From Wikipedia

Brazil's national cocktail.

​Summer on Ipanema Beach in Brazil. The sand is densely packed with tall buildings and beautiful people. And the people are beautiful because they can afford to be. You see, Ipanema is one of the most expensive places to live in Rio. Ipanema means "bad water" in the Tupi language, referring to the poor fishing there. But because of the aqua blue waters, more surfers and sun worshipers flock there daily to socialize, see and be seen, and of course to drink.

And the drinks of choice in Ipanema? Beer (of course) and Caipirinhas, made from Cachaca, the Brazilian sugarcane brandy that has recently caught fire in North America as a premium alternative to rum.

Wait a minute. Cachaca is distilled from sugarcane? Isn't rum also distilled from sugarcane? So, aren't rum and cachaca the same?

Well, yes and no. Food writer Rob Willey explains:

"[In liquor stores] you'll find cachaca next to rum, because that's what cachaca is, technically. The difference--and it's crucial--is a matter of foundation. They are both made from sugarcane, but most rum is made from molasses (the thick, dark syrup left after the sugar is extracted from the cane), which contributes a rich, sticky sweetness to the final product. Cachaca, on the other hand, is distilled from a lightly fermented sugarcane juice, resulting in a leaner, more aromatic spirit with a tequila-like earthiness...Aged cachaca can take on an astonishing Scotch-like complexity, but for cocktail purposes, you're better off with something minimally aged."

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From Wikipedia

​Walk into your favorite taqueria or torteria, and chances are good you'll notice a couple of large, beehive-shaped glass jars standing sentinel atop a shelf or counter. Stepping to the counter, you place your food order, then scanning the menu under bebidas (beverages), you notice words like Jamaica, Horchata, and Tamarindo. Suspicious, you pass them by and order a soda or agua instead.

Big mistake: The drinks contained in those hive jars are as refreshing and satisfying as pure clover honey, although not quite as sweet and much lighter.

Aguas frescas are the non-alcoholic drink of choice for many Hispanics, and they are enjoyed virtually anywhere south of the border, from the Caribbean to Mexico to Central America, plus many U.S. cities that have taquerias. As welcome on a hot day as a dip in the pool, they also pair very well with spicy cuisine. Writer Karen Hirsch Graber comments, "The beverages known in Mexico as aguas frescas are an inspired compliment to the rich melding of chiles, herbs, and spices found in Mexican food. They act to counter-balance strong flavors and are always light, never cloying. Aguas frescas function somewhat like sorbets, in that they refresh the palate."

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Grupo Sanborns is a large department store, pharmacy, retail and restaurant chain. Headquartered in Mexico City and employing some 18,000 workers, Sanborns was founded in 1903 by California immigrants Walter and Frank Sanborn, who also established the country's first soda fountain. Think Wal-Mart with a better food court and you've got the idea. But unlike the pride of Bentonville, Arkansas, Sanborns has actually impacted culinary history when one of its Swiss-born chefs allegedly created enchiladas suizas.

RoadFood.com

Enchilada Suizas or Swiss-Style Enchiladas

​Suiza means Swiss in Spanish. According to food writer Amy Hernandez, the dish was inspired by the dairy predilections of Swiss immigrants south of the border. She notes, "As Swiss immigrants came to Mexico with their dairy cows, they began to influence the culinary traditions around them. This was done through the contributing of additional dairy products including new varieties of cream and cheese. As these ingredients became more available, it wasn't long before the traditional green salsa enchilada made with tomatillos and fresh chiles was married with cream and cheese to create what became known as enchiladas suizas or Swiss-style enchiladas. This delicious twist on an even older standard grew in popularity and over time has blossomed into a beloved dish eaten throughout Mexico and the United States." More >>

Si Tapas Restaurant and Bar

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Barhopping during happy hour is a sacred rite of passage from workday to evening, but Spain's version of this time-honored tradition just might be better than ours.

You see, we have nachos, quesadillas and wings as our standard happy hour fare. In Spain, they have chorizo al vino (sausage sauteed in wine), gambas al ajillo (prawns sauteed in garlic), and chuletas de cordero a la parill (lamb chops on the grill), all washed down with Rioja blanco or tinto. Sounds better that Miller Lite with jalapeno poppers, doesn't it?

Legends on the origins of tapas abound. One says that King Alphonso XII of Spain stopped by a local inn in Cadiz, Andalusia, and ordered a cup of sherry. The prudent waiter decided to cover His Majesty's libation with a slice of cured ham to prevent it from being fouled with beach sand. After downing his drink, the satisfied monarch ordered another round "with the cover," and the tradition caught on.

In any case, Andalusia is usually cited as the region of origin, and these small plates dominate the Iberian dining scene. Writing in Travel + Leisure Magazine, Anya von Bremzen shows why such dining is infused into the Spanish way of life:

"A visitor can get off a plane, go straight to a tapas bar in any Spanish city, inhale some jamon and migas, and feel like an insider within thirty minutes. The eats...are only part of what makes a tapeo so vital to Spaniards and irresistible to Americans. Pressed together at crowded counters, teenagers trade confidences with octogenarians and locals break bread with foreigners. On a tapeo, old ties are refreshed, new relationships are sparked, and an evening often turns into a come-one, come-all street fiesta. This is a way that the Spaniards keep bland globalization at bay, maintaining such a deep-rooted sense of community that the whole disparate country often has the feel of a big village. Even Spain's status as a mecca of progressive cuisine owes much to the locals' readiness to engage with new tastes. Spaniards will try anything once, as long as it's small. Aren't the tidbits dished up by avant-garde guru Ferran Adria at El Bulli essentially a form of tapas?"

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From Wikipedia

Gaston Acurio

​Gaston Acurio is one of the hottest chefs in the world that you've never heard of.

That's because the 41-year-old, black-clad whirlwind is neither French nor American. No, in fact he is Peruvian, as in South America, long seen by many Americans as a culinary backwater. But the cuisine of Peru is rich and diverse, and is held in high esteem by international gourmands, such as Nobu Matsuhisa, the Japanese-born chef who includes Peruvian influences into his Nobu Restaurant fare. If you've been exposed to the gastronomy of Peru at all, it's likely been in the form of empanadas, cabrito, or ceviche served at some of the newly-emergent places such as Inca's Café in Carrollton.

Acurio intends to change all that.

Indeed, his resume is impressive, boasting over a dozen high-end restaurants in 10 countries, plus a culinary school, a luxury hotel, and a cooking show on Peruvian TV. These businesses have brought in over $65 million, but according to writer Andrew Curry, Acurio intends to make Peruvian food as ubiquitous in the U.S. as sushi. As he quotes Acurio in a recent interview, "Thirty years ago, there were no Japanese restaurants in the U.S. Then one day, Americans started eating seaweed and raw fish. Now there's a sushi restaurant on every corner. Why can't we do the same with Peruvian cooking?"

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From Pointnshoot via Flickr

​One Tex-Mex dish is so beloved in San Antonio, it has its own mascot.

Strangely enough, the food in question is not something readily available in most Tex-Mex joints in North Texas. It's not enchiladas, burritos, or fajitas, but rather the puffy taco, which these days can be most easily found in such old-school joints such as El Fenix or Esparzas in Grapevine.

In San Antonio, however, puffed tacos are all the rage and have been for generations, so much so that in 1989, the Missions minor league baseball team created Henry the Puffy Taco, whose main job, like that of his cohort Ballapeno (you guessed it, a walking jalapeno) is to keep the fans entertained.

On the Web site www.texascooking.com, writer Randy Lankford describes Henry's antics in this manner:

"Henry's main role is to run around the bases with a youngster from the crowd. The young fan has to beat Henry to home plate to win a free dinner for the family. Henry always manages to lose, but it's not always easy. He's been known to take a dive. 'I don't remember exactly how it happened, but one night the kid stumbled, and took Henry's legs out,' explains Mickey Holt, director of public relations for the Missions. 'Ever since then it's become a tradition to tackle him between third base and home plate. He takes a lot of abuse but everybody loves it. He's a huge hit.'"

Henry was the brainchild of Jamie Lopez, who is one of four siblings who run Henry's Puffy Tacos, perhaps San Antonio's most famous shrine for the dish. In The Tex-Mex Cookbook, author Robb Walsh quotes Jamie's brother Ray on the family's role in the creation of the puffed taco.

"My uncle, Ray Lopez, opened Ray's Drive-In in the early 1950s. It was Uncle Ray who trademarked the 'puffy tacos' name...In 1978, my Dad opened the first Henry's Puffy Tacos at Bandera and Woodlawn. Now every place says they make puffy tacos. But we sell the most. People eat between seven hundred and fourteen hundred puffy tacos a day here. We make a hundred pounds of fresh masa every morning."

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​Forty tons of shrimp.

That's how many of the curvy crustaceans are processed and shipped from Mazatlan every year deservedly earning this jewel city of the Mexican Riviera its designation as "Shrimp Capital of the World". (In fact, I've read estimates as high as 40,000 tons. In any case, that's a lot of camarones.)

The Mexican Riviera is a series of pretty Pacific towns that stretches from Ensenada in the North to Acapulco in the South and, needless to say, shrimp can be found on the menus of virtually all the restaurants up and down the coast. But since Mazatlan, a term that means "place of the deer" in Nahuatl, is Mexico's largest commercial port, it is ground zero for shrimp.

Camarones al Mojo de Ajo, or Garlic Shrimp if you will, is one of the preparations that most likely originated in Mazatlan. It is easy to make and according to Rick Bayless, is handy to have in the fridge so you should
make a lot.

"The Mojo de Ajo keeps for a couple of weeks in the refrigerator (the oil will become solid but will liquify at room temperature), so I never recommend making a small amount. Mojo in the refrigerator represents great potential for a wonderful quick meal. Warm cold mojo slowly before using. For the best texture, cook the shrimp immediately before serving. Or cook them an hour or so ahead, douse them with the garlic mojo, and serve it all at room temperature."

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Via Rubio's Glorious, Famous Menu

​How appropriate that fish tacos, the perfect beachside snack, were first introduced to the States by an American college student who became obsessed with them while on Spring Break at a Mexican beach. So says Barry Popik, eminent etymologist and Austin guru of word origins.

Although most historians trace the innovation of fish tacos to Baja California, there is some debate as to whether the town of Ensanada or San Felipe is the true source of their birth. Popik points to the latter, citing the tale of college student Ralph Rubio, who traveled every spring to San Felipe to surf, soak up rays, and camp for free on the beach.

One night, a hungry Ralph spotted a tiny taco stand advertising the fishy treat, ordered one, and promptly became obsessed. Popik adds: "Over time, Ralph became pals with Carlos, the man behind the counter."

Carlos showed Ralph how his fish tacos were made. Ralph went back to San Diego and perfected a recipe of his own. Several years later, with his father Ray as partner, he opened his first restaurant - a walk-up stand in Mission Beach. Since that day back in 1983, Ralph, with the help of a lot of great people, has sold more than 50 million fish tacos."

Today, Rubio's Fresh Mexican Grill sells his "Beach-Mex" at over 100 locations in five Western states. Gee, most guys try to pick up girls on Spring Break, not entire business empires.

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Flickr user jasonlam

​"Original Cuban sandwiches come from Ybor City; everything else is just a sub."

This rather controversial statement comes to us courtesy of Andy Huse, Assistant Librarian at the University of South Florida, as quoted in Cigar City Magazine. Immediately, most readers are probably thinking, "Wait a minute. Aren't Cuban sandwiches from, um, Cuba?"

Well, yes and no. You see, like all things related to cuisine, the Cuban sandwich has mutated as it has migrated from the mother country. Food writer Danny Najar notes, "The sandwich we are most familiar with is a glorious, panini-like bite-full of buttered bread, sliced ham, thin cuts of pork loin, spicy mustard, gooey Swiss cheese, and salty pickles. This is the modern-day Miami recipe that we've grown to love."

He goes on to explain that the Cubano as served in Havana is actually called a "sandwich mixto," and will probably consist of cuts of either pork or ham, the two meats never sharing the bill on the same sandwich, together with watery mustard, dismal government bread, and generic, Swiss-like cheese. And good luck finding pickles! Right. Real Cubans are only served in the States. Got it. So this Ybor City must be a suburb of Miami, correct?

Wrong again. Ybor City is not really a city, it's a neighborhood. And it's not in Miami. It's in Tampa. Confused?More >>

Flickr user El Gran Dee

Tacos de carne deshebrada

In Venezuela, it's called Carne Mechada. In the Caribbean, it's known as Ropa Vieja. The Mexican version goes by the name Carne Deshebrada.

In any case, shredded beef is an important component of the cuisines of several south-of-the-border countries. Here, we are talking about marinated, slow-cooked moist beef, as opposed to machacado, which is made from dried beef and is similar to beef jerky. As is the case with so many Mexican meats, carne deshebrada is used as filling for tacos, burritos and tortas. No self-respecting taqueria patron would be caught dead without the disheveled delight on his menu.

Speaking of which, Bill Addison, the food writer who delighted us for several years with his swarthy critiques in The Dallas Morning News, was once tasked to investigate the Bay Area taquerias when he worked for the San Francisco Chronicle. He visited 85 (you read that correctly) joints over the span of 10 weeks, and learned fairly quickly how to tell a promising establishment from one that was off its game. Not surprisingly, the condition of the carne played an important part:

"Old, gray meat that had lingered on the steam table...was the most common sacrilege. Carnitas and carne asada shouldn't simply taste like vague, high-on-the-food chain protein. They should have a distinct, meaty robustness that helps them stand out from the other ingredients."
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