What's Cooking Mexico » Reviews

The best thing I ever ate…

Ben — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 17:41:35 +0000

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© Ben for What's Cooking Mexico, 2011. | Permalink | 18 comments |
Post tags: Chiles en nogada, Food events, Mexican food

2010 Top Ten

Ben — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 14:37:57 +0000

This blog has been online since April of 2007 and even though every end of the year I see my food friends post reviews of how their blogs did that year, I’ve never done it myself. So I decided to do it this year for the first time. I took a look at my Google Analytics account and was surprised to see that from January 1st to December 15th the most visited pages weren’t posts from this year, but earlier posts. Since this is the first end-of-the-year review of What’s cooking, I think it’s fitting to post them. Without more ado, here they are, the top 10 most visited posts in 2010:

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Super Bread Knife

Ben — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 13:51:56 +0000

Several months ago I wrote about a chopping knife that I received from New West KnifeWorks. That knife is sitll one of my favorites in the kitchen for its versatility and great quality. So I was very pleased to receive a second knife from them. This time it was their newly realeased Fusionwood Super Bread Knife.

If you read my last review you know that I fell in love with the brand. Their knives have a beautiful design, great grip and control and, overall, are of the greatest quality. I could sit here and write about all the things that I like about these knives, especially this new bread knife, but I’ll let you read the official press release. Look at it, isn’t it pretty?

New West KnifeWorks introduces the ‘Super Bread Knife.’
A bread knife that finishes the job without finishing the knuckles.

Remember the last time you cut a loaf of bread with a bread knife? Did you awkwardly rotate the loaf of bread? Are your knuckles still chaffed from the task? Perhaps the bread won and simply was not sliced all the way to the bottom? New West KnifeWorks introduces a new bread knife to the cutlery world. Not just a new style but a whole new concept. Introducing the Super Bread Knife, the newest addition to the Fusionwood line. The Superbread Knife comes in six beautiful color patterns, protected by an embossed leather sheath.

After thinking about bread knife cutting problems for a number of years and testing many different concept models, founder Corey Milligan came up with a solution: the Super Bread knife. The design of the knife is based on the effective shape of a chef knife. The handle, as with other offset bread knives, is above the serrated blade so you don’t hit your knuckles when you cut to the bottom. However, because it is shaped more like a Chef knife, the Super Bread knife allows for a much more powerful, agile cut whether you’re cutting bread or carving meats. The feedback from pros is that it is an ace of a bread knife and fantastic for all challenging cutting jobs.

To slice effectively, a knife needs a serrated blade. However, serrated blades can be impossible to sharpen. New West KnifeWorks set about to solve this design problem as well. The Super Bread Knife features a unique ‘wave’ serration that allows it to be sharpened using a diamond or ceramic steel. This allows the knife to maintain the advantage of serration and still be kept razor sharp. The wave serration slices bread and meats with ease.

Often, the flat side of a knife blade will collect bits of food or else the friction of the flat of the blade can actually tear or distort the shape of whatever is being cut. The Japanese ‘Santoku,’ with the dimple grind or granton edge, has become immensely popular due to its solution to this problem.’ The dimples help to create separation from the food and make slicing smoother. The Super Bread Knife incorporates this popular feature from the Santoku.

New West KnifeWorks is based in Jackson, Wyom. and was founded in 1997 by Corey Milligan. From its inception, the goal has been not only to produce the finest quality knives in the world, but also to design these tools to be works of art that inspire excellence in food preparation and beautify the kitchen. Through years of working in commercial kitchens and constant discussions and experimentation with professional chefs, Milligan strives to make knives that are at the cutting edge of function. All of the New West KnifeWorks knives are made in Seki Japan. The fine craftsmen of Seki bring a 700 year legacy of making samurai swords to the forge. Therefore, every innovation is always backed by the experience and wisdom of the highest tradition.

Aprovecho

Ben — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 14:51:47 +0000

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© Ben for What's Cooking Mexico, 2009. | Permalink | 15 comments |
Post tags: Avocado, Breakfast & Brunch, Cookbooks, Easy recipes, Eggs, Reviews, Salsas and sauces, Tex-Mex food

Roasted Garlic Corn

Ben — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 21:55:28 +0000

‘Easy, Seasonal, Organic’. I think that’s a great title for a cookbook. Especially for somebody like me that wants to learn more about seasonal produce. When I received this cookbook, courtesy of Abel and Cole, I flipped through the pages and the beautiful, simple and unpretentious photographs was the first thing that caught my attention. In my very humble opinion, that is what good food is all about: freshness, simplicity and natural beauty.

I knew I was going to like the book even more when I read the Abel and Cole’s story and the Cooking “My Way” sections in the introduction of the book. I agree with Keith Abel when he writes that “cooking is all about experimenting and tyring new things (except if you are baking or making something French)” and it is “also about enjoying yourself in the kitchen… If you think cooking is a chore, you might be doing it the wrong way”.

The book is divided in 4 sections: Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. Every section contains several recipes to use seasonal produce available in the U.K. (and most likely in similar climates). Most of the recipes are quick, simple and “can be played with, added to, miss things out, chuck it in, a little bit of this, a little bit of that”, according to Keith Abel.

Even though some of the ingredients are not available in the U.S., I know I can make most of the recipes in the book. And I already made one, as a matter of fact. I was trying to figure out how to prepare some corn in the cob and the book gave me the perfect idea:

Husk-Wrapped and Roasted Garlic Corn
From The Abel and Cole Cookbook
Serves 4 as a side dish

Ingredients:

4 corn cobs with husks still attached

2 large knobs of butter

1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed (I used 3)

2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley or soft herbs of your choice. (I used parsley, basil, chives and a little bit of rosemary)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Soak the corn cobs for 30-60 minutes in water to help prevent the husks from burning when cooking.

Carefully peel back the husks and remove the silk from the cob keeping the husks attached.

Mix together the butter, garlic and herbs and season to taste. Brush this over the corn and re-wrap the cobs with the husks.

You can either bake at 375°F for about 20 minutes or grill for about the same time, turning frequently. You can wrap the cobs in aluminum foil to help stop the husks from burning.

Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

¡Buen provecho!

© Ben for What's Cooking Mexico, 2009. | Permalink | 12 comments |
Post tags: Cookbooks, Corn, Easy recipes, Garlic, Reviews

Making chopping easy

Ben — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 18:17:47 +0000

A couple of weeks ago I was contacted by New West Knifeworks to review one of their knives. I had never heard of them before, but after looking at the products on their website I had to say yes. They didn’t only look functional but also beautiful.

Yesterday I received a box that contained the Fusionwood Chopper Knife right before I started making dinner and I immediately put it to work. I have to say that it did an amazing job chopping the jalapeños, onions and garlic that I used for dinner. The beautiful hardwood venner handle was only the first thing I liked about this knife. The sharp high-carbon stainless steel blade is very well tuned, easy to handle and light. These characteristics make this knife an excellent addition in any kitchen. I do agree with their website when they say that:

For those of us who love fine food, cooking is an art, and a quality knife is the artist’s brush. At New West Knifeworks, we make our chef knives like we cook; we use the finest quality ingredients and prepare them with the patient hands of an artist. Our chef knives are finely tuned, quality instruments, a fusion of form and function.

If you can get your hands (literally) on one of these beauties, don’t hesitate. They are a work of art, and this is coming from someone who is not very comfortable talking about sharp objects.

¡Buen provecho!

Eat food

Ben — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 18:30:07 +0000

Who would’ve thought that food needed to be defended, especially in a country like the U.S.A. where it seems to be in abundance, but Michael Pollan wrote a whole book to defend food. Why does it need to be defended? Isn’t food more abundant and better than ever before? I think we can find those answers by looking around us.

One of the things that struck me the most when I moved to the U.S.A. was the amount of people that suffered from things like allergies, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attacks, overweight, strokes, cancer and other diseases. But when one takes a look at what the average American eats it is not surprising why thigs are this way.

Michael Pollan writes that food needs to be defended because most of what we eat now is not food and the way we consume it – in front of the TV, in the car and increasingly alone- is not really eating. Most of us realize to certain degree that the food we consume is not very good for us, but I was aghast to learn how far the food industry has gone to make food disappear from the shelves and to cover it up. And you would think that those food companies would be looking after the health of their customers.

An example of this is the infamous high fructose corn syrup that now seems to be in every single food product you buy at the grocery store. And they still have the indecency to tell you that it isn’t bad for you with a straight face.

It shocked me to learn that a lot of foods are stripped off their natural nutrients to give them a longer shelf life, but then they just throw a couple of vitamins and minerals back to make them look “healthy”. Pollan warns us that when a food claims to be healthy, that is the first sign that it isn’t.

But the food industry is not the only one at blame here. We (I am including myself here) have lost the sense of cooking and good eating because of our lifestyles. This doesn’t mean that we need to spend hours preparing our meals with expensive ingredients. This only means that we need to rethink the way we cook and eat. After all, eating is one of our most basic needs in life and it can be one of the most enjoyable activities of the day (just look at the French, Italians and, why not, Mexicans). Spending a little bit more time preparing and enjoying your food is one of the most satisfying and best things you can do for your health.

What is Pollan’s conclusion? Very simple, eat food (nothing that your grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food), not too much (small meals during the day and a light, satisfying dinner with family or friends), mostly plants (in reality we don’t need anything else).

In defense of food is the best non-fiction book I’ve read this year. I highly recommend it to anybody who eats (or want to eat) food, the real kind.

¡Buen provecho!

Book Review – Mexican Cooking

Ben — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 23:52:28 +0000

Mexican food is many times misunderstood even by Mexican people themselves. That’s why I am always looking for opportunities to learn more about the diverse and colorful cuisine of my country. I always keep my eyes open for cookbooks that might teach me something. That’s how I came across Mexican Cooking. The Authentic Taste of Mexico: 150 Fiery Classic and Regional Recipes Shown in 250 Stunning Photographs by Jane Milton browsing cookbooks at the library.

In the introduction, Milton writes about Mexican food historical influences. “In pre-Colombian Mexico”, she writes, “there was already an established pattern of agriculture. [...] When the Spanish arrived they tried and enjoyed local dishes made with corn, chillies, beans, tomatoes and chocolate.” The Spanish, in turn, had a tremendous influence in Mexican cooking. They brought livestock, dairy products, seeds, citrus fruits, wheat, rice, onions and many other products that lead to an even more diverse range of dishes.

But the influence didn’t stop there. Throughout the centuries (and countless foreign invasions) Mexican cuisine has adopted new ingredients and techniques that have enriched it even further. One of my favorite sections of Milton’s book was the Desserts and drinks one. She writes that “Mexicans have a very sweet tooth. Ever since Hernan Cortez introduced sugar cane to the country, sweetmeats have been very much on the menu and the array of cakes and pastries in a Mexican pasteleria would rival any display in a European cake shop.”

Most of the Mexican food cookbooks I’ve read don’t have a big dessert and drinks section. This one, however, dedicates page after page to many desserts I grew up eating and many others that I haven’t even heard of before. There is even the recipe for rompope (an egg, milk and rum drink very popular among Mexican kids, yes, you read me right, an alcoholic beverage for kids)

This cookbook is a really good source of authentic Mexican recipes for your collection. Check it out and if you like Mexican cuisine (and even if you don’t), I am sure you are going to find more than one recipe you will want to try.

¡Buen provecho!

Love through food

Ben — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 16:38:26 +0000

What goes through your mind when you are cooking? Better yet, how do you feel when you are cooking for the special people in your life? I believe that you can express your feelings through food and the greatest and most powerful of them is love. If you are a cook, I am sure you have created masterpieces out of ordinary ingredients for your loved ones and they have expressed their gratitude and satisfaction.

This is what my dear friend Jenn DiPiazza (aka The Left-Over Queen) confers in her new cookbook The Secret Energy of Love Through Food. In the books introduction she says:

When you cook for someone who is ill, you are thinking about them all the while you are stirring your sauces and cutting your veggies. You are thinking about wanting them to feel better, about lifting their spirits and then when they eat the food, they feel better. How can it be so?
You are energy, food is energy, energy can be transferred by one energy body into another energy
body through touching. Even something as small as a thought.

The book contains 28 healthy recipes and secrets to help you bring more love into your life. “Healthy hearts”, she writes, “means more to love”. Many of the recipes included in the cookbook are from the Mediterranean region. This are just a few that I drooled over when I first went through them:

Armenian Vegetable Soup
Pistachio-Pomegranate Chicken
Chianti Chicken
Risotto
Drunken Figs
Baklava Ice Cream bites
and many more

The easy to make healthy Mediterranean recipes and beautiful pictures make this book a must-have in your e-library.

Jenn is a Freelance Food & Travel Writer, Creative Cook and Food Critic. Her website Leftoverqueen.com is dedicated to people who love to cook and love to create culinary masterpieces from simplicity.

One Plate At A Time

Ben — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 17:29:39 +0000

The other day while I was at the library browsing the fantasy section I decided to take a look at their cookbooks. I don’t know why I haven’t done that before. Columbus Public Libraries were rated as the best libraries in the U.S. a couple of years back and I think they are still among the best in the country. I like going there because of their big selection of books, their outstanding costumer service and their online services. But I had never thought about getting cookbooks there.

There were several Mexican cookbooks in the shelves, but one in particular caught my attention because of its title. It was Rick Bayless’s Mexico, One Plate At A Time. I took the book and quickly looked at the contents. I decided right there to take it home with me.
The book is divided in four sections:

Starters, snacks and light meals
Soups, stews and sides
Entrees
Desserts and drinks

What I really liked about this book is the introduction to each dish. They are a little bit of history, folklore and culture that surrounds the recipes. Rick also writes about the fresh ingredients these foods are made with in Mexico. There is a Questions and Answers for our testing section at the end of each recipe which includes tips, techniques and more information about the ingredients.

I have to say, however, that I am disappointed with the Desserts and drinks section. There are not many dessert recipes and there is only one recipe dedicated to one drink, Margaritas. But over all, the book has great recipes and a lot of information for people who want to know more about the richness of Mexican cuisine. When the time to return the book comes I will seriously think about getting my own copy.