Habanero Happy Family

( Xhico in Mexico City )

After finally finding my salt-shakers shaped like agua fresca barrels, I was walking through one of my favorite markets in Mexico City - Mercado de Medellín. I love this market because you can find typical kitchen utensils plus anything you want to cook to put those utensils to work.

Diana, her daughter and son, Carlo - the makers of Salsa Yucatiik

Habanero Salsa varieties from "Yucatiik"

As I left the produce section toward the exit, I saw some tools at work. It was a five-gallon bucket of orange sauce with a ladle at rest. It had obvious just filled several little jars that sat to the side. As I passed I could smell something intensely spicy. I looked up at the shelves and realized that I had stumbled upon a mini salsa factory. Not just any salsa factory, a habanero salsa factory. Who was behind this delicious magic? I made my way around the corner and found a woman seated having lunch with her son. They both jumped to their feet to help me as soon as they realized I was there ready to consume salsa.

Crema de Habanero being bottled at Mercado Medellín

Crema de Habanero being bottled at Mercado de Medellín

The woman with a kind face and gentle smile was the genius behind incredibly spicy and creamy salsa. Her name was Diana. With her son, Carlo, by her side she brought her family's recipe's from the Yucatan to make these habanera varieties of "Yucatiik" brand salsa. After many questions in my not so elegant Spanish, Carlo began speaking to me in English. Then Diana began to speak English also. Before I knew it, we were haven't a fluent conversation in Spanglish! They were really wonderful people. She told me that her sister also made food typical of the Yucatan, so I'm going to try that out on my next visit to Mexico City this summer.

Her salsas are a Habanero Cream, Spicy Habanero Red Salsa, Peanut Habanero (it's killer on chicken) and one called "Kut". It's a thick black salsa made with smoked habaneros. I'll be trying that on a steak soon.

Habanero Chilis in Mercado de Medellín

I took my friend Tanya by a few days later, because she had to know about this treasure known as Diana. If you're lucky enough to have dinner with me, I might share some of her salsa with you!

Find Diana's Yucatiik homemade salsa stand at Mercado de Medellín. It's right at the edge of where the produce section changes to bottled goods/prepared foods, around the center ... I know it's not a great description, but I'll have to study exactly more next time!

Recipe: Cilantro Cream Sauce

I love making sauces and salsas. I make this Cilantro Cream Sauce for my green goddess veggies tacos. It's simple and subtle, but refreshing. It's also great on fish and chicken tacos.

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Cilantro (or more to taste)
3/4 Cup Mexican Creama (table cream)
Pinch of salt

Method:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and use an immersion blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Recipe for Cilantro Cream by Xhico

Green Goddess Vegetarian Tacos with Cilantro Cream and Sarayo Sweet

The Inventors of Al Pastor: El Tizoncito

Al Pastor roasting on the spit at El Tizoncito, Mexico City

Upon my arrival in Mexico City, there was much confusion finding my amiga, Eme, at the airport. Fortunately there were some incredible sculptures by Jorge Marín to distract me, as well as a friendly, handsome security guard who I gave some of my art stickers.

Sculpture by Jorge Marín, Mexico City, DF, Mexico

By the time I found Eme at another terminal, I was already starving. We grabbed a cab and headed toward our digs in the Condesa neighborhood. We were fortunate enough to have friends staying at a mansion so we were able to live large there for a few days while attending the Material Art Fair. Which by the way was amazing. You'll read more about that later. We have tacos to talk about.

We dropped our bags on the first floor of the mansion and headed down the street for tacos. Conveniently, there is an El Tizoncito, just blocks away. Tizoncito claims to be the inventor of Tacos al Pastor. We arrived to the marinated slices of pork loin stacked in the shape of a spinning top. The name comes from the "style of the shepherd" and is cooked very similarly to shawarma and gyros. The meat slowly spins and roasts and then thinly sliced onto tacos. At the top of the meat is a piece of pineapple that gets richly sweet as it cooks and a thin slice is added to the tacos. It's just enough subtle sweetness to compliment some of the spicy salsas.

Salsas at El Tizoncito, Mexico City

After we were seated, we were seated by a very friendly waitress and an even more friendly tower of chips and salsas. There were four very different salsas - a tomatillo with green chile, pure serrano, chile de arbol and morita chile. There were liquified beans also served which helped cut the heat when needed. The michelada (beer with lime juice and salt) also helped mellow things out.

Al Pastor Tacos at El Tizoncito, Mexico City

And then... the tacos came. Tender roasted slices of al pastor, pineapple with white onion and cilantro. Perfection on my plate. The taste was delicious and I couldn't get enough. I stopped after six. Only because I knew I was having churros later.

Visit El Tizoncito website for menu and locations.

Street Fried Quesadilla

Quesadilla all done up

I left this art show in Echo Park last night. I was starving and my favorite blue corn quesadilla lady wasn't around. But I saw a woman kitty corner at the intersection with a small cart and steam rising above her. I couldn't wait for the lit red hand to change to the walk signal and I crossed toward her.


I heard her saying, "quesadillas" as I approached. When I go there I saw what seemed to be more of giant empanadas. But they were more of a deep fried quesadilla. She made a tortilla like shape out of dough and stuffed them with cheese and potatoes (she also had cheese and chorizo or just cheese). She folded it in half and dropped it in the hot oil. She then served it to me, what i call, pupusa style - topped with cabbage, sour cream and crumbled cheese. Then she had all these delicious salsas to choose from... Avocado, Tomatillo, Salsa Roja and Habanero, which was pretty spicy. Overall it was delicious but a little messy. I could have used a knife.

WHERE:
Quesadilla Street Cart
Sunset Blvd & Echo Park Blvd.
Echo Park, Los Angeles

Quesadillas on the streets of Echo Park

Salsa bar street cart style

before salsa

after salsa

Recipe: Salsa Fresca for one

Salsa Fresca makes a great topping for tacos, great for dipping chips
and goes good on eggs for breakfast too.

Making fresh salsa is easy. This salsa fresca is more of a pico de gallo. There's no real recipe, just basic ingredients mixed to your liking. I was making taquitos but needed something fresh to compliment the deep fried crunch. I made this salsa in less than 10 minutes.

Salsa Fresca

Servings: This is a good way to make it for one or two people for a meal or appetizer without having a surplus of salsa leftover.

Ingredients:

1 Tomato - Chopped 1/4 - 1/2 inch
1/4 White Onion - Chopped 1/4 - 1/2 inch  (Red Onion can also be used)
1/2 Jalapeño - Finely Diced  (Use more of less depending on how spicy you like it)
2 Tbsp Cilantro - Chopped
1/2 Lime
1 Tsp. Olive Oil
Salt to taste

Mix Tomato, Onion, Jalapeño, Cilantro in bowl. Drizzle with Olive Oil. A a little squeeze of lime (or lemon). Salt to taste. Toss and refrigerate for at least half and hour so flavors can blend.

Enjoy with mexican food or on your eggs at breakfast.

Hangover Cure TVC

A trip to TVC is something we often have to do. One of the first things I learned about when I moved back to this part of LA was about Tacos Villa Corona. My neighbors introduced me to it after a hard night of partying. We all woke up in a little pain with an intense hangover. We needed something in our bellies and everyone's immediate first response was "TVC!".

I couldn't muster up the energy to go, but the girls brought me back the most delicious breakfast burrito filled with eggs, potatoes, spinach and cheese. It's even good for vegetarians. Make sure to order the "papas burrito with spinach" and ask for extra salsa. Though you'll be tempted to gobble it down, take your time and cure that hangover. You might want a little hair-of-the-dog too.

Tacos Villa Corona is located in the Atwater Village neighborhood in Los Angeles at 3185 Glendale Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90039. (323) 661-3458

See more delicious food from Tacos Villa Corona on Foodspotting.