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hello!
Welcome to feast's October cuisine of the month newsletter.
Each year, at the beginning of November, the people of Oaxaca, Mexico embark on Día de los Muertos, a two day holiday to honor and remember the deceased. The celebration involves creating artful altars of color-laden skeletons, skulls made out of sugar, and the favorite foods of the deceased loved ones being honored. Although the tradition's origin is Aztec, Spanish conquistadors are responsible for its present day association with Halloween. With October producing some of Oaxaca's favorite seasonal produce, we thought it would be fun to look at the similarities between the two holidays, and celebrate Halloween Latin American style. Join our chefs and event planners at feast as we explore the unique flavors of Oaxaca and Día de los Muertos using the season's best fresh ingredients.
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season's best: fresh nopales .
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buy
Nopales are prolific in Southern California climate, and nopal trees are easily home grown for an abundant ongoing supply. Fresh nopales can be found at neighborhood Latin grocery markets all around Los Angeles. Sometimes the store keeper will peel the thorns from the pads, and some stores also cut them into squares and sell them in bags. In this form they are called "nopalitos". Many of the larger area farmer's markets also have nopales.
store
Store fresh (not wrinkled) nopales in the refrigerator, tightly wrapped, for up to two weeks.
serve
Carne asada with grilled nopal, fresh nopal salad with queso fresco, nopal corn relish, nopales with scrambled eggs and onion, cornmeal fried nopalitos, roasted nopal taco, nopal quesadilla
cook
Ensalada de Nopalitos
5 pounds of nopalitos (cactus pad that has been peeled and diced)
3 onions, diced
2 bunches fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic
6 tomatoes, diced
13-14 small chiles verde
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large stock pot combine nopalitos with one large onion cut in four pieces, one bunch of fresh cilantro, three or four chiles verdes, one clove of garlic and salt to taste. Immerse the mix in water and boil for 20 to 30 minutes or until well cooked. Drain in a colander and rinse with cool water. Rinsing is essential to remove a slimy residue released by the cactus. Next, remove all of the ingredients except the nopalitos and discard the rest. Add six diced tomatoes, two diced onions, chopped fresh cilantro and 10 small chiles verdes. Mix together with nopalitos and add salt to taste. Note that you may want to adjust the chile verde quantity to suit your preferred level of heat.
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what's cooking .
  
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día de los muertos tapas party
mini carnitas tacos, fresh nopal salsa
sopes with fire roasted pumpkin, queso anejo + radish salsa
black bean + corn cake, seared duck breast, jalapeño jam
chicken bites in green pepita mole on sugar cane skewer
oaxacan salsa bar with blue corn chip
dulce de leche dipped crab apple
dia de los muertos skull sugar cookies
autumn oaxacan fusion feast
tlacoyo with black bean puree, pickled cabbage + queso
butternut squash + tortilla bisque, fresh avocado crema mexicana
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free range chicken ala braza in mole negro
oaxacan cheese + hoja santa tamale in banana leaf
fire roasted tomato + poblano chile rice pilaf
frijoles de la olla with epazote
cumin + chile roasted zucchini salad with fresh cilantro
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flan de calabaza
chocolate dipped buñuelo
grge
october luncheon
chile lime bistec asado, nopal + roasted corn salsa
smoked yam + manchego enfrijoladas with tomatillo salsa
autumn grilled vegetable mélange, creamy cilantro vinaigrette
wild rice salad with pomegranate arils
caesar salad, chipotle spiced crouton, pepita dressing
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rose rice pudding with autumn fruit
Our menus are created using the best, fresh seasonal ingredients. To ensure premium quality and availability, orders must be placed 24-hours in advance. Contact us for personalized menus reflecting your event theme, culinary tastes or budget. Special dietary requirements can also be creatively accommodated. |
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details... .
  
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our favorite cocktail this month: caramel apple martini
4 oz. Bacardi Big Apple rum
4 oz. Butterscotch Schnapps
Cinnamon sugar for garnish
Moisten the rims of two martini glasses and dip in cinnamon sugar. Pour liquid ingredients into a cocktail shaker full of ice. Shake well, pour into the two martini glasses, and serve immediately.
great ideas
Fresh pumpkins are abundantly available at stores and pumpkin stands throughout the month of October. The size, sturdy flesh and hollow interior of the pumpkin allows it to be a terrific serving terrine for soups, dips, salsas, chile, or even ice cream. It's a colorful and functional way to help celebrate the fall season.
feast loves...
The Folk Tree, located in Pasadena, has been curating and selling Oaxacan and other Latin American arts and crafts for 15 years. The Folk Tree Collection features contemporary art, functional art, pottery, figurines, clothing, antiques, and other items - most with a kinship to traditional and folk arts. They also rent, providing art rental and design services to special events and the entertainment industry. All of these features make The Folk Tree a great resource for a Día de los Muertos or Latin American themed event. www.folktree.com
contact us
We can be contacted at 310-568-8600 or by email. And as always, feel free to visit our website. We look forward to hearing from you for a Halloween party, special dinner with family or friends or for your business catering needs.
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bon appetit!
Harvey Slater + your friends at feast
  
View our Cuisine of the Month archives!
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