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What Are Some Mexican Cookies

Special occasions call for special treats. There is quite a variety of Mexican cookies. Some are for anytime, while others are made at celebrations. Some are served at holidays while others are found at weddings. Whatever the time, they are sure to make anyone’s mouth water with the sweet aromas and delicious tastes.

Wedding Cake cookies are traditional Mexican cookies. They are made out of shortbread. Some of the ingredients include different nuts such as walnuts, almonds, and pecans that are ground. These cookies are very popular. They are served around Christmas, but also at Mexican weddings and anniversaries. Throughout the world, there are different variations of these cookies. Russia and Sweden refer to the cookie as Tea Cakes.

Biscochitos is another popular cookie in Mexico. It originated in Spain. When the Spaniards came to Mexico, they also brought the cookie. They are made with anise seeds and sprinkled with cinnamon. Depending on the maker, some of these cookies include different ingredients. You might find some biscochitos with orange juice and wine taste for added flavor. The cookies are cut with cookie cutters or made into diamond shapes. Some people even drink wine while eating them.

Marranitos is a cookie with different names. It is also called cochinos or puerquitos in different Mexican-American communities. It is known as “gingerbread pigs” even though there is no ginger in the cookie. The cookie is shaped like a pig. Traditional marranitos get their spicy flavor from molasses. In Mexico, the bakers make their own molasses syrup by taking brown sugar and placing it into cones. It is then boiled with the right amount of water. Once it has turned into the syrup it is then added to the dough for the little pigs. The cookie is very moist and rich in taste with a flaky top.

Originating from Spain, Churros are tasty fried cookies that are seen in both Mexico and other countries. It is made from a light paste that is sweetened. The paste is piped into oil and fried until golden brown. Cinnamon is added to make it taste even sweeter. Churros are best when eaten warm. It is typical to find street vendors selling Churros. They can make them fresh right on the street. Year ago, it used to be hard to find Churros outside of Hispanic areas, it used to be only sold at carnivals, and sporting events, but with the popularity of Latin food, it is now easy to find Churros in local restaurants and Mexican grocery stores. Some companies even offer the Churros that have an inner filling. You can find different flavors such as strawberry, apple, and chocolate. Churros are enjoyed in the United States by consumers of all nationalities.

There are many types of Mexican cookie recipes. If you are new to these types, you might want to visit a local Mexican grocery store and try a few that are fresh from their bakery. Once you enjoy them, you will want to include them for your own celebrations. These cookies would be a hit at any party!

All About Risotto in Italian Food

There is really no definitive answer as to how rice arrived in Italy. However, as soon as it made its way to Italy in the fourteenth century, most likely from Spain, it became a hit in Italian food. Areas of the country outside of Milan have the perfect blend of flat land, water, and humidity to make rice cultivation a very successful endeavor. The intensive rice cultivation that began in the fourteenth century has continued and has made rice a staple in regional Italian food.

Perhaps the most popular example of rice in Italian food is in risotto. Although risotto is considered a very serious dish in Italian food, it actually started out as a joke. As the legend goes a young apprentice was staining the glass used in the Duomo di Milano, a magnificent gothic cathedral, in 1574. He was relentlessly teased because it looked as if he had added saffron to pigments in order to obtain more vibrant and brilliant colors. When it came time for his master’s wedding, he decided to play a little joke to show how tired he was of the teasing. So, he added saffron to the rice that was to be served at the wedding. The plan backfired and the rice was so popular amongst the wedding guests that it became the staple of Italian food that we know today.

There are four main components to the risotto we know in Italian food today. The first is the soffritto. Sometimes this can be special ingredients specific to the type of risotto being made. However, it is typically a mixture of vegetables, butter, oil, and onions. This mixture is sauted in the same skillet where the rice will later be cooked. The next component is the broth. The broth can be homemade or canned and can be beef, chicken, vegetable, or fish. The third component is the flavoring ingredient. This is the component that will give the risotto its specific flavor. This can range from vegetables to meat, truffles, or the ingredient that started it all, saffron. Now of course, the final component is Italian rice. The rice that is used in Italian food is made up of large grains with lots of starch. This rice is perfect for risotto because it can absorb large amounts of liquid and still remain firm.

Risotto is a very popular Italian food dish, but it is also one of the most botched Italian food dishes because of the precise way in which the rice is prepared. Some tips to making it successfully at home include not washing the rice. If you were to wash the rice beforehand it would eliminate much of the starch that is needed to make good Italian food. There are also different types of Italian food rice and you will want to pick the rice that is most appropriate for your recipe. All rice is not created equal so check your recipe and cookbooks to decide which rice is best to use. You’ll also want to use a double-bottom saut pan.

This will keep the heat uniform to make sure the rice cooks evenly. It is important to saut the rice until it is toasted before adding the broth. However, don’t cook it too long or it will harden. This is the most important part of making an authentic Italian food risotto, make sure the rice is toasted. After that it is all downhill. Just follow these tips and pretty soon you’ll be cooking like a professional Italian food chef.

The Journey of the Belgian Hot Chocolate

Hot chocolate is a delicious drink that is a cocktail of cocoa powder or chocolate, sugar, and milk. This toothsome beverage can be traced back to the Mayan and Aztec civilizations in which they consumed their chocolate drinks made from roasted cocoa seeds mixed with spices like chili and achiote or annatto. The chocolate beverage was not only enjoyed but was also revered. Unfortunately, not everyone has the honor to drink chocolates during those times, only the members of the upperclass can drink it.

Chocolate was thought to be helpful in relieving exhaustion and was associated with fertility. The cocoa beans were also used by these old civilizations as currencies.

But the chocolate mixture during the old times is not as delicious as todays. When European settlers came to the south Americas, they even found the drink a bit repulsive. Even when Christopher Columbus has returned to Europe and brought with him cocoa beans from his travels to the New World; the chocolate was still a bit ignored.

It was only the time when a certain Hernan Cortez visited Mexico in the year 1517 when chocolate is beginning to make its way to the world. Cortez then met the Aztec Emperor, Moctezuma, and was introduced to some of the emperors traditions and activities. One of which is his favorite beverage, the chocolate. The emperor served Cortez the chocolate drink in a goblet made of gold, which was very impressive. The chocolate of the emperor was then a mixture of powdered cocoa beans, vanilla, spices, and honey.

The ritual must have impressed Cortez that he brought a lot of cocoa beans back to his native Spain. He also brought with him equipments for making chocolate beverages. The Spaniards kept the recipe a secret for a long time that it was only after one hundred years that the beverage became very popular in Europe.

When chocolates found its way to Belgium, it was like a match made in heaven! Belgians are known for their exquisite cuisine that is at par with the French. They even claim that their food is cooked in the way of the French but served generously like those of the Germans.

The Belgians have their own way of making chocolates. Through the years, they have honed their skills and perfected the manufacturing of chocolates of the best quality. In this perfection of this delicacy, it is easy to assume that chocolates are to Belgians as electronics gadgets are to Japan.

There are a number of varieties of Belgian hot chocolates to choose from and all seem to send the drinkers to paradise. From the moment the lips touch the cup and smell the aroma of the beverage, you will already feel the essence of the beverage being absorbed in your body. As you taste it a little you know that youll crave for more except that it will burn your tongue if you drink it in one gulp. Consequently, slowly consuming it is what makes it more pleasurable! And the perfect aftertaste that is like no other hot chocolate you can find anywhere else in the world.

No wonder that chocolate lovers seem to salivate more than the usual every time they here the word Belgium. Probably daydreaming of gargling and finally drinking all the Belgian hot chocolate they can gather up when they get the chance to visit the land of chocolates.

Foods Eaten Around Easter in Mexico

Mexico has many Easter customs. Many of these customs derived from Spain. These customs vary throughout the different regions and cities. Catholics are forbidden to eat red meat on certain days during Lent, so meals that exclude it are consumed during these times. Dishes that involve fish become popular. The Nopal is also a popular food eaten during this time.

Nopal is a type of cactus that has flat leaves. It is very flexible. Part of it is considered a vegetable, while the other being a fruit. The nopal can be made fresh, canned, or dried. There are many dishes that include nopal. Salads with added shrimp are great when fasting during Lent. Eggs with nopal are common. They can also be put into tacos. Nopal is rich in fiber and vitamins. Romeritos is another vegetable eaten during Lent. It is a green leaf that resembles rosemary. It is made with whole shrimp with a touch of chile sauce or powder.

Naturally since corn is a popular vegetable in many Mexican dishes, it is eaten a lot during Lent. Chacales is a dish made that is dried white corn that is broken into pieces and prepared into a soup. One other vegetable that seems to top all other vegetables in popularity is the Italian squash. The squash is cut and placed in a cloth which is then laid out in the sun until the squash is fully dried. Once it is dry, the squash is fried with tomatoes and onions. Cheese is placed on the top of the vegetables and not served until it the cheese completely melts.

Fish is an easy way to fast from meat during this time of year. It can be prepared in many different ways. A fish soup that is made around this time includes lima beans with the fish in pieces. Shrimp is also eaten. Shrimp can be served raw, or even made into shrimp patties. These patties can be covered with a traditional Lenten sauce called Pipin. Pipin is made of different spices, and also pumpkin seeds.

One of the most well-known desserts served around lent is known as capirotada. Capirotada is a Mexican bread pudding. This pudding varies from home to home. It usually consists of toasted French bread, cheese, milk, butter, peanuts, and raisons. It is soaked in syrup that includes water, brown sugar, cinnamon, and a variety of other ingredients. Another dessert that is popular around Easter time in Mexico is Empanadas. They are turnovers with a flaky crust that is filled with fruit in the middle. Some fruits inside are cherry, and strawberry. They come in a variety of flavors, but the favorites are apricot, apple, and blackberry.

Even though Lent is a time to fast, that doesn’t mean the people doing the fasting cannot enjoy what they eat. There are many more foods that are eaten during this time. Some dishes date back from many centuries ago. It is no surprise as to why these dishes are still popular.

Favorite Drinks of Mexico

Mexico offers quite a few unique drinks. Some include fruits, and nuts while others include milk. Some are served warm, while others are chilled. These drinks have become a favorite in Mexico. There are traditional drinks, some of which originate from Spain.

Horchata is a drink that originates from Spain. It is very popular in Mexico. It is perfect for hot days. Nuts are used for this drink. They are ground and mixed with water, sugar and sometimes lemon juice. The mixture is then put through a filter process. The drink is served ice cold. It refreshes and cools down the drinker. Horchata is also popular with rice added. It can be found at Mexican restaurants in the United States along with Mexican grocery stores.

Aguas Frescas are another popular drink found in Mexico. It consists of water, fruit juices and sugar. Many vendors in Mexico sell Aguas Frescas. Flavors you may find are Watermelon, Mango, Pineapple, and Strawberry. These types of drinks are also made in other countries under different names.

In Mexico you will still find brands for soft drinks that are familiar in America, such as Coca Cola, Sprite, and Pepsi. They also have their own brands, on being Sidral, which is apple-flavored. Coffee is also another popular drink in Mexico. You will be able to find Espresso and cappuccino in the cafes. For something more exotic there is the drink, caf de olla. It is made by being stewed for hours with the ingredients being cinnamon and sugar, which gives it a sweet and rich flavor. Outside of the cafes, it is common to find people making instant coffee. Mexicans also enjoy tea. The tea of choice is usually mint or chamomile.

Mexico also offers many drinks of alcohol. One that is much known in America is the Margarita. Tequila is the alcohol in the drink. Margaritas come in a variety of flavors and colors. It is served with ice, or blended with ice making it a frozen drink. There are a few tales on who is the original maker of the margarita. It is known that people in the 1930s were enjoying these drinks. This drink is still popular to this day. Mexico also drinks beer. They have several brands, the biggest being Cerveza. Mexican-made brands that are popular in the United States include Corona and Sol. Pulque is a milky style beer that is popular amongst the poor. It is made from sap and is thick. It usually takes some time to get used to drinking. A drink that makes people think of Mexico is Tequila. It consists of agave cactus and is produced mainly in the Mexican state of Jalisco. It is served with a side of lime and salt.

There are many more drinks that are found in Mexico. There are recipe books that can help you create new drinks. Next time you are planning a backyard fiesta, try adding some new flavor. Your guests will not be disappointed to quench their thirst with south of the border drinks.