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October 31, 2009

Photo Essay: Day of the Dead Cooking Demo



I keep threatening that I'm not going to do anything to celebrate my birthday, Halloween, New Year's Eve, et cetera, but when it comes down to it, I always find something to do. No use in staying home doing nothing.

This is the first Halloween I can remember not being in an office at work, so Edith, Eric and I took advantage and signed up for a Day of the Dead-themed cooking class at Dos Caminos, one of our favorite Mexican restaurants. Though he offers a modern take on traditional Mexican cuisine, chef Scott Linquist gave an informative demo on the history, culture, and ingredients that come together to make a delicious meal.



A lot of the foods and ingredients come from Oaxaca, where grasshoppers are called chapulines and are smoked, cooked til crispy, and used as a snack or a garnish.





Although a bowl of them were passed around the room for the attendees to peruse and, if brave enough, snack on, I passed. I had a taco full of them at a Oaxacan restaurant in D.C. last April, which was enough for a lifetime. E+E didn't seem too thrilled with theirs until after they washed them down with some mezcal.



avocado leaves

turkey rub

We watched Scott and his team rub down a whole turkey, blend nearly thirty ingredients together into a mole poblano, roll bread dough to look like bones, stir fry peppers, and beat corn masa into little patties, all while the aromas of chocolate, cinnamon, cumin, garlic, and pumpkin seeds wafted over us. We listened to our stomachs growl and felt our mouths water in anticipation.

And then we got to eat it.

pan de muerto

chips

guac

pumpkin tamale



ancho-rubbed roast turkey w/mole poblano and apple-cranberry salsita, rice, and greens

apple empanadas w/ice cream

Washed all down with pomegranate sangria and a margarita.

It was so good it was scary.

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