What’s your favorite food memory?
I have the fondest memories of helping my dad in the kitchen. My sisters and I grew up watching him, learning to clean oysters, how to store fruits and veggies correctly and most of all, discovering the recipes of his youth. For this issue he gave up a secret family recipe. His quiche is the best I have ever had in the States or in France! It’s cheesy, has a lot of whatever filling you choose and is creamy versus eggy. As a kid I helped mix the eggs, cream and milk, and of course it required a taste test to make sure it was just right. In this issue we choose to feature a vegetarian version and a play on the traditional quiche Lorraine. This is his mother’s recipe, which is easier and more economical. I hope you enjoy it!
I hope our other recipes will spark memories for you. Chilaquiles was not a staple in our home given our French roots, but for most of you, I am sure you have fond memories. Brownsville native, Chef Joseph Gomez, of Con Todo in Austin, shares his take on the dish that he serves his family. The sauce is delicious, the smoky notes are well balanced and the morita chile adds smoke and sweetness. It’s also not spicy, which I love, since I am a chicken when it comes to spice.
It is always exciting when Melissa Guerra contributes a story and recipes. She has a new podcast called The Kitchen Wrangler, which is chock-full of food facts, food history and general food knowledge. If you’re a food nerd like me, you will eat it up! From noodles to Montezuma addiction to chocolate to whether Jesus ate frijoles, she covers it all. In these pages, Melissa gives a history lesson on what the mesquite tree has meant to this region and how versatile it is. Her chocolate chip cookie recipe is a staple in everyone’s kitchen, and its use of mesquite flour makes it very RGV. In her skillet chicken recipe, she is right on trend in using tofu as a way to add protein and thicken her ranch recipe.
Denise Cathey brings us a story on the Cappadona family, who embraced what the land provided on their ranch and how they are going back to the roots of the Valley and producing products that are both healthy and tasty. In the 956 we have all seen the mesquite trees and have definitely used the wood to barbecue, but those bean pods, who knew you could make mesquite flour out of them?
Staying true to our RGV roots is what Las Huellas of South Texas has been doing for almost 20 years. It started when a group of guys got together to conserve the wildlife they grew up with, for their kids. Las Huellas is known for throwing a killer party. They do so to raise money for the many causes they pursue in their work to preserve the beautiful habitat that is the South Texas paradise.
Letty Fernandez, our editor, and I had the pleasure of attending Encuentro, and it was such an inspiring summit. We heard chefs’ stories of how the cuisine they grew up with inspired them as chefs and how they are honoring their roots every day in the cuisine they prepare. The scholars also provided a mini anthropology and history lesson where I learned that our area was one of the few places to get salt, which was a major trading staple. The people of the Valley have always been foodies; maybe that’s why food is a love language here. The chefs were tasked with creating a dish from our region and using local ingredients. When we tasted what they cooked, we felt those emotions and stories the chefs told us. It was an amazing experience.
Bringing this magazine to you has been an honor. We have really enjoyed discovering the various stories we tell and meeting the people behind them. What are some stories you would like us to tell? Who in your community is contributing to local food culture or expanding the local food economy? And of course, none of this would be possible without our advertisers. We thank them for helping us bring this magazine to the RGV. To our readers, please show your appreciation by supporting them.
Have a wonderful fall season, and I look forward to a great harvest!
Jacqueline Folacci
Publisher
