Sazon Seasoning Ingredients – Goya Sazon Seasoning

Sazon seasoning is a combination of herbs and spices that carries Latino and Caribbean flavors specific to those areas of the world. Usually this type of seasoning can be found in local supermarkets. In case it is difficult for you to find it, then you should oriented using caterers which deliver food to Hispanics because they will most likely sell sazon seasoning. Goya foods is one such food company that has become quite an authority Caribbean, Spanish, Mexican, Central and South American food. So, sazon seasoning is actually seasoned salt based on Spanish and Mexican spices and herbs meant for cooking meat, fish and poultry. It also works in cooking soups and stews.

Sazon Seasoning Ingredients

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Lost Your Pet – To Do List

Listening to the voice mail from my brother-in-law, on our cellphone, my stomach dropped, and my mouth was suddenly dry. We had just finished a glorious morning of hiking with some good friends in the California desert. After hiking, we had indulged in some delicious Mexican food, including fresh salsa, real guacamole and some ice-cold beer.

Now, I was listening to a message that our 11-year old black Labrador had been missing for 24-hours!

My heart sank. We were spending Christmas and New Years in California with friends. She was staying in the comfort of her Calgary home with her favourite dog-walker. She is a dog a well-loved dog that enjoys a good life. What inspired her to sneak out of the back gate on a sunny afternoon, the day after Christmas, we will never know. She is a pure bred Labrador, driven by her stomach and her love of people. So it is possible she left in search of Christmas left-overs. Continue reading “Lost Your Pet – To Do List”

Snobbism and Barrel-Aged Mezcal: How the "Experts" Get It Wrong in Oaxaca and Globally

It’s an issue which on a daily basis adversely impacts the consumption of mezcal. Many owners of and staff in Mexican restaurants, bars and mezcalerías, in Oaxaca and throughout the rest of Mexico, and in fact worldwide, tell patrons to not drink barrel-aged mezcal. It doesn’t matter if it’s reposado (in oak for at least two months) or añejo (at least one year); they say just don’t do it. Even some export brand owners fall prey to the mis-step. The Mexican agave distillate, mezcal, is the relatively high alcohol content spirit which has taken the global spirits consuming community by storm since the “mezcal boom.” The craze began about 2005, then caught on in earnest about a decade later.

The folks who should know better, and who purportedly are motivated in their entrepreneurial endeavors at least to some extent to promote the mezcal industry, are simply trying to raise their patrons’ perception of them as agave distillate experts. Oaxaca is the southern Mexico state which produces upwards of 85% of the nation’s mezcal. Both aficionados and novices alike flock to Oaxaca to learn more and to pay homage. And so it should be incumbent upon the experts, particularly in Oaxaca, upon whom the consuming public relies, to give the arriving pilgrims the straight goods. Many do not. Continue reading “Snobbism and Barrel-Aged Mezcal: How the "Experts" Get It Wrong in Oaxaca and Globally”

Key Into Lime Pie

Key West Florida is famous for two things: the Ernest Hemingway house (with its 6 toed cats) and Key lime pie, named after limes which grow in the Florida keys. A favorite American dessert made with Key lime juice, sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks, the traditional “Conch version” uses the egg whites to make a meringue topping. Key limes are smaller, more tart and aromatic than the common limes we buy year-round in grocery stores and grown abundantly in other regions of Florida and California. Key lime juice, unlike regular lime juice, is pale yellow, which, along with the egg yolks, produces the filling’s pale color.

Appearing in the early 20th century the exact origins are unknown, but the first recorded mention of Key lime pie may have been made by William Curry, a ship salvager and Key West’s first millionaire. Supposedly his cook, “Aunt Sally”, created the pie for him. It seems his crews of sponge fishermen at sea did not have access to ovens but the original version allowed the creamy pie to be prepared without baking. Early writings state that Aunt Sally’s version called for a graham cracker crust and softly whipped cream.

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Five Surprising Ways To Pair Craft Beer With Food

As long as there has been a meal on the table, there has also been the need to have an accompanying beverage on hand. While the ins and outs of what is on the menu have changed over the course of time, right now, the hottest beverage around is craft beer. The small-batch, hand-crafted, detail-oriented world of craft beer has not only drawn many admirers of great beer, it has also piqued the interest of foodies the world over regarding the possible pairings that could be made with their favorite foods.

It’s easy to see why the idea of pairing a good craft beer with certain foods would be of intense interest. Think of craft beer in the same way you’d think of wine. In the same way that certain flavor notes in wine go really well with certain foods, so, too, does well-made beer.

Here are five beer and food pairings you should really take into consideration for your next get-together: Continue reading “Five Surprising Ways To Pair Craft Beer With Food”

Real Mexican Guacamole – How to Make it Like Tia Guadalupe

Think you know guacamole? Unless you’ve had the real deal, made by hand in a Mexican kitchen–or at least in an authentic Mexican restaurant–you’re missing out on how sublime this avocado concoction can be.

And “concoction” is exactly the right word for real guacamole. Mole in Nahuatl–the language of the ancient Aztecs–means just that. Guaca comes from the Nahuatl word for avocado. The Aztecs loved this creamy, delicious and very healthy fruit.

OK, so how do you make real “guac” the right way, so it comes out tasting like it just left Tia Guadalupe’s Mexican cocina? Here’s what I learned in a Mexican cooking school. Continue reading “Real Mexican Guacamole – How to Make it Like Tia Guadalupe”

The History of the Mexican Blanket

The ubiquitous nature of the Mexican blanket has left many people wondering just where did this iconic symbol of Mexico get its start. Legend has it that the Mexican blankets, known as serape (sometimes spelled Sarape) has its beginnings back in the days of the Aztecs, when they used bright colored cloth, stained from berries and other fruit, as gift offerings for the gods. The Aztecs believed that these bright colors would ward off evil spirits and would persuade the gods to shower down blessings upon them. Continue reading “The History of the Mexican Blanket”

What Kind of Food Causes Acid Reflux?

People who are known to suffer from heartburn should understand there are certain foods that people eat which can cause acid reflux worse than other types of foods. Acid reflux patients know which foods give them acid reflux than that is just as important as knowing which foods people can eat without getting acid reflux. Basically there are some foods that effect different people and in different ways. Some people might suffer from heartburn after eating a nice Mexican meal but other people would wince at the thought of eating Mexican food because they know that the spices will cause them to have acid reflux symptoms. However, people can make a few smart food choices that can hold off acid reflux. Acid reflux is in part caused by the amount of acid in your stomach. If you keep filling you stomach with acidic foods it will promote and increase the amount of acid in your stomach. Continue reading “What Kind of Food Causes Acid Reflux?”

The Best Mexican Restaurants in the Cayman Islands

The Cayman Islands are home to many great eateries that both tourists and locals enjoy. While tropical destinations are traditionally associated with Caribbean-style dishes and an abundance of fresh seafood, not everyone enjoys these types of meals, and some prefer cuisine that is more familiar to them. Fortunately, Cayman recognizes that not all individuals, especially tourists, plan on indulging in island-style fare and, as such, many different types of food are offered, such as Japanese, Italian, American and Chinese. If burritos and tacos are staples in your diet, check out this list of the best Cayman restaurants to find Mexican food. Continue reading “The Best Mexican Restaurants in the Cayman Islands”

Best Restaurants in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico

The population of Playa del Carmen has exploded in the past few years, thanks primarily to its discovery by Europeans who have made Cozumel a hot tourist spot. Cozumel is just across the straits from Play del Carmen with easy access if the visitor wants to snorkel on the coral reefs. As Playa del Carmen’s popularity has increased, so have the many wonderful restaurants in whatever price range fits your budget or your taste.

Some Budget-Priced Restaurants in Playa del Carmen Continue reading “Best Restaurants in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico”