Lent – La Cuaresma

Photograph: Laurie Smith

In a way, Lent is like New Year’s Day –you give up things that you shouldn’t be having any way, like chocolate or drinking, usually with the hope of losing weight.   But observant people do try to make real sacrifices during this time of reflection that begins February 13, 2013, Ash Wednesday and goes on for 40 days.   In my family, Lent was mostly a gastronomic experience.  Sure, we gave up meat on Fridays but we had briny tortitas de camarón, dried shrimp patties swimming in a red chile sauce, chiles rellenos stuffed with cheese, lightly battered and fried until fluffy, enchiladas again with red chile sauce, chacales (sun-dried corn with scallions and cilantro,) and my mother’s fabulous capirotada.

My clients’ palates have changed very much since I started cooking in New York in 1984 when nachos and burritos reigned.  Back then the Fodor’s Guide said:  “The Mexican food available in the United States bears the same uncomfortable resemblance that a howling monkey has to man.”  How much has changed in 25 years!  Before closing the restaurant, I featured that exact menu as a weekend special and sell it, no problem.  The only thing people have not learned to like is capirotada and I can certainly understand why.

First of all you lay down a layer of fried corn tortillas and cover them with fried or toasted baguette-type bread.  You sprinkle it with peanuts, raisins and Chihuahua cheese, and drench it all with a syrup made with piloncillo (brown-sugar cone,) onions, tomatoes, black pepper and cilantro and stick it in the oven until the cheese is bubbly,  For us and anyone that grew up in Mexico, it’s heaven but it’s not one of the flavor profiles I’ve been able to entice people to love –like another well-loved Latino food combination –quince paste and cheese on saltines!

I’ll be putting up some Lenten recipes in the next few days and some travel destinations of places in Mexico where they reenact Jesus’ road to Calvary with cross bearers wearing thorn crowns, and carrying metal spiked whips for self-flagellation.  It’s a bloody religious observance but some people are into that.

I know I’m being a little irreverent here and I ask forgiveness of anyone who is a true believer and I honor their traditions, especially the culinary ones so let me know if you have any particular Lenten recipes you’d like to share.