7/5/10

Yesterday i made my favorite soup: Caldo Talepena from the Mexicans. I use breast pieces to cook into broth. I remove the skin but keep the bones per the instruction of Mrs. Cruz who was my neighbor. I cook this as one would for soup with absolutely no thing added just meat and filtered water. I did add some Mexican bouillon (not really just KNORR with Spanish words)to this batch because the broth was weak. After the broth was made I removed the breast pieces and let them cool while I peeled potatoes and cut them, cut carrots. The potatoes and carrots were the only vegetables I used although chayotes or zucchini is part of the traditional recipe-I just didn't have any yesterday. When the vegetables are half cooked I add back the chicken cut into big hunks. The soup is served with corn tortillas, chopped onion and cilantro and jalapenos. Rice is a traditional accompaniment but here we cannot have rice and tortillas in one meal-too much carbo for us. My soup was so delicious as good as what I would pay $10 for at Gonsalves in the mall. I loved it and am eating it again today.
Sop many of us "Americans" do not realize how simple and straight forward Mexican cooking is. We think that it is all chile and mole but it isn't and infact mole takes so long and is so expensive to make that it is usually found only at important dates such as weddings,anniversaries,etc. Chiles are important but they are not as much a part of everyday food as we "Americans" think that's all I am saying here. Most of the food I have eatine in Mexican homes is pure and simple and dressed up by individuals with salsa, chiles, onions, etc. at the table.
I have had enchilads served with a sauce of whirled, canned tomatoes with some garlic powder and nothing else.
More later-I ahve to go out now.