For the first time, at 5 PM on September 26, I am offering a very fun, new class--"Mexican Favorite Memories".  The class will be chock a block full of some of my very favorite Mexican regional dishes.  They are yummy and attractive for fall dinners or any other time.  I hope you can join me.  Also, bring a friend if you like. 

Here's a brief description of the menu--

For starters, we will be making Memelitas (pictured) with Assorted Toppings, made on small freshly made corn tortillas, followed by Roasted Corn Sopa with Corn Truffles.

The main course will be one of my most delicious chicken dishes, the star of Sonora, Pollo Borrachio with Peppered Rice.  This is a  chicken dish prepared in a complex sauce, served over fluffy Peppered Basmati Rice. 

For a salad, we will make a composed (pictured) arrangement of Jicama, fresh fruit and avocado with a honey-lime-avocado dressing.

And, the dessert will be my Aunt's very best Tres Leches Cake, a beautiful and amazing confection artfully dressed with whipped cream and fresh berries.

This class will be a perfect starter menu for getting back into the kitchen after such a hot summer. It is a great entertainment menu, because most all of it can be made ahead of time for last minute "pulling" together.

Our next day class is the Tamale Roll Party  class where we make three kinds of tamales along with Perfect Margaritas and more on Monday, October  7 at 11 AM.  This is a popular class we feature during Balloon Fiesta, so sign up early to get in.  The next week-long class will be October 14 - 18 and our next weekend class will be November 15-17, 2024--a perfect time before the "cooking season starts.

Perfect anytime--here is my favorite Guacamole, often rated perfectly.

Perfect Guacamole

Guacamole at its best! For greatest flavor, appearance and keeping quality – always cut avocados with two knives into coarse chunks about 1/2 inch square.  Never mash it or process it in a food processor or blender.

Yield: 4 servings

2 ripe avocados (preferably Haas)

½ teaspoon salt

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice, or to taste

1 medium-size tomato, chopped

¼ cup finely chopped Spanish onion

1 medium fresh jalapeno, minced

2 Tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

1. Halve the avocados; scoop pulp into a bowl. Coarsely chop with two knives. Add salt and garlic; then slowly add lime juice to taste.

2. Fold in tomato, onion, chiles and cilantro. Let stand a few minutes before serving to allow flavors to blend.

3. Taste and adjust seasonings. Some like spicy guacamole, while others like it quite mild. Often piquancy is best determined by the other foods you are serving. If some like it hot and others don’t, a solution is to serve a side dish of spicy salsa.

4. Serve guacamole in a Mexican pottery bowl and garnish the top with a few tostados thrust into the top. Serve with a basket of tostados. As a salad, serve over chopped lettuce and garnish each serving with a cherry tomato.

Note: Many myths seem to abound about placing an avocado pit in the guacamole to keep it from discoloring or oxidizing. I don’t find that to work so well. Covering the guacamole well or sprinkling it with a few drops of ascorbic-acid mixture, the mixture used to prevent darkening in freezing fruits works better. Be careful not to add much of the acid, as it can be slightly sweet.

All recipes reprinted with permission from Jane Butel’s publishers.