Back by popular demand, La Cocina Historica is once again accessible to the public. Although, staff will no longer update this blog, archived posts will be available for viewing. UTSA Special Collections staff maintain the Top Shelf blog on WordPress and periodically, staff may write posts about the large collection of Mexican cookbooks and culinary materials held at UTSA.
Mole Workshops at Casa Navarro
Casa Navarro State Historic Site recently wrapped up a series of Make Your Own Mole workshops in the months of November and December, building off previous explorations of historic foods and recipes. Mole, an earthy tasting sauce with origins in Mexico, is made from a mixture of various peppers, herbs, spices and fruit. The ingredients are typically roasted, fried and blended together using a mano y metate and then simmered with oil and broth in a large cazuela or cast iron pot. Although the origins of the dish are disputed, it is largely agreed that Mole comes from a mixture of Indigenous and European cooking practices and is now symbolic of Mexico’s culinary heritage.
Recipes for Mole were found in La Cocina en el Bolsillo, a series of cookbooks published in Mexico City at the turn of the 20th century and distributed throughout Mexico and the United States including San Antonio. The series is part of the Historic Mexican Cookbook Collection at UTSA Libraries Special Collections. Previously, we focused on modernizing a recipe for Mole Poblano found in the first volume of the cookbook series. The result was a Mole that contained over 15 ingredients, and took approximately 1.5 hours to prepare. This year, we hoped to modernize a Mole recipe from the historic cookbook collection that could be prepared with fewer ingredients and less time. Mole Verde or Green Mole, found in La Cocina en el Bolsillo No.2 was a clear choice since the ingredient list was minimal and noticeably different from other Moles since it emphasized the use of Tomato and Peppers.
______________________________________________________
MOLE VERDE: Se pelan las pepitas de Calabaza y se tuestan, moliéndose después juntamente con las cáscaras: se muelen después tomates crudos, chiles verdes remojados y unos pocos de cominos, proporcionando los tantos para que apenas pique. Se fríe todo en manteca y se echa el guajolote cocido, pudiéndose añadir gallina también cocida y papada de puerco.
GREEN MOLE: Peel and roast pumpkin seeds, and grind them together with the skins. Afterwards, grind raw tomatoes, soaked green chili peppers and a few cumin seeds, portioning the ingredients so the mix is barely spicy. Fry everything in lard, and add cooked turkey, which also could be cooked chicken and pork jowl.
_________________________________________________________
Ingredients were purchased at the local grocery store and we set out making Mole Verde on a rainy day in October. The recipe turned out to be quick and simple to prepare as we had anticipated. We cut open and collected the seeds of a mix of five Poblano and Jalapeno peppers, then cut them into strips setting them aside for later. We cut five Tomatillos into quarters and measured out two ounces of pumpkin seeds, also known as Pepitas, and added Cumin seeds. Once our ingredients were portioned out and prepped, we proceeded to fry the mix of peppers and tomatillos in a pan with olive oil until they were lightly browned. Afterward, the Pepitas and Cumin were fried in the same pan until lightly browned and aromatic. We set
the seed mix aside to cool. The Tomatillos and Poblano/Jalapeno Peppers were placed into a blender with two ounces of chicken broth and blended together until a smooth consistency was achieved. After the seed mix had cooled, it was placed a spice grinder and ground coarsely, this later added great texture to our Mole.
We placed the Tomatillo/Pepper mix and the Pepita/Cumin seed mix into a large pot and let it simmer over low heat for approximately thirty minutes. This allowed time for the flavors to mix, producing a light Mole with a smoky, spicy and tart taste. In all, the preparation took approximately 15-20 minutes and the cooking approximately 30 minutes for a total of about 1 hour spent preparing the Mole.
Casa Navarro State Historic Site is located at 228 South Laredo Street in downtown San Antonio, along the Texas Independence and Hill Country Trail Regions.
Los 365 Menus del Año: Diciembre
Diciembre (31 Menus Economicos) by Josefina Velázquez de León. UTSA Libraries Special Collections.
Velázquez de León, Josefina. Los 365 Menus del Año: Recetas Prácticas, Económicas, para Resolver el Diario Problema de la Alimentación. México, D.F. : Ediciones J. Velázquez de León, [196-?]. [TX716 .M4 V393 1960]
On the first Monday of each month in 2015, La Cocina Histórica will feature recipes from Josefina Velázquez de León’s month-by-month cookbook series: Los 365 Menus del Año.
December is another volume for which UTSA’s copy lacks the seasonal fruits and vegetables page. However, this month’s menus do show striking differences from those of just a few months earlier. October’s seafood is replaced largely by pork, and the fruits of summer – peaches, pears, etc. – have made way for apples.
As 2015 comes to a close, this will be the final post on Velázquez de León’s Los 365 Menus del Año series. While it is difficult imagining even the most assiduous housewife finding the time and energy to follow these frequently elaborate (and rarely repeated) menus on a daily basis, I could imagine the wealth of diverse, seasonal recipes bringing readers back year after year. And for today’s cooks interested in mid-century cuisine, this series is truly a gem. I hope you’ve enjoyed exploring it as much as I have!
Menu No. 12 calls for Sopa Mixta (combination soup – prepared with various vegetables, ham, and calf’s brains), Lomo de Cerdo en Frio (pork loin served cold with various garnishes), Delicias de Aguacate y Salchicha (avocado and hot dog delicacies), and Postre de Manzana (apple dessert).
Menu No. 20 suggests Sopa de Calabaza de Castilla (Castilian pumpkin soup), Carne de Puerco en Huerto (pork in the garden – cooked with various fruits and vegetables), Frituras de Spaghetti (spaghetti fritters), and Postre de Manzana (apple dessert).
And Menu 24 (Christmas Eve) recommends celebrating with Sopa de Cuadritos de Panque (literally, soup of quartered cake, but in actuality, appears to be a broth-based soup with cheesey dumplings), Cuete con Rebanadas de Betabel (beef eye round with sliced beats), Rosca de Bacalao (ring of salt cod), and Jaletina para Navidad (Christmas gelatin).
asdf
Mole Workshops At Casa Navarro
Learn the ins and outs of making mole from scratch at Casa Navarro. Mole, a traditional Mexican dish that blends the food ways and traditions of indigenous Mexico and Spain, has become a popular sauce to serve turkey with during the Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays. The historic Mole Verde and Mole Poblano recipes are based off those found in , part of the UTSA Libraries Mexican Cookbook Collection.
The Mole Verde workshops take place November 17 & 24, 5:30-6:30 pm
The Mole Poblano workshops take place December 8 & 15, 5:30-6:30 pm
Space is limited, please call 210-226-4801 to RSVP.
Free parking is available in the Dolorosa Parking Lot, courtesy of the City of San Antonio’s Downtown Tuesdays.
Los 365 Menus del Año: Noviembre
Noviembre (30 Menus Economicos) by Josefina Velázquez de León. UTSA Libraries Special Collections.
Velázquez de León, Josefina. Los 365 Menus del Año: Recetas Prácticas, Económicas, para Resolver el Diario Problema de la Alimentación. México, D.F. : Ediciones J. Velázquez de León, [196-?]. [TX716 .M4 V393 1960]
On the first Monday of each month in 2015, La Cocina Histórica will feature recipes from Josefina Velázquez de León’s month-by-month cookbook series: Los 365 Menus del Año.
November 2nd is celebrated in Mexico as el Día de los Muertos, a day for remembering and honoring departed loved ones. In addition to the usual range of everyday menus, Velázquez de León’s November cookbook includes a section of desserts at the end, specifically for El Día de los Muertos: Pan de Muerto (Day of the Dead bread), Pastel 2 de Noviembre (Cake for the 2nd of November), Calaveras de Azucar (sugar skulls), and Adorno de Mesa Para el 2 de Noviembre (decorating the table for the 2nd of November).
Los 365 Menus del Año: Octubre
Octubre (31 Menus Economicos) by Josefina Velázquez de León. UTSA Libraries Special Collections.
Velázquez de León, Josefina. Los 365 Menus del Año: Recetas Prácticas, Económicas, para Resolver el Diario Problema de la Alimentación. México, D.F. : Ediciones J. Velázquez de León, [196-?]. [TX716 .M4 V393 1960]
On the first Monday of each month in 2015, La Cocina Histórica will feature recipes from Josefina Velázquez de León’s month-by-month cookbook series: Los 365 Menus del Año.
While including lists of seasonal produce is commonplace, I was somewhat surprised to see that the October cookbook also specifically indicates the seasonality of seafood, noting “En este mes abundan los pescados, mariscos y crustáceos, es el tiempo que se pueden tomar con confianza.”
The subsequent menus show a definite emphasis on fish and seafood dishes, from clams to crab, to red snapper.
Menu No. 4 calls for Arroz con Almejas (rice with clams), Carne en Salsa de Chorizo (meat with chorizo salsa), Ensalada de Habas (broad bean salad), Mousse de Naranjas (orange mousse).
Octubre (31 Menus Economicos) by Josefina Velázquez de León. UTSA Libraries Special Collections.
Menu No. 13 consists of Sopa de Jaiba (crab soup), Pichones a la Americana (American-style squab), Papas en Salsa Blanca (potatoes in white sauce), and Postre Rapida (quick dessert – pecans and sweetened condensed milk).
Octubre (31 Menus Economicos) by Josefina Velázquez de León. UTSA Libraries Special Collections.
And Menu No. 14 suggests Sopa de Coliflor y Papa (cauliflower and potato soup), Pescado Almendrado al Horno (baked almond fish), Platanos Rellenos (stuffed plantains), and Postre de Manzana y Coco (apple and coconut dessert).
La Cocina Histórica 