What this site means to me

As I grew into an adult, I’d learned from most chefs on TV. PBS chef shows of The Louisiana Hot Sauce Man, Ken can cook, and also Rick Bayless. Food Network and The Cooking Channel is where I gained most of my cuilinary expertise. I was so intrigued with watching Andrew Zimmern or Anthony Bourdain when they would travel to places all around the world and eat delicacies everywhere. Something that sounded so bizarre to the average American, sounded amazing to us. For example, chapulines are seasoned and fried crickets. I tried them when I was about 12 or 13 years old at my Tio Armando’s house in Juarez, MX. Another example is Menudo! Cow stomach (tripe) would turn American stomachs, but, it was a staple on every Sunday morning! My parents would take a pot to the local small diner, Minnie’s, the best menudo in the northeast of El Paso, TX. We would then go to Supreme Bakery on Diana for Pan Dulce and also bolillo bread, Then set the table for about ten people. We’d eat, then get ready to watch The Dallas Cowboys.

The places we spent most of our time: the table, the kitchen, the living room. It would always be full of love, smiles and laughter.

I plan on cooking my way through The Authentic Mexican Regional cooking from the Heart of Mexico by Rick Bayless and Deann Groen Bayless. I will record my preparation and go through the steps of preparing his recipes. 20 Chapters of recipes. I will write and summarize my experience with these different recipes on this blog. I hope that in doing so, I inspire people to do the same and enjoy cooking again.

Sincerely, Olivia Arenas