While some varieties of cactus are definitely inedible, one of the most commonly-seen varieties in the Americas, known in English as the prickly pear cactus, is a staple food in Mexican cuisine, where it is known as “nopal.”

Nopal is beloved throughout Mexico, where it is used in a large number of recipes and prepared in different ways.

The fruit of the cactus is cleaned of its spines and then sold to consumers. It is normally sold fresh, but can also be bought dried.

Nopal pads can be enjoyed in a variety of ways, from raw to cooked. It’s commonly found fresh in salads, where its crispy, light flavor is often paired with onions to make a salad that is beloved throughout the country.

Nopales are most commonly eaten cooked, where they can be used as an ingredient in tacos or as a side dish. Another popular way to eat nopal is with melted cheese inside a special Mexican bowl known as a cazuela.

This cactus can be used in a ton of ways, and it’s easy to see why it’s so popular in Mexico. Don’t be afraid to try it on your next trip to Mexico or to a Mexican restaurant!

The post Nopal is One of Mexico’s Favorite Foods appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

One of our favorite warm-weather drinks is a margarita, a citrus and tequila-based drink that originates from the country of Mexico. We love lining the rim of our margaritas with certain ingredients that add a special flavor touch to them, and there are my suggestions for three that you will love.

Kosher Salt

The classic and most popular rim lining on a margarita is kosher salt, which works to increase the intensity and the savory nature of the drink by imbuing its citrus flavors with greater depth and clarity.

Chile and Lime

Want to kick things up a notch? Why not add a little bit of chili powder and lime peel to the rim of your margarita glass? Citrus and heat work together brilliantly, and this is a great way to put a unique twist on your drink.

Hot Sauce

That’s right: if used in moderation, a small dose of hot sauce such as Cholula or Valentina can provide an exciting jolt of spiciness to your margarita, which works especially well if you use ingredients such as ancho chile bitters in your personal recipe.

The post Delicious Ideas For Your Margarita Rim appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

These tips will help you avoid mistakes that will ruin your next batch of guacamole.

Don’t Use Garlic

Let us repeat: do not use garlic! It might seem tempting to add this ingredient to guacamole, but it will absolutely overwhelm the flavor of the dip and make it nearly impossible to eat. Just say no to garlic in guac.

Let Avocado Be the Star

The principal ingredient in guacamole is avocado, and this is for an important reason. The delicious, creamy texture and flavorful nature of guacamole are meant to be put on display in guacamole, so don’t over-add other ingredients like chiles or onions and make it disappear from the center stage.

Don’t Forget to Salt

Have you ever tried guacamole that tasted bland for some reason? The most likely explanation for this is a lack of salt. It’s important to add a little bit of salt to guacamole to enhance its flavor and make it pop.

The post Mistakes to Avoid When Making Guacamole appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

Here are three ways in which limes are utilized in Mexican gastronomy.

Taco Garnish

If you are served a plate of tacos in Mexico, odds are that you will receive a heap of lime slices along with them. It’s common to squeeze lime juice on top of all kinds of tacos, including those served al pastor, with steak, and with carnitas.

Lime Paletas

Paletas are the Mexican version of a popsicle. One of the most popular types of paletas that are enjoyed in Mexico is the lime paleta, which is a mixture of water, lime juice, and sugar frozen onto a stick. They are perfect for hot days.

Drink Staple

If you have tried any sort of Mexican beverage, odds are that it contained lime. From margaritas to Jarritos, many drinks that are beloved in Mexico either contain lime or are served garnished with a slice of the little green fruit.

The post Three Ways Limes are Used in Mexican Gastronomy appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

The phrase “tres leches” means “three milks” in Spanish and refers to three of the key ingredients in the dessert. Tres leches cake is prepared and made unique with the use of three different milk varieties that add moisture, sweetness, and depth to a simple cake base.

Tres leches cake takes advantage of milk, condensed milk, and heavy cream in making a rich and creamy sponge cake that people around the world love. Instead of leaving a boring vanilla cake to be topped with frosting and nothing more, this dessert becomes especially decadent due to the addition of these dairy products.

While the traditional tres leches cake is topped only with a simple milk and vanilla-based frosting, I like to add fruits on top to add a bit of a twist to the dessert. For example, topping a tres leches cake with a berry mix that includes raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries adds a bit of welcome tartness to what can be an overwhelmingly sweet option.

So, don’t be afraid to try tres leches cake and add your own twist to it! You’ll probably say “hola” to this cake on a regular basis at your dinner if you know how to perfect it.

The post Tres Leches Cake is a Mexican Favorite appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

Jarritos is the soft drink par excellence in Latin America’s most populous country. Founded on August 29th, 1950 by a man named Francisco Hill, this company launched into the market with a coffee-flavored soft drink! It didn’t take him long, however, to find out that the future was in citrus and fruit-flavored drinks.

After beginning to acquire fruits such as grapefruit, mango, mandarin oranges, tamarind,  pineapples, and guava from the Mexican territory, the company started to make soft drinks featuring these quintessential Mexican flavors. By the 1960s, Jarritos became the most popular soda in the country!

Jarritos are now available in the aforementioned flavors as well as newer additions such as strawberry, watermelon, grape, and lime. They’re still usually made with natural fruit flavors and are known to be richer, less artificial, and less carbonated than more mass-produced drinks.

According to the company, more than 1,200 bottles of Jarritos are now exported per minute, meaning that these delicious sodas are now available outside of national borders. Be sure to give it a try if you find it at your local store!

The post Jarritos is Mexico’s Favorite Soft Drink appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

This dish originates from the Yucatan Peninsula in the southeast of Mexico and can be described as a slow-cooked and marinated pork dish. Served both by itself and, most notably outside of Mexico, as meat for tacos, it’s a favorite now throughout the country and the world as a whole.

The first component of cochinita pibil is, without a doubt, the pork. Traditional versions of the dish start out with the meat of a suckling pig which has been carefully and painstakingly roasted for hours, conserving the tenderness of the meat. Some restaurants may opt to use normal pig, however.

The meat wouldn’t come out with its traditional result, however, if it weren’t for a few marinades that give it its characteristic taste. Bitter oranges, lemon, and limes are juiced to marinate the pork, giving it its characteristic slightly acidic and citrusy taste. 

In addition, cochinita pibil is marinated in its secret marinade ingredient, achiote paste, which gives it its characteristic reddish-orange color.

Don’t forget to top your cochinita pibil with its typical garnish, pickled red onions, and enjoy!

The post What is Cochinita Pibil? appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

If you aren’t familiar with these little green guys, they are often used in Mexican gastronomy. Similar in look to a regular tomato, they come from the same family and have been used in cooking in the territory since before the arrival of Europeans.

Tomatillos are an excellent choice if you want to add a little bit of flavor and color to your Mexican cooking.

One of the best uses for tomatillos is salsa verde. This green salsa, which is fantastic when paired with tortilla chips or with carnitas, is one of my favorite sauces that comes from Mexico. Its sour, light taste with a slight spice makes it a great pick for summer.

If you get a riper-than-average tomatillo, you’ll find that it will be a little bit sweeter and more palatable on its own than the ones used in salsa verde. You can use it as a substitute for regular, green tomatoes to garnish tacos or nachos, or even to put in a salad with Mexican touches!

Go crazy with tomatillos! They’re a great choice if you want to spice up your next Mexican meal.

The post Tomatillos are Perfect for Mexican-Style Cooking appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

Pico de gallo is one of the tastiest and most well-known salsas, known for its versatility and reliance on fresh ingredients.

This salsa stands out for being flavorful, but for having a mild spice level that allows anyone to enjoy it. Here’s a step-by-step guide for making your own delicious pico de gallo.

Ingredients

• 4 medium tomatoes
• 1 medium red onion
• 1/2 an avocado
• 2 sprigs of fresh cilantro
• 1 small jalapeño pepper
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• Salt, to taste

Begin by dicing the tomatoes, the avocado, and the red onion into small pieces. The diced pieces should be small enough to have several fit comfortably on a tortilla chip.

Deseed the jalapeño pepper and dice it into very small pieces.

Add all of the diced vegetables into a serving bowl.

Chop up the leafy parts of the two springs of cilantro. If you prefer to have more or less of this herb’s flavor present in the salsa, you can add more or less. Add the chopped cilantro to the bowl of diced veggies.

Finish the mixture by adding the small quantities of lime and lemon juice to the bowl. Mix thoroughly with a spoon. Sprinkle with salt to taste.

This can be served with tortilla chips, tacos, or quesadillas. Enjoy!

The post This Simple Pico de Gallo Recipe is a Home Run appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

Here’s how to make your own version at home.

Ingredients

• 1 bag tortilla chips
• 1 chicken breast
• 1 avocado
• 1 small tomato
• ½ cup shredded colby jack cheese
• ½ can black beans
• 2 tbsp sour cream
• Hot sauce (optional)

Instructions

Start by slicing the chicken breast into bite-sized chunks or strips and cook them in a skillet over medium heat.

After this, pour the beans into a saucepan on the stove and warm them up with medium-low heat.

While the chicken is cooking, slice the tomato into bite-sized pieces. Then, cut the avocado into slices. Set aside.

Place the bag of tortilla chips on a large plate. Place the warm beans directly on top of the chips, and then put the chicken on top of the beans. Top them with the shredded cheese and allow the cheese to melt.

Next, sprinkle the tomato and avocado chunks on top of the other layers. The final touch is a dollop of sour cream on top of the whole creation. You can also put hot sauce on top of the nachos if you want them to have a kick!

Enjoy, and buen provecho!

The post Here’s How to Make Delicious Loaded Nachos at Home appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

While some varieties of cactus are definitely inedible, one of the most commonly-seen varieties in the Americas, known in English as the prickly pear cactus, is a staple food in Mexican cuisine, where it is known as “nopal.”

Nopal is beloved throughout Mexico, where it is used in a large number of recipes and prepared in different ways.

The fruit of the cactus is cleaned of its spines and then sold to consumers. It is normally sold fresh, but can also be bought dried.

Nopal pads can be enjoyed in a variety of ways, from raw to cooked. It’s commonly found fresh in salads, where its crispy, light flavor is often paired with onions to make a salad that is beloved throughout the country.

Nopales are most commonly eaten cooked, where they can be used as an ingredient in tacos or as a side dish. Another popular way to eat nopal is with melted cheese inside a special Mexican bowl known as a cazuela.

This cactus can be used in a ton of ways, and it’s easy to see why it’s so popular in Mexico. Don’t be afraid to try it on your next trip to Mexico or to a Mexican restaurant!

The post Nopal is One of Mexico’s Favorite Foods appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

One of our favorite warm-weather drinks is a margarita, a citrus and tequila-based drink that originates from the country of Mexico. We love lining the rim of our margaritas with certain ingredients that add a special flavor touch to them, and there are my suggestions for three that you will love.

Kosher Salt

The classic and most popular rim lining on a margarita is kosher salt, which works to increase the intensity and the savory nature of the drink by imbuing its citrus flavors with greater depth and clarity.

Chile and Lime

Want to kick things up a notch? Why not add a little bit of chili powder and lime peel to the rim of your margarita glass? Citrus and heat work together brilliantly, and this is a great way to put a unique twist on your drink.

Hot Sauce

That’s right: if used in moderation, a small dose of hot sauce such as Cholula or Valentina can provide an exciting jolt of spiciness to your margarita, which works especially well if you use ingredients such as ancho chile bitters in your personal recipe.

The post Delicious Ideas For Your Margarita Rim appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

These tips will help you avoid mistakes that will ruin your next batch of guacamole.

Don’t Use Garlic

Let us repeat: do not use garlic! It might seem tempting to add this ingredient to guacamole, but it will absolutely overwhelm the flavor of the dip and make it nearly impossible to eat. Just say no to garlic in guac.

Let Avocado Be the Star

The principal ingredient in guacamole is avocado, and this is for an important reason. The delicious, creamy texture and flavorful nature of guacamole are meant to be put on display in guacamole, so don’t over-add other ingredients like chiles or onions and make it disappear from the center stage.

Don’t Forget to Salt

Have you ever tried guacamole that tasted bland for some reason? The most likely explanation for this is a lack of salt. It’s important to add a little bit of salt to guacamole to enhance its flavor and make it pop.

The post Mistakes to Avoid When Making Guacamole appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

Here are three ways in which limes are utilized in Mexican gastronomy.

Taco Garnish

If you are served a plate of tacos in Mexico, odds are that you will receive a heap of lime slices along with them. It’s common to squeeze lime juice on top of all kinds of tacos, including those served al pastor, with steak, and with carnitas.

Lime Paletas

Paletas are the Mexican version of a popsicle. One of the most popular types of paletas that are enjoyed in Mexico is the lime paleta, which is a mixture of water, lime juice, and sugar frozen onto a stick. They are perfect for hot days.

Drink Staple

If you have tried any sort of Mexican beverage, odds are that it contained lime. From margaritas to Jarritos, many drinks that are beloved in Mexico either contain lime or are served garnished with a slice of the little green fruit.

The post Three Ways Limes are Used in Mexican Gastronomy appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

The phrase “tres leches” means “three milks” in Spanish and refers to three of the key ingredients in the dessert. Tres leches cake is prepared and made unique with the use of three different milk varieties that add moisture, sweetness, and depth to a simple cake base.

Tres leches cake takes advantage of milk, condensed milk, and heavy cream in making a rich and creamy sponge cake that people around the world love. Instead of leaving a boring vanilla cake to be topped with frosting and nothing more, this dessert becomes especially decadent due to the addition of these dairy products.

While the traditional tres leches cake is topped only with a simple milk and vanilla-based frosting, I like to add fruits on top to add a bit of a twist to the dessert. For example, topping a tres leches cake with a berry mix that includes raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries adds a bit of welcome tartness to what can be an overwhelmingly sweet option.

So, don’t be afraid to try tres leches cake and add your own twist to it! You’ll probably say “hola” to this cake on a regular basis at your dinner if you know how to perfect it.

The post Tres Leches Cake is a Mexican Favorite appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

Jarritos is the soft drink par excellence in Latin America’s most populous country. Founded on August 29th, 1950 by a man named Francisco Hill, this company launched into the market with a coffee-flavored soft drink! It didn’t take him long, however, to find out that the future was in citrus and fruit-flavored drinks.

After beginning to acquire fruits such as grapefruit, mango, mandarin oranges, tamarind,  pineapples, and guava from the Mexican territory, the company started to make soft drinks featuring these quintessential Mexican flavors. By the 1960s, Jarritos became the most popular soda in the country!

Jarritos are now available in the aforementioned flavors as well as newer additions such as strawberry, watermelon, grape, and lime. They’re still usually made with natural fruit flavors and are known to be richer, less artificial, and less carbonated than more mass-produced drinks.

According to the company, more than 1,200 bottles of Jarritos are now exported per minute, meaning that these delicious sodas are now available outside of national borders. Be sure to give it a try if you find it at your local store!

The post Jarritos is Mexico’s Favorite Soft Drink appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

This dish originates from the Yucatan Peninsula in the southeast of Mexico and can be described as a slow-cooked and marinated pork dish. Served both by itself and, most notably outside of Mexico, as meat for tacos, it’s a favorite now throughout the country and the world as a whole.

The first component of cochinita pibil is, without a doubt, the pork. Traditional versions of the dish start out with the meat of a suckling pig which has been carefully and painstakingly roasted for hours, conserving the tenderness of the meat. Some restaurants may opt to use normal pig, however.

The meat wouldn’t come out with its traditional result, however, if it weren’t for a few marinades that give it its characteristic taste. Bitter oranges, lemon, and limes are juiced to marinate the pork, giving it its characteristic slightly acidic and citrusy taste. 

In addition, cochinita pibil is marinated in its secret marinade ingredient, achiote paste, which gives it its characteristic reddish-orange color.

Don’t forget to top your cochinita pibil with its typical garnish, pickled red onions, and enjoy!

The post What is Cochinita Pibil? appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

If you aren’t familiar with these little green guys, they are often used in Mexican gastronomy. Similar in look to a regular tomato, they come from the same family and have been used in cooking in the territory since before the arrival of Europeans.

Tomatillos are an excellent choice if you want to add a little bit of flavor and color to your Mexican cooking.

One of the best uses for tomatillos is salsa verde. This green salsa, which is fantastic when paired with tortilla chips or with carnitas, is one of my favorite sauces that comes from Mexico. Its sour, light taste with a slight spice makes it a great pick for summer.

If you get a riper-than-average tomatillo, you’ll find that it will be a little bit sweeter and more palatable on its own than the ones used in salsa verde. You can use it as a substitute for regular, green tomatoes to garnish tacos or nachos, or even to put in a salad with Mexican touches!

Go crazy with tomatillos! They’re a great choice if you want to spice up your next Mexican meal.

The post Tomatillos are Perfect for Mexican-Style Cooking appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

Pico de gallo is one of the tastiest and most well-known salsas, known for its versatility and reliance on fresh ingredients.

This salsa stands out for being flavorful, but for having a mild spice level that allows anyone to enjoy it. Here’s a step-by-step guide for making your own delicious pico de gallo.

Ingredients

• 4 medium tomatoes
• 1 medium red onion
• 1/2 an avocado
• 2 sprigs of fresh cilantro
• 1 small jalapeño pepper
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• Salt, to taste

Begin by dicing the tomatoes, the avocado, and the red onion into small pieces. The diced pieces should be small enough to have several fit comfortably on a tortilla chip.

Deseed the jalapeño pepper and dice it into very small pieces.

Add all of the diced vegetables into a serving bowl.

Chop up the leafy parts of the two springs of cilantro. If you prefer to have more or less of this herb’s flavor present in the salsa, you can add more or less. Add the chopped cilantro to the bowl of diced veggies.

Finish the mixture by adding the small quantities of lime and lemon juice to the bowl. Mix thoroughly with a spoon. Sprinkle with salt to taste.

This can be served with tortilla chips, tacos, or quesadillas. Enjoy!

The post This Simple Pico de Gallo Recipe is a Home Run appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

Here’s how to make your own version at home.

Ingredients

• 1 bag tortilla chips
• 1 chicken breast
• 1 avocado
• 1 small tomato
• ½ cup shredded colby jack cheese
• ½ can black beans
• 2 tbsp sour cream
• Hot sauce (optional)

Instructions

Start by slicing the chicken breast into bite-sized chunks or strips and cook them in a skillet over medium heat.

After this, pour the beans into a saucepan on the stove and warm them up with medium-low heat.

While the chicken is cooking, slice the tomato into bite-sized pieces. Then, cut the avocado into slices. Set aside.

Place the bag of tortilla chips on a large plate. Place the warm beans directly on top of the chips, and then put the chicken on top of the beans. Top them with the shredded cheese and allow the cheese to melt.

Next, sprinkle the tomato and avocado chunks on top of the other layers. The final touch is a dollop of sour cream on top of the whole creation. You can also put hot sauce on top of the nachos if you want them to have a kick!

Enjoy, and buen provecho!

The post Here’s How to Make Delicious Loaded Nachos at Home appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.