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MOST OF US MADE By Marty Martindale
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We were aboard Holland America’s Ryndam, headed to Topolobampo, gateway to Mexico’s Copper Canyon National Park enroute to Cabo San Lucas. Our first stop was Puerto Vallarta where we opted for the excursion: Taste of Mexico and City Highlights. Part of the tour’s description read this way: “So, come spice up your cooking skills! Board an air-conditioned motor coach that will whisk you away to the center of Puerto Vallarta … your final destination is a gourmet Mexican restaurant where the chef will be waiting to tantalize your palate with authentic Mexican fare that you will learn to prepare yourself. Bring your appetite and have fun becoming the next Mexican chef du jour!” Soon after our bus let us off at Santo Tequila Restaurant, mostly a very large open, tree-shaded patio surrounded by walls, with long tables with Mexican stone mocajetas in front of each seat. Once inside, we were sent to wash our hands, because we were to do some hands-on cooking, some hands-on Mexican cooking! They had four sheets of printed recipes and directions for all of us, and the plan was for partners, two people across from one another, with a mocajeta between them, to prepare Pica de Gallo. Our necessary ingredients were beside the mocajeta, a cutting board also knives. This meant one of us chopped a tomato, an onion plus some cilantro. These were combined in the mocajeta and mashed slightly with the smaller stone, then we added salt and squeezed lemon juice over our Pico de Gallo. We were cautioned nothing is as unattractive as unevenly chopped Pico de Gallo. Our creation was surprisingly tasty on tortillas. Next we chopped avocado and a jalapeno pepper into the remaining Pico de Gallo, and voila! We had Guacamole! Also tasty. After making a Shredded Beef Salad we were directed to make Enchiladas with Mole (yes, the chocolate) chile sauce, and WE WOULD MAKE OUR OWN TORTILLAS! Masa is the corn flour for tortillas. The corn flour is prepared from corn by boiling dry corn kernels with lime, the kernels are skinned, and the remainder is dried into what becomes masa or masa harina. After adding about half as much water and some salt, the kneaded mixture is left to stand an hour. Next, balls of dough are made from the mixture. This was done for us, then we went to the tortilla presses in the back and pressed the balls of dough between two pieces of plastic wrap, thanks to the leverage of a wooden tortilla press. Once paper was peeled away, each tortilla was tossed into a hot grill until the tops began to puff. We then placed prepared toppings on top, spooned Chile Mole sauce over it and topped it once more with shredded Mexican asadero cheese or queso blanco. Owners, Carlos and Mercedes had included the Mole recipe, and we read the delicious sauce was made from: roma tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, crushed walnuts, bittersweet chocolate and garlic. It was great! Owner of Santo Tequila Restaurant, Carlos, met his fiancee, Mercedes, in Puerto Vallarta two and one-half years ago. She was from Mazatlan, and soon they married and opened a restaurant in the Zona Romantica in Puerto Vallarta. Quite soon, they decided to make their place a restaurant where tours could come and visitors could learn to cook Mexican food and share their beautiful Mexican culture. It was a lot of fun!
Our hosts: Carlos and Mercedes
Gerard
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