MelsMex.com
Title
Mel's Mex - Authentic Mexican Recipes
Description
It was back in 1988 that I bought my first computer – an IBM PS1. I didn’t know anything about hard drive space or RAM or anything
about computers back then. I only knew that it came with Prodigy! Oh, I didn’t even know what Prodigy was!! Little did I know that it was the beginning of a revolution!!! I discovered Bulletin Boards and everything that came with them. LOL, TTYL, ROTFL, WG, G and WOW!!! Life was never quite the same. My favorite BBS was the Prodigy Food and Wine Club. My knowledge of Mexican Foods caused an overnight sensation and people from all over the U.S. were encouraging me to write my own cookbook. I began it, but, as in most cases, l got carried away with other things. The cookbook was placed on the backburner. When the Internet explosion came about, I realized that my recipes were on countless websites and that I was still remembered. So….I made myself a website and began placing my recipes there, adding to what was currently on the Internet. My cookbook is finally here, in e-format, with revised recipes and many new ones I hope you’ll enjoy. I would like to thank my family for bearing with me through all this. I used to cook without measuring : )
dress), and my Father-in-Law, Tuffic Miguel. They not only taught me the art of Mexican cooking and to appreciate Mexican cuisine, they instilled in me the very basic concept that food and family were the center of life. Daily life begins with the extended family seated around a large table, eating anything from huevos rancheros to pan dulce con chocolate or café` con leche. Children go off to school where they indulge in a late morning snack, similar to our “lunch”. Meanwhile, the father goes off to work, while the mother, accompanied by her sirvienta, or maid is off to the market to buy supplies for the day, which will include whatever is to be eaten for la comida, the main meal of the day – usually eaten between 2 and 4 in the afternoon. She will also purchase freshly made tortillas and pan frances, and pan dulce for the late evening meal. La Comida was then begun upon arriving back at the house or apartment and the preparation of that meal consumed the entire morning and early afternoon. Mother might have a minute or two to sit down and read the morning paper. Somewhere around 3:00, the family sits down to eat. Later, adults go back to work, children begin their homework, etc. Once again the family gathers in the evening to share their day and to eat their pan dulce. My Father-in-Law always accompanied my Mother-in-Law to the market. They walked together, taking their grocery carts with them. I can still see them returning, carts full of meat or fish, fruits, rice, bread, tortillas. Milk was brought by the milkman, unpasteurized. It would later be boiled, the foam on top to be used to make pan de nata, delicious sweet bread that I’ve never been able to perfect a recipe for. Fruit juices were never purchased, always squeezed fresh. Or, watermelon, pineapple, melon, and other tropical fruits were blended with sugar and water to make aguas frescas. I don’t think I’ve ever truly appreciated all the work that went into every meal, or the hospitality extended when invited to partake of each and every day’s feast. My Father-in-Law passed away many years ago – my Mother-in-Law more recently. I do know that I miss them both greatly and hope that they know the influence they have had on me.
Languages
English
