For years, I have heard about the magic of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.  San Miguel is a colonial, hilltop town located 3 hours outside of Mexico City.  People seem to go there for vacation, fall in love with the city, then move there.  I was curious to know what the fuss was all about so decided to go and see for myself.

I got it at first glance.  The whole town is designated as a historical landmark.  The streets are cobblestone and the buildings are painted in vibrant colors. The locals and the tourists gather on weekends at the town square to socialize, dance, and just celebrate life.  Now this is the kind of place I could get use to!

When I travel, I like to eat like the locals do.  Even better, I like to learn how the locals cook so that I can bring the trip experience back to San Francisco.  I decided to learn from a local chef at a private cooking class offer by the Sazon Cooking School.

My chef instructor was Norma Guerrero, a local pastry shop owner of El Petit Four and seasoned savory chef.  Norma’s sister, Lourdes, provided translation as we strolled through the Tuesday market for fresh ingredients. Both Norma and Lourdes knew all of the purveyors so I got a chance to learn about their produce plus we got to taste everything as we went.

My favorite was the Queso de Oaxaca sold by Maria the cheese lady.  It’s similar to string cheese sold here in the US but has more of a briny taste like a feta or ricotta salata.

The herb lady at the market

Maria the cheese lady selling Queso de Oaxaca, a cheese similar to string cheese.

Back in the classroom the cooking began.  In the Guanajuato region, most dishes utilize the same 15 ingredients (onions, tomatoes/tomatillos, garlic, chilies, peppers, chayote, avocado, corn, cactus, cilantro, eggs, oregano, epazote, cheese, and protein) but each dish manages to taste different so I never tired of them.  In one hour, we managed to make about 8 dishes which was a testament to their simplicity.

Setas Con Epazote: Oyster Mushrooms With Epazote

Salsa Verde Con Aguacate: Raw Tomatillo And Avocado Salsa

Salsa Ranchera En Molcajete: Red Tomato Salsa

Norma crushing the tomatoes in the mortar.

Salsa De Xoconostle: Prickly Pear Salsa

Sopecitos (Sopas) Con Chorizo: Little Corn Tortillas Baskets with Pork Sausage

Nopales A La Cazuela: Cactus Paddles in a Clay Pot

Dulce De Guayaba: Guavas with Syrup and Cinnamon

Chayotes Salteados En Mantequilla: Chayotes Sautéed in Butter

With a full belly, I wandered back to my hotel for a nap.  But when I woke up, I booked myself for another class – this time in the home of a local lady.  Stay tuned for international cooking class post #2.  And who knows, I might just have to call San Miguel my home!

Contributed by Bibby Gignilliat