Here in Mexico, Ponche Navideño, or Christmas Punch, is a highlight of the season, especially when gathering with family and friends to celebrate. You will find this punch at most parties and posadas.
HISTORY Although a classic Mexican holiday drink, its origins come from halfway around the world in India....
Hills of dry pine forests surround the town of El Tuito, about 90 minutes south of Puerto Vallarta. As you enter this small rural community, you will first notice the colorful adobe buildings in earthy colors of burnt orange, ivory, and brown created from a wash made of the...
Dia de Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is an important celebration in Mexico. It is a social and religious ritual with a parade and all-night candlelight vigils at the graves of family members in local cemeteries.
The whole occasion is festive, and everyone talks of the dead as...
If you have ever visited Spain or one of the Latin Americas, you probably know of the deliciously famous “churro.” Usually sold from street stands or roving food trucks, this doughy, crunchy, greasy snack rolled in cinnamon and sugar defies anyone wanting to avoid fried foods. This treat is...
Alex has worked in his family’s tortillaria in El Tuito since he was ten. He happily greets me whenever I bring folks by to see the whole process of making tortillas.
The first stop is the back room, where 5-kilogram bags of dried kernels are stacked floor to ceiling as...
Dulce Maria Morales sits at our daily market, removing the spines from nopal cactus pads (prickly pear cactus) to prepare them for sale. She and her family have been part of this market for years.
When I first came to Mexico, I asked her what to do with these lovely...
Who hasn’t had coconut in some form or another? Here in Mexico, it is part of the regular diet.
During the 16th century, Pacific coconuts were introduced to Mexico from the Spanish East Indies via ships from the Philippines. Sometimes, the coconuts could be found lying on the beach, having endured the long ocean...
To truly enjoy a mango, you must eat it whole, with your hands, tearing the skin off with your teeth and sinking into the firm yellow flesh. When perfectly ripe, the juice will fill your mouth and run down your arms! The experience is truly delicious. It can transport...
If you love Mexican textiles, I invite you to visit Casa Oaxaca. You have to be a little adventuresome since their shop is located away from city central in the Emiliano Zapata barrio on the slowly changing Calle Aquiles Serdan.
As you enter this modern showroom, where art and home...
The stories about El Tuito's local 'moonshine' existed for ages, including its shadowy history of being illegally produced in remote back woods areas and sold in unlabeled plastic soda bottles to those who knew where to find it.
All that is slowly changing as production is now legal and local distillers are...
