Great Salsa!

It seems like salsa has become another one of the favorite foods in America. Superbowl parties, backyard barbeques, family get togethers, pool parties and of course, Mexican restaurants. Whether it's used for a dip, topping, or filler, salsa is delicious. While you can buy it at the grocery store or order it at a restaurant, I still think the best salsa is homemade.

There are hundreds of recipes for making salsa, all with varying ingredients and many based on region, but my favorite kind of salsa is a tomato salsa.

For this great homemade salsa you'll need 3-4 ripe tomatoes, a small bunch of fresh cilantro, and a small bunch of green onions. The tomatoes should be ripe, but firm, the cilantro needs to be very fresh, not soggy and the same goes for the green onions. You'll also want to have on hand a lime, salt (sea salt is the best) and a tablespoon of crushed garlic. You can crush the cloves yourself, but I've found the crushed store bought garlic is just as fresh and you'll save your hands from smelling like garlic for a week. Many salsa's are cooked, but this salsa gets it's flavor from allowing the flavors to mingle overnight in the fridge.

To start chop the tomatoes in small pieces and place in a large bowl. Then chop the green onions and cilantro. Be sure to cut the bottoms off of the green onions before chopping and you'll want to chop all the way to the dark green portion of the onion. The cilantro is a bit trickier because of the stems. You don't want the stems in the salsa, so you'll have to grab the end of a stem with one hand and pull your fingers up the stem with the other, pulling the cilantro leaves off as you go. Once you have de-leaved all the stems, chop the cilantro leaves into very fine pieces. Add them to the bowl. Next add a tablespoon of the crushed garlic, a teaspoon of salt and a 1/4 cup of water. With a large spoon, stir the mixture slightly mashing the tomatoes against the edge of the bowl as you stir. Squeeze the juice from a lime into the bowl (watch that you don't drop seeds into the salsa) and stir again. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place into the refrigerator overnight.

The next day, grab a big bag of tortilla chips, a cold drink and the salsa. Sit down and enjoy!

Tamales

For this weeks blog I wanted to share with you another one of my favorite foods found often on southwestern menus, the tamale.



There are many versions of the tamale ranging from the original Native American tamale to tamales in Latin America and the Caribbean. Tamales vary in their ingredients and the way they are prepared, basically they are made from a corn dough called masa that is filled with meat or cheese, rolled in a corn husk (Mexico and the Southwest) or a banana leaf (Latin America and the Caribbean) and then steamed. Tamales can be sweet,salty, or spicy. Some countries add raisins, pumpkin, or other varying ingredients. But the tamales I like best are the ones found in Northern Mexico and the Southwestern United States. They can be mild or spicy and are made with a corn masa,which can be white corn or yellow corn. They are most often filled with a shredded beef filling and a green olive is placed in the middle before they are rolled and steamed. Green corn tamales are made with white corn masa, green chiles, and cheese. They tend to be sweeter than the spicy beef tamales, but both are delicious.


Tamales are traditionally made by the dozens at Christmastime and New Year here in the Southwest. I tried making them myself one Christmas and I found out how much work goes into making them. You definitely need strong arms to make the masa, and a lot of patience. But more experienced tamale makers may have a different view, so I did a little searching and found a great site that takes you step by step through the tamale making process. So , if you are feeling adventurous, then click here.

Mi Nidito

Hi Everyone! Whenever you've got the craving for good Mexican food, Mi Nidito is the perfect place. Located in South Tucson at 1813 S. 4th Avenue, Mi Nidito has the most delicious Mexican food I've ever tasted. The dishes are are Sonoran style recipes passed down for three generations in the Lopez family. Ernesto and Alicia Lopez started the restaurant in 1952. Little did they know then that the delicious food they prepared would bring celebrities to their restaurant time and time again. Some of Mi Nidito's patrons include Willie Nelson, Julio and Enrique Iglesias, Linda Ronstadt, Beau Bridges, William Shatner, and Madeline Albright. There are lots of other celebrities who have dined there (their photos are on the walls), but the most notable was the visit from President Bill Clinton. He stopped in for a meal on February 25, 1999. The table he sat at is now called the Presidential Table and photos, flags, and the Presidential Seal decorate the wall behind it. The meal he ordered is now called the Presidential Platter and is officially on the menu.

Anything ordered from the menu is absolutely delicious! The menu includes combo platters,served with beans and rice, a variety of Mexican soups and salads, a good variety of Mexican beer and lots of good frozen margarita flavors such as Pina Colada or Guava. Very tropical. But the best part of the meal is desert, as far as I'm concerned. Maybe it's the sweet tooth I inherited, but I love the flan. It is silky smooth, lots of rich caramel and topped with a light, fluffy cream. The combo platters range from $6.95-$9.95 and worth every cent.

The decor inside the restaurant feels like you are deep in Mexico, with lush palms and bright colors. With the inviting decor, the great margaritas, and the delicious food having a long lunch or dinner at Mi Nidito's makes you feel like you've had a mini vacation. It's an authentic Mexican experience!

St. Andrews: A Clinic of Hope and Love

This weeks blog is about a journey to a very special place I visited this past week.
Just five miles north of the U.S./Mexico border and about an hour south of Tucson in Nogales, Arizona is a place that many call "the clinic of hope and love."

On the first Thursday of every month, St. Andrews Episcopal Church transforms into a bustling clinic with a host of volunteer doctors, nurses, and 250 support staff to service the needs of impoverished children from poor families in Mexico. These children are unable to get the medical services they need and many travel hours and even days with their parents or loved ones for this gift of hope. Whether they are recipients of prosthetics, braille machines, hearing aids, medications or simply a new pair of glasses the exchange of love and gratitude between the volunteer staff and the families is something to behold.



"They have so little and they give so much in return," said Board Member Barbara Blake, referring to the families that come seeking help. What they give in return is love and lots of it. Her eyes filled with tears as she told the story of one mother who traveled with her child by bus from deep in Mexico. The mother had no more money and no more food, except for one tortilla, which she kept the entire journey just so she could give it to the doctor who helped her child. These are the stories that can be heard at the clinic. Hundreds of children are helped each month, each with a story of their own. Stay tuned to the special report on St. Andrews Clinic that will be posted on Borderbeat in the coming weeks. You will find heartwarming stories by all the Borderbeat student journalists who attended the clinic.

I will be reporting on three patients. The first story will be about twin boys whose mother died in childbirth. One boy is legally blind and the other is visually impaired. Their remarkable story is one of courage and fortitude. I will also report on another blind child with an amazing story of joy and hope. Finally, I will be reporting on a 17 year old boy who will be undergoing surgery on his legs and feet, but will be fitted with braces for his legs in the meantime. His smile is priceless and his story inspiring.

Indian Fry Bread: A Popular Tradition

The ingredients are simple, the tradition is priceless. Handed down through generations of Native Americans, Indian Fry Bread has become more than just a staple in Native American diets. It is a tradition taught by mother to daughter to grandaughter and on down the line. Attend any Pow Wow or special Native American event and chances are you will come across Indian Fry Bread.


Indian Fry Bread, nicknamed the "Indian Taco", is made of flour, milk, baking powder,salt, and lard. Although, these ingredients can vary slightly. For example, some recipes substitute buttermilk instead of milk, or butter instead of lard. The ingredients are mixed together and then balls of dough are made from the batch. The dough balls are patted out by hand into flat round plate size patties. They are placed one at a time into hot oil that is heated over an open fire and cooked until golden brown. Then they are topped with a variety of toppings that range from honey or powdered sugar for a sweet-tooth craving, to beans, chili, lettuce and tomato for a heartier meal. Of course, lots of folks prefer to eat them plain. They are melt in your mouth delicious no matter how they are prepared.

Tortilla Country

For those of you planning to visit the southwest, take heed. This is tortilla country. Tortillas are everywhere, so it is in your best interest to know about them. They are round and flat and easily confused with other non-food items. I once had an uncle who very politely unfolded a large tortilla that had been placed on the table in front of him, and he laid it on his lap to use as a napkin. I quietly informed him that a tortilla is to be eaten, not worn, and he whispered a hushed and very embarrassed "thank you." Luckily, no one in the restaurant had noticed.

Tortillas come in a varieties of colors and sizes. They can be very small about the size of the palm of your hand, or very large like a large dinner napkin! Flour tortillas are white, corn are yellow, blue corn are, of course, blue, and wheat tortillas are light brown.

Much like folks back east who rush to the bakery for a fresh baked morning roll, or to the corner bagelry for a hot bagel, people in the southwest venture out in search of freshly made tortillas, even in the heat of summer.




Tortillas are have many uses in Mexican food dishes. Flour tortillas are filled with ingredients that can include beans and cheese. They are rolled with ends tucked in. These are call burritos. Take the same burrito and deep fry it and you will have a bean and cheese chimichanga Corn tortillas are deep fried into tacos, tostadas, or cut first then fried into tortilla chips, traditionally served as an appetizer with salsa.

Aloe Vera

The Whole Enchilada, Please!

Mexican food is one of my favorite foods and because there are so many different varieties, I found myself hard pressed to choose just one dish. It's all so delicious! The more I thought about it, the more I wondered just what is it about Mexican food that makes it so irresistible? Mexican food has personality. It has that 'kick it up a notch', let's eat, dance, and have a margarita kind of mood setter quality to it. Mexican food is spicy, daring, and holds the true flavor of the southwest borderlands. Best of all, Mexican food comes in three temperatures: mild, medium, and hot! hot! hot! Depending on the chiles used, of course.

If I had to choose a favorite dish it would definitely be cheese enchiladas. The flavor can vary depending on the region the recipe is from. For example, enchiladas in New Mexico are often made with blue corn,instead of yellow corn, and green chile sauce is the preferred sauce. In Arizona, the Sonoran style of enchiladas are more common. The enchiladas are usually made from white or yellow corn tortillas and a red chile sauce is used instead of the green sauce. Some enchiladas are made with chicken and some with beef, but I think the cheese enchiladas are the best. The ingredients are simple, but the flavor is robust and addicting. Enchiladas of any kind are most often served with a side of rice and beans (refried pinto beans). The best part is that they are simple to make.

Aloe Vera

This week I came across another wonder plant of the desert. So before we explore restaurants and recipes for... oh so delicious... Mexican food and the like, I thought it would be interesting to talk about another great plant growing in the Borderland. Aloe Vera is truly a gem in the desert. Native to Africa, Aloe Vera can be found in desert environments in the U.S. and other arid regions. Aloe Vera has many medicinal and cosmetic uses and is widely sought after for these purposes. Aloe Vera is known to be effective as a digestive aid and can be used for skin conditions such as ezecema, burns, bites, insect stings, and itching. It not only has a healing efffect on the skin, but a softening effect also. Aloe Vera can be found in shampoos, lotions, sprays, creams and in other cosmetics.



The plant is a succulent, with long 'arms' and serrated edges. Inside the "arms" is a gel like substance. Although, the leaf itself can be ground into a salve, the gel is what contains the medicinal and cosmetic properties of the plant. Southwestern Indian tribes have long used this gel for burns, by breaking open a leaf and applying the gel directly to the skin. Aloe as burn relief is found most often in drugstores as an additive ingredient to sunburn gels, creams, etc. In addition, Aloe Vera can be found in pharmacies, supermarkets, and is easily found at online giftshops. So if think (like I once did) that the desert is a dry, barren, and useless landscape...well...now you know that looks can be deceiving. The desert is rich in resources. Throughout the semester, we'll take a look at a few other amazing desert plants, but next week's blog will be about some of the traditional Mexican food that can be found here in the Borderland. See you then!

Prickly Pears

For those of you who have never been to the southwest, the desert is a cornucopia of culinary surprises. My first thought in moving to this area of the world was how barren the landscape appeared. I thought that the only vegetation that could grow were tumbleweeds, completely useless shrubs. I was wrong. The desert is full of edible vegetation (very good to know should you ever need to survive in this environment). Cacti are particularly delectable. One of my personal favorites is the Prickly Pear cactus. The Prickly Pear has many uses, from being a delicious food source (not to mention nutritional- it is high in fiber and vitamin C) to medicinal purposes (it can be used to treat diabetes, stomach ailments and a myriad of other calamaties). But for now, we'll focus on this wonderful cactus as a food source. Native to the southwest, the Prickly Pear cactus can be grilled, diced, used in salads, made into salsa, prepared as a side dish and other uses. The berries or "pears" can be prepared and made into juices, jellies, jams, syrups, and candies. Just how does one go about this? If you don't live in the area, many of the prickly pear food products can be found at online giftshops.
You'll need a good thick pair of gloves to harvest the cactus and a good recipe to follow.
Remember, that both the pad and the pear of the cactus are used in cooking , so be sure that you know whether you want to prepare a main dish, side dish, or dessert when choosing a recipe. Give it a try and if all else fails, you can always buy from the online giftshops.