By Brian Garrido For ten months, I’ve been honored to write for Arizona Latinos. I never took the position lightly, treating it as an opportunity to do something I loved doing – writing about food. While in this position, I
By Brian Garrido When I moved to Arizona last year, I wondered what kind of culinary treats I would find. I knew – no, expected — to find extraordinary food from people of Mexican descent. Yet, the question was what
By: Brian Garrido According to Libby O’Connell’s “The American Plate: A Culinary History in 100 Bites” tortillas chips are a Tex-Mex invention. In 1912, during the beginning of America’s Industrial revolution, San Antonio-based entrepreneur, Jose Bartolome Martinez mechanized the making
By Brian Garrido With nearly a hundred varieties to eat, nopales – a classic Mexican ingredient – is definitely a mejor ingredientes on mesas de la familias, whether in Arizona or south of the border. Hence, consumers can find them
(Featured Image: Flor de Calabaza and Huitlacoche Quesadillas / Flickr Creative Commons) By: Brian Garrido In New York City during the late eighties and early nineties, there appeared a flurry of restaurants dedicated to southwestern and Mexican foods, mostly spearheaded
By: Brian Garrido Since the 15th century, there has been a long relationship with the Latin world and this side of the Atlantic. Even though much of it is marred by turmoil with the indigenous people from all over the
By: Brian Garrido For Mexicans, mole is the madre of sauces. In “gringo” restaurants, with its earthy hints of unsweetened chocolate and chiles, it’s typically found on the dinner menu; but in truth, the gravy is served for breakfast, lunch
By: Brian Garrido Developed by Spanish settlers in the 16th century wine-growing regions of Peru and Chile, pisco is a distilled alcohol made from grapes. For Iberian transplants to the New World, it was far easier to get your groove
By: Brian Garrido In 2002, Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza opened Barrio Café in a rough-and-tumble Latino neighborhood near a dollar store and some colorful murals celebrating Mexican culture. It wasn’t yet a full year after the September 11, 2001 attacks.
By: Brian Garrido During the Valley’s arid summers, it’s good idea to go the veggie route – if only because plant eating doesn’t weigh down the eater. And tacos, arguably Arizona’s food mascot, are a surefire way to devour lots
