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Food & Drink, Food Topics & Trends, News, Our News

Mexican food events in London

We have a few exciting months ahead of us for Mexican food & culture in London. I have a list of some good foodie events not to be missed happening around town.

From Tommi speaking at the British Museum to Monica Patino (the renowned guest chef) taking a stall in Borough market we are really looking forward to all the Mexican cooking.

Tuesday 13th and Wednesday 14th October – Monica Patino, 12.30-15.30 each day.

Enjoy a traditional Mexican seafood market – marisqueria – with renowned guest chef, Monica Patino at Borough Market.

Wednesday 14th October – Fortnum & Masons

Monica Patino takes part in this months Chocolate Week with a demonstration and lunch at Fortnum and Masons. Come watch her cook at 11am or stay on and enjoy her cooking over lunch starting at 12pm as she prepares Chicken Mole and other chocolate delights. Click here for more information.

Thursday 5th November – Mexican Food at the British Museum, 18:30

Book this quick as its going to be really popular and will be a great opportunity to meet some of these Mexican chefs who are in London especially for the event. Celebrate the culinary delights of Mexico with a panel discussion and the chance to try some Wahaca food.

The discussion will be chaired by the Evening Standard’s renowned restaurant critic Fay Maschler, and will feature a panel of food writers, chefs and restaurateurs including Tommi Miers, Diana Kennedy, food writer and authority on Mexican cooking, Fiona Dunlop, author of Viva la Revolución! New food from Mexico and Enrique Olvera, key participant in the Mexican culinary avant-garde as leading chef and restaurateur of Restaurante Pujol in Mexico City.

To book and for more information click here.

Saturday 28th November, 13:00-14:00 Thomasina Miers – an introduction to Mexican food at the British Museum

Join Tommi for a demonstration as she introduces Mexican Food and the different produce used from pre-hispanic days to today from chocolate, avocados, chillies and corn. There will also be a few little tasters afterwards for everyone to try. Click here to book your tickets or the first 5 people to reply through the blog get a free ticket to her talk and the exhibition.

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Links Roundup, News

Blog Roundup

1. Like Simon Majumdar, we’ve been following the Taco Truck trend in the US for a while and have been wondering whether to give it a go ourselves. His article for the Guardian is very eye-opening and has got our creative juices flowing. For more information, have a good read of Simon’s article and also check out this post on Springwise. It seems like just the sort of thing London need.

2. Following the theme of mobile-gourmet vans, we’ve been loving what Petra from Chocstar is up to. Particularly her recent trip to Victory Primary school. It’s the sort of thing we’re trying to do more of. Petra, can you park outside our restaurant in Covent Garden? Maybe we could do churros and chocolate collaboration?

3. We’ve also been a bit bowled over by the Rancho Gordo blog. His method of cooking trout inside corn husks is as inspiring as it is inspired and the piece about Diane Kenedy has stuck a chord with us, especially given the fact we are hosting a special dinner with her soon. If you like reading about Mexican cooking pop Rancho Gordo in your RSS reader.

4, Mel and Kelsie from Travels with my Fork have created a fantastic video of them making Pozole:

Mexican Pozole from kelsie mortimer on Vimeo.

We’re looking forward to seeing how their hibiscus sorbet turns out as well.

More next week.

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News, Our News

Cool Brands Award

We’re delighted to be in the 2009 Cool Brands list! This is fantastic news. But rather than listen to us, this is what they said:

“Vibrant, imaginative and affordable, Wahaca brings the spirit of Mexican market eating to the UK, with an approach that’s as fresh as the irresistible street food on its menu…

Hibiscus margaritas served in recycled glass; soft corn tacos rolled around fresh seafood; street art on the walls. Enter Wahaca and you would be forgiven for thinking that you had stepped into a Mexican street market. Founded by Mark Selby and Masterchef 2005 winner Thomasina Miers, with branding from London-based BuroCreative, Wahaca introduces real Mexican street food to the UK with a menu as colourful as its style. Queues outside and a coveted Observer Food Monthly Award testify to its winning formula.”

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Events at Wahaca, Food & Drink, News, Our News, What you say, What's Happening

Qype Autumn Menu Tasting

We invited Qype’s top reviewers to sample our new menu that we’ve put together for the cold months and this is what they thought, in bite sized chunks:

SMOKED HERRING TOSTADAS by Alex Sheppard

Photo by @kelsiemortimer on Flickr

The smoked herring tostada is something that I’d probably never have tried – I wouldn’t have thought fish and tacos would work well together. But I’m glad I did as it will be the main (but certainly not only) reason why I’ll be coming back to Wahaca. Not only is the fish MSC-certified and sourced from Hastings, they were delicious. The smokeyflavour stayed in the mouth long after they’d been eaten, but it wasn’t too overpowering. For me, they were the highlight of the evening.

PORK PIBIL TACOS by Almost Witty (Andrew Wong)

The pork pibils – from memory I think that was Johnny Depp’s dish of choice in Once Upon A Time In Mexico – and definitely the best. They dripped off the tongue as they should.

MUSHROOM AND HUITLACOCHE QUESADILLAS by Kate Matlock

The quesadillas…oh good golly… the crazy mushroom quesadilla that was creamy and gooey and unpronounceable. It’s a fungus (called huitlacoche) that grows on corn. Seriously. Can I just say it’s the best damn fungus I’ve ever tried because I will be back for more.

BLACK BEAN SOUP by Qyper ‘ShakinSwedens’

The black bean soup which was so full of surprises it almost deserves a review of it’s own. The bowl was filled with goodies like avocado and roasted chillies and then the black bean soup poured over by the waiter. Each mouthful was different with a burst of fresh coriander in one or the piquant chilli in another.

MOLE ENCHILADA by Jenny from The Red Mangetout

Photo by @tikichris for Qype on Flickr

The mole enchiladas initially looked like more black bean soup, except this time it was topped with crema and rice. Digging in, it became apparent that underneath the sauce lay an enchilada stuffed with tender chicken and vegetables. The mole sauce was rich and spicy, with a good hint of chocolate. This was one of the stand out dishes for me, and a good introduction to Mexican flavours, without being too scary for the British palate. My only regret was that by this point I was getting too full to manage more than a mouthful!

FISH A LA VERACRUZANA by Su-Lin from Tamarind and Thyme

Photo by @Kelsiemortimer on Flickr

The Fish a la Veracruzana was a large piece of pollack with tomatoes, olives and capers, all baked in a foil parcel. The perfectly cooked fish broke off easily into large moist flakes at the touch of a fork and its lightness was complemented perfectly by the freshness from the tomatoes. However, as well as rice, this was accompanied by a salad whose toppings I found a little too punchy and acidic for the delicate fish.

SEASONAL VEGETABLE BURRITO by Simon Doggett

Photo by Su-Lin on Flickr

The burrito caused a bit of a stir round the room with one particular controversial ingredient. The cabbage. Now, it’s a veggie burrito. Of course we expected veggies. But cabbage? Turns out this has been a bit of a talking point over the years between owners, chefs and us lot – it’s prevalent in a certain area of Mexico, but we really weren’t sure. Then again, those of them on the other side of the table were excited about something a bit different. I guess we’re waiting to see if it actually makes a reappearance! Before the tasting I was pretty clueless about ‘proper’ Mexican street food, and nine times out of ten would have plumped for the burrito option. But now, ya know, having been presented with the excitement beyond burritos, I’m not so sure about that.

WINTER BUERZA SALAD by Jess

Photo by @kelsiemortimer on Flickr

So perhaps I wouldn’t have normally ordered a dish like this at Wahaca. Firstly, it’s a salad, and secondly, it’s chocka with what might appear menu-wise to be too many ingredients, ending up as one confused salad amongst loads of hearty Mexicana goodness. But oh, what a revelation to have been fed this little beauty! It’s bursting with surprises – from the delicately deep fried anchochilli pieces giving the crunch to the fresh orange and pickled hibiscus over the feta and butternut squash, right down to the spelt hiding underneath it all.

BAJA CALIFORNIA TACOS by Mel fromTravels with My Fork

The absolute hit of the evening was next: a classic Baja-California Fish Taco – crispy fried fish with just the right kick of chipotle mayonaise served in a soft taco. I could have eaten a whole tray of these alone and am now contemplating throwing a fish taco party in the near future. High marks for this one.

CHURROS Y CHOCOLATE by Gail

When we reached the meal’s finale, a platter of golden churros arrived on the table – infuriatingly out of reach, initially. Once the people at the other end of the table realised that our conversation had died and we were all staring at them with intent – ok, at the churros – they surrendered them to us. Almost without a fight. Beautifully light cinnamon-dusted horseshoes of crisp batter, with a dribbly dark chocolate sauce – they were never going to last long. They’re better than any others I’ve tried, probably because they were obviously fresh and quickly fried. The perfect sharing dish for the end of the evening – as long as you get in fast, they won’t last long.

TEQUILA by Epicurienne

Photo by @kelsiemortimer on Flickr

Under Mark’s guidance, we tasted three tequilas from the Wahaca stable: a Blanco (white), served cold, a Reposado (rested) served at room temperature and an Añejo (aged), also served at room temperature, with a lovely, caramelly tang. As many will confide, I, too, have had the occasional clash with tequila, but the selection we enjoyed last night was an utterly different sensory experience to student union layback sessions in a vintage dentist’s chair. This was refined, smooth, flavoursome liquid, to be sipped and savoured, not consumed in one swallow. This was tequila for grown ups and it was better than good.

And… the last word from Qype Guru Tikichris who helped to set this all up

By inviting us twenty or so lucky Qypers along last Thursday for a sample of their new “cold months” menu at their stylish Westfield location, the good folks behind sensational Mexican street food restaurant Wahaca succeeded not only in delighting our appreciative taste buds and filling our bellies with more than ample amounts of their flavourful Latin dishes but in raising the bar for future Qype events as well. Really, I can’t even remember the last time I saw so much food laid out in front of me. That so much of it was incredibly delicious left me a bit dumbfounded (or was that the cumulative effect of all that lovely, free flowing Tequila Corralejo?)

Thank you Qype for making the evening so much fun, for providing so much valuable feedback and for all your kind words. And thanks for your great reviews which you can read in more depth here:

Tamarind and Thyme
Ravenous Libby
Epicurienne
Travels with My Fork
Qype Blog

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Food & Drink, Recipes & Cooking Tips

Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate!!!!

To celebrate Chocolate Week that starts on Monday 12th October we thought we’d share our delicious chocolate sauce recipe for those out there with some serious cravings! Or if you’re feeling adventurous come try our new Chilli chocolate tequila toddy – an intense hot chocolate shot with a dash of tequila which will warm you up on a cold winters day!

Wahaca chocolate sauce recipe

200g dark chocolate

75g milk chocolate

1 tbsp golden syrup

200ml double cream

150ml milk

A good pinch cinnamon

Mix all over a very low heat and enjoy with churros or over vanilla ice-cream (preferably with a good dash of plata tequila!)…

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Contributor Competitions, Food & Drink, News, Recipes & Cooking Tips, What's Happening

Tommi’s recipe competition results

Thank you so so so much for all the recipes that you sent in for my recipe competition in August.  The winning entry was submitted by Steve Gale, a delicious tostada salad using the sweet-sour flavours of the chilli salt mix that Mexicans use on the streets of Mexico to season mouthwatering slices of mango, pineapple and jicama.  His recipe will be published in my new book, ‘Mexican food made simple’ which comes out at the beginning of March next year (yikes).

But there were quite a few other delicous recipes that we felt we had to publish too.  I particularly loved the delicious green sauce on eggs that Gicela Morales entered – this recipe is a sure fire way to beat any hangover and perk up the tiredest of parents, teenagers or kids on a weekend morning.  Try this recipe this weekend and tune in next week for more competition runners-up…

Gicela Morales’ Huevos Borrachos

This is a hot green salsa with eggs for anyone with a hangover. It’s very easy to make and only requires very basic ingredients and a few green chilles.

You can make it as hot or as mild as you wish, but the idea is to make it as hot as you can stand it! Also makes a good brunch.

INGREDIENTS (serves 2)

FOR THE EGGS

5 free range eggs
1 small onion
2 table spoons of good frying oil
Salt to taste

FOR THE SALSA

3 to 5 green chillies, depending on your tolerance…
1 small clove of garlic
240ml of water

1. Seed the chilles and roast them with the chopped garlic. Remove any burnt skin and put them in a food processor with the water until chopped roughly.

2. Chop the onion. Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the onion. Saute the onion and add the eggs; mix until scrambled.

3. Add the green salsa to the egg and mix it gently. Bring it to to boil and add salt to taste.

Serve and eat with fresh bread or roll and a strong mug of coffee. Depending on the extent of your hangover, you may not even feel the heat!

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Events at Wahaca, Food & Drink, Food Topics & Trends, What's Happening

Tommi cooking at Aldeburgh Food Festival

I had a fine time at the Aldeburgh Food Festival the weekend before last.  The sun came out in all its glory (lovely for us punters, not so great for the farmers) and I had the fortune to discover the unfathomably delicious fruit cream ices made by Alder Tree.  These ice creams are so packed full of fruit like gooseberry and elderflower, rhubarb and ginger, and my favourite of all of them, the summer fruits, that they are not technically allowed to call themselves ice cream.  Hence the lovely old fashioned name fruit ices.  They seriously reminded me of my childhood…these ices are just like the ones my granny used to make using home grown fruits, cream, sugar and not much more.  Delicious.

I was at the Aldeburgh Food Festival demo-ing a few simple recipes using the glut of tomatoes that crop up towards the end of every September.  I had a great time making a chilli and tomato jam and fideus, a delectable noodle dish from Veracruz using some local Cromer crab but the real highlight was cooking with the Orford Primary School.  Thanks to the enthusiasm and passion of Louise Holland, Jamie Oliver’s manager, the Orford Primary School have a garden where they are taught about growing vegetables, and then how to cook them.  Mark Hix and I were sous-chefs to four jubilant kids who barely reached my tummy-button but were nonetheless showing a tent packed with people how to make pizza from scratch.  The morning was a total treat and inspiring to see how much children love to cook and eat vegetables when they are involved in the magic of how vegetables are planted and how they grow.  If only there were more projects like this up and down the country, kids would learn to love real food again, obesity levels would plummet and the NHS would heave a sigh of relief – wishful thinking maybe but surely not impossible?

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History & Heritage, News, Wahacos

Inspired by Mexico – Malcolm Lowry

Our friend Jimena Gorraez – Belmar who works for the cultural minister for Mexico in London, is going to be updating us on Mexican culture in London and around the world with a few guest blogs. Mexican culture is taking over the London scene with so many exciting things to look forward to… Moctezuma at the British Museum now open, The Latin Film Festival, Gabriel Orozco exhibition at Tate Modern (coming soon apparently), and visits from some legendary Mexican chefs such as Monica Patino and Diana Kennedy.

Today Jimena is talking about Malcolm Lowry, the British poet and novelist most famous for his novel, Under the Volcano that he wrote while living in Mexico.

Little is known about the fascination that Mexico caused on some of Britain’s most important 20th century writers. The country was a magnet for those seeking a little bit more than an adventure but somehow ended finding a piece of heaven on earth.

This is precisely what happened to Malcolm Lowry whose centenary is celebrated from 24 September at the BlueCoat Arts Centre (www.thebluecoat.org.uk) in Liverpool. The programme will include a special section on his Mexico years which proved crucial in his life and literary career.

Malcolm Lowry went to Mexico in 1936 after spending some time the psychiatric ward of Bellevue Hospital in New York City. In an attempt to save his marriage to the famous French actress Jan Gabrial, the couple moved to the city of Cuernavaca. The marriage did not last long and Lowry was left alone in Mexico.

However, the city became the setting of his masterpiece Under the Volcano, also considered one of the greatest novels of the 20-century. In Cuernavaca, Lowry found the perfect landscapes for his groundbreaking novel.

Under the Volcano tells the story of Geoffrey Firmin, a British Consul posted to the small town of Quauhnauhuac (easily recognised as Cuernavaca) and his experiences during the Day of the Dead in 1938.

Later on, he moved to the beautiful city of Oaxaca where his alcohol problems aggravated to the point that rumour has it that Lowry forgot the first draft of his manuscript in bar. Luckily for us readers he got it back pretty quick.

Although living a turbulent and difficult life, it is undeniable that Lowry’s years in Mexico proved to be the most creative of his career. An author that did not published much in life but who left an invaluable legacy for literature lovers and who saw in Mexico a true source of inspiration.

Malcolm Lowry

www.thebluecoat.org.uk

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