Articles of the Month

Christmas in Mexico!

Cultural Background: Honduran/Mexican
Religion: Roman Catholicism. I am not a very devoted Catholic, but I do enjoy the festivities.
Main Holiday: Christmas
Date: From December 1 (my birthday) to February 2 (Candelaria's Day)

December is my favorite month of the year. Every year, I travel to Tampico, Mexico, to celebrate the holidays with my parents, brother and sister for 2 months, usually from December to February. This year is the exception, since I will be moving (at least for 2 years) to Mexico for graduate studies. We celebrate the following dates:

December 1:My birthday (a small family party with lots of presents and my mom cooks one of my favorite dishes: pork in chipotle sauce with white rice, and we usually buy a cake). This day we decorate the house for Christmas.

Pork in Chipotle Sauce

Ingredients:
3-2/3 cups beef stock or canned beef broth
3-2/3 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
3 Tbsp olive oil
3/4 cup finely chopped shallots
1/2 cup orange marmalade
1 Tbsp chopped canned chipotle chilies (see Note below)
1 Tbsp water
2 tsp cornstarch
Salt to taste
Freshly-ground black pepper to taste
2 pork tenderloins, 16 ounces each

Preparation:

• Boil beef and chicken stock in medium saucepan until reduced to 2-1/2 cups, about 45 minutes.

• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and sauté until tender, about 4 minutes. Add reduced stock mixture, marmalade and chipotle chilies. Simmer until mixture is reduced to 2 cups, about 5 minutes.

• Mix 1 tablespoon water and cornstarch in small bowl. Whisk cornstarch mixture into stock mixture. Stir until sauce boils and thickens, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in heavy large ovenproof skillet over high heat. Add pork and cook until brown on all sides, about 4 minutes.

• Transfer skillet to oven and bake until thermometer inserted into pork registers 155 F, about 15 minutes. Let pork sit 5 minutes.

• Bring sauce to simmer. Slice pork into 1/2-inch-thick medallions; arrange on plates. Spoon sauce over and serve.

• Yield: 6 servings

Note: Chipotle chilies canned in a spicy tomato sauce, sometimes called adobo, are available at Latin American markets, specialty foods stores and some supermarkets.

December 12: Festival of the Virgin of Guadalupe. On this day, we go to church for a service, and boys and girls follow special customs. They dress like ancient Indians. According to legend, the Virgin of Guadalupe [editor's note: the Virgin of Guadalupe is more commonly known as Mary, the mother of Jesus according to Christian tradition] appeared to the Indian Juan Diego between the 9 and 12 of December 1531, to ask him to build a sanctuary for the Catholic-followers of the Cerro of Teyepac (Tepeyac Mountain). Since that time, people celebrate this miracle every December 12. They usually go to church, pray, say the rosary, attend mass, and thank the Virgin of Guadalupe for their life, jobs, miracles, etc. Afterwards, they go to a party, where there is usually lots of food, like tacos, tamales, pozole, trolelotes, popcorn, and cotton candy.

December 13-December 23: During this time, the only thing the family talks about is the Christmas Dinner: the ingredients, the preparation, the wines, the presents each person hopes to receive, the piñatas, the karaoke, the music, the clothes we are going to wear, etc. We usually have a gift exchange, so we don't spend that much, and each person gives a present to one member of the family only. This way, we all get presents. We establish a price limit and presents are supposed to be under the Christmas tree by the end of December 23. It is very common to see other family members doing last minute shopping and wrapping presents trying to not to be seen. Christmas music plays all day long. Every member of the family is given a list of ingredients they have to get in order to have all the ingredients together by December 23. My mom, my aunts and my cousins start making arrangements for the big day: December 24. We prepare a lot of dishes, because some of them take 2 days to be fully prepared. We usually prepare: Pavo Relleno, or Bacalao a la Vizcaina, or Bacalao en Salsa de Chile Ancho y Almendra, as a main dish.

Pavo Relleno (Stuffed Turkey)

Ingredients:
Seasoned Chopped Beef
1 cup dry white wine
6-to-8-pound turkey, ready to cook
3 tablespoons flour
butter
salt, freshly ground pepper

• Make the Picadillo stuffing and allow it to cool. Fill the birds with stuffing and close them with skewers. Truss the bird and place it breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan. Have ready a double thickness of cheesecloth large enough to cover the bird. Soak it in melted butter and drape it over the bird. Roast in a preheated (325 F) oven for 2 to 2-1/2 hours, or until the bird is done, basting through the cheesecloth several times with pan drippings or melted butter. While the bird is roasting, make a stock by covering the neck, giblets, and liver with water and 1 cup white wine and simmer 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove the cheesecloth 30 minutes before the bird is done so that it will brown, basting twice during this period. Lift the bird onto a platter and remove the trussing strings and skewers. Let it rest 15 minutes before carving. Skim all but 3 tablespoons of fat from the roasting pan and stir in the flour, blending thoroughly over moderate heat. Stir in 1 cup of the stock and blend well, adding a little more if the gravy is too thick. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve separately in a sauceboat.

Bacalao a la Vizcaina (Norwegian cod fish)

Ingredients:
4 lbs. salt-dried Bacalao (Norwegian cod fish)
6 large cans of peeled, cut tomatoes, look for S&W; "Ready-Cut"
1/2 chopped white onion
8 cloves of garlic
3 Bay leaves (laurel)
1 cup virgin olive oil
1 small jar (4 oz) green capers (alcaparras)
1 large jar of green olives
1 jar of sliced red peppers or 1 sliced red pepper
1 jar of large chiles in vinegar
12 small potatoes

• Pre-cooking (2 days earlier):
• Soak the Bacalao in water and refrigerate, changing the water every day for two days until the Bacalao is not so salty

• Use a garlic press to press 4 garlic cloves or simply smash them the best you can.

• Boil the potatoes in a separate pan
• Heat a large cooking pan (mid-high heat)
• Add the olive oil and fry 4 whole garlic cloves until brown, then discard the garlic
• Add the cans of cut tomatoes, the onion and the pressed garlic to the oil and mix well
• Once the sauce has boiled for a while, add the Bacalao while braking it apart with your hands
• Add the slices of red pepper, green olives, capers, and bay leaves to the pan
• Add 3-4 dashes of vinegar from the chili can for flavor, a lot more if you like it hot
• Boil for a maximum of 20 minutes, testing the fish to make sure it does not get hard from over- cooking
• Add the potatoes and serve with the large chilis and French bread on the side

Tips:

The best Bacalao is imported from Norway and it is less salty and softer than the others.

When you add the tomatoes to the frying oil be careful. It may jump towards you and burn you.

The easiest and fastest way to peel garlic is to wrap it in rubber, and roll it back and forth a few times. We use a rubber husband; it takes us 2 seconds to peel a garlic clove.

Bacalao en Salsa de Chile Ancho y Almendra (Salt Cod in Mild Red Chili and Almond Sauce)

Ingredients:
2 pounds salt cod
1 recipe Salsa de Chile Ancho y Almendra (Mild Red Chili and Almond Sauce)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 whole clove garlic

Preparation:

• Soak the cod in cold water to cover for 12 hours or more, changing the water 5 or 6 times. Drain the fish and put into a saucepan with the onion and garlic and cold water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes, or until the fish is tender. Drain the fish. Strain and reserve the stock. Remove any skin and bones from the fish and cut into 2 to 3-inch pieces.
• Make the sauce and thin it with 2 cups of the reserved fish stock, stir to mix, and simmer for a minute or two. Add the fish and the vinegar and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve with rice.

Side dishes are very similar to the Canadian style:

• Spaghetti
• Mashed potatoes
• Vegetables: Broccoli, carrots, corn, green peas, cauliflower, soaked in melted butter.

Flan (Baked Custard)

Ingredients:
2 cups milk
2 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
½ cup sugar for caramelizing

Preparation:

• To caramelize sugar, put 1/2 cup white sugar in a dry iron skillet and melt until sugary. Add one Tbsp hot water and stir until dissolved. Pour on to a saucer and break into small pieces.
• Scald milk, being careful not to let it boil. Beat the eggs and add the sugar, salt, nutmeg and vanilla. As you slowly stir the milk, pour in the mixture and remove from the heat.
• Oil each cup of a muffin tin. Put a small piece of caramelized sugar in the center of each cup and then pour the custard mixture into the muffin tins.
• In an oven preheated to 350 F, place a large flat pan with about one-half inch of water in it. Set the muffin tin pan over the water. Bake at 325 for 25 minutes. Be careful not to bake to long or it will become lumpy. To remove the lumps, put through a sieve.
• Chill and serve upside down.

December 24 is a day of last minute shopping, last minute arrangements, etc. There is a lot of activity in the house. People are rushing, music plays in the background, kids are running around, etc. Usually we eat out for breakfast and lunch. The family kitchen is closed according to arrangements, but nobody complains since it is a tradition.

Usually we all gather around 6:00 pm, and pray to thank God for all the good fortune we had during the year. We also ask for only one thing, good health, because we believe that if we have good health, we can achieve everything else in life. We also take a minute of silence for those who don't have the luck of being with us that night, and for all the people around the world who are suffering in any way.

After this moment of reflexion, we all (children and adults) start making a line to "kick the piñata." The piñata is usually in the shape of Santa Claus, full of candy, peanuts, lottery tickets, some coins, bills, and other things. We usually have a lot of fun doing this.

When we are done with the "piñata," we proceed to the karaoke and start singing. We all sing different songs: the children sing children's songs, the adults and seniors sing contemporary songs. We also talk about world issues, national issues, etc. Children start to get impatient for Santa Claus' arrival. Some of them are sent to bed, some others stay up to play or do something else.

Around 11:00 pm, women in the family start serving the food at the dinner table, and everyone gets excited. The smell is good, and people just want to eat, but the rule is: serve the food, pray, and then start eating. Around midnight, we have a toast, thanking "life" again for the good fortune we have had, and asking just to be "kept alive" one more year. We start eating and enjoying the variety of dishes and wines. Suddenly, we hear Santa Claus' voice, "Jo-Jo-Jo," and noises on the patio, or from the garage, or on balcony. The toys are there. Usually the neighbors are the ones who do this simulation of Santa. The kids wake up and go looking for their toys all around the house. The adults watch the kids enjoying the moment.

After midnight dinner, we usually go back to doing karaoke. The older family members fall asleep during the performance, and kids sleep with their toys beside them. Young adults keep drinking, singing and having a good time. We go to bed around 5:00 am.

We don't do much celebrating on December 25. We usually wake up very late, around 4:00 pm, and eat Christmas leftovers. We go for a ride, usually to a nearby lake or river.

From December 26 to December 30, we basically enjoy family company at my parents' house.

The other big celebration is New Year's on December 31. My mom and my aunts keep themselves busy cooking, and the other members of the family watch TV, play video games, listen music, read magazines or books, sing karaoke, or just spend the day talking about world politics, etc.

We usually eat what we don't eat on December 24. For example, if we had Stuffed Turkey on December 24, we eat Bacalao a la Vizcaina with boiled white rice. Around 11:00 pm, we all sit at the dinner table and start eating, and at 12:00 pm (midnight), we make a toast, wishing each other happiness, lots of good health and love. We also pray and ask God to provide food to other people in the world who at the same moment have nothing to eat.

After dinner, we sing and dance, and keep drinking and talking until 4 a.m.

The next celebration is on January 6, when we celebrate el "Dia de los Reyes Magos" or "Three Kings Day," the Epiphany. This celebration remembers the day when the Three Wise Men who followed the star to Bethlehem arrived bearing their treasured gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh for the Baby Jesus. A couple of days earlier, the children write their letters to the Wise Men, or to their favorite Rey Mago: Melchor, Gaspar, or Baltasar, asking for the presents they would like to receive.

On the night, of January 5, the figurines of the Three Wise Men are added to the Nativity scene. Before going to bed, children place their old shoes under their bed or in the living room, where the Wise Men will leave them their presents. Some also place some hay and a bucket with water for the animals outside the hourse, and even some cookies and milk for Melchor, Gaspar and Baltasar.

You can feel the excitement building up! With twinkling eyes, the children eagerly and constantly ask what time it is, wishing for time to fly so they can open their presents.

Reluctantly they go off to bed.

The children spend the day playing and admiring each others' presents, sharing them with friends and talking about how they heard or saw the Reyes Magos when they arrived, how one of them heard the camel's footsteps, how the other saw a shining crown in the dark night!

Meanwhile, adults prepare for the Merienda de Reyes, an early evening dinner that friends and families share to celebrate the Epiphany. People go to the markets and stores to get the needed ingredients to prepare the feast.

During the January 6 celebration of "Dia de Reyes," we eat Rosca de Reyes. All over the country, in every city and in every little town, bakeries offer the Rosca de Reyes, an oval sweetbread, decorated with candied fruit. There are Roscas of all sizes, very small ones for two or three people and up to the large ones that will delight more that twenty people.

The Merienda de Reyes is truly a multicultural event. The Spaniards brought the tradition of celebrating the Epiphany and sharing the Rosca to the New World. The Rosca is served along with Tamales made of corn, the pre-Hispanic food par excellence, and hot chocolate. Chocolate is also a gift from the native peoples of the New World.

Hidden inside the delicious Rosca is a plastic figurine of the Baby Jesus. The Baby is hidden because it symbolizes the need to find a secure place where Jesus could be born, a place where King Herod would not find Him.

Each person cuts a slice of the Rosca. The knife symbolizes the danger that the Baby Jesus was in. One by one, the guests carefully inspect their slice, hoping they didn't get the figurine! Whoever gets the baby figurine in their piece will host another celebration on February 2 for everyone present. This celebration is for Candelaria or Candle mass day. The host will also make or buy a new Ropón or dress for the Baby Jesus of the Nativity scene.

Rosca de Reyes

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups flour
1 packet yeast
3/4 cups of sugar
7 eggs
125 grams butter
1/4 cup lukewarm milk
Dash of salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 aniseed
100 grams raisins
1 tsp vanilla
50 grams candied figs
50 grams candied orange
50 grams candied lemon
50 grams candied cherries
50 grams candied citron
1 beaten egg
sugar
butter
flour

Preparation:

• Dissolve the yeast in five tablespoons lukewarm milk. Mix the flour, yeast, sugar, eggs, melted butter, milk, salt, cinnamon, aniseed, raisins, and vanilla. Knead into a ball; grease with some butter and place near a warm stove until the dough doubles in size (about 2 1/2 hours). Meanwhile cut the candied fruit into strips.
• Knead the dough, banging it down on the floured tabletop to make it soft and pliable. Form the dough into a ring or rosca. Insert the baby figurine. Place the rosca on a greased backing tray. Decorate it with the strips of candied fruit. Let the rosca sit once more to rise up again. Brush the rosca with the beaten egg and sprinkle over granulated sugar.
• Bake for 40 minutes at 360 F ( 180 C) in preheated oven.

Enjoy! And don't forget whoever gets the Baby figurine will have to host a new merienda!

February 2 is "Dia de la Candelaria" or "Candelaria's Day," the day of the Candle or Light, known as the Day of Purification. On this day, the Nativity scene is put away during a party given by the person who got the Baby Jesus in their piece of rosca during the Rosca de Reyes celebration. They will be responsible for making a "Ropon" or christening gown for Baby Jesus. Generally, they host a Dinner with tamales and hot chocolate (tamales are corn bread filled with meats in a sauce or raisins wrapped in corn husks).

Tamales and Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:
4-5 lb. boneless pork or beef roast
1 large onion
6-8 garlic cloves
1 recipe red chili sauce
1 recipe masa harina masa
OR 1/2 recipe fresh masa
about 6 dozen dried corn husks, prepared for tamales

Preparation:

• Makes About 5 Dozen Tamales
• In a large pot, cover the meat, onion and garlic with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 2 hours until tender, adding more water as necessary (you can use the cooking water as stock for your masa). Cut meat into small cubes or shred.
• Prepare the masa and chili sauce.
• Assemble the tamales by spreading about 1/3 cup masa on the smooth side of a corn husk, place about 2 teaspoons meat in the center of the masa, and top with about 2 tablespooons of salsa. Wrap in the style of your choice and steam.

Conclusion: The Mexicans definitively know how to have a good time!