Tacos and burritos are the perfect foods. Soft corn and flour tortilla packages, stuffed with chunks of meat, fish, beans, rice, and veggies, are deliciously filling. I could eat them every day. I dream of enchiladas and quesadillas too, dripping with melted cheese, filled with roasted chicken and caramelized onions and topped with brightly acidic salsa. One of my favorite delicacies is freshly smashed guacamole in a big bowl accompanied by a brimming basket of hot chips. I can eat that alone until I’m full. I recently discovered tres leches cake, and its decadent, creamy goodness that I, guiltily, can’t stop spooning into my mouth. I love Mexican food.
Having grown up in Southern California and taken several trips across the border, I’m relatively well versed in the cuisine. Luckily, we have great restaurants and bakeries here. In fact, I could fill the entire magazine with stories of our local Mexican food culture. In this issue, you’ll find a healthy sampling.
As we slide into the colder months, it’s soup time. Pozole is one of my favorites, filled with plump hominy and tender pork. Menudo, often only a weekend treat, is a hearty option that, reportedly, helps cure a hangover. Tamales are a labor of love, and who better to give us tips on creating a batch at home than Reno Mexican-food legend Bertha Miranda? Learn about sweet, flavor-packed street corn. And to round out our coverage, we introduce you to some well-known Mexican pastries as well as that tres leches cake.
What ties well with Mexican food? Peppers, of course. Meet the owners of Two Ravens Farm in Fallon, who grow many varieties, including rare heirloom capsicums.
We still are in uncertain times. Stay safe, wear a mask, and don’t forget that local business owners need your support now more than ever. Keep your dollars local, and help our economy stay healthy and strong.
¡Salud!
Amanda
About the cover Bertha Miranda with a batch of freshly made tamales in front of her namesake Reno restaurant. Photo by Candice Vivien
