Ah there are things that we have gained by ill means – usually the best stuff. And when the Spanish conquistadors invaded Mexico and set about their pointy hatted missionary slaughters – they got some good stuff. Really good stuff. Chocolate. And it’s finest partner in crime, Vanilla. The word itself stems from the name “little pod” and its goodness is global, it’s history touching on a number of social woes and attempts to normalize. This is the origin of that bottle of “infused” alcohol known as extract that we’re used to seeing. Forget it. Go to the source and use the real thing if you can. It’s pretty darn awesome.

A native Mexican, the vanilla vine is actually an orchid. Today there are over 150 varieties of Vanilla Orchids, with varying strengths and flavors. But they all have one thing in common – they’re labor intensive little buggers to harvest. The strange little flowers are hermaphrodites, but private ones – with an organic curtain separating their naughty bits. In their native Mexico Continue Reading ->

I have to admit this recipe is about as Mexican as Taco Bell but Mexican Spaghetti is simply the closest description I could come up with, so all you authentic Mexican food snobs out there cut me some slack and don’t get all “loco” on me! This recipe is rustic, hearty and has everything in it but the kitchen sink. My friends go nuts over this recipe and it’s the usually first thing requested when over for dinner. You can adjust the heat level by adding more or less hot peppers. I like mine with a bushel of Serrano’s, nothing like a good sweat to give you that euphoric “hot high”.

You can also substitute the meat with TVP making it completely vegetarian. I like morning star crumbles. Just add a couple teaspoons of ketchup, some chili powder to the crumbles and sauté in olive oil set aside and add at last moment to sauce. You can’t tell the difference. I have a friend who is a devout carnivore. I once made the veggie version without telling her. She said it was my best batch of Mexican spaghetti ever, and never knew I left out the meat! This is also a great recipe to cook ahead of time since Mexican spaghetti always taste better the second day.

Mexican Spaghetti
Dice the following ingredients:
6 jalapenos or serrano peppers
2 bell peppers, red or green
2 tomatoes
1 large onion
2 Large Portabella Mushrooms
5 sticks celery
1 bunch cilantro minced
4 garlic cloves finely minced
Additional Ingredients:
2 large cans tomato sauce,
1 pound extra lean ground beef or TVP “see above”
6 Tb chili powder
3 Tb Italian Seasoning
salt & pepper to taste
queso fresco cheese crumbled or finely shredded Monterey cheese.
1 loaf crusty sour dough baguette

Sauté onions, garlic and celery, until onions are translucent. Add extra lean ground beef, salt, pepper and spices. Cook meat until brown. Add all other vegetables, tomato sauce. Simmer for 20-30 minutes, add cilantro, adjust salt if needed. Boil pasta in salted water until cooked al dente. Plate the pasta, add sauce, top with a large mound of cheese and serve with some crusty sour dough bread.

This is a super simple dish that makes an impressive presentation for entertaining when you don’t have a lot of prep time. Just marinate the fish, soak the planks ahead if time in the morning or night before and everything will be ready to throw on the grill when your guest arrive.

For the planks you will need “untreated” 6 x 10 by 1/2 to 1 inch thick. The dimensions do not have to be exact but you just need each plank to be able to hold a six to eight ounce fillet of salmon. If thinner than 1/2 inch you just need to reduce heat a little so they do not catch fire right away. Soak planks for a minimum of two hours up to 24 hours in salted water use stones or some kind of weight to keep planks submerged. Continue Reading ->

This is a really simple salad, great for hot summer days when you just want something healthy, cool and easy to prepare. We use Persian Cucumbers in this recipe so no need to peel, Ii you are not using organic produce just make sure the cucumbers are washed thoroughly to eliminate of any wax or pesticides.

The quantities and amounts for salad are flexible, experiment to get right combination for your particular taste.

6 persian cucumbers
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp rice wine vinegar
juice from 1/2 lemon
2-3 sprigs fresh dill cleaned and finely diced
salt to taste
fresh ground pepper to taste.

Combine ingredients cover and chill for one hour serves 4-6

1/2 bunch cilantro finely chopped
2 mangos peeled & chopped
1 red onion chopped
4 tomatillos roasted chopped
4-5 canned chipotle peppers in adobo
4 cloves garlic chopped
salt to taste

Combine ingredients serve.

This is a favorite salsa of mine combining the sweet taste of Mango with the smoky fire of Chipotle peppers. I call it Mardi gras salsa because with the green cilantro red onion and yellow mango you have all the colors of Mardi Gras. If you cannot find fresh tomatillos you can use the canned variety found in Latin markets or the Latin section of most grocery stores. Also if you do not like the tomato flavor of canned Chipotles you can use the dried variety. Just soak in vinegar overnight and you are good to go. I actually like the latter best, but for purposes of simplifying this recipe I called for canned. You can experiment with adding the chilies to find the correct heat level for your personal taste. I like it so you just start to get a sweat when you eat a few bites.