Cooking In Mexican From A to Z

Latest Episodes:

A Mexican Cheese Board Apr 21, 2021

Show notes

This week Zarela and Aarón welcome their friend Paula Lambert, founder of The Mozzarella Company, to guide them through the world of Mexican cheese. Paula's shares how Mexican ingredients permeated the Texas food scene and sparked her interest in Mexican cheeses decades ago. Together they cover the creation and uses of a number of cheeses, including Requesón, Panela, Cotija, Queso Oaxaca, and more.

Plus, they tell the true - Mexican - origins of the Caesar salad, Paula and Zarela reminisce about their time spent with Zarela's mother, and Aaron educates us as to why a combination petting zoo and cheese shop is a bad idea.

Click here for Zarela's recent article about her mother on Eat Darling Eat.

For more recipes from Zarela and Aarón, visit zarela.com and chefaaronsanchez.com

Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Cooking in Mexican from A to Z by becoming a member!

Cooking in Mexican from A to Z is produced by HotDish Productions and powered by Simplecast.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Praise the Lard Apr 14, 2021

Show notes

On this episode, Zarela and Aarón welcome their first return guest to the show - Anne Mendelson. Anne is an unbelievable resource, a culinary historian and author who co-wrote three cookbooks with Zarela. This time, they're together to discuss the history and uses of lard. First, Anne guides us through the history of lard's introduction to Mexico, and she even ties it back to their first episode together (#4 - "The Triple Bounty of Squashes") by discussing how squash seeds were one of the only indigenous sources for fat! Then Zarela guides us through two ways to render lard at home and Aarón shares his foolproof recipe for tamales - with Lard, of course! Plus, Zarela shares early memories of using lard and making butter on the ranch.

For more recipes from Zarela and Aarón, visit zarela.com and chefaaronsanchez.com

Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Cooking in Mexican from A to Z by becoming a member!

Cooking in Mexican from A to Z is produced by HotDish Productions and powered by Simplecast.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Birria from Jalisco to Chicago Apr 07, 2021

Show notes

On this episode Zarela and Aarón are thrilled to present another parent-child duo who dedicate their lives to preserving their culture through food. Juan and Jonathan Zaragoza’s family-run Chicago restaurant Birria Zaragoza is known as the best birria in Chicago and, according to Aarón, Chicago is the best Mexican food town in the country.

Juan started making birria at his restaurant in 2007, and since then he’s garnered national attention for his version of the Jalisco comfort food. Their birria is very unique. It's made with goat that’s marinated in ancho-based mole, then combined with a tomato-base consomé and roasted overnight in lard for a crispy tender meat that The Infatuation declared the “best goat tacos” anywhere. Juan’s son Jonathan learned how to make birria from his dad at age 12 in a wood burning oven built by his father and grandfather. When Jonathan is not making birria, he’s running El Oso (“the bear” in Spanish and Jonathan’s childhood nickname), a Chicago pop-up combining traditional Mexican cuisine and local midwest ingredients all cooked over a wood-burning stove.

Listen in for this heartwarming conversation between two families striving to live the American dream while promoting authentic Mexican culture.

For more recipes from Zarela and Aarón, visit zarela.com and chefaaronsanchez.com

Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Cooking in Mexican from A to Z by becoming a member!

Cooking in Mexican from A to Z is produced by HotDish Productions and powered by Simplecast.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

...Until it Sounds Like Sand: Rick Bayless on Rice Mar 31, 2021

Show notes

On this episode, Aarón and Zarela welcome their friend and colleague, Rick Bayless, a pioneer in traditional Mexican cuisine at the highest level, to discuss rice in Mexican cuisine. There isn’t much Chef Bayless hasn’t done or an award he hasn’t won. Owner of a restaurant empire in Chicago, most notably Frontera Grill and Topolobambo, he’s written 8 cookbooks, hosted two PBS series’ Cooking Mexican and Mexico:One Plate at a Time and numerous TV appearances including winner of season 1 Top Chef Masters. Chef Bayless has won James Beard awards from Best chef, Outstanding Restaurant to Best Cookbook, and humanitarian of the year.

Together, Rick, Zarela, and Aarón explore this essential - but not native - ingredient. They cover the arrival of rice to Mexico and the differences between long and short grain rice. Zarela shares her earliest memories growing up with rice on the ranch, and a preparation she was taught in finishing school. Plus, Rick shares how he bakes rice at his restaurants and gets Aarón and Zarela to share the secrets of their favorite rice recipes.

Photo Courtesy of Rick Bayless/Galdones Photography

For more recipes from Zarela and Aarón, visit zarela.com and chefaaronsanchez.com

Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Cooking in Mexican from A to Z by becoming a member!

Cooking in Mexican from A to Z is produced by HotDish Productions and powered by Simplecast.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Eat Your Bugs! Mar 24, 2021

Show notes

Today Zarela and Aarón take a deep dive into the delicious delicacy of edible bugs in Mexico with "Doctor Bugs" himself, Mark Moffett. Mark is a biologist, author, lecturer, and adventurer who knows his way around the insect table. Mark received his Ph.D. in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology from Harvard University and is a Research Associate in the Department of Entomology at the National Museum of Natural History in the Smithsonian Institution.

Zarela, Aarón, and Mark discuss the most common bugs to eat (hint: it is not the Maguey worm found at the bottom of the tequila bottle), the history of bug snacking all over Mexico and the ease of cooking the tasty critters. Also, fun fact: Aarón’s New Orleans restaurant, Johnny Sanchez, will serve you their famous guacamole topped with roasted grasshoppers if you ask. This is an episode you don’t want to miss!

For more recipes from Zarela and Aarón, visit zarela.com and chefaaronsanchez.com

Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Cooking in Mexican from A to Z by becoming a member!

Cooking in Mexican from A to Z is produced by HotDish Productions and powered by Simplecast.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mole Through the Generations Mar 17, 2021

Show notes

In this Season 2 premiere of Cooking in Mexican from A to Z, Zarela & Aarón explore the layered flavors and history of mole. There is a different mole for every palate and protein, from negro to colaradito to rojo. Zarela and Aarón are thrilled to welcome another mother-son duo, Susana Trilling and Kaelin Ulrich, to help ensure they cover it all.

Susana Trilling is a chef, teacher, author and director of Seasons of My Heart Cooking School in Oaxaca. A renowned authority on Oaxacan cuisine, Susana wrote My Search for the Seventh Mole and Seasons of My Heart; A Culinary Journey through Oaxaca, Mexico to accompany her 13 part PBS series that ran for 6 years.

Like Zarela and Aarón, Susana’s son Kaelin Ulrich has taken after his mother in the culinary world as Chef de cuisine at La Calenda, a Thomas Keller restaurant in Yountville (Napa Valley), CA. At La Calenda, Kaelin makes everything (the salsa, mole, tortillas, sauces, etc.) from scratch, often using an elaborate list of ingredients native to Mexico.

We hope you enjoy this week's double dose of mother and son wisdom, and don't forget to check out Susanna's upcoming class on Mole (March 26).

For more recipes from Zarela and Aarón, visit zarela.com and chefaaronsanchez.com

Photo Credit: Marissa Sanchez

Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Cooking in Mexican from A to Z by becoming a member!

Cooking in Mexican from A to Z is produced by HotDish Productions and powered by Simplecast.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Not All Beans Were Created Equal Jan 15, 2021

Show notes

Today Zarela and Aarón are thrilled to welcome Steve Sando, the founder of Rancho Gordo. In this episode they delve into the wide world of beans; covering the differences between heirloom and commodity beans (and how each has a role in the market), assessing different methods of preparing beans, exploring the spices that might accompany beans in your kitchen, and much more. Plus, Steve makes a pitch for why you should start your parties with shots of bean broth!

Photo Courtesy of Rancho Gordo

For more recipes from Zarela and Aarón, visit zarela.com and chefaaronsanchez.com

Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Cooking in Mexican from A to Z by becoming a member!

Cooking in Mexican from A to Z is produced by HotDish Productions and powered by Simplecast.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Following the Seasons with Melissa's Produce Jan 06, 2021

Show notes

On today's episode Zarela & Aarón welcome Robert Schueller, Director of Public Relations for Melissa's Produce. Robert takes us on a world tour of fruits that are newer to the U.S. market, while Zarela & Aarón tell us how they're used in Mexican cooking. From Avocados to Quince, they cover storage, processing, recipes and family stories.

Photo Courtesy of Melissa's

For more recipes from Zarela and Aarón, visit zarela.com and chefaaronsanchez.com

Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Cooking in Mexican from A to Z by becoming a member!

Cooking in Mexican from A to Z is produced by HotDish Productions and powered by Simplecast.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A Smoked Chile Tutorial Dec 30, 2020

Show notes

Today Zarela & Aarón welcome Dona Abramson, long-time Operations Manager at Kalustyuns in Manhattan, to talk about Smoked Chiles. Dona brought along a grab bag of smoked chiles from around the world as inspiration, and Zarela and Aarón share how they each use smoked chiles in their own cooking. Plus they tackle a variety of related topics like mole and tips for growing chiles at home.

For more recipes from Zarela and Aarón, visit zarela.com and chefaaronsanchez.com

Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Cooking in Mexican from A to Z by becoming a member!

Cooking in Mexican from A to Z is produced by HotDish Productions and powered by Simplecast.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Complexity of Chocolate Dec 23, 2020

Show notes

Today Zarela and Aarón welcome Andy Coe, author and scholar of culinary history, to discuss cacao and chocolate. They start with the history; how it was first consumed as a drink, and then made its way around the world after the Columbian Exchange. They share stories of how cacao was used as currency and, possibly, an aphrodisiac, and Andy leads Zarela and Aarón through the process of making modern chocolate bars.

For more recipes from Zarela and Aarón, visit zarela.com and chefaaronsanchez.com

Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Cooking in Mexican from A to Z by becoming a member!

Cooking in Mexican from A to Z is produced by HotDish Productions and powered by Simplecast.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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