Food is a big deal in my family.  I am Mexican American and having both parents born and raised in Mexico meant I would grow up eating mostly Mexican food.  From breakfast to dinner, except while I was in school, I only ate Mexican food.  I guess it did not help that my parents did not have a lot of money, so we could not really go out and try other new things, unless it was something inexpensive.  On the few occasions that my dad got to work some overtime, we got to eat a little different the following weekend.  He would take us to have pizza from Nino’s Pizza in Lynwood (which is no longer in business), Cousimano’s Pizza in South Gate, or sandwiches at the beach.  Otherwise, if he received a regular check, we would stay home and have rice and beans as usual.  I was tired of eating the same meals so often but there was no money for more.  Some time in my teen years I was introduced to real Italian food and from that point on, I fell in love with it.  I have tried almost every Italian dish there is out there.

I was in my church youth group when a friend of mine, who was older and already working, said she wanted to take me out for my birthday.  She said we were going to eat real Italian food; I had no clue what she meant by “real” because I have eaten pizza and spaghetti before and I love to eat pizza.  Either way, I agreed to go wherever she chose to take me and my younger sister.   I cannot remember the name of the place she took me to, but it was cute, small, the whole restaurant theme was of course from Italy, and the servers were very polite.

My friend ordered for us.  She ordered me the meat lasagna plate.  While the meals were cooking, we were served bread with bruschetta.  I liked it so much I had to ask for more.  But the moment of truth was when I got my order.  It looked mouthwatering and smelled delightful.  When that first spoonful of lasagna hit my taste buds, it was like a piece of heaven.  I did not stop eating until I ate it to the last bit.  I savored every bite like it was the first one.

From that point on, my friend would occasionally take me back to try other dishes, or she would take me to other restaurants to taste the difference in spices and that included the pizza.  I was eating Italian food like there was no tomorrow, but my dream was short lived as my friend eventually said we need to stop as it was getting expensive. Since she would no longer take me out to eat, I begged my mom to take me.  She would tell me it is too expensive for nine of us even if she was working then.  But to please me, she said she would try to make the meals herself instead.  My mom bought magazines, recipe books and started making Italian meals.  The first dish I asked her to make was lasagna.  I cannot deny it was very good, but there was no comparison to the restaurants.  She continued on to making other Italian dishes and since I was liking them all, she promised to make it a tradition and prepare two Italian meals a month.  Mexican food was cheaper to make and since there was so many of us, it was more cost effective to cook what she grew up with and already knew how to cook.  Italian became my favorite type of food.  Come to think of it, I guess the sauce (whether it be creamy, garlicky, or tangy) is what attracts me about the food, because I savor the sauce every time I taste it.

When I was old enough to make my own money, I tried making new dishes for my family.  When I became a mom, I enjoyed making new meals even more because I now had my own babies to cook for and Italian was always top pick.  My mom may have started the tradition to make Italian food twice a month, but I made sure to make the meals more often.  I also think about my friend when I make these meals.

A dish I made a while ago was the chicken Florentine gnocchi with polenta.  The sweet and tangy flavors I tasted with the mix of the chicken, sun dried tomatoes, and the creamy sauce were just finger licking good or at least I thought so.  However, once my kids tried it, liked it and my fiancée also gave me a thumbs up, I made it a couple more times.  I felt that since I got good reviews from my family, I would then choose to make this dish again and share it with my class because it not only looks good, it tastes good.  I got the recipe online, but I doctored it up a little to enhance the flavors.

The word Florentine comes from Florence, Italy (Elliot, n.d.).  The title Florentine makes the dish sound sophisticated, yet all it means is that there is spinach in the dish.  Any dish that has spinach added can be categorized as a Florentine dish (Elliot, n.d.).  Though there are other herbs that can qualify dishes to be considered Florentine, spinach still tops the meaning of Florentine (Elliot).  Queen Catherine de Medici from Florence introduced spinach in the meals in the mid-1600s.  She declared it Florentine which is why spinach is more familiar and popular to the title (Elliot, n.d.).

Jo Lewin reports, eating spinach has been known and promoted to give good health.  As it was shown on the cartoon, Popeye, any time he was bullied he just had to open a can of spinach, eat it, and his problems were solved.  Upon eating the spinach, he would become a superman.  He was very strong and look very healthy.  Spinach does have well over a dozen reasons why anyone should often eat it to stay healthy and avoid certain illnesses.

The next main ingredient is the gnocchi.  Gnocchi goes back to the renaissance days where it was a widely known pasta (Saveur, 2015).  It is a pasta made from a few ingredients as well as potatoes.  I say a few ingredients because depending where it was made, the ingredients would change, and so would the name, such as zanzarelli and malfatti (Saveur, 2015).

Sun dried tomatoes are basically tomatoes treated with sulfur dioxide and set in the sun for about 4-10 days to dry (en.wikipedia.org).  Once they are dried out, they are either packaged or pickled in olive oil and other herbs.  That is what gives the tangy flavor to the pasta.

Polenta was well known as food for the poor or peasant food.  It was primarily eaten in northern Italy.  Bread was available and reachable to any family but they all preferred to eat polenta because of its yummy flavor and it was a replacement of the bread (Demetri, n.d.).  A family’s status did not matter because rich or poor, polenta was eaten everywhere.  It was made of grains and served like a cream of wheat dish or it could be served as a side dish.

Back in the Roman days, polenta was also quite popular, but they use to call it pulmentum (Demetri, n.d.).  It could stay just with the poor families as the taste was quite popular and craved all over Italy even if it lost some popularity when an ingredient was changed to “maize” (Demetri, n.d.).   I have never had it like a porridge, only as a loaf and pan fried.

Ingredients: 

-1 package of Gnocchi (the one made from potatoes is recommended for this dish)

-1 cup fresh spinach (if you really like spinach, you can double the measurement)

-1 cup sun dried tomatoes (the ones that are conserved in oil would be best to use so you can pour in a few drops of that oil while they are boiling, for additional flavor)

-2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

-1/4 cup butter (you will need a little extra for the polenta)

-1 cup heavy cream

-1 Tbs. chopped garlic (but if you love garlic, you can double the required measurement)

-1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese (if you like cheesy Italian food, you can double this ingredient too)

-A roll of polenta

Preparing the pasta: 

1)       The chicken is sliced into strips (how big you want the strips is your choice).

2)       The strips are sautéed in a pan on high until the strips are browned all around. I sauté them with butter to kill the strong chicken flavor.  

3) While the chicken strips are cooking, I put a pot of water to boil in a medium size pot.  I fill the water about half way (fill almost to the top if you double the serving).  When the water is at its boiling point, add in the gnocchi and sun dried tomatoes.  Allow the gnocchi to cook between five to eight minutes.  You can poke it with a fork, in case it needs a little more time, and ensure the gnocchi cooks thoroughly to avoid it getting soggy.  

4) the spinach is supposed to be steamed but if you do not have a steamer, cut the leaves in half and put them in a little pan with a little water and cook them until they are shriveled up.  Set them aside for later.

5) In a small pan melt the butter (if you cut the butter stick in small pieces, it will melt faster) and once melted, add in the garlic for about two minutes (or when you see that the garlic has browned).

6) When the butter and the garlic are well mixed, pour in the heavy cream.  It is not supposed to boil, but make sure you constantly stir it until it is nicely blended.

7) Once step five is done, the parmesan cheese is added to the cream sauce at this point.  Make sure to stir often and up to about 10 minutes.  The mix will have a semi thick consistency.

8) Lastly, once the cream sauce done then mix it with the spinach, the gnocchi and the chicken.  When the ingredients all mix together and while it is still warm, it is ready to be served.

Preparing the polenta:

The polenta comes in a roll, like sausage does.  It does not require much to prepare.  You just need to cut a couple thick slices or as many as each person desires and grill the slices with some butter until they are golden brown on each side.

I like to top the pasta with a little more Parmesan and some crushed pepper flakes.  I accompany the pasta with either polenta, a salad, or with a role, but in this case, I chose the polenta. I neatly stack the slices beside the pasta and voila, it is ready to eat.  It may not be the healthiest, but it is very yummy.  To complete the whole Italian experience, I like to add a nice glass of red wine when I eat this pasta dish.  My kids have their meal with cranberry juice in a wine glass, this way they feel they are drinking fancy also.  I do no often get to eat with my kids as a family but when I do, homemade meals are the best to serve.  

References

-Elliot, S. (n.d.). What Does Florentine Mean in Cooking. Retrieved March 05, 2018, from http://cooking.lovetoknow.com/what-does-florentine-mean-cooking

–Pasta’s Predecessor: The History of Gnocchi. (n.d.). Retrieved March 02, 2018, from https://www.saveur.com/article/food/history-of-gnocchi

–Polenta. (n.d.). Retrieved March 02, 2018, from https://www.lifeinitaly.com/food/polenta.asp

–Sun-dried tomato. (2018, March 03). Retrieved March 05, 2018, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun-dried_tomato

–The health benefits of spinach. (n.d.). Retrieved March 08, 2018, from https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/ingredient-focus-spinach

Apple pie is one the very best desserts that almost every person has eating or tried.  It is considered to be very American and it typically is eaten around the American holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas.  For the past four years it has been a tradition for my daughter to make an apple pie for these occasions and I will share her process with you!  But first it would be nice to know the history and nutrition of the apple before we know the apple pie.  In the end, the goal is to get folks to eat an apple and to find fun ways to become healthier.

Photo by Lisa Engle – Flickr

As I presented in class, apples are the backbone of apple pie but they also have a very old history.  Apples weren’t always in America; they have made their way to this great country just like many immigrants who came through Ellis Island.  At first in America, we had the crab apple but our modern apples probably came from Asia and we can thank Alexander the Great for finding the dwarfed apples in Kazakhstan then bringing them back to Macedonia in 328 BC (Upton, 2013).  In the book Apple: A Global History it mentions “Alexander brought gardeners skilled in grafting from the Tigris basin to Greece to assist in the production of apples (Janik, 2012, p. 17).”  Apples were on their way!  The Romans shared them with England and eventually to onto America via the colonist (Upton, 2013).  One of the more interesting fact of our native apple trees is how they were pollinated.   Although the seeds were planted the tree did not bear much fruit.  So, along comes the Apis mellifera or the European honey bee, shipped to American in 1622, and these bees really enjoyed pollinating because they produced honey 50 times more than our native bees (Upton, 2013).  This was the kick-start the trees needed to become part of Americas snack, meals and desserts.

Photo by Scott Paulsen – Smithsonian National Museum of American History

The symbolism off apple to Americans derive from the slogans used to promote patriotism and capitalism.  A common reply to a journalist as to why men and boys would want to fight in WWII was “For mom and apple pie” (Upton, 2013).  Today that slogan would not work but people in were less knowledgeable as today and we need a much better reason to fight in a war than apple pie.  Another slogan giving by the apple growers was “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” which was a very smart campaign to get apples into your grocery cart and it also gave the industry the monetary boost it needed because of the negative press of prohibition hard cider (Upton, 2013).In the early 20^th century, catchy slogans were very necessary to keep products moving and although, nutritionally, apples speak for themselves the statements made to the public while eating an apple told people that they supported our troops and prohibition.

Photo by Scott Paulsen  – Smithsonian National Museum of American History

As America was being developing people like pioneer Johnny Chapman aka Johnny Appleseed helped people to settle the land.  John Chapman, born in Massachusetts in 1774, is said to have had a belief of a Swedish mystic named Emanuel Swedenborg.  This belief was that every plant and animals in nature correspond with particular truth and so he wandered through the wilderness of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois and Indiana planting apple seeds (Janik, 2012, p. 47).  He was odd and it noted that he was barefoot wearing a sack and a pot on his head.

The Real Johnny Appleseed Brought Apples—and Booze—to the American Frontier

Although, Appleseed had an important impact on the spread of apples he also had an impact on helping settlers with their land.  In an effort to further land development or occupation by settler’s, congress passed the Pennsylvania Land act of 1792.  This act allowed people to purchase warrants of 400 acres of land but the land had to be surveyed then settled within two years of purchase (Kerrigan, 2012, p. 51).  This act was interesting because, as noted by Kerrigan, the people who profited most from this act were not the local citizens but the political friends and allies who were giving the chance to accumulate wealth through land speculation.  This type of political land manipulation reminds me of the restrictive covenants of the 1930s whereas people profited vastly over time due to the inability to purchase a piece of property.  Most of the land was bought by companies like the Holland Land Company and the investors soon realized that to turn a profit on title transfers the land had to both safe and settled.  The Holland Land Company hired people like Johnny Appleseed for his labor and he ultimately he helped the company to sell the land to local settlers (Kerrigan, 2012, p. 59).  Johnny Appleseed helped these companies to sell their land to people and his quirkiness made him a legend.

We all know apples are good for you but how good are they and what kind of things do that help to prevent.  On average an apple contains about 52 calories, .26 grams of protein and 13 grams of carbohydrates (Nordqvist, 2017).  Eating an apple may not be the most filling but a cold apple can be incredibly refreshing and I tend to eat them cold from the refrigerator.  There are many nutrients that go into an apple but the important ones are Vitamin C, B-Complex such as riboflavin, thiamin and vitamin B-6, Dietary fiber and Phytonutrients (Nordqvist, 2017).  Getting enough of these vitamins is hard enough due to the type of foods that are cheaper and easier to find such as potato chips or even McDonalds.  For many of us if we didn’t find an apple or a banana at Starbucks then we wouldn’t get any fruit for a month.

The other benefits of the apples are much more incredible because they will make your body work better and prevent neurological decay.  In a 2006 study from the Experimental Biology and Medicine an important antioxidant found in apples is quercetin which helps to reduce cellular death caused by oxidation and inflammations of neurons (Nordqvist, 2017).  Also, in another study from the same conference it was noted that apple juice increases the production of a neurotransmitter that improves memory.  Adding this piece of fruit to your diet will also help to prevent dementia and reduce your risk of stroke. According to the Medical News Today researchers found that apples can protect neuron cells against oxidative stress-induced neurotoxicity which helps to reduce disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease (Nordqvist, 2017).  After reading about the stroke data and having a family member pass away from a stroke I am going to make sure eat more apples are eating or available at my house.

Other benefits from eating apples are cholesterol improvement, reducing the risk of diabetes, and helping to prevent breast cancer.  Studies from a group of researchers at the The Florida State University stated that apples are a ‘miracle fruit’ and older women who ate apples everyday had 23% less bad cholesterol (Nordqvist, 2017).  Truly eating an apple a day may keep the doctor and the cholesterol away.

Apple go into too many dishes from apple fritters to apple sauce but a main dessert that many of us has have eating is the apple pie.  In my family, my daughter makes our holiday apple pie from a scratch recipe used by both her mother and her grandmother.  The main differences between their recipes and most is the crust.  The crust is the hardest part of this process and tends to be the most frustrating because I can personally say that many an argument has done because of a bad crust.  Although the recipe is a base and it can be altered to taste.

Ingredients:  Apple Pie Filling

6 apples – 2 Granny Smith and 4 Fiji

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

6 tablespoons salted butter

2 table all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon of nutmeg

¼ teaspoon of ginger

¼ teaspoon cloves

Ingredients:  Pie Crust

2 ½ cups of all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons of sugar

2 sticks of salted butter, cut into small pieces

1 egg for top wash

Directions for pie crust and filling

The first thing we need to make is the pie crust and we will do this by first combining both the flour and the sugar in a large bowl.  Make sure the butter is not melted but cold and refrigerated.  Add the butter slowly into the bowl and mix with your hands until it turns into dough.  It will start out like little crumble balls and you will need to create a large dough ball.  Cut off and set aside about a quarter amount of the dough and save for the top of the pie.  Layout enough parchment paper to hold the dough ball and start to roll into a flat ¼’ sheet large enough to cover the pie tin.  You may need to sprinkle a small amount of flour to prevent the roller from sticking.  Lift up the parchment paper with the dough and put it over the pie tin then peel off the paper.  Using a fork poke a few holes into the dough, this will prevent the dough from the creating a bubble.  This is also the time to decorate the top edges of the pie with a fork.   Bake at 285 for 8 to 10 minutes or until slightly brown.  You will need to watch this process because you don’t want the crust to burn.

The filling is simpler and will require a bowl and pan to cook the filling.  Using a potato peeler, peel and core the apples then cut them into four wedges.  Dice the wedges and place them into a large water bowl with the lemon juice this prevents the apples from browning while the other parts of the recipe are being prepared.  In a pan add the butter and turn in the heat on low to melt.  Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, sugar and spices and stir mix well.  The mixture should be thin and at this point you will want to add a small amount of flour to thicken slightly. Turn off the fire under the pan or remove the pan from the stove to let the mixture cool.  This should take around five minutes to ten minutes.  Use this time to drain your apples thoroughly.  After at least five minutes add the apples to the mixture and mix well.

Add the apple filling to the pie crusted tin and set aside.  Get the pie dough that you set aside and layout some parchment paper.  Roll out the dough using a dusting of flour to prevent any sticking then cut into one inch strips.  We use a pizza cutter.  Add the strips to the top of the pie in a lattice style type of decoration.   Egg wash the top of the strip because this prevent them from burning while the pie is cooking.  Place pie in the oven at 375 for about 40 minutes or until the pie golden brown.  The pie filling should be slightly bubbling.  Wait at least an hour before eating or you can severally burn yourself.   Apple pie is a common holiday dessert in our family and we often come together to make it along with other treats.  I hope you and your family can come together to make a delicious treat.

Photo by Scott Paulsen

References

Geiling, N. (2014, November 10). The Real Johnny Appleseed Brought Apples—and Booze—to the American Frontier. Retrieved from www.smithsonianmag.com: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/real-johnny-appleseed-brought-applesand-booze-american-frontier-180953263/

Health Benifits Times. (n.d.). Apple pie facts, benefits and precautions. Retrieved from Health Benifits Times.com: https://www.healthbenefitstimes.com/apple-pie/

Holly. (2015, March 22). APPLE PIE CUPCAKES. Retrieved from Spend with Pennies: https://www.spendwithpennies.com/apple-pie-cupcakes/

Janik, E. (2012). Apple : A Global History. London: Reaktion Books, Limited.

Kerrigan, W. (2012). Johnny Appleseed and the American Orchard : A Cultural History. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.

Nordqvist, J. (2017, April 11). Apples: Health benefits, facts, research. Retrieved from Medical News Today: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/267290.php

Upton, E. (2013, July 11). Apple Pie Isn’t Really “American”. Retrieved from Todayifoundout.com: www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2013/07/apple-pie-isnt-really-american/

My grandmother was born in the state of Sinaloa, Mexico, where she was raised. During her childhood years she was taught how to cook and clean. My grandmother was very finicky in her ways. She had never eaten from someone else’s plate or spoon, and she never drank from someone else’s cup. My grandmother did not come from a rich family, but many thought she did come from a higher class in Mexico because of the way she would conduct herself. Others from the same regions would eat and share because they were hungry and poor.

As she got older she would go out and dance. My grandmother loved to dance and go to the events that were held nearby where she lived. One day she went to a dance and she met my grandfather. She was already 28, considered an older young lady in her town, and they would always ask my great grandmother what was wrong with my grandmother because she had not gotten married nor had become a nun. They used to say back in the day that if young women did not marry by the age of 16, they would become a nun or they would never get married. My grandmother never cared what the town people would say; she continued to live her happy life. My grandfather on the other had was 10 years younger than my grandmother and he was so in love with her that he wanted to marry her. My grandmother would tell him no because he was so young.

My grandmother continued to go out to the fiesta of the town. After a year, my grandfather asked her to marry him again. My grandmother again responded with “no you’re too young.” My grandfather said age is just a number. My grandfather said, “I will give you six months to think about marrying me.” The sixth month came and my grandmother said, “ok I’ll marry you in six months, but don’t say anything to anyone.” She figured it would buy her time so that she would not marry him. The 6 months came and my grandfather said “I’m here. Now will be married.” My grandmother then told him to give her another 3 months to prepare her parents for the news. My grandmother extended her wedding for almost 3 years. The last time my grandfather asked to marry her and he saw that she was going to give him other excuse he got his pocket knife and put it in her neck and said, “you will be my wife today” and saddled her up in the horse. My grandmother was married for 75 years.

At her wedding they had Menudo Blanco with beef legs in it. My grandmother was so sad because one, she had to get married because my grandfather took her, and two because she hated menudo because of the smell. I remember her always saying you need to clean the menudo very well to remove the smell. My grandmother would eat the menudo she would cook only because she would say “I don’t know how they cleaned it; maybe they did not clean it right.” She was very picky with the food she ate and the people who would cook it. She did not like to try new dishes from family members or a restaurant. She would say she would rather make the dish herself. My grandmother is the one who showed my mother and aunt how to clean the tripe very well before cooking it. She would add nixtamal, which is corn, to the menudo. She also had a method of cleaning the nixtamal, which was cut fresh. Now it is sold prepared and ready to cook. My grandmother lived up to the age of 103 years, and until her last day she would cook Menudo Blanco all by herself. She would not let my mother or aunt help her with the soup. They were only allowed to cut the vegetable that would go with the menudo.

Menudo is a dish that is eaten in many region of Mexico. The dish is prepared for weddings, engagements, birthday parties and posadas. The dish is very popular for special occasions. Menudo can be found almost everywhere in Mexico. You can find it in almost every state and many of their local restaurants. Many restaurants cook menudo on the weekend only when they expect more people.  In different part of Mexico, Menudo is prepared differently. “In northwest states such as Sinaloa and Sonora usually only the Blanco” (Menudo, 2018). In other states of Mexico such as Jalisco, it is prepared red with the red California peppers. Although both soups are prepared differently with different Chile, they both taste delicious. Menudo has been prepared for many years in Mexico. Mexico claims to be the first to name tripe soup menudo. Although it is not sure who invented the menudo soup, yet it has been around since the 1930’s. Every family in Mexico cooks menudo in a different way. Our family, who is from the Northwest states, enjoys cooking and eating Menudo Blanco with bread such as bolillo. This dish is made at any time for us. It does not need to be at a special occasion. Our family tends to make the soup when it is cold most of the time on a Sunday morning to enjoy a family meal. Many families like eating Menudo in the morning after going to church. Going to mass on Sundays and eating Menudo on most Sunday was part of our family culture. Our family would wake up early to go to mass at 7:00am. As we got older and had our families, we still attended mass but for our children who don’t understand Spanish we tend to go to a late mass such as 9:45am. For my family I can associate Catholic mass and menudo together on Sunday. In many case there are still families who continue with their family tradition of Mass and Menudo.

Hominy is the corn that is used in many places in Mexico. Hominy is used in many dishes such as menudo and pozole. Hominy is used in our family recipe of menudo just to add a different texture from the tripe. My grandmother would always tell us that making menudo and pozole when she was younger was a time-consuming process because they had to cut the hominy and clean it and let soak until it was good to remove from the corn. Nowadays the processing is done by companies. Some companies have their own techniques on how to clean Hominy for example in “modern commercial technique, the corn is boiled in diluted sodium hydroxide, and the hulls are removed by the combined action of rotating cylinders and running water” (Hominy,2018). This has made the processing even faster and easier for people compared to when it was done by hand. Hominy is a corn that has been in America for many years. It is said the Native Americans would grow their own corn and it was an important part of their own food supply. Corn was a food that was eaten with almost every meal.

Chile Piquin is a spicy pepper that is grown in Mexico. The chiles grow in two colors, red and green. Both kinds of the chile are very hot. The Chile Piquin is “10 times hotter than a jalapeno” (Pequin, 2018). The chile is used in many recipes from hot salsa bottled chile. The chile can be eaten fresh or dried. When the chile is dried, the chile can last longer than the fresh chile. My family loves chile and the chile piquin has been a chile that I have eat very carefully because it is very spicy. I remember one day my uncle scared us when he was choking on a little flake of the crush chile piquin that end being stuck in his throat. We kept giving him water, soda and beer, but nothing seem to work. He kept coughing nonstop until my grandmother told him to take a full spoon of menudo and see if it help. My uncle did take the full spoon of menudo and he still felt the sensation of the chile, but he had stop coughing. We always thought my grandmother was very knowledgeable because she always found a way to cure us from colds or anything that was wrong with us.

Bolillos is a bread that is known in the states of “Sinaloa they are called torcidos” (Bolillo, 2018) and in the state of “Sonora they are called birote.” (Bolillo, 2018) All my younger years I knew this bread as a torcido. As I grew and my aunt moved to Sonora, then we started calling the torcidos birote. I then learned from my coworker that they called it bolillo. At first when they would say let’s have some bolillo with beans and cheese, I did not know what they were talking about. I knew what beans and cheese was, but never bolillo. So when they final brought it to work, it was my birote that I love so much. I then told them it is not bolillo, it is birote or torcido for me. My coworker laughed and they said “that is a weird name to call the bread”. I enjoy bolillo so much that I even drink the Abuelita Hot Chocolate drink with bolillo because it tastes so delicious.

Nutrition Value:

“Mexican Restaurant – Menudo

Top of Form

1. Servings:

Bottom of Form

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.” (Calories in Mexican Restaurants Menudo, 2018)

Menudo Blanco ingredients:

5 lb. of Beef Tripe

2 1b. raw un cooked Hominy

1 White Onion

1 whole clove of Garlic

4 stalks of Green Onion

3 whole California Green Chiles

A couple dash of Salt to your taste

A couple stems of Cilantro

A couple of dash of Oregano for serving

A few drops of fresh Lemon Juice per serving

A pinch of Pequin pepper (optional)

Process of cleaning the Menudo:

Tripe:

Place the tripe in a flat surface. Once it is flat, look at all the imperfection of the excess skin and peel it off until it is clean and smooth. Place the tripe under warm running water and add baking soda as you are scrubbing the tripe to clean it. Once the tripe is clean, then you place the tripe in a large bowl and add lemon and let it sit for about 1 hour. After the hour, boil the tripe for about ½ hour and remove the rest of the imperfection of excess skin. Once all the process is done, cut the tripe in small squares.

Hominy:

Sort Hominy to remove any partials. Clean Hominy by rising with cold water five to six times until clean.

Cutting process of the vegetables:

Cut only the tip of the green steam and the tip of the onion.

Peel the whole onion and cut in half.

Peel a medium garlic head

Cut the California Green Chile in 4 parts and take out the Chile seed.

Finely dice the cilantro finely and place it in a dish.

Finely dice the rest of the white onion. Place it in a bowl.

Crush Oregano

Cut lemon fourths and place in bowl.

Cooking process:

Place the clean hominy in a large pot. Follow with the beef tripe already cleaned and cut in small squares. Add the onion, garlic, green onions, cilantro and California Chile. Once all the food is placed in the pot, add water and place it on the stove on low and let it cook for about 6 hours.

Check the soup every hour to determine if more water needs to be added. If more water needs to be added, add hot water in the pot.

Topping:

When the Menudo is placed in the bowl, add onions, oregano, green onions and chile piquin to your preferred taste. The spicier the better for a hangover.

Reference:

Bolillo. (2018, March 01). Retrieved March 10, 2018, from

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolillo

Calories in Mexican Restaurant Menudo. (n.d.). Retrieved March 10, 2018, from http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/calories/mexican-restaurant-menudo-117898520

Hominy. (2013, June 10). Britannica, T. E. Hominy. Retrieved March 10, 2018, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/hominy

Menudo (soup). (2018, March 05). Retrieved March 10, 2018, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menudo_%28soup%29

Pequin. (n.d.). Retrieved March 10, 2018, from

http://pequin.us/

Ingredients:

dried herbs:  parsley, leeks or green onions, coriander, and dried fenugreek leaves.

1 Onion

2 lbs stew meat or 2 lbs boneless chicken in 3/4 inch cubes

1 teaspoon Turmeric

6 dried limes or 1⁄2 cup fresh lime juice

1⁄3 cup cooking oil

1 cup green onion, finely chopped

1 1⁄2 cups spinach, finely chopped

1 1/2 cup rice (substitute with brown rice if desired)

Directions:

Chop the onion and cook it until slightly brown with the oil, preferably grapeseed or avocado oil. Add the turmeric and stir well.  After about 1 more minute, add the meat or chicken and cook until the outside changes color and is cooked, it will cook fully in the water. Soak the dry herbs 10 minutes prior to adding to the stew. Boil water separately while cooking the meat and onions. Drain the dry herbs and add them to the partially cooked chicken along with the other greens. The dish is traditionally made with dried lemons or lemon juice, but I forego that step because I do not like the dish to be sour, rather I prefer it on the salty side. Once the water boils in a separate pot, add it to the pot. Once most of the ingredients are in the pot, keep it on high heat until it reaches a rolling boil and stir continuously. Lower the heat to medium-low and keep the lid on the pot tilted until enough water evaporates to get to a stew-like consistency. Stir about every 8 minutes to make sure the herbs do not stick to the bottom or sides. Cooks in about 45-60 minutes depending on the amount of water added. Wash rice three times and add enough water for the level to be up to the second line of your index finger above the rice. Cook on high heat until a rolling boil is achieved. Add salt. Leave it on medium-low until water evaporates.

Background:

My family is from Iran and immigrated to the United States in the 1980s. With themselves, they brought their culture including their language, food, and music. A lot of Iranians migrated to the United States during this time due to the Iranian revolution in 1979. Little by little our extended family followed my parents and together a family community was created. It is common for humans to band together culturally, so the same is true for Iranian Americans. Of course, little by little, parts of American culture found their way into their lives and hearts, but their uniqueness was still their culture. Either way, a fusion began to emerge and it is no longer strictly Iranian or American. Moving forward I will just call the fusion between Iranian culture and American culture: Persian.

The fusion that my parents and extended family invited into their lives included food and cultural elements. For example growing up, my mom was a stay at home mom, and would usually cook Persian food for dinner. But for lunch or as an afternoon snack, fish sticks or peanut butter jelly sandwiches were also common. Culturally my parents integrated some western music and movies such as the Bee Gees and the James Bond series.

The fusion of food and culture that my family created has gone even further with me. I have personally never lived or visited Iran, so my only context of my parent’s culture is from what they have shown and told me about it. In addition, my Persian friends and I, born to Iranian parents but grown up in the United States, have in a way created a new culture for ourselves and in our mind, that is what Persian culture looks like in modern times. We have adapted it to our experience. Sometimes that means that we have resisted the culture, and other times it means we have embraced it. There was a time that I resented being Persian, because I wasn’t the same as everyone else, and I just wanted to fit in. But later in High School and especially after I graduated, I started to embrace my culture and my unique experience. I now enjoy Persian music and food but have given up certain cultural beliefs that I do not agree with. For example, it is common for Persians to “taroof” meaning that they, for the sake of politeness, refuse an offer of generosity even if they want it. It has gone so far that people, without being genuine, offer something, expecting the other to say no. I have given this up while maintaining generosity and politeness because I think it is important to care for oneself as well as others simultaneously. 

The food I am sharing with everyone today, Ghormeh Sabzi is one of my favorites growing up and still to this day.  It was a special dish growing up for my mom to make because of the effort and time it takes to make it. If done properly and traditionally, it can take about three to four hours, or half a day if done in a slow-cooker. Ghormeh means stew and sabzi means herbs, so Ghormeh Sabzi is an herb stew. Typically it is made with stew meat or lamb, but because both of those meats are expensive and takes a long time to make, I substitute it for chicken. That is one change I have made from the tradition, and the other is making it with canned beans instead of cooking the beans from scratch. The stew takes kidney beans, which can take an hour or longer to make, which adds considerably to the time to cook the stew. So the reason I have attempted to cut time off the dish, even more than my parents (who also buy the beans canned, but use stew meat), is because my life is very busy for cooking and I need foods that can be made quickly and within a specific price range. It takes me about an hour to make this dish, which is too long for most days, so I usually only make it for special occasions, similar to my mom, and I make a ton so I can have it for multiple days.

The traditional culture in Iran is that women go straight from their families home to their husband’s home in married life. It is not common, and still in some places even today, it is not lawful for women to live alone away from family or marriage in Iran. When this move from the family to marriage happens, it is common for women to become pregnant soon after and start a family, leaving little room for jobs and higher education. Of course in modern times, some of that is changing, and women are opting from the tradition to pursue a career, but there is still an expectation that they become housewives and raise the children with the children. Because of this reality, there is a lot of time to cook during the day, and this is typical throughout the Iranian cuisine.

Since in Iran is it more common for women to cook for the family, moms teach their daughters to cook from a young age. It is not common for Persians to use written recipes when cooking or sharing recipes. Recipes are passed down from generation to generation verbally and by learning from other family members. Cooking is a time for bonding and eating together is essential in the culture. It is very common for one family to cook for a large group of people, typically the extended family. Typical conversations at the dinner table revolve around the food and recipes are shared verbally, especially when someone asks, “wow this is so good, how did you make it?” Or, “Why did you add x, y instead of z?” The questions are typically posed with curiosity and not ridicule. At a dinner in the future, perhaps when the guests invite the hosts to their home, they cook the same dish and integrate the way the original host made the dish, or they share an anecdote of when they made it the way the original host made it, and how pleased they were with their method of cooking. There is a lot of respect and admiration for food and how each family makes it differently.

Because of the conversations revolving around food while I was growing up, I love cooking for my friends and family. I get a lot of enjoyment from cooking for people and try to add a key ingredient in every dish I make for people: love. Home cooked meals are greatly preferable to eating out. Of course, I enjoy food from restaurants, especially for food that I do not know how to make, or take too much time and effort to make. But when I cook for people or they cook for me, it means a lot to me because of the effort and time it takes to show one another that we care. As a kid, this wasn’t the case. I used to beg my parents to let us eat at my favorite fast food restaurant: Taco Bell. But they would always remark that we have food at home, and why waste money on outside food? So when I moved out on my own, I ate a lot of fast food, to the point that I got sick of it, and learned for myself, the value of home cooked food with love.

On March 9, 2018, I made this dish for the people living in my house. Most of us are currently fasting for the 19 day Baha’i Fast. We cannot eat or drink liquids from sunrise to sunset daily. So we decided to have a potluck dinner together to enjoy when the sun goes down. I made this dish in the last hour of the fasting period for that day, and the smells that the food released made all of our mouths salivate in anticipation of devouring all the food being prepared. It was very nice to eat together, and an honor to cook for them.

Nutritional Benefits of the Herbs in Ghormeh Sabzi:

“Fenugreek is indigenous to the eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea, but it is grown in India, Morocco, Egypt, and England…The seeds are also soaked and then powdered and used to make lip balm and tonic. The seeds can be used to make tea, which can reduce fever and menstrual pains, or they can be used in an ointment to treat skin infections…Fenugreek’s leaves, which are high in iron, are (also) used in salads.”

“Spinach is a rich source of vitamin A, C, and iron.

Parsley is an antioxidant, detox remedy, diuretic, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory agent.

Green Onions are high in vitamin K and C. “These nutrients both offer benefits for the health of your skeleton — vitamin C helps you synthesize the collagen that keeps your bones strong, while vitamin K helps your body utilize the calcium it needs to maintain bone density. Vitamin K also controls blood clotting, while vitamin C acts as an antioxidant and protects your tissues from damage.”

Kidney beans nutrition is packed with dietary fiber, starch, antioxidants and phenolic acids. Kidney beans are an awesome source of iron, manganese, folate, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium.

Turmeric is a great source of anti-oxidants and helps with memory and intelligence.

Final Product:

Take a generous portion of rice and pour Ghormeh Sabzi all over the rice. Salt to taste. Enjoy with yogurt or by itself.

References:

1. Mollypaul. (2008, July 09). Ghormeh Sabzi – Persian Green Stew Recipe – Genius Kitchen. Retrieved March 10, 2018, from http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/ghormeh-sabzi-persian-green-stew-313055
2. Wikipedia. (2018, March 03). Ghormeh sabzi. Retrieved March 10, 2018, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghormeh_sabzi
3. Babcock, J. (2017, June 13). Parsley Benefits, Nutrition & Recipe Ideas. Retrieved March 10, 2018, from https://draxe.com/parsley-benefits/
4. Tremblay, M. S. (2017, October 03). Are Green Onions Healthy? Retrieved March 10, 2018, from https://www.livestrong.com/article/354600-are-green-onions-healthy/
5. Axe, D. (2017, June 14). Top 5 Benefits of Kidney Beans Nutrition Kidney Beans Recipes. Retrieved March 10, 2018, from https://draxe.com/kidney-beans-nutrition/
6. Gunnars, K. (2017, June 9). 10 Proven Health Benefits of Turmeric and Curcumin. Retrieved March 10, 2018, from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-turmeric#section4

Costillitas is a Mexican dish served with refried beans and Mexican rice. Traditionally these pork ribs are slathered with barbecue sauce and smoked, baked or barbecued over a grill. Many people have a wide variety of ways to cook the ribs. Some people will boil or even broil before beginning their traditional recipe. Over the years, there have been countless events where entries are submitted to be nominated for best ribs ever.

Costillitas en Chile Verde brings me back wonderful memories, memories that evoke my taste buds to water. They bring me a feeling of warmth, a feeling of being home again. When I was young my family would gather around the kitchen while the radio was playing and cook together. My aunts tell us stories about their childhood in our hometown of Aguascalientes, which means hot waters. They got this name because of the number of hot springs in the area. Aguascalientes is also known for their lavish fiestas, which come once a year. One of the biggest is La Feria de San Marcos, which lasts from April 15^th through May 15^th every year.

Hundreds of families travel back to join their loved ones in the celebration. During this celebration, people can attend different events, from concerts to rodeos and even cockfights if you are into those types of entertainment. My family’s favorite part would be the spectacular array of dishes to pick from. During this time mothers and grandmothers take advantage and splurge on their families’ favorites. It is a time to show off if you will. Many people take advantage to visit longtime friends and reconnect with the past. So during this time, people will be invited to many meals or a warm cup of coffee with a pastry, for example, sweet bread or champurrado which is a warm drink made of cinnamon, chocolate, flower, and piloncillo. This is not exactly my favorite, but most of my family loves it.

The dish my grandmother loves to have ready for us would be her famous “Costillitas en Chile Verde.” My grandmother has spent her life making sure we have great memories to learn and share with our own families. She has always taught us old traditions about making sure all the women in the family know how to make a great meal. She often explained that it didn’t matter if it was Mexican food, as long as we continued to make a connection through the meals we prepared for the people we cared about.

The Costillitas would begin with a pot that consisted of extremely spicy chili, while the smaller pot would have a children’s version. My favorite part was when a visitor would join and my aunt would have them sample the sauce. Everyone would hold their breath while the person would cringe with burning hot sauce making their ears turn red. Everyone would then laugh while they handed them a packet of sugar to relieve the burning. I don’t know if this is also an old wives’ tale, but it seemed to work.

Costillitas en Chile Verde is a dish served with refried beans and rice during many celebrations. Families often would take advantage offering this dish because it would provide food for a larger crowd. During large celebrations, you might end up with a few pieces of meat and a large spoonful of rice/beans. Rice and beans have always been used as a filler. My grandmother tells of the time when food didn’t always arrive at the table the way it does here. She explains how back in Aguascalientes she was often forced to give my mom and aunts a single tortilla with salt to put them to bed. Because they farmed crops they never had the luxury to own any cows. She would have to buy milk and cheese.  Since she had little to feed them, she would put them to bed early and figured if they were asleep they would feel the hunger a lot less. My aunts explain how they would wake up early with a stomachache of hunger. They often told my grandmother they need to leave early to help one of their great aunts with her chores; but in fact, they would climb the fruit trees to eat all the mangos or whatever was in season.

The lack of resources is why many families have left their beloved homes and traveled to the U.S to find a better life. Leaving the culture and memories has caused a huge impact on most Mexicans in the United States. I would even take the liberty to say that others from different countries have also felt the culture shock.  Whether you’re making or tasting traditional dishes, they will always transport you to the most cherished memories. The feeling of being back at home with your loved ones is indescribable. Deserts are also an important part of the tradition. When I was young my grandmother would make Buñuelos, which are fried flour tortillas sprinkled lightly with sugar and cinnamon. Many traditional dishes are recipes passed on for many generations. In some families, certain ingredients are left out so that those dishes will be unique to the person making them. Many families will also never share the recipe if someone was from a different family. All for the sake of bragging rights.

When beginning the process in making Costillitas en Chile Verde you begin with the preparation of the beans. Set a large pot of water with three cups of pinto beans. Pinto beans provide an authentic flavor and are chosen over any other beans. Include two tablespoons of salt and bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for about forty-five minutes. Next, begin the process with the rice, two cups rice with a small garlic in a medium pot until golden brown. I enjoy using vegetable oil, but if I remember correctly my grandmother would use lard.  Add ¾ of a can of tomato sauce of your choosing and add two tablespoons of salt. For the salt, you can use sea salt as well.  Add four cups of water and add half a yellow onion. The yellow onion is much better because it provides a less powerful taste.  Bring the pot to a hard boil uncovered. Once the top of the rice is visible and small holes have begun to form, lower the flame and cover for twelve minutes. Try not to open the pot until the rice is done the cooking.

The main course, (Note: A good idea would be to ask the butcher to cut your ribs about two inches wide.) Place a large pot with one tablespoon of vegetable oil and begin simmering the pork ribs. The reason why very little oil is used is because pork many times releases its own oil. This is also the reason we don’t add salt to the ribs themselves because pork can sometimes be very salty. Place ribs in the large pot, and make sure the oil is very hot before the ribs go in. Fry over a high flame until crispy on the outside, which will ensure a tender juicy center. Fry up all the meat quickly so the inside doesn’t dry out. In a different pot add water deep enough to fit in about 25 jalapeños and two large roman tomatoes. I enjoy roman tomatoes better because I notice they are tastier than other tomatoes. Bring them to a boil and after ten minutes place half of the jalapeños and one roman tomato in the blender. You’re welcome to use more roman tomatoes to lessen the spicy taste. Once you have placed them in the blender add one tablespoon of salt and fill halfway with the same water they were boiled in. Next, follow the same instructions for the next batch of jalapeños.

The jalapeños and roman tomatoes should be blended to your liking. Many people like their salsa chunky and for this, you can just pulse the blender a few times. If you like watery salsa, you blend until everything is dissolved. This recipe allows for many changes; for example, you can minimize the number of jalapeños depending on the liking of your family’s spicy tolerance. My grandmother would teach us to choose the jalapeños that had veins running through them because they were spicier. The only thing that should not be changed is the cooking time. A lengthy boiling time is necessary in order to get a soft tender meat. is providing a lengthy boil. This would be the key factor in this dish.

In the same dish where you have the meat, add the sauce and completely cover the meat. Grab a spoon to stir the meat around and try to scrub the small pieces stuck to the bottom of the pot. The sauce should be about two inches higher than the meat; then, bring the pot to hard boil. Once the sauce has begun to boil, cover the pot with a piece of aluminum and place the lid on it. Lower the heat to the lowest level and set the timer for two hours. This will allow enough time for the meat to tenderize.

Preparing the Refried Beans

On a separate flat pan place about two tablespoons of oil and a jalapeno sliced in strips. Once the oil is hot begin placing three serving spoons of beans without juice in the pan carefully!! This will cause the oil to splatter, but it will subside once the beans are all in. Add bean juice until you have reached the consistency of your liking. Bring to a soft boil and begin mashing them slowly. This would be a good time to taste for consistency and the amount of saltiness.  Reduce heat to the lowest setting for 10 minutes and once done cover until you are ready to plate all the dishes.

Last but not least, warm up about a dozen of your favorite tortillas. Everyone in my family has a different opinion about the type of tortillas that taste better with this dish. My husband will only eat this dish if there are flour tortillas. My uncles in Mexico will only eat the dish if there are homemade tortillas. I personally love corn tortillas, just the thought of scooping up my beans makes my mouth watery.

Plating

The presentation is everything so try to be neat when placing a spoonful of rice, a spoonful of beans and 2 spoons of Costillitas. Remember to take one of the jalapenos you fried with your beans and finally drizzle some of the same sauce over your plate.

*This dish can also be placed in a slow cooker once all the first steps are completed. Because this is a memorable dish I try not to change too many steps because I feel that the reason why I make it is to enjoy the memories this dish provides. Over time I’m sure my grandmother could have found shortcuts to make the dish easier, but I feel she also followed the recipe for the sake of traditions.

Ingredient needed:

2 ½ lb. of Pork spare ribs (cut into 2-inch strips)

25 jalapenos

3 tomatoes

½ onion

4 tbs. of salt

4 tbs. of pepper

1 lb. of raw beans

2 cup of rice

2 cloves of garlic

1 can of tomato sauce

5 cups of water

Cookware

2 saucepans

1 saucepan lid

1 frying pan

1 blender

1 colander

1 chopping board

2 kitchen spoons

1 knife

Recipe Notes:

Allow all food to cool before storing.

Beans can be made a couple of days in advance and kept in a refrigerator.

Nutritional Information

Serving size: 1plate

1 cup of Costillitas, calories 151, fat 5g, cholesterol 49mg, sodium 45mg, potassium 450 mg, total carbs 4g, sugars 2g, protein 20 g.

1 cup of Rice, calories 199, fat 8.4g, saturated fat 0.7g, polyunsaturated fat 4.8g, monounsaturated fat 4.8g, sodium 487.0mg, potassium 343.0mg.

½ cup of beans, calories 110.5, fat1.5g, sodium 509.6mg, Potassium 419.9mg, carbohydrates 22g, net carbs 13.9g, sugar 1g, fiber 8.1g, protein 6g, Iron 23%.

References:

Beans – Photo by Etty Fidele on Unsplash

“Calories in Homemade Carne De Puerco En Salsa Verde.” Calories in Homemade Carne De Puerco En Salsa Verde – Calories and Nutrition Facts | MyFitnessPal.com, www.myfitnesspal.com/food/calories/homemade-carne-de-puerco-en-salsa-verde-201450660.

“Calories in Mexican Rice – Calorie, Fat, Carb, Fiber, & Protein Info.” SparkPeople, www.sparkpeople.com/calories-in.asp?food=mexican%2Brice.

“Fiestas y Tradiciones En Aguascalientes.” TuriMexico, www.turimexico.com/estados-de-la-republica-mexicana/aguascalientes-mexico/cultura-de-aguascalientes/fiestas-y-tradiciones-en-aguascalientes/.

Martinez, Mely, et al. “Cómo hacer Buñuelos Mexicanos │Deliciosos, un Tutorial fácil!” Recetas de comida mexicana | México en mi Cocina, 22 Jan. 2018, www.mexicoenmicocina.com/como-hacer-bunuelos-mexicanos/.

Much, Inc. Eat This. “Eat This Much, Your Personal Diet Assistant.” Eat This Much, www.eatthismuch.com/food/view/refried-pinto-beans,487782/.

Zimmermann, Kim Ann. “Mexican Culture: Customs & Traditions.” LiveScience, Purch, 19 July 2017, www.livescience.com/38647-mexican-culture.html.

Spaghetti is thought of as a traditional Italian dish, but it was actually created in The United States.  As a large amount of Italians migrated from the 1800-1921, pasta dishes became popular in America. There were a number of factors, taking place at the turn of the twentieth century, that helped create the dish most of us know as spaghetti. Between 1880 and 1920 five million Italians immigrated to the United States due to the growth of Fascism in Italy. The diet of Italian immigrants shifted once in America, and meat became a larger part of their diet since it was much more affordable in the U.S. than Italy. Spaghetti pasta is traditionally made with marinara sauce which consist of tomatoes, onion garlic and herbs. The use of tomato sauces became very popular because the ingredients were easy to find, were very affordable and it was a quick sauce to make. Traditionally, meatballs for this dish, are made with beef, pork, or combination of both. Finally, once the pasta and meatballs are plated, it is usually topped with cheese and herbs once served

Pasta is also often thought of as being originally from Italy and perhaps it is, but it is popular belief that  Marco Polo introduced Italy to pasta when he returned from a trip to China. It later became a staple in the Italian diet. Pasta is incredibly versatile. It comes in different forms like, lasagna, macaroni, linguini, and spaghetti, just to name a few. It can also be topped and mixed with a verity of sauces including pesto, tomato and cream sauces. Pasta is now enjoyed by millions around the world, but it took certain factors to create the dish we know now as spaghetti. The combination of the large population of Italians in New York City, along with the availability and affordability of its ingredients, made spaghetti an American favorite. Spaghetti represents both tradition and new beginnings because Italians were able to create something new by using what was available in a new land to create something that still felt like home.

The best spaghetti I have ever had is my grandmother’s spaghetti. She passed away two years ago and had stopped cooking years before that, but when she still cooked, she used to make spaghetti and meatballs on a regular basis. My grandmother was not from Italy, but from Mexico City. Like many other immigrants, my grandmother came to the U.S. in hopes of something better for herself and her children. My grandmother had a nickname that everyone would call her, Jechu. The name is a play on two Spanish words; Jefa meaning female boss, and chula meaning pretty. My uncle Tony, one of my grandmothers nine children, gave my grandmother this name and it could not have been more appropriate for her. Ever since I was young she always had the same appearance; she never changed. She was under five feet tall, had short curly red hair and a voice so stern, just with her saying my name, I would think I was in trouble when I knew I hadn’t done anything. I suppose being a single mother of nine children would do that. She had to show who was in charge and the family for sure knew who was, Jechu.  After retirement, she was always either in her garden tending to the plants, sitting in her recliner in her room watching her daytime T.V., or in the kitchen feeding what seemed like a small army.

Jechu was a master in the kitchen. Cooking was effortless for her, she would whip up classic Mexican dishes like chicken enchiladas, chili rellenos, and mole, sopes, rice, beans, salsas; she did it all and she did it the best. She also would cook American inspired dishes with her own twist on them. She would make hamburgers with a tomato salsa to replace Thousand Island dressing, and my all-time favorite ,her spaghetti and meat balls. It seemed to be something she concocted in the kitchen, but it was probably what she made with what she had. The sauce is made with a base of onion, garlic and tomato sauce like a traditional marinara sauce, but the hardboiled egg found in meat balls was a twist. Although it may sound strange, it is delisious.

Growing up my grandmother would take care of my sister and me after we would get out of school. She became our babysitter after our paternal grandmother moved away and wasn’t able to take care of my sister and me anymore. My sister and I were not happy with the change. My paternal grandmother, who we call Ama, which translates to Mom in English, was always so loving and caring with. She always hugged us and showed affection. Jechu was not that kind of woman. I’m sure she had her reasons for being so cold and direct. She grew up near Mexico City, and had nine children with a man who later left her to start another family elsewhere. He also became abusive and for that reason she came to the U.S. with her nine kids, trying to find somewhere safe and where she had opportunity.

Through all her struggles, Jechu really had one area where she would truly shine; she was a master in the kitchen. Cooking was effortless for her. She would whip up Mexican dishes like chicken enchiladas, chili rellenos, and mole, sopes, rice, beans, salsas. After my mom would get off of work she would pick up my sister and I up but of course we would have dinner first. It was definitely a full house every evening for dinner. My grandmother lived with two of my uncles, my aunt, and my cousin, and with my parents, sister and I, there was just enough room for us to fit at the dinner table. There were also a lot of people that would come over for dinner. My uncle’s friends would stop by, usually taking the kids spot at the table or having people eat in rounds so everyone would be able to sit and eat. One group would sit and enjoy their meal, while the next group waited their turn. The rotation of people at the dinner table seemed endless at times, but Jechu would never complained about people stopping by to eat. My grandmother lived for the compliments on her food. As soon as someone was done greeting her after walking through her doors, she would offer up whatever was on the stove that day, even offer left overs if someone didn’t like what she would have cooking up that day. When someone rejected her food, which was not often, she took offence. Although she had a tough exterior, there was a warm loving feeling when eating her food, as if she was making up for her cold demeanor through her cooking.

When I was thirteen the family took a trip to Las Vegas. It didn’t matter where we went but my grandma complained about the food. It was either missing flavor or she would say that she could have made it better. While in Vegas we stayed somewhere with a kitchen and when it came down to dinner time, Jechu asked what we wanted to eat, and spaghetti and meatballs it was. My sister, who is one year younger than me, and I also thought this is our chance to learn her recipe. We had already been helping my mother in the kitchen by this age mainly chopping and peeling, but not making full meals. Jechu was a bit hesitant to give up her recipe since she really didn’t give them out, but when she agreed we were ready to learn. My sister and I got ready with pen and paper, and watched my grandma do her magic. She started making the sauce, made from a base of onion, garlic and tomatoes, which I later learned was the base of most her dishes that had tomato sauce. She continued to add spices and herbs to the sauce. She didn’t measure anything, which made getting the recipe slightly difficult.  She continued by making the meatballs, which were my favorite part of the dish. The meatballs, or albondigas in Spanish, were filled with a hardboiled egg.  Cutting into the meatball was truly unique. Spices, herbs and rice were all visible in the meat and the hard-boiled egg stuck out like a sore thumb, but was also somehow the star of the dish. The dish can be adjusted to taste and in the more recent years of making it, I have used ground turkey instead of the ground beef my grandmother used to use, I now eat a plant-based diet and although this is far from being vegan I wanted to share a recipe that was meaningful to my family and me.

Recipe for Jechu’s Spaghetti and albondigas

Ingredients

1 pound of spaghetti pasta

2 tablespoons of olive oil

2 tablespoons of salt

Sauce

1 small yellow onion

4-5 Tomatoes

3-5 cloves of garlic

Large (29 oz) can of tomato sauce

1 ½ tablespoons of Knorr chicken bouillon (any other bullion can be used)

1 teaspoon of garlic powder

1 teaspoon of onion powder

1 teaspoon of oregano

½ teaspoon of cumin

1 tablespoon of vegetable oil

8oz. of Monterey Jack cheese

Meatballs

1 pound of ground beef or ground turkey

1 teaspoon of garlic powder

1 teaspoon of onion powder

1 teaspoon of oregano

1 teaspoon of ground black pepper

½ teaspoon of cumin

½ teaspoon of salt

1 tablespoon of fresh chopped mint

½ cup of cooked rice

1 egg (raw)

2-3 eggs (hard-boiled)

Directions

Start by making the sauce first.  Adding tomatoes, onion and peeled garlic into a blender along with a half a cup of water, and blend on high speed until smooth. Heat saucepan on medium heat, coat the bottom with vegetable oil, add blended ingredients to the heated saucepan and let simmer for 15-20 min. Add tomato sauce, and remaining ingredients with 1 cup of water and let simmer on low for 30-45min. Stir occasionally.

For the meatballs start by making hardboiled eggs, peel, and cut each egg into 4 pieces and set aside. In a bowl, add the meat of your choice along with all other meatball ingredients and mix. Each piece of egg will be placed inside the meatball by taking about an ounce of meat, forming it flat on the palm of your band, placing the hardboiled egg in the middle, and then wrapping the meat around egg, forming a meatball. The size of the meatballs will be based on how large the piece of hardboiled egg is,and can be modified to personal preferences. Once all the meatballs are formed they are added into the simmering tomato sauce. Cook for 15-20 minutes until meat has been cooked through.

Next, for the spaghetti bring a pot of water to boil (add oil and salt). Cook spaghetti pasta as directed. Once pasta is done cooking, drain and add to sauce along with the cheese. Mix until pasta is coated in sauce. Extra cheese can also be added  as garnish, and it is ready to serve.

History

Boston Cream Pie originated in Boston, Massachusetts at a “hotel named the Parker House in 1856 by Armenian-French Chef M. Sanzian” (Mobile Cuisine). There is some question about whether this is factual, but it seems likely given that there are multiple sources that link Chef M. Sanzian to the Boston Cream Pie. According to What’s cooking in America, “Boston Cream Pie is a remake of American Pudding-cake”. After an extensive search for recipes resembling the American Pudding-cake, I did not see a really close resemblance to the Boston Cream Pie. Boston Cream Pie is a cake and not a pie. In earlier times, cakes were baked in pie tins. This is where the term pie was derived. The Boston cream donut was also named after the dessert. I have yet to meet one as delicious as the pie. In 1996, the state of Massachusetts declared the Boston Cream Pie as their official dessert (Wikipedia). Given the popularity of Boston Cream Pie, I cannot say that I have found this dessert on restaurant menus on the West coast. It is more commonly seen on the East Coast. However, I have seen Boston Cream Pie cupcakes at many local bakeries.

Boston Cream Pie is made of chocolate ganache, sponge or yellow cake, pastry cream, and a silky-smooth chocolate glaze. I have seen many variations of this dessert. The most common is a chocolate ganache topping, with the sides of the cake and custard visually exposed. I make my Boston Cream Pie with a dense coating of ganache all around and then glaze it, so that no cake or custard is exposed. This is how I first saw it served at a luncheonette in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. In hindsight, I wonder if it may have been prepared that way, so that the cake and custard would not dry out or stale while in the pastry display case.

Traditional Boston Cream Pie

Roots

The word “ganache” is a French word meaning glaze or icing (Wikipedia). Ganache can also be used in candy such as truffles or as a base in desserts. I have seen white ganache that is typically used to cover confections and cakes. It is more versatile than chocolate and can be flavored with extracts such as lemon, almond and vanilla bourbon. I will eventually try using white ganache with chocolate pastry cream and chocolate cake. I like to experiment. Pastry cream also has French roots and according to Crafty Baking, it can be used “to fill cream puffs, éclairs, Napoléons, tarts, and other pastries. It is spread in between cake layers, such as Boston Cream Pie, and using as a base for endless recipes. It is called the “Mother of all creams!” (2004). Pastry cream is closely related to the custard family as it uses many of the same ingredients. Pastry cream is wonderful to eat by itself or accompanied with fresh seasonal berries and champagne. It is a bit like Crème Brulee without the caramelized topping. Vanilla pudding has nothing on pastry cream. It simply does not compare.

Discovery

The first time I ever saw, or tasted Boston Cream Pie was in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. I was twenty-five years old and was interviewing with the Vollrath Company. They are a small wares manufacturer. Small-wares in the food service industry are considered stainless steel or aluminum stock pots, fry pans, bun pans, ladles, dishers, and just about anything that is not equipment in a restaurant. I had been working a food service trade show in Chicago the week prior and drove to Sheboygan directly after the food show ended. This was before Garmin GPS systems. I had a paperback Thomas Guide to navigate my way through the rain, wind and snow. I arrived about two o’clock in the morning the day of my interview and had a few hours of restless sleep. I was up at five and found a place for breakfast before seven. I ordered an omelet with sad semi melted cheese curds. I was devastated to learn the restaurant did not possess Tabasco sauce, Cholula, jalapenos, salsa, cayenne pepper or even red pepper flakes. It was the most homogenous town I ever had visited. According to City-Data, the races in Sheboygan, Wisconsin (2016) whites alone made up 74.4% of the population. I think that was a good explanation for the lack of flavorful accompaniments. An elderly man sitting next to me at the counter was drinking coffee and ordered a slice of pie for breakfast. He was my hero. His pie reminded me of the long-lost cousin to my beloved Hostess Chocodiles that I loved so much as a kid. A Chocodile is essentially a chocolate covered Twinkie. I struck up a conversation with this man and he offered me a bite of his Boston Cream Pie. I could not say no. I did not say no, and I was not disappointed. Boston Cream Pie was so delicious, decadent and rich. I went to my dreadful six-hour interview and thought about the pie the entire time. Before I left town, I went back to the luncheonette and ordered a slice to take back on the airplane. I was delighted to discover that the waitress had given me an extra slice. I did not get the job I interviewed for and that was alright with me. I have a nice memory of the Boston Cream Pie and the elderly gentleman I met.

BCP Sliced and served

The Goal

I must have been looking for a real challenge when I made up my mind to tackle this epic dessert. This cake sounds basic and easy enough to make but I find it tedious and a labor of love. It is messy, too. Therefore, I only make it once a year. Although there are four visual components to this pie, it requires methods that are not easy for a novice baker. I still struggle with certain elements at times and if something turns out poorly, I start over. This last time I made the pie, I discovered my digital scale was broken and my manual scale was also missing. This recipe commands constant attention. It uses a double boiler, measuring and converting (without a scale), separating, sifting, the use of multiple bowls, tempering, and patience. I try hard to focus. It is difficult with young kids vying for attention and creating a chaotic mess all around me. To me, food is sacred and good ingredients are costly. I proceed with extra caution to do things right the first time, but shit happens.

Working Smart

To reduce the stress on myself, I like to prepare some of the components of this pie ahead of time. I have tried several recipes, including one from Martha Stewart that did not turn out too well for me. I had issues with the cake being too dense and crumbly. I have tried her recipe three times. I gave up and moved on. Through the years, I have adapted my recipe for consistency and efficiency. I have learned through trial and error when to quit a recipe. I am a fan of Ina Garten, who is also known as “The Barefoot Contessa”. One of the pet peeves many people have with her is that she tends to cook with ingredients that are costly and hard to come by. She tends to say, “store bought is fine” (Garten, 2015). Which for many, is a ridiculous thing to say and out of touch. Most of us shop at a grocery stores and do not own a ranch  with herds of animals to butcher or a garden with fifteen varieties of tomatoes. I take her saying literally. I try and use the best ingredients as often as possible, but it is not always feasible. I am neither a purist nor a food connoisseur when it comes to eating and cooking. I like food that tastes good and I will not prepare something I will not eat. For my cake, I use a store-bought brand such as Pillsbury Yellow Cake Mix. It produces a moist and consistent cake every single time. Instead of a thirty-minute prep time to make a cake from scratch, using a store bought cake takes less than five minutes to mix in my electric Kitchen aid. I have sampled several organic yellow cake mixes and have yet to find one I want to use in my Boston Cream Pie.

Step 1. The Chocolate Ganache

Directions:

12 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips

12 ounces of heavy whipping cream

Using a double boiler on low, melt the chocolate thoroughly. Then add heavy whipping cream and stir until fully combined. Let cool and refrigerate. I like to make the ganache a few days before I make the cake.

Chocolate ganache in the double boiler

Step 2.  Pastry Cream

Directions:

1 quart of whole milk

4 oz of sugar

4 egg yolks

2 eggs

2 1/2 ounces of corn starch

2 ounces salted butter

1 Tbsp of Vanilla (I use a bit more)

In a pot, dissolve the sugar into the milk and bring to a boil. Then remove from the heat. In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks, eggs and sugar together. Sift in the corn starch and whip with a whisk until smooth. In another bowl, temper the egg mixture by slowly adding the milk, while continuously stirring rapidly, so the eggs do not cook. Return the mixture to the pot and bring to a boil until the pastry cream thickens. Remove from the heat. Using a fine mesh sieve, pour the pastry cream through the sieve and into a bowl to refine and smooth from any lumps or bumps. When the desired consistency is reached, add the butter and vanilla and mix until well incorporated. Cover with clingy wrap directly on top of the custard so that it does not form a skin. Refrigerate for up to a few days before use.

Pastry cream in the sieve

Step 3. The Cake

1 box of Pillsbury Yellow Cake mix (or any other brand)

1 cup of hot water

½ Cup of unsalted butter (the box says oil, I use butter. It makes a differerence)

3 eggs

Bake at 350 degrees and the time as directed or until cake is set in the middle. I usually weigh the batter on a scale for exact equal portions. I use regular aluminum cakes pans that do not have a nonstick coating. I use butter and flour directly on the pans before I pour in the batter. After the cakes are cooked and have cooled, trim the tops of the cakes so that they are flat in the case that they are not even.

Step 4. Remove chocolate ganache from the refrigerator at least an hour before application. It should be malleable and easy to spread without breaking the cake. The Pastry cream also needs to be at room temperature, mixed well and pushed through a sieve once more to have a smooth texture.

Step 5. Assembly:

On a cake plate, arrange the first layer of the cake and top with a thick coat of pastry cream until it reaches the edges. Add the top layer and gently press until the pastry cream slightly pushes past the cakes edges. Using a spatula or knife, smooth the pastry cream back into the cake so that there is no space between the cake and cream. It should be a smooth wall of cake and pastry cream. Mix the ganache so that it is easy to spread and cover the entire cake starting with the top, sides and lastly the bottom. If you have come this far without any glitches you are in good shape. The last step is adding the warm chocolate glaze and smoothing quickly so the cake has a glassy smooth sheen. Refrigerate to set and keep chilled until ready to eat.

Boston Cream Pie with ganache coating

Step 6. The Glaze

6 ounces of heavy whipping cream

6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate

2 ounces of butter

Directions:

In a double boiler, melt chocolate thoroughly and mix in cream until silky smooth. Remove from heat and add butter.

 A 50^th Birthday!

Boston Cream Pie is significant to me because I made it for my then-boyfriend, Jeff, for his 34^th birthday. We had dated for four years prior and within three weeks of making him the pie, he proposed marriage. I like to think it was the pie that sealed the deal. Since the day I met Jeff, I learned quickly that nothing could turn his head faster than chocolate cake and the way to his heart was through his stomach. He does not like to cook, which is surprising to me given that he is a mechanical engineer. I thought Engineer’s liked to make things. My Boston Cream pie is Jeff’s most favorite dessert that I make, and he hoards it like it is going to be his last meal. He turns 50 on March 10^th and he is nervous about getting older. It is funny, the age thing. They say numbers do not lie, which may be true, but no matter how old you are it is always nice to celebrate with your very own cake and at least a candle to blow out. Having gratitude for our health goes a long way. I appreciate every single day we have together and this man, whom I love more every day.

Good Morning and Happy 50th Birthday, Jeff

References

Boston Cream Pie Fun Facts | Mobile Cuisine. (2017, October 23). Retrieved March 05, 2018, from https://mobile-cuisine.com/did-you-know/boston-cream- pie-fun-facts/(n.d.).

Dutoit, Y. P. (n.d.). Ganache. Retrieved March 06, 2018, from http://dictionary.sensagent.com/Ganache/en-en/

Garten, I. (2015, February 12). Chocolate Ganache. Retrieved March 07, 2018, from https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/chocolate-ganache-recipe-1925556

Pastry Cream. Retrieved March 04, 2018, from https://www.craftybaking.com/learn/baked-goods/custard/types/pastry-cream

Thomson, J. R. (2013, February 06). Recipe of The Day: Pudding Cake. Retrieved March 05, 2018, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/06/pudding-cake-recipe_n_2623187.html

Wikipedia contributors. (2018, February 23). Boston cream pie. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 03:18, March 5, 201 from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Boston_cream_pie&oldid=827192872

Yellow Cake | Baking Processes. (n.d.). Retrieved March 05, 2018, from http://bakerpedia.com/processes/yellow-cake/

Every culture has foods they like to pass down from generation to generation. Each is unique in its own way and some are especially saved  to celebrate special holidays and events. However for my family, mole holds a special place in our heart and bellies. While there are a variety of dishes they like to make for special events mole has always been the go to traditional dish.  Before this paper, I didn’t know much about the chocolate sauce that has left a positive impression on the world. However, after some research I found that after the creation of mole many people of different races and ethnicities recreated the recipe for mole and according to Cocking’s, these “moles are named for their ingredients and flavors, such as pipián, huaxmole and almendrado.” And because of this Barclay and Farfan say, “this tasty and complex sauce has moved way beyond Mexican convent kitchens. With Mexicans migrating around the world, foreigners are learning how to make it, too.” Upon further research I found that there are two legends to how mole was created. The first says, “that 16^th Century nuns from the Convent of Santa Rosa in Puebla de los Angeles, upon learning that the Archbishop was coming for a visit, went into a panic because they had nothing to serve him. The nuns started praying desperately and an angel came to inspire them. They began chopping and grinding and roasting, mixing different types of chiles together with spices, day-old bread, nuts, a little chocolate and approximately 20 other ingredients.. and the other legend states that mole came from pre-hispanic times and that Aztec king, Moctezuma, thinking the conquistadors were gods, served mole to 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-columbian mexico, so people jumped to that conclusion.”  Aside from the legend mole did go on to become an extremely well liked dish. To me mole is a pretty significant dish in my life because growing up with it; it has earned its place as being a dish that represents more than just a cultural dish for me. It represents love, togetherness, and defiance against an ever changing world that believes there is no space for things that make a certain culture distinguishable.

Mole Poblano is a dish that can be traced back to the 16th century in Puebla, Mexico. It is  important to not that mole is a sauce that is traditionally used to go on top of chicken or turkey. However, for this paper I will be talking about mole as if it were a dish as a whole. Mole is a dish that requires a lot of time and energy. Thats because if it is being made from scratch there are ingredients like nuts, cloves, oregano, cumin, bay leaves, almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, chile ancho, mulato, chipotle,  and chocolate that you have to grind down into a consistency where they will mix well together. Not only that, but since it is such a time consuming dish, it is typically only made for birthdays, weddings, or special occasions. Because of this Mole is traditionally made being surrounded by the people you love, or it is a dish you make out of love. In my family whenever Mole is made it is greatly appreciated because we know it comes from a place of love and care. Mole is especially saved for birthdays because along with foods like carnitas, birria, and carne asada it is everyones favorite and it is hard to go wrong with such a delicious dish.

The reason I decided to use Moles as my topic is because growing up I remember mole being a beloved dish that both my mama Guile and mama Eustolia enjoyed making. However, for me it was a dish I tried avoiding like it was the plague. For my Mama Guille’s mole poblano, I did not like the sweetness it always threw me off and I would look straight towards my sister and beg her to eat it for me; otherwise I would grab napkin by napkin spitting the mole back out into the napkin. When it came to my Mama Eustolias mole rojo, I was afraid it would be too spicy and on top of that sweet. I never gave it a chance because of how afraid of it I was. The things that saved me from starving for the day were the rice and beans that are traditionally  served as the sides for both moles.

Mole Poblano

   Servings 8                                                   

8.25 oz of Doña Maria mole                                       

1 1/2 lbs- chicken                           -First, you want to clean the chicken. Once it is clean you

2- garlic cloves                       want to get a medium sized stock pot and put the 1/2 gallon of

1/2 – White Onion                 water, 2 garlic cloves, 1/2 white onion, 1 1/2 lbs of chicken, and

1- gallon of water                       salt to taste, but for this (my) recipe 1 serving spoons will do.

1- serving spoons of salt                Leave chicken to boil for 25-30 minutes or until tender.

3- Oaxaca chiles 

3- chiles California                -Second, with the remainder of the water put the chiles to boil in  5- Chiles de Arbol                small stock pot. This will take an approximate 20 minutes. When                                              done, toss the chiles and some water from where it was boiled                                               in a blender for 3-5 minutes.

Side 

1- Red Onion (optional)     -Thirdly, in a large sauce pan you put the 8.25 ounces of the Doña

2- juicy limes                    Maria mole. As it begins to melt you gradually add chicken broth                                               from  the chicken you made earlier while continuously                                                            whisking.Add broth according to how thick you want the sauce.                                               Lastly, add chicken. Sesame seeds serve as garnish.

Bringing it all together, when my grandmother makes this dish she serves it up with rice, beans, tortillas, and some sliced onion with salt and lime. My Mama Guille’s cooking is amazing and I cannot really say she has ever made a dish that I did not enjoy, but mole was the one dish that I had to make myself in order to truly appreciate it because I never understood why people loved it so much, but most of all I did not understand why my father loved it so much. However, after making Mole with my grandmother and sharing that experience with her I had a whole new appreciation, and suddenly it seemed like Mole was the best dish in the world. For me Mole Poblano was definitely an acquired taste, but once you get a taste and experience all laughs and joy that go into making this dish; well, it is hard to not love it.

The process I went through for this dish was extensive. I had planned out to buy the ingredients in advance in order to have plenty of time to work on it. I bought the ingredients at both Winco and Food 4 Less in order to make sure I got the freshest ingredients at a great price. Luckily for me, I was not alone through the process of cooking the food. Joining me is my boyfriend, Daniel. I am more than happy to share my families traditional mole with him and see how he likes it compared to his families. Not that it will be better; it could be worse but sharing the experience is what matters. I hope to show him a little bit more about my side of the family and their traditions, and in general teaching him how to make both of my favorite moles. Once we got home from the store we began to cook everything. I noted things down as we went along

just to make sure that I had all the steps and accurate measurements for you all.

Mexican red  Rice Beans (of choice red, black, pinto) 

1cup – rice                                                                      3 cups- uncooked beans

1 1/2- tomatoes                                                                     1/2 gallon- water

1/3 – white onion                                                              1 1/2 serving spoons of salt

2 1/2- cups of water                                                                      Optional

3 tablespoons- powder chicken broth                                       1/2- white onion

2- tablespoons – oil                                                                     2 garlic cloves

2- garlic cloves

Rice instructions; fry 1 cup of rice and 2             Put everything except salt in a medium sized

Garlic cloves in Tablespoons of oil until                    pot and leave to boil for 45-60 minutes.

slightly brown.                                                        Add salt when tender and leave to boil for

Blend onion and tomato with 1/3 cup of water                          10 more minutes.

Pour into rice, and add powdered chicken broth

And 2 cups of water. Let boil for 15-20 minutes.

My maternal grandmothers Mole Rojo originated in Aguascalientes. This is a dish that takes some serious precision simply because if you add too much flour all you will end up having it a dish that taste like flour with clumps all over the place. However, if you do it right you get a magical dish that just pairs so well with rice, bean, and tortillas. This dish, like mole Poblano is also time consuming, but when my grandmother makes it she is surrounded by her daughters and granddaughters. It is a dish that brings different generations together to share the feeling of togetherness. I mean we even have family that live more than 100 miles away that come all the way home just to get a plate of chicken mole, Mexican red rice, and beans.

Mole Rojo

Servings 6-8                                 First, in a medium sized stock pot put half a gallon of water

1 1/2 lbs- chicken                         half a white onion, two garlic cloves, 1 1/2 pounds of

2 – garlic cloves                             chicken, and salt to taste. Leave chicken to boil for 25-

1/2- white onion                             30 minutes or until tender.

3- serving spoons of salt

1- gallon of water                           Second, with the remainder of the water put the chiles to

2- cups of flour                                boil in a large stock pot. This will take approximately 30-

Sauce/ Mole                                  40 minutes. When done transfer chiles into blender. This

1- bag of Chile ancho                  might take a couple of tries in order to blend all the chiles to

1- bag of Chile de Arbol                a good even consistency, add water for better consistency

1- garlic clove                            and add 1 garlic clove. Strain to remove seeds and set aside

1- serving spoon of oil

1 1/2- cups chicken broth              Thirdly, pre-heat a Sauté Pan or Braiser Pan with 1 serving 1 bag- chile California                      spoon of oil. When hot add chile sauce leave on low.

                                                     forth, put 2 cups of flour and 1 1/2 cups of chicken                                                                broth in a blender and blend until it has an even                                                                    consistency. Then gradually add being to add  flour  to                                                            mole sauce with a strainer while continuously mixing the                                                         sauce.

Serve it up with Mexican red rice, beans, and tortillas. I personally enjoy putting the mole on top of the rice just to give it an extra flavor, but that is just my preference. I was doing some research on these dishes and found an article that states, “Mole and other traditional foods reflect family heritage and regional cultural inheritances, as do rituals and beliefs surrounding their preparation.” I found this to be interesting and accurate because Mole is a dish that like I said brings everyone together. It’s not just one plate you get just like it is not just one process or conversation.  Through the years of cooking these dishes I have learned a lot about my mother, my grandmothers, and my great grandmothers. Generation by generation the pass on their knowledge and teach us their ways of preparation and in turn we either continue or create out own way of creating the dish. It all comes down to priceless recipes, moments, and feelings that will last a lifetime through countless generations.

Overall, these two recipes represent all the growing up I have done thought out the years. It also represents my families culture and heritage which means a lot considering they came to united states in a time where total assimilation was occurring. It means a lot to me that they never lost their roots or sense of who they were even after learning English and going to American schools my family still practiced their traditions and never pushed me or anyone into not speaking Spanish or dressing a certain way to fit in. My family showed me that there is so much to be proud of, and that is something I hope to pass on to the next generations of our family.

By the end of the cooking process Daniel and I were exhausted, but after it almost felt like we had shared an experience that brought us closer together. The labor was a long and strenuous process simply because we started fairly late and I had just gotten out of work, and we slightly overcooked the chicken. However, we  shared laughs, stories, and overall happiness which is what this dish is supposed to do. We even managed to put our own twist on the dishes, and personally I feel like it was a good move. I hope one day I get to try his families Mole because he swears by it like I swear by mine. That is what is so great about mole though; everyone has their own way of making mole there is brown, red, black, and green. The variations could be endless, but at the end its all about being surrounded by the people you love and bringing everyone together as a family.  While I had a rough and rocky start with Mole Poblano and Mole Rojo I am now glad to say that  every year on my birthday I get a massive plate of Mole, Mexican red rice, and beans.

This is our final result, “Traditionally, ingredients are ground by hand, making it an all-day affair. But today, grinders and blenders make the task much easier, cutting down the cooking time to four to five hours.” However, it took us about 5-6 simply because we had to make two moles. Aside from that It is fair to say we are going to have more than a couple of days of eating chicken mole, rice, and beans. Even though we added our own twist to the dishes they came out pretty solid. A bit on the spicier side, but still a delicious blend.

References

Barclay, E., & Farfán, K. C. (2013, January 18). Mexican Mole Has Many Flavors, Many Mothers. Retrieved March 05, 2018, from https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2013/01/18/165494749/mexican-mole-has-many-flavors-many-mothers

Christie, M. E. (2004). Kitchenspace, fiestas, and cultural reproduction in Mexican house-lot gardens*. The Geographical Review, 94(3), 368+. Retrieved from http:// link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A137212814/AONE?u=csudh&sid=AONE&xid=f0289448

Cocking, L. (2016, November 10). A Brief History Of Mole, Mexico’s National Dish. Retrieved March 05, 2018, fromhttps://theculturetrip.com/north-america/mexico/articles/a-brief-history-of-mole-mexicos-national-dish/

(n.d.). Retrieved March 05, 2018, from http://www.mexonline.com/molepoblano.htm

First of all, the recipe first, since no one wants to read all the stuff before they eat it. Besides, I think that eating something first and then hearing about it makes you enjoy it more. There are three kinds of Waffle Sandwiches, Regular (for quickness and Vegans), Egg (for Vegetarians and Lent), and ULTIMATE WAFFLE SANDWICH. Just follow along and when you reached as far as you desired, you are done. Which works since each one builds upon the one before it.

Waffle Sandwich

Two Waffles       Toaster

Butter (or fake butter) Knife

Jelly                       Spoon

Egg Waffle Sandwich

Egg                     Spatula

Mayonnaise (optional)        Bowl

Ketchup  (optional)              Fork

Cheese     (optional)            Small-ish Pan (preferably non stick)

Salt         (optional)              Stove or adequate stove replacement

ULTIMATE WAFFLE SANDWICH

Hamburger (size varies based on your appetite, In N Out uses 1/8th pound patties for example)

When it comes to this, frozen waffles are simpler and faster. You could make your own waffles, but that is only if you really want to be gourmet, which this is not meant to be. Still, if you desire to make your own, feel free, however, if you do so, make sure they are stable enough so they do not fall apart. First you toast waffles to desired setting. Should be crunchy enough so that the outside is somewhat brown. As toasters vary wildly with settings that are meaningless usually, playing it by eye or experience is basically a must. When the waffles are done,  put butter or your preferred fake butter on one side of one waffle. On the other waffle, spread your jelly on one side. It should look like so.

There, simple Waffle Sandwich. Place together butter to jelly and eat or continue on for Egg Waffle Sandwich

Get the bowl and the fork. Crack egg open into bowl, if you want only egg white, remove the yolk now. Whisk with the fork. If it is the whole egg, it should be mixed well enough to be an evenly yellow color. When that is achieved it should look like so…

Turn stove on full blast, max heat, or whatever highest setting is. If you do not have a non stick pan, now is the time to throw butter or your preferred fake butter onto the pan. Make sure it is evenly spread. One scorching, pour egg on as thinly as possible on your pan, which is why a smaller pan works better, If you have a larger pan, make it as large as your waffle. Nonetheless, the egg should be thin, light and fluffy. If you are only masking an egg Waffle Sandwich, place cheese on the egg now. If you are going to make the ULTIMATE WAFFLE SANDWICH, you can just have it plain for now. Leave on until the bottom browns, it should be easy to tell when any liquid on the top evaporates or the cheese is melted. It should look like so.

When it is starting to brown, carefully place spatula under it, the point is to keep the egg in an intact circle. If it has resistance, keep it on for longer and try again after a few seconds. Flipping the spatula over and using the backhand can get it loose if it is being a bit stubborn. DO NOT FLIP. Take off and put it on waffle it should look like so…

Add the Salt, mayonnaise, and ketchup to the egg if so desired. While no preference per sey, the condiments facing the jelly make them blend together easy, Combine the two waffles and enjoy, or continue on for ULTIMATE WAFFLE SANDWICH.

Turn down the heat to medium low. It needs to be enough to still be hot but allow you to slow fry the burger but it can’t be as high as earlier or you will risk burning it. When it has cooled a bit, give it a minute or two, grill burger. Burger should be flipped when the side facing you starts to look like it is bleeding if it is frozen. If you did not use a frozen patty, flip when the spatula slides under easily. It should be smooth enough on the bottom to flip without tearing. Once you flip the burger over, place cheese on it. You know you did it right when it looks like so.

It shouldn’t take too long on this side, especially if it wasn’t frozen to begin with. Once the cheese melts, remove from grill  and place on top of egg.

Place both halves together and eat.

Breakfast sandwiches have a long history as a way to make an easy, on the go meal in the morning. Mcdonalds’ have the most famous breakfast sandwiches with its breakfast being available 24/7 being met with great cheer, but it has its origins in London during the 1800’s. Bap Sandwiches are a powdery roll filled with sausage that are dippable in sauces, great for a quick bite during industrialization. In America the Denver Sandwich was the first breakfast sandwich in America, being a favorite of those out west as a way to eat on horseback. It took until 1897 for a recipe for a breakfast sandwich to appear in a cookbook. As for the more modern versions that are eaten today, Jack in The Box actually made theirs first but Mcdonalds is where the popularity really exploded. Today, breakfast sandwiches are a staple of American breakfast, and while not as popular as cereal or as varied as a typical full course breakfast that you see on TV, it is a fast and easy finger food that can be ordered in bulk even and be enjoyed on the go.

As for my own waffle sandwich, it has its own origins out of necessity and convenience. We lived with my grandma and aunt, both on my mom’s side. As such, my grandma would make the food for everyone. This allowed for my parents to get jobs far away and take the long commute knowing that me and my brothers would be alright. She made us cream of wheat every day and my aunt would take us to school. It was a nice, warm feeling. However, it did not last. My grandma died when I was ten and that made things more difficult. My aunt could cook, but since she was allergic to so much, the options were limited to say the least. It also didn’t help that she became more and more disabled as she was constantly sick and ridden with disease. She could do what she could but she eventually went on disability and had a hard time in the morning. As the oldest, I learned what I could mostly through exposure. My parents still had hours of commuting each day, so when it comes to breakfast, one has to be quick in order for me to get to school on time and for them to get to work. Toast with butter was common, but it isn’t too nutritious. When you only have a few minutes to get everything ready and leave out the door, you can’t exactly have a TV style breakfast. Sometimes you can put other things but butter on them but it still just toast. It is not a bad life, just one that what limited for food thanks to the timing of everything. Then one day we got Waffuls, a jelly filled waffle that was found at the store. It was an easy and quick meal for the start of the day. It can be toasted and eaten on the go without anything else and while it did not have syrup, it has something which is a flavor improvement over just toast. I loved it. Alas, it was discontinued rather quickly. Then it was back to toast for breakfast again. My dad liked the idea though and thus made his own version. By using butter and jelly and two waffles, one can somewhat recreate that waffle, albeit much thicker. Still, it is still a breakfast meal he likes and just like the PB&J for lunch, it is a cheap substitute for a mela at breakfast as it is fast to make and eat. That is why I don’t make my own waffles for this. It defeats the purpose of making it fast. It is a food that was born out of making something so that you can eat before school, not for a complex meal.

Later on, I wondered about getting more in there. I already made egg sandwiches for Lent to eat something good of Fridays when I was young, putting my own spin on things. As I was young that meant a lot of ketchup. I tend to be unsatisfied and tinker with everything it seems, so one day when it was Friday in lent and we had eggs I added an egg to the waffle sandwich. It was glorious. It was simple enough still and I could make one for everyone in my family fast, all ensuring they had an egg. My aunt got worse over time, limiting her movements and making her allergies worse. I ended up becoming homeschooled in high school to ease things for myself and to take care of her. Since we were the only ones home, I made her food for her, and since she was allergic to corn among many other things, it was a challenge. She ended up dying, which left me as the most competent and patient chef in the house as my mom did not cook at all, my dad has a bland taste and would just eat turkey sandwiches all day, and my brothers were satisfied if someone else made the food or else they would eat macaroni and cheese. As such I had to basically make separate meals for everyone constantly since no one really was home at the same time, except for me, yay homeschooled.

But I am never satisfied. And neither was my mom. Since she can’t cook, she shows her love by buying things, including food, which, while delicious, is not good for my health. Especially since it was mostly fast food as she works late. Since I was homeschooled and then in college, I ended up being her bodyguard and basically assistant since she is a professor at a college and needed my help getting things. And as I said, she woks late which meant fast food places are really the only ones open. My mind wanders and when eating a Mcgriddle from Mcdonalds I wondered what would happen if I put an actual burger in the waffle sandwich? My mom said it was crazy mostly from the jelly I think. Which makes sense from her point of view since she didn’t care for the waffle sandwich anyway. Being a Mexican American growing up on her mom’s cooking, yeah she had a spicy taste. Still, I made the burger a part of the sandwich anyway just to see what it was like. The result is a very hefty meal that is a full breakfast in one sandwich. It is an odd way of being made, after all, but it works. This is why all three were included, adaptation and consideration has been a fact of life with my family and food, and as the frycook and basic chef for my family, even breakfast has to adapt to their needs. My dad does not eat mammals, my mom likes things spicy, one of my brothers is more into fish than anything, at least my other one would eat anything.That is what I had to deal with and these waffle sandwiches made for an easy meal for most of my family. My mom though, well, maybe if I put some salsa on it? I hope you get to enjoy it to whatever level you like. Feel free to innovate as well according to your tastes. It is an easily adaptable food with endless possibilities when you think about it. Maybe chicken can work well, after all, waffles and chicken have a history together…

References

History of breakfast sandwiches

Egg Mcmuffins for Dinner

Traditional British Baps

Breakfast: a History

Oxford Encyclopedia

The long and Surprising history of breakfast sandwich.

Waffuls commercial.