Chicano Eats

Spicy Matador

2017 is here!

¿Cuales resoluciones hicieron?

I decided that this year I’m going to be unapologetically queer, unapologetically Brown, and I’m going to also work on being less self-conscious about what others might think of mis visuals.

¯_(ツ)_/¯

Spicy Matador

2017 has already started with a bang for me. My little nephew Owen finally came into this world Monday morning, and I cannot wait to spoil the shit out of him.

Ever since I started playing the clarinet in Middle School, I’ve always woken up on New Year’s day to watch the Rose Bowl Parade, just to hear the marching bands play.

Did I mention how much of a band geek I was throughout Middle School, High School and a little bit of College? Just look to the right. I thought I was sooo cool in my little Drum Major uniform senior year. ?

I actually began my undergrad career at Fresno State as a Music Ed. major but my interests changed when my Clarinet Instructor kept constantly shaming me for not having the same training and private lessons my wealthier counterparts received growing up. #QueChingueSuMadre

Spicy Matador I walked into Target the other day and noticed a display con dulces Mexicanos and I was like..whaaaat? I stocked up on Duvalines, Paletas Payaso, Pica Gomas, and these Elote Paletas!

I don’t know that these are available at Target outside Southern California, so if you can’t find them at your local store, I got you-I’ve linked them to Amazon in the recipe below.

I always thought it was kinda weird that these paletas were shaped like corn. They had a sour pineapple center and were coated in a spicy chili powder. We always got them in goodie bags, and they were also always present in piñatas too and I hated having to lick the spicy exterior to get to the pineapple flavored paleta so I’d dip in it water for a few minutes to get rid of the chile. ?

(fyi-paletas is used interchangeably in Mexico for suckers and popsicles) Spicy Matador

The flavors in this paleta lend them selves perfectly as a drink, and I think there is no better way to kick off 2017 than with this spicy take on the classic Matador cocktail.

Agárrense muchachxs, here’s to a great year!

¡Salud!

Torta Sliders

2017 is just a few days away, and I couldn’t be more excited to be done with 2016 because 2016 turned out to be that girl I knew she was.

I’m sitting here listening to Paquita la del Barrio belt out “Rata de Dos Patas”, which basically describes 2016 if it were a person and also that orange thing.

“Rata inmunda
Animal rastrero
Escoria de la vida
Adefesio mal hecho

Infrahumano
Espectro del infierno
Maldita sabandija
Cuanto daño me has hecho”…

Torta Sliders

I had been toying with the idea to launch this blog in 2015 and Billy finally pushed me to do it, and I’m extremely glad I did. I’ve gotten to meet a bunch of new businesses, groups, podcasts, and personalities in the Latinx community that I would have never met otherwise.

If you’re like me and you love storytelling and talk radio, give these socially conscious Latinx podcasts a listen:

Tamarindo Podcast

Latinos Who Lunch

Café con Chisme

I began my professional PR & Marketing career with the Small Business Development Center, so it is important for me to support local/small/brown businesses because I’ve had the opportunity to help further others’ dreams of owning their own business, and I know how much it means to them. Check out these Latinx businesses:

I’m excited to travel and hopefully meet some of these new friends I’ve made (Hey Chicago, I see you girl!) and I’m also very excited to be heading back to Colima in March for my birthday!

My friend Jorge suggested I have all you chulxs submit recipes you grew up with and I think that’s a great idea, so I’ll be incorporating that into the blog.

The other day when I was making tamales, I accidentally made a little too much meat, so I decided to make them into torta sliders that are very reminiscent of tortas ahogadas. If you’re looking to fill a spot for a last minute appetizer for this weekend, look no further.

I hope all of you have a great new years eve/new years celebration y nos vemos en 2017!

Torta Sliders

Piña Colada

¡Hola!

Christmas is over! Did el niñito Jesús bring you everything you asked for?

I’m hosting my family for New Years Eve and I’m working on putting together my menu for the night.

I’ll be roasting a chicken, barbecuing some ribs, making mashed potatoes, gravy, and for dessert I’m making my Coconut Rum Tres Leches, and we’re washing it down with wine and piña coladas. –I know what you’re thinking pero, this is what my Mom requested.

My mom loves piña coladas, and she orders them every.single.time we go out to to eat somewhere–so we’re making those today!

My mom and I (aka baby potato with a head of hair) in Colima MX

When I turned 21, I was finally able to be a sponsor for my parents and they were finally able to receive their green cards. When they came in, I was so relieved.

It just felt like I had all these worries lifted off my shoulders because they could have easily been taken away from my siblings and I at any moment.

A green card meant that my parents could finally obtain a drivers license, legally work in the U.S. and they could finally be able to visit their family back in Mexico that they hadn’t seen for years.

Piña Colada

I grew up in Santa Ana, a predominantly “Hispanic” city in Orange County, where the threat of La Migra was very real. ICE routinely conducted raids in our neighborhoods and I can still remember how scared I would be when my mom would go to the Laundromat or the Supermarket by herself because I never knew if she’d make it back home.

A few weeks ago, Santa Ana’s City Council unanimously voted to declare the city a sanctuary city, to protect undocumented immigrants and it makes me super happy to see the city I grew up in stand up for them and actually recognize them as human beings. #They’re Not Rapists #They’re Not Drug Dealers

Piña Colada

I have an immense amount of respect for my mom because I know it has been quite the turbulent journey for her and I didn’t make it any easier for her when I came out to her as queer. La aprecio mucho because she has learned to ask questions, and she has learned that it is okay to challenge our cultura machista, so whenever she asks for a piña colada I am more than happy to whip one up for her.

Did any of you have any similar experiences growing up with undocumented parents/family members? Feel free to share any thoughts/stories!

Cheers!

Papaya Passion Fruit Rum Punch

T-minus 3 days to Christmas! Are you folx excited? Que le pidieron al niñito Jesús?

Over the weekend, my friend Alba hosted a posada which was a ton of fun! Prayers were shared, songs were sung, and there was plenty of good food to go around. Her mom really came thru with that pozole, ponche navideño, and buñuelos. Yum!

If you don’t know what a posada is, read up here. In short, it is a religious tradition in Mexico that takes place over 9 days leading up to Christmas, where you pray, sing Christmas carols and sometimes re-enact the nativity scene.

We’re making a Papaya Passion Fruit Rum Punch today because I found these cute little Hawaiian Papayas at a Chinese supermarket, and I wanted to make something that was going to get my mind off this nippy weather!

Chilly weather is cute and all until your nips get all chapped, and getting your cardio on becomes a nightmare.. Does that happen to anyone else?

No, just me? Oh, Okay.

If you’re currently experiencing anything below 50 degrees, I hope you make this and it makes you forget about the awful weather–also, invest in a few cobijas from the swapmeet. Just sayin’, they’ll keep you warm!

Cheers!

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