Sotol: This Chihuahua Spirit Is Getting Hot

Sotol: This Chihuahua Spirit Is Getting Hot

Author: Heritage Radio Network November 9, 2022 Duration: 42:04
On this episode, Sandro Canovas sits down with Aarón and Zarela to discuss Sotol, the state spirit of Chihuahua. They outline how it is made from plants of the dasylirion genus, close relatives of the onion, it's significance to the state of Chihuahua, and it's popularity in the United States. Sandro is a bi-national third-generation brick maker turned adobero. Raised in Mexico City, aka Tenochtitlan, he immigrated to Oregon in 1995 and began working with earth-based construction techniques. After spending 19 years as a seasonal commercial fisherman in the Bering Sea of Alaska, he made his home in south Presidio County, Tejas.  Since early 2022, he has been a vocal opponent of the appropriation of Sotol in Texas. Spearheading the defense of the designation of Sotol that exists since 2002 for Chihuahua, Coahuila y Durango in Mexico. When not playing with mud he spends his time advocating and educating people about how the patrimony of the tradition of Sotol is affected by the appropriation efforts in the US and its industrialization in Mexico. Sandro started his campaign to protect Sotol in Texas by pressuring the distillery in Marfa to respect the DO and implement science based practices into their business model.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 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…
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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…
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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]

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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]

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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…