Whatever this is - or becomes - started out as a spam page that I made with no goal besides keeping my own little catalog with memories of moments around food that I had enjoyed, for one reason or another.
I began to photograph food that I would eat out or make at home, following no set of rules or agenda, just remembering to photograph. Without any long descriptions I’d simply post the pictures I’d collect: for me to know the who, what, where and when’s and for others to possibly see. There came a point where this started to feel a bit selfish, because when I continued documenting these moments I began paying attention to what I was eating and how the food itself would make me feel, but also to the context and the people that were or weren’t present and how this had an equal weight as the food before me. There are few things as nurturing as sharing, receiving, giving and eating a meal.
So, this website is my attempt to share and give continuity to developing my thoughts around food, cooking it, sharing it, what it means and what it does - still not really following a set of rules.
Since this is my first “post”, I think it only makes sense to explain why this website is called what it is. One of the things that starting this project has made me think about is all the ways that the systems around food and how we live in them are super conspicuous yet sometimes unappreciated. Obviously, there are plenty of reasons why the common plate is round - the main reason being convenience - but the question originated from wondering how the way we relate to food could be different if we played with it, and that could be through a spectrum of changes. The spectrum is endless.
The culture around food can be ritualistic, political, traditional, symbolic, emotional, learned and shared, commodified, institutional, resistant, and expressive. I find it to be a part of our lives that is so telling of who we are as individuals and communities, which is also something I’ve been navigating since beginning this “project”.
As mentioned on the home page, I’m still not fully sure what I see coming out of this but maybe that’s the point. I hope it starts conversations, gets people to meet up over food, nurtures friendships and connections, unveils someone’s new favorite spot to get noodles and ultimately help me form my thoughts into some sort of direction.
I still haven’t developed a dynamic for this website, but to end my posts I aim to leave something for whoever reads. Today, it’ll be the recipe I’ve probably cooked for myself the most. I made it everyday for an entire week once when I was in my first year of university, and since then have probably made it (or a variation of it) at least once every two weeks...not joking. I could make it with my eyes closed, and I think it’s a perfect fit for this post.
Ingredients (all very roughly estimated in quantity):
spaghetti
1 tbsp of salted butter
2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves
½ a shallot
cup of plum/cherry tomatoes
splash of white wine
½ can of peeled tomatoes
general seasonings you may or may not like to use:
02. add your desired amount of dry spaghetti into the pot and let cook while you make the sauce.
03. in a pan, heat some olive oil and a small piece of butter over medium low heat.
04. mince the garlic cloves and the shallot finely and add into the pan with olive oil and butter.
05. chop the plum/cherry tomatoes in halves and add into the pan to simmer with the garlic and shallot - mix for 2 minutes on medium heat.
06. add a splash of white wine and let all juices mix together
07. add the peeled tomatoes and then season before mixing for two minutes over medium low heat or until the spaghetti has finished cooking.
08. strain your spaghetti and add into the sauce.
09. serve and top with any of your prefered garnish, and enjoy
My sister came to visit me in London in 2022, and every time we talk on the phone since then, the trip always - without fail - comes up in conversation. Amalia arrived on my 9th month living by myself for the first time, and lets be honest, I was nowhere close to having achieved financial responsibility. To sum it up, it was a trip of extremes: from scavenging Clio’s pantry for any food she could leave behind for us before leaving London for summer to 3 star michelin restaurants, it was a trip that I hope to tell my grandchildren about.
I was 20 at the time and my sister was 17. I was very much enjoying all the thrills that come with living alone for the first time (and learning how to cook for myself properly) and she was enjoying the thrills of getting a preview of that too. I learned a lot about my sister and I hope she learned from me as well, but together we learned a lot about London (one thing being all the basic spots to hit when in London).
Talking about food, the star of this trip was Gail’s Bakery: Amalia developed a deep obsession with their iced chai lattes, begging to stop everytime we passed by a franchise. Those who live in London will know, this is a trap because Gail’s will slowly take ALL your money! We found ourselves quickly having to budget, and while I do believe every other food checkpoint we marked along the trip earned its badge for its own forte, it was the fact that it felt like putting down a deposit everytime we got food that made those checkpoints even more special.
It’s worth mentioning another place we went to at Harrod’s food hall: Kama by Vineet, the Indian restaurant which sadly closed two years ago. I’m glad we got to go, because while I’m sure it might not be the most “genuine” Indian food (it was clearly targeted for tourists), it was still speechlessly good. Like good tourists, we got the butter chicken with garlic naan as a main to share, and the samosa chickpea daal as a starter. My mouth waters just thinking about it.
Fourth unforgettable checkpoint was L’entrecote in Marylebone. Amalia and I queued, but I can’t even remember how long! That must be a sign that it’s worth the wait. A classic probably anywhere it has a franchise, this restaurant only serves one thing: a salad entrée with a dijon mustard vinaigrette and a main of french fries with grilled steak bathed in their famous sauce. The best part is when they serve you seconds, and the amount of food you eat proves itself worth every pound you pay. Coming from Mexico, this is not how we’d usually think of eating a steak (I do think a steak taco is one of the best things on the planet), so for Amalia and I it became particularly memorable.
Next up is my personal favorite: La Fromagerie. Their store in Marylebone holds a special place in my heart, since it’s where I shared a moment over how good the cheese selection was with my dad when he helped me move to London in 2021. I celebrate my birthday by getting brunch here every year, and take only my closest friends. It’s a bit of a sacred spot for me, so it was a must on my list of places to go to with Amalia. We went for the french cheese board (my favorite) and a side of charcuterie.
The last highlight of our trip was on the penultimate night before our trip together came to an end. Sponsored by our dad as a treat to celebrate that we had this trip together, we booked a table for two at Core by Clare Smyth. Amalia and I first heard of her when we saw her on The Final Table, and having dinner here made me understand all the reasons why she’s so esteemed. We were served a despicable amount of food, all presented in unique little plates and presentations that made it feel like a TV show binge watch but for our tummies. We got two set menues, the dynamic being that the menu’s dishes were inspired by the seasons of the year. I often get messages from Amalia to talk about how good one potato with beurre blanc dish had been (too good to be true). Eating at these type of restaurants is such a treat, and I feel beyond lucky that I got to share this experience with my sister.
That’s all for this post, but to sign off I leave you with this interview I found while writing this post: Click here for the link
(...we may be basic after all)
que es eso? eso es...queso
There’s nothing more comforting to me than sharing cheese with somebody else, and of course it’s always better when it’s shared with people I love. Cheese became a bit of an obsession of mine in past years, and is partly one of the main subjects that inspired me to develop my exploration of food and what it means to me. From its history to its many forms, I think it’s one of mankinds best creations.
La Fromagerie
2-6 Moxon St, London W1U 4EW
It was a September day in 2021 and I had only been in London for around a week and a half. My dad and I were strolling around Marylebone: from his memories of when we lived in London, it was his favorite area. He told me about a tour he had done with my Mom where they were taken around specialist shops to learn about different ingredients, and many of them were in this area. We passed by the fishmonger that they went to 16 years ago, the greengrocers and finally the cheese shop. We went inside and sat at their restaurant where we ordered a french cheese board, and I quickly realized that this would be one of my favorite places in London for years to come.
Since going with my dad that time, I’ve gone only with people I hold close to my heart. I go every year on my birthday to have brunch, and whenever I’m in the area I cant resist stopping by and taking a soft cheese or a comté back home with me.
If you’re ever in the need for some great cheese and bread, a good glass of wine and some delicious cured meats, I could not recommend this place more.
Gordon’s Wine Bar
47 Villiers St, London, WC2N 6NE
There’s another cheese spot that I was also introduced to by my dad. It’s called Gordon’s Wine Bar, and its rumored to be London’s oldest wine bar. Its indoor area is set in a type of bunker looking cave, candle-lit and damp smelling in an oddly comforting way. Outdoors, there are two long rows of tables available, all spaced out by no more than 20 cm than each other.
This place is great for any situation; outdoors there is so much going on, ideal for going with a group of friends. Indoors is intimate, perfect for a one to one catch up or a date. You can never go wrong with this place, day or night.
To end today’s post, I’m attaching a link to La Fromagerie’s Academy of Cheese, a series of courses offered a couple times a year where you are taught about cheese-tasting, cheese’s ripening process, and more:
https://lafromagerie.co.uk/pages/academy-of-cheese
Here’s a couple recipes I’ve been enjoying over my fourth Summer in London. No strict rules.
1. grilled gem lettuce with dijon mustard lemon sauce
ingredients: gem lettuce, around a tablespoon of dijon mustard, a sliced lemon, salt and butter.
1. cut your gem lettuce into fourths length-wise
2. heat up a pan and melt some butter on it.
3. add the gem lettuce with its flat faces onto the buttered pan and let it grill.
4. flip onto the other flat side so the other face also grills evenly.
5. plate the lettuce and sprinkle with salt, and then drizzle the mustard sauce to your liking.
2. roast chickpea and honey glazed carrots over yoghurt sauce
ingredients: tub of greek yoghurt, a lemon, olive oil, a garlic clove, honey, chickpeas, carrots, salt, paprika, pepper, dill.
2. pat your chickpeas dry and coat them in a mix of olive oil, paprika, salt and pepper. place this in an oven safe pan or tray.
3. cut some carrots in fourths lenth-wise and place in the pan or tray. drizzle some honey over them and then slide into the oven.
4. while the chickpeas and carrots roast, create the yoghurt sauce:
a. mix roughly one cup of greek
yhogurt, a minced garlic clove or
two, salt, pepper, and the juice of
an entire lemon in a bowl and then
make a bed with this mix on a
plate.
5. after around 25-30 minutes, take out the chickpeas and the carrots and place them over the yhogurt sauce.
6. garnish with some dill or herbs of your preference, a sprinkle of olive oil and some pepper.
3. tomato and strawberry salad
ingredients: vine tomatoes, strawberries, shallots, fennel, olive oil, mint, chilli flakes, salt and pepper.
2. cut some vine tomatoes into bite-size pieces and do the same with some strawberries.
3. plate the tomatoes and strawberries and then coat them in the shallots along with the oil they cooked in.
4. add some mint leaves into the mix and then top with a splash of olive oil, generous chilli flakes, fennel leaves, some salt and pepper.
4. spinach and heirloom tomato filo pastry
ingredients: spinach, heavy cream, grated grana padano, heirloom tomatoes, basil, filo pastry sheets, butter, salt and pepper.
2. slice some heirloom tomatoes into thin slices and put aside.
3. in a sauce pan, begin by wilting some spinach and basil leaves in olive oil.
4. slowly pour heavy cream into the saucepan and mix as you go so the spinach and basil incorporate with the cream. Add some salt and pepper for flavour, and then also start folding in grated grana padano into the mix.
5. arrange the filo pastry sheets on an oven safe pan so it holds like a pie crust (stack minimum 4 sheets).
6. fill the base with the creamed spinach and sprinkle some cheese over the mix.
7. cover the spinach base with the heirloom tomato and drizzle some olive oil over them generously. Add some salt and pepper and slide into the oven.
8. after around 30-40 minutes (or until the filo pastry turns nice and golden) take the pastry out and cut like a pizza.
5. mascarpone, orange and burnt sage linguine - Meike Peters recipe
ingredients: linguine pasta, sage, butter, an egg yolk, mascarpone cheese, orange (juice and zest), salt and pepper.
2. in a bowl, whisk the mascarpone with the egg yolk and the juice from an orange until fully incorporated.
3. once the linguine is cooked through, add the warm pasta into the bowl with the mascarpone sauce.
4. in a new pan, bring some butter to melt and fry some sage leaves in it until they‘re crispy.
5. plate the linguine with its sauce and top with the sage leaves, salt, pepper and some orange zest.
To end, in honour of Medieval Summer I will leave you all this recipe for Medieval Gingerbread by James L. Matterer:
Walking out of my first architecture job for the last time felt incredibly strange, and all I could see on my way home were the possibilities in front of me unfolding like an infinite flipbook. My anticipated yet unsolicited funemployment era had begun, and after months of creative blocks I finally felt like I had some time to sit and squash them.
I had a summer full of food. In London and in Mexico, I connected with the people I love through moments of shared consumption. My family spent their July in London, and we managed to tick off a bunch of places which must be talked about in another post. Then, Ben and I went to visit Mexico where we spent lots of amazing moments centered around sharing food with my family as well, but since my writing is not linear, that will have to be a range of separate posts as well.
This post is to talk about why the prospect of being unemployed has made me anxious in the best way possible (even though having another job is, to a fault, something I’m really looking forward to). Now that I have some time to refine my personal projects - mainly including “Why Are Plates Round” - I’ve been able to refine a lot of the untamed thoughts I have had on my mind for a while.
One of these thoughts was the idea of consumption as healing, instead of deteriorating. The ways we consume ultimately define who we are, whether its digital consumption, material consumption, edible consumption, alas. People consume so much nowadays, it’s difficult to exist without seeing yourself (and what you produce) as consumable, which makes me wonder if anybody truly knows how to exist as “unconsumable”. We’ve all had days where we’ve spent ridiculous hours on our phones consuming nonsense most times, or feeling crap because we overindulged in a late-night kebab the night before - wondering “was that really necessary?”. Don’t get me wrong, I’m extremely guilty of it, but what I’m trying to end at is that I’d like to commit to consuming in ways that add instead of subtract, and one of the ways I’d like to explore this is through the realm of food consumption.
This goes beyond eating “healthy” and buying “local” and all of that (important!) talk. I wonder if the spaces in which we eat can help us connect back to ourselves as a means of making the ritual of consuming a meal something healing. When I was younger, I remember thinking the breakfast table at my grandparent’s house was one of the most comforting places ever. Having a breakfast sobremesa1 after eating before everybody got on with the day was a ritual that to this day hasn’t changed. It was always the people around me, but I wondered if it was my association to the space as well that makes sitting at that table even if it’s alone so comforting.
I started looking at similar man-made spaces - from churches to bath houses to restaurants with long tables - and ultimately focused on two types of spaces: The Japanese Tea House ( 茶室 ) and the Mesoamerican Temazcal. One dedicated to the ritual of drinking tea, and the other dedicated to rituals of rebirth. I thought merging the two could be an interesting point to start looking at how edible consumption, such as drinking tea, can be a form of feeling “reborn”, ultimately being a series of purifying and healing processes.
Both follow strict spatial rules. They are heavy on the geometric harmony of the space and its function, but ultimately it is all there to help dictate the person’s experience upon encountering the space. While the tea house is centered around harmony in space - specifically the man-made and the natural - the Temazcal is centered around forcing the visitor to focus on their “invisible” surroundings (particularly heat).
Both consist of small entrances that force the visitor to literally crawl into the space, physically making you practice humility. They each have specific materials used for their interiors as well, where the tea house is built with the geometry of the tatami mat in mind (2:1 ratio) and the Temazcal is usually built with volcanic rock, mudbrick and clay.
While this mash-up is purely speculative, I’ve started wondering how small confined spaces where the function is simply to be - perhaps drinking a cup of tea or eating a piece of fruit, forcing yourself to look at the place in which you are consuming holds a lot of potential to appreciate where you are and who you’re with. As a starting point, I’ve began sketching some layouts of what this type of space could look like:
It has been a nice exercise to start exploring what these ideas can materialize into, especially knowing the only restrictions are the ones I choose to impose, so I’ve promised myself to keep it up. As I write aimlessly about my funemployment days (which I truly acknowledge are a privilege to be able to enjoy), I’d like to keep these posts as records for myself to look back at, almost like progress reports, surrounding these new sections where I’d like to dig deeper at how this hobby can help me grow creatively in different ways. And tonight, when I sit at the dinner table in my flat having what will probably be another bowl of pasta, I’ll sit facing towards the room and not giving my back to it like usual :)
To end today’s entry I’ll leave you with a picture of the tea I’ve started having nearly every morning (hoping it becomes a new ritual and that I can substitute coffee for tea to some extent) - it’s a Genmaicha that I got at Japan House here in London (little puffed rice!):
until next time,
1 sobremesa: a word lost in translation, but ultimately means the moments you spend chatting at the table after the meal has finished.
October left as quickly as it came. But here are the things I enjoyed most this month:
1
La Poule au Pot
On a rare West London venture, my mom suggested we eat at La Poule Au Pot the day before she flew back to Mexico. Bare stone walls, re-purposed church seats and candle-lit tables, this place felt like a hideaway. Michalis, my mom and I shared some of the coziest French food I had had in a while, alongside a bottle of 2024 Muscadet Sur Lie Domaine. We asked for more bread roughly 5 times, and were never denied it. It was almost comical at one point.
2
Gaetano Pesce Table (and chair)
While the pictures I took suck a bit, seeing this resin table at PAD was the best way to end the fair. Designed and produced by Italian Architect and Designer Gaetano Pesce, this table is like the perfect backdrop for playful food and fun conversation. Reminds me not to take things too seriously always.
3
Brandade on Toast
This dish at Rochelle Canteen was one of the nicest things I’ve tried this year; I remember thinking I could eat this all year round, but that it reminded me most of being at a Spanish beach. It consists of whipped salt cod, olive oil, potatoes and cream to my understanding, and with this toasted-to-perfection toast, the pair was just muah.
4
Taberna Eligio
On our last day in Vigo, my Aunt and Uncle took us to this taberna, where I satisfied my recent craving for razor clams and Spanish cheese. We ordered pulpo a la gallega, berberechos al vapor, ensalada de la casa, navajas and cheese for dessert. Accompanied by a “caña” of beer, this was the best way to end our express visit.
5
Rio Kobayashi Table
Probably the best thing I saw at Frieze, this eight-seater table by Rio Kobayashi is made of reclaimed materials, specifically salvaged pieces of doors, shelves and fireplaces coming from a building undergoing renovations. Art can come from anywhere and everywhere ;)
6
Wolfgang Tillman Photograph: The Glove That Fits
A photograph I saw at Maureen Paley’s new Herald St gallery, showing a steamy window inside a club/pub my friends and I have enjoyed in the past, with glimpses of people in the smoking area. I particularly like the drawings on the steamy window, and the possibly forgotten beer cans on the sill. It makes me feel like I’m in a story I dont have to see or hear about, I can just understand it.
I enjoyed a lot of other stuff, but it’s necessary to be picky sometimes. To end this post I leave this video behind, because a big reaffirmation I got in October is to keep playing around, it may pay off!
I always feel that the last couple of months in a year tend to fly by, but November went by a bit too quickly if you ask me. Before i know it I’ll be writing about December, but for now, here are my November favs:
1
Sushi Show - Shoreditch
Starting off strong with the place I probably visited most this month: Sushi Show Shoreditch and their seared fatty tuna nigiri had me coming back literally every week. I love this place for its quality at great value, but also the place itself feels as if a Japanese family has invited you into their home for some food.
2
Mielie Chenin Blanc at Clara’s Deli
After a very wholesome rainy night out with Ben, we stopped to try the new deli that opened in Shoreditch: Clara’s Deli, Wine and Bistro. They have a great selection of wines and a very focused and cute choice of cocktails too (homemade limoncello!). The staff are all super lovely and welcoming, and the place felt like a warm hug (the warm colour palette of the place definitely helped). We drank this bottle of ‘Mielie’ which I loved.
3
Dining room ceiling at Eltham Palace
I went to Eltham Palace a rainy saturday morning out of pre-planned impulsiveness to spend some time by myself, and became obsessed with this aluminium-leaf ceiling above the dining table in the dining room. It was designed by Italian designer Peter Malacrida for the Courtauld family in the 1930s, who also designed the rest of the dining room’s interior. The palace dates back to 1305, when it was used as the royal home by the likes of the infamous Henry VIII. After many years and many lives, the palace now keeps the remains of what I read as a “before-its-time”, beautiful art-deco interior while still preserving the medieval great hall. Definitely worth a visit.
4
La Fromagerie Birthday Lunch
As mentioned in a previous post, I go to La Fromagerie every year on my birthday to have a glass of wine and a cheese board. I keep the menu year after year, almost claiming them like certificates of another year passing. This year I went with Eseniya, and we had some virgin bloody maries and a cheese toastie alongside the annual cheese and charcuterie boards. We had a great time, talking about nonsense and also all the things that matter. After telling the waiter I wanted to keep the menu as a memory because it has my birth-date on it, he brought us a chocolate cake at the end of our meal with a candle, which made me feel all the typical complicated birthday feelings I think a lot of people get.
5
Ponzu Teriyaki Salmon at home
My November comfort meal, I’ve been making this pretty often and I feel like I’ve found my favourite way of making salmon. When I was young and living in Tokyo my mom would take me to my swimming classes at a club and after I finished I’d always go to the cafeteria buffet and get the same meal: apple sauce with bacon as a starter and as a main the crispiest grilled salmon with sushi rice. It was ritualistic at one point, I refused to have anything else. One day they stopped making the grilled salmon, and I had to accept the change. Years passed and I never quite managed to get it right, but somehow this month I managed to get it exactly how I remember it. It’s shockingly simple, but eating this meal this month has brought me a lot of comfort.
here is the recipe:
- salmon
- microwave sushi rice
- sesame oil
- olive oil
- teriyaki sauce
- ponzu sauce
- 1 lemon
- salt + pepper
- (optional) furikake
2. heat up a pan on medium heat and once it’s hot pour a dash of olive oil followed my a dash of sesame oil. spread around the pan and then place the salmon meat down (you should hear it searing straight away).
3. after around 2 and a half minutes, flip the salmon so it’s skin down. The salmon shouldn’t be stuck to the pan; make sure you swivel the pan to check.
4. if it is a thick piece of salmon, sear the sides as well and when the top and bottom are crispy place on a board to rest.
5. make the microwaveable rice and then plate! sprinkle some furikake on top if you’d like, and enjoy :)
6
Cook Book stand by Michael Marriott
7
Tablecloth at Uludag
The last highlight of this month is this tablecloth that we saw in the last couple of hours of the month, getting some food at a kebab shop the night we all celebrated Salomee‘s birthday. December has begun, and with it comes everything this tablecloth represents. Time to touch base back home and have a 20o christmas in Mexico.
Today’s sign off will be this diagram of a formal dining table setting which I got to see very picturesque-ly executed at Eltham Palace. I have no idea what fork is meant to be used when or what plate holds what, but I guess I like these set ups because they inevitably make a table look really pretty and give the opportunity to use all those plates you never know when to take out.
December always feels like a time arc. Going home to México and being in all the places that will always feel like a blanket being put over me is always a bittersweet ordeal. It’s a time of conclusion and reflection, as the new year eases in. No matter what happened in the year, I always get to go home and welcome a new year on one of my grandparent’s sofas. Let’s begin:
1
Friend-mas Dinner
2
Papas Asadas con Carne - Tacos Atarantados
First things first after a 17 hour trip to Mexico City: a taquería with my parents. They took me to this new taquería chain brought from Monterrey, and they insisted we get their french fries with meat. Thank god we ordered them because they were addictive. The fries are marinated in a zesty sour sauce that definitely had valentina in it but also made your glands go funny. Topped with some pieces of grilled beef and spring onions, these were definitely a great way to be welcomed home.
3
3
Taco Delgadito - La OnceMil (followed by a taco de canasta)
On an errand run with my mom, we went on a little side quest at La OnceMil. Apparently one of the new ‘it’ spots in the city, these overpriced but delicious tacos were interesting to try. With a little glass of complimentary beer and a bowl of papas preparadas (also complimentary) you can convince yourself the price of a taco is worth it, but if that doesn’t work, the taste sure will. Unfortunately, no Bad Bunny in sight so we walked down the road to get a taco de canasta from the stall that has been there for as long as I can remember. Some things don’t need to change ;)
5
Pozole de Tita
My grandma has gotten into the habit of making the same dish every time we come visit: pozole verde. She used to call the night before we’d drive up to Guanajuato to ask what we would like to eat when we arrived, and eventually the calls stopped because the answer was always the same. There are few foods as comforting as this one, in my opinion. I’m sure she uses some secret ingredients she’d be hesitant to expose, but here’s a recipe from my mexican cookbook that I have yet to make in London (sadly, I haven’t managed to find maiz pozolero in London...yet):
1. water
2. chicken stock
3. chcken breast
4. tomatillos
5. one onion
6. poblano and serrano peppers
7. garlic
8. cilantro and oregano
9. bay leaves
10. maíz pozolero
11. cumin, salt and pepper
for toppings:
1. sliced avocado
2. chopped onion
3. dry oregano
4. shredded lettuce
5. lime juice
eat with tostadas (toasted tortilla)
1. Add chicken breast to a large pot and cover with broth. Add bay leaves, quartered onion, garlic, salt and pepper.
2. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook partially covered until chicken is cooked through.
3. Discard the quartered onion, garlic and bay leaves, leaving the broth.
4. Take the chicken out of the broth and shred the meat.
5. Lightly spray a tray with cooking oil. Wash all of the peppers and cut them in half from stem to end. Remove veins and seeds. (Leave some of the veins and seeds if you want the soup spicier). Place the peppers on a baking sheet with the cut side down. Broil for about 10 minutes or until the skin is charred. Immediately place peppers in a plastic bag and tie the bag. Allow them to steam for some minutes, and then peel off their outer layer of skin (should be easily removeable).
6. Add the peeled peppers, cilantro and tomatillos to the blender. Add 3 garlic cloves and around ½ cup chopped onion. add around a cup of the broth from the chicken and blend until smooth. Integrate blended sauce into the broth.
7. Add maíz pozolero, shredded chicken, oregano, cumin, and season with salt and pepper. Let cook on ow heat for 5-10 more minutes.
8. serve and top with toppings listed. Use a tostada to spoon up the maíz and toppings.
6
Tacos ‘El Pingüino’
As many in my family like to joke about, going to eat in this taquería is all there really is to do in Irapuato. While there is a small small truth in that, I still think that if there were a billion more things to do in the town this would still be the best thing to go do. These are probably my favorite tacos al pastor ever. Not exaggerating. They have been running for as long as I can remember, and still taste the same year after year (glorious).
7
Enchiladas Navideñas
A new rising tradition in my family is to have enchiladas the night we have the posada at my grandparents. The first time we had them was in around 2016, when a team of 2 women came to make us probably the best enchiladas on earth. Now my grandma hires them every two years, and I hope this tradition continues for a long time because I salivate thinking about how good these are. If I manage to perfect a recipe in London, I’ll be sure to share.
8
Esquites
There’s something about driving up to a street-side stall at night to get a snack that brings a deep feeling of comfort and feeling ‘at home’ that I can’t replicate anywhere else. Looking for elote stalls is one of my favorite parts of going to Mexico, and in Irapuato we have found our go-to esquite stall. The man that sells them not only adds all the classic toppings (mayonaisse, sour cream, salsa and cheese), he also adds peanuts and small crispy tortilla chips to really seal the whole thing. One of my favorite snacks, and easy to make in London too if you have the right stuff:
1. white corn kernels
2. butter (or oil)
3. garlic cloves
4. onion
5. bay leaf
6. epazote
7. water
for toppings:
1. mayonaisse
2. sour cream
3. fresh cheese (cotija cheese)
4. tajín or chilli powder
5. salt and pepper
6. lime juice
1. In a large saucepan, add the butter and finely chopped onion and sauté over medium-high heat until softened.
2. Add the corn kernels and sauté them for five minutes to awaken their flavor, stirring frequently.
3. Add about a cup and a half of water (it should reach the surface of the corn; if not, add more until it does) the bay leaves, the garlic, epazote, and a generous pinch of salt. Mix and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover and let it simmer for around 20 minutes.
4. Drain the corn (save a bit of water that the corn was cooked in) and serve into a cup or bowl. Top the kernels with mayonnaise, cheese, lime juice, and the rest of the toppings to your liking. Add two tablespoons of the cooking water and mix well, creating a creamy sauce that coats the corn. Then top with the chilli powder, cheese, mayonaisse and everything else you’d like again.
9
New Year’s Eve
Homemade food, wine, beers, grapes, a Banda Norteña playing live on my grandparents driveway, and all 21 of us in the family eating and dancing together. There couldn’t be a better way to end the year. Here are some of the last glasses that remained during communal clean up.
To wrap up 2025, all I want to share is this chapter from one of my favorite books, a gift from Mina and Valentina from some years back: Slices of Life.
The book asks different strangers based in London to share a significant recipe of theirs, and then to describe why they picked that recipe. The author’s aim is for the reader to cook and try the different recipes and therefore ‘ingest the Other’, like a type of cultural or emotional anthropophagy.
Here is the chapter I’ve chosen to share (resolution is better on a laptop):
A chapter that brings me lots of comfort, in knowing I am not alone in navigating difficult feelings about going back home and feeling at home, while also going back to London and feeling wistful yet purposeful. Both sides of the coin are a blessing nonetheless. I can’t wait to see what 2026 brings.
First month of the year has passed, and as always, it passed in the blink of an eye. Maybe it’s because the month is split in half - half of it I spent in Mexico City and the other half in London. Seeing as I’m still looking for a job, I took advantage of the freedom and stayed home as much as I could. Recharged batteries, motivated heart and gears in my brain turning, I’m ready to take on London again. Here are my January highlights:
1
Sarde, Mexico City
2
Cacio e Pepe fries, Bobo Burgers
A different way of eating french fries that I hadn’t ever really thought of before but that makes so much sense. We went to Bobo Burgers to have lunch before my sister flew back to Japan, and since she’s a self-proclaimed burger connoiseur this was the perfect place to go to. Definitely going to try to make these at home.
3
Tacos del Valle
Around the corner from Bobo Burgers but on a different day, I went to tacos del valle with my best friend Maria. We queued for around 25 minutes, but the minute we sat down and saw the food it was undoubtfully worth it. My dad had told me before that the tacos here were good, and i always trust his food recommendations, but this exceeded my expectations. These were some of the best tacos I had had in a very long time and everything about the place made it even better. Great salsas, great menu, great staff. Can’t fault this place!
4
4
Will’s French Cheese
I always look forward to London-Mexico crossovers when I’m back home, and this time around I got to see Will and Agni for an evening to catch up. Will brought cheese from France for his coworkers to try, and I found the afternoon really wholesome. I’m happy to see friends enjoying the city and building new friendships.
5
Elote Asado
As mentioned before, one of my favorite parts of Mexico is going out to find elote stalls. This one in Mexico City was a new discovery while my mom and I were driving past El Chamizal. A man with a truck full of mazorcas, he took the grilled kernels off the cob and made a sort of grilled corn esquite that solved my conflict of whether to order a grilled corn or esquites. Definitely one of my favorite snacks ever.
6
Dad’s Weekend Cooking
My dad loves to cook during the weekend, always has. This weekend he made us a vietnamese-mexican crossover seafood feast which left us all with very happy bellies. He made shrimp spring rolls, camarón gobernador, ceviche, abulón and crab. These lunches at home are definitely one of the top things I miss when not home.
7
Arrrco
Two days before heading back to London, we spent the day out on Sunday and were taken to Arrrco for lunch by my mom. She has been taking art and art history classes here and told us a bit about how the place works. Bar by night, restaurant and cultural space by day, I find these kinds of places appearing more and more around Mexico City and it makes me feel so excited that spaces like these give a platform to artists, curators, chefs, and alll kinds of creatives to come together. I loved being able to draw on the paper tablecloth, and the food we had was muaaaah chefs kiss.
8
Steak Sandwich - The Eagle
Back in London and after a week of being sick in bed, I finally got together with my friends again and had a classic exmouth market night out with them. We went to The Eagle, a pub that’s definitely on my top 5 pubs in London list. A bit of an institution, I shared their iconic steak sandwich with Olina and I enjoyed every bite.
9
Painting by Emily Ponsonby
I saw this painting at the London Art Fair and loved it. It reminds me of when my dogs look up from under the table to guilt me into giving them a little bite of whatever we’re eating at home. It’s a little part of being home that I miss so much when in London :(
10
Lisboa Patisserie
After a walk around Notting Hill, Hugo took me to this little portuguese café which had a selection of portuguese pastries of which we tried the pasteis de nata and a pastry with a layer of chocolate cake, icing, candied pineapple and cherries. We had some tea and warmed up before heading back out into the cold, and overall just had a very nice afternoon. I forget how nice it is to walk around Notting Hill, especially in the winter.
11
Rogues
Last day of the month, and Ben and I had dinner at Rogues after failing to secure a table at Tempo. Finding a table last minute on a saturday night (or really sometimes any night) is difficult in London, but when there is space somewhere new it’s always more exciting than booking in advance. Rogues’s food was delicious, my favorite dish being the grilled cod cheek with leeks. A perfect date night spot, I definitely recommend.
To wrap up January, I want to leave pictures of this lamp which I talked about a couple of times with my mom. Designed by Onora Casa, the ‘Lámpara Gelatinera La Merced’ is inspired by street vendors in Mexico City markets who sell gelatin in these portable displays. I find the lamp to be a great use of design and aesthetics, while also appreciating the improvisation that you find many times in Mexico City: