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Feeling Nostalgic For Mexican Food, and A Winner

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First order of business is to announce the winner of the $75 CSN giveaway. Congratulations to #66 chosen by Xiaolu@6 Bittersweets! Please contact me asap for your winning code.

International
This month’s International Incident Party (IIP) theme assigned to us by our lovely host, Penny, is nostalgia. The dictionary defines nostalgia as ” A sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations.” What a beautiful word, it alone evokes so many beautiful and wonderful memories from my life. Even though I haven’t always been so interested or passionate about food and what goes into preparing a meal for your loved ones, I have so many memories around food. Mexican celebrations always involve food, lots of food. Every occasion grand or as small as having a friend stop by for coffee requires food to share.

taquitos; Mexican; ingredients; fried; baked; healthy; chicken; beef; pork; low fat; tomato; onion; chili pepper; green; garlic; tortillas; corn; spices; recipes; easy; cuisine; how to; feta cheese; crumbled cheese; sour cream; avocado; cilantro; plate
Taquitos, The Taste of Home

I often reminisce about all the wonderful smells that came from the kitchen during my childhood. The sweetness and warmth of my father’s fresh baked Mexican breads. The red broth and floating hominy in the posole my mother made on special occasion. The days of enticing smells during the holidays when they would make tamales of so many varieties. How my little sister would make us scrambled eggs for late night dinners and poured so much salsa over them, they were delicious. Breakfast skillets remind me of those cherished mornings when all four of us girls (my sisters and I) would go out for breakfast before heading to school or work. I have so many wonderful memories around food that make me smile, laugh, and cry. Really the stories and memories are endless and I could go on and on, but I’ll spare you the novel length read.

As you can see this IIP brought so many ideas as to what to cook and share with you. I couldn’t help but keep thinking about many of the Mexican dishes I have already shared with you. While I normally don’t like to republish recipes here on Spicie Foodie, this is a special case in which I will make an exception. Here are some of the dishes that evoke the most nostalgic feelings from childhood. They are not my families recipes because I didn’t learn to cook until I had moved so far away from them. Since I taught myself to cook the recipes are my own recreations, and remember authentic Mexican ingredients are very hard to come by so the recipes are the best I can recreate with what I have available. Perhaps one day when I live closer to my family again I can share their recipes with you. Buen Provecho!

What about you, what food evokes the most nostalgic feelings?

On another note I would like to ask you to stop by Priscilla’s blog, She’s Cookin’. She’s Cookin’ is one of the best blogs with substance and mouthwatering recipes around. She has posted one of my favorite recipes from my cookbook, (An Epiphany of The Senses), the Luscious Thai Chicken Pineapple Curry recipe. Please stop by She’s Cookin’ and say hello to Priscilla.

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Comments

  3. Thank you for re-posting these as I missed them the first time around. I've saved several to try – everything looks so delicious! Am excited to try your recipe for re-fired beans this week.

  9. You're sending me out of my home and on the lookout for Mexican food – but no restaurant can touch what you just provided. Southern Italian cooking always evokes my youth and holidays. It is amazing what food can do – what it brings back, what it solidifies.

  11. Loved how all the food brought you back! Isn't that so wonderful? The smell or taste of an ingredient or meal can take you way back to good times. Why I think it's important to have good food and tradition. It's good for the soul and memory hehe. Loved reading about your and all the food you wrote about and have pictured looks and sounds divine. I really need to make it out to Czech and I will :)

  17. I think it's perfect that you reposted these dishes. I love thinking back and remembering foods my mom made it always makes me smile. I want one of those taquitos, but my husband would loved the pickled veg it's his favorite.
    -Gina-

  19. I can see how impossible it would be to pick just one dish, they all look so amazing. Food is a greta way to keep in touch with our roots and you are certainly doing that amazingly.

  20. Dear Nancy,
    I love all the food you cooked and all the recipes you shared on your blog. They all looks amazing (as usual!!). :)

  21. Ever since I moved away from Austin I have been so so very nostalgic for all of my favorite family run Mexican restaurants. Lovely post and beautiful dishes!!

  22. Hi Nancy, I love all your dishes and your photos are beautiful, always striking with so much personality. I have to cook a Mexican inspired dinner soon, I know we will use at least one of your recipes;-)

  23. Everything looks great! I love this trip down memory lane. I think my favorite dishes are those my grandmothers would cook for me, and certainly are most nostalgic to my taste buds.

  29. The taste and aroma of foods from our childhoods is an everlasting memory! Mexican food is something I crave when I’m away from home and photos of your past dishes are stirring that craving :) Thanks for the shout out – have a great weekend!