Channel1/CBS Teen Channel & Food is Art

Answered prayers or letters to answer. An oldie but a goodie. ZM  12-11-2013

It never ceases to amaze me how sometimes when you get to the point of asking yourself: “Why am I doing this?  For me that means spending endless hours on my website that when redesigned and relaunched lost its fantastic statistics and we have to start from the ground up again.

I want to reach people who love or want to learn about Mexican food and culture and am especially interested in reaching teenagers who want to learn about their roots.

And then something wonderful happens and the passion is renewed.

I recently got this  media request from a producer for Channel One, a teen news program that airs in schools around the country. She said: ” I am working on a story about food culture for Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 – Oct. 15). I understand that you sometimes give cooking classes and demonstrations. I am hoping to film a class with you showing teens how to cook dishes from Mexico. I would like the teenagers to be as old as possible and definitely in high school. I am hoping for a Hispanic teen crowd so they can talk to me about how cooking Mexican cuisine helps them connect to their culture.”

Bang! The opportunity I had been looking for was laid out on a comal in front of me. I’d be able to at least introduce myself to these teen viewers.

Recruiting the kids was relatively easy because I knew I could count on Richard Grausman   of C-Cap, a marvelous program that helps young people with little means to learn a career in the  hospitality industry.

I also knew that Angelo Cabrera of MasaNY would come up with teens of totally different backgrounds.  Angelo sent two folkloric dancers from a new group called Herencia Azteca with their passion for their culture is expressed both in dance and food.

I picked dishes that not only would show them a specific technique but hopefully trigger memories.

Picadillo de Pobre which translates into poor man’s hashed meat but the flavor is so rich that it has become my favorite picadillo.

Sopa Seca:  Pilaf-style pasta is the one dish that takes me home immediately

Espinacas con Frijoles Guisadas:  The object of this recipe is to show them how to use leftover salsa as a building block.  You’ll see their interviews and reactions on screen.

Recipes available in the recipe section.

I was impressed how all five of these teenagers have kept their language and traditions yet speak English well and consider themselves Americans..  I credit their mothers.I’m seeing that more and more as per this letter that I partially quote:

Over the past year I have been exploring Mexican food and contemporary interpretations of Latino cuisine on my blog Gabriela’s Kitchen……

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I have been following your website and noticed that you hope to build a online community and awareness of Mexican food and culture. I am right behind your cause! If you are in need of someone to execute and photograph your recipes or test new ones I would love to be your volunteer! I’d also be happy to work on any social media aspects of your interest. Please visit my blog, twitter and flickr for examples of my work -I am also enthusiastic and comfortable collaborating to better suit your style and vision.

I will be attending the Food is Art workshop that you organized with Sue Torres this Saturday and I hope to have a chance to speak with you. If not Saturday then I hope to have another chance to meet with you, if you are able and willing.

Thank you so much for the contributions you have made to Mexican cuisine and the positive light you continue to shed on the Mexican people in this trying time.

Con mucho respeto,

When we met she told me that her goal is help me build an online community and if anyone can do it, it is this determined and very talented young lady.

Like we say in  Mexico:  El que nacio pa’ tamal, del cielo les caen las hojas. Who can ask for more.