The Sopa Verde, which is translated as the green soup, is not really a green soup; it is pasta with a creamy green chile sauce and cheese.  It is a dish that my family and I have enjoyed since I can remember.  This dish was always prepared during the holidays during Thanksgiving and Christmas, it is a side dish but we love it and we enjoy it often as a main dish.  I asked my mother where this recipe came from and she said she was 99% sure that it came from one of my father’s sisters.  My dad came from a big family of 12 siblings, the aunt that made the Sopa Verde was Tere short for Teresa, and she passed away 8 years ago.  All of my aunts, there are 6 six of them, are all good at cooking.  I have tasted everyone’s cooking and it has all been delicious.  Which makes sense because they all grew up learning to cook in the same kitchen from my Grandmother, but when you ask each of my aunts who cooks the best out of all the sisters they will all have the same answer “tu tia Tere,” translation, “ your aunt Tere.”

During the holidays when I was a little girl one of the things I looked forward to was eating that Sopa Verde, we would look forward to it all year long.  For the longest time I thought I was the only who loved the dish the most, but as I got older I learned that all of my cousins and aunts and uncles were thinking the same thing.  For Christmas every year we would go to Ensenada, Mexico.  Ensenada is about 2 hours away from the Tijuana Border.  It is a beautiful trip during the day and even more beautiful if the sun is setting, you have the ocean view all the way to Ensenada.  As you arrive to Ensenada you can see all the fishing boats, this always makes me think of my dad and my Grandfather.  My Grandfather owned a few of the fishing boats and my dad was one of the fishermen so they used be out fishing for months at a time.   My parents are both from Ensenada and we would always stay at my mother’s only sisters’ house through our Christmas Vacation.  We would celebrate with my mother’s family on Christmas Eve, and then on Christmas day we would go to my father’s parent’s house.  We would get there at around 4 or 5 in the evening by that time most of the family was there.   The house was so full of people at least 50 people, all immediate family.  I was always so overwhelmed with my dad’s huge family but also happy to see them all.  The kitchen always seemed to be the most popular room.  My aunts were always there forming an assembly line to be able to feed the whole family, my mother would always join in and help.  It was fun watching all the sisters together helping each other cook and the interesting part to me was that even though it was a lot of hard work cooking all that food and serving everybody they always looked so happy and enjoying themselves laughing and talking the whole time.  For Christmas the Sopa Verde accompanied the Tamales, beans, and a carrot salad and it was first introduced to the family (dad’s side) on Christmas Eve dinner by my aunt Tere.  For Thanksgiving the Sopa Verde became part of our Turkey dinner and it goes great with everything.  When I asked my mother and my aunts where my aunt discovered this recipe, none of them were too sure or could remember, but they said that she must have picked it up from one of the parties she attended.  My aunt was notorious for attending parties, birthdays, wedding, etc. at least one every weekend.  My aunt was the wife of a principle to a middle school, so she was invited to many events.   She must have picked up the recipe from one of the thousands of parties she attended.  My aunt had given my mother the recipe, and my mother introduced it to her side of the family, and now they are all obsessed with this dish, having no Sopa Verde for Thanksgiving dinner would be like having no turkey, in our family it is very important.  My mom’s sister and cousins have all learned how to make Sopa Verde.  I’m pretty sure other families make this dish on for the holidays as well. Although, I have never seen it in anybody else’s home for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, but my says she has over heard someone in the market saying “don’t forget the green noodles to make the green pasta,” this could mean anything just because they said green doesn’t mean it was our Sopa Verde, they could have meant a pesto pasta or maybe they use green food coloring, I just don’t think it was our Sopa Verde, but my mother seems to think so.  Another time I was describing it to a co-worker and she said she thought her family makes it too, she said the ingredients sounded familiar.  It’s possible, but I don’t think so.

This is the way my mother prepares it;

• She boils thin curly egg noodles which she changed since last year, she used the thicker noodles before, in my opinion the thinner ones are better
• 
• Then she drains the noodles once their cooked, and starts making the sauce.
• 
• For the sauce she uses canned green chiles, and it is the quicker version of the recipe. The original recipe calls for fresh roasted peppers.  My aunt always took the time to roast the green chile peppers on an open flame, then peel them and deseed them (just like chile rellenos) It does come out a bit spicier, which I prefer and it of course it does the fresh peppers do give more flavor, but if you don’t like spice then go with the canned version or you can add a little more sour cream it will still come out good.
• Next you put the roasted chiles in the blender along with about one cup of sour cream, 1 table spoon Knorr bouillon powder a little salt, and pepper, and blend.   My mother never uses measurements, she’s been making it forever so she just knows the right amount, and she’s constantly tasting just see to if she needs to add a little more of anything, that is very important.
• You put your noodles in your baking bowl, we usually use the big disposable aluminum pans since were making a big portion. Before you add the sauce you cut pieces of one stick of butter, you don’t have to use the entire stick, and put them on top of the past.  Once the sauce tastes perfect to your liking you pour the green chile creamy sauce all over the noodles.
• Finally you sprinkle your, either mozzarella, or jack cheese, we always mix both cheeses, but either one will come out good. Cover with foil and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese has melted.        

I tried to find a recipe online to see if there was one out there, but I really couldn’t find anything.  The closest recipe I found was one from a restaurant called Pinto Restaurant & Salsa Company, the recipe calls for green roasted chiles, but they add chicken, parmesan cheese and garlic which make it in my opinion a little more Italian style.  Another recipe I found was a Green Chile-Cilantro Pesto Sauce (Pasta), I love a pesto sauce and it looks really good but not the same.

The history of pasta is not very easy to trace.  I looked up some of the origins of pasta and most would think that it originated in Italy since they are famous for it.  Historians claim that it was the Arabs, especially from Libya, that were the first to bring pasta along with spinach, eggplant and sugar cane.  Pasta was introduced to Italy during the Arabs conquest in Sicily, which also influenced Italian dishes.  A common belief about pasta is that it was brought to Italy from China by Marco Polo during the 13th century.  Since Polo’s original work doesn’t exist anymore, the book relies on stories retold by various authors.  Oh and did you know there  are over 500 different types of pasta from shapes to colors, I found a list of the pasta variations that I thought was pretty interesting to see.

The history of the green chile is the pepper, member of the genus Capsicum part of the night shade family of flowering plants.  It is related to the tomato and the potato, that’s strange they are so different.  The red and green peppers are fruits from the same plant picked at different times.  Most chiles come from New Mexico; it is considered the Chile capitol of the world.  Chile peppers are good sources of vitamin A, B, and C.  They are high in fiber, phytonutrients, and Capsaicin.  They also help boost your metabolism and the nutrients help stimulate weight loss.

Chiles were said to have originated back in 7000 B.C.  Mexicans used the chiles to spice up and give their food flavor.  The green chile was brought to the U.S by none other than Christopher Columbus, the very same Columbus who discovered America in 1493.  Christopher mistook the chile for black pepper and that is how the name “chile pepper” came to be.  Chile seeds were brought to North America for cultivation.  Cross breeding of chile peppers started in 1888 and peppers evolved into a variety of chile peppers.

They say mozzarella cheese was first made when cheese curds accidentally fell into a pail of hot water in a cheese factory near Naples and thereafter the first pizza was made.  The truth is that new cheeses are often created when mistakes happen, so there may be truth.

Mozzarella originated in Italy near Naples from the milk of water buffalos, because it was not made from pasteurized milk and because there was little or no refrigeration the cheese would go bad very quickly therefore, it did not leave the southern region of Italy near Naples where it was made.  As cheese technology, refrigeration systems developed the cheese spread to other areas of Italy.  Today two types of mozzarella are produced in the U.S, low moisture and high moisture.

David Jacks is the man said to have been responsible for the name Monterey Jack cheese.  David Jacks was a Monterey, California, businessman in the 1800s.  However, history shows that it actually was based on a recipe for queso del país “country cheese”, brought to California by Franciscan monks in the 1700s.  David Jacks did increase the popularity and demand for the cheese when he began shipping it to San Francisco.  The name Monterey Jack came about because production was based in Monterey County, California.  Eventually other areas named the cheese for their region, as with Sonoma Jack (Sonoma County, California), and now Monterey Jack cheese is made in other parts of the United States.

SOURCES:

El Pinto Restaurant, Green Chile Chicken recipe,

http://www.elpinto.com/recipes/green-chile-chicken- pasta, accessed on 12/6/16

By Ihvhope, Green Chile-Cilantro Pesto Sauce (Pasta) recipe,

http://www.food.com/recipe/green-chile-cilantro-pesto-sauce-pasta-301899, accessed on 6 Dec. 2016

Julia, “Pasta Is Not Originally From Italy”, Today I Found Out, June 3, 2011

http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2011/06/pasta-is-not-originally-from-italy/, accessed on 6 Dec. 2016

Avey, Tori, “Uncover the History of Pasta”, The History Kitchen, July 26, 2012

http://www.pbs.org/food/the-history-kitchen/uncover-the-history-of-pasta/, accessed 7 Dec. 2016

Maister, Kathy, “Different Types of Past” Start Cooking,

http://startcooking.com/different-types-of-pasta, accessed on 7 Dec. 2016

From Wikipedia,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_pasta, accessed on 7 Dec. 2016

Diaz, Eddie, “The History of Green Chile”, Diaz Farms, May 25, 2013

http://diazfarms.com/chile-history/the-history-of-green-chile, accessed on 7 Dec. 2016

Origin of Chili,

http://www.chilly.in/origin_of_chili.htm,  accessed on 7 Dec. 2016

Mozzarella History, La Bella Mozzarella, 5/15/2012

http://www.labellamozzarella.com/MozzarellaHistory.htm, accessed on 7 Dec. 2016

Tyler-Herbst, Sharon and Herbst, Ron,” Monterey Jack”, The Food Lover’s Companion, Barron’s Educational Series, Inc. 2007, http://www.foodterms.com/encyclopedia/monterey-jack/index.html, accessed on 7 Dec. 2016

Personal Experience to the Dish (Birria): Before I tell this recipe, I think it is important that I give you all my personal history with this dish. When I first moved with my biological mom, I was introduced to so many Mexican dishes. Like most people who are not familiar with Mexican culture, I had only known of tacos, burritos, and quesadillas. I was not allowed to eat Mexican food when I was younger because my adopted mother hated it and did not allow it in the house. But, when I moved with my biological mother I was able to indulge in so many dishes. I was introduced to a new dish every day. My mom and her boyfriend were food critics. We would eat out three times a day. In the morning we would eat simple breakfast food from ihop, Denny’s or someplace similar. For lunch we would eat Mexican food and for dinner my mom’s boyfriend would take us to a fancy dinner. This was our daily routine. Although I enjoyed all the meals very much, my favorite was always lunch because I had acquired this immensely strong love for Mexican food. That said, when I tied birria for the first time that love turned into an addiction. My neighbors were the people who told my mom about the place with the birria. They worked in the store at one point and had known the owners very well. When we first arrived at the place, it was a hole in the wall store. I remember asking my mom if she had gotten the right address. When we actually stepped into the store it was very empty. It reminded me of those archetypical gas stations in a nearly desolate town that you see in movies. It was scarcely supplied and had random items sporadically placed on the shelves. There was one of everything. One pack of razors, one pack of pads, one toothbrush, one pack of assorted chips. It was extremely strange, yet I was intrigued to know how this place sustained its business with such unreliable and inadequate inventory. In the center of the store there were about six tables arranged into two rows. There was nothing on the tables- I would have expected hot sauce, napkins, or eating utensils at least. It was kind of funny because my mom looked just as bewildered as me. She broke her silence by asking someone where to order birria. We were directed to the back of the store, near the sinks where they would wash their dishes. I recall there not being a tasty smell in the place. It was just hot and stuffy. I sat down while my mom ordered the food. She came back with a small cup of oil chile. At the time I thought nothing much of it- but it would soon be the beginning of a tedious journey for my mom trying to recreate the recipe. About ten minutes later the cashier arrived with our food. It smelled amazing! I could not wait to start eating. The birria was served with oil chile, cilantro, limes, minced onions and really thick fresh homemade tortillas. Around this time, I was pretty new to Mexican dishes, so I followed everything my mom did. She added a lot of onions, a small amount of cilantro and about three tablespoons of chile. She then rolled up a tortilla and dipped it in the birria. She bit into the tortilla after eating a spoonful of meat. Her eyes lit up! She paused and said “Oh my god, I have never in my life tasted birria better than this. How do they make this chilito?!” It was my turn to try now. I took my first bite and was amazed as well. I could not believe such a simple looking dish could taste so amazing. And of course she was right about the chilito. While I initially only added 3 tablespoons, I quickly realized that I needed much more. It was addicting! We sat there amazed while eating. Every Saturday after that day, my mom woke up early just to make sure she could get a large bowl of birria. One day she came home with nearly a liter of their chilito. She would add it to just about everything she cooked so it ran out very fast. It was the finishing touch to dishes like her fried shrimp tacos, fried potato tacos, menudo or even chicken tostadas. Birria became one of my top five favorite dishes (but only when it is cooked good, I have had some really terrible birria). My mom became obsessed with recreating the whole dish, but she focused on the chilito first because it was the ingredient that made the birria what it was. After she perfected the chilito, the birria came naturally. Today, I cannot tell the difference between her birria and the store’s birria. It is a dish she loves making and is quite proud of.

Photo Credit Masa Assassin

I went to Mexico for the first time in June of this year. I thought it was only right that I tried birria. I was expecting so much from the birria because I was in Mexico. However, I was sadly let down. I ordered tacos and birria. The tacos were good, but overwhelmed with mediocre guacamole. The barrio was good because it tasted similar to my mom’s recipe but not as good. The meat in the stew was very fatty and it was a tad bit bland. As for the chilito, it was like any other chile. There was nothing special about the birria. I knew it was not that great because I did not see that light in my mom’s eyes. We did not complain in front of my auntie and uncle about the food because it was actually good, but we could not help but compare it to my mom’s dish. When me and my mom finally got alone we did agree that she made it better. To this day, my mom (and the store) makes the best birria ever. I recently read an article that explained that LA is home to the most diverse adaptations of birria. It is becoming a very famous dish out here and with good reason. I would recommend this dish to anyone because I know they would love it. Since there are so many variations to the recipe, it can be altered for people who have specific meat preferences.

Photo Credit Masa Assassin

Ingredients:

Chile Marinade

• 5 Pounds of beef.
• 12 Dried Guajillo chiles, seeded and deveined.
• 6 Garlic gloves (unpeeled).
• 2 Teaspoons of lightly toasted sesame seeds.
• 1/4 teaspoon of whole cloves.
• 3 tablespoons of cider vinegar.
• 1/4 Teaspoon of ground cumin.
• 1/2 Teaspoon of black peppercorns (3/4 teaspoon ground).
• 1 Teaspoon of salt.
• 2 Teaspoons of sugar.

Broth

• 1 (15 ounce) can of diced tomatoes (drained).
• 1 Teaspoon of fried oregano.
• 1/2 Teaspoon of salt.
• 2 Bay leaves.
• I Dash of ground cinnamon.

To Serve

• Warm corn tortillas.
• 1 Medium onion (finely chopped).
• 2 Tablespoons of dried Mexican oregano.
• 2 Fresh limes (cut into wedges).

Prep time: 24 hours                 Cook time: 2 hours                  Ready in: 26 hours

Tip: Aluminum foil helps keep food moist, ensures it cooks evenly, keeps leftovers fresh, and makes clean-up easy.

Photo Credit RubyDW

Steps for preparation:

PREPARE THE MEAT: Trim the fat from the meat; cut into 2 large pieces. Put meat into a large non-corrosive baking dish or pan.

PREPARE THE MARINADE/GLAZE: Heat a griddle or large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Tear chiles into flat pieces and toast a few at a time, pressing them against the hot surface, until they crack and blister; flip them and press down again. Transfer chiles to a large bowl and cover with boiling water; weight down with a plate to keep them submerged, and soak at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, roast the garlic in the same griddle or skillet, turning frequently, until soft inside and blackened outside, about 15 minutes. Cool and peel. Drain chiles, reserving 3/4 cup soaking liquid; put chiles into a blender with garlic, cloves, sesame seeds, vinegar, cumin, peppercorns or ground pepper, and salt. Process/blend until mixture is smooth; then strain through a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl. Remove 1/2 cup of mixture to a small bowl, and stir in the sugar; set aside to use for the final glazing.

MARINATE THE MEAT: Spread the rest of the chile paste thoroughly over the meat. Cover completely and refrigerate at least 18 hours.

COOK (SLOW-STEAM) THE MEAT: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Use a deep wide roasting pan that has a tight lid. Put a roasting rack into the bottom of the pan (it must sit at least 1 inch above the bottom of the pan—if not, prop it up with custard cups, tin cans, etc.) Measure in 4 cups of water. Then lay the marinated meat onto the rack and spread any marinade remaining in the marinating pan or dish. Cut a double thickness of heavy-duty foil to cover the roasting pan; place the pan lid over, making sure the pan is covered as tightly as possible. Bake 4 hours.

FINISHING THE BROTH: Remove the pan lid and foil; carefully remove the tender meat to a platter. Take out the rack; spoon the fat off the broth with a ladle. Measure out the broth into a 1-quart container; add water to equal 1-quart liquid if necessary, and pour into a saucepan. Puree the tomato in a blender and add it to the broth along with the oregano and cinnamon. Cover; simmer over medium-low heat 45 minutes. Season with salt.

GLAZE THE MEAT: Heat oven to 375 degrees. Remove meat from the bones, keeping pieces of meat as large as possible; discard bones, gristle and excess fat. Set meat on a baking sheet; brush lightly with reserved chile paste glaze, and bake 10 minutes to set the glaze.

TO SERVE: Keep tortillas warm in a towel-covered basket. Serve the broth in a tureen. Present the meat on a large platter, or slice meat across the grain to serve it in deep plates, awash in the broth. Combine onion and coriander in a small bowl to pass with the lime at the table.

Photo Credit Masa Assassin

History of the Dish: I think it is important to expound on the actual history of this dish as well. Birria was originated in Jalisco. Interestingly, this spicy stew was originally made from mutton or goat meat. However, people occasionally made it from chicken or beef. Today, it is widely cooked with beef. This dish can be a little expensive and time consuming. Similar to tamales, birria is usually served for special occasions. It is imperative that birria is served with onions, cilantro and tortillas. Homemade tortillas are better than any other, especially for this particular dish. Today, the meat for birria is usually prepared in the oven then the stew is cooked on the stove-top. Places like Zacatecas, Jalisco and Aguascalientes use goat or lamb while other places use various meats. People from Jalisco and Guadalajara best associate with the dish and can culturally identity themselves with it. However, other places have developed their own adaptations to the famous dish.

Photo Credit Masa Assassin

References

Davin and Kennard. “Birria Recipe – Food.com.” Recipe – Food.com. N.p.,13 Aug. 2007. Web. 07 Dec. 2016.

Willers, P.M., and Allegra J. Lingo. “What Is Birria? 02.” WiseGEEK. Conjecture Corporation, 02 Nov. 2016. Web. 07 Dec. 2016.

“Coriander.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2016.

“How to Mince, Dice and Chop Onions.” Start Cooking. Kathy Maister 25 Aug. 2008. Web. 07 Dec. 2016.

Facebook.com/thewoksoflife. “How to Make Chili Oil – The Woks of Life.” The Woks of Life. N.p., 10 Apr. 2016. Web. 07 Dec. 2016.

“Mexico.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2016.

“Guajillo Chili.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2016.

“HISTORY.” Birrieria Jalisco. Birrieria Jalisco, 18 May 2010. Web. 07 Dec. 2016.

History.com Staff. “Jalisco.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, 18 July 2009. Web. 07 Dec. 2016.

Jenn, and Amy Shurts. “Corn Tortillas Recipe.” Allrecipes. N.p., 18 Dec. 2003. Web. 07 Dec.2016.

Esparza, Bill. “Essential T: The State of Regional Birria in L.A.” Los Angeles Magazine. Street Gourmet LA, 24 Feb. 2015. Web. 07 Dec. 2016.

Food and culture always seems to bring people together, allowing those from the outside to gain an understanding and new perspective of how others live, what they eat, and where they come from. Growing up a mixed kid in Los Angeles and w living two different lives almost seemed to be the norm. with a Puerto Rican mother and a  black father at a young age I was able to obtain a certain perspective on the two different cultural backgrounds I come from. I always thought it was interesting to know that on my black side my grandmother loved to cook and she would make a number of traditional dishes, Chicken, collard greens, black eye peas, and mac & cheese just to name a few. I would then go to my Puerto Rican grandmother’s house and it was almost like a whole different world. Puerto Rican dishes are amazing, we ate things like plantains, arroz condules, and drank coquito. I have lived two different lives in a sense. I am very fortunate to come from different backgrounds.  I have always been able to connect and relate to different people mainly because we either came from similar backgrounds or ate similar foods and a lot of the times spoke the same language.

Though I come from two different backgrounds, I can say that I do have a specific dish that I call my very favorite. Fried chicken is one of the first dishes that I fell in love with as a child growing up, and it will always be one of my all-time favorites. Fried chicken gave my taste buds a flavor and fulfillment that I will continue to chase for the rest of my life. One of my first meals I learned how to make was fried chicken. Even though it is not a Puerto Rican dish, my mother learned to make it because the rest of the family loved it. sometimes I would watch my mother make this chicken in amazement, thinking to myself that I would most certainly use that specific recipe for myself and my future family someday. Fried chicken to me is one of those foods where once I see it, I instantly get excited because I just know this specific dish will be everything I could have imagined. Fried chicken is one of those visual foods that I can see even when it’s not around.

Fried chicken is one of my favorite foods and it is a food that most certainly makes me happy when i’m eating it, but most of all fried chickens significance in my life is its power in bring my family together with everyone looking forward to tasting the different versions of fried chicken that were made. The camaraderie of family and friends that one food can bring I think is simply amazing. It’s much bigger than just having some really great chicken which is always a plus in my books, but it’s the bringing of everyone to the table to eat as one family enjoying the moment together as one. I am now out of my mother’s house and every time I am thinking about making chicken or just cooking in general, it always reminds me of her taking the time after a long day to make sure we were fed and fed right. My mother made some great dishes but she knows the way to my heart, and every time I plan to see her or visit her she always has some sort of cake and some freshly cooked fried chicken. Food is for the soul, it can keep you happy and it can also comfort me when I am sad.

 The Scottish immigrated to the southern states within the United States and were one of the first to really start deep frying their chicken as stated by author Mike, Stalib. History of Fried Chicken & Spotlight of Chef duff Goldman. Some of the traditions go back to the earliest of the medieval era, when eating these great and amazing dishes was a luxury and many would have feasted as kings and queens. As slavery began to be a more common thing in the south, slaves were learning how to cook fried chicken, and the slaves would use a lot more seasonings in their foods, which enhanced southern fried chicken into what it is today. Chickens were the least expensive and were the easiest to raise and cook on the estates that they lived on with their owners, so frying and cooking chicken became a very traditional thing for special occasions throughout black communities as stated by Smokey, Fountain. ABrief History of Fried Chiken. That quote explains how black people used the only resources they had and perfected a dish to call their own. now it is a dish that is suitable to any household and that will bring a sense of comfort to those who reminisce on the good times.

I think it’s hilarious and at the same time offensive  to hear about stereotypes of fried chicken and how still to this day it is being associated with the black people in a negative way, when in fact it is a universal dish made with all kinds of different seasons from different cultures around the world.  They draw these funny looking pictures of black people with these big lips eating fried chicken and watermelon as though they have no manners and are just sloppy, inhumane people.  The main reason why blacks are associated with fried chicken and watermelon is, those are foods that you eat with your hands, and they become messy while eating them, giving off the image of dirty and no one respects anyone who is messy and dirty .According to Gene, Demby.. where Did That Fried Chicken Stereo Type Come From  there seems to be a very clear understanding that  racism and discrimination is  the backbone of these very ignorant thoughts.

Since southern fried chicken is such a universal dish. A recipe that I tend to follow on occasions is a recipe by Paula, Deen.. Southern Fried Chicken, Food Network.In order to recreate this tasty dish you will need: 3 eggs, 1/3 water, 2 cups of rising flour, seasons of your preference, and oil preferably peanut oil. You will then beat the eggs together in a medium size bowl along with water and hot sauce if you would like. You then put another bowl to the side and mix your flour and seasoning of your choice together. You will then dip your chicken into the egg and then into the flour. You should make sure your oil is at 350 degrees and ready for frying. Fry your chicken until it is golden brown and it will take up to10 minutes to complete. If it was up to me I would have someone make my fried chicken, but unfortunately in my adulthood I prefer to have my fried chicken a certain way, so I will go out of my way to satisfy those monthly cravings  of this chicken fix I have grown accustomed to needing.

Many people believe that eating fried chicken is bad for you because of the way it is cooked and prepared, which can be bad for the cholesterol and how it can clog your arteries and be bad for the heart. I have seen a few different opinions on the topic and I believe there are a lot of pros and cons. For example: as stated by author Jacqueline, Leo. Eat All of The Fried Chicken You Want  though many say that all of these bad things come associated with eating fried chicken such as, diabetes, high cholesterol and the clogging of your arteries, there has been many tests done and there is no actually evidence  or link that the two are related to one another.  On the other hand there are plenty of studies that say otherwise.  A serving of chicken is known to have extremely high cholesterol, the same as red meat and it can clog your arteries and very much cause heart disease says author Jill, Ettinger.. 8 Reasons Chicken Is Not a Healthy Food. I think it is a personal preference and I don’t think there is much of a problem as long as I’m eating in moderation and not soaking my chicken in flour or oil.

Throughout history and over the past years fried chicken has grown vastly in popularity and many businesses make a lot of money off of this popular style of meat. I sincerely believe that the United States has the best fried chicken. I have been through numerous of spots that sell fried chicken and I have always had a personal favorite of my own. After doing a lot of research,   I stumbled onto this spot called Honey Kettles in Culver City Ca that is definitely one of my favorite chicken spots in California. Honey kettle is in America’s top 21 fried chicken spots. Vincent Williams is the master chef at honey kettle and it is said that honey kettle makes million pieces of chicken a year; according to Kevin,Alexander. liz Childers. The 21 best fried chicken spots in a America, Vincent is arguably recognized as the best chef in America.,  I am not an expert myself but I do know what great fried chicken tastes  like and I will agree that this fried chicken spot is most certainly the best in California.

Fried chicken is such a popular global food for a lot of different reasons. The idea that chicken is cheap and easy to get a hold of, I believe is one of the main reasons people use it and make it. Around the world people are creating their own styles of the dish, it’s maturing in taste and flavor and there are many different batters being used to create the perfect fried chicken dishes in their country or region. Korean fried chicken is fried twice, making it twice as crunchy and less soaked in oil as much of Americas dishes also no flour is used to ensure there is a thin layer of crust. Emily,Warman.. Come Fry with me this shows that everyone wants to make the dish their own and when you come to their part of town you will want to taste something that is similar but at the same time very different. There are a lot of different foods people eat as side dishes along with their main dish of fried chicken. Some popular things that you may want to try with your fried chicken as stated by Jillian, King. Dishes to that Keep Fried Food Company. Collard greens, elbow mac and cheese, water melon salad and cheddar waffles. A few of those I have had myself but I also did not know there were some combos that would even go together.  Goes to say that food is what you make it, I don’t think there is a right or wrong way to do anything because we are always creating new things every day and have our individual preferences.

Stalib., Mike,. “History of Fried Chicken & Spotlight on Chef Duff Goldman…” Ergo Chef Blog. History of Fried Chicken & Spotlight of Chef Duff Goldman., 15 July 2015. Web. 07 Dec. 2016.

Fountain, Smokey,. “A Brief History Of Fried Chicken.” The Urban Daily. ABrief History of Fried Chiken., 19 Apr. 2012. Web. 07 Dec. 2016.

Deen, Recipe Courtesy of Paula. “Southern Fried Chicken : Paula Deen : Food Network.” Recipe : Paula Deen : Food Network. Southern Fried Chicken, Food Network., n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2016.

Leo, @jackieleo. “Eat All the Fried Chicken You Want!” The Fiscal Times. Eat All of The Fried Chicken You Want, n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2016.

Ettinger., Jill,. “8 Reasons Chicken Is Not A Health Food – Organic Authority.” Organic Authority. 8 Reasons Chicken Is Not a Healthy Food, 10 Nov. 2013. Web. 07 Dec. 2016.

Website

Thrillist. “The 21 Best Fried Chicken Spots in America.” The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2016

Warman, Emily. “Fried Chicken Around the World.” Tasting Table. Come Fry with Me, 11 Aug. 2014. Web. 07 Dec. 2016.

King, Jillian. “The Best Fried Chicken Sides.” Tasting Table. Dishes to That Keep Fried Food Company, 12 Aug. 2014. Web. 07 Dec. 2016.

Gene, Demby “Where Did That Fried Chicken Stereotype Come From?” NPR. NPR, n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2016

Have you ever been asked as a kid, “If you had to choose one food to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be?” Most children and adults for that matter would say Pizza. My answer has always been Spaghetti and Meatballs. I have chosen this as my Final Project Cookbook Entry, as this is my favorite food in the entire world. I love making it, eating it, and finding new ways to experiment with it. It’s one of those dishes that can be made differently by each individual. When I was child, this was made by my mom as a reward for good behavior. As I grew older into my teens, it was always made on my birthday or when I got high grades. As an adult, I have found that this is typically made to persuade me to come back home and visit. Coincidently, I also have five other siblings and unfortunately none of them like spaghetti even a little. Therefore when Spaghetti was made in our house, everyone knew it was especially made for me. This made me feel special and I think actually made me enjoy it more.

The Italian translation of Spaghetti is Spaghetto and diminutive of spago cord. The actual definition means ‘thin string” or “twine.”  Spaghettoni is thicker spaghetti and Spaghettini is a thinner form that would take less time to cook. Typical spaghetti noodles are defined as long, thin, and cylindrical pasta. In our modern era, there is now a variety of more than 50 different types of noodles. Here are a few examples of similar pastas used: Capellini also known as ‘Angel Hair’ (fine, long, and thin noodles), Pappardelle (wide egg noodle), Fettuccine (thick ribbon-like), Fideo (thin but short strands and at a curve), Lasagne (wide and flat), Fusilli (long and spiral shaped), Bucatini (long, thick and hollow inside), Linguine (long, flat, and thin -closely to Fettuccine), Mafalda (flat, wide, more narrow lasagna), and Manicotti (medium, hollow, and rigid). All of these are also cooked the same way as spaghetti noodles, being boiled in water.

Spaghetti Noodles are made with water and wheat that has been milled (we use flour more commonly). The noodles were allegedly brought to Italy from China by Marco Polo (another article noted Arab geographer, Idris) in the late 12^th century. They have been specifically originated from the Italian island of Sicily. Normally the dough can be made with a rolling pin and a knife; however modern era has made this simpler with a pasta machine. This is typically dried out afterwards until ready to be cooked. Nowadays most people buy there pasta noodles already dried and packaged from the grocery store. Pasta can interestingly enough last for years, based upon the preparation method or how it was stored (ex. shelf, frozen, etc).Also depending on the thickness of the pasta, will determine how long the pasta will need to be cooked. Angel hair is one of the faster cooking pasta that only takes approximately ten minutes.

The second main ingredient is Marinara sauce. Marinara sauce is made from tomatoes, onions, garlic, and herbs. Luckily there are many more variations of sauce, as it is based upon one’s owns preferences. Even though there is some speculation, this supposedly originated in Southern Italy in both Naples and Sicily. Marinara also means ‘in the style the sailor’s make” in Italian. Although there is no seafood incorporated with Marinara sauce; there are theories found that this derived from items that sailor’s transported. ­Items such as dried herbs, garlic, tomato paste, and oil were all substances that wouldn’t spoil as easy; and could be prepared quickly for meals on the sea. In addition, dried noodles were also items that could last a long time without expiring. The tomato sauce itself consists of actual crushed tomatoes, the residual juices, olive oil, salt, herbs (ex.bay leaf, oregano, and thyme), sautéed onions, and garlic. This creates a nice tomato paste and/or spread.

One of the components that I later decided was imperative to my spaghetti was the meatballs. The original Italian Meatball is called a Polpette “big meatball”, usually made from beef or veal. When Italian immigrants came to America in 1880-1920, they also began utilizing pork sausage as a meat for the balls. They also normally contain parsley, eggs, and garlic. Aside from traditional pan grilled meat, this was traditionally cooked in an oven on a sheet and/or baking paper. Although in America it is served in tomato sauce; there are also dishes that have it served by itself fried with a small piece of cheese in the center. Some alternative ways of making meatballs would be steaming and braising. Most Italian restaurants now serve meat in Spaghetti in shaped balls (golf ball size), patties, or ground up within the sauce.

I would definitely say that learning to make Spaghetti in the beginning was a small struggle when I was younger. I could never get the noodles cooked and my sauce was never that tasty. With enough practice and developing my own style, I have created the perfect combination of spices and flavor. After researching Spaghetti, I also found that Spaghetti provides nutrition such as carbohydrates, protein, iron, fiber, potassium, and Vitamin B.

My process of making spaghetti begins with placing water in a large pot with a high flame. Once the water begins boiling, the pasta noodles are placed within the pot and brought to a medium flame. I prefer angel hair pasta (normally 25-30cm long) and like to break it in half before putting in the water. I find it easier to eat this way when twirling with my fork. I also normally put a dash of salt in the water and stir to keep the pasta from sticking together. After the pasta has been boiling for approximately eight to ten minutes, it needs to be checked to make sure it loose and fully cooked. I was once told to throw a noodle against the wall and if it sticked, then it was done. I still use this method today and it actually works Once the noodles are done, they need to be strained with a colander (I usually leave in the sink) and/or put in a bowl. I set this aside why I simultaneously begin preparation for the meat sauce.

Now to make the sauce, there will need to be quite a few ingredients to begin: tomato sauce, salt, pepper, garlic, mushrooms, and ground beef. First the meat needs to be cooked in a pan. I prefer ground beef with the lowest amount of fat (my dad used turkey meat as a kid). I usually add a little bit of salt and pepper and slowly begin adding the chopped mushroom and minced garlic. Once the beef is done, I add the tomato sauce in and again, add salt and pepper. Sometimes if I want to make it a little spicier, I add jalapeno juice or Sriracha sauce. Once the sauce is nice and stirred, I pour the sauce over the noodles and garnish with parmesan cheese. I occasionally like to eat my spaghetti with garlic bread on the side as well (Texas Toast is the best).

Spaghetti has not only been a staple in Italian cuisine, but also a representation of love in my life. I always prepare this for my family and friends, as it’s my own signature of food. I had the pleasure of going to Rome, Italy last year and enjoying a plate of pasta. I found it so completely different from any Spaghetti I’ve have thus far, but nonetheless it was delicious. Moving forward, I will continue to experiment and make this a tradition with my own kids. I also found this project to be enlightening, as I’ve never actually researched Spaghetti before and found the information very interesting. Spaghetti and Meatballs is an iconic Italian dish but has become a common American cuisine.

Citations

. “Spaghetti.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 15 Oct. 2016. Web. .7 Dec. 2016.

“Marinara sauce.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 3 Nov. 2016. Web. 7 Dec. 2016.

“Marinara Sauce” the Italian chef. Web 7 Dec 2016

Gangi, Roberta. “Was Spaghetti Invented in Sicily.” Best of Sicily Magazine.2002. Web.7 Dec 2016

“Italian Meatball Variations, Recipes and Serving Style.” Polpette: The Italian Meatball, 23 Aug 2014. Web 7 Dec 2016

“Pasta is not originally from Italy.” Today I Found Out: Feed your brain, 3 Jun. 2011. Web 7 Dec.2016

Waggoner, Susan. Marinara Sauce: The Sauce that Shook the World. fork + plate. 28 Jan 2016 Web.7 Dec 2016

“Meatball.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 4 Dec. 2016. Web. 7 Dec. 2016

Esposito, Shaylyn. “Is Spaghetti and Meatballs Italian?”Smithsonian.com.6 Jun 13. Web 7 Dec 2016

“History of Spaghetti and Pasta.” History of Spaghetti. Web 7 Dec 2016

Plucking the gray hairs out of my Uncle Jose head, I leaded in to sniff his hair, the smell of citrus lemon went up my nose. “Do you wash your hair with lemon juice?” I asked, as he laughed he explained to me that in order to get the smell of fish off him, you have to rub lemon on you. Confused by why he would smell like fish, I questioned him again, “Why do you smell like fish if you work at the pizza place? People put fish on their fish?” Sitting up he laughed again, “No baby, I went fishing this morning and I was out at sea all morning. Afterwards, I rubbed the lemon all over me.” As I sat back and thought about all the things he showed me like, how to make pizza from scratch and farming, I wondered why he never took me fishing.

Yet, there was always a catch with him; every time I wondered something or asked for something, I would have to do something in return. When Uncle Jose used to pick us up after school he took us to work at Jino’s Pizza, so we could eat and do our homework. If we went out to eat and I helped cleaned the table, he would give me coins from other countries. In order to have cable, in the house, my sister and I had to keep our room clean. One day he made a pop up visit and our room was dirty, he took the box away and we didn’t see it for two weeks. That was the worst two weeks of your lives. Needless to say, Uncle Jose was aa fun person but also very serious, the way he put it, “That’s how the world works, you want something you have to do something to get it.”

This time around, he promised to take my sister and I fishing if we didn’t stress my mom out with our petty fights. Mom worked all day and school all night, our little fights was the last thing so needed so my sister and I worked hard on staying out of her way. Fast forward six months, it’s the night before Uncle Jose takes us fishing and I am really anxious. My stomach is tossing and turning and I feel like I’m going to be sick. My anxiety always gets the best of me, I have to be up at two in the morning in order to be at the dock by four. As my alarm goes off, I can’t tell whether my eyes are opened or closed. I bring my hand to my eye. Open. Definitely open. Searching for my alarm blindly I finally get it to shut off and get ready for my big adventure.

Okay, today’s the day I’m going to learn how to fish. After we got dressed and headed to the car, I must have fell back to sleep because before I knew it, we were at the dock. It’s still dark outside but the sky started to have gold strips run across, piercing through the deep indigo, welcoming the sunrise over Marina Del Rey Dock 52 (Appendix A). Sailing out into the open blue, it felt like the wind hit me like the Titanic hit the iceberg. Fishing wasn’t as fun as I thought it was going to be, there was a lot of waiting around, holding the rod or having it balance a certain way so it wouldn’t fall into the deep blue. Often times my sister and I went inside the boat to watch television and drink hot chocolate. When we got a tug on the line it was exciting, Uncle Jose would rush over to help us wheel it in as fast as we can. Many fish we caught we threw back into sea, some we kept inside a cooler with water. The catch of the day was with my sister threw the line out and it got caught onto a seagull. I laughed until my stomach hurt, teasing her about not being able to know how to fish. After wheeling in the seagull, we struggled to free it from its continuous flapping in fear of us. The experience was horrifying and yet hilarious.

After spending hours on the sea we came upon and spot that had lobsters. As I watched my Uncle Jose fight to not get pinched by the lobsters, I couldn’t wait to hold it myself. As he came back on board he showed my sister and I how to boil and cut the lobster. I helped him chop onions, tomatoes, and cilantro to make pico de gallo; while Uncle Jose showed me how to crack open the lobster. Placing the tortillas on the stove and pressing them, my mouth began to water. It was a long trip and it was time to eat what we set out to sail for. As I bit into the lobster taco the juices ran out the corner of my mouth.

Ever since that day, I’ had a true love of trying seafood in other ways and exploring ways to cook seafood. San Diego is a second home to me when my auntie owns a condo off Imperial Beach. On the strip, there are not only great lounges, bars, coffee shops, markets but has the best lobster tacos. Every time I travel that way it’s a must that I stop by IB Forum Sports & Bar Grill. However, driving to San Diego every time I want lobster tacos isn’t idea so my favorite place out here to eat lobster tacos is a place called Lobster & Beer. Today I enjoy the different ways in which lobster is used: pizza, mac and cheese, nachos, burrito, etc. The recipe for lobster tacos is something I use but there are many ways in which it can be done depending on the season.

Lobster Street Tacos

Time: Preparation: 20 minutes / / Cook: 7 minutes // Total: 27 minutes

Ingredients:

Lobster (claw or tail meat) (Appendix B)

Pico de Gallo (chopped roma tomato, ½ white or red onion (chopped), 3 tablespoons of fresh chopped cilantro, salt, black pepper, ½ lime juice) (Appendix C)

Shredded cabbage

Chipotle aioli sauce

Flour tortilla (or corn tortilla, also can use lettuce wrap as a healthier option)

Lime (Appendix D)

Butter

Garlic

Canola oil

Directions:

1. Preheat a lightly oiled grill pan over medium-high heat.
2. Cut lobster tail in half (lengthwise alone the spine). Sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Grill until slightly charred and shells have a bright color. Remove lobster meat from shells and chop.
3. Warm shells
4. Place lobster meat in shells and top with pico de gallo, shredded cabbage, chipotle aioli sauce and squeeze lime over them.
5. Enjoy! (Appendix E)

Footnotes:

• Can make them “Summer” by adding mango as a topping.
• Can have slaw as a side.
• Can use other toppings such as: avocado, cilantro

Reference

Anxiety. (2016). Wikipedia. Retrieved December 7, 2016.

Gordon, J. (2015). Limes. Flickr. Retrieved December 7, 2016.

Gull. (2016). Wikipedia. Retrieved December 7, 2016.

Hot chocolate. (2016). Wikipedia. Retrieved December 7, 2016.

How to fish. (2016). Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation. Retrieved December 7, 2016.

IB Forum Sports Bar & Grill. (n.d.). Retrieved December 7, 2016.

Imperial beach california. (n.d.). GovOffice. Retrieved December 7, 2016.

Jino’s pizza. (n.d). Kydia. Retrieved December 7, 2016.

Kramer, E. (2014). Lobster tacos. Flickr. Retrieved December 7, 2016.

Lemon. (2016). Wikipedia. Retrieved December 7, 2016.

Lew, G. (2012). Lobster. Flickr. Retrieved December 7, 2016.

Lobster & beer. (2016). Lobster & Beer. Retrieved December 7, 2016.

Matt. (2008). Marina Del Ray. Flickr. Retrieved December 7, 2016.

Marina del rey sportfishing. (n.d.). Web Domain Solution. Retrieved December 7, 2016.

Phillips, B. (2013). Can you say pico de gallo? Flickr. Retrieved December 7, 2016.

Appendix A

Appendix B

Appendix C

Appendix D

Appendix E

Photo courtesy of Waywuwei (Flickr CC)

Mole Mexicano in my opinion is a delight for the all the senses and is a quintessential Mexican dish. Many people think of Mexican food as a quick cheap bite that is bathed in a one dimensional red chile sauce and heaped with bright orange cheddar cheese. Or others think if it as a quick meal one gets from a drive-through window to help soak up a night of alcohol drinking. Yet Mexican cuisine is rich in history and tradition and many times origins of recipes are veiled in generations of mystery. Mole is a treat in so many ways; aromatically one gets potent smells of chiles and subtle perfumes of cinnamon and clove. Visually one gets glistening views of a deep, dark, velvety sauce bubbling away over a low flame. If done the traditional way, audibly one can hear the grinding of nuts and chiles between a metate y mano (mortar and ground stone) or a laboring blender if done in the more modern style. Yet the most delightful gift to the senses is when one tastes the complex dish, collectively all the ingredients complement each other and offer the person consuming it a remarkable experience.

Photo courtesy of Sharron McClellan (Flickr CC)

Historically though there is not a definitive origin as to where mole came from, although the most well known moles are from Puebla or Oaxaca which lead to the names mole Poblano or mole Oaxaqueño. Oaxaca is famous for their mole and is said to formally have 7 moles; Negro, Rojo, Coloradito, Amarillo, Verde, Chichilo and Manchamanteles. In Mole has many Flavors, Mothers; the two more famous legends of the origins of mole are described. There it is described that for the variation from Puebla, “the story goes that in the late 17th century, the Dominican sisters of the Convent of Santa Rosa in the city of Puebla heard that the archbishop was to pay a visit. The sisters had to scramble to put a meal together and gathered the ingredients they had — dried chili peppers, chocolate, old bread, nuts and more — to make a sauce for wild turkey. The meal was such a hit with the archbishop, legend has it, that mole became a symbol of Mexican cuisine (up there with the taco).” There are also linkages to pre-Hispanic Mexico. The other legend states that mole came from pre-Hispanic times and that Aztec king, Moctezuma, thinking the conquistadors were gods, served mole to Hernan Cortez at a banquet to receive them. This story probably gained credibility because the word mole comes from the Nahuatl word “milli” which means sauce or “concoction”. Another connection could be that chocolate was widely used in pre-Colombian Mexico, so people jumped to that conclusion.

Photo courtesy of Waywuwei (Flickr CC)

Traditionally it is a very laborious dish to make being that the rich sauce, or mole, can at times contain well over thirty ingredients and for this reason, the meal is commonly served at celebratory type events. Weddings, quinceañera, baptisms all commonly have the famous manchamanteles (tablecloth staining) served. It is called this, as it is virtually impossible to not stain either the tablecloth or the clothing one may be wearing while enjoying such a delicious meal. A Los Angeles restaurant I found that serves several variations of mole is located in East Los Angeles and is named Moles La Tia. There one can find all colors of mole with varying flavors that patters the landscape of central and southern Mexico. Moles vary and some are made sweeter or spicier than others and much of this depends on the region of Mexico it’s from, where ones family is from or also highly dependent on the recipe that has been passed on from generation to generation which at times tend to morph. In our family the recipe my mother utilized was slightly sweet and smoky and thoroughly delicious. My mother grew up very poor in Mexico and was raised by her aunt (my grandma Pancha) since her birth mother died when she was a mere two years old. My grandma was indigenous to the area of Nayarit Mexico and made a living by selling food in makeshift sidewalk cafes. Literally she would travel with her pans and set-up shop in small towns. This was in the 1930’s era in Mexico when roads and highways (I use the term roads loosely) were being built and my grandmother would travel the route of the progressing roads to cater to the single men laboring to build them.   Essentially my mother learned to cook from a very early age due in part of the necessity to assist her mother. At the age of seventeen my mother got the opportunity to go to Mexico City to assist an affluent engineer’s wife and also assisted in the kitchen, which is why I feel she was able to learn a variety of dishes. I recall some deviled ham stuffed potatoes served in light tomato broth but I digress. Back to mole, certainly the recipe my mother learned was more complex since certain modern shortcuts had not been invented when she was a young girl and most of the time chiles, nuts and seeds were ground by hand. Although not as lengthy and complex as some of the recipes from old Mexico, my mother’s recipes is simple as the following describes and includes pre-mixed Mole Doña Maria invented in 1968.

Ingredients:

Photo courtesy of Leslie Seaton (Flickr CC)

• 1 whole chicken (or the preferred pieces/parts)
• 1 white onion (diced)
• 1 Cinnamon stick
• 2 whole cloves
• 1 tomato (coarsely chopped)
• ½ clove of garlic (minced)
• ½ teaspoon of cumin
• 1 slide of day old French bread (cubed)
• ¼ piece of Mexican chocolate (Ibarra or Abuelita)
• 1 teaspoon roasted peanuts or peanut butter (optional)
• Doña Maria prepared mole (eliminate the need to roast and grind multiple types of dry chiles)
• Toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Preparation:

Boil the chicken pieces in water and season to taste, as the cooked chicken will be added to the sauce later (do not discard the chicken broth).

Sauté in a mild flavored oil (canola or grape seed) all of the following: whole cinnamon stick, cloves, tomato, cumin, onion, cubed pieces of bread and Mexican chocolate. Once the ingredients have been cooked, add them all to the blender and add enough hot chicken broth to start the blending process. (DO NOT seal the blender as the hot steam may cause a hazard). Add ½ the jar of mole and salt to taste. Continue to add liquid until the puree looks velvety smooth and is thick. Once the desired consistency is achieved, pass the pureed sauce through a strainer into a hot saucepan, which has been lightly oiled (careful as sizzle will occur as the sauce is added to the pan). Bring the sauce to a simmer and then add the warm or hot pieces of chicken to the sauce and coat. Once plated, sprinkle with sesame seeds for garnish.

The recipe I shared is actually found hand-written by my eldest sister who took the time to document the recipe from my mother. As most mothers from an era gone-by, my mother did not follow recipes. She learned to cook my watching my grandmother add “a dash of this and a pinch of that” and over time my mother had perfected her own “sazon”. Traditionally in our home this plate was always served with Mexican rice, refried beans and corn tortillas although I have seen it served with white rice as well. Although the recipe may seem lengthy, as mentioned others contain numerous more ingredients and hours of preparation. In browsing Mexican Cookbooks for American Homes by Josefina Vazquez de Leon, there are descriptions of turkey mole, green or white mole and one of them has twenty-three ingredients and some referenced can have as many of twenty types of chiles! Being that my mother now eighty-one and suffering from Alzheimer’s no longer has the ability to cook and her mole is now a fragrant and fading memory that still warms my heart. I have taken it upon myself to find a mole comforting and inviting in place of hers. A place I came across on Yelp is called Moles La Tia Maria in East Los Angeles. This establishment reinforces the diversity of the Mexican culinary breadth. In this restaurant they have moles of all colors; red, black, green and even white which they call “Velo de novia” (bride’s veil). I’ve had shrimp bathed in a tamarind mole sauce as well a more traditional ones closer to what my mother would prepare. They also have a deep smoky black mole very traditional in the area of Oaxaca Mexico, which is located in the southern region of the country. I had the privilege of traveling to Oaxaca many years and ago and was able to experience true Mole Oaxaqueño. I enjoy mole so much that I would even have it for breakfast in a local central market or “Mercado”. I knew mole was a laborious preparation but knew nothing about it being a paste.

Photo Courtesy of Travis (Flickr CC)

Walking through the aromatic central market the labyrinth of aisles are tight with all type of goods; fruits, vegetables, meats and spices. Yet some of the more intriguing to me were the wide mouth baskets filled with paste the texture of molding clay. These baskets help rich colors of mole in red, yellow and green as well as deep velvety black mounds of smoky mole paste. Sitting amongst the locals my breakfast at the market counter would start with café de olla sweetened with piloncillo (coffee with dark cone sugar) then scrambled eggs bathed with black mole sauce topped with fresh cheese and of course the obligatory hand-made masa tortillas. Mole is versatile and in reality is really just the sauce which can be served over a variety of foods. Besides being slathered over eggs, one can also enjoy enchiladas de mole, which essentially are enchiladas bathed in a rich mole sauce. Recently I enjoyed chicken enchiladas at my favorite local spot for mole named El Jacalito Oaxacqueno in Lomita. Their shredded chicken enchiladas are dressed with a deep, rich, black mole and garnished with fresh lettuce, onions and avocado. Absolutely delicious, though different from the mole my mother prepared, the mole there transports me to the fragrant and bustling central market in Oaxaca which seems a world away but I easily go there in Lomita.

References:

Aztechistory.com http://www.aztec-history.com/moctezuma.html Accessed 11/26/16

Aztechistory.com http://www.history.com/topics/exploration/hernan-cortes Accessed 11/26/16

Bowman, Barbara.. “Piloncillo Mexican Brown Sugar”, Web. 26, Nov. 16. http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/articles/detail/piloncillo Accessed 11/26/16

Barclay, Elza, and Karen Castillo Faran. “Mexican Mole Has Many Flavors, Many Mothers.” NPR. NPR, 13 Jan. 2013. Web. 26 Nov. 2016. http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2013/01/18/165494749/mexican-mole-has-many-flavors-many-mothers.

Doctoroz.com http://www.doctoroz.com/recipe/manchamanteles-chile-fruit-mole Accessed 11/26/16

Herdeztradition.com. http://www.herdeztraditions.com/dona-maria-products/dona-maria-mole-original/ Accessed 11/26/16

Hood, G. William. “Café de Olla”. 25, Aug. 2013. Web 26. Nov, 2016 http://universaldomainexchange.com/vivacue2/cafe-de-olla/

Indians.org http://www.indians.org/welker/nahuatl.htm Accessed 11/26/16

Kapadia, Jess. “The 7 Mole of Mexico.” Food Republic. 15, Aug. 2012
http://www.foodrepublic.com/2012/08/15/the-7-moles-of-oaxaca

Mexican Cookbooks for American Homes by Josefina Vazquez de Leon, 12^th edition 1979

Mexico Online. http://www.mexonline.com/molepoblano.htm Accessed 11/17/16

Moctezuma: http://www.aztec-history.com/moctezuma.html Accessed 11/19/16

Visit Mexico. http://www.visitmexico.com/en/puebla Accessed 11/17/16

Visit Mexico. http://www.visitmexico.com/en/oaxaca Accessed 11/17/16

Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nayarit Accessed 11/26/16

Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mole_sauce Accessed 11/17/16

Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metate. Accessed

Yelp.com. https://www.yelp.com/biz/el-jacalito-lomita Accessed 11/26/16

Yelp.com. https://www.yelp.com/biz/moles-la-tia-los-angeles?osq=mole Accessed 11/26/16

The Curry pot kitchen

Food has always been a welcoming venue in my parents’ house. Back in my mother’s days in the Middle East, a woman must know how to cook in order for her to be ready for marriage. Of course, this is a line my mother used on me while I was growing up in the United States. This line was not welcomed in my territory. But I had to learn how to cook when I did marry. My mother could not cook for me, she was still dealing with my spoiled brothers who, even after they were married, would call her to cook for them and their families. My mother was a great cook, as she was applauded for it by her twelve kids( I’m the ninth child). My dad would invite his friends for dinner, and she will provide a variety of mouth watering dishes, as usual. Even when my brother’s friends came over, she would cook something that was very traditional and very tasty. Although we had a big family, my mother was always up to welcoming our guests with a variety of foods with same day preparations. Sometimes she would cook two different meals to please the palates of her kids. As we grew older , five out of my seven brother married outside of our culture and introduced us to a whole new world of taste. Growing up in a diverse home, of multicultural and mutli-racial home, many ethnic foods were part of our celebrations and daily meals. I was open minded to try out what looked appealing to me. As I continued to hold on to my mother’s legacy, I carried on her magical touch when I started my own family; as the saying goes, “like mother, like daughter”. I even married a man who was open minded in trying different foods, so happy. My husband’s brother who was Desi (Indian and Pakistani) food fanatic. Once I got married, traditionally of course, he would invite my husband and I to Desi restaurants once a month. He was very generous, right! The only Desi food I ate before marriage was Biryani, which was any meat on the bone with rice and depending on the region would include potatoes, or boiled eggs, and tomato curry with spices and chilies. Once my brother-in-law was part of my new family, I got introduced to more delicious varieties of the Desi (Indian and Pakistan food). Spicy Tandoori mix, Chicken Curry, Seeing him sweet as he eats, this guy was feeling that heat and great taste of the curry. But, the magical mouth watering, creamy and mild tasting Butter Chicken was what would be the ultimate and beautiful taste of Indian and Pakistani food, Desi, although he was not from that region.

Butter Chicken also called Murgh Makhani in Hindi has a little twist to time and origin and for the sake of researching different websites to find what most share to be the legendary story. From one view, the recipe originated in the 1920’s by K. Gujral who ran a roadside restaurant in Peshawar  Food.This recipe has many doubting its originating region, whether it was Indian or English. Another website suggests that it was originated during the Mughals ruling, “Muslim emperors who ruled India for some centuries …who were fond of royally rich cuisine.. and bold curries”(Eat Your World). According to Shafali, the recipe did definitely originate in Delhi “the capital territory of India sometime during the 1950’s.” Shafali claims that K. Gurjal ran a street restaurant called Moti Mahal in Delhi after fleeing political persecution from another region in India. The restaurant was known for its rich tandoori dishes, where chicken was cooked in a circular clay oven called tandoor. Sussle Visual Encyclopedia describes the dish as chicken in a mildly spiced curry sauce from the roots of the Punjabi cuisine. left over tandoori chicken is cooked in a tomato and cream sauce which gives it a mild taste and appealed to customers around the world with its less traditional heat and spiciness of Indian cuisine.

After tasting Butter Chicken many times at different restaurants, I decided to try out a recipe I found on a jar of spices about seven years ago. My family fell in love with it. I would surely follow unto my other’s footsteps by inviting my kids friends during our Ramadan, our month of fasting where we break our fast at sunset and feast. My kids’ friends even those who were from Pakistan agreed that it was great. But that recipe took hours and a day ahead to work on. I had to marinade the chicken the night before and grill on electric grill then start making the sauce. This was tiring. So little by little, just like the many chefs in India who kept on changing and trying out new additions to the original recipe, I would alter and change that recipe till it fit into my time and taste. Food Detective Diary states that there more than 50 versions of the Butter Chicken recipes today and the only common ingredient is chicken. I myself had around three to four different recipes which I have changed to suit out palates and to ease time. I just had a before Thanksgiving holiday and even my friends await the inevitable Butter Chicken. The I hear “Yeslamo idaiki” in Arabic, which means bless your hands. A mouth watering dish where old and young of many cultures who enjoy this somewhat simplified recipe at any gathering or occasion. To be honest, this is my imperfect and open for perfection recipe, where I keep adding spices and cream when there is too much liquid or less sweetness from the tomatoes. So, You really must have tasted Butter chicken or It’s sister recipe “Tikka Masala” to be able to add on to or reinvent the recipe to get that palate shouting for more, at least that is how I started. On the Health side, this recipe is an artery blocker if eaten often, too much cream and butter used, not good for your heart! It really tastes good, so moderation and a little abstinence is, followed with healthy exercise would probably be the safe heaven for those who are in good healthy standing. But a Great tasting dish from western Asia mixed with little love of this and that to please the palates of many Americans.

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Ingredients

1. 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast cut into bite size pieces
2. 1 can(14 or 15 oz.) pureed tomatoes
3. 1 tablespoon lemon juice
4. 1- 8 oz. coconut cream
5. 1-cup heavy whipping cream
6. 1 onion, chopped medium
7. 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil
8. 1 tablespoons ground coriander
9. 1/2 teaspoon salt
10. 1/2 teaspoon graham masala
11. 1/2 chicken masala
12. 2 tablespoons butter chicken seasoning( I prefer SHAN brand)
13. 1/2 cup raw cashews soaked for at least 2 hours in cold water
14. 1 teaspoon of each garlic paste and ginger paste
15. 1 tablespoon of freshly chopped cilantro(for garnish)

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Direction

1. Mix butter chicken seasoning and lemon juice in a 1/4 cup of water pour over chicken then mix in the ginger and garlic paste and set aside for half hour.
2. Saute onion in butter and oil till caramel in color. Using a hand blender cream the onion in the same pot. If hand blender not available, use a food processor then return to pot.
3. Add the pureed tomatoes, chicken, coconut cream, and the heavy whipping cream.
Bring to a boil for 5 minutes, add the graham masala and the chicken masala seasonings,
mix into chicken well, cover pot and simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Strain the cashews then cream into a paste by a food processor. Mix into the chicken.
simmer for 10 more minutes till chicken is tender.
pour into plates and garnish with cilantro. Serve with hot cooked basmati rice or naan bread, Enjoy!