By Betty Cortina, NBCLatino

In Mexico, Holy Week (the week that precedes Easter Sunday) might as well be called Seafood Week. “Everywhere you go,” says Mexico City-born Chef Oscar del Rivero, Executive Chef of Miami’s Talavera restaurant, “it’s seafood, seafood, seafood.”

With a population that’s more than 80 percent Catholic, this is an intensely spiritual time in Mexico, and one in which many people commit to fasting or giving up certain foods or luxuries as an act of penance. And since forgoing meat is the most common concession, classic Mexican dishes like tamales, tacos and quesadillas frequently receive seafood makeovers. Quesadillas become “pesca-dillas,” tamales made with pork are instead made with shrimp, and the beef or chicken in tacos is replaced with grilled or charred fish.

Even the sacred pozole, a thick stew-like soup considered one of Mexico’s most hallowed, ancient dishes, is subject to such substitutions. It’s a dish usually reserved for special occasions or weekend family gatherings and so popular that in Acapulco “Pozole Thursdays” has become a tradition, with most restaurants offering it as a special on that day. The stew is typically made with hominy and pork. During Holy Week, of course, the pork is replaced with whatever seafood is on hand.

This week, NBC Latino caught up with the 37-year-old Johnson & Wales trained Del Rivero, who grew up in Mexico City eatingpozoles from local markets. We asked him to share the recipe for the seafood red pozole he developed at Talavera, where he adopted the Acapulco tradition of serving the stew every Thursday. His guajillo and ancho-laced stock packs a serious flavor punch and is the perfect companion for delicate shell-fish sauteed in garlic and shallots—a classic Mexican combination. “It’s a hearty, homey dish,” he said. “And the way we make it is very much like the pozoles from Mexico. It’s that authentic.”

One key tip from the chef, if you’re making this at home: Don’t skip the step below in which the stock is “fried.” “That is a common technique in Mexico. We call screeching,” he said. “We basically fry the stock in a little oil until we hear it screech. It really wakes up the flavors and makes them more intense.”

For the pozole stock:
10 dried Guajillo chiles, stemmed, seeded, veins removed
2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded, veins removed
4 T olive oil, divided
5 garlic cloves, crushed
1 white onion, diced
1 oz Mexican oregano
3 bay leaves
4 quarts chicken stock

For the seafood:
2 T olive oil
16 small shallots, thinly sliced
8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 pound fresh, medium-sized shrimp, sliced in half lengthwise
1/2 pound fresh, small scallops
1/2 pound fresh calamari, sliced in thin strips
48 fresh mussels, whole
4 cups canned hominy

For garnish:
1/2 Haas avocado, sliced
1/2 white onion, finely diced
1 radish, julienned
Salt, to taste
2 limes, quartered
Tostadas or tortilla chips

1. Start by making the stock. Gently wipe the dried chiles clean. Put them into a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Allow to soak for about 10 minutes, until the chiles are fully rehydrated. Drain, set chiles aside and discard the soaking water.

2. In a large sauce pot or caldero over medium heat, sauté the garlic and onion in 2 T of olive oil until the onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the rehydrated chiles, oregano and bay leaves and continue cooking for another 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil.

3. Remove the stock and vegetables from the heat and let cool down a few minutes. Puree in a blender or food processor, working in batches if necessary. Strain the pureed stock through a fine mesh strainer and set aside.

2. In a large, heavy pot heat the remaining 2 T of olive oil over medium heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, pour in the strained stock, being careful of splatters. Stir frequently to prevent scorching and keep the stock at a steady simmer for about 3 to 5 minutes. The pozolestock is now ready. Set aside.

3. Next, prepare the seafood ingredients. In a large sauce pot or caldero over medium-high heat, sauté the shallots and garlic in the 2 T of olive oil until the edges of the shallots begin to caramelize slightly, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the shrimp, scallops, calamari, mussels and hominy. Continue cooking for another 2 to 3 minutes or until the mussels open.

4. Add the reserved pozole stock to the pot and cook until heated through.

5. To serve, pour the stew into individual bowls and top with any or all of the desired garnishes.

This article was first published in NBCLatino.

Betty Cortina, Consulting Senior Web Producer: After 15 years as a writer and editor for magazines such as People, Entertainment Weekly, O, the Oprah Magazine and Latina (where she was Editorial Director for seven years), Betty came to NBC News to create a website that engages and inspires the American Hispanic. A Cuban-American born in Chicago and raised in Miami, she is passionate about all things Hispanic (especially the food!) She holds a B.S. in Journalism from the University of Florida, and an A.A. in Culinary Arts from Johnson & Wales University. She focuses on the site’s strategic development, special projects and partnerships plus oversees our food coverage.

[Photo by Betty Cortina]

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Food-loving culture is everywhere these days and nowhere is it more prominent than on television. Thanks to the popularity of shows like “Top Chef,” “Hell’s Kitchen,” and “The Next Food Network Star” and other shows, foodie-loving programming on network and cable television is being broadcast to millions of American households.  And these shows bring the culinary personalities who host them more than just face time: one list put together by Serious Eats estimates that Rachael Ray (“30 Minute Meals” and “The Rachel Ray Show”) earns 18 million a year, with chefs like Mario Batali and Paula Deen raking in huge salaries (3 and 4.5 million, respectively)

But Latino cooks – the ones who pride themselves on making perfect tamales, healthy makeovers of classic Puerto Rican meals or intricate desserts – aren’t waiting for casting directors to turn them into the next Aarón Sanchez or Daisy Martinez. Instead, a growing number of Latino foodies are turning to YouTube with great success, proving that you may not need the support of the Food Network or Cooking Channel to make a splash.

Take for example, blogger Raiza Costa. Shortly after moving from Brazil to New York City in 2009, Costa began her blog Dulce Delight as a way to feature her intricate, mouth-watering desserts. Costa felt that sticking to a traditional blog didn’t fully convey her personality – fun, bubbly and girly – and decided to film short cooking segments, using a hand-held video camera propped on moving boxes. Four years later, the 25-year-old food vlogger has more than 2 million views on her YouTube channel, has a line of vintage-inspired whimsical kitchen wear in production and has a contract for her show to be developed for broadcast in her native Brazil.

This article was first published in NBCLatino.

Nina Terrero is a Web Producer at NBCLatino. she’s passionate about social issues, health, education, discovering untold stories among U.S. Latinos and exploring Latino culture through food, literature, theatre and the arts, she holds a B.A. in Government from Cornell University. She is also a graduate of Columbia University’s Graduate School of Arts & Science, where she received an M.A. in Political Science. Of Puerto Rican and Dominican heritage, Nina worked at ABC News as a digital reporter before joining the team at NBC Latino. Feel free to ask her about the latest films, urban political policy or her most recent forays in cooking and eating around New York City.

[Photo courtesy NBCLatino/Raiza Costa]

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The list of the most influential people in America’s food industry is out and at the top is Spaniard Bernardo Hernandez.

Hernandez is Zagat’s managing director and Google’s director of product management. Zagat was acquired by Google in 2011, giving the online dining review site massive appeal.

The top 50 list includes producers of food, distributors, chefs and food industry techies like Hernandez.

Colman Andrews, The Daily Meal’s editorial director, said the number one choices may surprise readers because, “people get their information about food today primarily… from the internet.”

“And who owns the internet,” asks Andrews. “This little company out in California called Google.”

The number one slot of the most influential people in America’s food industry was evenly weighted between two high-powered Google executives.

Jack Manzel, Google’s product managing director, is the man behind Google’s search algorithms. Bernardo Hernandez is the man behind the easily searchable restaurants that pull up in a Google search and give readers restaurant reviews, rates restaurants with a score from 1-30 and offers them an interactive Google map, with photos and street directions.

Google is the first place people go to find information about food, said Andrews.

The criteria behind the most influential people in America’s food industry is based on this philosophy: Who influences what we eat, where we eat, how we eat and think about food?

The list of most powerful people in the American food industry was compiled by The Daily Meal for the third consecutive year.

Another Hispanic on the list is chef restauranteur Jose Andres at No. 18. And in regards to how influential the tech industry has been on the food industry, the Daily Meal included Instagram and Pinterest founders in No. 20 and No. 8 rankings, respectively.

Hugh Grant is also on the list. Not the actor Hugh Grant, but the face behind a company that will make some foodies and activists cringe. He’s the chairman and president of Monsanto, and he’s the second most influential person in America’s food industry.

Tech entrepreneurs make list of most influential in America’s food industry

Back to Hernandez, the most influential person and Hispanic in America’s food industry, well, he was named by El Mundo, for seven consecutive years, one of the 25 most influential Spaniards on the Internet.

The tech entrepreneur started his ventures in Spain, having invested in Idealista.com, FloresFrescas.com, 11870.com and in a social network Tuenti, well-known in Spain. He joined Google in 2005, working in Madrid as their product marketing manager. He later moved to California and went up the ranks from worldwide director of marketing for Google Maps and Google Earth, to worldwide director of marketing and consumer products, to his position today as managing director.

Here’s Bernardo Hernandez speaking on the importance of technology and the internet in today’s world. It is in Spanish with English subtitles.

Bernardo Hernandez on importance of the internet

This article was first published in Voxxi.

Before joining VOXXI, Aiyana worked with Patch AOL. Her work has been featured in many publications, including the Sun Sentinel, United Press International, Miami Herald, Miami New Times. She lives in Tampa with her munchkin cats and dog named Bob.

[Photo courtesy Voxxi]

Read more: http://www.voxxi.com/latino-most-influential-food-industry/#ixzz2MaTPhkwu

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It’s National Margarita Day Y’all! ¡Salud! It is celebrated each year on February 22nd.

I wanted to write up some great post with some delicious margarita recipes for you. The reality is: I don’t make margaritas. I just drink ‘em! Not like everyday but on occasion. And on a few of those occasions, I just happened to take a photo of them before they were gone.

Recently, I celebrated a nice steak dinner with mi esposo for Valentine’s Day but first, we had margaritas. Mi esposo had his usual … top shelf tequila margarita on the rocks. He is the tequila connoisseur. I just take his lead and add something fruity to it! Mine was a clever concoction of pomegranate-type of margarita (shaken) served in a martini glass (delicioso, sí but too complicated to remember what they called it.)

Ahhhh … La Gloria, one of my favorite eateries in San Antonio. The Mexican food is original from Chef Johnny Hernandez and the margaritas are frozen and strong! See, it doesn’t have to be a steak dinner, I’ll have ‘em with my taquitos tambien. This is what a Mom’s Night Out looks like (on occasion). Thanks to my fabulous mommy friends, we will be celebrating National Margarita Day at La Gloria tonight!

Celebrate and drink responsibly!

Read the full article and find links to margarita recipes on QueMeansWhat.com

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As Latinos we eat all kind and type of fish—at least as reflected how I grew up and based on the menus of any typical Mexican or Latino restaurant.

There are ceviche plates, mojarra frita, caldos, and a host of variations with grilling, frying, and soups. Of course, it does not stop at fish—shrimp, octopus, oysters, and other seafood are part of the mix.

Some of us even venture into other cultures and delight in things like sushi—though others, such as my father, steer clear. “Esta crudo, it’s raw!”

But something to note is that I hardly recall my family thinking about whether the fish for dinner was sustainable, or if there was an awareness of where it came from. More and more so this matters because some fish is not sustainably harvested, some fisheries have collapsed, and in other cases, the fish we think we are eating is not exactly what we think it is.

Two recent articles highlight this—issues that Latinos should take notice and add to their environmental awareness.

The first article, from the Daytona Beach News Journal, points out how Peruvian fishermen catch less and less Peruvian anchovy—an important food for local communities and export.  It is a problem because there will just not be enough fish to go around. As the article notes:

“Not only has overfishing of the Peruvian anchovy, or anchoveta, battered the industry that makes Peru far and away the world’s No. 1 fish meal exporter, it has also raised alarm about food security in a nation that had long been accustomed to cheap, abundant seafood.”

The irony is that much of that fish is turned into meal to feed other fish or farm animals—this is a common complaint against fish farms that use wild caught fish to feed farmed fish. It is also a problem because the wild caught fish may be better nutritionally than the farmed fish—and it can reproduce faster. Instead of feeding the small fish to the big fish, we should probably just eat the small fish.

Related to that is a story on Slate, Are you Eating What You Think You are Eating?

The focus is on how true fish labeling is—whether if it says salmon, then you are actually getting salmon. This matters on two points, among several. First is that if we are eating fish that is mislabeled and actually unsustainable, then we continue to do ecological harm. Second, from a consumer standpoint, it may be unsafe and illegal.

It also points to how, as we consume and run out of a certain specie, we “market” a new fish for our plates. A classic example is Chilean Sea Bass, which is actually the Patagonian toothfish. But with a name like that, and matching looks, it was deemed better to change the name to market to consumers. Even so, you may not be getting Chilean Sea Bass.

Same thing when you go for “white fish”, which can be a host of species.

Point is that we are devastating the ocean with our love for fish, from apex predators like sharks down to food web to the plankton. But it is important to note that the fish need a break and we need to “eat smarter” if we want to continue to enjoy fish on our plates. As Latino consumers, it is worth it to take a bit of time to consider how we are part of the solution. We can vote with our ballots but also with our dollars, and continue to frame sustainable fishing with a Latino voice.  Part of that is making the effort to stay informed (think critically!) and following up with actions.

Add to this the debate on whether to consume genetically modified (GMO) salmon, and you may need to take a second look at those fish tacos or caldo de pescado.

[Photo by NOAA]

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Programs Examine Origins of Mexican Food and Latino Contributions to Food Production

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History and the Smithsonian Latino Center will present two programs related to Mexican American food and the production of food in America, including a look at the bracero (guest worker) farm labor program. The programs are offered in conjunction with the museum’s newest exhibition, “FOOD: Transforming the American Table 1950–2000,” which features 70 years of Latino food history, from a circa 1940 tortilla press to California vineyard tools used by the Robledo family. The exhibition draws on the museum’s bracero farm labor collection and highlights new objects collected to show the influence of immigrants and migrants on the American table, including the diffusion of Mexican-inspired food into all corners of the country.

Mexican specialties for purchase will be featured Feb. 9 and Feb. 23 in the museum’s Stars and Stripes Café.

These programs are part of a major initiative by the museum to create an ongoing program on food and wine in America. The museum envisions taking food and food history to the nation through its ongoing collecting efforts and a series of symposia and intellectual exchanges, online offerings and dynamic public programs.

Taco Nation/Planet Taco: How Mexican American Food Conquered the World
Saturday, Feb. 9; 1:30 – 4 p.m.
Panel Discussion: Warner Bros. Theater, first floor, center
Book sale and signing follow after the program, outside the exhibition, “FOOD: Transforming the American Table 1950–2000,” first floor, east wing
Note: Taco trucks will be on Constitution Avenue (between 12th and 14th streets) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mexican specialties will be available all day in the museum’s Stars and Stripes Cafe.

This program features a lively discussion with Jeffrey Pilcher, historian and author of Planet Taco: A Global History of Mexican Food; Gustavo Arellano, syndicated columnist and author ofTaco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America; and Smithsonian curator Rayna Green. Attendees will learn about the popularity of Mexican food in the U.S., from its indigenous origins in Mesoamerica to the present era of global commercialization.

Visitors can enjoy fare from a local taco trucks outside the museum and a book signing will take place following the program inside the museum’s food history exhibition, “FOOD: Transforming the American Table 1950–2000.”

Feeding America: Labor, Politics and Food
Saturday, Feb. 23; 1:30 – 4 p.m.
Film and roundtable: Warner Bros. Theater, first floor, center Book sale and signing follow after the program, outside the exhibition, “FOOD: Transforming the American Table 1950–2000,” first floor, east wing

A screening of Harvest of Loneliness, a documentary about the bracero program, will be followed by a roundtable conversation centered on the issues of agricultural work, politics and economy in the production of food in America. Panelists include authors Matt Garcia, Don Mitchell and Melanie DuPuis. The program will be moderated by museum curator Steve Velazquez. Participants will sign books after the program. Note: Mexican specialties will be available all day in the museum’s Stars and Stripes Café.

The museum is currently renovating its west exhibition wing with new galleries on American business, democracy and culture; an education center; new spaces for the Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation; public plazas; a Hall of Music for live performances; and the addition of a first-floor window wall with views to the Washington Monument. For more information, visit http://americanhistory.si.edu. The museum is located at 14th Street and Constitution Avenue N.W., and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (closed Dec. 25). Admission is free.

The Smithsonian Latino Center is a division of the Smithsonian Institution that ensures that Latino contributions to art, science and the humanities are highlighted, understood and advanced through the development and support of public programs, scholarly research, museum collections and educational opportunities at the Smithsonian Institution and its affiliated organizations across the U.S. and internationally. For information call (202) 633-1240 or http://latino.si.edu/.

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[Photo courtesy Smithsonian]

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By Matt Kelley, Radio Iowa

Click on picture to read story.

[Photo by USDAgov]

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