Café Mexicano

...in Laredo, TX...

...even before I opened my eyes in the early morning the first thing I heard were the roosters trumpeting their good morning call... then my sense of smell was assaulted by the smell of fresh coffee and tortillas being prepared... That was all I needed to get my skinny self up and going... (and YES... back then I WAS skinny!) :-p

Earlier in my life, I used to wake up with my Nana by my bedside with that incredible gleam in her eye. That meant that we were going to share something special... and something secret.

We did our Mexican Coffee ritual on the first and last day of my summer vacation and many times over the Christmas holidays...


I'd like to share this with you right now...

You will need the following Ingredients and tools for this very special "cafecito..."

A Coffee Maker
A 1 inch length of Canela (Mexican Cinnamon)
2 tspns Pure Mexican Vanilla
Your favorite Coffee
A small Pot
½ Cup Water
Popular Mexican Chocolate
Creme (optional)
Sugar (optional)
Whipped Creme to Garnish (optional)

My favorite coffee is Maxwell House, so that is what I use. Pure Mexican Vanilla, I use La Vencedora brand from Mexico. ...and Canela.

Can - WHAT? Canela. Canela is true cinnamon, or Ceylon cinnamon. Cinnamomum zeylanicum. This is actually grown in Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon). What is sold as cinnamon here in the United States is not right for Mexican food. What is sold here is Cinnamomum cassia. An extremely inferior hard wood. Canela is a very soft wood... almost crumbly in texture. Whenever I use "cinnamon" in my recipes, I'm referring to Canela. The delicate flavor of this spice blends well with other spices without the harsh spikey flavor of cassia. I will also warn you here that the canela sold in most Cuban and Caribbean stores here in the States is most likely cassia or another of the substitutes. This goes for both sticks or powdered. Unless you TRUST the source, buy it from a reputable Mexican Market. I've learned this the hard way. Remember; all you need is about an inch-long piece to flavor about 8 cups of coffee!

As you an see, I combine both the coffee and the canela in the brew hopper and then simply begin brewing my coffee!

...and now about chocolate!

I use the Mexican Brand, Popular, which when opened looks looks like little rectangles. These are prepared with ground cacao beans, almonds, sugar, and cinnamon.

Since I enjoy a nice strong chocolate flavor, I use one square for each cup of coffee.

What a way to start the day! I'm telling you my Nana knew her stuff!

I put two squares of chocolate into a ½ cup of water.

You can use milk instead of water for a richer flavor!

Keep stirring until the chocolate completely dissolves.

Once that completely dissolves, add 2 tspns Pure Mexican Vanilla.

...moving right along..

Add about 4 tbspns of the chocolate/vanilla mixture into the bottom of your coffee cup.

Add your prepared coffee infused with canela...

...NOW...

Top with whipped cream. Grab some pan dulce (sweet bread), and ENJOY!

This was a ritual Mama Candelaria, my grandmother, and I used to enjoy on the first and last day of my summer vacation and then we secretly included my mother during the Christmas holidays.

I hope that you make this on mornings that you want to pamper yourself...

...Rare is the morning that I don't fix this comfort cup for me and those I love...

¡BUEN PROVECHO!

This blog is more of an ongoing cookbook of Mexican Cooking than anything else. ORIGINAL MEXICAN COOKING! Creating a little bit of home away from home. Notice I said ORIGINAL and not AUTHENTIC. Authentic doesn't really exist any more. Mexico has been under so many flags that it's authenticity has not only been compromised, but totally lost.

I'm NOT a professional chef. I've not been to Cordon Bleu, or The Cooking Institute of America. I grew up cooking along side mi madrecita - Carmen, mi Nana - Candelaria, and mi Tia Beatriz. ...and not all in the same kitchen at the same time. They each had their own flavor and each firmly believed that the other's cooking was better. Well, except for my Tia Beatriz. (Tia = Aunt). She firmly believed that she had the golden touch. So... in all my tiny wisdom, I chose to learn the best from of each of these fine ladies and create an original style that complemented each of them and at the same time capture the flavors of my youth.

I miss my mother's cooking. GOOD MEXICAN COOKING! Some restaurants almost get it right. Most totally fail. They each claim authenticity where it no longer exists. Mexico's cooking has been influenced by Spaniards, Germans, French, Cubans, Puerto Ricans, English, Polish, Italians... you name it...

About ten years ago, I visited Mexico. I went to the same restaurants in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas that I had spent all of the summers of my youth eating in. Expecting the same flavors I had experienced way back then. I was literally shocked. Tastes and flavors and even the smells were off. What had happened? The WORLD had come to Mexico and Mexicans had acculturated. Mexico had sacrificed it's flavors for a less Mexican but more international palate.

Well - This simply cannot be, I thought to myself. Where did all my flavors go? The Mexican oregano tasted more like Greek oregano... Don't get me wrong, Greek oregano has it's place. But it is no match for that good old weed I used to harvest along train tracks near the house or along the Zacate Creek. A strong robust flavor... and the comino... where was my comino. (Cumin) Some things you just can't do without!

Allow me to guide you through the memories of my youth and revisit the palate I grew up knowing. If I slip into Spanish, please excuse my doing so... I promise to try to catch myself and also put everything down in English.

My sister, Mary Macias will have a hand in this as well... She will tell me when things here are a bit off and I'll come back and edit. Between the two of us, we'll help make your kitchen a part of our family. She will have recipes to pass down to her children and her children's children. Mary lives in Corpus Christi, Texas with two of my nephews, Manuelito, and Zef.
My name is León Cano. I'm a singer living in Nashville, TN and I miss the home of my youth and most of all, I miss my family... Of course, at 57, that should come as no surprise.

Cook with a LOVE in your heart. LOVE is always the main ingredient.

Buen Provecho!