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More than peppers: The sophistication of the Mexican food Blogonovelas: Feuilleton for the XXIst century
The most Mexican tradition: Dﾃｭa de Muertos
No4.NovDec 2013
Just for help: Humanitarian Foundation in Support of the Disabled
Bienvenidos Welcome again to our online magazine. Summer is gone, autum almost do it, end of year is closer with every day and in no time holidays will begin, and with the celebrations comes the family and friends meetings, the eating and drinking, later the New year resolutions of course, yet to me the binding element here is the food. The holidays are a great excuse to eat the things we like, the ones that take us to a trip across time and space to our chilhood, to the last vacaction, or to an unforgettable evening; but this gatherings give us chance to discover also new flavors and experiences in company of our loved ones. This number as you might suspected is dedicated to the food, specifically the Mexican food. We will take our dear readers through an ABC of the Mexican food incluiding unpronounceable things and of course the mighty chilies. We will tell you also about the best restaurants in Mexico City where every day proves that traditions are alive, fashionable, and even sophisticated. We have also a brief description of the most Mexican tradition which is conquering the world of fashion, design and arts, I´m talking about Dia de Muertos, where we will see that dead is part of life and accept and understand this process can be cool and inspiring even for kids. As well we have our regular section about the history of the Spanish language and a new collaboration from Junta de Asistencia Privada, a terrific ONG from Mexico City and how they help people to have a better life. We present you also the work of Hernán Casciari and Orsay, an example to us who believe in this project Mehiko Māja,, and the free distribution of interesting and quality content, Enjoy this number, have a great holidays, and as New year resolution what about try some Mexican food with your friends and familiy. Les deseamos muy Feliz Navidad y un muy Próspero Año Nuevo. See you in January.
Cezars Torres Mehiko Māja
Mexico in Latvia We continue with the changes, we had a month hiatus to catched the November-Dicember bimester, we are still developing our style and working in response of the comments we receive. A very respectful columnist and writer from Mexico used to greet his four readers as a sign of humility, therefore and following his example I´d like to give thanks to our couple of readers for their insights. With everyday I feel more confortable living in Riga, understanding the people, the language, enjoying the food, discovering places, making friends and even identifying myself with the traditions, the problems, and the current situation of the country, in short making Riga my home. I overcome my own ignorance and prejudices about Latvia and now I have what I believe is a more complete life. Prejudices are like mist that not let us apreciate and enjoy the things that are different and in my opinion they are fueled by ignorance and misconception and that is why this number we dedicated to the Mexican food. Thanks to our Northamerican cousins Mexican food is known world wide, but the food has travel with a series of misconceptions like the idea that all the Mexican food is hot spicy and suitable just for strong stomachs. In this number we will try to guide you through our cuisine and hopefully this will be a “small step into a bigger world� for some of you. Things for the store of Mexican products in Riga are in motion but laws of men and market have to be obey before begin, but as I said at least are in motion.
A lot of good things are happening, join us!
Content
Article: Mexican food and cuisine
JAPDF Humanitarian Foundation in Support of the Disabled
1001 years of the Spanish language: The Visigoth Spain
Culture, fashion and design
Eat & Drink
Arts & Enterteinment
Article Mexican cuisine is as complex as any of the great cuisines in the world, such as those of China or France. It is created mostly with ingredients native to Mexico as well as those brought over by the Europeans with some new influences since then. In addition to staples such as corn and chili peppers, native ingredients include tomatoes, squashes, avocados, cocoa and vanilla, as well as ingredients not generally used in other cuisines such as edible flowers. European contributions include pork, chicken, beef, cheese, herbs and spices and some fruits.
Mexican food has been gaining in popularity since 2000s, mainly thanks to Americans living abroad who have helped popularize the cuisine. Most Mexican food found outside of Mexico is limited, generally based on the food of far northern Mexico and the Southwest US. Nachos, burritos, fajitas, chili con carne and chimichangas are US inventions for the most part. Mexican cooking was of course still practiced in what is now the Southwest United States after the Mexican–American War but Tex-Mex food was developed from Mexican and Anglo influences, and was traced to the late 19th century in Texas.
Despite the domination of Spanish culture, Mexican cuisine has maintained its base of corn, beans and chili peppers. One reason for this was the overwhelming population of indigenous people in the earlier colonial period, and the fact that many ingredients for Spanish cooking were not available or very expensive in Mexico.
During the 19th century Mexico experienced an influx of various immigrants including French, Lebanese, German, and Italian, which have had some effect on the food. One lasting evidence of the French influence is the variety of breads and sweet breads which can be found in Mexican bakeries. The Germans brought beer brewing techniques and the Chinese added their cuisine to certain areas of the country. Since the 20th century, there has been an interchange of food influences between Mexico and the United States. This led to Mexico characterizing its cuisine more by its relation to popular traditions rather than on particular cooking techniques.
Chilies Chilies are a distinctive ingredient, but they are generally served as condiments on the side rather than integrated into the dishes.
Mexican food has a reputation for being very spicy, but its seasoning can be better described as strong although some dishes also have subtle flavors. Chili peppers are used for their flavors and not just their heat, with Mexico using the widest variety of chili peppers. If a savory dish or snack does not contain chili pepper, hot sauce is usually added, and chili pepper is often added to fresh fruit and sweets. Many dishes in Mexico are defined by their sauces and the chili peppers those sauces contain, rather than the meat or vegetable that the sauce covers. These dishes include entomatada (in tomato sauce), adobo or adobados, pipians and moles. Dishes without a sauce are rarely eaten without a salsa or without fresh or pickled chili peppers. This includes street foods such as tacos, soups, sopes, tlacoyos, gorditas and sincronizadas. For most dishes, it is the variety of chili used that gives it its main flavor.
Moles Moles come in various flavors and ingredients, with chili peppers as the common factor. However, the classic mole version is the variety called mole poblano, which is a dark red or brown sauce served over meat. The dish has become a culinary symbol of Mexico’s mestizaje, or mixed indigenous and European heritage, both for the types of ingredients it contains as well as the legends surrounding its origin The cooking of Oaxaca remained more intact after the Conquest, as the Spanish took the area with less fighting and less disruption of the economy and food production systems. One major feature of Oaxacan cuisine is its seven moles, second only to mole poblano in importance. The seven are Negro (black), Amarillo (yellow), Coloradito (little red), Mancha Manteles (table cloth stainer), Chichilo (smoky stew), Rojo (red), and Verde (green). The food of the Yucatån peninsula is distinct from the rest of the country. It is based primarily on Mayan food with influences from the Caribbean, central Mexico, European (especially French) and Middle Eastern cultures One of the main spices in the region is the annatto seed, called achiote in Spanish. It gives food a reddish color and a slightly peppery smell with a hint of nutmeg.
Chocolate Chocolate played an important part in the history of Mexican cuisine. The word "chocolate" originated from Mexico's Aztec cuisine, derived from the Nahuatl word xocolatl. Chocolate was first drunk rather than eaten. It was also used for religious rituals. The Maya civilization grew cacao trees and used the cacao seeds it produced to make a frothy, bitter drink. The drink, called xocoatl, was often flavored with vanilla, chili pepper, and achiote
What the Spaniards then called "chocolatl" was said to be a beverage adapted by nuns of a convent in Oaxaca, consisting of a chocolate base flavored with vanilla and other spices that was served cold. The first recorded shipment of chocolate to Europe for commercial purposes was in a shipment from Veracruz to Seville in 1585, and after a weird initial episode with the Catholic church due the allegedly sensuous nature of the drink by the end of the 18th century its consumption was well established. Since then the chocolate has reached unexpected levels of consume and sophistication.
Mexican or TexMex
Worldwide confused, TexMex food is not exactly Mexican food although having a common origin and being undeniable tasty by its own right. TexMex food is actually Southwestern cooking using elements of Mexican culture. Lets discover the nationality of some favorites from your local “Mexican� restaurant:
Chili con carne
Chimichangas
Burritos
Fajitas
Nachos
Margarita
Chilies and peppers As you may know chili is a spicy flavor fruit essential in Mexican cuisine, but probably you didn麓t know that peppers are health-giving properties. Raw contain more vitamin C than an orange or a lemon and about half of the dose of vitamin A. Studies have shown that capsaicin, which determines the itching, may reduce the formation of blood clots. The first to know about is that there are many varieties of peppers, in sizes, colors, shapes and flavors, and they can be divided into: Fresh: color should be bright and have smooth skin. Colors may vary depending on the type of chili. Dried: Chiles that are allowed to mature and dry or dehydrated. Their skin is wrinkled, but kept bright. The second thing to know is that chili peppers are spicy and the way to know how spicy they are is with the Scoville scale which measure the pungency or spicy heat of chili peppers or other spicy foods and is reported in Scoville heat units or SHU in function of their capsaicin concentration. Chili peppers names vary from place to place so here are illustrate with pictures to avoid confusion. SHU scale runs from 0 (bell peppers) till 350,000 (habaneros)
100-500 SHU: Pimiento, morr贸n, paprika, bell pepper
1000-1500 SHU: Poblano, ancho, mulato
1000-4000 SHU: Pasilla
2500-5000 SHU: Guajillo, Coste単o, Pulla
2500-5000 SHU: Jalape単o
2500-8000 SHU: Cascabel
10,000-23,000 SHU: Serrano
15,000-45,000 SHU: Chipotle
50,00-100,000 SHU: Ă rbol
100,000-140,000 SHU: PiquĂn
100,000-200,000 SHU: Manzano
100,000-350,000 SHU: Habanero
The political cartoon:
During the past summer elections various groups of citizens decided to vote animals as a protest against the corruption of politicians. Among these animal candidates Morris the cat became a sensation winning as mayor of Jalapa. In the carton is the Secretary of the Treasury Luis Videgaray stating the new pet food tax as retaliation against Morris the cat by Rapé from the newspaper “Milenio”
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NGOs in Mexico City As in many places, Mexico City´s civil society also run the extra mile for their peers. Since this number we have the collaboration of Junta de Asistencia Privada del Distrito Federal (Private Assistance Board of Federal District jap.org.mx) - a government agency that supervises, aids and supports many of the city´s NGOs (specifically Private Assistance Institutions, IAP).
Together we believe this would be a great opportunity for them to promote the work they do, share their successful cases and if possible, call to international action or support in some humanitarian topics. Here a brief description about the JAPDF following by their first success story: The Hospital of Jesus.
What is the Private Assistance Board of Mexico City (Junta de Asistencia Privada del Distrito Federal, JAPDF)? It is a decentralized body of the City Government responsible for ensuring that the nongovernmental organizations registered as Private Assistance Institutions (Institutions de Asistencia Privada, I.A.P.) carry out their intended missions. Consequently, the Private Assistance Board also works to guarantee the organizations´ permanence over time and to ensure the benefits they provide reach the people who need it most. The JAPDF is endowed with the legal capacity necessary to carry out its mission of supporting, promoting, advising, supervising and coordinating the 400 Private Assistance Institutions under its jurisdiction, in accordance with the Law of Private Assistance Institutions of Mexico City (Ley de Instituciones de Asistencia Privada para el Distrito Federal (LIAPDF).
What is the structure of the JAPDF? The Private Assistance Board of Mexico City is governed by a Board of Directors. The Board if comprised of six government representatives and six Private Assistance Institution representatives, as well as its standing President. Board of Directors: 6 Government Representatives (5 from the City Government and 1 from the Federal Government) •Ministry for Social Development in Mexico City •Ministry of the Government in Mexico City •Ministry of Finance in Mexico City •Ministry of Health in Mexico City •Integral Family Development in Mexico City •Ministry of Finance and Public Credit 6 Representatives from the Private Assistance Institutions •Children and Young People •Seniors •Health and Addictions •Education and Community Development •Donors and Pledges •Disability and Rehabilitation What are Private Assistance Institutions (I.A.P.)? They are non-profit organizations that operate in accordance with the Law of Private Assistance Institutions of Mexico City. They work to promote, prevent, protect and rehabilitate individuals in various areas of social and economic development.
The Private Assistance Institutions are classified under the following six categories: •Children and Young People: These organizations work with boys and girls of all ages, some as young as newborns and up till the age of 21. •Seniors: The seniors are looked after in group homes and day centers. •Health and Addictions: Health services for physical and/or mental health are provided in clinics, hospitals, shelters and rehabilitation centers. •Education and Community Development: They provide formal and informal educational opportunities, scholarships, community development services, job training and cultural activities. These are available to children, adults and seniors alike. •Donors and Pledges: These provide secure loans, financial support and advice, and in-kind donations. These are geared toward individuals and small businesses. •Disability and Rehabilitation: These organizations serve people with disabilities in group homes and day centers by providing physical rehabilitation, special education, counseling and job training.
If it’s I.A.P, it’s serious. For more information, please visit: www.jap.org.mx Calderón de la Barca Núm. 92. Col. Polanco, 11560 México, D.F. Telephone: 52 79 72 70
Over 160 disabled individuals have been reintegrated into the labor market by the Humanitarian Foundation in Support of the Disabled, I.A.P. (Fundación Humanista de Ayuda a Discapacitados, I.A.P. (FHADI). María Antonieta Osornio Ramírez was a Mexican skydiving champion that won multiple medals and trophies during her career. On February 24th, 1984 she was landing at an official celebration in Guerrero, México but due to strong winds, her parachute collapsed. She fell 60 feet and destroyed her neck vertebrae. Tony, as she is affectionately called by her colleagues, established the Humanitarian Foundation in Support of the Disabled, I.A.P. in 1997, in order to share her personal experience as well as support disabled individuals through physical rehabilitation and personal development.
FHADI, I.A.P. has achieved the reintegration of more than 160 motor disabled individuals into the labor market, in addition to supplying over a thousand families with psychiatric rehabilitation. Among its most innovative projects, it launched an alliance with La Salle University (Universidad La Salle) in 2012 to create the first professional program on the Status of Disabilities. It also plans to launch a program to house 15 motor disabled individuals under one roof for a month, during that month they will be taught the physical and psychological tools necessary to become self-sufficient and productive individuals. CONTACT INFORMATION Name of the Organization: Fundación Humanista de Ayuda a Discapacitados, IAP Address: Av. 3 #52 Col. San Pedro de los Pinos, Mexico City, Mexico Founded in 1997 Founders: María Antonieta Osornio Martha Guadalupe Díaz Bolio María del Pilar Tagle Gómez Carlos Renan Díaz Bolio Board members: Justo Manzur Escandón Ivette López Sánchez Juan Enrique Soler ONLINE Web site: www.fhadi.org Twitter: @FHADIIAP Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/FHADI-IAP/107058462666295 YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/FHADIIAP1?ob=0&feature=results_main
1001 years of the Spanish language* Part 4:The Visigoth Spain Rome was taken and sacked in 410 by Alaric, king of the Visigoths. This was a game-changer for the Roman world . Historians who are placed in the point of view of Rome call this "The barbarian invasions" Visigoths , Ostrogoths , Franks, Swabians , Vandals , etc. (nowadays we have the word vandalism coined in France during the Terror of 1793 ) those on the other side call this " Volkerwanderung " ( the migration of Germanic peoples ) in the south of Europe. The reality is that the German penetration was the result of centuries of uneasy coexistence. The Roman Empire had to make concessions and by the V century the Visigoths got a kingdom in southern France while penetrated into Spain, then came Alans and Suevi. The Vandals came to Andalusia (in which Arabic name al- Andalus , is revealed the word Vandalus) and North Africa while Alans and Suevi established in various regions of the peninsula.
At the beginning of the sixth century the Visigoths were expelled from France by the Franks and went to Catalonia and from there to the rest of Spain setting its capital at Toledo and breaking relations with Rome. It is estimated that were only 200,000 invading Visigoths but Hispano-romans did not fight them and accepted the new state of things. The Visigoth kings as Recesvinto and Ricaredo got the political and religious unity of Spain. Spaniards of the subsequent time soon idealized that era in works such as The Poem of Fernรกn Gonzรกlez.
It is noteworthy that these Visigoths were quite Romanized and even at that time they spoke Latin not Gothic which probably facilitated the acceptance and assimilation between them and the Hispano-romans , but as we described before, the Latin pronunciation did not correspond anymore with the Latin in writing. In the seventh century Kings Chindasvinto and Recesvinto launched a collection of Roman and Germanic laws (emulating Emperor Justinian and his Corpus juris civilis) entitled Forum Júdicum (Fuero Juzgo or “Jurisdiction of Judges”) wich pronounciation was not in Spanish but in Latin " bad " pronounced. The Forum Júdicum is a document of great importance not only for its civilizing function but also because its contribution to keep alive the Vulgar Latin or "romance" between the Arab inhabitants of Spain as well as being a source of cohesion (except for the Cantabrians who were never romanized and neither recognized the Visigoths kings) nowadays is an indispensable source for the study of medieval institutions such as the relationship between the lord and his vassals. In the Etymologies of St. Isidore (bishop of Seville in the seventh century) are words used in Spain that he feels no longer belongin to the Latin, as cattus "gato/cat", camisia "camisa/shirt" cuniculus "conejo/rabbit", capanna "cabaña/cabin" catenatum "candado/lock ". The changes in pronunciation are difficult to determine, but from other sources can be assured that egleisia “iglesia/church” was pronounced ecclesia.
Nevertheless , the Visigoths shunned marriage alliances with the Hispano-romans, resulting in a separation between "Goths" and "Romans" but both kept the existential tone of Roman culture. Therefore Hispania remained Hispania (not Gotia or Visigotia) unlike Gaul which under the Franks was renamed France. Over time the word Goth eventually mean arrogant. In this way Germans were perceived by the Romans: haughty and arrogant, more over their military customs marked the Romans who adopted words like guerra/war, orgullo/pride, robar/stealing, aplastar/smash, botín/loot, ganacia/gain, bandido/bandit, espía/spy, Barón/Baron, intrépido/bold, among others. Company is an interesting case of semantic Germanism as it means "breaking bread" (in Gothic ga- hlaiba who shares the bread). On the map of the Iberian Peninsula Visigoths toponyms such as Godones oppose to the Roman Romanones, revealing the segregation between Visigoths and Hispano-romans. Other toponyms display the romanized name of a landowner such as modern Gutierrez was Guitiriz (Witerici means Witerico land). In the same way names we feel typical Spanish like Alvaro, Fernando , Rodrigo and Elvira are romanizations of Allwars, Frithnanth, Hrothriks and Gailwers. But this state of things ended in 711 with the defeat of Rodrigo, the last king of the Goths by Arab forces in the Battle of Guadelete. Tárik with no more than 7000 men, or "Moors" changed again the course of the history of Spain. In the book of The 1001 years of the Spanish language by Antonio Alatorre will find a great deal of information and examples of the germanic influence in the romance language during Visigothic Spain. In the next installment will discuss Arabic Spain.
*From Antonio Alatorre´ book Los 1001 años de la lengua española
Culture, fashion and design In accordance with the theme of this number we dedicated this section to the show the best restaurants of Mexico City for you to discover them. Pujol, is considered the best restaurant in Mexico. Pujol's charm goes from its dishes till the service, which are always aware of everything that happens at your table. The tasting menu is something not to be missed as it has the ability to keep your enthusiasm in every dish, from the entrĂŠe (baby corn in chicatana sauce) until its tacos with hoja santa.
Tasting Menu 13 courses / 995 pesos Menu 3 courses / 795 pesos Emblematic dish: Sea bass ceviche tacos with tortilla hoja santa and black bean purĂŠe
Biko has gradually evolved from the Iberian author cuisine to contemporary Mexican cuisine, a move which their chefs define as "kitchen gachupa". His style is clean and minimalist. Chefs seek beauty in the empty spaces and dedicated to aesthetics as much effort as the taste and texture of the dishes.
Tasting Menu of 5 times / 985 pesos With harmonization / thousand 785 pesos (wine) Emblematic dish Foie 100% cotton
The Quintonil had become a chilango´s favorite. Although the restaurant is quite formal, the little basket woven of bread and beans that come to the table while you decide give a homey feel. While there are always something new on the menu, they keep star dishes of the house like the chilacayotes in mole.
Tasting menu with 7 courses / 750 pesos Emblematic dish Huazontles with Chiapas box cheese and tomato sauce
Merotoro. The chef is known to carry the flavors of land and sea in the north to the urban context. The sea food offer is succulent but the carnivorous alternatives are equally appetizing.
Tasting Menu 6 courses / 950 pesos (with wine) Emblematic dish Gill pork with ham pan fried served with lentils and poached egg
Sud 777 is located in a cozy house in "Pedregal" presenting a simple kitchen with a few ingredients with varying degrees of complexity. There are dishes like salad tomatoes from their own garden.
They don´t have tasting menu and its signature dish costs 260 pesos Emblematic dish: Seared tuna with vegetables and mashed lemon chinampas
DĂa de Muertos Day of the Dead (DĂa de Muertos) is perhaps the most recognizable Mexican holiday which is celebrated not just in Mexico but around the world by other cultures. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. The celebration takes place on November 1 and the traditions include building private altars called ofrendas honoring the deceased using sugar skulls, marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed and visiting graves with these as gifts.
We prepare a small video about DĂa de Muertos, its significance and impact in modern Mexican culture. Hope you enjoy it, and if you like it you can visit our youtube channel for more videos about Mexico.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMvHuRQYnMU
Eat & Drink From the website: Ritos y retos del Centro HistĂłrico by Roberto Aschentrupp
Churros are a food called "pan truffles" have their origin in the Spanish pastry and spread consumption in most of Latin America, the most modern can be filled with fresh milk, cream, chocolate or jam. Unlike Spain where the churros are eaten, preferably in the morning to cap party in Mexico we eat them at all time: as a dessert or at breakfast or as snack, or as a simple treat. Therefore, the churros clientele is as diverse as: families, office workers, tourists, students, lovebirds, youth, adults, etc. All enjoying the churros accompanied by a good warm cup of chocolate and frothy. ChurrerĂa "El Moro" is the most traditional churrerĂa in Mexico City Historic Center and invites us to return again and again to try their variety of chocolates, its unique churros and the traditional atmosphere. El Moro is characterized by its unique exterior sign in stained glass, for its beauty and antiquity which is now part of the urban landscape of the area, with the beautiful and traditional talavera tiles that cover its walls and the small display case outside where you can witness the skills of the "churrero"
Arts and Enterteinment Argentinian writter Hernán Casciari Hernán Casciari is perhaps the first real novelist of the XXIst century with works and projects that might could be done just with the present technology by updating a XIXth century technique: The Feuilleton. In the best tradition of writers as Victor Hugo or Conan Doyle, Casciari create characters who live (a fictional) life in a blog and the interaction of the readers with the material shows the direction the story would go. His success in the virtual world make him succeed in the real too, his works or “blogonovelas” had become the basis for TV shows, theater plays and more literary works. This monetary success allows Casciari to create Orsay a site where the literary production and distribution is free and full in quality, with thousands of visitors the readers are the ones who decided the success or failure of the artists. Orsay is a complicated project to explain but as Casciari said: “our technological era has marked the end of excuses, if you want to create you can just sit in front of your computer and let your talent speak for you” Here is the link to Orsay http://editorialorsai.com/ An interview with Hernán Casciari by Leo Zukerman about the blogonovelas and Orsay: http://noticieros.televisa.com/foro-tv-es-la-hora-de-opinar/1309/nuevoshabitos-lectura/
Sources, photos and information Internet:
Visit Mexico website
INAH website
Milenio Diario
Periódico Reforma
The Mexico City Experience
La Hora de Opinar
Orsay website
Wikipedia
Books and magazines:
Los 1001 años de la lengua española de Antonio Alatorre
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cezars@mehikomaja.com