Cookbook Index

Featured

Appetizers:
Ceviche – 1 – Lupita

Main Dishes:
Grandma’s Beef Tamales – Lorena
Miss Vivian’s Tuna Fish Sandwich – Brenda
Nani’s Spaghetti Sauce – CindyLou
Pozole – Crystal
My Mother’s Mole – Rafis
Chile Verde aka My Trap-A-Man Recipe – Vee

Side Dishes:
Sopa de Fideo – Ann-Marie
Traditional Macaroni and Cheese with a Mother’s Twist – Robyn
Spicy and Sweet Rice Cakes – Ale

Desserts:
LAUSD Coffee Cake – Lupita
Jesse’s Banna-Nut Chocolate Chip Muffins – Lucy
Carrot Cake – Val
Chocotorta – Barb
Torta Helada – Jaquie
Fresas Con Crema – Vee

Birthday Cupcake from Heirloom Bakery

Birthday Cupcake from Heirloom Bakery

I’m Dr. Perez, an assistant professor at CSUDH in the IDS department. My majors were in English for my BA, MA, and Ph.D. I finished my Ph.D. in 2011 at USC.

My food selfie is one I took of my birthday cupcake from Heirloom Bakery in South Pasadena. It’s a homemade (well, cafe-made), grown-up version of a Hostess Cupcake. It was excellent.

My favorite food, at least for today and coming out of the holiday season is tamales. I seriously love tamales and not only because they are delicious (which they are) but because of their indigenous roots in the Americas and their associations for me with home, family and the Christmas holidays. Unwrapping a tamale, hot from the steamer and almost burning my fingers is a joy. I like all kinds of tamales, sweet and savory, wrapped in corn or banana leaves, meat or vegetarian. That said, when faced with a variety of tamale choices, my first pick is almost always red pork. There’s something about the sweetness of the corn, the meatiness of the pork and the spiciness of the red chile that makes my mouth water.

This is the fourth time I’ve taught this class — it’s my favorite — and I’m looking forward to getting to know all of you.

Sopita de Fideo, what home feels like.

Sopa de Fideo

  

History:

Sopa de fideo or sopita de fideo, as my family refers to this bowl of deliciousness, is a staple dish for most Mexican families. No matter how old you are or think you are, sopita de fideo is the ultimate comfort food. It’s a soup that is made with fideo pasta and a tomato broth. It may not sound like much but the simplicity of it makes it special. There has been research conducted to confirm that this is a traditional Mexican food and just as common as frijoles (Smith-Morris, 2016). It is very similar to the chicken noodle soup but so much better and is both a lunch and dinner dish. This dish is a big hit with children, but definitely satisfies the mature palate of adults (Smith-Morris, 2016). Additionally, sopita de fideo is extremely affordable as well as flavorful.

It’s been really interesting to learn now, at my unknown age, that people enjoy sopita de fideo with a variation of ingredients and that there are recipes that are different and original that include adding ground beef. At work, someone shared with me that they add shredded cheese to theirs and that their kids actually enjoy it with a bit of mayonnaise. I think this adds to the significance and greatness of this dish. It is so flexible and adaptable that it can be tailored to fit anyone’s specific preferences or diet needs.

Brief Disclaimer:

You’ll have to forgive me, although the Sopa de Fideo recipe has been passed down from generation to generation in my family it has never been written down onto any paper. I, like everyone else in my family, was taught in person, practicing hands on and conducting many many taste tests. Therefore, there are no exact measurements and I am no chef. I am a mom who cooks for her family. In this recipe you will have to bear with me because my instructions will not be technical nor fancy, they will be in laymen’s terms and as straightforward as possible.

So, with all this said, this recipe is not the original that my great- great- great grandmother once made but that is the great thing about it, it’s flexible and there is really no wrong way. You can improvise and just add any ingredient or remove the ingredients that you don’t care for and enjoy it.

Ingredients:

Fideo Pasta

Onion

Garlic Cloves

Knorr Chicken Bouillon

Cilantro

Tomatoes

Chicken Broth

Cooking oil – for frying

Additional Ingredients:

This list of ingredients can be added to make this soup even more satisfying and filling.

Chicken

Carrots

Potatoes

Squash

And you will not want to skip on having lemons, tortillas, and avocadoes on hand.

Preparation/Instructions: (Makes 5- 6 servings)

Fill the pot you usually use for making soup about halfway with water. Place on the stove with medium heat. Add in one-fourth onion, one clove of garlic and about 2-3 pinches of salt.

Wash your chicken, I like using leg and thighs but use any of your favorite pieces. Only four to five pieces are needed. At this time, I wash all my vegetables that I will be using. Since you are already at the sink it just makes the process flow easily.

Now go ahead and place the washed chicken inside the pot you prepared above. Cook until chicken is cooked, removing dark suds or foam from the top of the water. The dark suds are said to be bad toxins that the chicken released at the time of death. I don’t know if this has any truth to it or if it has been scientifically proven but I choose not to take my chances and try to remove as much of it as possible. This can also apply to other types of meat.

Meanwhile your chicken is cooking, you can prepare the sauce that will be the base of your sopita. Begin by chopping two to three tomatoes into fourths, the more tomatoes the richer the red color of the broth. If I’m making it as a main dish, I like to make it a bit redder than if I’m making it as a side dish. You will also chop about half of an onion and grab two garlic cloves. Blend these three ingredients into a puree. No need to add salt because the chicken is cooking with salt and you will be adding chicken bouillon later.

Since the chicken will take about 30- 40 minutes to cook start slicing all the vegetables you decided on. I don’t like them to small, so I slice them into medium sized pieces. This goes for potatoes, squash, and carrots. I do not chop the cilantro; I leave it whole even with the stems. This will give it a little more flavor and it will be easy to take out if you have a picky eater.

Now right about here, you have about twenty minutes to do something else or get some other stuff done around the house. Check your phone, check on the kids or guest, bathroom break, put the clothes in the dryer or whatever it is that you need to do.

Back to work… grab a deep-frying pan and put in four teaspoons of oil. Let the oil heat for about two minutes then add the entire bag of fideo. Stir it around to make sure all the fideo is covered with the oil and continue stirring until brown. Be careful, the fideo should be turning brown but do not let it burn. Once the fideo has fully cooked, grab colander and your blender that contains the pureed tomato, garlic, and onion. Use the colander to pour the puree into the pan with the cooked fideo. To make it easier, slowly poor the chicken broth from your cooked chicken over the colander.

The aromas of the puree and the chicken broth meeting the fried fideo are so pleasing and appetizing. At this step, you will usually have your family come into the kitchen and inquire what your making and how much longer it will take to be done.

After pouring it all in to the pan, add the sliced vegetables into the soup and roughly two tablespoons of the chicken bouillon. Add in more bouillon if needed, it will depend on the amount of broth. Lower the flame and let it cook for about ten minutes. Meanwhile shred the cooked chicken and add it, along with the cilantro into the fideo. Stick a fork into the vegetables to check that they are cooked, if so, turn the heat off. You are done.

As an entrée:

Sopita de fideo can be very filling and presented or served as the main dish especially by adding from the list of healthy ingredients above. This dish can stand on its own and satisfy any size appetite. Just adding in chicken and vegetables like squash, potatoes, carrots and chicken, sopita de fideo is wholesome and hearty.

As a side dish:

Just like the common American soups, chicken noodle or tomato, the sopita de fideo without the additional ingredient’s pairs perfectly with a sandwich or even a salad. But my favorite combination is carne asada. Serve a nice hot bowl of sopita de fideo, grab a warm tortilla, put the carne asada, a couple slices of avocado, salsa or hot sauce, and squeeze some lemon on top and bite. Then top it off with a spoonful of sopita. All the flavors will blend together in your mouth to create something so humble and savory.

Nutrition:

Sopita de fideo is very nutritious. In fact, this is often made for children who are not interested in eating because they can’t sit still or are finicky eaters. It can be packed with a bunch of important nutrients and vitamins either way you make it, simple or elaborate. Although, since fideo is pasta it is not keto friendly because of the carbs.  Even though, authentically homemade is always the best route, if your pressed for time or haven’t gone to the market sopita de fideo can be made with minimal ingredients and you can substitute things like real fresh tomatoes for tomato sauce and garlic salt instead of fresh garlic but their will be a loss of the good vitamins and nutrients.

Memories:

My connection to this dish started before I was born, I truly believe. This came about because the one craving that my mom had the very first three months of her pregnancy with me was sopita de fideo. She explained to me that it was the only thing that would stay down through her morning sickness. My great grandmother and my other family members would make it for her every other day or so. They laughed when they would tell me the story and said they had to do it so that I wouldn’t come out looking like fideo. This is a myth that is common amongst Mexicans… if you don’t give a pregnant person what they want to eat then the baby will look like whatever that particular food was. So, my appreciation and love for this soup was fate. As soon as I could start eating solids, I was eating sopita de fideo.

As a child, this was a dish that I could not and would not refuse. The smell of sopita de fideo filling the air was enough to get me away from anything that I was doing. Even if I was playing barbies, coloring, or watching television. This soup was and is my favorite. Even back when I couldn’t record the show I was watching on the DVR. If I missed it that was it there was no rewind or pausing like there is now. But it didn’t matter, on top of that, I had to eat at the dinner table away from the T.V. The soup warmed up my belly and hugged me to my core as it has for so many years.

Sopita de fideo holds a special place in heart and I know it might sound silly to some because it’s just food. But this soup has helped to strengthen relationships and bonds, it has made me feel better when I’ve been sick, it gave me peace and comfort when I needed it, it has nourished my body, and it brings back wonderful memories of people that I care deeply about but are no longer here with me in the physical world. I’m thankful that I get to share these memories with those closest to me.

Sopita de fideo now brings joy to my immediate family too. It brings my children to the kitchen even when there busy doing other things. It starts great conversations around the dinner table. I am able to feed it to my family with confidence knowing that it has so much good stuff in it for our bodies. Even more so, it has helped us when we have struggled financially or just needed to make it for a couple of days before payday. This dish reminds me and my family to be humble and grateful for each other and everything we have. I plan to continue sharing sopita de fideo with those I treasure and love the most.

 

Torta Helada 

Torta Helada 

Torta Helada is a Peruvian specialty. It roughly translates to frozen cake. You can find this cake in just about every dessert shop in Lima, Peru. These types of cakes are very popular. So much so that my mother was even able to start her own small business making jellos cakes for birthday parties and special events. Not only are we attached to this jiggly dessert through business, but also in personal matters as well. This very simple but very delicious dessert helped create bonds in my family and memories that will never be forgotten. This dessert allowed me to truly open up and accept a new way of life through a difficult time in my adolescence. I know,I know, that seems like alot to ask from one simple cake, right? The reality is, learning how to make this sweet treat gave me a sense of belonging and kinship with my sudden new familial arrangement. When I think back to the first time I had this treat in my new home, I was scared but also, with one bite, still felt like I WAS home. One familiar bite gave me back everything I knew. This isn’t just a dessert to me, it’s a beautiful memory.

 

Ingredients

2 cups (16oz) of Nestle evaporated milk

2 boxes of Jell-o instant mix – strawberry flavored

1 Pillsbury Moist Supreme White Premium Cake Mix, 15.25 oz

1 packet of colapez (unflavored gelatin) 

1 batch of fresh strawberries 

 

Tools

3 mixing bowls

1 cake pan/mold for jello

1cake pan/mold for cake 

1 pair of kitchen scissors*

1 mixer (hand held or other)

1 knife 

1 spatula 

 

*if you’d rather bypass the cutting process, use two small cake pans to create two even layers smaller than the diameter of the mold you will be using to pour the jello 

 

Instructions 

In order to achieve the best results, we suggest prepping your ingredients the night before. First, bake the Pillsbury cake according to the instructions on the box. We used the white cake mix just so that it does not take away from the main components of the Torta Helada but you can use any cake mix you would like! Chocolate, vanilla, funfetti, whatever flavor your heart desires. You really can not go wrong here. 

 

One thing to keep in mind is that we want the base (the cake) to be smaller in diameter than the jello that will surround it. You can either use two smaller cake pans to bake your cake in two even layers or take a pair of scissors to cut off the excess of the cake that you no longer need, making sure to cut it as evenly as possible. We decided to just use the pan we currently have and cutt off the excess once it was done. Once you have fully baked the cake to completion, let it rest on the side to cool and refrigerate when cooled. I know, I know, it is almost impossible to resist a freshly baked slice of cake but you must! The reason it needs to cool is because you want the cake to be nice and cold when applying the jell-o. If you were to add it fresh out of the oven, the heat would melt the jello and absorb the mix into the cake, and we definitely do not want that.

 

Now we can move on to your strawberries.

 

When prepping your strawberries be sure to wash them really well. Once they are washed, let them dry in the refrigerator overnight. Prepping your strawberries the night before, as opposed to the the same day, ensures that the strawberries will not be too soft or soggy when you’re placing them on your torta helada the next day. This is totally up to personal preference but you can either remove or leave the calyx  on the strawberries. We like to leave it on for decoration but it is not necessary. Do what works best for you. Once you are done with your strawberries and your cake, place them both in the fridge overnight to cool. Put your evaporated milk in the freezer over night so that in the morning it will be almost slushie like.

 

The day has finally come to complete your torta helada, hooray! 

So now the first thing you want to do is get out all your ingredients and set them in front of you. 

If you haven’t already, cut your cake to the size you’d like to be (remember, it needs to be smaller than the pan you have your jello in because the jello needs to cover it completely). Once that is done, go ahead and cut your cake down the middle to separate the top half from the bottom half, creating two equal layers. Put your halves to the side and let’s pour us some jello! 

Prepare both boxes of jello separately. With one of the prepared jellos, pour it in the pan and then add your strawberries in whichever design pattern you would like. From there you can put that pan in the fridge and forget about for about 30 minutes. While your jello is cooling and solidifying in the fridge, take out your frozen nestle evaporated milk. You can let those sit out for a bit to allow the milk to thaw just a little and get to a slushie-like consistency but not thaw completely. 

 

Once that has been sitting out for a bit, pour two cups of evaporated milk into a bowl and start mixing it with a mixer. We want to essentially whip the milk into a thick creamy consistency. While whipping the milk, start adding jello from the other bowl you prepared slowly into the bowl with the milk while you are mixing it still. This is going to create the light pink layer surrounding the cake. Once mixed completely you will need to start assembling your cake.

 

 

 

Bring out the layer of jello with the strawberries that we let solidify in the fridge now. Scoop a good portion of your whipped jello and place it over that jello layer. You must work quickly because the whipped jello hardens pretty fast and becomes unmanageable after it stiffens up. Once you place the bottom layer, add your cake piece on top, more whipped jello, then your last piece of cake on top of that. You should now fill in the sides and all areas surrounding the cake. They need to be completely covered with the whipped jello.

Once you’ve covered all sides of the cake, You are all done! Congratulations! You have officially made Torta Helada. Now, place it back in the fridge for a few hours to let it cool for a while and then serve and enjoy with your family and friends,

Spicy and Sweet Rice Cakes

Although I am not Korean, I have a lot of memories of Korean food since my middle school days. There was something called the Korean Wave (Hallyu)  that was rising since the late 90’s and was coming over to the States and other countries. What it was and still is, is the popularity of movies/dramas, food and music from South Korea.

As I was becoming a teenager, I was trying to figure myself out. What kind of music did I like? What foods do I like? What type of shows do I like? Since my parents could not afford cable, we had a regular television set. In one of those days, I was flipping around different channels that would only display to me shows in another language. As I was ready to turn off the TV, a group of femine but masculine men showed up on screen singing in a catchy tune and wearing elaborate outfits. I was curious what I was watching and continued to watch until the song ended and the group name appeared on the screen. I was amazed and wanted to know more. I began to research about this group and the type of genre that came up was “K-Pop” (Korean Pop). I showed one of my siblings and we began to watch together as we started learning the different groups there were at the time. We were hooked!

Going to Koreatown was the first time I tasted Korean food. My siblings and I went to a local mall we heard had posters and CD’s of Korean Pop artists. After shopping for some time, we were hungry and decided to get Korean food at the food court. I remember that was the first time I ate something different from what I was used to and it also opened the doors that lead me to trying different foods in the future.

I clearly remember ordering a Korean soup like I have seen in the dramas, to my surprise however, the soup came out cold. I thought there was a mistake and my mom also asked me to send it back since it was ice cold with ice cubes in it! That was for sure a culture shock I didn’t expect to experience. When I went to go return the dish, I reread the menu and it said “Cold Soup,” when I looked it up, I found it was supposed to be cold to cool you down during the hot summer days! After explaining to my mother, she was still confused and would look at my dish with curiosity when I began to eat it. I could not get the hang of the taste but after awhile, I was wanting more when I finished it!

After the years, the Hallyu Wave became even bigger. Conventions were being held and people were also holding group dances and recording them on youtube. I continued my journey in trying all different types of foods since I was living in a very diverse county.

Even after years later, me and my siblings go to Koreatown to make memories and eat the food there. A few weeks ago, I recommended we go to a popular restaurant that only serves Tteok-bokki (Spicy Rice Cakes) and even makes it as a challenge for people who want to try the super hot version of it. The place is called Yup Dduk La and even though we chose the extra mild (least spicy) on the menu, it was still too spicy for me.

Last week, my siblings and I decided to go to H-mart in Torrance, a popular Korean grocery store. There we bought all the ingredients needed to make the Tteok-bokki the way we wanted.

Ingredients:

  • Rice Cakes (Bags depending on how many people you will cook for)
  • Pickled Radish (Optional)
  • Kimchi (Optional)

  • Gochujang (Spicy or Sweet)

  • Ramen Noodles
  • Mozzarella Cheese (Recommended)
  • Corn (Optional)
  • Seaweed (Optional)

  • Korean Sausages (Optional)

There are many ways to make Tteok-bokki. Some people like it spicy than sweet, I am the opposite. Some people will add hard boiled eggs, green onions, fish cakes (most common), sesame seeds, etc,. Since me and my siblings wanted to make it the way we wanted it to, we created the perfect recipe for us.

Some recipes will be a little difficult to find if you are not used to an asian market. However, most markets now I have english on top of the aisle boards to make it easier to spot some ingredients. The rice cakes we found were in the frozen part of the fridge. I usually find them in two different locations in the Korean markets. The Kimchi, Korean Sausages and the Pickled Radish will also be found in the refrigerator aisle. There are different types of Pickled Radish so one can choose which one they prefer. Of course the Ramen Noodles will be in the noodle aisle and the Gochujang will mostly be in the sauce aisle. There are different spicy levels from mild to super hot. I always like to choose the mild so the spiciness is not overpowering and I can actually taste the dish.

Step 1: In a pot, add water to a boil. Afterwards, put in the rice cakes until they have become chewy. Drain and put aside.

Step 2: In another pot, cook the ramen noodles with water that has begun to boil (We added 5 packets). My sister chose a popular ramen in South Korea called Buldak-bokkeum-myeon. There are many popular youtube videos doing the challenge of these noodles since they are also known to be nuclear hot. Her and I agreed to put some of the nuclear sauce in but also add more of the sweet Gochujang sauce my mother in law made for me so everyone could eat it. Add packets of flavoring to the pot plus a little bit of the nuclear sauce to add heat. After it is done, set aside.

Note: Since rice cakes take longer to cook, we suggest doing that first. Ramen noodles are quick to become soggy if cooked for too long so one should be mindful of that. 

Step 3: Get another pot and combine the rice cakes and the ramen noodles in it. Start adding the Gochujang sauce and taste for your liking. We added frozen corn and blocks of cheese. Since I only had one block of Mozzarella cheese, we decided to add the other cheeses I had in my fridge as well. It was a mix of Colby and Monterey Jack cheese that added another great flavor to it! Add as much cheese as you want.

Step 4: Mix in any other add ons you want to your dish and turn on the medium heat. This is when I add the seaweed.

Note: Seaweed adds an umami flavor to the dish and I recommend it if one is not fond of fish cakes.

Step 5: In a separate pan, I decided to cook the sausages to make them a little bit more flavorful. They had already been cooked but wanted more of the meaty flavor to come out. After a few minutes, I then added the sausages into the big pot of rice cakes and continued to mix the pot until the sausages were well placed.

Note: If the rice cake seems too dry, I recommend using the soup that was left over when cooking the noodles. A little bit of moisture will make the dish easier to mix.

Step 6: When it is done, put the pot in the middle of a table or where you will be eating with family or friends. This can also be eaten by yourself in a small bowl. My sister is a huge fan of pickled korean radish so we put those as the sides, soy sauce, and kimchi. Enjoy!

My sister purchased four big bags of rice cakes. Since we are a family of seven, we had plenty to call over a friend and even have left over for days!

For me, this dish symbolizes a few things that I have associated it with. It reminds me of my second year anniversary with my husband at the cafe we had our first date in. It reminds me of the wonderful memories going to Koreatown with my siblings and trying out different foods we would discover.

In Roy Choi’s book LA Son, he shows us his LA in where he grew up in. After reading the book, I have discovered my Los Angeles and still doing so to this day. Although there are a lot of bad things about the city I live in, I can’t find another place like it. I really do love the diversity that this city has. I am able to travel the world without leaving the state. I am able to find people like me but also other people that are not. I am able to experience other perspectives that I would not be able to if I lived somewhere else. 

A recipe that made my heart happy was Choi’s recipe on Korean Pupusas. Pupusas is the national dish of my parents home country, El Salvador. Just like Choi created the Korean taco, he also acknowledged another latino country and created the Korean Pupusa. In my opinion, making pupusas is a lot of work, however, I would really love to make this dish at least once in my life or even taste it. For me, this recipe represents my husband and I. As an interacial couple, I do not want to lose my culture while also not losing his culture when I cook. Some days I will make Latino food, other days I will make Korean food. I have yet to create one dish that represents both my culture and his. What I felt like was impossible, he was able to do it. It is like getting the best of both worlds. I have told my husband that it would be cool to open a Korean-Salvadoran fusion restaurant in Koreatown some day. For now, it is only a fleeting thought. However, Choi showed me that it is possible. 

If there are any restaurants you are curious in checking out, I will recommend some places. Yellow House is where I had my first date with the love of my life. They serve European/Korean/Japanese food in a delicious twist. White and Brown is my favorite Boba tea cafe where they serve their teas with cheese foam to give a sweet and salty taste. Another favorite of mine is Myungrang hot dogs, a popular corn dog street food that is on the rise in Asia. They put sugar on the corndog plus potatoes if you ask for it. My favorite is ordering the squid ink corndog that comes with sausage and mozzarella cheese. They also have a rice drink that you  must try! It is like the horchata version drink of some Latino countries. Koreatown has endless possibilities of delicious foods. I am always discovering a new place or trying a new dish just by walking by. Everytime I have to visit my in-laws, I always make an excuse to try out the different restaurants in that area.

I know that over the years, Koreatown will be changing. Groups of people will come and go. My husband tells me all the places he used to go to as a child are now replaced with the stores and restaurants that have taken over. It is a little sad, but I think that is a bittersweet feeling that Los Angeles has over me.

Going back to Tteok-bokki, my favorite so far is in Yellow House and my newly homemade recipe. I am excited to share this new dish I learned and teach it to my children some day in the future. To clarify, Tteok-bokki is a wonderful comfort food but a really high calorie meal since you can eat a lot of rice cakes in a short amount of time. It should be eaten once in a while.

References:

Miss Vivian’s Tuna Fish Sandwich

Before I get into the recipe, I just want to say that almost EVERYBODY has made, at one time or another in their life, a tuna fish sandwich. Okay, now that that is out of the way, let’s talk.  Because my mother was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, she could cook! Or as they say in the ‘hood, she could “throw down.” I like a lot of things my mama made for me for lunch back in the day, the time when you could walk home for lunch and then go back to school. Long time ago, I know. But anyway, here’s the thing. Couldn’t nobody, I mean nobody, make the tuna   sandwich like my mama did! I know what you may be saying, that it’s “just a damn sandwich.” But to me it was more than that. Now mind you, I’m in elementary school at the time.

 

(This is a younger me. Not quite the age when I first chowed down on my mama’s tuna sandwiches, but hey, you get the point.)

Of course mom’s sandwiches were bomb, but so was everything she made lol. I remember how, when money got low for us, how she would pretend like we were having this lavish meal to eat for dinner lol.   What did we know, we were just kids living in the Jordan down projects in Watts in the 1960’s https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watts,_Los_Angeles and it seemed pretty lavish to us.   I mean, we used the `good” plates. Now mind you, the meal consisted of the sandwich, home fried potato chips, or sometimes she would cut the potatoes thick-like and fry them in that Cristo cooking grease.  And what meal would be complete back in the day without, you guessed it, kool-aid, usually the red flavored kind. Soo good. I even remember my dad coming through (which was rare) and giving my mom some money to help feed us until she got paid from the domestic work she did for the white people across town.  I remember those days. Those were some tough times back then. A constant struggle for her raising five girls mostly on her own.

Even back then it was hard but she made sure we had the best that she could provide. Even back then, my sisters and I were envied for our fashion and styles. We learned it from our mother. She made sure we had everything and I mean everything we needed. I know that this recipe is an easy one, but not for me it wasn’t.  I started to reminisce about the life my mother had to live, being uneducated (only going to the 5th grade) because her parents had died (still to this day none of us know what happened to them because she never discussed any of that stuff with us. Back in the day, old folks kept everything “secret” SMH). One thing me and my sisters learned early on is how to work and take care of ourselves at an early age. I could cook, sew, shop for groceries (by myself), iron, wash clothes in the old tub washing machine where you had to take a large wooden stick to take the clothes out, hang the wet clothes on the line to dry (no dryers back then and if they did exist, we certainly didn’t know about them). 

All in all, I chose to do this sandwich because of how the sandwich makes me feel while eating it. Made me remember when neighbors were more like a family — everybody working together, community taking care of one another, and everybody knew EVERYBODY.  Sitting outside on hot summer nights, drinking delicious tangy-ass homemade lemonade (the kids were but some of the adults sitting out on those hot nights was gettin’ liquored up lol), maybe carving up a watermelon (yep, I said it, Black folk did like to eat their watermelon sitting out on the porch on a hot summer night). That’s a no-no now, of course, not politically correct (eyeroll here).  Anyway, now that I think back to those times, it was the love for family and a sense of pride and closeness of the community that probably left a good taste in my mouth. Those were the days I still crave, but alas, they are gone forever. Nowadays, you don’t know WHO is living next door to you. Oh, the memories. Okay, well, enough of that. Now, let’s get crackin’ on this recipe so you too can taste the goodness that I know all too well with my mama’s tuna fish recipe.

I am using just her basics because the mayonnaise they used back then, I can never remember the name, and they probably don’t sell it anymore anyway. The other ingredients are what I have used over the years and tweaked to my liking. I think I like tuna fish because it reminds me of her, not that it’s anything magical or wondrous–It’s just our connection while I am eating the sandwich. Now, let’s get it on.

OK, first, gather all of your food for this fantastic sandwich which will feed between 2 to 4 people. And this is what you will need:  

2 (or 3) 6 oz. cans of Chunk Light Tuna in water (I use Chicken of the Sea, but you can use whatever is your preference. I don’t know exactly what brand mom used back then, her recipe just said tuna. (Simple enough)

3 Large Hard-Boiled Eggs

1 Celery Stalk (I chop mine medium-fine)

1/4 chopped red onion* (not in my mama’s original recipe but added by    me years ago; she used white onions, I prefer red)

2 tablespoons of Sweet Pickle Relish (more if needed after you taste; I really dump in about ¼ of a cup and more if I’m feeling adventurous that day lol

½ teaspoon of Onion Powder *  (more if needed after you taste) 

½ teaspoon of Garlic Powder *  (more if needed after you taste)

¼ cup of Mayonnaise (any kind you choose, I use Hillman’s. I also like my tuna more “moist” so I add the ¼ cup.  If you want yours on the dryer side, start out with a tablespoon and work your way up to your taste)

1 tablespoon of Yellow Mustard (the regular french’s brand kind; more if you prefer after you taste)

Scant bit of smoked paprika *

Fresh Lemon Juice (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

* not in my mama’s original recipe; added by moi (me).

OK, Let’s Do This: 

  • Get the eggs going 
  • Start your eggs in room temperature water, with the water completely submerging the eggs in the pot, then bring the water to a slow boil for about 10 minutes.  After that, increase your heat a little higher until you see the eggs slowly start to boil (another 10 minutes or until you see the water mid-rapidly boiling). Don’t boil the eggs too long or it will surely take away from the taste of the eggs;  makes them too dry. Turn off the heat after said time, dump the hot water in the sink and replace the hot water with cold water in the pot. Let the eggs cool by themselves sitting in the cold water while you get crackin’ on the rest of the ingredients:

  • Open the cans of tuna and squeeze out ALL of the liquid.  I usually put on those surgical gloves you can get from the .99 cents store and really squeeze away until no liquid comes out.  I mean really squeeze (like you’re trying to choke out that person that has been bothering you all day (just kidding). But for real. And now that you got that out of your system…
  • Place tuna in a bowl
  • Add your spices-

Smoked Paprika, onion powder and garlic powder (add salt and pepper at the end, not now)  

  • Okay, next, add your veggies- 

Celery and red onions

  • Now, check to see if your eggs are completely cooled.  If so, chop however you want (mine are medium fine), and add to the bowl (but only if completely cooled because they will cut up better for you)

 

  • Next, Get a clean fork and smush (mix) everything together.  

Now, add the holy grail of sweet pickle relish, mayo and mustard and blend well (one at a time, though)

  • Salt and pepper to taste. 
  • This is where you add more of whatever you think you need more of after the official taste test. I added more of everything because I like more of a robust flavoring in my tuna (don’t judge me 👀). Oh, and I forgot, just if you want a little “twang,” I squeeze in some fresh lemon juice after everything, and stir it up. You may want to put a small portion of the tuna in a separate container to see if you like it with the lemon, if you don’t like it, the rest of your tuna won’t have it in there. 

 

And, Voila! That’s it! You can spread this oh so good deliciousness on bread or crackers or rolled in lettuce for you low-carbers.  I prefer mine with celery sticks really (right now I do because I didn’t have any bread in the house when I prepared this lol). And salty chips and Ooo don’t forget that tangy, homemade, fresh squeezed lemonade. Yes ma’am.

Honey chile, enjoy!

Hope you enjoy this just as much as I do. I make this when I want to feel happiness and comfort. 

I pull out the old picture album books (remember those) , eat my sandwich, drink my lemonade and reminiscence.

There’s nothing sweeter.

Hey, Some Fun Facts:

What exactly is tuna?

A tuna  (also called tunny) is a saltwater fish belonging to the tribe Thunnini, a subgrouping of the mackerel family.

Who Invented the sandwich and why?

It is said that John Montagu, a gambler and the 4th Earl of sandwich, is the inventer. His reasoning being was that he did not want to leave the gambling table to eat, so he placed all of the meal, consisting of his meat and veggies, in between his bread and chowed down.  Hey, the guy was lazy, but what can I say. 

Who invented the tuna fish sandwich?

It was invented by Henry Tuna in 1944. A tuna fish sandwich, a tuna salad sandwich, or tuna sandwich, is a type of sandwich usually made with tuna salad and includes ingredients such as mayonnaise and celery.

Check out some of the different types of tuna fish (or fishes?) below:

Thunnus obesus (Bigeye Tuna) -Often confused with the yellowfin; has fins edged in black; larger eyes; more robust body shape with striped or streaked liver.

Thunnus alalunga (Albacore Tuna) -has longest pectoral fins and lightest, whitest flesh of any tuna.

Thunnus orientalis (Bluefin Tuna) -Largest and most expensive of tuna, and can live up to 40 years in the ocean.

Thunnus Thynnus (Bluefin) – King of tunas; mature in 6 years, around 300 pounds.

Katsuwonus pelamis (Skipjack Tuna) -Distinct lower horizontal stripes; found in all temperate and tropical seas; forms huge schools; is the most canned of tunas.

Thunnus tonggol (Longtail Tuna) -Popular gamefish in Australia; labeled northern bluefin even though not a species of bluefin.

Thunnus albacore (Yellowfin Tuna) -Bright yellow finlets; fished tropically around the world; grows 200 pounds in 7 years; 

Did you know that canned light tuna is better and lower in mercury than canned white (albacore) and yellowfin tuna? Well it is according to the FDA (Federal Department of Agriculture) and the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). Canned white (albacore) tuna and yellowfin are higher in mercury, but ok to eat sparingly because of the mercury percentage they each have in them. Bigeye tuna, they say, should be avoided completely.

References

Prezi. (n.d.). The History of the Sandwich. Retrieved from https://prezi.com/ybqb7iisthc-/the-history-of-the-sandwich/

 

https://prezi.com/ybqb7iisthc-/the-history-of-the-sandwich/

 

The Sandwich That Started It All®. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://earlofsandwichusa.com/who-we-are/

 

https://earlofsandwichusa.com/who-we-are/

 

Woodward, C., Migdalski, T., Olander, D., Staley, T., Frederiksen, P., & Waters, S. (n.d.). An Illustrated Guide to Types of Tuna. Retrieved from https://www.sportfishingmag.com/tunas-world-an-illustrated-guide/

https://www.sportfishingmag.com/tunas-world-an-illustrated-guide/

My Mama’s Sweet Potato Pie

Ah…potatoes. We like (some even love) them right? From the salty taste of the hard crisped chip in our mouths (umm), to the baked spud bursting with sour cream, chives, and that ooey, gooey “buddha” (butter), to the sunday morning staple that was in our home for breakfast consisting of bacon and eggs with hash-browned potatoes cooked in bacon grease remnants, with sauteed onions and green bell pepper (can’t you just smell the aroma?).  Well, for my class presentation, I chose a potato that was always in our household for holidays and special occasions that was turned into the decadent, ever so sweet tasting, and always a winner, my mama’s sweet potato pie.

Why did I choose the “sweet potato” pie?  Well, I’m glad you asked! This pie has been a staple with African American’s since way before I was even born, and especially in our house. Mama used to make these, as I remember, not only for us, but for our neighbors as well.  You see, her pies were “special.” That’s all we, (my sisters and I) would hear. Now, my pies really don’t hold a candle to my mother’s because, honestly, I think she did not put down EVERYTHING on her recipe card that she put into those pies!  For real. My pies are only a close second in comparison to what I remember tasting. 

So, Who’s on First

It is said that the sweet potato was first brought to this country by the Brits. Well, not so fast. Depending on where you look or who you ask, it is said that the yam was the first to appear. So who is right?  What I discovered is that the Brits brought the pumpkin pie recipe over during slavery, but that slaves started using a sweeter potato (did you get that what I just did right here) for the pies the because spices used to sweeten anything was not readily available to the slaves. They used what they had and was only allowed to use these special spices needed in cooking the pies for the main house, the master’s quarters. 

So What’s the Diff?

Sweet Potato                                                  Yam

Belong to morning glory family                       Belong to lily family

Sweeter and more moist                                 Less sweet and more starch

Dark skin, orange flesh                                  Golden skin, pale flesh                                                                                                      (white/yellow) 

Long shelf life                                                 Even better shelf life than SP

Lower in Calories                                            Higher in calories

Shaped like a potato                                       Shaped long and cylindrical

More beta-carotene                                        Better source of potassium

90 calories (½ cup)                                         116 calories (½ cup)

0 fat                                                                  0 fat

20 g carbs                                                         27 g carbs

Lower glycemic index                                        Higher glycemic index

In the United States, yams are hard to find, are imported, and rarely found in local grocery stores. You can find them in international or even ethnic markets. There are over 600 varieties. Sweet potatoes, on the other hand, being more used and more popular in cooking, are more plentiful around the world. 

Don’t Get Them Toes Cut Off!

So as you can see, sweet potatoes are sweeter and moister than yams but lower on the glycemic index which means that their carbs are released more slowly into the bloodstream.  As stated in my class presentation, a sweet potato pie is a “sometime” food mainly because of the added sugar, butter and milk the cook has to put in the recipe. With that being said, can we talk? Diabetes, yes big D, is rampant not only in African American community, but everywhere in the United States.  Unfortunately, we have become a country of diabetics (pre, type 1 and type 2). According to just about anywhere you read or any form of media you watch or listen to, it’s no surprise that this is unfortunately true, even among our teens and younger children! According to the ADA (American Diabetes Association) in 2018, 34.2 million Americans, or 10.5% of the population, had diabetes. Nearly 1.6 million Americans (about 187,000) have type 1 diabetes, and that includes children and adolescents and 14.3 million seniors (age 65 and older, diagnosed and undiagnosed). Approximately 1.5 million new cases of diabetes is reported for Americans each year.  

 Why This Potato and not That Potato

We as Blacks in this foreign place called America have, as everyone knows, struggled to be accepted.  We were forced here against our will, and, after that, we were stripped of everything — culture, family, our native language of Africa, and some did not even make it long enough to be stripped–They lost their lives during the uber ride over here.  When I would hear my mama and her friends laugh and talk around the holidays while preparing all that food, even as a little kid, I knew that time was a special time. They were laughing, telling jokes, whispering stuff (eye roll here) in each other’s ears so the kids (us) could not hear what they whispered. They were  generally happy I think. But I did not remember them being THIS happy every regular day. What I DO remember were the worries they had but tried to hide from us, the tears, the anguish, the everyday struggles and sometimes the fear. Yes, even as a kid I could just feel the fear. Now, I didn’t know exactly why they were fearful but I could sense it and we’d hear bits and pieces of their “hushed” conversations.  So I guess I decided to make this pie as a tribute to my mother, who has long left this earth, as a way to publicly say “Thank You”. Thanks for being my mother and raising me to try to be the best that I can be, even if you did  not have any experience to draw from to show me an example, you always seemed to do your best. Thanks for never giving up, even though sometimes I know you wanted to–but you didn’t. THANKS. My love for her and hers for me will never cease because when I bake this pie, it’s like I can still hear the commotion in the kitchen, the smell of all the food cooking, the laughing, the jokes (theirs), the good times back then.  No worries, just a great time in my life. Mostly.

Mom’s Mexican Style Albondigas

What is Albondigas Soup?

Albondigas is one of the most preferred Mexican style soups that is so flavorful and very tasty served in the most know bowl that my mother often used.  It is the Spanish version of meatballs.  This delicious soup is filled with small meatballs that are rolled in a ball filled with several ingredients along with the veggies and potatoes that make the soup so appetizing.  This was also one of my mother’s favorite dishes to make as it was my family’s favorite soup as well.  This dish along with all the soups my mom made was and still are a traditional Mexican soul food.  This is a Mexican dish and depending on what city in Mexico you reside in the recipe becomes uniquely different.

Comfort Food

This soup to me is more like a comfort food especially during the cold or rainy weather.  As I was growing up, I was very fortunate to come home to fresh home cooked meals because my mother didn’t work and she stayed at home.  Once I was out of school, I was anxious to get home because I knew there was always something delicious cooking on the stove.  As I walked towards the door, I could begin to smell the delicious aroma of my mother’s food.  I always looked forward to whatever my mom made especially this delicious soup on a cold rainy day and it was the best.  It was a soup that was and still is warm hearty and very flavorful.  We often ate this with a tortilla and some mayonnaise smothered in it, and little squirt of lemon in the soup to give it that lemony taste.  The tortilla with mayonnaise was a must have as I dipped the tortilla in my soup with squirts of lemon.  It was the perfect combination.  The meatballs in my mother’s recipe was just so distinct that when you bite into it, it makes you wonder what is that in-distinctive taste.  This was only to find out that it is the that the mint added a little kick to the meat balls.  My mother was always so proud when she made her dishes and always made more than enough as my mother loved the compliments of her food.

Origin of Albondigas

It is so amazing to know the Albondigas acquired its name from the “Arabic word al-bunduq, which derives from the Greek word for hazelnut, suggesting that the meatballs are of the same shape and size” (Culinarylore, 2016).  I never imagined to call Albondigas a meat ball, I never thought of it this way until I was doing research on this dish.  Little did I know that this dish originated in Spain in the 16th century.  However, the dish goes back even further as it is also considered an “Islamic or Moorish transplant” as it was tracked back to the Islamic influence during the time when the Arabs invaded Spain.  However, it is also linked to the Europeans way of cooking.  Nevertheless, as Koji stated, food is a mixture of cultures.  The albondigas has been a mixture of cultures too as it seemed to have been a very important and enjoyed just now as much as it was back then.   The albondiga/meatball soup has been very infamous recipe back then just as it is today.  The original recipe was made of beef, turkey or chicken.  The dish has been made with cilantro, mint, oregano and many more spices added to it.  As time passed this dish has changed and there are many distinct ways or preparing this dish.  This recipe was introduced to Mexico when the Spanish Conquistadores conquered Mexico.  Since then, the recipe has one again changed as every city if Mexico will prepare it uniquely.  Nonetheless, the albondigas comes from the same origin and continues to be a preferred dish today.

Ingredients for the Recipe

1 tomato sliced                                                                                                                  1 white onion sliced                                                                                                            1 can of tomato sauce                                                                                                       1 sliced potato                                                                                                                    1 sliced chayote                                                                                                                  Baby Carrots                                                                                                                        4-6 single celery stalk sliced into small                                                                                1 pd of ground beef                                                                                                            Bundle of mint finely chopped                                                                                            Tomatillos diced                                                                                                                   ½ onion diced                                                                                                                     1 egg                                                                                                                                   Rice                                                                                                                                     Knorr Mexican Chicken Flavor Bouillon seasoning

     

Directions in preparing the Meatballs                                                                           

bundle of mint finely chopped                                                                                              tomatillos diced                                                                                                                    1 pd of ground beef                                                                                                            ½  onion diced                                                                                                                    1 egg                                                                                                                                 rice (not cooked)                                                                                                                 mix all ingredients and make into small meatballs about the size of a hazelnut

Directions for preparing the Soup

Once the ingredients have been prepared and arranged, put a little oil in a pot with sliced onion and tomatoes to sauté for about 10 minutes.

Once sautéed add water and allow to boil for about 10 minutes.

Once the water begins to get hotter add 1 can of tomato sauce, Knorr Chicken Flavor Bouillon based on your taste preference to enrich the flavor of the soup until the mixtures have settled and darkened for about 5 minutes.

Once the water becomes flavorful add the vegetables excluding the celery and let boil for about -10 minutes.  You want to make sure that the veggies do not soften where it begins to fall apart.

As it continues to boil and veggies begin to soften a little, you will then add the prepared small albondigas (meatballs) and continue to boil.  Once the albondigas are half way cooked you can add the celery so that it can have that semi firm texture as it can soften too much and continue to boil and let the soup cook thoroughly to perfection!

Nutritional Facts

The nutritional benefits of this dish are the ground beef.  In my recipe I used 93% lean, it is rich with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.  Ground beef is available in a variety of fat contents to accommodate the consumers healthy choices.                                      Chayote is a fruit and is also known to be an anti-inflammatory.   It is rich in fiber, antioxidants and helps with indigestion.  It is also known to lower cholesterol and control sugar levels.  Chayote is low in calories and contains high level of water that will make you feel full.  It is rich with vitamin C, minerals and contains folate known as folic acid.  It also contains zinc which support our taste and smell.                                                        Golden Potato is a good source of vitamin C, vitamin B 6, potassium and fiber.              Baby Carrots are known to improve you vision and contain beta carotene, fiber and potassium.                                                                                                                Celery nutritional benefits is that it is full of antioxidants and is an anti-inflammatory.  It is also known to improve blood pressure, prevent cancer and is beneficial for your digestive system and your heart.

Significance Albondigas Soup

It is a traditional homemade soup that has been passed through three generations of my family, from my grandmother to my mother and now me and my siblings.  I hope to one day pass this recipe on to my kids and hope they enjoy it as much as I do.  It was very significant that I learn how to make this recipe as it is a part of my childhood and brings a lot of memories.  This recipe along with many other recipes will be lost if we do not learn to make these dishes.  Therefore, it is very important to learn as this will down the line continue creating some good family memories.  This dish has also been passed down to my sister in laws as well.  I come from a large family and Mexican families are usually family oriented, so whenever I make this family recipe my siblings get excited and ask if they can come over for dinner. This dish happens to brings my family together and that makes me happy.  My mother also gets very delighted to see her children together and what an amazing way to do this, a simple authentic Mexican soup.  I am so grateful to my mother that taught me which I have now mastered on how to make her infamous Albondigas soup.  I have mastered my mom’s recipe and this is very meaningful.  My sister also has told me that I happen to make this dish better than her and that it tastes just like my mothers.  My mother took a lot of pride when she cooked for me and my sibling and just as Roy Choi stated in his book “Cook with your soul” (Choi, 331), and that is exactly whaat my mother did whenever should cooked any meal.  Now that I have learned to make this dish my mother is honored that I can make this dish because she always tells me “you see, I taught you well”.

Cultural Connection

My connection to this dish is that albondigas represents our culture and family traditions.  Being a first generation here in the U.S., I was brought up eating authentic Mexican food.  My sibling and I did not eat the typical American food (burgers, hot dogs French fries, sandwiches, etc…) which a lot of these foods are known as junk food known in spanish as “comida chatarra” .   I didn’t even know what that was until I became a teenager.  American food then became a treat after Sunday mass. You can eat fast food anytime but a homecooked meal is almost rare now.  When I was younger, I had no interest in learning how to cook, now that I have my children, I learned to make this recipe.  When my son was younger, he would eat this soup.  Now that he is an adult, I have tried to cook Albondigas on cold rainy days but he barely eats and my daughter is such a finicky eater sometimes she will refuse to eat.  It is so sad that I feel my kids will not have the same experience and the connection to our cultural Mexican cuisines that was previously past down throughout our past three generations.

Interesting Facts

Orange carrots acquire their color from beta carotene.

Chayote a fruit also known as the mirliton squash belong to the gourd family.  Every piece of this plant is edible from, the stem, the leave to the seed.

Though it said that the Spanish Albondiga meatball originated in Spain the Europeans claim that it originated and it was influenced by them.

 Reference

Choi, R., Nguyen, T., & Phan, N. (2013). L.A. son: My life, my city, my food. New York, NY: Ecco.

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

https://fitandelegant.com/health-benefits-of-chayote-essential-nutrients-in-your-plate/

https://culinarylore.com/dishes:what-are-albondigas/

https://thesensiblemom.com/2019/11/latin-food-delicious-mexican-albondigas-soup-recipe/

https://www.afar.com/magazine/mexicos-soul-food

https://www.cntraveler.com/gallery/traditional-american-foods-and-where-to-eat-them

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

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

https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sed

https://www.fruitsinfo.com/chayote-fruit.php

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/280579#10_possible_health_benefits

My Mother’s Mole

My Mother’s Mole  

Origin of Mexico’s “National Dish”

The name Mole comes from the Nahuatl word for sauce – mōlli – and is the generic name for several variations of rich sauces that come in colors like yellow, red, black and even green (Cocking 2016). Mole is made from various chiles (chilis) especially chiles poblanos. Chile poblano means the chile from Puebla, a city that has played a key role in Mexican history and cuisine (Hansen,2003). Chile poblano is the reason why the Mole is known as Mole Poblano, meaning from Puebla. The two regions best known for their respective moles are Oaxaca and Puebla… Puebla’s most famous mole is without a doubt its namesake mole poblano, the most internationally recognized mole and the variation that is classed as the official national dish (Cocking 2016). Mole is one of the most recognizable dishes in Mexican cuisine. Symbolic of the way Mexico blended European and Aztec cultures in the years after the Spanish Conquest, Mole is made from a unique mixture of chocolate and hot peppers (Benitos).  History provides us with various stories of its origin dating back to Mesoamerica when Moctezuma served it to Cortés on his arrival to Mexico, since he thought Cortez to be a god. Another version reports, approximately 300 years ago, some of the poorest citizens of the Santa Rosa convent were preparing for a visit by the archbishop. Struggling to come up with a dish worthy of him, the nuns… mixed stale bread, nuts, chocolate, chili peppers, and spices to season the meat and make it more edible (Benitos). From Moctezuma and the nouns to now, the preparation of Mole is not easy, as many moles (particularly those originating in Oaxaca) are known to have 30+ ingredients (Cocking 2016). 

 What Mole Means to my Family 

Mole is part of my culture, not only do we enjoy eating it but mostly making it. My childhood celebrations, from my sister’s Quinceanera to my children’s baptisms, all involved my mother making Mole. Mole is like our family’s religion; it’s practiced and passed down from generation to generation. My favorite mother-daughter moments were spent with my mother teaching me how to cook, I not only felt pampered (having a personal teacher) but felt loved by having my mother pass down her Mexican recipe wisdom on to me. Even though Mole is not something we could make from scratch, due to its intense labor in preparation of various dried chiles, almonds, peanuts, chocolate and many more ingradients that are grounded into a paste then thinned with broth, Mole is our favorite rich, spicy sauce that we enjoy with chicken at many festivities. Mole can take up to two days to prepare, however, that the same Mole paste can also be purchase by the pound in traditional Mexican outlets like El Mercadito. El Mercadito, located in the heart of Los Angeles, El Mercadito comprises countless food options from various international cuisines, including Mexican snacks (Tiber 2019). Huge buckets of mole paste come from México to be sold at the market. Mole verde and rojo from Guerrero, mole negro or colorado from Oaxaca, mole poblano, and many others (Marrero 2016). El Mercadio is my favorite local ethnic place to shop for my favorite Mole. It’s difficut and not often but I sometimes get home made Mole from family members who travel to Mexico. I cherish the few times that I get Mole in a paste bases from those family members.  

Cultural significance of Mole for Mexicans 

Mexican cuisine is an important aspect of the culture, social structure and popular traditions of Mexico. The most important example of this connection is the use of Mole for special occasions and holidays…(en.wikipedia.org). Mole to me represents the hard work of an indigenous group of cooks who harvest, gather and prepared a unique sauce that is loved by so many including myself. Their teachings were too shared with their children as my mother shared with me. The tradition and knowledge of Mole is a special moment shared from generation to generation that can be said to be a cultural experience. My mother has shared her Mexican traditional recipes from Mole to enchiladas, pozole, menudo, tamales, enchiladas, birria, and barbacoa among others. Even though Mole is one of Mexico’s traditional dishes, Mexico has a diversified list of foods that varied from state to state.  

 

 Family Traditions 

My family’s favorite times involve food as part of a social gathering. My family, like many families, share their current life events at the dinner table to bring everyone up to date on their current status of happiness. The food served plays a big role at the dinner table too because is delicately prepared by the women in the family, who gather and share their cooking skills. I consider the preparation of food as a family to be one of my family’s traditions. Mole served with rice is one of the many, if not our favorite, foods to prepare as a family. My family’s favorite mole is the Mole Poblano, a rich less spice sauce infused with chocolate. After all, food is the common ground to join people together, and as my family would say, at our dinner table everyone is welcome and ” Donde come uno come dos”, meaning, where there’s enough for one, there’s enough for two. 

 

Mexican Rice 

Rice is the bond to many dishes within the Mexican cousin. Rice, unlike Mole, does not include too many ingredients nor takes days to prepared. Rice was introduced to Mexico via the Philippines, then transported to Acapulco…The Spaniards later found the lush tropical climate of Veracruz region of Mexico to be a perfect growing ground for rice (Bowman 2013). Rice can be enjoyed with beans and choice of meat as seen in Mexican restaurants. Rice is not only reserved as a savory dish, but it is also used in desserts, cakes, vegetable puddings, tamales, atoles, and even the well-known rice drink, horchata (Bowman 2013). Rice is also cooked in a few ways, my family’s choice of rice to accompany the Mole Poblano is the “Pilaf” style. Pilaf style is where the rice grains are browned and then simmered in broth (Bowman 2013). Rice is a must at my dinner table, since rice goes well with mostly all Mexican dishes. However, rice has been one of my most challenging dishes to make due to its water ratio that is not always perfect no matter how accurately you follow its recipe. Because of that, don’t feel bad if your rice does not looks exactly as the picture 

 

RECEPIES 

Mole with Chicken and Rice 

Total Time: 1½ hours Serves: 6 

  

Ingredients/utensils 

Mole: 

1 lb Mole Paste (from El Mercadito) 

Chicken broth. 

Salt 

Sesame seeds 

One 6 to 8-qt pot with a lid 

 

Chicken: 

3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs 

½ medium onion 

3 large garlic cloves 

6 cups of water 

salt 

One 6 to 8-qt pot with a lid 

 

Mexican Rice: 

1 cup of rice 

2 cups of chicken broth 

¼ small onion (sliced) 

4 tablespoons of virgin oil 

2 garlic cloves (peeled) 

2 medium tomatoes 

½ cup of water 

1 to 2 tablespoons Knorr chicken flavor bouillon powder  

One 6-qt pot with a lid 

 

PREPARATION 

 Chicken: 

  1. Place chicken, ½ medium onion, 3 large garlic cloves and 6 cups water in a large pot over medium-high heat, add salt to flavor about 10 minutes after. Boil until chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes. Save chicken broth for Mole and rice’s preparation.  
  1. While the chicken cooks, rice can be prepared.  
  1. When the chicken is done, just set aside.   

Rice: 

  1. In a 6-qt pot add oil, sliced onion and peeled garlic over medium fire stirring it until grilled/browned.  
  1. Remove browned onion and garlic and add rice, stirring it until it too it’s golden brown.  
  1. In a blender add tomatoes, water, and grilled onions and garlic, liquify items on high to make a tomato sauce/paste.  
  1. Once the rice is golden brown add tomato sauce/paste from the blender and 2 cups of chicken broth from the cooked chicken.  
  1. Add Knorr chicken flavor powder to taste, starting with no more than 1 tablespoon.  
  1. Mix ingredients and cover to cook over medium fire until water evaporates, avoid mixing once water is almost evaporated, this will make the rice consistency into a paste.   

Mole: 

  1. Transfer paste to a medium pot over low heat and pour in chicken broth, stirring, to form a thick sauce, about 3 minutes, add salt to taste if needed.  
  1. Add chicken thighs, bring to a boil, removed and cool off for about 5 minutes. 
  1. Serve Mole with sauce and sprinkle sesame seeds on top, add rice and enjoy.  

 

References 

A guide to the 7 Moles of Mexico (“n.d” ). Gourmetpedia, retrieved March 3, 2020: from https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&id=CEABC9FD784F0C8193A640CCDFE5988477D58CB6&thid=OIP.wqmxDW2wou5YLjlRV02TPAAAAA&mediaurl=http%3A%2F%2Fgourmetpedia.net%2Fmedia%2Fupload%2Fsaveurs%2F343.jpg&exph=307&expw=440&q=pictures+of+mexican+mole&selectedindex=199&ajaxhist=0&vt=0&eim=1,2,6 

 Bowman, B. (2013, September 22). Mexican Rice History And Recipes. Gourmet  Sleuth, retrieved: March 4, 2020: from www.gourmetsleuth.com/articles/detail/mexican-rice#section0 

 Cocking, L. (2016, November 10). A Brief History of Mole, Mexico’s National Dish. The Culture Trip, retrieved March 2, 2020: from https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/mexico/articles/a-brief-history-of-mole-mexicos-national-dish/ 

 Hansen, B. (2003, September 10). Cooking; A true mexican aristocrat; the poblano chile isn’t just fiery — it’s complex and flavorful too. and lately, it’s been making bold appearances in dining rooms all over town.: [HOME EDITION]. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved Mar. 2, 2020: from https://search.proquest.com/docview/421836859?accountid=35804 

Image of Mexican Mole. (“n.d” ). Bing, retrieved March 3, 2020: from https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=El+Mole+Poblano&FORM=IDINTS 

 Images of Mexican Rice. (“n.d” ). Bing, retrieved March 3, 2020: from (https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&id=3CA1AF78B43A1C02F54E0C42F2CCC77691620809&thid=OIP.L_YWgiRByOVcm-_R8uPkLwHaLH&mediaurl=https%3A%2F%2Fthestayathomechef.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2017%2F09%2FAuthentic-Mexican-Rice.jpg&exph=825&expw=550&q=pictures+of+mexican+rice&selectedindex=9&qpvt=pictures+of+mexican+rice&ajaxhist=0&vt=0&eim=1,2,6 

 Marrero, P. (2016, Sep. 13). Boyle Heights’ El “Mercadito”, Still Mexican to the Core. Kcet.org, retrieved March 4, 2020: from https://www.kcet.org/food-living/boyle-heights-el-mercadito-still-mexican-to-the-core 

Mole Poblano: A Traditional Mexican Dish. (“n.d” ). Benitosmexican.com, retrieved February 26, 2020: from http://benitosmexican.com/mexican-food/mole-poblano-a-history-of-the-traditional-mexican-dish/ 

 Mole Poblano (“n.d” ). Gourmetpedia, retrieved March 3, 2020: from https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&id=C3BEF105910A21C5BEF9D9AA6829B871AEA562CD&thid=OIP.58xysMNsrjPVrPrPI24v2QHaFj&mediaurl=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.shopify.com%2Fs%2Ffiles%2F1%2F2246%2F4291%2Fproducts%2FMole_w_Spices_Table_2_2000x.jpg%3Fv%3D1511411534&exph=755&expw=1008&q=pictures+of+mexican+mole&selectedindex=83&ajaxhist=0&vt=0&eim=1,2,6 

 Tiber, C. (2019, May 21). Eating L.A. before it eats itself: El mercadito de los angeles sells chile-coated memories. University Wire, retrieved March 4, 2020: from https://search.proquest.com/docview/2228562062?accountid=35804 

 Wikipedia (“n.d” ). In Mexican cuisine. Wikipedia. retrieved March 2, 2020: from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_cuisine 

A Traditional Macaroni and Cheese with a Mother’s Twist

Imagine a recipe where it takes you back to your fondest childhood memories, where you sit among your friends and family enjoying oversized portions of food and share how thankful you are for one another. Imagine that recipe and being able to share that fondest memory with people who are eager to hear. The recipe is beyond the taste, texture, or even nutritional value. It reminds me of the morning of Thanksgiving and Christmas. Although, Christmas was slightly different due to the overexcitement of presents, toys, and stockings that hung over the mantle. Christmas still had my mother’s macaroni and cheese, yet it was preciously warming in the oven preparing for its day. However, Thanksgiving has a different meaning to my memories. Thanksgiving did not drown out the cooking of food with its allure of gifts and sweets. Thanksgiving was all about the food, it is not Thanksgiving without the food. It was more than dinner. It was more than the ham or the deep-fried turkey (our family’s specialty). It was my mother’s mac and cheese which every Thanksgiving morning sat unprepared on the table waiting to be mixed together in my mom’s vast cauldron. Thanksgiving was the macaroni and cheese’s day. It was its moment to shine. I remember the mornings my mother woke up earlier than the birds to prepare her part for Thanksgiving. I watched her dump ingredients into her pots and pans without a second thought. Effortlessly, she combined the ingredients of macaroni noodles, cheese, milk, and her heavy-handed seasonings. She stirred it carefully making sure not to break or bruise the soft noodles. Her hand twisting her spoon masterfully against her pot careful not to touch the hot edge of it. When she was finished with her skillful tossing, she tasted it. Her head nodding against the taste. She dumped it into her pan coating it with handfuls of cheddar cheese like snow piles against a mountain of noodles. She smoothed it laying it flat against its bed of tin, careful not to smash it. Her wooden spoon gliding over the bright glow of the sharp cheddar cheese. When she places it in the oven, she looks over at her table of ingredients, sighing to herself.

“I forgot the butter.”

 

Macaroni and Cheese

Easy One-pot Mac ‘n’ Cheese

In the 14th century, a cheese and pasta casserole was said to have been made in an Italian cookbook called Liber de Coquina. This recipe was the start of the famous dish macaroni and cheese.  The original recipe of macaroni and cheese included hand-cut pasta, parmesan cheese, and butter. The recipe then evolved into a more modernized version by a woman named Elizabeth Raffald, an English innovator in 1770, she included the recipe in her cookbook titled, The Experienced English Housekeeper, Raffald’s innovated recipe included a type of roux sauce mixed with cheddar cheese commonly known during that time to the French as a Mornay sauce. She, then, adds parmesan and baked it until golden. After Raffald’s personal recipe, it later became a popular dish in the United Kingdom. The dish’s migration to the United States started with Thomas Jefferson and James Hemings, who was a slave who cooked for Jefferson. Jefferson and Hemings found out about the recipe in Paris and brought it back to the United States. After the introduction to the U.S, the recipe was later named, macaroni and cheese. Its first appearance under its new name was in 1824 by Mary Randolph in her cookbook titled, The Virginia Housewife, Randolph’s recipe was similar to the others before; macaroni, cheese, and butter mixed together like a casserole and baked until golden.  Macaroni and cheese later became a staple food for many people globally because of its convenience. Macaroni and cheese can be bought, boxed, frozen, or homemade. It was mass-produced by Kraft’s in 1937 because of its availability in times of economic hardships. During the Depression and World War II, macaroni and cheese were eaten quite regularly between soldiers and citizens. The recipe was no longer reserved for just cheese, butter, macaroni, and baking. It became a specialized recipe with the ability to adapt to all new varieties of ingredients and cultures.

Many cultures have turned the cheese casserole into a traditional dish. The traditional side dish could be considered soul food with the right seasoning and spices. Soul food is a type of cuisine that is ethnically known to be prominent in African American cultures. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the newly formed United States had slaves from West Africa who practiced the making of this new dish. It later became a traditional food for African Americans living in the United States. The term soul food was coined in the 60s and 70s due to the civil rights and black power movements. Soul food can be traced back to slavery. It was the foods like fried chicken, collard greens, hushpuppies, chitterlings, cornbread, and macaroni and cheese that was made with little ingredients and a lot of heart. Soul food came from slavery and mistreatment, yet it also brought people together who enjoyed each other’s company and endured the neglect of white slave masters together which unified African people of different places. The introduction of soul food created its own recipes using a blending of cultures around African and Europe. Marconi and cheese in the modern age could be considered soul food to some because of its ever-changing recipe that had been practiced through generations.

With the little adaptions from recipe to recipe we see how much has changed between the original recipe to the present. Macaroni and cheese is no longer a simple recipe that includes just noodles, butter, and parmesan cheese. It has become a challenge to provide your own type of macaroni and cheese with an individual twist. These individual twists create food that is revolutionary in its own way. There are a million different types of macaroni and cheese that include, bacon, broccoli, lobster, hot Cheetos, shrimp, cauliflower, butternut squash, truffles, pumpkin, vegan cheese, chili, spinach and artichoke, and many more. It is a recipe where you could add anything and still have it taste good. In the book, L.A Son, by Roy Choi, we follow the author who redefines food and cooking for himself.  Choi was a Korean immigrant who grew up tempted by the allure of gambling and addiction. He later found a passion for cooking and become an inspirational figure for innovating common cultural foods. His innovation provided a new twist on beloved foods from all different cultures and traditions including his own. Choi found ways to urbanize Korean foods and fit them into everyone’s palate. “I had to write this book. To tell the story of my journey from immigrant to latchkey kid to lowrider to misfit to gambler to a chef answering his calling. To tell a story of Los Angeles and the people who live here. And to preserve it all on wax.”(Choi, 1). Choi takes us through neighborhoods and streets most people never see when they visit L.A. Choi’s experiences differ because of his passion for cooking interesting food for the residences of Los Angeles. Choi’s interesting twist on many foods like his kimchi and pork belly stuffed pupusas or his Pho for Dem Hoes reminds me of my mom’s signature macaroni and cheese. Choi’s spin on the pupusas was inspired by a close friend of his who was from El Salvador and worked with him.

Roy Choi

“I had known about the pupusas game before, but she taught me a few things, and I’ve never looked back.” (Choi, 305)

 

 

When I asked for her recipe and who originated it, she told me of her combination of ideas from her mother, my father’s mother, and the back of an elbow noodle package. She told me how she picked her favorite ingredients from each recipe and created her own. She used her mother’s incorporation of a tablespoon of flour, my father’s mother’s incorporation of chicken broth, and the incorporation of her seasonings. My mother constantly improved her recipe each year by adding less of somethings or adding more.  It became her specialty. Her ever-improving specialty. Looking throughout the history of the macaroni and cheese recipe from, Italy to the United Kingdom to Paris and then later to the United States we see how much has changed. The recipe became boxed, microwaved, mass-produced, and even a cultural staple. There is no perfect way to make the recipe. There is no perfect way to combine them. There is not a standard order that must be followed to ensure the validity of macaroni and cheese. It could take three simple ingredients butter, elbow noodles, and cheddar or parmesan cheese. Or it could be complex by adding, bacon or truffles.

There is no first memory of my mother’s mac and cheese the side dish grew up with me along with my sisters and cousins. The side dish was a family member we brought to Thanksgiving and Christmas making sure to keep her warm and cozy in the oven. We never forgot about her even in the chaotic morning after the macaroni and cheese were finished and it was my mother’s turn to round up the children to get them dressed. We never forgot about the side dish even when we were running late to dinner on Thanksgiving every year because of my father’s inability to leave the house on time. Some years when life got too hectic my mother would forget some of the ingredients, yet no one would notice and still eat piles and piles of the cheesy goodness. The recipe survived through many improvements and altercations. It survived from generation to generation which emphasized my culture and the meaning of soul food. I remember the years my grandfather would ask my mother for a personal pan, so he could have it all to himself without sharing with his sons or daughter. I remember my aunt driving four hours just to get a taste of my mom’s recipe. My family all around the United States called my mom just for her side dish. I wish this was just an exaggeration, yet the phone calls she had with my aunts and uncles, nieces and nephew sharing her recipe was real. Her recipe included parts of her mother’s recipe and my father’s mother recipe. My mother revolutionized macaroni and cheese for my family making sure to include generational traditions. It reminds me of Roy Choi and how he constantly tries to alter and improve traditional foods. He revolutionizes recipes that have been stuck in a certain way. Roy Choi and my mother have something in common, their ability to make ordinary recipes into a seemingly perfect one that still appreciates the original.

Her recipe included:

½ bag of large elbow noodles

1 to 3 cups of sharp cheddar cheese

1 stick of cream cheese

½ cup of chicken broth

¼ cup of whole milk

1 tablespoon of flour

1 stick of butter

Seasoning salt

Ground pepper

Garlic powder

Onion powder

The recipe should be fit as to how you want it. If you, personally, like your macaroni and cheese moist, you would add more milk or chicken broth or both to make it to the consistency you want. If you want it dry, like a baked casserole, you would add less milk or chicken broth or both.

First, boil water and add salt. Once the water is boiling fully, add noodles and cook for 7 to 8 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Note: cooking the noodles too long will make the noodles too soft during the baking section.

Strain water from noodles, add cream cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, and butter, stirring it gently together until fully melted. Add chicken broth, seasoning salt, ground pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder, then stir until thoroughly mixed. Carefully mix to avoid chopped noodles.

After mixed, add to deep baking pan and put it in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Do not forget to stir gently occasionally and ensure no burning on the bottom. Adjust heat accordingly.

Add more sharp cheddar cheese to the top of macaroni cheese and make for 10 to 15 minutes until it is golden brown or bubbly.

Let rest for about 10 to 15 minutes, to stiffen. Serve and enjoy!

 

“I’ll always order macaroni and cheese, but I don’t want it to be fancy.” – Drew Barrymore

References

Choi, R., Nguyen, T., & Phan, N. (2013). L.A. son my life, my city, my food. New York, NY: Ecco.

Grasso, C. (2018, July 12). Quotes About Mac & Cheese For National Mac & Cheese Day. Retrieved from https://www.bustle.com/p/national-mac-cheese-day-quotes-that-will-have-you-wishing-for-a-bowl-of-the-good-stuff-68955

Kombol, S. (2018, February 9). 25 Mac ‘N’ Cheese Recipes. Retrieved from https://tasty.co/compilation/25-mac-n-cheese-recipes

Macaroni and cheese. (2020, March 5). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macaroni_and_cheese

Rhodes, J. (2011, March 22). Marvelous Macaroni and Cheese. Retrieved from https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/marvelous-macaroni-and-cheese-30954740/

Soul food. (2020, February 24). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul_food