent and, what is worse, personally offensive, and she ordered it returned to Frida at once.

Getting back to our dinner, or rather the end of it -- our friends took their leave after toasting our surprise guests Carlos Chavez and Nelson Rockefeller. Papa, Frida, and Chabela walked them to the door singing the classic song of farewell, which goes, "I'm on my way to the port where a golden bark awaits to carry me away; I'm on my way, I've just come to say goodbye."

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Against the wall in the dining room of the Blue House are the shelves with Frida's collection of pottery. An arum bouquet sits on the table, covered with a lace cloth from Aguascalientes

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Still Life (tondo), 1942

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MENU

Pico De Gallo Salad
Squash Blossom Soup
Chicken Consomme
Sopa Seca De Fideo
Pork Ribs
Potato Tortitas
Zucchini Salad
Home-Style Bacalao
Egg Nog
Stuffed Pineapple
Lime Sorbet
Cat's Tongues
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Re: Frida's Fiestas: Recipes and Reminiscences of Life With

Postby admin » Thu Dec 13, 2018 5:54 am

PICO DE GALLO SALAD
(8 servings)

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Tequila and Pico de Gallo Salad served before lunch in the kitchen of the Blue House

2 medium jicamas, peeled and sliced
6 white prickly pears, peeled and sliced
4 xoconostles (sour prickly pears), peeled and sliced
2 oranges, peeled and sliced
Salt
Piquin chile powder

Arrange the vegetable and fruit slices on a serving platter in an attractive design. Sprinkle with salt and chiles to taste.

**********

SQUASH BLOSSOM SOUP
(8 servings)

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Squash Blossom Soup, served in a decorated tureen from Puebla

1 large onion, finely chopped
4 tablespoons butter
2 ears corn, kernels scraped off
3 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded, and cut in strips
1 cup coarsely chopped zucchini
2 cups sliced mushrooms
4 cups squash blossoms, stems and pistils removed and discarded, blossoms coarsely chopped
6 cups chicken broth
Salt
3 tortillas, cut in small squares and fried
Heavy cream

Saute the onion in butter until translucent. Add the corn, chiles, and zucchini. Cook for 2 minutes, then stir in the mushrooms and squash blossoms. Cook for 4 minutes, add the chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes and taste for salt. Serve the soup garnished with tortilla squares and heavy cream.

**********

CHICKEN CONSOMME
(makes 4 quarts/4 l)

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Chicken Consomme, with garnishes

5 quarts water
1 stewing hen, cut in chunks
1 pound beef round
1/2 pound veal
4 carrots
10 leeks
2 onions
Salt

Dry sherry
Chopped parsley
Chopped cilantro
Chopped serrano chiles

Heat the water in a stockpot. When it is lukewarm, add the remaining soup ingredients. Simmer for 4 hours.

Soak a napkin in cold water and wring it out. Spread the wet napkin over a strainer and strain the chicken broth through it. Return the broth to a saucepan and heat, stirring constantly, until it comes to a boil. Strain again through a napkin. To serve, add dry sherry to taste or garnish with chopped parsley or cilantro or serrano chiles.

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SOPA SECA DE FIDEO
(8 servings)

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Sopa Seca de Fideo, with rings of avocado

1 pound thin noodles
Corn oil
10 medium tomatoes
1 medium onion
2 garlic cloves
Salt
3 parsley sprigs
2 cups chicken broth
Pasillia chiles, fried and chopped, to taste
2 avocados, peeled and sliced
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 pound anejo cheese, grated (or parmesan)

Saute the noodles in hot oil in a saucepan until golden. Drain off all but 3 tablespoons of oil.

Puree the tomatoes with the onion, garlic, and salt to taste. Add the puree to the noodles and simmer together until the mixture has thickened. Add the parsley and chicken broth to cover. Cover the saucepan and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the noodles are tender and the broth absorbed; add more chicken broth if needed. Discard the parsley.

Pour the noodle mixture onto a heated serving platter and garnish with chiles, avocados, cream, and cheese.

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PORK RIBS
(8 servings)

8 pounds pork spareribs (1 rack)
1 lime
Salt and pepper
8 ancho chiles, roasted and deveined
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 cup water
4 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons lard
2 tomatoes, roasted, peeled, and pureed

SWEET-SOUR SAUCE

3 large tomatoes, roasted, peeled, and pureed
1 onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons sugar
Salt
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 cup canned pickled jalapeno chiles, chopped with the contents of the can

Rub the spareribs with lime, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate overnight.

Simmer the chiles and onion in water for about 8 minutes. Let cool slightly. Puree the chiles and onion with the garlic, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Drain.

Heat the lard in a skillet. Add the pureed tomatoes and simmer until thickened. Add the chile puree and simmer for 10 minutes to blend the flavors.

Place the ribs in a deep baking dish. Cover with the sauce and bake in a preheated 400°F oven for 1 hour, or until the ribs are golden brown and the sauce is reduced. Serve with Sweet-Sour Sauce.

To make the Sweet-Sour Sauce, combine all the ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer for a few minutes to blend the flavors. Serve the sauce lukewarm or cold.

**********

POTATO TORTITAS
(8 servings)

2 pounds potatoes, cooked, peeled, and mashed
1-1/2 cups boiling milk
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons butter, softened
Salt and pepper
Corn oil

Combine all the ingredients except the oil, mixing well. Shape into patties. Fry the patties in hot oil, turning once carefully, until golden on both sides. Drain on brown paper and serve piping hot.

**********

ZUCCHINI SALAD
(8 servings)

6 small zucchini, rinsed well, cooked, and sliced
2 avocados, peeled and sliced
Salt
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
3 ounces anejo cheese, crumbled (or parmesan)

VINAIGRETTE

6 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Arrange the zucchini and avocado slices in a salad bowl. Salt to taste. Sprinkle with the cilantro, cheese, and vinaigrette.

To make the vinaigrette, place all the ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Cover the jar and shake well to blend.

**********

HOME-STYLE BACALAO
(8-10 servings)

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Homestyle Bacalao

3 pounds bacalao (dried cod)
1 cup olive oil
3 onions, thinly sliced
8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 pounds tomatoes, roasted, peeled, and pureed
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup pimento-stuffed olives
1/4 cup capers, rinsed
1/4 cup blanched almonds, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup raisins
2 pounds potatoes, peeled, cooked, and cut in cubes
5 canned roasted red peppers
1 8-ounce can guero chiles
Salt

Soak the bacalao in cold water for a day and a half, changing the water frequently.

Drain the fish, place in a saucepan and add water to cover. Simmer about 30 minutes, until tender. Let the fish cool, then finely shred it.

Heat the oil and saute the onions and garlic until the onions are translucent. Add the pureed tomatoes and parsley. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the olives, capers, almonds, raisins, and potatoes. When the sauce has thickened, add the fish and simmer for a few minutes more. Stir in the red peppers and chiles, either whole or cut, and taste for salt.

**********

EGGNOG
(8-10 servings)

2 quarts milk
4 cinnamon sticks
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2-1/2 cups sugar
6 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2-1/2 cups rum or aguardiente

Combine the milk, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the sugar, stirring constantly until dissolved. Simmer for 30 minutes, let cool, and strain.

Beat the egg yolks until thick and stir into the milk. Add the baking soda and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and let cool, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin from forming on the surface. When thoroughly cool, add the rum or aguardiente.

**********

STUFFED PINEAPPLE
(8 servings)

1 large ripe pineapple
1 cup heavy cream
6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
12 cherries in syrup, chopped
1/2 cup pine nuts, finely chopped

Keeping the leaves intact, cut a slice off the top of the pineapple and reserve. Scoop out the pulp, core it, and finely chop it.

Whip the cream with the sugar until stiff. Gently fold in the chopped pineapple, cherries, and pine nuts. Spoon back into the pineapple shell and refrigerate for at least 2 hours until the filling sets slightly.

**********

LIME SORBET
(8 servings)

4 cups water
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon grated lime zest
1 cup lime juice

Combine the water, sugar, and zest. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 3 minutes. Let cool to lukewarm, then add the lime juice. Chill thoroughly. Place the lime mixture in an ice-cream maker and proceed according to the manufacturer's instructions.

**********

CAT'S TONGUES
(50 to 60 cookies)

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A dish of Cat's Tongues and Eggnog in a glass carafe from Guadalajara

8 tablespoons butter
scant 2/3 cup sugar
3 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup flour, sifted

Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the egg whites, one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla, then the flour.

Place the dough in a pastry bag fitted with a round tip. Butter and flour several baking sheets. Pipe strips about 2 to 3 inches long and as thick as a pencil onto the baking sheets, leaving enough space for the cookies to expand while baking. Bake in a preheated 425°F oven for 6 to 8 minutes. Remove and cool on a rack. Store in an airtight container.
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Re: Frida's Fiestas: Recipes and Reminiscences of Life With

Postby admin » Thu Dec 13, 2018 5:55 am

JULY: FRIDA'S BIRTHDAY

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Self-Portrait (The Frame), c. 1938

Living with Frida was an education in itself. I learned about cultural values I had been ignorant about until then. Frida would talk about Freud and psychoanalysis or Garcia Lorca and poetry as easily as she spoke of painting and music. In order to keep up with her, I had to read quite a few of the books in her library and others that she and my father gave me. She accepted me without reservation into the heart of her daily life, teaching me how to get along with the people who took care of the house, people like Eulalia, Chucho, Rosenda, and Ines the carpenter. She also introduced me to the people who came to visit her from Paris, London, and New York. It was a world of contrasting feelings and emotions.

A few days before her birthday on July 6, Frida decided to give a big dinner party. As was often the case, she did not have much money to spend on the celebration, so the first thing she did was finish a painting that Marichu Lavin had commissioned, a magnificent portrait in which Marichu appears in the center of a great medallion-like frame, dressed in a huipil embroidered with brilliantly colored flowers. This is the style of the Yucatec mestizo women of southern Mexico who embroider their clothes and are famous for their dancing. Marichu was from that part of the country.

With the payment in her pocket, Frida invited half of Mexico to the party. She hired mariachis and asked Concha Michel and Chabela Villasenor to arrive dressed like Tehuana women, guitars in hand. The guests were advised to come "'ready to eat every kind of food, to let their hair down and to sing their hearts out," since the party would last well into the night.

It was as much fun preparing the menu as drawing up the guest list. There were of course many kitchen consultations. Frida loved to hear Eulalia talk about what people were eating that day in Ixtapalapa, a town famous for its game, especially duck, turtledoves, and chichicuilotes, which were hunted along the lake. Chucho described what his family used to eat in his home town in southern Oaxaca, while Rosenda spoke of how corn was used in Michoacan cuisine. I contributed recipes from my grandmother Isabel. We were all talking about Mexican cooking and Frida showed me The New Mexican Cook, with its dictionary format. It had belonged to dona Matilde, her mother. Frida read a few of the recipes out loud, selecting delicacies for the birthday party.

At one o'clock in the afternoon of July 6, the guests started arriving, loaded down with presents. Rosenda and Chucho greeted them at the door of the Blue House and handed them their choice of a glass of tequila, a mug of beer, or a jug of almond-cured pulque. At two o'clock Concha, Chabela, and the mariachis made their appearance, shattering the calm of the Carmen district with their rendition of "Las Mananitas," played in honor of the birthday girl. At three we began helping ourselves to the contents of the endless pitchers, platters, plates, and bowls, large and small, that filled the tables beneath the trees of the garden. There was pulque, tequila and other refreshments; the red oilcloth tablecloths had been decorated with arrangements of pears, grapes, apples, bananas and oranges, and colorful paper napkins with fringes had been chosen to complement the fruit.

Frida kept the tables supplied with shrimp broth as a taste teaser and enormous rustic pots filled with pork stew, pork and nopales in green pipian sauce, and mole poblano. There were huge platters laden with chicken escabeche and pig's feet. There were also salad bowls, one of which contained beans, radishes, and panela cheese and the other, watercress, tomatoes, and avocados. Earthenware bowls held a variety of sauces.

The desserts had been placed in the middle of their own table. In addition to the sweet potato-pineapple dessert, mamey mousse, and pine nut flan, there were platters of traditional Mexican sweets of the kind that are still sold in the La Merced market. Frida was especially fond of the meringues, nougats, and taffies because they reminded her of her childhood, when after school, with just a few pennies in hand, she would play heads-or-tails with her favorite sweetshop owner and come away with a nice sampling of sweets. It came as no surprise, then, that there were nougats in abundance that day; Frida had decided to give them to herself as a birthday present.

After eating their fill, the guests wandered around the house, the majority of them gravitating toward the mariachis. The yells that went with the revolutionary songs could be heard all over the house -- only Frida's laughter was loud enough to rise above them. There was a downpour, but still the party went on. When the rain finally tapered off well after dark, people began to leave. Concha, Chabela, and the mariachis said their farewell, singing tunes like "Las Golondrinas," which speak of love and the pain of farewell.

Before we went to bed Frida opened the presents she had not been able to open earlier. Her friends and family were well versed in her preferences, which I suppose is why she received two bottles of Schiaparelli's "Shocking," her favorite perfume. She was also given two turn-of-the- century dolls still wearing their original silks, velvets, and laces, and many other gifts including a handbook of magic and witchcraft from someone with wicked intentions. The gifts she treasured the most, however, were two necklaces from my father, one made of jade beads and the other of marvelous hand-carved coral, from Teotihuacan. She was so fond of these necklaces that she wore them when she posed for several self-portraits. These were her real birthday present, worthy of her and her illustrious husband.

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The table is set in honor of Frida's birthday with just the kind of brightly colored plastic tablecloth she would have loved

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MENU

Shrimp Broth
Tablecloth Stainer
Shrimp Escabeche
Chicken Escabeche
Pork Stew from Puebla
Pork with Nopales
Fish Baked in Acuyo Leave
Mole Poblano
Chilled Pig's Feet
Bean, Radish, and Cheese Salad
Sweet Potato-Pineapple Dessert
Mamey Mousse
Pine Nut Flan
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Re: Frida's Fiestas: Recipes and Reminiscences of Life With

Postby admin » Thu Dec 13, 2018 6:03 am

SHRIMP BROTH
(8 servings)

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Little mugs from Michoacan hold delicious Shrimp Broth

1/2 pound dried shrimp
Salt
2 quarts water
4 potatoes, peeled and diced
6 carrots, peeled and diced
2 parsley sprigs
5 ounces guajillo chiles, toasted, seeded, and soaked in very hot water for 10 minutes
2 medium onions, peeled and cut in chunks
6 limes

Simmer the shrimp in salted water for 15 minutes. Remove the shrimp with a slotted spoon and set aside. Strain the broth and return it to a boil. Add the potatoes, carrots, and parsley. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Strain the chiles and puree them with the onions. Add the chile puree and shrimp to the broth. Simmer for 10 minutes to blend the flavors. Serve with limes cut in quarters.

**********

TABLECLOTH STAINER
(8 servings)

1 pound pork loin
I pound pork neck bones or country ribs
1 bouquet fragrant herbs (bay leaf, thyme, and marjoram)
Salt
3 ancho chiles, deveined and softened in hot water
3 mulato chiles, deveined and softened in hot water
1 large onion, chopped
2 pounds tomatoes, roasted and peeled
2 tablespoons lard
1 tart apple, peeled and cored
1 pear, peeled, cored, and sliced
1 quince, peeled and sliced
2 peaches, peeled and sliced
1 thick slice pineapple, peeled and cut in pieces
1 plantain, sliced
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons white vinegar

Place the pork and bones in a large saucepan with water to cover. Add the herbs and salt to taste. Simmer until the pork is tender. Remove from the heat, strain the broth, discard the bones, slice the meat, and set both broth and meat aside.

Puree the chiles with the onion and tomatoes. Drain the puree and saute it in hot lard. Add the pork broth and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes to blend the flavors. Add the meat and all the fruit except the plantain. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add the plantain, sugar, and vinegar. Simmer for 2 minutes, correct the seasoning, and serve very hot.

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SHRIMP ESCABECHE
(8 servings)

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Shrimp Escabeche in the dining room of the Blue House

1 medium onion, sliced vertically
5 garlic cloves
2 cups olive oil
4 manzano chiles, seeded and cut in rounds
4 bay leaves
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 thyme sprigs
10 black peppercorns
1 cup white vinegar
Salt
3 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined

Saute the onion and garlic in hot oil until the onion is translucent. Add the chiles, bay leaves, oregano, thyme, peppercorns, vinegar, and salt to taste. Mix well and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the shrimp and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

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CHICKEN ESCABECHE
(8 servings)

5 whole chicken breasts
1 cup vinegar
2 medium onions, cut in half
3 carrots
1 celery stalk
1 bay leaf
1 thyme sprig
1 oregano sprig
3 teaspoons salt

MARINADE

2 onions, peeled and sliced
5 carrots, peeled and sliced
10 garlic cloves
1 cup olive oil
3 bay leaves
4 oregano sprigs
3 thyme sprigs
2 cups white vinegar
1/2 cup water

Combine the chicken breasts with the remaining ingredients, add water to cover, and cook until nearly tender. Strain the chicken let it cool, then skin and bone it. Cover it with the marinade for at least 2 hours.

To make the marinade, saute the onions, carrots, and garlic in the oil until the onion is translucent. Add the herbs and saute a minute longer. Add the vinegar and water and simmer for 10 minutes to blend the flavors. Add the chicken breasts, bring to a boil, and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool completely.

**********

PORK STEW FROM PUEBLA
(8 servings)

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Pork Stew from Puebla and Pork with Nopales

2 onions, chopped
3 tablespoons lard
4 chorizos, peeled and sliced in rounds
6 large tomatoes, roasted, peeled, and seeded
6 chipotle chiles in adobo, chopped and drained
2-1/2 pounds pork shoulder, cooked in water with 1 halved onion, 1 garlic clove, and salt to taste
3 medium potatoes, cooked and cubed
Salt

Saute the onions in hot lard, until translucent. Add the chorizo and fry until well cooked. Drain, discarding excess fat. Return the chorizo to the pan.

Puree the tomatoes with three of the chiles. Add this puree and the remaining chiles to the chorizo in the pan. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Shred the cooked pork and add to the pan. Add the potatoes and salt to taste and mix thoroughly. Simmer for a few minutes. Serve piping hot.

**********

PORK WITH NOPALES
(8 servings)

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Pork Stew from Puebla and Pork with Nopales

2-1/2 pounds pork loin, cooked in water with 2 onions, 2 bay leaves, 1 oregano sprig, and salt to taste
2 pound tomatillos, peeled and chopped
4 serrano chiles
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1-1/4 cups pumpkin seeds, toasted
3 tablespoons corn oil
1 cup cut-up green beans
8 small zucchini, cut in quarters
5 nopales, cooked, drained, and cut in strips

Remove the pork from its broth and slice it. Set the meat and broth aside.

Simmer the tomatillos with 1 cup of the pork broth, the chiles, garlic, and onion. When thoroughly cooked, remove from the heat, let cool slightly, and puree with the pumpkin seeds.

Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan and add the puree. If the sauce is too thick, thin with some more pork broth. Stir in the green beans, zucchini, and nopales. Add the meat to the pan. Season with salt to taste and simmer just until the vegetables are cooked through.

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FISH BAKED IN ACUYO LEAVES
(8 servings)

8 snapper or sea bass fillets
8 large acuyo (hierba santa) leaves

SAUCE

3/4 cup coarsely chopped acuyo (hierba santa) leaves
1/2 cup epazote leaves
1 cup cilantro leaves
2 or 3 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 large onion
4 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt

Place each fish fillet on a large leaf and wrap well. Arrange in a buttered baking dish. Cover with the sauce and bake in a preheated 350° F oven for 30 minutes.

To make the sauce, puree all the ingredients until smooth.

**********

MOLE POBLANO
(10 servings)

1/2 pound rnulato chiles, deveined and seeded
3/4 pound pasilla chiles, deveined and seeded
3/4 pound ancho chiles, deveined and seeded
1/2 pound lard
3 garlic cloves, peeled
2 medium onions, chopped
2 tortillas, coarsely chopped
1/2 hard roll
1/2 cup raisins
3/4 cup almonds
6 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
4 ounces sesame seeds, toasted
1 teaspoon anise seeds
2 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
9 ounces Mexican chocolate
1/4 pound tomatoes, peeled and chopped
Sugar
Salt
1 large turkey, cut in pieces and cooked in water with a carrot, leek, onion, celery stalk, garlic clove, and a few parsley sprigs

Saute the chiles in 5 ounces of hot lard. Remove from the skillet and place in a heavy saucepan. Cover with very hot water, bring to a boil, and simmer until tender. Drain.

In the same hot lard, saute the garlic and onions until the onions are translucent. Add the coarsely chopped tortillas, roll, raisins, almonds, pumpkin seeds, half of the sesame seeds, the anise seeds, cloves, cinnamon, peppercorns, chocolate, and tomatoes. Saute all the ingredients well, add the chiles, and cook for a few minutes more.

Puree the mole mixture with some of the turkey broth and strain. In a large pot, heat the remaining lard. Add the chile mixture and simmer for 5 minutes. Season to taste with sugar and salt -- it should be slightly sweet. Add more turkey broth if needed, but the sauce should be thick. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, add the turkey pieces, and simmer for 5 minutes more.

Serve the mole from the pot, sprinkled with the rest of the sesame seeds.

**********

CHILLED PIG'S FEET
(8 servings)

8 pig's feet, washed and cut in half
1/2 onion, studded with 2 cloves
2 garlic cloves
10 peppercorns
1 teaspoon salt
2 bay leaves
2 cups vinegar
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt
1 tablespoon dried oregano

SAUCE

4 pounds very ripe tomatoes, quartered
Salt
1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 tablespoon dried oregano
Sugar

Place the pig's feet in a large saucepan with the onion, garlic, peppercorns, salt, bay leaves, and water to cover. Cook until tender. Remove from the heat and let cool. Rinse well and remove the largest bones.

Combine the vinegar, white pepper, thyme, and salt to taste. Place the pig's feet in this mixture and marinate for at least 2 hours. Drain off the marinade, cover the meat with the sauce, sprinkle with the oregano, and serve very cold.

To make the sauce, cook the tomatoes, covered, with salt to taste (but no water) for about 5 minutes, or until cooked through. Let cool slightly, puree, and drain. Add the chopped onion, oregano, and salt and sugar to taste.

**********

BEAN, RADISH, AND CHEESE SALAD
(8 servings)

5 cups cooked black beans, drained
10 radishes, cut in quarters
3/4 pound panela cheese, cut in cubes (or muenster)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

DRESSING

2/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons chopped cilantro
2 teaspoons salt

To make the salad, combine the vegetables and cheese in a salad bowl and toss with the dressing. To make the dressing, whisk all the ingredients together.

**********

SWEET POTATO-PINEAPPLE DESSERT
(8 servings)

4-1/2 pounds yellow sweet potatoes
1 medium pineapple, peeled and chopped
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup pine nuts

Cook the sweet potatoes until tender. Let cool, peel, and mash into a puree. Measure out 3 cups.

Puree the pineapple. Drain and measure out 3 cups. In a large saucepan, combine the pineapple with the sugar. Simmer until the mixture is thick and syrupy (220°F on a candy thermometer). Stir in the sweet potato and cook, stirring, until it pulls away from the pan.

Pour onto a serving platter and garnish with pine nuts. Serve at room temperature.

**********

MAMEY MOUSSE
(8-10 servings)

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Mamey Mousse. The view is of the patio from the dining room of the Blue House

3 envelopes unflavored gelatin, softened in 3/4 cup cold water
2 cups boiling water
3 mamey fruits, peeled and pureed
2cups heavy cream
Confectioners' sugar
2 mamey fruits, peeled and cubed

When the gelatin has softened, mix it well with the boiling water to dissolve completely. Stir in the pureed mamey and let cool. Whip the cream with sugar to taste. Fold the cream into the gelatin mixture. Pour into a 2-quart ring mold and refrigerate until set. To serve, hold the mold over steam or dip it in hot water for a second to unmold easily. Turn out on a serving platter and fill the ring with the mamey cubes.

**********

PINE NUT FLAN
(8 servings)

1/2 cup sugar
1 cup pine nuts
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
4 egg yolks
2 whole eggs, beaten
1 cup milk

Heat the sugar in a 1-quart baking dish, stirring constantly, to caramelize.

Puree three-quarters of the pine nuts with the condensed milk. Mix with the egg yolks, whole eggs, and milk. Pour into the prepared dish. Place in a larger pan of hot water. Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from the oven, let cool, and garnish with the remaining pine nuts.
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Re: Frida's Fiestas: Recipes and Reminiscences of Life With

Postby admin » Thu Dec 13, 2018 6:03 am

EPILOGUE

Image
Naturaleza Viva, 1952

In this ambience of magic and ritual Frida lived for many years, but due to the accident of 1925 and the many health problems that resulted little by little she became less aBle to entertain guests.

Nevertheless, her way of life was always the same. The time I lived at the Blue House passed; but as a consequence of my own maturation -- finishing my university degree, marriages, caring for my children -- visits to Coyoacan continued to be regular and frequent.

Any encounter started stories and conversations just where we had left them.

Frida's world was always a ritual. Because of the demands of her egocentric personality she played both icon and devotee. Her clothes created the Frida Kahlo style; nobody had similar jewelry: what my father gave her was always unique; only Frida and the women of Oaxaca wore their hair in that style.

For still life paintings, Frida selected her favorite flowers and fruits; for portraits, her best friends; and her sorrows and thoughts were interpreted in small tableaux.

The greatest part of Frida's art was dedicated to self-portraits. With her own image in a mirror Frida painted ritualized icons surrounded by magic.

With the purpose of offering my readers a different aspect of Frida's way of life, the joyous one, in which we the participants, including my father Diego Rivera, were involved, I write this book.

Rio Caliente, Jalisco
Easter Sunday, 1993
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Re: Frida's Fiestas: Recipes and Reminiscences of Life With

Postby admin » Thu Dec 13, 2018 6:04 am

INDEX

Alcoholic beverages, 81
Almond Cookies, 75
Anahuacalli studio, 172
Anise, 61
Arias, Alejandro Gomez, 11, 12, 29
Axayucatl (god), 186

Bacalo, 197
Banana leaves, 90-91
Baptism, 130, 131
Bean, Radish, and Cheese Salad,
215
Beans, Mason Style, 174, 179
Beans, Refried, 14-15, 151, 188
Beef, Mason Style, 179
Beverages
alcoholic, 81
eggnog, 198
grenadine punch, 166
hot chocolate, 121
tequila, 32
water drinks, 61
Black Bean Soup, 164
Black Mole from Oaxaca, 41
Black Zapote Ice, 166
Blue House (Coyoacan), 16, 17,
21-22, 67, 79, 97-99,115, 121,
124, 172, 173, 186, 204, 216
Botticelli, Sandra, 11
Box lunch, 65-66
Boytler, Arcady, 185
Boyder, Lina, 157, 185, 186
Bread,85
The Bride Frightened at Seeing
Life Ope!1ed, 25
Broth see Soup

Cake, 32
Camacho, Soledad Orozco de
Avila, 188
Campo, German del, 12
Candelmas, 130, 131
Capirotada, 32
Carbajosa, Milagros, 157
Camitas, 165
Cat's Tongues, 198
Centenary Park (Coyoacan), 48,
49,99
Champurrado, 140
Chavez, Carlos, 186, 189
Chicken Consomme, 192, 195
Chicken Escabeche, 209
Chicken Picadillo, 130, 136
Chicken in Pipicin Sauce, 86, 87
Chiiaquiles in Green Sauce, 174,
180
Chiles, 31, 41, 166
Chiles in Cream, 54, 55
Chiles en frio, 14
Chiles Stuffed with Cheese, 38
Chiles Stuffed with Picadillo, 39
Chiles with Vegetable Stuffing,
152
Chiles in Walnut Sauce, 49
Chilled Pig's Feet, 215
Chipotle chiles, 166
Chipotle Sauce, 174, 178
Christmas celebrations, 98-102
Christmas Salad, 106
Christmas Turkey, 98, 106
Cocada, 110
Coconut, 60
Coconut Ice Cream, 166
Coffee shops, 115-116
Cold Chiles with Vegetable
Stuffing, 152
Construction workers, 172, 174
Cookies, 75, 124, 140, 198
Com, 204
Com pudding, 54, 55
Com Tamales, 140
Covarrubias, Miguel, 185, 186,
188
Covarrubias, Rosa, 185
Coyoacan (Mex.), 29, 48, 49, 97, 100,
130, 131, 157
see also Blue House
Cream of Peanut Soup, 104
Crepes, 136-137
Cuemavaca (Mex.), 14, 32
Cuesta, Jorge, 12, 14

Day of the Dead, 79-81
Dead Man's Bread, 85
Desserts, 31, 80, 117, 205
almond cookies, 75
black zapote ice, 166
capirotada, 32
eat's tongues, 198
cocada, 110
coconut ice cream, 166
flan, 42, 216
fruit,92
fruit salad, 166
gaznates, 124
lime sorbet, 198
macaroons, 124
mamey mousse, 215
mango sorbet, 153
meringues, 75, 140
prickly pears with anise, 48, 61
pumpkin, 92
rosca de Reyes (Epiphany cake),
98, 115, 116, 117, 121
shortbread cookies, 140
Guavas Poached in Syrup, 74-75
Guerrero, Xavier, 32
stuffed pineapple, 198
sugared fritters, 98, 110
sweet potato-pineapple, 216
torta de cielo, 116, 117, 122
Diaz, Porfirio, 30
Dolls, 99
Dressing, 215
Drinks see Beverages
Drunken Sauce, 178, 180
Dumplings, 86, 87

Echeverria, Luis, 66-67
Eggnog, 198
Eggnog mold, 124
Eggs, Mason Style, 179
Enchiladas Tapatias, 135
Epiphany cake see Rosca de Reyes

Fish Baked in Acuyo leaves, 214
Fish in Scallop Shells, 104
FIan, 42, 216
Flautas, 122-123
Flowers, 158, 160
French Meringue, 75
Fresh Com Tamales, 140
Fresh Lima Bean Salad, 164
Freud, Sigmund, 146, 203
Fried Bread with Syrup, 85
Fried Chicken with Peanut
Sauce, 66, 73
Fritters, 98, 110
Fritters in Syrup, 180
Fruit, 92
Fruit Salad, 166

Gaznates, 124
Gil, Emilio Portes, 14
Green Rice, 56
Green Sauce, 38, 122, 123, 151,
180
Grenadine Punch, 166
Guacamole with Chipotle Chiles,
166
Guadalajara (Mex.), 117, 130
Guajillo Sauce, 180

Home-StyleBacalo, 197
Hominy stew, 42
Hot Chocolate Drink, 121
Huauzontles in Green Sauce, 38

Ice cream, 166
Ixtapalapa (Mex.), 204

Jalisco (Mex.), 67
Jamaica flower Water, 61
Jocoque Soup, 72

Kahlo, Cristina, 11, 14, 117, 146,
147, 158
Kahlo, Frida
apparel, 22, 23, 30, 31, 100, 116
birthday, 204-205
Blue House, 16, 17, 21-22
life with, 21-25
meetings with Rivera, 9, 11, 12
"Mexican-ness," 23
and National Holidays, 45-61
paintings, 11, 12, 16, 24-25, 67,
101, 146, 185-186, 188-189,
204
personal relationships, 23, 65
singing, 174
sketchings, 146-147
studio, 171-173
table settings, 16, 24, 49
in United States, 16
wedding, 12, 27-43
Kahlo, Guillermo, 117, 130
Kahlo, Matilde, 79-81, 204

La Flor de Mexico (coffee shop),
115-116, 117
La Lagunilla, 130
Lamb with Drunken Sauce, 178,
180
La Merced market, 98, 205
Lavin, Marichu, 204
Lettuce, Tomato, Cauliflower,
and Beet Salad, 153
Lima Bean Salad, 164
Lima Bean Soup, 152
Limes Filled with Coconut, 60
Lime Sorbet, 198
Lime Water, 61
Little Meringues, 140
Luz, Blanca, 12

Macaroni with Spinach Sauce. 67,
72
Macaroons, 124
Mamey Mousse, 216
Mango Sorbet, 153
Mares del Sur (Mex.), 186
Marinade, 209
Marin, Lupe, l11 12, 14, 15, 31,
67
Masa, 90, 136
"Meal of the broad tablecloths,"
186
Meatballs in Chipotle Sauce, 174,
178
Menus
birthday, 71,207
Candelmas baptism, 133
Christmas, 103
Day of the Dead, 83
Epiphany, 119
Lunch of the Holy Cross, 177
"meal of the broad tablecloths,"
186
National Holidays, 53
picnic, 163
Teotihuacan, 149
wedding, 35
Meringues, 75, 140
Mexican cooking, 16, 30, 49, 186,
188, 205
see also specific foods and
recipes
Michel, Concha, 204, 205
Misrachi, Alberto, 185
Misrachi, Anita, 157, 159, 185,
186
Mixed Tropical Fruit in Syrup, 92
Modotti, Tina, 12, 29, 30
Mole, 31, 41, 86-87
Mole Poblano, 214-215
Morelos (Mex.), 14, 32
Morelos y Pavon, Jose Maria, 32
Morrow, Dwight, 12, 14
Moses, 146
Mousse, 216

National Holidays, 45-61
National Preparatory School, 9,
32,67
The New Mexican Cook, 15, 204
New Year's, 98
Noodles, 195
Nopales Salad, 164
Nougats, 205

Oaxaca (Mex.), 41, 204
Oaxaca style, 30
O'Gorman, Juan, 16, 171
Olvera, Jose, 172, 174
Orozco, Jose Clemente, 9
Oysters, 30
Oyster Soup, 37
Pambazos, 98, 108
Peanut Sauce, 66, 73
Peanut Soup, 104
Pears, 14, 48, 61
Picadillo, 39
Pico de Gallo Salad, 186. 192
Pig's Feet, 215
Pilzintecuhtli (god), 131
Pinatas, 98, 99
Pineapple, 198
Pine Nut Flan, 216
Pipian Sauce, 86
Plantains, 37
Pork, 86, 87, 90, 208
Pork Cracklings in Guajillo
Sauce, 180
Pork with Nopales, 211
Pork Ribs, 196
Pork Roast, 165
Pork Sandwiches, 131, 135, 165
Pork Stewed in Pulque, 67, 74
Pork Stew from Puebla, 211
Posadas, 95-111
Potato Tortitas, 196
Practical Recipes for Housewives,
15
Preciado, Isabel, 15
Prickly pears, 14
Prickly Pears with Anise, 48, 61
Pudding, corn, 54
Puebla cuisine, 49-61, 117
Pulque, 32, 66, 67, 74, 81
Pumpkin in Syrup, 92
Pyramids of the Sun and the
Moon, 146-147

Quesadillas, 107
Quince Paste, 74, 75

Rebozo, 30, 48
Red and Green Chalupas, 123
Red Hominy Stew from Jalisco,
42
Red Mole, 86-87
Red Rice, 56
Red Sauce, 122, 123
Red Snapper, Veracruz Style, 153
Red Tamales, 90
Refried Beans, 14-15, 151, 188
Revoltijo, 109
Reyes, Jesus "Chucho", 116, 117
Rice, 31, 49
flag, 56
green, 56
red,56
white, 56
white, with plantains, 37
Rice Water, 61
Rios y Valles, Jesus, 116, 117
Rivera, Diego, 9-12, 14, 15, 17,
30, 32, 48, 65-67, 98, 100, 145,
146, 147, 171-174, 186, 188
Rockefeller, Nelson, 186, 188,
189
Romeritos, 14, 109
Rosca de Reyes (Epiphany cake),
98, 115, 116, 117, 121, 131

Salad
bean, radish, and cheese, 215
Christmas, 106
lettuce, tomato, cauliflower, and
beet, 153
lima bean, 164
nopales, 164
pico de gallo, 186, 192
zucchini, 196-197
San Pablo Tepetlapa (Mex.), 172
Sauce
chipotle, 174, 178
drunken, 178, 180
enchiladas tapatias, 135
fish, 104, 214
green, 38, 122, 123, 151, 180
guajillo, 180
peanut, 66, 73
pipian, 86
red, 122, 123
red mole, 87
spicy, 135
spinach, 72
stuffed chayote, 55
tomato, 135, 215
walnut, 59
yellow mole, 86-87
Seasoned Pork Roast, 165
Sevilla, Carmen, 80
Shortbread cookies, 140
Shrimp Broth, 208
Shrimp Escabeche, 204, 209
Shrimp Patties, 109
Shrimp Tacos, 151
Silverware, 32
Siqueiros, David Alfaro, 9, 12, 32
Smothered Pork Sandwich, 131,
135
Snapper Soup, 54
Sopa Seca de Fideo, 195
Sorbet, 153, 198
Soup, 32
black bean, 164
chicken consomme, 192, 195
cream of peanut, 104
jocoque, 67, 72
lima hean, 152
oyster, 31
shrimp broth, 208
snapper, 49, 54
squash blossom, 192
tomato broth, 39
Spicy Sauce, 135
Spinach Sauce, 72
Spoons, 32
Squash Blossom Budin, 136-137
Squash Blossom Quesadillas, 107
Squash Blossom Soup, 192
Stew, 158
pork in pulque, 67, 74
red hominy, 42
Strawberry Atole, 92
Stuffed Chayotes, 55
Stuffed Pambazos, 98, 108
Stuffed Pineapple, 198
Stuffing, 106, 152
Sugared Fritters, 98, 110
Sugar skulls, 80
Sweet Potato-Pineapple Dessert,
216
Syrup, 85, 92, 180

Tablecloth Stainer, 208-209
Table settings, 16, 24, 49
Tacos, 117
shrimp, 151
Tacos with Sour Cream, 122
Tamales, 117
Candelmas, 131
corn, 140
red, 90
Tamales in Banana Leaves, 90-91
Tamales with Chicken Picadillo,
130, 136
Tamayo, Rufino, 9
Tehuana style, 30
Teotihuacan (Mex.), 146-147
Tequila, 32
Teutli, Tomas, 147
Tomato Broth, 39
Tomato Sauce, 135
Torreja,31
Tortade Cielo, 116, 117, 122
Tortillas, 32, 66, 99, 205
Tortitas, 14, 196
Tostadas, 98, 108-109
Totopos, 15
Turkey, 98, 106
The Two Fridas, 30

Vegetables, 158-159
Vegetable Stuffing, 152
Velarde, Ramon Lopez, 30
Villasenor, Chahela, 186, 204, 205
Vinaigrette, 106, 108

Walnut Sauce, 59
Water drinks, 61
Watermelon, 24
Wedding cake, 32
Whistles, 100
White Rice, 56
White Rice with Plantains, 37

Xilolen (goddess), 188
Xochimilco (Mex.), 157-161

Yellow Mole, 86-87

Zapata, Emiliano, 32
Zucchini Salad, 196-197
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