Mexican Fiesta, Part 2

Welcome back!! Did you find some inspiration on Pinterest? Did  you pick up everything you needed from the store?  I did most of my shopping at Vallarta, a Latin grocery chain in LA.  They have really great produce for cheap and make their own tortillas, essential for an authentic taco party.  [Note to self: next time take photos of Vallarta, because it's kind of like shopping at Disneyland.  It's so colorful and everything smells AMAzing.]

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, I tend to mentally edit my menu while grocery shopping.  For example, I was planning on making a coconut bark or cocada as a dessert option. The recipe calls for 2 ingredients, sweetened shredded coconut & condensed milk (the basis of any great dessert, IMHO.)  Plus, the cocada can be baked ahead of time. Win.  However, when shopping at Vallarta, I couldn't find the shredded coconut milk in the baking aisle.  I suppose I could go to the Ralph's across the street from my house to pick it up, but I try to avoid multiple grocery store trips, if I can.  Instead, I picked up some paletas or popsicles in fun, summery flavors like lime and chile cucumber. Voila! Dessert is taken care of.

I was also planning on buying pre-made pico de gallo and guacamole, but I wasn't thrilled with the quality of the selection at the store yesterday.  So instead, I delegated the salsa + guac to a couple of guests who wanted to bring something.  Check.  I cut the salsa borracha because I didn't buy tequila yesterday.  Plus, the steak is pre-marinated, so I think it will be well seasoned enough.

Here's what my revised menu looks like today:

Steak tacos - purchased 2 lbs of pre-marinated carne asada or flap meat from the butcher
Shrimp tacos - 2 lbs of unshelled shrimps
Rajas, creamed poblano chiles, grocery stores sometimes label poblanos as pasilla chiles
Taco toppings - white onion, radishes, cilantro, limes, also added Mexican green onions for grilling

Salsas:  salsa borracha, pico de gallo, guacamole = delegated!
Cocada, coconut bark  Replaced with paletas, keep in the cooler with the beer
Beer + agua fresca - purchased watermelon & grapefruit, I'm still on the fence about the agua fresca, as it involves transporting juice... Might just chop the watermelon to eat as is

So, what do we need to accomplish today?

Day Before Party - Cook Any Make Ahead Dishes Today

A taco party really is pretty genius for a first time hostess because everything is just chop, chop, chop, a quick grill and the guests can assemble their own.

The one dish I want to make ahead of time is the rajas, which I've never made before.  They can then be served at room temp as a taco filling tomorrow afternoon.

The recipe I'm adapting comes from Fresh Mexico by Chef Marcela Valladolid.

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 white onion, thinly sliced

2 c fresh corn kernels (from 2 ears)

6 poblano chiles, charred, peeled, stemmed, seeded, and cut into strips

1/2 c Mexican crema, or creme fraiche

1/2 c shredded Oaxaca cheese or mozzarella cheese

Salt + pepper

1.  Heat oil in a large skillet.  Saute the onion for 5 minutes.  Add the corn kernels for an additional 3 minutes.

2.  Add the chile strips to the corn mixture and cook for 5 minutes, or until corn is tender.  Add the crema and cook for 8 minutes, or until bubbling.

3.  Add the cheese and stir until melty and smooth.  Season with salt & pepper to taste.

4.  Cool, cover and refrigerate.

Done and done.

Now all that's left for tomorrow is to chop all of the taco toppings, grill the meat and pour a cold beverage!

Mexican Fiesta, Part 1

I've been doing a lot of soul searching lately; or, rather, blog searching. There are so many food blogs out there that I admire.  You can take a look at some of my favorites on the blog roll.  And it seems like every day I am discovering a new labor of love and deliciousness online.  The only downside to this outburst is that there's an over-saturation in the marketplace.  A blog now needs a point of differentiation from its competitors.  And we are all competing against each other, be it for eye balls, clicks, likes, follows, reposts, etc.

So, I asked myself, what sets my blog apart from others?  I haven't focused on a specific cuisine or way of eating and let's face it, my posting has been sporadic at best.  But all that is in the past!  I have found a purpose and a focus to my blog and it this: party planning!  I absolutely love the process of planning a shindig, from menu planning to grocery shopping to tablescaping.  It's a talent I've learned from my mother.  Any excuse for a party and she's there with a batch of margaritas and themed napkins.  [Seriously, I think she has an addiction to IKEA napkins.]

With that said, my inaugural series on Party Planning 101 is a summer Mexican Fiesta!  Originally, I had planned this party around Cinco de Mayo, but had to reschedule due to a busy month of May.  We are now on track for a kick-off to summer date!

Okay, where do we begin, you ask?  Party planning can seem daunting, but I think if you do a little prep work and keep things simple (ala Barefoot Contessa), you can pull off a festive get-together for any occasion!

2-3 Days Before Party - Menu Planning + Grocery Shopping

This is the fun part! The sky is the limit! Pour a cup of coffee [or a glass of rose], pull a bunch of magazines & cookbooks for inspiration, and peruse Pinterest for inspiration.  [Shameless plug - follow me on Pinterest!!]

Once inspiration has hit and you're feeling jazzed, jot down a few menu items that you'd like to make.  Things to keep in mind:

*Venue - indoors/outdoors, access to stove/grill/oven
*Number of guests - one dish items that can feed a crowd are a life saver
*Dietary concerns - my friends eat pretty much everything, but there are a few gluten-free & vegetarians in the mix
*Time - make as much ahead as you can, so that you can enjoy the party too!
*Know what to make, know what to buy from the store
*Outsource - delegate one or two dishes (or ice!) to a few of your (responsible) party guests
*Drinks - beer, wine, one signature cocktail, and one non-alcoholic option

After flipping through a few issues of my trusty Bon Appetit and Chef Marcela's Fresh Mexico, here's what I wrote down as a jumping off point:

Steak tacos - probably won't make the cilantro radish salsa, instead I'll serve cilantro, radishes & cotija cheese as toppings
Shrimp tacos - marinated in chile adobo, garlic & lime and then grilled on skewers
Rajas, creamed poblano chiles
Taco toppings + salsas:  salsa borracha, pico de gallo, guacamole
Cocada, coconut bark
Beer + agua fresca + Squirt - I adore palomas and one of my co-workers swears that the best paloma is made with tequila & Squirt!

Not too shabby, right?  I have about 10 people coming, so this should be just right for a taco bar.  Now to write up my grocery list and buy all my supplies.  Remember, this menu is NOT set in stone.  I usually do a mental edit while shopping, depending on whether or not I can find all the ingredients I need.

1 day down, 2 to go!

[Click here to go to Part 2]