The surprising story of the taco

with Claudia Prieto Piastro

 

Hibiscus crazy water (aguas locas) with chia

Fermented pineapple water (tepache)

Corn tamales with mole dip and corn fungus (huitlacoche)

*****

Wheat tacos árabes with marinated beef, lime and chilli

with three salsas:  avocado, chipotle and drunken salsa

*****

Tacos al pastor with grilled pineapple, onion and coriander

Cactus salad (nopales) and charred onions (cebollitas)

Refried black beans with totopos (frijoles negros refritos)

*****

Sweet pumpkin with Mexican brown sugar (calabaza en tacha)

Lemon and tequila sorbet

*****

Café de olla

Peanuts in honey (palanqueta)

 

Carnitas was the last dish I cooked here in San Francisco.  It's Mexican, porky and delicious, and was therefore a very fitting final dinner in our apartment.  It's a Mexican classic and one I'd had many times at local taquerias.  You can find all sorts of recipes for carnitas, involving different meats, flavourings and cooking methods.  This pork 'n' lard version is the real deal.  My method follows that of the chef at Mexico DF restaurant, who shared it after we'd devoured several pounds of the stuff.  It is meltingly tender on the inside, crispy on the outside and wonderfully porky.  You will be in pig heaven.

Since the carnitas-fest we have been desperately trying to get round all the Bay Area restaurants we wanted to try, while packing up all our stuff. I now sit in a beautifully clean and empty flat, with a whole hour to go until we leave for the airport.  Never before have we been so timely and organised before catching a plane.

This one's for Tamar, Raquel, Megan, Carri and Will, who actually gave us money for our furniture.  Tamar liked it so much she decided it would be easier just to move in when we leave.