Development of an Authentic Mexican National Cuisine

Patterns of cuisine evolution can often be compared from one country to another. Mexican cuisine is one such evolving cuisine that has evolved throughout the centuries from one that was based solely on an originally Native American diet, to a forced Spanish diet which continued to evolve to something altogether different that can be called a modern national cuisine with regional differences. This evolution of cuisine can be compared to similar evolutions through chefs that occurred in France when haute cuisine sub planted regional cuisines and then regional cuisines reemerged in importance to co-exist with the national cuisine.

The social elite of Mexico during the early 19th century often scoffed at the native cuisine of Mexico. They considered it low-class and unfitting for their banquet tables. In an attempt to create a national cuisine for Mexico, chefs created culinary texts that emphasized refined flavors but left out many of the native dishes of the country, such as tamales, enchiladas and quesadillas. Those writing the early cookbooks seemed to emulate the styles of chefs like Antoine Carême and those before him who wanted to eradicate simplistic food from the tables of the elite, in favor of over-stylized dishes with complex techniques and ingredients. The first culinary text emerging from Mexico, El cocinero Mexican (The Mexican Chef) published in 1831 written just ten years after the countries independence created an elite cuisine with European influence and no native influence.

However, with time other books would be published during the 19th century, numbering at about fifteen in total with multiple editions printed in country and most importantly overseas. Toward the end of the century books began to emerge that adopted some of the native dishes. Their interpretation of them was with a refined European influence given to them. This draws a comparison to Le Guide Culinaire published by Georges Auguste Escoffier in 1903, at just about the same time frame as the books were being published in Mexico. Escoffier took many of the regional peasant dishes of France and adapted them to a haute cuisine palate much in the way that cookbook authors were doing with native Mexican foods in their books. Another interesting correlation was the exportability of these cuisines through these books. Just as Escoffier's book brought high French cuisine with its adapted regional dishes to the world, the Mexican equivalents were also published not just in Mexico, but in Paris, France as well.

Finally in the early 20th century regionalism began to emerge enforce in Mexico. Locals argued that their cuisine was superior to their neighboring cities' cuisine and vice-versa. Books began to proliferate written not just by chefs, but by wives and housekeepers as well. No longer was the high cuisine that adapted their native dishes the only one to be exported, but their culinary manuals and memories began to be seen outside of Mexico as well. Similarly again in France, professional chefs and bourgeoisie wives began to publish their peasant origin dishes. Prosper Montagne publishing Larousse Gastronomique as-well-as published gastro-tourism guides negated much of the refinements given to French cuisine through Escoffier as well.

Through the centuries most cuisines have been attacked in some way, then adapted and then they seem to eventually come into their own. Through the work of chefs, housewives and culinary enthusiasts we have been able to see cuisines such as French and now even Mexican come into their own. Through this comparison one can surmise that Mexico, much like France has developed two separate styles of cuisine, one of nationalism and one of regionalism, and both of equal importance and exportability.

Currently reading :
Que vivan los tamales!: Food and the Making of Mexican Identity (Dialogos Series)
By Jeffrey M. Pilcher
Release date: 01 April, 1998

Chefs: Professionals or Tradesmen?

French chefs have sought for many generations the designation of professional to their title. Until recently, the job of a chef was considered no different in the workforce than any other tradesman, such as a construction worker or other blue-collar job. The issue that the French government had with designating a chef as professional, was that in order to be considered a professional one must have an extensive education instead of on-the-job apprenticeships which the culinary industry was using at that time. Chefs however sought to change their status by creating an educational foundation which could hopefully gain the French governments attention who would possibly elevate chefs to professionals rather than tradesmen.

During the 19th century a number of strategies were constructed in order to help elevate chefs to their desired professional status. In order for these strategies’ creation to occur, organization amongst chefs was important. A number of these formal associations were created with different purposes toward this end. One of these organizations, Societe des Cuisiniers Français worked on a multi-faceted level. The used each of their projects to support the next. At the beginning of their organization they began to publish a trade-magazine entitled L’art Culinaire. This magazine was created so that the members of the organization could not only read some of the gastronomy styled articles in it, the magazine was also a way to educate chefs on current trends and give them the educated knowledge that the “craft” supposedly lacked.

L’art Culinaire’s secondary usage was to advertise culinary expositions that were taking place in France and abroad. These expositions themselves had multiple purposes. Not only were they places for competitions and display, they were also another outlet to teach chefs that were part of the organization. This again brought in the idea of educating the chef

industry to become professionals in the public and governmental eyes. The expositions being open to the public would openly display chef’s art and desire to be considered professionals. The expositions also served as fund-raisers for the pinnacle part of the educational process.
The funds collected by the Societe des Cuisiniers Français at these expositions was set aside over a period of time to invest in the creation of a culinary school. Ecole Professionnelle de Cuisine des Sciences Alimentaires was built solely on the funds appropriated from the expositions and private donations. A couple of stoves were donated by a gas company as well. There was however no support from the French government as the government did not see a use for such a school. Other schools existed for different trades, but as the apprentice system was so widely used in kitchens, many saw no reason for change. Proprietors of hotels and restaurants certainly saw no use for this new style of training either, as it would take away their free labor as apprentices did not receive wages.

As such, the school only lasted for two years until it went bankrupt. Low attendance and an adherence to the apprenticeship programs have been cited for possible reasons for the schools demise. This set-back however did not completely destroy the chef’s desire to be seen as professionals. Although the Societe des Cuisiniers Français disbanded after the school’s bankruptcy, L’Art Culinare continued to be published. In addition other organizations emerged to continue the cause of professionalism in the chef trade. Other periodicals also emerged and eventually other schools opened such as Le Cordon Bleu. The chefs of the 19th century may not have been recognized as professionals, but their efforts helped future chefs to continue the cause of changing chefs from tradesmen to professionals.

I woke up today with France on my mind

Truth be told I wake up with France on my mind most days, however recently those thoughts have pervaded my mind more often. Perhaps it is because I was suppose to go on a trip to Burgundy with Clive Coates through my graduate program and it fell through, or it is just the amount of cooking and dining out I have been doing lately of the cuisine. Since I moved to Boston last January I have eaten at more French restaurants in this short time than I have in my entire career. These have not all been great experiences, but some of them have been amazing.

As for the cooking portion, I have always loved cooking French cuisine, but starting my Masters degree in Gastronomy at Boston University has propelled my love for the cuisine even further. Last semester I took an online class with Jacques Pepin and another professor Dr. Claflin from BU being the instructors. It was a phenomenal way to get my mind to look at the cuisine in a different way. Not only did the culture get reinforced for different dishes I have always cooked, but it inspired me to cook more regionally with all cuisines. I specifically fell in love with the Southwestern portion of the country and with the help of Paula Wolfret's writing, I have been able to experiment more with that regionalism found there.

Too often as chefs we are instructed in the ways of haute cuisine and I think that many of us have missed out on the wonderful peasant cuisines found in regional cooking in many countries. It is not always necessary to take a dish and stack it as high as possible, put three sauces on it, maybe some carrot foam and a cracker made from some unpronounceable chemical. Sometimes just a dish of tomato braised beans, with some garlic sausage, maybe a piece of duck confit, and a couple pieces of braised pork, combined and slow cooked for hours can be the best thing in the world, by-the-way we call that dish cassoulet, more specifically from the town of Toulouse in southwest France.

So with my opening blog I give you a bit of my passion for French cuisine and hope to have interaction with many food lovers across the globe. It is my hope to give you a few words on food each day, perhaps some restaurant reviews as I dine out often and just my general thoughts on what I am cooking each day and perhaps a recipe to go along with it. I am a busy graduate student and hop to give you a feeling of what it is to be a passionate chef and foodie setting himself out upon a new direction in a different world. Seeing as I mentioned cassoulet and I have so many friends who hear me talk about it, I thought I share with you my version of the dish.

Cassoulet

Ingredients:
2 lbs. of dried haricot beans (Tarbais if available, otherwise use navy beans)
1 lb. boneless pork shoulder cut into large chunks
10 oz. Pork skin with fat attached (Your local butcher can get this, or use fat back)
2 fresh ham hocks, cracked in half
2 medium onions, diced large
3 carrots, diced large
1 whole carrot, peeled and left whole
1 whole onion, peeled and left whole
6 springs of thyme tied together with 1/2 bunch of flat leaf parsley
6 garlic cloves, peeled
1 Tablespoon of tomato paste
2 quarts of home-made chicken stock
6 legs of duck or goose confit with meat removed into large chunks
1 lb. of Toulouse sausage cut into large chucks (if unavailable use a fresh garlic flavored sausage)
Bread crumbs as needed
Salt and Pepper

Method:
Serves 10-12

1. 12 hours or the night before preparing your cassoulet, season the pork, hocks and skin liberally with salt and pepper and let sit in the refrigerator. Separately place the beans in a bowl and cover with water until about one inch over the level of the beans and let sit overnight as well.
2. When ready to begin, simmer the pork skin in water until it is soft and takes on a translucency. Remove it from the water shock it in cold water and then tie it into a roll with strong.
3. Heat a large cast iron pot over medium-high heat. Add a couple tablespoons of fat from your duck confit to the pan and brown the pieces of pork shoulder. Add the half of the carrots and onions then saute until the onions begin to caramelize. Next add the tomato paste, garlic cloves, stock, tied pork skin, bouquet garni and bring to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer under the pork is very tender, or about 1.5-2 hours.
4. While the pork is simmering drain the beans of their soaking liquid and rinse under cold water. Place the beans into a separate large pot along with the whole peeled onion and carrot, ham hocks and the bundle of thyme and parsley. Cover with fresh water and bring to a boil, lower heat to bring pot down to a simmer and allow to simmer for two hours or until the beans are tender.
5. When both the pork and the beans have become tender, remove from the heat and allow to cool for 30 minutes or until the ham hocks can be safely removed and the meat can be pulled from the bones and shredded. Discard the whole onion and carrot from the beans along with the bone from the ham hock after you have removed the meat.
6. Preheat an oven to 400 degrees.
7. Unite the pork skin from the pork ragout and use it to line the bottom and sides of a large cast iron dutch oven or similar coated stoneware vessel like the ones made by Emile Enrie. Place 1/3 of the beans into the bottom of the pot and season with pepper and salt. Then place one-half of the assorted meats (braised pork, ham hock, confit, sausage) on top of the beans, repeat the layer of beans, then meat and then the final 1/3 of the beans. Pour enough liquid from the braise and if necessary beans in order to just cover the top layer. Top the beans with a few tablespoons of the fat used to make the confit and then place a liberal coating of bread crumbs on top.
8. Place the pot into the pre-heated oven for one hour. When one hour has elapsed reduce the heat to 275 degress and continue to cook for another three hours. During the cooking time periodically check to make sure that the top of the cassoulet is moist, if it starts to dry add some of the cooking liquid from the beans.
9. Remove the pot from the oven and refrigerate it overnight.
10. The next day remove the pot from the oven and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes while you preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the pot back into the oven for another hour and then reduce to 275 degrees again and cook for another three hours, remembering to continuously keep the top of the cassoulet moist.
11. At this point the cassoulet is ready to serve, remove from the oven and spoon onto a large plate or serving bowl making sure each person gets some beans and a bit of each of the meats. This dish is best served with an appropriate full-bodied Bordeaux.