We’re always looking for new ways to come up with recipes and to use different cuts of meat at Wahaca, so a couple of days ago Tommi invited all of our chefs over to her house for a day of butchery and recipe development.

Our lovely butcher brought along half a pig, along with a couple of more random cuts to see what we could come up with. It was brilliant to see all of the chefs’ minds whirring at the same time and the results were as tasty as you might imagine.

Dishes included Elki’s rather scary sounding pig head tortas, drowned in chipotle salsa (‘tortas ahogadas’ to you and me) and Leo’s slightly less Mexican, but no less delicious pork and herb sausages! There was also Mexican Pozole, chicken liver tacos and beef cheeks cooked in a red mole.

Are there any Mexican inspired dishes that you would love to see us try out for the Wahaca Menu? Or indeed that you’ve tried out yourselves and would like to share with the team? Don’t be shy.

Any recipe that can lure a spirit back from the dead must be worth trying! So we thought we’d look at a few famous ideas from Mexico before we tell you what we’ll be doing next weekend.

Similar to many other countires, pumpkin is very popular in Mexico at this time of the year. Pumpkin slices are slowly simmered with Piloncillo (like Palm Sugar) and other spices to make “Candied Pumpkin”.

A special Bread of The Dead or Pan de Muerto is also cooked. This is a soft bread decorated with bone shapes or sometimes even moulded into the shape of skulls like the ones here from La Familia Brophy.

The most famous delicacy over DOTD is the Sugar Skull. Simply made by moulding sugar, water and meringue powder into skeletal shapes, these skulls are highly decorated and handed out for all to enjoy. We found some great examples captured by Glen on Flickr:

Of course, no Mexican celebration would be complete without tequila cocktails! Highly prized competitions are held every year to see who can invent the tastiest concoction, often prepared in the craziest of ways. Who knows what our fabulous bar staff will create this year!

Stay tuned to hear what we’ve got planned to celebrate Day of The Dead at Wahaca.

Monica Patino (far right) her daughter and Manuel from the Mexican Tourist Board.

Carolyn and I headed down to Borough Market to meet and taste some of Monica Patino’s seafood dishes yesterday for a special lunch break.

Going to Borough Market was already such a treat and as we arrived a little early we checked out some of the other shops and stalls, got stuck in Neals Yard sampling their delicious cheeses, eyeing up Brindisa’s chorizo and then the German Deli which Carolyn was especially excited about… what a great place to visit every day for lunch and to do your food shopping at!

Monica Patino, the celebrity chef , has become a household name in Mexico thanks to the popularity of her daily cookery TV programme. She has three restaurants in Mexico City – La Taberna del Leon, Bistro M/P and Naos. Yesterday and today though she is cooking mexican seafood dishes and creating her own pop up Marisqueria with the Mexican Tourist Board – a great way to promote Mexican food and travel.

Everyone seemed to be enjoying the free food and beer – and hopefully got a few more people trying some good mexican flavours for the first time. The crab tostadas, the shrimp ceviche soup were good and nice to try but the sea bass ceviche with a salsa verde with olives, capers and lots of lime was my favourite as had a really interesting flavour.

Anyway, do try and pop along today before 15.30 if your close by as a nice change from the norm – hopefully the mariachi are still playing!

Like

Unlike

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.

Like

Unlike