Tag: Cinco de Mayo

When was the last time you ate a “little cake” or “little torta”? No, it’s not a sweet snack cake, that’s what the Spanish word “tortilla” means. But what exactly is a tortilla, and how can they be used in your family’s meals?

Tortillas, either made of corn or flour, have long been eaten by families in Mexico. In fact, this staple food has been enjoyed for centuries. Normally they are freshly prepared, but they are easily found at grocery stores throughout the country. Another type of tortilla is similar to an omelette made with potatoes. If you ask most people what a tortilla is, they will describe the flattened bread.

Maize (or corn) tortillas are used when making enchiladas, tamales, tostadas and flautas. However, most people will recognize them as being used for making tortilla chips and eating them with salsa. Flour tortillas are used for making soft tacos, burritos and chimichangas. They have been made in one form or another since 10,000 BC by both Mayan and Aztec peoples.

You may be used to purchasing pre-made tortilla shells but they’re really easy to make and have very few ingredients. Corn or flour, butter, water and salt are all that is needed. Of course, you can make the tortilla as large or as small as you like and the size will determine which Mexican foods you can prepare.

Use flour tortillas instead of bread to make peanut butter and jelly roll-ups. Fry them with butter on a griddle and drizzle with honey and chocolate or fill them with fruit, roll them up and deep fry them. The types of food you can make with tortillas is limited only by your own imagination. In fact, you aren’t limited to Mexican cuisine. You can use tortillas for many types of food. They even make a great base for making pizza if you run out of homemade pizza dough.

Tortillas are a staple in nearly every Mexican home and are becoming almost as popular outside of Mexico. They are versatile and can be used both for sweet as well as savory dishes. Look through cookbooks of Mexican cuisine and try something new with tortillas tonight.

Do you love Mexican food? The spices help give it a one-of-a-kind flavor that you desire. You don’t have to let others do the cooking for you. Learn about these spices used in Mexican foods to help you enjoy your favorite foods whether or not a Mexican restaurant is open.

Cumin is probably one of the most often used spices in Mexican foods. Chalupas, rice dishes and enchiladas are common foods where you’ll find these spices.

Chili peppers are one of the main ingredients in many Mexican dishes. You can use it for meat and vegetables. Add an entire chili pepper to a dish and remove it after it has been cooked, or sprinkle chili powder into your food. Chili powder, including Chipolte, Ancho, Juajillo and Pasilla, are what gives Mexican food the taste you’ve come to enjoy.

Coriander is another spice often used in Mexican foods as well as in Asian and Caribbean recipes. You can expect to find coriander. It has a strong taste often found in meat dishes as well as burritos.

When you think about Mexican food, you may think of Cilantro. This is the leaf of the coriander plant. You can find Cilantro in salsa, guacamole, meat and fish dishes.

Oregano can also be found in this type of cuisine; however you’ll most likely use the Mexican variety rather than using Mediterranean oregano. You will often find oregano in dishes using tomatoes.

When making sweet dishes, you can expect to use cloves, cinnamon, anise and cocoa. They may also be used in savory dishes, as in the case with Mole which is served with chicken dishes.

Other spices you may find in Mexican dishes includes Epazote, Yucatan spice, Achiote seets, Amaranthe, Boldo, Hoja Santa as well as honey, agave and vanilla.

It may not always be easy to find an open Mexican restaurant when you’re hungry. If you learn how to mix the spices used in Mexican food, you can begin to create Mexican cuisine that you and your family will love. Break out the cookbooks or find some recipes online to try your hand at preparing delicious Mexican dishes.

Chili peppers are a common ingredient in Mexican cuisine. There are more than 150 varieties of peppers and each one has a flavor that is unique. If you choose to use peppers when making Mexican dishes, try to use the specific pepper recommended in the recipe. This will help your dish have an authentic flavor that can’t be denied.

Ancho chilies are the dried version of a Poblano pepper. It needs to be rehydrated for several hours before you can add them to recipes. Once they are rehydrated, they are often ground up before being added. If you’ve ever had Mole sauce, you have eaten Ancho chilies.

Chipotle, a smoke-dried jalapeno pepper, can be used in many dishes. They can be found canned, dried or whole. The smoky flavor is prized when added to black beans sauce. Chipotle is also a component of Huevos Rancheros and is a good accompaniment to tacos, burritos and other dishes.

Bell peppers are common to most of the United States. They come in several colors including; green, yellow, orange and red. Bell peppers are considered a “sweet pepper” as they don’t produce capsaicin – the chemical that gives peppers their heat. Bell peppers are often used when making fajitas but are excellent stuffed or raw in salads.

Poblano peppers are mild in flavor and very versatile. They measure 1,000-2,500 Scoville units with red being the hottest. Poblano’s can be breaded and fried, roasted and stuffed or used in mole sauces. Chile Rellenos is one of the more widely known dishes where Poblano peppers are used.

The Jalapeno pepper is one of the best known of all chilies. It measures 3,500-8,000 Scoville units so while not the hottest pepper, it still has some heat. There are an endless number of uses for the jalapeno pepper. We often see them on top of nachos or diced in cheese dip but they’re also great to make jelly with.

Serrano peppers are small cousins of the jalapeno. They measure 10,000 to 25,000 Scoville units, so are hotter than jalapenos. Serrano peppers are often used in pico de gallo or pickled in vinegar but many enjoy eating them raw.

Cayenne peppers are not native to Mexico but are often used in dishes where you want to add extra heat. They measure 30,000 to 50,000 Scoville units and can pack a punch. Dried cayenne flakes, also called red pepper, has a multitude of uses and can often be found on the tables of pizza parlors.

Habaneros are a smaller pepper but don’t let their size fool you. They measure between 100,000 to 360,000 Scoville units, so they are very hot. The habanero has a distinct citrus-like flavor with intense heat and is excellent in salsa, hot sauce and foods where you want a hot and spicy flavor.

Whether you’re in the mood for salsa, chili or another dish where you want great flavor with or without heat, you cannot go wrong with using one of the peppers listed above. One word of caution when cooking with the hotter pepper versions, either use the recommended amount given in the recipe you’re following. If you’re creating your own recipe, start by adding just a little of the pepper and allow it to blend with the food before adding more. Trust me, a little can go a long way!

What event occurred on May 5th and is celebrated each year? Cinco de Mayo, of course! This holiday commemorates the 1862 Battle of Puebla. You may be surprised to know, however, that this holiday is often celebrated more here in the United States than in the majority of Mexico. If you’re celebrating this holiday this year, you may want to follow some of these hints for decorating your dinner table for Cinco de Mayo.

Place a red table cloth on the table. Then accent it with one of the other two colors of the Mexican flag – white and green. Run a string of chili-shaped lights down the center of the table or use a colorful piñata as a centerpiece.

Find other ways to incorporate the red, white and green of the Mexican national flag. You may want to create small flags out of paper or purchase several to place on the table. Use the colors of the flag to create place cards if you are having a more formal dinner.

Cactus-shaped vases can be placed on the table to create a centerpiece, as well. To decorate the vase, create large desert flowers using folded tissue paper and green chenille stems. You can also put live flowers from your garden in the vase.

Colorful dishes will serve as more than items to eat from; they are also commonly used as table decorations. Don’t be afraid to mix and match the colors. In fact, the brighter the colors, the better and more authentic your table will look.

Place small maracas around the table. You may be surprised to see everyone – adults included – picking them up and playing with them. Of course, if you are able and willing, you may want to provide a pair of maracas for each guest to take home.

If you’re struggling for ideas for decorating your dinner table for Cinco de Mayo, head into a local Mexican store or restaurant. You will be able to get many ideas from the way they decorate. You may even be able to be able to purchase some of the larger decorating items such as sombreros or colorful woven blankets to help give your Cinco de Mayo party and authentic Mexican flare.

Have you had your Alligator Pear today? You have if you’ve eaten an avocado! Avocados are the large fruit of the avocado tree. It is in the same family as cinnamon, camphor and bay laurel. If you enjoy guacamole with your Mexican meals, you’ll want to have plenty of this fruit on hand.

Avocados come in a number of varieties, or cultivars, including the Hass (which is most well-known), Gwen, Lula, Pinkerton, Brogden, Ettinger, Fuerte and Zutano. Each variety has a different appearance and will also have a unique flavor. Most stores carry the Hass avocado but you may have problems finding some of the other cultivars.

While some people will shy away from avocados because they’re supposedly high in fat, you would be amazed at the health benefits of choosing to eat them. Avocados are reported to help keep inflammation under control. They are also believed to help the digestive tract and is a monounsaturated fat which has been shown to lower the risk of heart disease.

It isn’t uncommon to think that guacamole is the only way to prepare avocados. However, there is so much more you can do. Add diced avocado to your salad to not only improve the flavor but also add health benefits. You can also make salsa with avocado, tomato, mango, pineapple, onion and jalapeno peppers. It might even surprise you to find out you can use avocados to make ice cream and add them to smoothies.

You can tell if an avocado is ripe by holding it in your hand and gently squeezing. It will yield slightly. The best way to cut it is by slicing around the length of the avocado and then twisting the halves to expose the seed. To remove the seed, carefully poke the tip of the knife into the seed and twist. You can also use a spoon to remove the seed. Squeeze behind the seed to remove the seed from the knife blade.

Consider learning more about avocados. They are delicious, nutritious and a wonderful addition to your family’s diet. Made into guacamole, salsa or eaten raw, your family will enjoy this exotic fruit.