Victor Nava, Pastelero

Every time I come back from Mexico City and think about the marvelous meals I’ve had over the years at the home of my dear friend Victor Nava, I find that I am both elated and equally frustrated. Elated becausde the food is so good and frustrated because if anyone should be writing a cookbook and regaling us with  intriguing stories, it should be him. He has owned a catering business for 30 years and has a fabulous repertoire of refined Mexican food. He has served kings, popes, presidents, ministers and a wide ranging list of clients.

His resume is impressive:  After majoring in sociology at the Iberoamericana University in Mexico City attended some of the most prestigious cooking schools in Europe, including the Technical College in London, England, where he also did an internship at Fagin’s Kitchen.

His next schooling was in Madrid Spain at the Escuela Sindical de Hostería y Turismo, followed by  Ecole de la Chambre pour la Industrie de Restaurants en París, Francia, and at Gaston Lenotre’s La Ecole Lenotre. He returned to Mexico and worked for a while at La Hacienda de los Morales.

Victor made his name by serving international foods with a particular accent of traditional Mexican food which at the time was not considered to be sophisticated enough to serve at banquets.

He is a member of the Instituto de Cultura Gastronómica and a supporter of  Cofradía en Apoyo a la Mayora. Mayoras are women heads of restaurant kitchens.)  He has written for  a number of magazines including Club de Gourmets, Obelisque, Comanda y María Orsini,  He also contributed to the book  Recetas de la Abuela (Voluntariado Nacional/BANRURAL) y the magnificent 31-volume  series  known as Comida Familiar de los Estados de la República Mexicana/Voluntariado Nacional/BANRURAL).  He’s also collaborated on prestigiouss books  Larousse de la Cocina Mexicana (Alicia y Giorgio de Angeli/Larousse) y De Manteles Largos (Alicia y Jorge de Angeli/Manteles SA).

He entertains constantly entertains and sets a beautiful and very formal table with crystal, bone china, candles and no flowers. All his friends know to never bring flowers. His argument is that here comes the guest with a gorgeous bouquet. He has to stop, look for a vase, cut the stems, and then find a place for them. I can relate because I feel the same about chocolates. I love them and cannot resist them and have been known to eat an entire box of a chocolate sampler and , because I’m always on a diet I tell them half- jokingly that it is a very inconsiderate gift.  If you have a weight problem, you’ll know exactly what I mean.

He loves to eat and will not hesitate to order of chilaquiles at my restaurant Zarela  and proclaim ” Whoever loves me has to love me for my belly and my conversation.” And he is a great conversationalist. During the height of the Mexico city assaults and kidnappings (now happily resolved in most part,) He would declare: “Okay, only one mugging per person!”

I will be putting up his recipes a little at a time and refer you to this entry, The problem is that I have to translate them all. So look out for:
Sauces: Salsa de Aceituna (olive sauce), Salsa de Cilantro (Cilantro Sauce), Salsa de Tres Hierbas
Dishes such as Terrine of Pickled Pigs feet, Oaxacan-style stuffed poblanos, Chiles Prensados Rosa para Carmen (pressed sweet ancho chiles stuffed with aged cheese, and my favorite , a light as a feather layered casserole of wild mushrooms, fresh corn, and calabacitas (zucchini) The  pozole vegetariano (vegetarian hominy stew), and a pork crackling soup are outrageous. It might take me a while to do this so if there is a good translator out there who want to tackle the problem, please volunteer.

Here are two photos from the last meal I ate at Victor’s on my latest trip.