Food is Art, Celebrate Mexico Now and the Bicentennial Celebration

September promises to be a wonderful month for all sort of activities related to the celebration of the bi centennial of Mexican Independence and the one hundredth anniversary of the revolution of 1910 when Pancho Villa ransacked homes, killed or stole cattle  and raped women on his march north.  My grandmother remembers her mother telling all the girls to hide because “Ay viene Pancho Villa.)  My grandfather’s ranch was near the New Mexico border and he drove his cattle to his friend’s ranch across the border where they were safe until the attacks passed.

This was the time that many well-to-do  Mexicans moved to California or Texas, lock stock and barrel.  My grandparents were married in California, my mother was born in Douglas, Arizona and my father in El Paso Texas.  I am in fact the only Mexican born member of my family because a Mexican had to own the prized  property my grandfather gave to my mother when her oldest child died, her only son .

But let’s get back to what is happening in New York.  Events are listed in chronological order not  importance.

September 12th 8 -9

Okay so I’m daring.  Some people will say I am crazy. I won’t win a Grammy but I also wont die of embarrassment.  To celebrate the bicentennial, David Garland of Spinning on Air of  WNYC 97.3 invited me to record some of my favorite songs.  First of all, now I understand the value of backup singers but it is what it is and I had ball and he made a dream come true. So tune in on Sunday September 12, 2010 from 8 – 9 on WNYC 93,9 and listen if you don’t suffer from verguenza ajena. The interview part is terrific.  David is a master.

September 15

The Consul General will be giving El Grito (the call to arms) that Miguel Hidalgo shouted to start the War of Independence at the location above.  You must pic up tickets though as space is limited. The address is 27 East 39th Street, Manhattan.

Restaurants participating in the Pasaporte program will be selling small plates of one of their specialties.  We will be serving our chicharron salad.  These are the participating restaurants:

You can read about the passport program at http://www.zarela.com/?s=el+pasaporte.

On September 23rd I will be giving a talk on the Mexican Corn Kitchen and you will learn what wonders corn masa can be turned into and why why it is the staff of life  for us Mexicans.  You are in for a very special treat.  Zoila Mendoza, my muse, teacher and friend who taught me all about Valley Zapotec cooking is coming all the way from Teotitlan del Valley, Oaxaca, and will be joining me on stage to demonstrate tamales de amarillo the way they were made in pre-Hispanic times.  Following the lecture we will be serving some corn specialties.

On Saturday, September 25th Zoila will be giving a cooking class of Zapotec food including segueza, a wonderful corn stew, pepian with chicken, and the tamales.  It will be hands on and costs 125.00.  The class is limited to 10 people so sign up and pay on PayPal.

Some of her dishes will be served as specials during the following week at Zarela Restaurant, 953 Second Avenue. For reservations call 212-644-6740

And lastly. don’t forget to go see the fabulous exhibition of Oaxacan artist Francisco Toledo’s interpretation of Jorge Luis Borges’ book Manual de Zoologia Fantastica at  The Instituto Cervantes, 211 East 49th Street, New York.