Move over, Pie; I’m Making Bread!
When we came to Saltillo, Mexico for our Look & See trip in May we discovered there was a German bakery in town—the only bakery in town to offer bread more substantial than the empty-calorie Wonderbread-like loaves ubiquitous in the local tiendas. That was in May. By the time we moved here in June the […]
TGIF: A Story About One Friday in Mexico
Even life in Mexico has its ups and downs. I started my Friday like any other Friday, with my two-hour Spanish class. Not trying to suck up to my teacher or anything, I brought him a piece of the apple pie I made the day before. Pie is for sharing. And seeing that I meant […]
How to Make An Apple Pie in Mexico
I’ve had so many people ask me for my pie recipe I am finally getting around to posting a step-by-step Show and Tell. The credit for this apple pie-making technique goes to my Mentor of All Things Pie, Mary Spellman, who owned the shop in Malibu where I worked. I don’t think I’m broaching any […]
What to Feed the Worms? Pie, Of Course
It was inevitable. After all, this is Mexico, a country known to Americans (sadly) for its illegal immigrants. A certain group of Mexican aliens made it across the proverbial border and have taken up residence in my stomach. I found a local doctor, recommended by my American insurance company, and visited him about the matter […]
Mercado Research: Pork Rinds vs. Pie
Yesterday we drove to the neighboring village of Arteaga where they have a weekly Sunday Market. Arteaga is where they grow apples. Butted up against the mountains, it is slightly higher in elevation than Saltillo, thus slightly cooler enough to accommodate apple crops. I’ve made my impatience known that I am beyond ready for apple […]
101 Uses for a Pie Plate…in Mexico
Thank goodness I brought my pie-baking supplies to Mexico. I never dreamed my pie plates would be put to such good use…As an ash catcher for the anti-mosquito coil that burns in our bedroom all night.As a moat for the dog’s unfinished breakfast — keeps the ants out.As a dish for salting the rim of […]
Pecans in Progress
They’re growing. (Picture taken 5 Aug 08 in front of our house)When you have a pecan tree growing up through the middle of your house you begin to think about subjects previously ignored, like the care and feeding of a pecan tree. Or, for that matter, where pecans even come from, besides Trader Joe’s fruit […]
Ines Bakes a Pie
“A” is for Amor (love)…for the love of pie, and oh so much more. (Look closely, there’s an “A” in the middle of the pie.) Here it is! The first pie produced in our new house in Mexico–and the first “American-style” pie baked by my artist friend, Ines de Leon. Perhaps it’s Ines’ artistic talent […]
A Mexican Artist’s House
Ines de Leon is my first friend in Mexico. We met in May (2008) when my husband and I were house hunting and got fed up when the relocation agent showed us one too many generic, overly insulated, American-style houses. “Show me a place where a Mexican artist would live,” I begged. “A place with […]
Special Delivery: In Mexico the Fruit Comes to You
No need to wait for apple season to make a fruit pie. It’s PEACH season! Or durazno in Spanish. This little neighbor and her four brothers and cousins show up at our door twice a week towing their wooden wagon filled with produce from their grandpa’s farm. Last week it was zucchini. They are an […]