Plantain Chips with Mango Salsa and Roasted Garlic Guacamole

In Spanish they’re called the “plátano macho.” In English: plantain.  The literal translation from Spanish to English is pretty spot on: macho banana. A big, manly banana with bravado. The King Kong of the starchy, golden fruits.  They’re also macho intimidating.  As big, starchy, and cumbersome as they are, I’ve really never done anything with…

Grilled Corn with Creamy Coconut Sauce

Her stand is smack dab between the lady selling  “gorditas de nata”  (small sweet puffy pancakes) and the guy who hawks all the pirated European house music cds. My elote (corn) lady sets up at Parque Revolución everyday at 5:30pm and doesn’t leave until 11:00 or until the rains chase her away.  Her daughter is always there…

Baked Sweet Potato Fries Two Ways

I nearly got on my knees and wept.  Perched there on the grocery store shelf amidst all the other vegetables, they beckoned me from across the produce section.  They were so beautiful and vibrant!  I think I actually galloped over to them… I hadn’t seen sweet potatoes since arriving in Guadalajara 4 months ago, and…

Grilled Guacamole

Unfortunately, there were no picnics, sparklers, or blueberry and strawberry flag cake this past Wednesday to commemorate the 4th of July in Mexico.  The day passed like any other, however I did delight(or so I thought) my students with stories of Independence Days past while dreaming of roasted corn and beach volleyball.  So, when my…

Chipotle Guacamole

I had a conversation with one of my English classes the other day about avocados.  They just couldn’t believe how fanatical foreigners are about Mexican avocados.  I told them, “you have to understand something: the leathery spheres are like gold to us”.  When they are in season, we’ll cross town for them, spend a fortune…