Cooking Classes - Oaxaca? San Miguel?
I am looking to take off for a few days (5 to 7, maybe?) on my own to Mexico this fall and would love to take a cooking class of some sort. I'm totally open to where I end up. I've explored the western end of the Yucatan, have no desire to go anywhere near Cancun, and have never been to Oaxaca or San Miguel. Anybody have any recommendations?
I am a fairly adventurous & hardy traveler, but am looking for downtime, so nothing too rustic! Willing to do an 'all-inclusive' lodging/school, but would also consider finding my own place to stay. I am officially a vegetarian who eats fish, but don't have 'issues' with meat - i.e. would be willing to cook it as part of my education. I cook quite a bit and love learning new skills & flavor combos.
My biggest caveat - I DO NOT speak Spanish!! (sorry, it's on the to-do list to learn...)
Would also consider other desitnations, if anyone would like to suggest other options... Thanks in advance!
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chicgail
Aug 20, 2010 09:04 AM
This is an edit after the fact -- are you talking about San Miguel de Allende? If not, the rest of this post is irrelevant.
Paco Francisco Javier Cardenas Baez, known fondly just as Paco to most people who know him owns Petit Four in San MIguel de Allende, a coffee shop that serves gorgeous pastries. Rick Bayliss tried to recruit him to work at Frontera Grill/Topolobampo in Chicago, but Paco prefers to live in San Miguel.
He used to be the teacher at Sazon. I don't believe he still teaches there. Paco gives superb and fun cooking classes in the outdoor kitchen at his home in one of the hills overlooking SMA. Paco is delightful human being, an excellent teacher and a really fine chef (not just a pastry chef). He designs the classes for the interests and needs of his students. We did one class with him that was vegetarian because it included people who did not eat meat.
I highly recommend him. Please contact me directly and I will give you his email address.
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LewisvilleHounder
Aug 19, 2010 10:20 AM
My wife and I spent a week in Oaxaca and used Toni Sobel. Toni is an American who is married to a Oaxacan and has lived in Oaxaca for 30 years. She is a fabulous guide who is passionate about Oaxaca, its history and it artists. She has a car and provides transportation as well as guiding.
That is from Rick Bayless's website. Toni took us on tours and also we had three days of cooking classes in her home kitchen. It was not set up like a normal tour group. It was just Toni, her husband Javier and us. That is all. It was relaxing not having to keep up with a group or having a set times. Toni was flexible throughout the whole trip. Toni also translates!
http://www.touroaxaca.com/Touroaxaca/Home.html
http://www.rickbayless.com/about/note...
When you are not cooking try out these restaurants:
La Biznaga is a definite try. They have some rotating dishes that combine Oaxacan flavors with other ingerdients.La Capilla in Za'achilla: about 45 minutes out of town, near Zaachila. Serves the pit barbacoa of goat or lamb in avocado leaves. Also good antojitos (especially the tlayudas) and other Oaxacan specialties that you’d find in an outdoor restaurant. Hammocks, live music on holidays. Great tortillas. Unless you have a car, you’ll need to hire a taxi by the hour and have him wait. I would invite the taxi driver to eat. The Chile en Nogada was spectacular there.
In Santa Maria Del Tule: This is the town where the world famous Tule tree is (world's oldest living tree). Pay the youngsters to show you around the tree. When done go inside the market and look for the lady making the quesadillas. Her picture is attached below.
Do not miss the Tlacoula market on Sunday. It is a site to see. Monte Alban was not crowded pic below. Teotitlan Del Valle was a great visit for the process in making a hand woven wool rug by Isaac Vasquez pic below. Mitla was amazing for the history that predated many of the other great Mexican civilizations. San Martin Tilcajete was awesome site to see hand carved and naturally dyed wood carvings pic below.
I would just take a tour with Toni...it would save a lot of time and research.
›2 Replies
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re: LewisvilleHounder
DiningDiva
Aug 19, 2010 12:52 PM
I can heartily endorse Toni Sobel as a knowlegable and passionate guide for Oaxaca. I, too, have had the pleasure of touring with her, tho' my time with her was more related to artesania than food.
The wood carver you visited in San Martin Tilcajete was Jacobo Angeles. He's a great guy whom (or is it who) I just adore. He's done so much to put the wood carvers of his community on the map, plus, he and his family also own and operate the restaurant at the turn off from the main road to the village. I've eaten there and was surprised by how good the food was, an unexpected bonus. You can see carving demonstrations while you're waiting for your food, and they'll show you how the various natural dyes are achieved. The restaurant is on the road from Oaxaca to Ocotlan and while it's certainly not a destination, it was better than expected, you can get a carving demo, and there are clean bathrooms ;-)
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re: DiningDiva
LewisvilleHounder
Aug 19, 2010 01:19 PM
Jacobo and his wife were featured on a TV show about organic foods across the world called Under the Sun with Nathan Leroy.
http://www.veria.com/under-the-sun.html
My wife and I actually made the hike to Jacobo's home where one of the family members was inducted into the presentation of the natural dyes they use to paint with. She was timid as could be but she did a great job. I am sure two years lates she is doing much better. The restaurant was one of our last days in Oaxaca and it lived up to all the others we had. We had actually planned a mixture of food and artesania. Memorable trip indeed!
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LewisvilleHounder
Aug 19, 2010 10:03 AM
My wife and I spent a week in Oaxaca and used Toni Sobel. Toni is an American who is married to a Oaxacan and has lived in Oaxaca for 30 years. She is a fabulous guide who is passionate about Oaxaca, its history and it artists. She has a car and provides transportation as well as guiding.
That is from Rick Bayless's website. Toni took us on tours and also we had three days of cooking classes in her home kitchen. It was not set up like a normal tour group. It was just Toni, her husband Javier and us. That is all. It was relaxing not having to keep up with a group or having a set times. Toni was flexible throughout the whole trip. Toni also translates!
http://www.touroaxaca.com/Touroaxaca/Home.html
http://www.rickbayless.com/about/note...
When you are not cooking try out these restaurants:
La Biznaga is a definite try. They have some rotating dishes that combine Oaxacan flavors with other ingerdients.La Capilla in Za'achilla: about 45 minutes out of town, near Zaachila. Serves the pit barbacoa of goat or lamb in avocado leaves. Also good antojitos (especially the tlayudas) and other Oaxacan specialties that you’d find in an outdoor restaurant. Hammocks, live music on holidays. Great tortillas. Unless you have a car, you’ll need to hire a taxi by the hour and have him wait. I would invite the taxi driver to eat. The Chile en Nogada was spectacular there.
In Santa Maria Del Tule: This is the town where the world famous Tule tree is (world's oldest living tree). Pay the youngsters to show you around the tree. When done go inside the market and look for the lady making the quesadillas. Her picture is attached below.
Do not miss the Tlacoula market on Sunday. It is a site to see.
I would just take a tour with Toni...it would save a lot of time and research.
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Nancy Zaslavsky, the Mexican food expert who wrote A Cooks Tour of Mexico takes small groups to Oaxaca for Day of the Dead each year. She is terrific -- super knowledgeable about ingredients, food, cooking, etc. Loved her one week tour a few years back in a small group of about 10. I traveled alone. Learned tons!! Shopped in folk art villages, went to Monte Alban, etc, too. www.nancyzaslavsky.com
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We happened on this little restaurant in Oaxaca - Casa Crespo - which is just across the street from the Santo Domingo Church. We stopped for a margarita and a couple of botanas - had the stuffed squash flowers and blue-corn mushroom. They were delicious - the man who served us turned out to be the chef, Oscar Carrizosa. He is also an accomplished painter and writer. We returned two days later for a cooking class - just showed up at 10:00 AM. He took us to a small, clean local market; discussed the flowers, herbs, vegetables and chiles and many other foods we saw as we shopped for our cooking supplies. He has a wealth of knowledge about cooking and about pre-colonial food and preparation. We returned to the restaurant and he demonstrated (and made us all participate in preparation) drinks, salsas, tortillas, mole, a chile and cream dish, and ice cream. The company was delightful, the lessons clear, the recipes (sent via e-mail) are very reproduceable.
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The classes listed below at Sazon in San Miguel sound a bit limited, but you could write and ask, or arrange something private. The owner is from Wisconsin, and is therefore exceedingly friendly, and the whole set-up, including the teaching kitchen, is very nicely done.
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I've never been to cooking school in Mexico but based on destination alone, I highly recommend Oaxaca. Not only is it known for at least a couple of good cooking schools, but there are many excellent restaurants and a wonderful, large mercado to explore as well. And when you aren't thinking about food, there are colonial churches, many very good museums, an interesting if small art scene, a charming zocalo (although at the moment it may still have strikers from the unruly teachers strike that has taken place during the summer), and many other great amenities for visitors and locals alike. San Miguel is also charming, but to my taste, more touristy, gringo, and limited in its offerings. I'd choose Oaxaca over San Miguel any time.
If you do a search of this board, you will find extensive discussions and recommendations about Oaxaca.
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DiningDiva
Aug 2, 2006 04:11 PM
There are lots of options for you in both cities.
In Oaxaca Susana Trilling runs the Seasons of My Heart cooking school in Etla which is just outside the City of Oaxaca. Here's the link - http://www.seasonsofmyheart.com/ Spanish not necessary since Susana is an American ex-pat. I've done classes with her and they are fabulous and well worth the price.
Also in Oaxaca is the restaurant El Naranja, Ilana offers single day cooking classes, contact the retaurant for the schedule. Try this link too http://www.food-of-the-gods-festival.com/classes.htm. Also, go to the Oaxaca Hotel Group's web page because they've got links to other food related things in Oaxaca including classes, you kind of have to follow the links. http://www.oaxaca-hotel-group.com
There is an American ex-pat who has lived in SMA for about 20 years and has a restaruant/cooking school/culinary shop. I'm drawing a blank on her name at the moment, but I'm pretty sure you can Google for cooking schools or shops in SMA and it will come up.
