Afro-Mexican Food and Culture

Afro-Mexican Food and Culture

Author: Heritage Radio Network May 12, 2022 Duration: 39:27
On this week's show, Zarela & Aarón welcome Sagrario Cruz Carretero to explore the history and cultural legacy of Afro-Mexican cuisine. First, they set the stage with some context about the past and present demographics of African immigration to Mexico. Sagrario shares her personal story of how a trip to Cuba - and her own family history - ignited her interest in this topic. Together they document various Afro-inspired ingredients including plantain, yucca, malanga, rice and beans, gandinga, soup, chitlins, various distillates, and more.  Looking for more? Many Afro-Mexican recipes can be found in Zarela's Veracruz. For more recipes from  Zarela and Aarón, visit zarela.com and chefaaronsanchez.comHeritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Cooking in Mexican from A to Z by becoming a member!Cooking in Mexican from A to Z is  produced by HotDish Productions and powered by Simplecast. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

At the heart of Cooking In Mexican From A to Z is a family kitchen, one where the conversation is as rich and essential as the food being prepared. This isn't just a cooking podcast; it's a vibrant exploration of heritage, memory, and the profound cultural stories embedded in every ingredient. Hosted by the celebrated mother-and-son duo Zarela Martínez and Aarón Sánchez, each episode feels like pulling up a chair to their table. You’ll hear the warmth of their banter, the depth of their shared history, and the distinct perspectives from their own celebrated careers as chefs and authors. They delve into the regional soul of Mexican cuisine, moving beyond recipes to discuss the origins of a specific chili, the traditional technique behind a mole, or the personal story tied to a beloved dish. Special guests join these spirited conversations, adding further layers of knowledge and anecdote. Listening to this podcast from the Heritage Radio Network is an immersion into the arts of cooking and storytelling, a study of cultural history played out through food, and a testament to how family and flavor are inextricably linked. It’s for anyone who believes the kitchen is the center of the home and that every meal carries a narrative worth savoring.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 49

Cooking In Mexican From A to Z
Podcast Episodes
You Say Tomato, I Say Tomatillo [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:46
On this episode, Zarela & Aarón contrast the tomato with its relative, the tomatillo. They invite their friend - and favorite tomato farmer - Tim Stark of Eckerton Hill Farm to join the conversation and explain how he gr…
Crafting Layers of Flavor with Chile Colorado [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:17
On today's episode Zarela and Aarón have the studio all to themselves as they discuss Chile Colorado (the pepper, rather than the dish that shares its name). They walk home cooks through the process of buying, storing, p…
Mexican Herbs and Wild Greens [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:06
On today's episode, Aarón and Zarela are joined by their friend Chef John Mooney of Bell, Book & Candle (NYC) and Bidwell (Washinton, D.C.). John explains how he has incorporated vertical agriculture into his work as a r…
The  Triple Bounty of Squashes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:51
Aarón and Zarela are joined by Anne Mendelson, Zarela’s co-author on numerous cookbooks and a long-time family friend. Together they talk about squash - including pumpkins and zucchini - and how to use these vegetables i…
The Great History of Vanilla [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:19
Aaron and Zarela welcome Chef Fany Gerson of La Newyorkina and Fan Fan Doughnuts to explore an ingredient we all know and love: vanilla. When people think of this universal flavor, they don’t always think of it as a Mexi…
The Mexican Corn Kitchen [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:43
On this episode Aarón and Zarela welcome their first guest: Zack Wangeman of Sobre Masa. Zack was born and raised in Oaxaca and interned with Aarón when he was only a teenager! Together they discuss the ins-and-outs of M…
Getting to Know Mexican Green Chiles with Aarón and Zarela [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:44
In this very first episode of Cooking in Mexican from A to Z, mother-son duo, Aarón Sánchez and Zarela Martínez discuss one of their favorite ingredients: chiles verdes, or green chiles. The traditional Mexican technique…
Coming Soon from HRN: Cooking in Mexican from A to Z [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:04
They’re mother and son, but also award-winning celebrity chefs, restaurateurs, and cookbook authors. Aarón Sánchez and Zarela Martínez will take you on a culinary journey featuring regional ingredients that are the soul…