Dear rda:

That dish--which was inspired by one I ate in Guadalajara--is a type of queso fundido (a melted cheese dish that is used as a filling for soft tacos). This one had basic salsa ingredients sauteed first, then flamed with tequila and, finally, melted with cheese. You'll love it served with warm corn or flour tortillas. The full recipe is on our web site at http://www.fronterakitchens.com/cooking/recipes/fundido.html.


Sincerely,
Rick

Dear Maribel:

Everone knows and loves guacamole and some simple salsas, so start there. In my new book, Mexican Everyday, I offer the recipes for many everyday dishes that I think would be perfect for your situation. There are a lot of spice rubs and marinades that you can use for simple sauteed or grilled dishes, followed by complimentary salsas--most of them have a little chile in them (they wouldn't be salsas if they didn't!), but you can feel free to add as much or as little as you like. There is a great recipe on page 175 for Tikin Xik from Yucatan that involves a simple achiote marinade turning a simple fish dish into something heavily. Don't overlook the torta recipe on page 225--who doesn't like a crusty sandwich? The baked potato-and-fish dish with roasted tomatoes and green chile (page 239) is an easy favorite in lots of homes, as is the chipotle shrimp on page 251(though it's a little spicier). My guess is that the folks you cook for will love the chicken in escabeche that's on page 259 (it won't be hot at all if you only put in a few strips of pickled jalapeno). I hope these ideas help you out.



Sincerely,
Rick

Dear Manuel,

No, I am sorry, I have never cooked with Clamato...


Sincerely,
Rick

Crepe recipes are easy to find (mine just combines 1/2 cup milk with 2 eggs, 1 cup flour, a pinch of salt and 3 tablespoons melted butter--it's all spelled out in several of my books, from Authentic Mexican to Rick and Lanie's Excellent Kitchen Adventures). You can flavor the crepes with a little cinnamon if you like. Butter them, fold them in quarters and pour cajeta over them (you can buy it at any Mexican market and lots of well stocked grocery stores); bake until bubbly. I like to serve them with toasted nuts and some fruit sprinkled over the top.

Rick Bayless


Sincerely,
Rick

Dear Lovetoeat:

Practically everywhere in the world (except the United States), if you slaughter an animal you have to (or feel obliged to) eat every part of it. So in most cultures, eating the tripe (the collective name for all the cow's stomaches) is just a matter of course. Usually flavored quite highly, since, if not washed repeatedly and well, it can taste strong. The Chinese, taken with texture as they are, love tripe for its springy texture and complex flavor. I'd say the same goes for Mexican eaters. If you have menudo in central Mexico (it's a classic Sunday morning stew--purported to cure hangovers because of its high vitamin content), it's typically a simple, long-simmered red chile stew. In northern Mexico, it often has hominy corn (pozole) in it. And it's always served with plenty of chopped white onion, cilantro, extra chile and lime wedges to squeeze on. Hope this helps.

Sincerely,
Rick

Dear Janie:

Vanilla beans can be found in really well stocked grocery stores and in specialty food shops. I'd recommend places like Whole Foods or one of your top local groceries. If that doesn't work for you, you can order vanilla beans from www.vanilla.com. They even carry Mexican vanilla beans most of the time; their flavor is lighter and more flowery than, say, the Madagascar beans.


Sincerely,
Rick