Would You Like to Know the Real Secret to Mexican Cooking?

We have been in the El Cid Resorts of Mazatlan, Mexico for six weeks now. Even if there are 9 restaurants of different cuisines (Argentinian, Italian, Japanese, Mexican, Mazatleca and four International), we have had a lot of Mexican food. Aside from La Cascada dedicated to Mexican food and Dona Sol dedicated to local dishes of Mazatlan, Mexican dishes are included in every buffet and special days are dedicated to Mexican cuisine in the international restaurants.

tinga de res

Desayuno, the Mexican Breakfast

chilaquiles

For breakfast, we have gotten to know staples like molletes, sopes, chilaquiles (verde o rojo), and huevos rancheros. There are American options: tocino (bacon), salchichas (sausages), pancakes, French toasts, waffles, papa bibil (hash browns), cereals, crepes, omelets, and huevos a gusto (eggs of your choice). I like it that they always have a pot of avena (oats) with amaranto, pasas (raisins), coconut shreds, granola, and cinnamon always available for sprinkling. Varieties of pan (bread) can be grilled or toasted with all kinds of queso, mantequilla y margarina, and peanut butter and jam for spreads. Frutas tropicales are all sliced up with cottage cheese or yogurt for toppings and all colors of gelatin on the side. Hot chocolate, coffee, tea, agua con hielo, and all kinds of jugos are always ready.

Comida o Cena, All-Day Mexican Food

sopa de mariscos

chile relleno

There are a great variety of main dishes for lunch (comida) or dinner (cena). Most of us already know the following from our Tex-Mex cuisine: enchiladas, burritos, tacos, gorditas, tostadas, and fajitas. But our six weeks in Mazatlan, Mexico has exposed us to so much more: carnitas, mole, barbacoa, pibil, tinga, cochinitas, asada, birria, menudo, campechanga, chamorro, and other dishes you rarely find in Mexican restaurants in the US. Apperitivos include all preparations of nachos with different types of salsa, guacamole, and frijoles. Carbs are either arroz (rice), tortillas (but mostly maiz and not harina), papas (potatoes), and all kinds of pan (bread). The soups we have come to love are pozole, mariscos, albondigas, elotes de crema, or sopa de ajo. Of course, we cannot resist the postres (desserts) like varieties of flan, churros, pasteles (cakes and pastries), and candied bananas or sweet potatoes. Bebidas are horchata, cebada, or tequila-based ones.

El Cid's Cooking Class

Activities provided for free have created a lot of value for our stay in El Cid. Enrique, the Activities leader, has done a great job of promoting the cooking class every Tuesday and Thursday at 1 pm, for example, for about 16-20 of us, eager students. We gather at La Concha which a lot of the hotel guests consider the best restaurant. In the class, we have learned how to cook international food like pasta marinara, paella Valenciana, sushi, Caesar’s salad, ceviche, fajitas, and sopa de mariscos. Next ones slated are pozole, enchilada, tacos, chicken tortilla soup, and so much more.

our cooking class by the sea

Chef Luis Villa

Interview with the Chef

I interviewed one of our very personable chefs/instructors, Senor Luis Villa. In spite of the fact that he knows very little English, he was always able to convey to us the ingredients, the steps, and the secrets of a dish, with Enrique at his side. I conducted this interview without an interpreter. After all, another activity I consider very valuable is the Spanish classes I am also taking. 

Senor Luis is forty-eight years old and has two boys, Luis Angel, fourteen and Eric, seven. Our featured chef learned how to cook at a very young age right at his home in the Mexican state of Zacatecas. His mother, Maria de la Luz, and grandmother, Felicitas, are both passionate cooks who made everything painstakingly from scratch. But when they were away, Luis cooked for himself. Now, after cooking assignments for eighteen years, he considers seafood and Mexican cooking his specialty

pescado zarandeado

His favorite Mexican dish is mole. It is also one of Bill’s favorites. When I asked him why he said it is because it is a complex dish made from a lot of ingredients that can number up to thirty. Thus, a creative cook can come up with many different flavors, using different types of chiles, for instance. And when I asked him what dish he would prepare for a special someone, he said he often prepares carne en su jugo (meat in its juice) for his wife, Erica. Actually, it reminds me of the popular sous vide cooking.

Mexican-style paella

tequila, sangria, y limon

When I wanted to find out the secret to Mexican cooking, he immediately said tiempo. It means time. In other words, the cook must have a lot of patience because it takes time for the flavors to come out, to fuse, and to intensify. He says it would be easy to take two, three, or four hours to prepare dinner, depending on the dishes one wants to prepare for the family.

For the last question, I asked him what advice he can give those of us who want to enjoy eating and cooking Mexican food. Just as easily, he said we have to learn to watch the chiles. Mexican cuisine utilizes them heavily and consistently. And there are many kinds of different colors, various flavors, and increasing degrees of spiciness. There is the jalapeno (green), poblano (green), guajillo (red), and wero (pale yellow) for flavoring, coloring, and mild spiciness. Then there is the small serrano for more spiciness. Finally, if you dare, there is the habanero, the hottest of them all. Of course, there are also Mexican spices.  

We have six more weeks to go. I will surely learn more. And I am so happy El Cid offers cooking classes with great chefs like Senor Luis and organizers like Enrique.

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