Chiles en Nogada - Lina Fernandez

Here is an absolutely wonderful recipe for chiles in nogada, one of Mexico's national dishes, from the kitchen of Lina Fernandez.  She was a fabulous cook, a real artist and poet, and when word went out that she was making this dish, people came in droves.  Unfortunately, her restaurant, El Laurel, had only a few tables and seating was very limited, so one had to be lucky to get a taste.  I remember sitting there eating with Toledo and Morales at the next table.

Lina told of the origins of the dish, how a nun, Soeur Angelica, I believe, had "invented" it, saying that the wind had miraculously blown the ingredients together.  Lina said it was more likely that the sister had been stationed in the Middle East and that where she discovered it.  While cooking, Lina just talked, telling jokes and stories, not talking about the recipe, so that's why the music is there.  This was the last time she cooked chiles en nogada in El Laurel.  The restaurant closed shortly thereafter.  I heard a rumor last week, that she had died recently.  I hope the rumor is untrue and that someone will write in and tell me she is still with us and cooking.  If she has passed, they are eating well in Heaven.

Even more art and artists

Keeping the thread going.....

 

There are all sorts of artists in Oaxaca.  They range from folk artisans, for whom Oaxaca is so renown, to the big boys and girls, the world famous painters, musicians, poets, writers and sculptors.  No matter where you look, you will find art of some sort and the people who create and live in and with it.  Oaxaca is one of the hotbeds for contemporary art in Mexico and it comes in many forms.  I think there are several artists who do these pieces all created using thread. 

I see them working on the streets pretty regularly.  It is a very long process as you may well imagine and this "painting" of Santo Domingo is one of the best I have seen. 

 

I talked to the artist, Luis, a little bit, but he seemed suspicious of my interests.  Not hard to see why, a young street artist and an old gringo.  Still, I complimented him on how cool and unique his work was and went on my way, but I could not stop thinking about the process and wondered how he got into it.

More Popular

Just back from a wonderful lunch at La Popular.  I wanted to try another torta, a Tuxtepecana, ham, pinapple, quesillo, tomato, avocado.

Spixl had chiles en nogada, but I will let her tell you how delicious it was, but it was fantastic, muy rico!  I mentioned that the place was colorful.

Everything is color coordinated right down to the condiment bowls, which went very nicely with our mango juice.

Even though they have only been open two months the place is quite popular.  Oh and the name La Popular is best translated as "of/from/for the people, pueblos.  I guess in norteamericano slang it would be "street"  as in the place is not for the elites, it has "street cred." Here's the main reason why, Chef Israel Cruz Correa.  He really is good, a young master.

 La Popular is and deserves to be, very popular.

Torta, Torta, Torta!

We have a new contender in the search for good tortas, grilled sandwiches.  La Popular, the relatively new place on Garcia Vigil. 

I wonder who the picture is.  It kinda looks like Angela Davis, but the fro is not big enough.  I supposed that dates me, eh?  The restaurant is very bright and colorful.  I mean, there is color everywhere, from the chairs, to the table settings, creating a joyful space.  And look at these tortas! The chile relleno picatillo...

And the cochinita pibil.  Looks pretty good, doesn't it.  Well, they both were.

 Here are the menus.

Note the chiles en nogada.  It is that time of year.

La Popular or La Hormiga?  Why not both?  Eat wisely, mis amig@s.

¡Viva Doña Sylvia Juarez!

I was on a mission today, to find this woman and I did.

 

If you have ever been to Oaxaca, in say, the last twenty years, you have seen this woman with her wonderful smile selling her delicious sweets. She carries a large basket/tray laden with candied nuts and seeds through the zocalo and the surrounding streets.  She is one of Oaxaca's iconic figures and one of the most photographed people in the city. 

I bet I have shots of her going all the way back to when I started coming here, maybe the early 90's.  I always talk with her and more often than not now, buy a taste treat, but really, I just love her smile.  She has a wonderful aura... if you believe in such things.  So I was with her and popped the question... no, not that question, silly....  but the question, "How much does the basket weigh?"  She handed it to me and ...... "You've got to be kiddin'!!!  This thing is really heavy."  "Yes, it weighs 22 kilos."  22 kilos?  That is almost 50 lbs!  Can you imagine how strong her neck and back must be?  

Now to my mission for the day and the other question I should have asked years ago... "What's your name?"  "Sylvia... Sylvia Juarez."
So there you have it.  There is a story there.  This beautiful woman carries all this weight on top of her head and has done so for years and years.  And again, if you have been here, you know Doña Sylvia always radiates, always with that smile, that amazing smile.

I still have work to do.  I want a better portrait of her and of course, more smiles and snacks.
But there you have it for now.  ¡Viva Doña Sylvia!

Serious as a heart attack

Or at least bronchial emphysema.  It has been years since I looked at a pack of cigarettes.  I smoked when I was hangin' out in bars and shooting pool, but that ended in my early twenties.  So I was shocked when I picked up some one's pack last week and took a gander at the labeling.  Yikes!

They are not messin' around down here.  They are dead serious about the hazards of smoking.  I guess the tobacco lobby has not been as effective down here.

In Mexico 7 out of 10 people with emphysema smoke.  Emphysema destroys your lungs.... which you kinda need in order to breathe and do stuff.

More art and artists

I was walking through Llano Park yesterday and saw a large group of people gathered around something or someone, so I went to investigate.  It turned out to be Enrique Morales, an artist of a different sort, but still every bit an artist as the others.  Here, I have been shooting all the big guns and this guy totally captured my imagination.  I just stood and watched him along with everyone else.  He was a handsome guy and a good street performer.  As he sprayed with one hand, he had a lighter in the other, so there were bursts of flame as he worked.  Using the simplest of tools and objects, a putty knife, pieces of paper, plastic plates, he created what I think is really cool art.  The boy is good!  I missed the very beginning, but here is much of the process and the finished painting.

I am kicking myself because I did not get a photo of his face.  I thought of it just as I crossed the street into Jalatlaco.  I shoulda gone back.  As I said, he was a handsome kid, spoke English well and had it totally together as far as I could tell.  I am going to keep my eyes open for him.  I hope I can find him again so his portrait can go in with the others.

It (still) happens to the best of us...

Ouch, I hate when that happens.  Out and about all day, just hangin' out and nobody told me I had this huge zit....

The art of artists

I have had the rare opportunity of working with Arnulfo Mendoza, the most famous weaver from Teotitlan del Valle, as he prepares a book celebrating the *twenty-fifth anniversary of his Oaxacan store/gallery, Mano Magica.

 

I have been photographing paintings and other pieces of art for the publication.  However, the most exciting and interesting aspect of the project is that he wants current candid shots of as many of the featured artists as we can find.  Many live within a few kilometers of the city, but some are in outlying villages..  Arnulfo has been driving and half the time we are in areas I have never been before.  It's an adventure.  We have visited just under half of people on his list and we are not talkin' about just visiting.  No, food, drink, talk are all plentiful at each home.  I don't know about you, but a large glass of mezcal at ten in the morning for me, a non-drinker, is a hell of a way to start the day.  Still, each of these artists has a fascinating story.  Some are world famous with all the notoriety and wealth that comes with the territory. We are talkin' very heavy hitters.  Others, come from more humble workspaces.  Yet all possess that spark, that aura, that surrounds creative people doing what they love.
Reuben Leyva

 Luis Zárate

 Fernando Olivera (h/t Joan)

Alejandro Santiago

 Eddie Martinez

 Felipe Morales

Eight more artists to go.  Each one a blessing and teacher for me.  I doubt that these are the shots for the book as there so many to go through.  I just grabbed some that grabbed my eye.
*Check out the comments.

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El saber del sabor

"El saber del sabor" translates as "the knowledge of taste," but more importantly, is the name of a remarkable fiesta, this year featuring 39 chefs from all over Mexico, their recipes, techniques, and their wonderful food.  This is the festival's third year.  I went to the first one and tried to go last year, but it was sold out.  This year it has really taken off.  It is an extremely big deal now.  I was very lucky to be invited (thx to H&R) to the inauguration last Thursday, which featured many or the local and regional cooks, plus Mexican wines and of course, mezcals. If you can believe it, this is the plaza del la danza, where the event was held.

Look at this incredible schedule of events, a ten day gastronomic extravaganza.  The festival features many of Mexico's absolute finest chefs and I mean the best.  Check out who's who.  The media was all over it.  I think this is Eleyna Reygadas being interviewed.

The south side of the tent was lined with tables and prep areas and once the signal was given, we were free to wander and sample as much as we wished.... which we definitely did.  I may never eat again I ate so much.  But why not?  Look at these dishes.  I am pretty sure this is pineapple.

 More piñas?, apples? plantains?  Who cares?  They look great.

 These gentlemen spit roasting pigs and chickens were a huge hit.

 

The lines were too long once they started serving, so we never got a taste, but if it tasted half as good as it looked....

 Tostadas laid out on banana leaves.

Frying up nice, big shrimp.

 And for opening night, some wonderful local cooks with tlayudas and their normal big smiles.

After arriving a 9 PM, I left at around midnight. thoroughly stuffed, but very happy after another fantastic Oaxacan event.  Man, this place knows how to do it, the whole quality of life thing.  It felt good and terrible to waddle up the ten blocks back to where I had parked.  Be sure to check out spxl's post over at Casa Colibri.