Have you ever participated in one of our award winning weekend cooking classes?  As with all of our classes, it is 100% full participation and focuses on the fascinating culinary history of this first culinary in ALL of the Americas.  Just for this week, I have placed the class on a first ever special of 1/3 off or $699 for the entire weekend class instead of the regular price of $1050.00.  The special is good this week only.

It is hard to imagine that the first culinary happened in New Mexico, which is positioned at the toe of the Rocky Mountains and had the first warm water that the ancients encountered water crossing the Bering Strait that separates Asia from North America.

Not long ago, when I would shop in Chicago or New York City and request that my purchases be shipped to my home in New Mexico, the clerks used to say, "we don't ship out of the country".  In a way, it is not surprising when one thinks about the attitude of New Mexicans a generation or two ago.  They wanted to keep New Mexico a secret and not have very much growth.  Well, that didn't work.

Now New Mexico is much better known and rightly so.  The earliest cuisine of all the Americas featured one of the native products to the Americas--chiles.  Chiles are a member of the night shade family, which I believe all started here.  The other members of the night shade family that are popular in this cuisine are potatoes and tomatoes.  Other early members of this cuisine are corn, squash and legumes such as beans.  The rest are flavorings that grew wild here--wild garlic and onions.  And, the final member of the class was mint--any kind.

In our weekend class, which is now on such a HUGE special of $699, will feature in addition to learning loads of techniques and skills, you will learn the ancient culinary history.  I look forward to cooking with you.

Our next class is Creative Southwestern Grilling on August 29 at 5 PM where you will learn how to grill almost anything from Grilled Peaches for dessert to  special meat and vegetable dishes.

Starting next month, we are creating some new--never before offered classes including  Favorite Mexican Memories on Thursday evening, September  26 at 5 PM and Best of Fall Favorites, a continental collection of some of my favorites, also at 5 PM on October 24 at 5 PM.  Also, during Balloon Week we are again conducting our fun, fun Tamale Roll party on Monday, October 8 at 11 AM. Each of these classes is ready for reservations.

NOTE: I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THERE HAS BEEN WEBSITES OFFERING WHAT APPEARS TO BE PECOS VALLEY SPICE CO. PRODUCTS, BUT THEY ARE NOT THE SAME.  PLEASE LET ME KNOW OF ANY COPIERS.

Here's a favorite recipe to enjoy--

MOM'S BREAD AND BUTTER PICKLES

This is my Mother’s very favorite pickle. They are wonderfully crisp and flavorful and good as a table relish or in deviled eggs, salads and sandwich spreads.

Yield: 7 to 8 pints

3 quarts thinly sliced cucumbers

4 medium onions, thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, cut in ¾’ cubes (3/4 cup)

¼ cup coarse salt

4 cups sugar

1 ¼ cups vinegar

1 Tablespoon, 1 ½ teaspoons mustard seed

½ teaspoon turmeric

1 ½ teaspoon celery seed

1. Combine all vegetables and salt. Cover with ice cubes and mix thoroughly. Let stand three hours. Drain well.

1. Combine other ingredients and pour over vegetables.

1. Bring to just boiling. Put in sterilized jars and seal. Chill before serving.