All questions

From Jackie:

I have a chocolate question. You usually specify Mexican chocolate a lot...can you give a few examples of some brands? I seems to see Abuelita at almost every Mexican grocery store, but I'm never sure if that's the correct type because it looks like it's mostly for hot chocolate drinks. Thanks!

Hi Jackie,

Thanks for your question. We prefer the Ibarra brand of Mexican chocolate.

Deb

From Gail:

Hi Rick,

Where can I get a tortilla press?

Hi Gail,

Most Mexican grocery stores carry tortilla press or if that's not convenient, check out Gourmet Slueth on the internet. We recommend that you buy a cast iron tortilla press. Hope this helps.

Deb

From Bill Meszaros:

Just saw episode 7, season 7 (The soul of mole) great show! Question is: The outside little brick fire pit was awsome. Are there any plans out there of how to build one?
Thanks, Bill

Hi Bill,

Directions on how to build the fire pit that Rick used in the mole show are in his new book "Fiesta at Rick's". The mole pot (cazuela) that Rick used is from Melissa Guerra.

Deb

From Sarah Lopez:

Rick
In an episode of "Mexico One Plate at a Time" you mentioned a Mexican grocery store that makes fresh chorizo and has a good produce section but I don't recall the name please refresh my memory Also are there any carnicerias that make chorizo verde in Chicago
Bless You & Yours
S Lopez y fam.

Hi Sarah,

Casa de Pueblo on 1834 South Blue Island Avenue in the Pilsen neighborhood is the grocery you're referring to. Their phone number is (312) 421-4640. They made their own homemade red chorizo, but I don't know of any place in Chicago that's making green chorizo. We do have an easy recipe on the web site for making your own green chorizo. You can purchase the spinach powder from Amazon or leave it out since we're added it only to enhance the green color. Thanks for watching.

Deb

From Sarah:

Enjoyed your program showing how to make green chorizo. I tried to find a recipe for the traditional red chorizo and came up blank. Could you share a recipe with me?

Hi Sarah,

There's a recipe for the classic red chorizo in Rick's coobook, "Mexico One Plate at a Time"

Deb

From NORA GARCIA:

When does Rick go to Mexico with his cooking staff. We missed him a couple of summers back and wanted to visit La Frontera?
We plan to go to Chicago and visit his restaurant this summer/2010.
Thanks,
Nora Garcia

Hi Nora,

We're closed from July 4th through the July 7th for our annual Mexico staff trip. We'll reopen on the 8th. Just a reminder, our restaurants are always closed on Sundays and Mondays year round.

Deb

From Jason Olmo:

Hi, I am just wondering if you make your tortillas fresh for Frontera or if you buy them in, and if you do make them fresh do you make your own nixtimal for masa or do you use masa harina. Thank you for your time.

Hi Jason,

Our tortillas are made fresh in the restaurant every day, all day long. We start with fresh masa which is ground for us by a local tortilla factory and is delivered daily.

Deb

From Brigitte:

Where can I buy epazote seeds ? My husband says it is mexican oregano ? We live in a latin neighborhood in San Francsico, with many mexican and central american stores, but have never seen this herb.

Thank you.

Hi Brigette,

Here's a link to one of the seed companies that we buy from Seeds of Change, but it's also sold on Amazon and through Local Harvest.org. Epazote isn't the same herb as Mexican oregano.

Deb

From Bill Kohler:

Hi Rick, love your shows! My mother was from Spain & moved to Mexico when she was only 2. She used to make a mexican noodle dish called "fideo". Very thin noodles and I was addicted to it. I'm trying to find a recipe and was wondering if you are familiar with this dish. Many thanks, Bill

Hi Bill,

Rick has a version that he published in the "Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen" cookbook. It may not be the same dish you remember from your childhood, but his version is delicious.

Deb

From Mary:

Hello,
Looking for: Grilled Salmon a la Veracruzana'
I've just spent half an hour of my valuable time trying to find Rick's recipe with no luck. Now, I'm totally put off ever looking up his recipes again.
Regards,
Mary

Hi Mary,

Given that Rick is now on his 7th cookbook, we're not able to put all his recipes on the web site. I think that the recipe you're referring to was published in the "Mexico One Plate at a Time" cookbook. It's called Grilled Salmon with Lemon and Thyme-Scented Salsa Veracruzana. Hope this helps.

Deb

From Genna:

Rick,
I was just at the NRA show and saw you do a demo. Will that recipe be in your new book, if not, where can I find it? Also, What region do you get your avocados from? I've seen a couple different brands from Mexico in stores and I would like to know which is best? Thanks so much!

Hi Genna,

The recipe for Mochomos is in the new book, "Fiesta at Rick's" which is being released on July 5th. Our avocados come from Michoacan.

Deb

From SCOTT SMITH:

My garlic floats in the oil when making garlicy mojo. Is this normal? Also it solidifies in the fridge.

Hi Scott,

It's normal that a few pieces of garlic to float to the top, usually it's the pieces that didn't get crushed small enough, however, you don't need to be concerned. In terms of the oil solidifying, oil will always do that once it get cold. It goes back to a liquid state within a few minutes once you remove it from the refrigerator and it warms back up to room temperature.

Deb

From Susan Grimes:

I have always boiled my jalepenos, serranos & tomatillos for chili verde. Is it better to roast them?

Hi Susan,

While either technique works, we like the flavor that roasted the ingredients gives to the salsa. It's definitely worth trying the roasting technique to see if you like it better.

Deb

From Jeremy:

Hello, currently my brother is into the idea of cooking a pig in the ground based on one of Rick's shows. Is there a book to describe this in more detail along with other great mexican recipes?

thank you.

Jeremy

Hi Jeremy,

We describe how to build a pit and the technique for roasting a pig in the recipe on the web site. Here's the link to Slow-Roasted Yucatecan Pig in a Pit. Good luck, you're in for a treat.

Deb

From Teree:

Hi!!
Where can I get the avacado scoop u use?
Thank you!!
U rock!
Teree

Hi Teree,

This is actually a question from the FAQ section, however, I just checked and the scoop is now on sale at Sur La Table for $8.99. You might want to hurry since it appears that they are almost out.

Deb

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