With the snowflakes constantly  drifting lazily down, coating everything in sight with a delicate fluffy frosting--the thought of warm, beautiful days in Oaxaca sound like a beautiful plan.  As I am writing this, looking out my office window, the snow looks really beautiful, but is oh--so cold and promising to offer the coldest days of the year--what a way to end 2018.

I yearn for another trip to beautiful Oaxaca and would love for you to join me.  I am offering a special $200.00 end of year discount.  My culinary tour offers private escorted tours to Monte Alban, one of the ancient wonders of the world; tours to villages that specialize in different styles of pottery, brightly painted wood carving and beautiful naturally dyed woven rugs and various items.  We will tour a famous centuries old market and then create in a full participation cooking class a very special menu using the fresh, fresh ingredients we have gotten at the market.  

We will also have two additional cooking classes where we will learn to prepare traditional Zapotec influenced specialty dishes.  A mescal distillery,  masa grinding, cheese making and learning lots of traditional  culinary methods will also be on tap.  Oaxaca is known for its many moles--which you will learn to create and sample.

Our  welcome dinner will feature a delicious introduction to the many special dishes of Oaxaca. The farewell chef's table dinner is always so very memorable, where we will be joined by one of the most famous chefs of Mexico in his beautiful and private dining room where he will pair each course with a local wine or beer.  He creates such beautiful food, focusing on indigenous ingredients.

There will be plenty of time to explore the many beautiful sights of Oaxaca, to shop the markets and to relax and take in the colorful, historic features the city and region have to offer. 

You can pay $800.00 now to secure your place in our tour with the balance due January 12, 2019.

If you have any questions,  please don't hesitate to  call me at 1-505-243-2622.

I wish each and everyone of you a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year and look forward to having you join our tour.

Here's a couple of Oaxaca recipes to enjoy--

Mole

Mole sauce is a traditional combination of cinnamon, chocolate, and chiles. This recipe is from my aunt who lived in Monterey, Mexico, and my uncle claimed that it was the best he had ever eaten.

Yield: 6 servings

1 (3 1/2 lb.) chicken, cut into serving pieces

2 quarts chicken stock

3 corn tortillas

3 tablespoons raisins

1 or 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate

1/4 cup slivered almonds

1/2 onion, quartered

1 medium-size green bell pepper, roughly chopped

1 large tomato, quartered

2 garlic cloves, peeled

2 tablespoons crushed Caribe chile

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Steamed rice

1.  Arrange chicken in a large pot. Add stock, and cook until tender but not falling apart, 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Lift chicken out of stock and cool slightly. Reserve stock.
2.  Process tortillas, raisins, chocolate, almonds, onion, bell pepper, tomato, and garlic in a food processor or blender until finely ground. Add enough stock to make a thick gravy-like sauce. Add crushed chile and cinnamon. Pour sauce into a large pot. Add chicken pieces and simmer 30 minutes. If mixture becomes too dry, add more stock. Serve hot with rice.

TRES LECHES CAKE(Three Milk Cake)

This very popular cake has many versions. No one is exactly sure about the origin. It can be served many ways, with whipped cream and fresh fruit or a meringue. 

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking power

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1-1/2 cups white sugar (divided)

5 eggs

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (divided)

1 cup milk

1/2 of a 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 of a 12-ounce can evaporated milk

1/3 cup coconut liqueur, Frangelico, Brandy or Chambord 

1-1/2 cups heavy (whipping) cream

Fresh strawberries, raspberries or other berries

1. Preheat oven to 350° F degrees. Grease and flour a 2-inch-deep round baking pan.

2. Sift flour and baking powder together and set aside. Cream the butter very thoroughly, until fluffy, then add 1 cup of the sugar and beat until light and fluffy using medium to high speed of electric mixer. Add the eggs and 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla. Beat well using high speed of mixer. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, 2 tablespoons at a time, mixing well until blended on lowest speed of mixer. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bang cake batter in pan against the counter to remove bubbles in batter. Bake for 30 minutes, or until firm when pressed.

3. When cake has finished baking, cool 15 minutes then remove from pan. Let cool completely. When cake is cooled, cut in half horizontally with a long bladed knife.

4. Combine the milk, evaporated milk and condensed milk with the coconut liqueur, Frangelico, Brandy or Chambord in a large mixing bowl or blender and blend well.

5. Lift the top half of the cake off and set aside. Place the bottom half of the cake on a large serving dish with a rim. Pierce it several times, then slowly pour enough of the milk mixture onto the bottom half of the cake until well saturated. Replace the top half of the cake onto the bottom half, pierce it and carefully pour the remainder of the milk mixture over the top. Pour slowly so that the milk mixture has time to soak into the cake.

6. Soak and chill the cake for at least 2 hours (preferably overnight) in refrigerator. Using a whisk or an electric mixer on medium-high speed of electric mixer; whip the cream until foamy, then gradually add ½ cup of sugar and the remaining 1 teaspoon of vanilla and beat on highest speed until stiff. Frost the top and sides of the cake. Garnish with fresh fruit.

Note: A 3 egg white meringue could be substituted for the whipped cream. Reduce sugar to 1/4 cup.