DELICIOUS DECEMBER

It is that time of the year when gathering around food is one of the key fun things about Christmas and the holiday season. No matter where you are in the world, yes even in countries where there is no official celebration of Christmas, the vibe around shops, offices, and homes is about eating, gifting and sharing.  So yes, this season is delicious, from hot chocolate, cookies, warm wine, turkey, etc. Here we would like to share some hot and tasty Mexican traditional Christmas foods you can include this month in any of your celebrations.

1.Ponche Navideño - Mexican Fruit Punch

This very easy to make yet delicious drink to warm up this winter. Mexican hot fruit punch is made with tejocotes (Mexican hawthorn), which look like crab apples but have large pits and a unique flavor. If you don't find tejocotes you can use other fruits, such as peach, guavas, apples,  the drink is flavored with cinnamon and sweetened with piloncillo mexican raw cane sugar in blocks. If you don't find this type of sugar you can use coconut sugar as a healthier substitute. You can add a splash of alcohol rum for example to give a kick but not necessary.

• Tejocotes - 500 grams 
• Sugar Canes - 1 kg
• Pear- 600 grams
• Apples - 600 grams
• Orange - 1 piece
• Prunes - 200 grams
• Cinnamon - 2 sticks
• Jamaica-Hibiscus Flower - 200 grams
• Clove - 2 pieces
• Water 2 lt.
• Piloncillo -  Coconut Sugar Up to taste

Easy Steps!

1. Cut apples and pears in small cubes. Peel sugar canes and cut is thin straws.
2. Peel tejocotes or peaches. Cut piloncillo or coconut sugar blocks in small pieces.
3. In a big pot pour 4 lts of water, add hibiscus flower (jamaica), tamarind (you can use tamarind powder or tamarind fruit pulp instead and let it boil. 
4. Once it start boiling add the tejocotes/peach, and cane sugar straws and let them cook.
5. Once its boiling add pears, apples, guava.
6. Peel the orange and keep just the peel.
7. Keep slow boiling and add piloncillo or coconut sugar, cinnamon, prunes, cloves, and the orange peel.
8. Let the mix boil a few minutes more so spices give more flavour.
9. Serve in cups the liquid with some fruits.
10. Add a splash or alcohol up to taste.​

2. Spicy Hot Chocolate

For the Chocolate lovers, why not trying this nice healthy version using some of our Ancho Powder.
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
1 cup unsweetened almond milk/oat milk also a wonderful alternative, and coconut milk for those coconut lovers)
3 ounces of bittersweet chocolate chopped for easier melting.
2 tbsp of unsweetened cocoa powder. 
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder or 1 cinnamon stick for better taste
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp of "Chinelos Ancho Chile Powder"
2 tbs of stevia, coconut sugar, agave syrup or to taste
1 tsp of vanilla extract
Easy Steps!

1. In a medium pot, whisk together chocolate, cocoa, your choice of sweetener and chile ancho powder. Place pan over medium-low heat and whisk until chocolate begins to melt. Slowly whisk in almond milk, then cream. Drop in cinnamon stick. Bring to a simmer.
2. Remove pot from heat. Cover pot tightly and steep 1 hour. Whisk in vanilla and taste for sweetness, adding more sugar if you like.
3. Warm over low heat before straining and serving hot, with marshmallows or whipped cream if desired.

Serve and enjoy!

3. Mexican Turkey 

Did you know that Turkey for Thanksgiving and Christmas is originated from Mexico.
Mexico's wild turkeys had been domesticated by pre-Columbian Indian groups long before the Spanish conquistadors arrived. Several archaeological sites provide clues as to precisely how turkeys were reared. One such site is Casas Grandes in the northern state of Chihuahua, an area where modern, large-scale turkey-rearing is an important contributor to the local economy.
How to prepare a delicious Mexican Christmas Style Turkey?
Here our chosen recipe!

• 4-6 kg of Turkey in one piece
• 1 1/2 cups of white wine 
• 8 medium size tomatoes
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 2 pasilla pepper pods
• 1/2 cup of olive oil
• salt to taste
• chicken stock to taste.

How to?
1.Preheat oven to 180º C
2. Inject the turkey one day before cooking with white wine leave it in the fridge overnight.
3. Roast tomatoes and chile pods without seeds without burning. Remove the skin of the tomato and blend the two ingredients.
4.Shave the onions and squeeze the garlics.
5. In a pot heat the olive oil and add the onions and squeezed garlics until golden fried.
6. Add the blended tomatoes and chillies sauce and add salt, garlic and chicken stock an let it boil at slow fire.
7.  Add the sauce to the turkey, make sure to rub thoroughly all parts of the turkey.
8. Put into oven for 4-5 hours at 180º C temperature.
9. Once out of the oven cut in slices to better serve.
You may set some of the chillie tomato mixture sauce on the side to add more once served.

4.Baked White Rice with Poblano Peppers

As a side dish to the turkey this is one of my grandmothers staple dish.
Ingredients
1 cup of pre cooked rice
1/2 cup of cream
1 cup of poblano peppers cut in strips
Salt pepper and spices up to taste.
​How to?
1. Cook rice
2.Place cooked rice in a oven tray, 
3.Mix cream, salt, pepper, a bit of poblano pepper and blend.
4.Add cream mixture to the rice, add poblano pepper strips and grated cheese on top.
Put into oven 180º C 10 minutes to make cheese melt. You can also do it in the microwave.
Serve with your Turkey Dish.