Life's a Beach | Expat Life in Playa del Carmen : Recipes, Taste of Playa

Have you discovered The Little Mexican Cooking School?

Rob Kinnon — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 22:30:00 GMT

Headed to the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico? Then Puerto Morelos, midway between Cancun and Playa del Carmen, is worth a stop. One of this region’s best kept secrets with its world class snorkeling and a LIVE music nightlife to envy, has a new claim to fame that is putting Puerto Morelos on the map. A map that some visitors to Cancun may not discover.

The Little Mexican Cooking School has been awarded the designation of #1 Attraction on the entire Yucatan Peninsula by popular travel website TripAdvisor.com, topping the charts of over 600 attractions offered in this area. But, some visitors to the Cancun area won’t find out. That’s because, oddly, the destination is unable to be listed on Trip Advisor's Cancun listings page. There’s something about the geographical delineation between Cancun and it’s ‘next door’ neighbor, Puerto Morelos.

For those in the know, The Little Mexican Cooking School offers a one day, in-depth introduction to authentic Mexican cuisine, 5 days a week. Dishing up recipes for original dishes with a modern touch, it gives tourists the opportunity to try their hand at some Mexican staples, like tortillas and tamales, while demonstrating many recipes per class in a 4 menu rotation. You laugh, you learn, you taste, you sip, and you eat. There’s an abundant feast that caps the day.

Since launching in December 2009, The Little Mexican Cooking School has quickly become a ‘must do’ tourist experience. Food and Travel writers are flocking there and Rough Guide’s Zora O’Niell has promised to boast about it in her next edition of Rough Guide to the Yucatan. Students are raving about the knowledge and enthusiasm of Mexican-born chef Pablo Espinosa. Pablo’s passion took him to Canada’s West Coast, a hot bed for foodies and the organic farming movement. After the rave reviews for his novel “Café Maya” in Squamish BC, he was eager to share the love for “what a Mexican really eats”, with tourists, here. Pablo says: “I am proud to show people that Mexican food is not just about American franchises. The food and culture of the Mexican people is fascinating, and I just love surprising our students”.

Catriona Brown and Patti Murphy, the founders of the school, are proud of their unique concept. “We wanted to create an experience like we seek out when we travel. A place where one can learn about an intriguing culture through their intellect and their senses.” Murphy says. On the key to their success, Brown says “We give people more than what they expect. Tourists in this region are fatigued with the hard sell. We take a more elegant approach, do our homework and deliver the goods.”

To book a class go to: www.thelittlemexicancookingschool.com

For more info contact: Patti Murphy, teatimetango@gmail.com

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The Little Mexican Cooking School Begins Season 2!

Rob Kinnon — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 16:43:00 GMT

After a nice break for the hot summer months, The Little Mexican Cooking School in Puerto Morelos is back in action with a new Chef, a new curriculum and lots of new recipes! Recently, I invited myself to sit in on one of the first classes with Chef Pablo Lopez Espinosa and a group comprised almost entirely of media representatives and travel and food writers. Last year's Chef/Instructor had set the bar pretty high and I was a bit anxious to see what this new Chef would bring to the table. With an award winning restaurant under his belt and accolades from top food critics, he looked good "on paper" but would he have the passion and personality to keep the attention of this audience of seasoned professionals? Turns out, I had nothing to fear. After admitting that we DID in fact intimidate him, Chef Pablo laughed it off and settled into his presentation. He was charming and engaging and presented the information very well. Pablo has a smile that positively lights up the room. If he was nervous, we certainly did not see it.

We started with an in depth look at the many chiles, both fresh and their dried counterparts, that are a staple of Mexican cuisine. We had a chance to pass them around, feel and most importantly smell the subtle, and sometimes, not too subtle variations. As mole poblano was on the menu for the day, a dish that, when done properly can take many days to create, some of the components had been prepared in advance. We did a review of each of the individual ingredients which included, in this recipe, mulato, pasilla and ancho chiles, Mexican anis seed and good Mexican chocolate. We passed around a wide array of homemade spices, seasonings and pastes, many of which were provided by the family of Lucy, one of the cooking assistants who had returned after season 1. Again, we were offered the unique opportunity to smell and actually taste each of these ingredients, some of which I had never seen before in their raw form.

As we listened, took copious notes and snapped pictures, our host Catriona served us traditional "aguas frescas" of tamarindo, jamaica, and, my son's favorite, horchata. These were made from the popular and convenient concentrates readily available in any grocery store and certainly kept us well hydrated on this hot day. Each student learned to press their own tortillas and cook them on the hot comal. Chef Pablo showed us some fabulous, fresh homemade salsas to eat with our tortillas and the warm quesadillas with cheese and epazote prepared for us by Lucy and Daisy. The salsa pepitas made with ground pumpkin seeds was a big hit! Of course, we were treated to a complimentary shot of tequila, a little something to raise our already high spirits!

The final segment of our foray into the culinary world of Mexico? Lunch! We dined on a fresh spinach salad tossed with jicama, oranges and olives followed by a rich mole poblano over roasted chicken with Mexican rice and oven roasted chayote. Cat was quick to provide a big pitcher of tangy homemade sangrita to accompany this delicious meal and keep the conversation flowing. For dessert, Chef Pablo's irresistible Key Lime Pie!

If you are here on vacation and have grown weary of sitting on the beach, I can't think of a better way to spend a day. Not only are the classes fun, they are informative and give you something unique to bring back home rather than just a nice tan. Armed with a little knowledge and a healthy dose of inspiration, there is no doubt in my mind that you will be looking for some of these newly discovered ingredients in your local grocery stores and coming up with your own recipes in which to feature their bold bright flavors. Gourmet chefs and home cooks alike will find something to love about these casual yet educational classes and I have been recommending them to local friends and travels looking for something new and fun. Classes are held three times weekly so chances are good you can find an open seat and some time in your schedule. I know I'll be back again soon!

Come visit The Little Mexican Cooking School on Facebook and be sure to visit their table in the Marketplace at Taste of Playa 2010!

Good Eats at Home: Sangrita Anyone?

Rob Kinnon — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 13:00:00 GMT

In my opinion (and on this blog it is really the only one that matters) the best way to really enjoy a top quality tequila is with Sangrita as an accompaniment. Sangrita, literally, means "little blood" and is the traditional aperitif enjoyed with a good tequila. It is served on the side (mixed together,this is known as a "Vampira") and is sipped alternately as a chaser to sooth the fire of the booze. Since moving to Mexico five years ago, I have had the opportunity to try many wonderful tequilas with just as many wonderful (and some not so wonderful) variations on Sangrita. While you can find it pre-made and bottled in the grocery stores, no self respecting bartender in Mexico will serve the stuff nor do I recommend you drink it.A good bartender will have his own well-guarded secret recipe, that may have been passed down from generation to generation.

One evening, at our house in Mystic, Connecticut, a few months before we made the big move to Playa del Carmen, Rob and I cracked open a bottle of Patron Silver and went to work concocting the perfect Sangrita. In all honesty, I have no idea how I was able to keep track of all the variations but when I came to my senses the next morning (or was it afternoon) the chicken scratch that remained in my notebook revealed a damn good house-made Sangrita recipe, one that can just as easily be made in your home kitchen as it can behind the bar in your preferred Mexican watering hole.

2 cups tomato juice
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tsp. Tabasco sauce
3 tsp. minced onion
8 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. seasoned salt
2 tsp. celery salt

Combine ingredients, shake well, strain, chill and serve cold with shots of good tequila. In the end, Sangrita should resemble blood, and a dash of grenadine, if you have it on hand, will do the trick. Sangrita can and should be made to suit your particular taste. It can be made quite spicy or, if you like it a bit sweeter, add a bit of grenadine syrup or more orange juice. Then settle in with friends and a selection of your favorite tequilas and enjoy an authentic Mexican experience!