In Mexico, where I grew up, women rule the kitchen. They control everything that happens; they hold the power.
I had a lot of female role models around me as a kid, but my aunt Marcela Rodriguez was the strongest. When she was only 26, she opened Artes Culinarias Internacionales, one of the first culinary schools in Baja. She started with six students and built up to 800.
Supermarket cherry tomatoes do serve a purpose, but the flavor is vastly different than those from your own garden. Same for broccoli and snap peas.
I'm usually pretty good about knowing which of my social media posts will create more excitement, but every once in a while I'll post something and be totally surprised at the response.
I hate perfect centerpieces and formal tablescapes.
Tijuana is a baby compared to pre-Hispanic cities like Puebla or Oaxaca, the birthplace of mole.
In Tijuana, because there's such a mix and match of people and regions and we're a newer city and everyone comes from some place else, I think we're just given permission to play with our food.
Usually when I have a salad it's pretty hearty, balanced and healthy and a full meal.
Honestly, I'm not a big fan of having a salad before a meal.
I love warm salads with bacon and spinach. I love the varieties of the nicoise that show up on so many menus. I love steak salads for their lusciousness and how the meat juices seep into the dressing.
The combination of charred poblanos and corn is a classic one in Mexico and once added to a rich, creamy dressing and soft potatoes, it makes for the perfect summer side.
We do two things almost every week - either grilled steaks marinated in herbs or roasted chicken. There's always a roasted vegetable, like Brussels sprouts or sweet potatoes or broccolini - whatever's in season.
I love to shop at the farmer's market or grab something from the garden and roast that.
We'll do frozen pizzas and then I'll get arugula from the garden and do a fresh salad over the top with shaved Parmesan. Or we'll buy a rotisserie chicken already made, and then we'll make tacos and a fresh salsa and we'll grill some vegetables to accompany it. We definitely try to make it a little bit homemade if it's not completely homemade.
The more you make an effort, the more life gives you things to be grateful for.
I kind of love the idea of teaching our kids that you don't have to follow the rules to be incredibly successful and live in harmony and have a wonderful life.
I cook healthy meals all the time. That's really important to me.
Cannot deal with cumin. We are not friends.
My life revolves around chipotles.
Growing up in Mexico, I know what real Mexican food is - and isn't.
