tamales

World on a Plate: Day of the Dead in Michoacán

World on a Plate: Day of the Dead in Michoacán

Posted on by Pat and David
Halloween may taste like candy corn and mini-Snickers to most Americans. But Day of the Dead tastes like tamales striped with red chile, green chile, and white crema. At least that what it tastes like in Morelia, the capital city of the Mexican state of Michoacán. The region is famous for its Day of the Dead commemorations. The animated Disney film Coco is set in nearby Pátzcuaro. But somewhat bigger Morelia brings equal magic to the passage of fall into winter and life into death. Around the end of October, it seems like almost every flat surface is covered in marigold blossoms and every building has a prominent Day of the Dead altar to feed the spirits of those on the other side. Surprisingly, the...Read More
Santa Fe’s Shed earns its James Beard Classic stripes

Santa Fe’s Shed earns its James Beard Classic stripes

Posted on by Pat and David
We've learned to trust the James Beard Foundation for more than pointers to chefs on the cutting edge or up-and-comers bound to be the culinary superstars of tomorrow. The “James Beard America's Classics” honors tradition by highlighting a few top practitioners of regional cuisine. So when we were in Santa Fe for Indian Market last month, we made a beeline for that city's two Beard Classics. We began at The Shed (113 E Palace Ave., 505-982-9030, sfshed.com). If you're strolling up East Palace Avenue under the arcade to stay out of the sun, The Shed is hard to miss. A colorful sign under the arcade points you inside to Prince Patio, a 1692 hacienda where the restaurant occupies the patio and several of the surrounding...Read More

Sweet corn tamales with black truffle

Posted on by David
During last July's research trip to Australia, I babied a single prize black truffle all the way home. I kept it cool inside a rigid plastic box wrapped with absorbent paper that I changed every 12 hours so it wouldn't get too moist. When asked at Border Control if I had any fresh food, I said, “yes, a black truffle.” The agent said, “OK,” and waved me through. The real question was what to make with this spectacular faceted lump (see above) that was an 80-gram culinary gem? How could I stretch it as far as possible without skimping on the flavor in each dish? After an indulgent meal of black truffle sliced over buttered pasta (see last post), I decided to set aside the...Read More