Calhoun - Easy Steps to Cooking Authentic Mexican at Home

It usually starts with a specific flavor.

The sweet, smoky taste of warm Tomato-Chipotle sauce.

Or sometimes a smell.

Fresh poblano peppers roasting in the oven.

And it always happens when Im stuck working or out running errands.

Cheese melting inside warm corn tortillas. Do I have tortillas at home?

Ill refocus on my work, telling myself Im going to stick with it for awhile.

Chile de Arbols crackling on a hot skillet just itching to make a salsa. Ill probably deserve a reward when Im done working, right?

Then I get possible menu options popping up like roadside billboards:

And by that point I have the full blown Mexican Craving and there is no stopping it.

Ill do a mental scan of the fridge and then pick the one that sounds best. Enchiladas Suizas? Im in! When I get home Ill make it. Itll be fast, authentic, and significantly better than anything I can buy within 1778 miles of my house (Mexico is currently 1779 miles away).

Knowing that the best Mexican food in town comes from my own kitchen means that theres always an authentic, satiating meal on hand when I get the Craving.

Thats what I want for you.

I want you to use these 9 Easy Steps to quickly learn everything youll need to make authentic Mexican dishes that are significantly better than anything you can get from your local Mexican restaurants.

After reading this book, and using a little elbow grease, your standard for measuring Mexican food in your area (and even in Mexico) will be based on a simple question you can ask yourself: Is it as good as my own?

Why listen to me?

After living in Los Angeles for ten years working in television post-production, I went to Cozumel, Mexico, hoping to escape the real world for a bit.

I thought I would get my scuba certification and be in Mexico for a couple months, but I ended up staying for two years. As expats in Mexico will tell you, its different down there: the people, the pace of life, and of course, the food. I dont think I fully realized how much I loved Mexican food until I was surrounded by the real thing.

I lived in the guesthouse on a family compound run by an octogenarian matriarch and her two daughters. Her youngest daughter, Mimi, was in charge of cooking for the family: every meal, every day, every week. Luckily for me, she would frequently walk across the courtyard and hand me a plate of her latest creation. Buen provecho.

Being handed a plate of something delicious when you have no idea how it was made is both enchanting and humbling. I mean, when you walk into the grocery store and see something like this:

Then you know youve stepped into a new world. (Thats the masa dough for corn tortillas, made fresh each day in the local grocery stores).

And did I mention Mexico made me hungry? Something about the combo of diving and the heat gave me an insatiable appetite.

But Mimi didnt bring over food every day (why not?!!), so I eventually set out on my own, and after a few fitful starts in my own kitchen I started to get good at the time-honored techniques. And within a year of arriving in Mexico I had stopped eating at most of the local restaurants because Casa Me was tasting better.

But I dont want it to take that long for you. I want you to be able to get there much quicker than I did. This is where the 9 Steps come in.

Lets bust some myths about Mexican cooking

Anytime you learn something new theres always a moment when you realize that it isnt as hard as you thought it would be, right? Its the same with Mexican cuisine. Here are the most common mental obstacles to becoming a bonafide cocinero:

The flavor of Mexican cuisine is so distinct that it must be really difficult to make.

Nope! The distinct flavor of Mexican cuisine is dependent on using the right ingredients in the right way. This is something that can be learned in the next couple hours if you want.

I live pretty far away from Mexico so I probably cant get the right ingredients.

Loud buzzer sound! Since living in Mexico Ive made authentic Mexican food in Bonaire, Bali, Canada, and the States. Not only can you get fresh jalapenos anywhere in the world, but Latin goods sections are becoming the norm in most supermarkets. Additionally, you can get just about anything online, so you probably have easier access to authentic Mexican ingredients than most people in Mexico.

Im no pro in the kitchen.You probably need to be a trained chef to cook something truly authentic.

Nope! Ill be the first to admit that I like eating better than I like cooking. I guarantee that if youve made toast before you can be up to speed on authentic Mexican after reading this book.

Book format and a final warning

This book is different. Most cookbooks throw dozens of recipes at the reader and hope a few will stick.

But authentic Mexican has time-honored techniques that have substantial impact on the final flavor of the dishes. Getting to know these techniques will put you miles ahead of the pack.

So the book is designed to be read sequentially, with the first steps front-loaded with info that will make cooking the final recipes feel effortless.

Sure, its OK to jump around and glance at a dish that catches your eye, just know that the information in the first four steps has the most potential for turning your kitchen into a five star cocina.

Yes, it will take a bit of effort on your part, but once you get comfortable with the basic techniques youll have access to the most authentic Mexican kitchen in town (yours!). And it will stay open as late as you want it to, 365 days a year.

Ive included photos whenever possible to help get you there quicker. With so many devices and e-readers out there, I want to make sure you are getting prompt and visible photos in each of the chapters. If for any reason your device of choice is cutting off photos or not showing them in a timely manner, please contact me and well find a solution:

And before we continue, I have to give an important warning:

After you make your way through the Steps, please be careful who you serve your Mexican dishes to. If you make warm Tomato-Chipotle salsa for a partner, or Egg-Chorizo Breakfast Burritos for your family, or Baja Fish Tacos for a group of friends, they will look at you differently from that point forward. And they are going to ask for your Mexican food again, and again, and again. There, youve been warned.

OK, enough chatting. Lets get to it!