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Favourite source for Mexican (not TexMex) recipes?

8 months ago

Just returned from Mexico and bought several types of dried chiles, Mexican cinnamon, Mexican oregano, achiote paste, tamarind paste, espasote... I have a gas grill and a charcoal grill. I can easily buy masa here and I do have a tortilla press. Also have access to fresh poblanos, jalapenos, serranos (most of the time) and cilantro.

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Comments (13)

sushipup2
8 months ago
Diana Kennedy's book is great. Here are more.

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=best+mexican+cookbooks
plllog
8 months ago
last modified: 8 months ago
Leite's Culinaria has all kinds of good recipes. He's Portugese, but I've found good Mexican recipes there: https://leitesculinaria.com/category/recipes/cuisine/mexican-cuisine

I tend to prefer blogs to newer books. This one is homestyle: https://www.mexicoinmykitchen.com/recipe-index/

A bit less traditional. More Mexican-American: https://pinaenlacocina.com

Remember, Mexico is a place of great food diversity, and there are big differences between regional cuisines. Whether you're looking for a book or a blog, it helps if you know what kind of thing you want to make and search for that, to start with. From there it's easier to explore the author's POV, or other related recipes, etc.
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nekotish
Original Author
8 months ago
Poblano (Mexico City and Puebla), Veracruzano and Yuacateco are the main types of cuisine that I am interested in, having visited and sampled the food in these regions. I find blogs hit and miss. Diana Kennedy's books are great, I have a couple. Just wondering if there was anyone new and exciting out there that I haven't heard of.
plllog
8 months ago
Ah. Well, I'm mostly familiar with the food of the west cental (Jaliso and thereabouts), Sonora and Baja. And California, of course. Really different from the areas you mentioned. All I know about food in the capital is the origin of the name ”al pastor”, and discussions I've heard and read, but my general impressions of different. I did a few searches and only find a lot of Americanized versions of middling dishes. So I looked on Amazon and found a new book, Recetas de mi Abuela by Alejandro González, but I can't find it out in the wild for a review or other info, besides a promotional blurb. Do you read Spanish?
nekotish
Original Author
8 months ago
I am familiar with a lot of "food words" in Spanish and some day to day out and about phrases. I am working on learning more but nowhere near fluent. A friend from another forum has kindly sent me a dictionary that she put together with food and cooking terms, so looking forward to learning more.
plllog
8 months ago
If you want to leap in, you could take a look at that book. I can make it through a lot of French recipes, between my Spanish, general knowledge food words and looking up various terms. Having to translate the whole thing isn't worth it, but a dozen nouns, at the most, isn't so bad.
nekotish thanked plllog
morz8 - Washington Coast
8 months ago
I used to enjoy on PBS - Rick Bayless, Mexico One Plate at a Time. He has a website with recipes and more than one cookbook. You could check Ebay for his books slightly used, I've bought them in new condition but greatly discounted there.
nekotish thanked morz8 - Washington Coast
chloebud
8 months ago
^I was going to suggest Rick Bayless.^
nekotish thanked chloebud
nekotish
Original Author
8 months ago
I do like Rick Bayless, he had slipped my mind, thanks.
bragu_DSM 5
8 months ago
search for him on you tube
Oakley
8 months ago
We drove to Monterrey and stayed for a week then drove down to Mexico City for another week, eating at little family restaurants along the way. Two things I noticed was that guacomole was served with everything, no need to order it. There's also a cabbage soup served in most restaurants and I still can't find a recipe for it.

On our last day in Mexico City we were walking downtown looking for a place to eat...we love Mexican food. There was a tiny hole in the wall restaurant with a goat hanging in the window while roasting. Best dinner ever, usual enchiladas, etc. Guacomole galore.
Lars
8 months ago
last modified: 8 months ago
I much prefer Pati Jinich to Diane Kennedy (have her book and don't like it) or Rick Bayless.

Pati's recipes are very much like what I used to get in Mexico City when I would go there for a month at a time every winter when I lived in San Francisco. I highly recommend her books, and I have a large collection of Mexican cookbooks but hers are the best IMO.

Pati grew up in Colonial Polanco, which is here I usually stayed with friends in Mexico City. I also sometimes stayed in Colonial Condesa or Veranica Anzures, which is between Condesa and Polanco. From Mexico City, I traveled to regions in southern Mexico, including Oaxaca and Yucatan. I loved the food in Yucatan but not in Oaxaca, as I am not a fan of mole, especially when it is sweet.

Pati has some good recipes for Yucatecan style food, and I generally make Yucatecan enchiladas when I make enchiladas, but this mainly involves adding achiote paste to the chili sauce.

I've only passed through Monterrey (usually on the train) and have always wanted to visit there but never have. As a child, the radios stations from Monterrey were the loudest ones I could get at night.
nekotish
Original Author
8 months ago
Thanks Lars! Pati Jinich recipes, upon first glance look very authentic and lots that I am interested in. I agree about molé. I have had it once or twice where I liked it, but some are defintiely too cloying for my taste.

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