tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-181329362012-01-29T17:10:42.013-06:00The journal of an expat retiree to Medio de Nada, Michoacán, México, with an emphasis on eclectic cuisine.Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.comBlogger2351100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-26431180684777263372011-12-30T10:42:00.001-06:002011-12-31T12:06:03.661-06:00

It’s not often that our cravings for some international cuisine, relieving our enchilada ennui, are fulfilled by a new restaurant opening in the Pátzcuaro area. Especially a restaurant that competently prepares and nicely serves food other than comida típica. We had hopes for the new Spanish restaurant, Rincón Español, but were very disappointed and frustrated by our recent visit there.

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-2974161356563178112011-11-09T05:37:00.004-06:002011-11-16T04:20:36.120-06:00

This was nothing by comparison Sometimes cooking gets out of hand and midway, we get that sinking feeling that we wish we'd made a sandwich instead. Thus it was the other day, when we ate at a much later than usual hour, at about 5:30 p.m. The reason was The Caldo de Pescado From Hell. I'd wanted fish for our comida, so late in the morning, we stopped at a Pátzcuaro pescadería where I

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-67448156490184668392011-11-09T05:00:00.000-06:002011-11-09T05:32:21.522-06:00

I first saw this modest sized, popular neighborhood marisquería on a Tuesday afternoon during a photo walk in this picturesque barrio. It lies hard by the Iglesia Capuchinas. Every one of its tables was occupied; a good sign. It lies hard by the Iglesia Capuchinas. We returned with a couple of friends on Wednesday, only to find that it was closed. Iglesia de Las Capuchinas is to the right.

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-49043833506636782602011-11-05T05:00:00.000-06:002011-11-06T03:06:59.780-06:00

Great Pizza and Lots More We joined two friends at Ristorante Pulcinella in Morelia Centro. It’s in a wonderfully restored space, in a Spanish Colonial building, with a large, central sala flanked to one side by several smaller, more intimate dining rooms. Upon entering the main room, one’s attention focuses on the wood burning pizza oven, built by Chef-owner Massimo Gigli, originally

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-40558214984135984422011-11-01T03:11:00.001-06:002011-11-01T03:15:30.177-06:00

El Rincón de Allende is a nice little coffee shop restaurant with good food, service and prices, just off a corner of the Plaza d'Armas in Morelia. Recently, medical matters caused us to stay in Morelia's Centro Histórico for two weeks. Most of that time, we were grateful guests of our friend Rosa, who operates the Casona Rosa guest house and the Casa Rosa Suite #13. There were kitchens

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-22268855395856685372011-10-07T03:41:00.000-05:002011-10-07T03:41:40.022-05:00

This is half the size of ours. I am pleased to report that the Humpy Dumpty 2 quart squat jar of Hellman's Mayonnaise that I bought at Costco in Morelia is diminishing. Yesterday I was able to transfer the remaining contents to a smaller, more svelte jar. I will be even more pleased to reach the end of it. I don't know what I must have been thinking when I bought it. Maybe it was that the

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-23360784830915017892011-09-26T04:27:00.000-05:002011-09-27T03:41:05.589-05:00

Restaurante Carácuaro (Web photo) It has been a couple of years since we spotted the Restaurante Carácuaro from our Mexico City bound bus. I was intrigued by the yellow, tile roofed building on the western periférico highway of Morelia. There's another restaurant of the same name and family, on Calzada La Huerta, at la salida a Pátzcuaro, just before the overpass bridges. We passed the

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-86160211072259540672011-09-17T09:46:00.000-05:002011-09-18T02:30:16.422-05:00

Tlacoyos (Part of the series, "Six Nights in Colonia Roma Norte, México, DF ) There is a concentration of street food stalls not far from our Hotel Embassy. Cross the northernmost block of Calle Orizaba, across from the side of la Parroquia de La Sagrada Familia, and Calle Puebla becomes Street Food Row. There's a lesser smattering on Calle Orizaba north to Avenida Chapultepec, La Frontera

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-68168635454588183812011-09-15T07:57:00.000-05:002011-09-15T07:57:24.772-05:00

"He Who Dances Must Pay The Piper" Los Danzantes, Coyoacán. With a brief ramble through the streets of Coyoacán. The original danzantes, Oaxaca (The perceptive reader will immediately be aware that Coyoacán is not in Colonia Roma, norte or Sur, but a separate delegacíon about a 30 minute cab ride to the south. Coyoacán is a charming small city subsumed by the growth of El Monstruo.) I

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-4612490465936729092011-09-11T04:31:00.000-05:002011-09-11T06:03:57.333-05:00

Fish Story Fonda La Veracruzana Calle Medellín Nº 198, corner of Calle Chiapas, Colonia Roma Norte. View Larger Map A few years ago, in a New York Times article on "36 Hours In Mexico City", the writers noted Fonda La Veracruzana as serving Peruvian cuisine. How they got that bit of information is a mystery. Could it be that the writers or perhaps rewriters thought that the ceviches on the

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-91562373158199051542011-09-08T07:55:00.001-05:002011-09-09T02:08:43.182-05:00

We were back in one of our favorite parts of Mexico City, after spending 20 days in New Jersey. Colonia Roma's faded glory is resurgent, with new restaurants opening, while others close. Unfortunately, there seems to be a trend away from its roots in search of ever more refined, "hip" venues. With a little effort, one can find the more down to earth places. Part one of this series will

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-72085571654258127662011-08-27T08:41:00.000-05:002011-09-06T02:13:31.213-05:00

Sra. Betty Zamudio  CLOSED!*  August 2nd, 2011 We were once again at INAM in the process of renewing our FM3s. It was Tuesday and we were weary. Our FM3s had been delayed due to circumstances which I prefer not to go into here. So during a lull, we retreated to the Auto Lavado/Internet café on the corner, presided over by the affable Sra. Myrna. I did some Internet time, while Doña Cuevas

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-27649502397776259112011-08-24T06:21:00.000-05:002011-08-24T06:21:39.031-05:00

Babushka: A woman's headscarf folded into a triangle and tied under the chin; worn by Russian peasant women. Also, a grandmother. Now, Mother Russia has come to Livingston, NJ in the new, Babushka's Russian Deli, conveniently located (and associated with) Livingston Bagel and deli, a couple of doors west. The store is packed with amazing and delightful delicacies, both imported and

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com341-65 E Northfield Rd, Livingston, NJ 07039, USA40.773903746296924 -74.3224346637725840.773903746296924 -74.32243466377258 40.773903746296924 -74.32243466377258tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-35727775059627349272011-08-23T06:09:00.000-05:002011-08-23T06:09:43.591-05:00

Out in the west Jersey suburbs, where Livingston fringes into East Hanover, lies the Landmark Tavern. This cozy Joisey joint has been in business for many years. Originally it was a stagecoach stop. We'd passed the small, red painted wooden structure many times but until yesterday had never eaten there. Three in the afternoon, after a harrowing visit to the Short Hills Mall, our moment had

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com1259 W Mt Pleasant Ave, Livingston, NJ 07039, USA40.7956645 -74.334173240.794162 -74.33664069999999 40.797167 -74.3317057tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-75955236329017250902011-08-19T15:11:00.001-05:002011-08-19T15:11:48.527-05:00

Out of a clamorous clash of titans, born of a seawracked tempest, came a primordial pasta, immersed in the essential broth from which life emerged. My Mom's favorite pasta dish is Linguine with White Clam Sauce. We each have our own way of doing this. I have to admit, that the pasta sauce she made today was the best I've ever had. (Of course, I cooked the linguine to the perfect point.) Over

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-75825436179966170762011-08-16T05:54:00.002-05:002011-08-16T05:54:53.392-05:00

I'm thinking of renaming this blog. When it started, back in 2006, it was supposed to be about Mexican food made in my kitchen. You can see where it has evolved. There's precious little about Mexican home cooking, let alone home cooking of any sort. Let's face it. I hate to type recipes, and it's very challenging to photograph step by step cooking techniques. Others do that so much better

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-68017607417049582362011-08-14T07:27:00.003-05:002011-08-16T07:28:00.918-05:00

How far would you drive for a special meal? Yesterday, we drove nearly 50 miles from the Oranges, NJ area to Tarrytown, NY, to meet our niece and her husband for lunch. J, our niece, had suggested that we meet about halfway between their central Connecticut home and our family's home in New Jersey. To tell the truth, they drove twice as far as we did. I had read something of dining in and

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com29 S Broadway, Tarrytown, NY 10591, USA41.076083758919246 -73.8588523864746141.07458775891924 -73.8613198864746 41.07757975891925 -73.85638488647461tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-80705340141672756672011-08-12T04:48:00.006-05:002011-08-12T06:58:04.511-05:00

"When it’s cherry blossom time in Orange, New Jersey We’ll make a peach of a pair. I know we cantaloupe So honeydew be mine..." Fragment of an nutty routine by Danny Kaye. Lyrics by Sylvia Fine. Complete, insane routine, "Manic Depressive Pictures Presents" here. A nutty, insane routine food magazine recipe for stone fruit pie follows, with my snarky comments. A day after arriving at a

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-58725481201263125692011-08-04T05:53:00.002-05:002011-08-04T05:53:49.862-05:00

 No Pho, Pa? We'd almost forgotten about Vung Tau, as our 10 days in the San Jose, CA area drew to a close. Although we love Vietnamese food, the Vung Tau Vietnamese Restaurant had been an alternate choice for our Tuesday lunch with our financial adviser. But we ended up at McCormick and Schmick, which was very nice, indeed, in an Executive Luncheon sort of way. (I see that I haven't posted

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com4525 E Santa Clara St, San Jose, CA 95112, USA37.3414939 -121.879581637.3399159 -121.88204909999999 37.343071900000005 -121.8771141tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-36926202894397811232011-07-28T07:50:00.000-05:002011-07-28T07:50:15.924-05:00

WikiPedia.org photo Dim Sum are among the greatest gifts of Chinese civilization to the world. When we are California, we almost try to have at least one dim sum meal. They're a heart's delight of numerous and highly varied little treats bought to your table. A dim sum meal is best shared so you can sample more varieties of these dainty, savory and sweet little "dot hearts". While a

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com2187 El Camino Real, San Bruno, CA 94066, USA37.61723140287894 -122.4085950851440437.616445402878945 -122.40982908514404 37.61801740287894 -122.40736108514405tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-67592949903197729032011-07-25T04:02:00.004-05:002012-01-24T04:41:05.660-06:00

WARNING: The following post describes an exceedingly decadent, indulgent and expensive meal. Reader discretion advised. Do you enjoy tigelling? What, you may ask, are tigelle? Here's a nice description, from the website Mangiandobene. Real life tigelle at Tigelleria They are similar if not identical to piadine, something a bit like crumpets without the holes, or pikelets, but not sweet.

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-41965399610314092192011-07-19T10:02:00.001-05:002011-07-19T10:02:52.706-05:00

Two Italians and two Asians walk into a bar... Not really, although could be hereabouts. The notable restaurants of the latter part of our 10 day visit to the San Jose, CA area were two Italian and two Asian. The first Italian restaurant, La Pizzeria, was a last minute find via Google Map search last Wednesday. Doña Cuevas and two of her sisters had gone on a drive to view sculpture at

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-1273164399693755332011-07-16T12:05:00.003-05:002011-07-16T12:06:49.300-05:00

On our trip to the South Bay of the San Francisco Peninsula, we found food, too much food, most of it very good. This will be a capsule report for the most part. Price key: One $ sign equals about $10 USD a person. View Larger Map San Jose, California greeted us with beautiful weather on our arrival. On our flight from Guadalajara, the lovely Volaris flight attendants had given us ample

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-59458605533474467892011-07-15T08:09:00.002-05:002011-07-15T08:10:54.246-05:00

It's been gospel that we don't generally enjoy live musical accompaniment with our restaurant meals, especially when the musicians (some of whom barely qualify for that honorable title) come to our table and start in on "Cielito Lindo" or other chestnuts of Mexican music. But recently whle in Tonalá, Jalisco, we had to come to terms with live musical entertainment. It was at a recommended

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-51544162209422467232011-06-30T06:41:00.002-05:002011-06-30T10:00:49.846-05:00

Mary's is in the white building A Cocina Económica is an inexpensive place to eat, usually with a three to four course comida. There are often some choices offered in the courses. Author David Lida recently wrote a good description of the comida corrida offered by cocinas económicas. We first learned of the Cocina Económica "Mary" from a Lonely Planet Guidebook. Since then, we've eaten there

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-17316468707463677762011-06-28T05:29:00.000-05:002012-01-24T05:35:52.680-06:00

On June 21st, 2011, Doña Cuevas and I celebrated our 43 years together as man and wife. We also marked our 5 years here in this house, on the Rancho, or as our amigo, Felipe calls it, "The Sticks". You are invited to read more about our house, here, on my other blog, Surviving La Vida Buena. Saludos,  Don Cuevas

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-37137326854617507882011-06-25T03:29:00.001-05:002011-06-28T03:53:46.850-05:00

p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Verdana} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Verdana; min-height: 15.0px} We were in Morelia over a weekend recently, and revisited three restaurants which we'd reviewed earlier. The results were mixed. Friday afternoon, we went to El Pescador, on Avenida Cuautla, just south of Av. Madero Poniente. This will undoubtedly be

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-10965547778671241362011-06-21T05:23:00.002-05:002011-06-21T07:35:44.411-05:00

You can talk all you want of tacos, brag on birria, squawk about enchiladas de pollo, or marvel at menudo. But for me, the finest street food Pátzcuaro has to offer is atole de grano. It's pure, clean, nourishing, comforting and delicious, as well as cheap. Our favorite spots are at either of the two side by side stands operated by sisters-in-law, near the pila or water tank on the south side

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-86485977529674370442011-06-16T05:41:00.000-05:002011-06-16T05:41:12.340-05:00

A wedge of Ray's Pizza We went out for pizza recently while visiting family in New Jersey. There's no shortage of pizzerias in the area, many of them notable. My mom and sister chose Ray's Famous NY Pizza, in Verona, NJ. The surprisingly small building  is located on a busy suburban corner, and is shared with two or more other businesses. Ray's has counter type seating facing out the big

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com6Verona, NJ, USA40.82576286283048 -74.2305335628906340.80826336283048 -74.25219106289063 40.84326236283048 -74.20887606289062tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-24387689468626533092011-06-15T03:50:00.002-05:002011-06-15T03:59:14.531-05:00

p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Verdana} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Verdana; min-height: 22.0px} We'd considered going to the Morelia en Boca 2011 affair, but family matters took us to the U.S.  We were compensated with a flying visit to a favorite fast food spot at Houston International Airport. When we lived in Little Rock, AR, I’d visited

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-84179613487151799602011-05-23T06:06:00.001-05:002011-05-23T06:15:48.780-05:00

I went yesterday  morning into Pátzcuaro centro by combi van. When I alighted at la Plaza Chica, I saw this compact cart with pozole for sale. Young pozole attendant The pozole was boiling hot in its large pot; a good sign. I was already in the mood for menudo or birria, but my favorite menudo place is 6 or more blocks away, and we'd had birria on Thursday. I usually think of pozole as

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com11Centro, Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, Mexico19.516136089272464 -101.6092930465575819.497545589272466 -101.61913854655758 19.534726589272463 -101.59944754655758tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-11694401435868251712011-05-18T04:16:00.002-05:002011-05-19T04:49:28.707-05:00

p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Verdana} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Verdana; min-height: 22.0px} Fonda Marceva, Calle Abasolo, Morelia  We knew exactly where it is. We’d walked by many times. In the last three years, we’d read many glowing reviews of the restaurant and its cuisine of the Tierra Caliente. For some reason, we often planned to eat

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-62367668540053271092011-05-09T06:48:00.004-05:002011-05-14T06:07:45.778-05:00

I just saw a discussion beginning on the Any Port In A Storm forum. It's about Oldest Kitchen Appliance. I believe that ours is a Foley Food Mill, dating back to the 1950s or earlier. (I don't think a tool has to be electrically powered to be considered an appliance. I would include my molcajete as an appliance.) The Foley Food Mill is a device which predates the electric blender by many

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-27181876231708791152011-04-28T06:48:00.001-05:002011-04-29T03:33:38.232-05:00

We'd been invited to the wedding of the oldest son of our dearest friends in Mexico city, to a girl he met in Monterrey. The wedding would take place Saturday, April 16, 2011 in Vista del Valle, a suburb of Naucalpan, Estado de México. Following a tip from the LonelyPlanet.com/ThornTree Mexico Branch, we decided to stay at the Hotel Embassy, on Avenida Puebla, #115. It's in the northern

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-65768786511726021542011-04-02T05:02:00.004-06:002011-04-02T05:13:53.925-06:00

Not long ago, our amigo in Morelia, Peter Terry told us of a better-than-average Chinese restaurant, Wang Jiao Comida China, at  Avenida Universidad # 695, corner of Jesús Romero Flores in Morelia. Peter had heard of it from world traveler, Michael LeBroy. Last Thursday, we went to Elaine's Garage Sale (not to be confused with Elaine's in Manhattan) and because the Wang Jiao Comida China is only

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com5Alberto Oviedo Mota, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico19.68433977346378 -101.1986830166717419.68060427346378 -101.20095551667174 19.68807527346378 -101.19641051667173tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-90144672038088017572011-03-09T05:45:00.001-06:002011-03-09T19:51:26.486-06:00

When I was a kid growing up, a small glass of orange juice was an obligatory start to each breakfast, Sometimes there'd be a grapefruit juice variation. The juice was poured into an approximately 4 ounce glass. Usually the glass was a bonus "gift" from having emptied out a Kraft cheese spread jar. This juice was tossed down as if it were medicine. Back then, before we started using frozen juice

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-35347855102576098712011-02-15T08:18:00.001-06:002011-02-15T08:25:22.253-06:00

Mojing Comida ChinaMonday, January 31, 2011 In the late morning, we made another visit to the Mercado San Juan and neighboring shops. The visit was bookended with two Twisted Taxi rides. Our shopping list was light, and we spent less time at MSJ than usual. Our dining goal was the Mojing Comida China restaurant, first reported by Nick Gilman as "The Real Thing". It's located at the corner of

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com3Centro, Cuauhtémoc, Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico19.4332075394646 -99.148585796356219.4306780394646 -99.1522337963562 19.435737039464602 -99.1449377963562tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-26543287934897023352011-02-12T04:29:00.014-06:002011-02-12T09:23:20.272-06:00

An evening at "La Embajada Jarocha*". Sunday night, after our walk through the park, we were hungry again. After all, our meals that day had been light picnic fare and a lot of coffee. None of us wanted a big deal meal nor to travel very far. We did a Google Maps search for Colonia Roma Norte and restaurants. Near the top of the results was "La Embajada Jarocha", only 6 or so blocks from our

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com7Roma Norte, Cuauhtémoc, Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico19.41537932517019 -99.1606664657592819.412849825170188 -99.16431446575928 19.41790882517019 -99.15701846575928tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-77633584586667438352011-02-07T08:22:00.001-06:002011-02-08T06:41:15.311-06:00

Nibbling La Condesa Sunday, January 30, 2011 Parque México is the green heart of Colonia Condesa-Hipódromo. I confess; I don't know where one colonia ends and the other begins. But it's one of the mellowest areas in el D.F. The Parque is defined by the course of the former horse racetrack. Avenida México takes an elliptical course within the outer ring of Avenida Amsterdam. Parque México is

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-52513409316292507152011-02-05T11:22:00.000-06:002011-02-05T11:22:42.304-06:00

The Rosetta Enigma Saturday, January 29, 2011 The pivotal dining focus of our weekend was the much lauded Rosetta, a northern Italian restaurant located a short walk from our hotel. We'd congratulated ourselves on being able to get a greatly coveted reservation for five (we were joined by our friends Luz Ma and Paco). The building and its interior are beautiful, and the food is presented

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-42817007085536655022011-02-05T06:57:00.001-06:002011-02-08T08:25:18.450-06:00

Seven months had passed since we'd last visited Mexico City. While we enjoy the quiet and natural beauty of our home on the rancho, from time to time I need  the stimulation of the vibrant megalopolis of Mexico, D.F. We especially enjoy the greater variety of restaurants available in the City. So, with our friend, Ron Granich, we planned an extended weekend for the end of January. We traveled

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com3Roma Norte, Cuauhtémoc, Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico19.41735246443957 -99.159625768661519.416719964439572 -99.1605377686615 19.41798496443957 -99.1587137686615tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-44457414187830464572011-01-20T08:07:00.000-06:002011-01-20T08:07:43.757-06:00

(This could have been titled, "Three Little Piggies".) We recently went to Morelia to shop and dine, riding with our friend, Ron. I'd read a review on MoreliaConnect by Wayne Brewster owner of the shop, Aquí y Allá, recommending a new restaurant, featuring both Lebanese and  Yucatecan specialities, as well as carnes a la parilla. (Grilled meats.) Before commencing our arduous shopping tasks,

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com6Félix Ireta, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico19.687445249919406 -101.1921930313110419.682394249919405 -101.19948853131103 19.692496249919408 -101.18489753131104tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-57623896227458258082011-01-01T07:04:00.001-06:002011-01-01T11:47:34.396-06:00

or, "What To Do With the Leftovers". I haven't reported on our very enjoyable Christmas dinner of last week. To sum up briefly, our former neighbor, Larry hosted nine guests at the beautiful house he's presently watching for the absentee owners. This was the menu, more or less: We started out with chips and dips. A lady friend brought a "24-hour Salad" in a hurricane glass. (I don't understand

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-26903642488775131532010-12-21T07:23:00.005-06:002011-01-17T07:02:33.525-06:00

El Camino Real in Februrary, 2004 (Note, please, that I was out and without my camera. So archive photos will have to do.) Saturday we were in Pátzcuaro, and after much to-ing and fro-ing, decided to have comida at Restaurante El Camino Real. It's the locally famous restaurant, in business for about 40 years, next to the Pemex gas station at Tzurumutaro. It had been a long time since we’d

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-67798108339118906422010-11-27T06:29:00.002-06:002010-11-27T06:35:50.855-06:00

...with swords and no camera*. Five years had passed since we'd last dined at Morelia's Amazonia, a Brazilian-styled restaurant, where, for a fixed price, you are brought sizzling cuts of meats on "swords", plus a nice variety of side dishes. We'd tried to go here sooner, but the circumstances were never quite right. This time, we celebrated Thanksgiving with our friend, Larry, a devoted

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-91600467733049231912010-11-21T04:28:00.000-06:002010-11-21T04:28:34.744-06:00

Just a week before our departure to San Miguel, I received an email from a friend, Doug Butler, who with his wife, Kathy, had just returned from SMA. The email described a remarkable meal at Dila's Restaurant and Gallery, located at Ancha de San Antonio # 31, Colonia Centro. Doug wrote, and I excerpt: "The chef is Sri Lankan, trained in Switzerland, and very talented.  TripAdvisor has rated it

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-26946786878282015312010-11-20T10:31:00.004-06:002010-11-21T07:11:36.473-06:00

On Tuesday morning, after completing our business at the American Consulate, we joined our friend, Larry at El Pegaso.  It's one of his favorite restaurants in San Miguel, and it's a favorite with other folks as well. It's at the corner of Calles Corregidora at Correos in Centro. The dining rooms are warm and colorful, with small fireplaces, although ours wasn't lit where we sat. I guess we're

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-78028891970049755732010-11-20T05:40:00.003-06:002010-11-21T04:35:44.057-06:00

We returned to San Miguel de Allende for a brief visit in order to pick up our new passports. The whole business took perhaps 15 minutes. Mission accomplished, we turned our attention to a few restaurants, of which at least two had been described in glowing terms by various sources. The lineup was determined by two restaurants' closed days, which worked out well for us. The three were Mare

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-36768359520561573342010-11-08T07:11:00.003-06:002010-11-09T07:08:51.196-06:00

Our friend Ron had bought some lamb several monhs ago from someone in Jalisco. It had been in his freezer since then. He suggested that he grill it on our big charcoal cooker. After some discussion, we agreed that a Moroccan seasoning would be a nice approach. That suggested a Middle Eastern theme. "Come here, you poor little lambs who've lost their way." I made some supporting dishes, and

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-9158888144329097842010-11-05T06:13:00.000-06:002010-11-05T06:13:34.675-06:00

Pan de Muertos, 2004 These days, it seems that at least every other Mexico food blogger has made Pan de Muertos. Here’s my story.(This project is intended for experienced bakers of yeasted breads.)Over the years, I’d made fake-o Pan de Muertos, using sweet doughs or bun doughs shaped into the classic skull with crossed bones.This year, I decided to go all out and use Diana Kennedy’s recipe

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-87794018947435380242010-10-15T05:26:00.015-05:002011-12-03T08:52:13.110-06:00

CLOSED! Avenida Lázaro Cárdenas laces up lower and middle Pátzcuaro, from la Estacíon to the edge of Centro. A short distance above the Glorieta Tangaxuan is the Galería Vicky y Rafael, parent to the former biker bar, the Bar Chopper. The Bar was a raffish neighbor to the Hotel San Felipe, now the Hotel Misíon Pátzcuaro. For a short while it housed the Mercado Buen Provecho. Recently, we

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com2Centro, Patzcuaro, Michoacán, Mexico19.527921204957938 -101.609072685241719.522865204957938 -101.6163681852417 19.532977204957938 -101.6017771852417tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-31411692393470033502010-10-09T05:15:00.006-05:002010-10-09T07:22:35.917-05:00

Photo from Web San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato. Cradle of Allende and Independence. A quintessentially Mexican city of 80.000 Mexicans, but also home to over 11,000 foreign residents, either full or part time. Noted for its Colonial architecture and its galleries and shops. Notably more expensive than many other Mexican cities. There are so many U.S. expats that the State Department has

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-49640361265894413542010-09-30T09:07:00.002-05:002010-10-02T12:53:40.909-05:00

I have often emphatically stated that I could see few reasons to order pasta in an Italian restaurant in Mexico. Maybe not in the U.S., either, although I have made several exceptions, I confess. Why? Because it's cheap and relatively easy to prepare in my own kitchen. Now, I love Italian food, and I won't spurn a side of pasta when it comes as part of my Italian restaurant meal. But in my

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-46389663334584641362010-09-13T04:54:00.001-05:002010-09-13T04:57:30.338-05:00

Although we'd been to La Mesa de Blanca in Ziracuarétiro several times, our visit to its younger sister restaurant with the long name, "El Gorjeo de Las Aves En Las Mañanas de Abril" had been but once. We decided it was time to renew the acquaintance, and accompanied by our friend, Georgia, returned on Sunday, September 12, 2001. We arrived just after 11, and other than one other table, we were

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com4Michoacán, Mexico19.40961154999088 -101.8830871582031219.389373549990882 -101.91226965820313 19.42984954999088 -101.85390465820312tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-52782159556172716782010-09-04T04:58:00.013-05:002011-07-25T05:37:53.320-05:00

It started with a bargain on brisket...from that, it led to a memorable feast. Blackened but good. Brisket after 12 hours of smoking Sizzling, smokey longaniza sausages It started with a bargain on brisket... Mercado Soriana had a whole brisket, weighing nearly 8 kilos, for about $380 MXN, or $29 USD. Because we were anticipating the immediate delivery of a new, 15 cubic foot chest

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-83814630864293464632010-08-26T02:07:00.043-05:002010-08-30T03:04:43.214-05:00

It must be the weather or creeping old age, or both. I've had a craving for the deli foods of my childhood, like kosher dill pickles, smoked brisket and knishes. Challah, with poppyseeds. Not to mention Black Radish Salad. Normally, these things are unobtainable here, unless you make them yourself. I love pickles, especially if I can make them at home. Recently I was delighted to find some nice

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-58106754818780636842010-08-14T05:32:00.015-05:002010-08-15T06:05:27.456-05:00

Since our first visit to Pátzcuaro, in 1991, we have become fond of Atole de Grano. To me, it represents the quintessence of simple Michoacán cooking. Late one peaceful and quiet night, we were sitting in the Plaza Grande contemplating the past events of the day; just a couple of guys, an atole vendedora and us. With little idea of what it was, we ordered two bowls. The cheap pottery bowls

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-47824807882572525912010-08-06T06:20:00.004-05:002010-08-07T05:06:17.500-05:00

Last week, two of our ex-neighbors made a lightning visit back to our area. While we said goodbye to our former neighbors, we also welcomed a new neighbor to the rancho. Doña Cuevas and I prepared a special comida for the occasion. This was the menu.August 4, 2010 Guacamole, totopos (contributed)Trozos de pepinos, limón. Caldo de Hongos Silvestres al Chipotle, (made with "Lobster" mushrooms.)

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-79289584110607800102010-07-22T04:36:00.010-05:002010-07-22T07:32:07.499-05:00

I come from a family of picklers. My Mother is a pickler, my Uncle Irwin is a pickler; I'm a pickler too. We come from a long line of picklers stretching back across the Atlantic to the shtetl. Picking Your PepinoI've learned that making Kosher style dilled cucumber pickles is not difficult. The main requirement is selecting your cucumbers. Mexican markets offer several types of unsuitable

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com7Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, NY, USA40.603852625795334 -73.9970397949218840.595707125795336 -74.01163079492187 40.61199812579533 -73.98244879492188tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-8835123551144227242010-07-18T04:24:00.005-05:002010-07-19T07:03:19.827-05:00

Our First Time......in México was a crazy road trip, with 3 of us crammed into a Datsun King Cab pickup, in March, 1980. This post is about caves, but it's also about food, but most of all, about our first vist to the impressive area of Cuetzalan, Puebla, Mexico. We motored down over several days from Mountain View, Arkansas, to join up with cavers renting a mouse infested house in the

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com6Cuetzalan del Progreso, Puebla, Mexico20.0173762 -97.522088119.9972147 -97.55127060000001 20.0375377 -97.4929056tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-54850143026088249442010-07-16T06:54:00.000-05:002010-07-16T06:54:46.407-05:00

For those of you interested in the esoterica of cave explorations, I have started a blog, "We Once Were Cavers." The introduction, The Adventure Begins has been posted, with remembrances of things karst soon to follow. There will be limited references to food, but they do occur. Saludos, Don Cuevas

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-44306321297316378932010-07-13T03:18:00.002-05:002010-07-14T04:10:43.820-05:00

La Mesa de Blanca July 11, 2010 Seven of us went in two vehicles to the Mesa de Blanca in Ziracuarétiro.We left Pátzcuaro in a downpour. For Doña Cuevas and I, this was our second visit; the first was in March. On passing the Ziracuarétiro toll station, the skies were clearing. When we drove into the restaurant parking lot, David’s car found the special broken Coke bottle waiting for his

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-21185876931102527142010-07-09T03:47:00.003-05:002010-07-09T04:10:52.777-05:00

A few of us, Camille, Peter and I, among others who frequent the Mexican Kitchen Forum of Mexconnect.com were chatting about this and that some months ago. "Sergio Gómez" started the topic of "Fusion food". We then got the idea to get together in the Pátzcuaro area this summer when Camille was visiting, and cook and enjoy some Asian dishes. The challenge is to make the dishes with the available 

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-43759079455275176312010-07-06T04:37:00.004-05:002010-07-06T04:40:56.710-05:00

Well, amigos, it's time for the Mexico City wrap-up.  We stayed over an extra night a the Hotel Milán, so that Doña Cuevas could rest and recover from her lingering illness. She was eating Bimbo toast and drinking KaoPectate and Pedialyte, but I had an appetite. Fortunately, there are many dining options close by. A recent addition is El Diez, an Argentinean style steak house and sports bar,

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com1Roma Norte, Cuauhtémoc, Distrito Federal, Mexico19.417979816522262 -99.1598081588745119.416714816522262 -99.16163215887451 19.419244816522262 -99.15798415887451tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-91637846781193972922010-07-06T03:40:00.003-05:002010-07-07T03:36:47.000-05:00

El Racó, a Catalán restaurant, located at the north end of Parque México in the lovely Colonia Hipódromo-Condesa, was the dining highlight of our recent visit to Mexico City. I'd spent some time studying the online menus of what it bills as "cuina del mar y muntanya". I incline more to mar than muntanya, so I was attracted by the fish specialties, notably the signature "Huauchinago a la Sal".

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-29429499742283530202010-06-30T05:58:00.009-05:002011-03-07T12:53:21.108-06:00

Let's pause here for a cafecito and pan dulce break and return in another episode.  In our previous episode, the three gastronomic adventurers had just visited the Dragon del Oro Tienda China, and were in need of a a caffeine fix. There are several coffee roasters in the vicinity, including this tiny coffee grotto with a display of antique coffee related apparati, between Mercado San Juan and

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-67894178921312425972010-06-28T04:07:00.003-05:002010-06-30T04:08:25.586-05:00

We just returned from a visit to the U.S. where we attended a wedding of our grandniece and her childhood sweetheart and a visit to my side of the family in New Jersey. (The food there is another story entirely.) On our return to Mexico City, we rendezvoused with our friend, Ron Granich, a man of distinguished tastes and very high standards of quality, in the realm of food, and even more

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-58295365386944061042010-06-21T04:15:00.001-05:002010-06-21T04:17:08.389-05:00

Cannolo The Cuevas' have been travelling in the U.S., attending a wedding and visiting family, and are now on their way home, after a few days of wandering and eating in México City. Many restaurants were visited in the U.S. and a few in Mexico. I've been too busy to blog. Then, in a last minute frenzied farewell, I left my digital camera in my family house. I'm making arrangements to have it

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-43217698733561227302010-05-31T06:42:00.002-05:002010-06-01T06:30:56.806-05:00

The Asador Bariloche had been recommended to me by our friend Peter, in Morelia. Yesterday, we had a chance to eat there. It's in Morelia Centro, on Ave. Madero at the corner of Calle Amado Nervo. Seven of us arrived just after the opening time, 2:00 p.m. We were the only diners in the restaurant during the more than two hours we passed in enjoying a leisurely comida. Asador Bariloche is a

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-23689332037995329122010-05-27T03:37:00.007-05:002010-05-27T04:02:17.006-05:00

Crema Fría de Berros y Papas When it's hot weather here at el Rancho, we look again for cold, easy to prepare foods to tide us over until the cool rains begin again. Last week, I made Cool Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup; this week, it was cool, fresh green soup of watercress and potatoes. This soup is not very difficult to make, but you must buy 2 very large “manojos” or bunches of berros.

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-17789182573489319632010-05-24T05:45:00.000-05:002010-05-24T05:45:27.100-05:00

El Gorjeo de Las Aves En Las Mañanas de Abril.  Ziracuarétiro, Michoacán Imagine a place set in lush green hills, with  a semi-tropical climate and bountiful fruited orchards. Bless it with plentiful waters where families may frolic in pools of fresh water. Then, develop a lovely, park like area near the balneario, and build a beautiful, casual restaurant that takes full advantage of the

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-25212808774222059812010-05-21T07:12:00.001-05:002010-05-21T07:13:20.935-05:00

Elaborate piece at the Concurso de Las Bordaderas Dinner for 6 after the Concurso de Las Bordaderas at Santa Cruz, Michoacán. May 19, 2010                                         Menu• Cool Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup, olive oil croutons, goat cheese with fresh basil and thyme • Cazuela de Milpa (Calabacitas, Granos de Elote, Chile Poblano, Nopalitos, y Dos Quesos) • Black Bean

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-53474366705948366402010-05-15T13:08:00.017-05:002010-05-24T06:55:47.904-05:00

After a year of arranging restaurant breakfasts and sending out email notices, I'm retiring as breakfast co-ordinator for the Pátzcuaro R.O.M.E.O.s Men's Breakfast  Group. R.O.M.E.O. is an acronym for "Retired Old Men Eating Out." I enjoyed most of it, with very few problems. But a frequent challenge is getting suggestions from the group as to the next week's restaurant venue. Many members ( I

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-11559305886172188262010-05-10T05:53:00.005-05:002010-05-29T03:35:08.197-05:00

Michoacán's Best Vietnamese Restaurants? What the Pho? There aren't any. You want Vietnamese type food, you must cook it at home. (It's also true of Chinese food, if you want anything much more than  chow mein and stir-fried salchichas or pollo agri-dulce. But that's another story.) We are big fans of Vietnamese cuisine. Back in Little Rock, AR, where we spent 10 years toiling before retirement

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-52069075103607868602010-05-02T11:35:00.007-05:002010-05-03T13:06:03.317-05:00

We took a drive yesterday for the first time to Tacámbaro, Michoacán. We first heard of it from the Pátzcuaro Birders Group. It's on the edge of La Tierra Caliente, or Hot Lands. About 50 miles of winding, mountainous roads lead up from Opopeo, through darkly fragrant pine forests and then down through sunny avocado groves. As we started up, we got behind a fully loaded manure truck, carrying a

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-80755943557795951262010-04-25T09:48:00.004-05:002010-04-26T06:04:19.831-05:00

                   Great start. Middling middle. We returned yesterday to the pleasant town of Ziracuarétiro, in the warm, lush semi-tropical zone near Uruapan.About a month ago, we had a pleasant dinner at La Mesa de Blanca, which is in the town itself. Ever seeking something new and different, we decide on Hacienda Los Arcos. From its website, we already knew that it was a much larger and

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-33793694752479865052010-04-17T05:12:00.003-05:002010-04-17T05:26:21.157-05:00

Baker's Joy. It's not just a pan release spray. It's La Frontera, in Morelia. As a retired, professional baker and ex-bakery owner, I love this place. It's the place panaderos go when needing some special ingredient, such as rye or gluten flour; caraway seeds or flavoring extracts; pectin to set jellies and jams; a special pan for that poodle shaped cake, or perhaps a powerful floor mixer, or a

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-16029569242958551932010-04-11T04:28:00.002-05:002010-04-11T04:32:29.410-05:00

The Milanesa is a popular dish in Mexico. It's simply a cutlet of meat or chicken, pounded thin, lightly breaded and fried. It's often used to fill a torta or its variant, cemita. (Bread roll sandwich) It bears some relationship to the Austrian Schnitzel, but even more so to the coteletta alla Milanaise. I wrote about this a year ago in regard to the Holsteiner Schnitzel I enjoyed at Sanborn's in

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-70741414201546526092010-04-10T07:02:00.010-05:002010-11-14T05:26:37.905-06:00

Betabeles. It's a lovely word for an unlovely root. They look like ruddy cannon shot piled in the market stalls or on the ground cloths of the vendedoras. We've been eating them a lot lately, so I thought I'd post some ideas. From deep within the BlogSoil, I dug up this never-before published  item. (I've edited it to conform with my present, heightened blogging standards.) Now, for a

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-23517213491188597822010-03-29T10:30:00.077-06:002010-03-29T15:47:42.954-06:00

It may come as a surprise to newcomers that somewhat provincial Pátzcuaro has several specialty food shops. If you are looking for Asian sesame oil, or sushi rice, rice wine vinegar; where do you find them? What about fromage chevre or smoked provolone? Daikon radish? Eggplant? Brussels Sprouts? In this series of blog posts, I'll describe where to find these items. They are not to be found in the

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-53705821961606106072010-03-27T05:03:00.001-06:002010-03-28T16:04:28.552-06:00

It's Spring time, and I'm regenerating energy by taking a rest from blogging for a while. I have some topics lined up that will engage my attention and, I hope, yours. Meanwhile, I was browsing the Templates section of Blogger, where I saw a new, attractive Spring outfit I just couldn't resist. After trying it on, I decided to buy it, an incredible bargain at only $0. For those who are

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-5150993799597940692010-03-21T10:32:00.008-06:002010-04-26T17:02:06.027-05:00

Rumors had drifted to us of a wonderful restaurant located in a small town with a hard-to-pronounce name. "Ziracuarétiro", somewhere between Pátzcuaro and Uruapan, 5 kilometers off the Autopista al Sol toll highway. Among the rumors was that it "was the best restaurant in Michoacán." The chef, Sra. Blanca Vidales Vega, is a prizewinner in regional and national concursos. With stories like that,

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-55378118710033194902010-03-14T06:44:00.011-06:002010-03-14T06:54:15.412-06:00

In the Autumn of 2009, the Restaurant Cha Cha Cha (C3) in Pátzcuaro, closed its doors. Last Winter, rumors flew that Rodolfo, who operated the restaurant at the Gran Hotel on Plaza Chica, had taken over the C3 premises and with his wife, Lupe, as Chef, would reopen the restaurant with a new name and menu. Hopes bloomed in expat hearts that Lupita's, as the place is named, would fulfill their

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-91414212551178054932010-03-11T04:43:00.003-06:002010-03-11T04:46:45.196-06:00

~This is from my Private Reserve Blog, reposando until the right moment. No blog shall be released before its time.~ Warning: reading this blog may be hazardous to your health. (A few months ago) I was reading the New York Times Online, and I saw that the health puritans of New York City's Bloomberg administration once again wish to impose their dietary restrictions upon the citizenry. After

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-15142524503569698722010-03-09T06:24:00.003-06:002010-03-19T11:34:15.773-06:00

Monday was our last full day in Mexico City, with the morning devoted to shopping,at Mercado San Juan, where I looked for fresh shiso leaves for Ron. One vendor had them, in a locked refrigerator, but they were $5 pesos each, and very perishable, so I didn't buy any. Nearby, I foolishly agreed to pay $26 MXP for a tiny bag of mustard powder, perhaps 100 grams. I didn't really need it as I can

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-65798168731187464222010-03-08T10:40:00.001-06:002010-03-08T10:48:23.494-06:00

We didn't spend all of our time in Mexico City eating. We also shopped for food. We had a modest list, augmented by requests from our friend Ron in Pátzcuaro. He was interested in green, (unroasted) coffee beans, fresh shiso leaves, and date molasses. I was fairly certan we could find those items within a two block radius. The date molasses required a longer search, but it was fun. I wanted to

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-75582303469348783832010-03-07T09:13:00.003-06:002010-03-08T09:20:30.113-06:00

Restaurante Boca Del Río, on Ribera de San Cosme, Colonia San Rafael, is a cherished Mexico City dining spot. It began operations in 1942 as an ambulant cart on the streets. Since then, it has grown to include the original restaurant, #42 San Cosme, and a new branch in la-di-da Polanco. The restaurant was far out of our walking range of our hotel*, but our dear friends, Luz Ma and Paco came by

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-89708879098672636792010-03-06T07:47:00.001-06:002010-03-06T08:03:25.752-06:00

                              ~ Casino Español ~ Although there are a wealth of upscale dining choices in Mexico City, few of interest to us are in the barrio where we stayed. But it's a 20 minute walk to the mero Centro, where a wondrous world of dining unfolds. Or, you can take the Metro for 2 or 3 stations, and walk upstairs into the grand and dazzling space that is the Zócalo. We chose to

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-21773053997000827552010-03-05T08:37:00.002-06:002010-03-06T08:19:53.060-06:00

In our wanderings up and around the Barrio San Juan, we missed a few things. (Come on, how much can two people handle?!)After we got home, a Chowhound.com post on the Mexico Forum, by "StreetGourmetLA" directed us, belatedly, to Ricos Tacos Toluca, a fabulous taquería specializing in the chorizos and embutidos of the Toluca region. We probably had passed within a block of the place.Well,

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-16558266565657789872010-03-04T10:07:00.002-06:002010-03-04T10:09:44.008-06:00

We arrived at our hotel on Friday afternoon at 3:30. The Metro from Terminal Observatorio got us there quickly and cheaply ($3 MXP each).After checking in, and paying for the first night, we briefly explored the features of our decadent suite. When we recovered our senses, we were hungry. We wanted to eat nearby, and almost nothing qualified better than Tacos Xotepingo, a mere 2 1/2 blocks from

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-75921188522384766942010-03-04T05:56:00.004-06:002010-03-29T15:21:20.418-06:00

We passed a glorious gourmandizing weekend in Mexico City. Afterward, back home, it was difficult at first to organize the information in a meaningful way, without boring my readers with excess details. I think I've got my plan sorted out now. Our stay at the Hotel Pal I'll describe on  Surviving La Vida Buena . The small eats and taquerías I'll cover briefly. Three significant restaurants,

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-58469912988153743932010-02-07T05:00:00.000-06:002010-02-07T04:39:43.056-06:00

What happened to the tomatoes in México? Generally, the ones we get are nearly tasteless. The majority are the "saladette" type, what we yanquis would call Romas. Yet they have almost no resemblance in taste to the San Marzano pear-shaped tomatoes from Italy. Los jitomates bolas, when you can find them, are a little more flavorsome, but are usually watery. See this WikiPedia article on tomatoes

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-14651282859120310742010-02-06T12:08:00.004-06:002010-02-07T04:41:31.286-06:00

Pizza is one of my favorite foods to make and to eat. What could be better than to share with friends? We decided to invite friends both old and new. In the end there were 9 guests and we two hosts.While it's theoretically possible to serve pizza and nothing more than beverages, that would not be the Don Cuevas way of doing things.So it was, after considerable planning, shopping and changes of

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-53592627869287994082010-01-31T05:09:00.002-06:002010-01-31T05:25:48.848-06:00

We were in Morelia last Wednesday on some business. When it was concluded, we walked with our friend, Rosa, to El Pescador. Loyal readers may recall my review from our first visit last summer. The menu at this restaurant, on the west side of Morelia's Centro, has a considerably ambitious menu than those in our usual haunts. Last time, I had Huachinango a La Veracruzana. This time, I chose

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-39248762736371355122010-01-25T11:09:00.033-06:002010-01-25T16:25:59.814-06:00

We had been reading about this newish restaurant for some months. The location seems a bit odd: under the lower ramparts of the Club Deportivo Vista Del Rey, on a dead end street, for all practical purposes. The address is Calle Teresa Dávalos # 22, Centro.It's accessed best from Pátzcuaro Centro, then ascending Calle Romero, turning left on the newly improved Calle Esperanza (formerly one of the

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com6San Lázaro, Pátzcuaro, MICH, Mexico19.507595410685397 -101.6101509332656919.506963410685398 -101.61106293326569 19.508227410685397 -101.60923893326569tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-64089578494812387842010-01-23T06:14:00.005-06:002011-10-24T05:49:44.084-05:00

Last Thursday night, we made another visit to the delightful Hamburguesas Richard's in Morelia Centro. I just searched my blog's archives, and I was very surprised that I'd never written about this before.Hamburguesas Richard's serves what I consider the best hamburgers in Morelia. The French fried potatoes are exemplary. There are also Tacos Al Pastor and Hot Dogs, but in my opinion, the

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com4Centro Histórico, Morelia, MICH, Mexico19.699071856088022 -101.1916565895080619.697809356088023 -101.19348058950806 19.70033435608802 -101.18983258950806tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-16014050240212210612009-12-31T07:33:00.001-06:002010-01-02T09:04:27.281-06:00

Now that El Día de Los Inocentes is behind us, I can safely pass on the rumor I heard the day before yesterday.A well placed source informed me that the operator of the Gran Hotel Restaurant in Pátzcuaro would be reopening the Cha Cha Cha Restaurant on Calle Buena Vista before long.It's unclear at this point whether the CCC name would be retained or changed.This could be a welcome development, as

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-40638101843548427212009-12-30T06:33:00.004-06:002010-01-11T07:07:19.503-06:00

Old friends and new gathered at the Hacienda Cuevas for a Christmas feast. I will touch on some of the highlights of that meal. I'll indicate with strikeouts which items changed and what took their place.This was the draft menu, which of course changed in the making. Christmas Dinner 2009Assorted botanas, from Eduardo and Rosalba.Chipotle Apricot Cream Cheese Spread with crackers and

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-25459018836721272632009-12-25T06:25:00.001-06:002009-12-25T06:26:02.191-06:00

To all who come to this blog; Followers, Friends, Browsers and Wanderers: We wish you a Feliz Navidad and Próspero Año Nuevo 2010, of peace and contentment. May your new year bring many great meals with family and friends. Don y Doña Cuevas Snowy Egrets in Pines

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18132936.post-25671769097453025702009-12-19T06:36:00.002-06:002009-12-19T09:22:34.033-06:00

We have now eaten twice at El Rincón del Buen Sazón, located on the Glorieta Tangaxuan, across from Bodega Aurerrá. Here is my review of the first visit, about a month ago. Sorry; I have no photos. In a recent email, Pablo Kundzin sent me a tip about a new restaurant, El Rincón del Buen Sazón, at the glorieta in Pátzcuaro, across from Bodega Aurrerá. He wrote that the food was good, the portions

Don Cuevashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13512081335891808593noreply@blogger.com10Centro, Pátzcuaro, MICH, Mexico19.530090149953438 -101.6101294755935719.529458149953438 -101.61104147559357 19.530722149953437 -101.60921747559357