Flock to the Shepherd -The Charismatic Taco al Pastor
Photo courtesy of: El Califa, Mexico City 
RUTA MEXICANA
Whenever I visit Mexico, there is an additional ‘layover’ between the airport and my parents’ home in a suburb of Mexico City. Stopping for tacos al pastor or ‘shepherd-style’ tacos has become somewhat of an unspoken ritual. Luckily, no matter the time or day of the year, my sister is always prepared with a roster of recommendations that she has carefully curated in my absence. Count on her to rattle off an impressive selection that includes taquerías open on Christmas Day.
Despite the fact that taco stands abound, not all tacos are made equal. Ask any local. Finding the perfect taquería is almost a rite of passage for defeños*, one that speaks to the way we connect with our city and beyond- a Mexican’s relationship with their pastor is emotional… personal.
Photo courtesy of: El Califa. Mexico City, Mexico When Enrico came with me to Mexico for the first time, he joined me in our recently established ritual. We visited a corner taquería where my family knew Chucho*, the taquero. Enrico was a little nervous as he eyed the cilantro and the onion piling over the tender marinated pork meat and pineapple. As a tourist who visits Mexico for the first time, Enrico asked me if the food was safe to eat. Trying to leverage whatever I could think of to reassure him, I said, “You will be fine. The taquero’s name is Jesus!”
He was an instant convert.
I have yet to find a perfect spot in Chicago to have tacos al pastor. Recently, I was crushed to find that some places serve them with cubed meat. I am on a mission to find a place I can recommend!
In the meantime, if you have the good fortune to be in Mexico City, you must check out El Califa. Aside from their outstanding customer service, they are famous for the way they serve the meat and for their freshly-made tortillas.
You will see why I think that this taco is king.
* Defeño is a Citizen of Mexico City (D.F.)
**In Mexico, Chucho is short for Jesús, which is a fairly common name
Atole de Guayaba
Atole de guayaba en La Dulce Vida Foto: Brenda Storch Jorge Galván, uno de los dueños de La Dulce Vida Nevería, nos compartió esta receta para hacer atole de guayaba, uno de los favoritos de los clientes de este establecimiento. Jorge dice que además de los ingredientes, esta receta necesita paciencia, ya que hay que mover constantemente para que el atole no se corte.
Rinde aproximadamente 2 litros
Ingredientes:
- 1 vara de canela
- 2 cucharadas de piloncillo
- 200 gramos de guayaba
- 1/2 taza de azúcar refinada
- 5 tazas de leche
- 2 1/2 tazas de agua
- 2 1/2 cucharadas de masa preparada (Maseca)
- Paciencia y determinación para mover constantemente el atole hasta que espese
Procedimiento:
- Pon el agua a hervir. Una vez que esté hirviendo, incorpora la canela y el piloncillo.
- Echa las guayabas en el agua hirviendo. Ya que abran, sácalas del agua junto con la canela.
- Incorpora la leche y déjala hervir.
- Agrega la masa a la leche hirviendo
- Muele las guayabas y agrégalas junto el azúcar moviendo constantemente durante 30 minutos a fuego lento hasta que espese
2015 W. Rice St.
Melrose Park, IL 60160
La Dulce Vida: En La Esquina de México y Chicago
Barra de jugos y licuados en La Dulce Vida Nevería en Melrose Park
Foto: Brenda StorchFind a related article in English here.
“Los clientes que nos visitan generalmente salen con más de una compra” nos dice Gregorio Hernández, uno de los dos jóvenes emprendedores detrás de La Dulce Vida en Melrose Park. Basta echarle una vista al menú para entender por qué. El concepto parte de la idea de una nevería, e incorpora en un acogedor espacio, algo para todos los gustos: desde los chicharrones y otros antojitos típicos de los carritos ambulantes (mismos que son parte de la infancia y según yo, del sistema inmunológico de todo mexicano), hasta nieves caseras, jugos naturales, licuados, atole e incluso tamales oaxaqueños (hechos por cierto con la receta de doña Clemencia). Con esta gama de opciones, es común que el que visita La Dulce Vida, venga con el propósito de procurarse un antojo y salga con otros cuantos.
Además de los sabores típicos del terruño, como las paletas de tamarindo que tanto extraño, o el atole de galleta hecho con galletas ¨María¨, La Dulce Vida ofrece divertidas e innovadoras interpretaciones de las golosinas que hacen que mi corazón lata en español. Jorge Galván, otro de los dueños, nos explicó: “Nos dedicamos constantemente a generar nuevas ideas”. Empresario de día y artesano de noche, las ideas de Jorge no únicamente son geniales, sino también deliciosas cuando cobran vida. Una probadita del singular helado de ¨Gansito” fue suficiente para decidir llevarme al México de mi niñez a casa en un bote de a litro.
¿Pastelito o helado? No te preocupes, el helado de “Gansito” es la respuesta. Foto: Brenda Storch 
Tamales oaxaqueños en La Dulce Vida Nevería
Foto: Brenda StorchFui a la Dulce Vida a comprar mis tamales para el Día de la Candelaria, pero como Gregorio lo predijo, además de salir con mi dotación, también regresé a casa con paletas, chicharrones y otras delicias, incluyendo esta receta para hacer atole de guayaba. El servicio es excelente y los dueños, que son una institución en Melrose Park, se mantienen conectados con su clientela a través de sus cuentas de Facebook y Twitter. Durante mi estancia, me sorprendió ver que Gregorio y Jorge saludaron a muchos de sus clientes por su nombre.
La Dulce Vida es un rinconcito en la esquina entre México y Chicago, y como toda buena idea, es universal. La tienda abre de lunes a domingo desde las 6:00 de la mañana.
Gregorio Hernández, Alejandra Rueda y Jorge Galván de La Dulce Vida Nevería Foto: Brenda Storch 2015 W. Rice St.
Melrose Park, IL 60160
¡Chicharrón con Ch de Chicago!
Find this chicharrón with hot sauce, and other Mexican treats including nieves, guanabana popsicles, and even the regional jicaletas (a snack made with jicama and chile) at La Dulce Vida Nevería in Melrose Park. Flour chicharrones (an alternative to the pork version) as well as fruit with lime, salt and different chiles, are a staple of any Mexican childhood. Typically sold from street carts, likely with no health clearance, I am convinced this is how kids in Mexico build their immune system.
For those who, like me, are far away from home, La Dulce Vida offers a perfect antidote to homesickness with its large and carefully curated collection of Mexican goodies (from chocolate Abuelita to nieves and even esquites and tamales). For those who, like my husband, have developed a taste for guanabana popsicles, this place is a perfect spot to get your Mexico fix with your evening snack.
I am so excited to have found this place. Who knew that Chicago was so close to Mexico?
La Dulce Vida is open Monday to Sunday from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm 2015 W. Rice St. Melrose Park, IL 60160
Taste Cuba through the Food of a Local
There is nothing like touring a country with a local to get to experience the real thing, and in my view, the same applies to food. In Cuba, patrons of paladares (improvised restaurants in people’s houses) can enjoy an even more intimate experience feeling almost as a family guest. Did you watch Fresa y Chocolate? The movie featured La Guarida, one of Cuba’s most famous paladares. These establishments became legal and openly popular in the 90s.
My granddad lived in Batista’s Cuba, where he developed a taste for the local fare, among other things. Now retired and living in Miami, Cuban food is a must when we get together. We have made as many memories around tacos and comida de fonda, as those we have made around plates full of rice and beans.
I was incredibly excited when I heard Paladar was coming to Chicago. The name, for one, gave it instant credibility. Plus, the menu offered family recipes and regional cuisine. I decided to give it a try as soon as I could. I did not make a reservation, and stopped by on a Saturday evening. We were warmly greeted as soon as we arrived.
I wanted to depart from the staples, and instead of ropa vieja, I ordered the red fried snapper, as it reminded me of the mojarras with garlic we eat in Mexico. Our waitress was so nice that she brought additional sauces. Try the avocado sauce. It is amazing and will have you saying wepa! at the first bite! It was so good, I ended up putting it on my rice. The food was perfectly cooked, delicious and generous, and the mojitos, are simply out of this world. The menu offers a variety of flavors. I had a cucumber mojito and a guava mojito.
The restaurant is cozy, casual and curiously decorated. It has pictures on display and china plates, a nod to the Cuban tradition in which hosts give a piece of the china set they receive as a wedding gift to their special guests. What’s more, the gracious owner, José Gonzáles, makes multiple rounds to engage with his patrons. The service is so personal and warm, you may as well be in his dining room.
I am never one to skip dessert, but in this particular instance, not even the prospect of flan could pull me away from my plate. I simply couldn’t put my fork down.
Paladar is open Monday-Sunday 11am – 12am. Find it in Chicago’s Logan Square area, 2115 N. Milwaukee Ave.
The proof is the flan I did not have. Not even the prospect of dessert could pull me away from my entrée. When Life Imitates Art – A dish inspired by Roy Lichtenstein
If you are in the Chicago area or plan to visit soon, The Roy Lichtenstein exhibition at the Art Institute in Chicago is definitely worth your time. When I first heard about it, a few of the artist’s cartoon-inspired pieces immediately came to mind.
For those of us who love Lichtenstein’s ability to speak to us with a surprisingly fun clarity (brush strokes representing grand gestures), as well as his knack for making art of the quotidian, the depth and breadth of the exhibit is a real treat. With more than 160 works, this is the artist´s largest exhibition to date.
For those who are not familiar with Lichtenstein’s work, the introduction to the artist is fun and easily relatable.
The exhibition thoughtfully spills into the food served at Terzo Piano, one of the eateries at the Museum, and a must-stop for lunch during your visit. I was happily surprised to find a dish inspired by the artist, which I decided to order. The meal hinted at the work of Lichtenstein in a delicious plate complete with the artist’s signature yellows and reds, lines and dots.
Let the magic of Lichtenstein make a true work of art out of an ordinary weekend . If you cannot make it before the exhibition ends on September 3, you can still stop by the restaurant for lunch. If weather allows it, consider sitting at the terrace. The views of Millenium Park are extraordinary.
If you have the opportunity to check it out:
Terzo Piano is open for lunch daily 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. and open for dinner on Thursdays 5-8 p.m. You do not need to pay admission to the museum to enter. Reservations: 312.443.8650
Tip: If you are a Bank of America® customer you can visit this museum and exhibition for free the first weekend of each month through the company’s Museums on Us Program®. Just show your credit or debit Bank of America card at the ticket counter.
Drink Your Veggies, Eat your Coffee
This coffee is actually a delicious dessert that should be eaten, not drank. Julio Cortázar is one of my favorite writers. I particularly enjoy the way in which he is able to unravel the story he made you believe he had woven, and then, in one or two sentences, he turns it around to put an entirely new book in your hands.
At the end of the meal, I was presented with an edible menu. This is the menu that I enjoyed. Literally. This came to mind when I visited Moto this weekend. If you have never experienced molecular gastronomy, a style that got notoriety in the land of Dalí, no less, I highly recommend it.
In the heart of Chicago’s meat-packing district, Moto Restaurant, seems understated. It should, as the food at this cozy, chic-yet-unpretentious establishment, is an incredibly stimulating multisensory event for both mind and palate.
From an edible zen garden, to a dessert that looks like egg drop soup complete with an egg yolk that is actually mango, the 15-course meal is an adventure that comes with specially-designed utensils that hold aromatic herbs, and a leather glove smoked with vanilla beans to accompany a treat called “smell the glove”. The aromas, while not in the food, are designed to enhance the flavor of the dish on the plate.
If you plan on going, forget everything you know about food. Really. Moto is like a short story by Cortázar; a place where you know you will be surprised- you will get to drink your veggies and eat your coffee.
Moto Restaurant, 945 W. Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 312.491.0058
Saliditos del Comal – Estampas de mi Ciudad
La Casa de las Sirenas, República de Guatemala No. 32, Centro Histórico, México City, Mexico
RUTA MEXICANA
Sopes and quesadillas fresh of the comal delight tourists and locals at “La Casa de las Sirenas”. At this restaurant, food comes with a side of history- the eatery is located inside a 16th century building.
¡Feliz Cumpleaños, Vitamina T!
These amazing cupcakes and the best coffee in town delight locals and tourists at Pierrot Gourmet (The Penisula Hotel, Chicago).
Tired of trying to find “authentic” Mexican restaurants to give my soul a respite from my homesickness, I stopped looking for culinary embassies for fear of being disappointed. Luckily, as I desperately looked for the flavors of my youth, I discovered in food, an incredibly interactive cultural artifact. Food eventually became my connection to my new world. This is how Vitamina T (Vitamin T) was born.
Mexicans talk about “la Vitamina T” (Vitamin T) to refer to tacos, tortas, tamales, tostadas and other carb-loaded delicacies. In this blog, I will share my unbiased findings and recommendations on local and not so local eateries, often served with a side of Latin America. Enjoy!
