Aromas y Sabores 2011: Empalmes and Smiles in Allende, Nuevo Leon

The Reina de Turismo, Allende-Tanya Salinas Guzman, gracefully displays her home town attractions and symbols on her scenic regional gown.

The Aroma y Sabores 2011 troupe of munchers and nibblers only had a brief visit in the town of Allende, Nuevo Leon to see the city square and attend an agricultural expo. I slipped away..again..and was on the prowl for pollo en salsa, empalmes, or any other little regional morsel I could handle. We had already encountered quite a bit of food in Santiago earlier that morning and the day was still young.

I was developing a 6th sense to guide me back to the group lest I get left behind. It's far too much responsibility to keep track of over 90 people--I call this newly discovered ability: paranoia. No luck in the downtown area I was frenetically stalked, given such a small allowance of street food recon for these eats that had pricked my ears up earlier in the day.


At the expo we learned about Allende's substantial agricultural presence in Mexico, being one of its largest producers of honey. They also grow oranges, and are big in poultry.


One of the best thing about this stop though was the cute factor. We all had sweet, young girls from Allende holding up the national flags of our Aromas y Sabores press group. Diana was the flag bearer for us few Americans; her smile is one of the most precious moments on a tour that would have magic as an every day luxury.



All that fusing around earlier and low and behold: pollo en salsa. This dish is a local guisado of chicken stewed in tomatoes,peppers, and jalapeños.

And right after that we heard empalmes were coming to our table. Empalmes are made with either beef or pork--ours were pork--with lard fried tortillas and beans with chile piquin(a dried red chile). A second tortilla is placed atop the rich, savory meat and beans to form a sandwich out of the taco--kind of like a mulita done guisado style.


The cute continued as we said goodbye to Allende with a local group of elderly country style dancers. We loved this, and won't soon forget these sweet moments that lightened up our weary souls that afternoon. You should have seen them tear it up; I guess empalmes are good for your health if you can still move like these folks.

Later that night I obliged myself a quiet evening at the Gran San Carlos back in Monterrey, and got in a good night's sleep before we would bid farewell to Nuevo Leon and head off for the state of Chihuahua. Nuevo Leon is amazing: the food, the people, the sights, and the priceless memories. A special thanks to the local tourism agencies in Nuevo Leon that treating us like we were in our own homes. Gracias queridos, nuevoleonense!

To be continued...

Aromas y Sabores 2011, La Ruta del Norte

Cabrito Al Pastor at Gran San Carlos, Monterrey,NL: No Kid Left Behind

Although there is so more to Monterrey than cabrito al pastor, or spit roasted kid, you could visit Mexico's third largest metropolitan area a thousand times and never err in ordering this local symbol of Nuevo Leon cuisine. There are an infinite number of restaurants that serve Mexico's first al pastor tradition ranging from large halls manned by teams of kid dismembering ranch-handed cooks, to more humble establishments. And of course there are the family gatherings if you'd be so lucky as to be an invitee.

Most first time visitors end up at El Rey del Cabrito, the King of Kid. It has a gaudy crown that lights up the hot, dry Regio(nickname for people from Monterrey) night's sky. There you can enjoy the devilish delights of whole kid carcasses dropped onto your table. I remember one trip where two guys from our group bailed as soon as they saw a neighboring table viciously tear into the roasted flesh of young goat. Later sissies! There's nothing quite as appetizing as a folded over kid placed in front of you--tortillas and condiments surrounding the tender, sizzling remains to form the fortunate diner's mise en place.

That place is fine, and you'll find that everyone will suggest their favorite place, but if you mention you're going to the Gran San Carlos, conversation stops and the crowd parts for you to pass. "Oh yes.....you know all about it!", says a Regio while doing a double-take.

I had been here before when I caught up with Aromas y Sabores in Monterrey, but decided that I couldn't leave town without having cabrito. I passed on the gala dinner after our long day in Santiago and Allende, Nuevo Leon to have a relaxing evening in one of Mexico's most important centers of commerce.

The cooking equipment at these restaurants is just an indoor barbeque with mesquite. The spectacle of milk fed kid, only 21-40 days old suspended on a metal rod over hot coals sends messages of lusty desire to your brain as you approach the restaurant.


Cabrito al pastor, Mexico's original al pastor means head-to-tail dining. Inside the roasting room skewers of tightly wound intestines cook alongside unidentifiable parts--nothing is spared, not even the blood. It's hot as hell in this den of smoke, fire, and slow-cooked cabrito that marinates every thread of clothing as well as the bodies and of the men who work here with its primal scent.


All cultures have a collection of small plates that accompany any festive grill or barbeque. In the northern Mexican cuisine of Nuevo Leon it's the burnt tortillas of the ranch--my grandfather would feel right at home here-- with salsa, beans, chiles, and the tortillas for making kid tacos.


The refried beans, called frijoles con veneno, or beans with venom, have a dark and gooey topping of a reduced asado rojo(pork braised in red chiles and spices) rested atop a porky mash of beans. These alone are worth the flight to Monterrey, and may make you reconsider all the fuss over foie gras, or or any over such indulgence. This might be what Fred Sanford meant when he said "beans and disease to you, too" in response to neighbor Julio Fuentes' "buenos dias, Mr Sanford."


In rare form; tiny grenades of fresh chile chiltepin bring explosive flavors to the meal. These little treats are hot.


Fritada(also called cabrito en su sangre, or kid cooked in it's blood) is another specialty of Nuevo Leon: lung, heart, liver, intestine, and the fatty material that protects them are cooked in a stew of kid's blood, tomatoes, spices, and chile ancho. In a time where everyone is talking about head-to-tail in the US--Nuevo Leon is light years ahead. This dish--like many offal preparations--has a taste of iron, but with more depth and complexity in flavor than your typical plate of innards. Each piece of offal paints a different color of the rich,bloody stew. It's unforgettable.

When ordering your cabrito, there are many options. The Gran San Carlos specializes in cuts rather than the whole and half-kid meals designed for groups. You can get a whole head of cabrito, cabrito en salsa, breast or leg, and there are also northern cuts of steak. But you're here for the milk-fed youngsters.

I recommend the paleta, or shoulder--the cuts appear to be mangled by the pressures of heat and rough rancher hands, but still maintain a certain comeliness. Perhaps it's the smells wafting in the air, the frijoles con veneno, and icy Victoria beers that have aroused your senses.

The shoulder is full of textures: crispy, coarse skin that's almost jerky-like, tender meat, fatty tissue, and chunks of meat attached to skin with the appearance of chicharrones.


The riñonada is an entirely different proposition. The back if the kid has thick , chewy skin that can be placed in a tortilla with a little bit of meat, or fat. There's a Cracker Jack appeal to this cut--tucked inside the fat is a prize: kidney. The bean-shaped organ awaits your plucking fingers; giving off a wet, sucking sound as you extract your prize. This is a more oleaginous piece of cabrito.

Kid is lean, musky, and has subtle flavors of goat. The al pastor style is one of the best ways to cook young goat; large sections of kid provide more than enough yield from their stingy anatomy. Lots of bones and inedible material to disregard, but the reward for your effort is delicate bites of quintessential Monterrey cuisine.

Both times I visited Gran San Carlos, I enjoyed scavenging around the bones and odd-shaped kid segments, making sure I attended all edible morsels.

The ambiance is typical of these places all throughout Mexico--it's nice but stuck in the 80's. Live music is performed by a quartet of competent singers doing everything from Luis Miguel to Vicente Fernandez to Pablo Cruise; all harmonized above cheesy keyboard patches and a percussionist playing a drum machine. Kind of like a Mexican Four Freshman. They smiled at each other after silly riffs at the beginnings of tunes while bow-tied waiters worked the room. There's a stained glass cupola in the center of the room just above a salad bar of iceberg lettuce, basic toppings and Wish Bone's greatest hits: Ranch, Thousand Islands, Blue(not Bleu) Cheese and Italian dressings. The salad is just there for the assist in digesting your meal.
But where else can you have a feast of sublime kid while listening to "Watcha Gonna Do?"

The Gran San Carlos is essential dining when in Monterrey. It's where you go for stylish cuts of cabrito al pastor rather than the folded lump of whole kid--not that there's anything wrong with that.

Gran San Carlos
Av. Ignacio Morones Prieto,No. 2803 Pte.
Colonia Loma Larga
Monterrey, Nuevo Leon
011-52(81) 8344-4114 from the US
Open for lunch and dinner

Aromas y Sabores 2011, La Ruta del Norte: Santiago, Nuevo Leon-El Pueblo Magico

The fearless chef Patricia Quintana braves the cascading waters at Parque Cola de Caballo, Santiago, Nuevo Leon.

At the end of May I reunited with Aromas y Sabores, the northern route, and chef Patricia Quintana in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon. After a relaxing dinner the night before at a cozy spot in downtown, and a rekindling of new friendships from the inauguration back in Mexico City, I was ready to taste the north!

I made it a goal to interact with everyone on two full buses during the next couple weeks--not easy with such a broad range of people, and so many cliques that had forged during the week I missed. With such intense travel and profound experiences, I felt like a kid who wasn't around for the 10th grade and returned to a high school that wasn't anything like the place I had left. I was the new kid, and the only pocho among mostly chilangos and spaniards. In the end my efforts would pay off, and the friendships and acquaintances made on this trip were as valuable as the knowledge acquired, and shall remain a fountain of inspiration.

Our morning commenced with an early departure to Santiago; just outside of Monterrey. The side of the road held signs of new tastes to come. I saw things like tacos mañaneros, grilled meat stands featuring sweeetbreads, empalmes(first time I had seen this word), and new regional guisados(stews). In Mexico, the local foods are all around the roads and streets; all you need do is look out your window.


Santiago, known as the Pueblo Magico(magical town), is full of natural beauty, ecotourism, and great cuisine. It's a place to relax and partake in mountain climbing and hiking in Chipinque Park, cycling, rappelling, camping, and to enjoy the picturesque mountains and waterfalls. Locals head out to La Presa de La Boca, a reservoir, for water sports and excursions by horse-back.


Machacada con huevo, local beef jerky with eggs.

We were received at the Hotel Hacienda Cola de Caballo(horse's tail--the waterfall looks like a horse's tail) by the local tourism representatives, a proud peacock(one of the local attractions), a breakfast buffet consisting of local flavors, and the lovely Reina de Las Ferias y Turismo Santiago: Tanya Silva. Everything is better with beauty queens; not to mention they're quite knowledgeable about their communities in a refreshing, non-partisan manner.

One of the highlights of our breakfast extravaganza was the machacada con huevo--one of the most amazing bites one can have wrapped in a flour tortilla. The Nuevo Leon style of dried beef isn't available in the US, and has a different taste than that of the Sonoran variety. Any machaca that makes it to LA usually come from Sonora--this was a rare treat.


The reigning queen of Santiago tourism, Tanya Silva, was beaming with charm, warmth and grace. She described her city as a place to relax and take in the natural beauty plus she turned me on to a couple of local dishes: pollo en salsa, and the famous rotisserie chicken at Pollos Guzman. Pollo en salsa is another local dish I didn't know; I was really starting to get a feel for Nuevo Leon. I enjoyed learning from her about Santiago: no alterior motives,no agenda, just a desire to share her love for Santiago, and be a great hostess. From here on out, I'm looking for the beauty queens!


On our way from breakfast to the waterfall we encountered some local vendors--I went light on breakfast to have space for such an opportunity. A bean dish was called Laurita Mexicano by the woman preparing the food, but I'm not sure this is accurate. It could be cowboy beans or chile con carne. Regardless of name; the bayo beans with tomato, tiny chunks of beef, onions and peppers delighted our senses with its well-seasoned northern tang.


Most of our group huddled hungrily around Comidas Maria Elena, a stand that has endured 50 years at the Cola de Caballo. They had 6 mouth-watering guisados(stews) for griddled gorditas(corn masa pockets), pan de elote(corn bread), and tamales.


Nopales con tortitas de camaron, or cactus with shrimp patties. As we learned on this trip, many dishes have the same names throughout Mexico, but the chiles, and other key ingredients change as to render them entirely different.


The picadillo had large cubes of local potatoes giving them a more hearty appeal than southern recipes.



Deshebrada de res, or shredded beef.


Asado rojo and asado verde are the local guisados at Comidas Maria Elena that captured my attention. Lusty stews glistening with pork fat and colored by the bled skins of regional chiles. The gordita of red pork was given additional flavor by a salsa of chile japones(Japanese chiles).


In the historic center of Salinas we were greeted by a children's choir and a food fair featuring local tastes.

But first I slipped away for a quickie with some tacos mañaneros, or morning tacos. These are known as tacos de guisado, or tacos al vapor in other parts of Mexico. They're tortillas filled with stews and braises of the provincial affection.

Tacos Valdez has been around for 15 years in Salinas, serving the "tacos of the morning" from 7AM-3PM, Monday through Saturday.


Each day a variety of fillings are prepared, and some chiles rellenos, too, also to put in tacos.


The barbacoa in Nuevo Leon is a braise of beef, traditionally cooked underground. The taco of barbacoa at Tacos Valdez is sublime. I also took this quick stop as a chance to get to know the famous machacada con huevo a little more.

I found so many gems on this trip sneaking away from the group, but two tacos was all I could fit in for fear of the bus leaving without me. But, I highly recommend Tacos Valdez when visiting Santiago.



In the town square I sampled some mezcals and liqueurs from Nuevo Leon.



And if you thought that banana leaf tamales only existed in southern Mexico, think again. In addition to tamales de elote, and corn husk wrapped tamales, we tasted tamales colados of pork head stewed in red chiles.



Pan de elote, or corn bread cooking at the Cola de Caballo.


The sweet pan de elote, also called gorditas de elote on the ranches, is made with tender corn, vanilla, eggs and condensed milk.


Another unusual item from Santiago: turcos, or Turks--they're empanadas filled with various sweets. Turcos Santiago is one the most respected bakers of turcos--give them a try.


Nuevo leon is also a state of incredible panaderias with it's own unique forms of pan dulce, or sweet bread: turcos,semitas,polvorones, hojarascas, and the aforementioned pan de elote.

It would be later in the day--yes we did three cities this day including our evening back in Monterrey--that I would get my first taste of pollo en salsa and empalmes, but already Nuevo Leon impressed. I had visited Monterrey several times, but Salinas is an entirely new perspective on Nuevo Leon, and on Mexico. It's safe to say I fell in love with another town, another set of flavors, and the people. I shall return.

Santiago should be on your list of destination in Mexico; it's off the beaten path where you can enjoy an unspoiled Mexican experience.

Stay tuned for the next stop on Aromas y Sabores, la ruta del norte: Allende, Nuevo Leon.

For more information on Santiago, Nuevo Leon please visit their website here.

Aromas y Sabores, la ruta del norte 2011
Santiago, Nuevo Leon