From Amy and our "What's For Dinner Wednesday" recipe blog
Feliz Cumpleaños My family is a bit different. I think we have well established that, but if we need any further proof, here it is...
I celebrated my 29th birthday (again) this past May, and my gift from my sister was a culinary tour of the Hispanic grocery stores, bakeries and butchers in Sonoma. Not your usual gift, but it totally beats a new sweater. It was typical us...and we had a blast.
Because of my Mexican food habit, I am no stranger to Hispanic grocery stores. In fact I shop at my local Mom and Pop all the time for the things we just don't carry here. (As much as I would love to have anything and everything, it's just not possible.) And for the warm tortillas...(My god, the warm tortillas!)
As a card carrying Foodie, or maybe because that's how I roll, I have never felt the intimidation that others in our tour group felt about shopping at one of these establishments. Granted, I feel pretty at home in grocery stores, but I always figured any language barrier could be solved by hand gestures at the least and a love of food at best. So it surprised me that some of the other food lovers among us were missing out on really great culinary experiences because of fear of looking out of place or unknowledgeable. The good news? That was resolved that afternoon.
The panaderias (bakeries) and the carnicerias (butchers) are a whole different world of new and interesting. Here you will find the legit pastries and cuts of meat that you won't find anywhere else-and the best thing is that, for the most part, the people who work there will happily explain how to prepare their products. We were given quite an education by the proprietors, and more than a few ideas for what to make for dinner.
We were also fortunate to enjoy lunch at a local restaurant,
Rancho Viejo. If you are ever in Sonoma and looking for some place to stop and grab a bite, I definitely recommend it. The Cochinita Pibil (Pork slow cooked in Banana Leaves) was fantastic, as were the Chili Rellenos.
Chiles Anchos Rellenos de Queso (Cheese-Filled Ancho Chiles) Serves six.
Get the recipe...