The Half Jalapeño: Half Gringo, Whole Flavor

Some Mexican dishes require a fork. Others require a spoon. And then there are tostadas de pollo, which require a little confidence, a good appetite, and the understanding that something is probably going to fall onto your plate. That’s part of the experience. A crisp corn tortilla. A layer of creamy refried beans. Juicy shredded … Read more

Some foods become famous because they’re complicated. Frijoles de la olla became essential because they’re not. A pot. Beans. Water. Onion. Garlic. Salt. That’s about as humble as dinner gets. And yet it’s hard to tell the story of Mexican cooking without eventually finding a pot of beans somewhere in the kitchen. They’re eaten whole … Read more

Some Mexican food whispers comfort. Enchiladas Suizas don’t. They arrive at the table bubbling around the edges, covered in melted cheese, with tortillas tucked underneath a creamy green sauce that makes absolutely no attempt at being subtle. Cut into one and you get everything at once. Soft tortilla. Shredded chicken. Tangy tomatillo. Roasted chile. Cream. … Read more

There are certain meals that announce themselves before you ever sit down at the table. You smell them. A pot has been simmering on the stove for what feels like half the afternoon. The windows start fogging slightly. Someone walks through the kitchen, lifts the lid, and immediately gets told to put it back. Carne … Read more

Some foods earn their place in your memory because they were served at holidays, birthdays, and big family gatherings. Sopita de conchas earns it for almost the opposite reason. It was just there. A bowl might show up beside dinner on an ordinary Tuesday. It could be lunch when nobody wanted to make anything complicated. … Read more

Some Mexican comfort foods need hours on the stove. Rajas con crema needs a handful of ingredients, a hot flame, and enough tortillas to make sure none of that creamy poblano sauce gets left behind. That’s part of what makes this dish so good. Poblanos are roasted until their skins blister and blacken, peeled, sliced … Read more

There are Mexican dishes that announce themselves the second they hit the table. Mole gets attention. Chiles rellenos get attention. A platter of tacos definitely gets attention. Arroz rojo usually doesn’t. It sits beside everything else, quietly doing its job. A scoop next to enchiladas. A pile beside carne asada. Rice soaking up the sauce … Read more

Some Mexican dishes are defined by a specific recipe. Albóndigas soup isn’t really one of them. Ask different Mexican families what belongs in a pot of albóndigas and you’ll probably hear different answers. Potatoes or no potatoes. Zucchini, chayote, carrots, or whatever vegetables happen to be around. Cilantro in the meatballs for one family, mint … Read more

Some Mexican dishes don’t need a long ingredient list or hours on the stove to taste like home. Calabacitas con Elote is one of them. Tender squash, sweet corn, tomato, onion, garlic, and chile come together in one skillet for the kind of everyday Mexican cooking that is simple enough for a weeknight but good … Read more

Some dinners don’t need an introduction. They’re the meals that appear on the table after a long day, filling the kitchen with the smell of onions, garlic, and tomatoes simmering together while a stack of warm tortillas waits nearby. Everyone knows what’s for dinner before you even call them to the table. That’s the magic … Read more