Here in Saint Antonin Noble Val, South West France, Spring is just around the corner. We are surrounded by magnificent and beautiful villages that are ready for you to explore.

If corn is the heart of southwest cooking - then chile must be the soul!With Cynthia's Mexican and Southwest family recipes, you will be able to make the most mouth watering southwest food that you have ever tasted - Guaranteed! Learn everything you need to know about Southwest Cooking.I come from a family of incredible cooks, so when I retired from nursing, I found it only suiting to follow my passions: Education, Art, and Cooking. I really see cooking as another form of artistry, and that makes it even more of a passion. I grew up in the rural Southwest, where all types of “Mexican” foods can be found.My father and husband are both from New Mexico, so I learned early on that not all Mexican food is the same. For me, learning even more about the cuisine, it’s origins, and the bright bold flavors it gives us, is something very satisfying. My father’s family came to New Mexico while it was a territory, his father first and then his mother, arriving right after statehood.My husband's family was there even before that. His parentage comes from Spanish explorer, Alonso varez de Pineda,and a grandmother who was Aztec. On the Gonzales side there is a kinship to the Mexican Revolutionary General, Pancho Villa (1878-1923), and the famous Apache leader, Cochise (1815-1873). Cochise had some roots into Mexico.My husband's grandparents have a history deeply rooted in New Mexico. His grandmother, Felipa, is a feisty little woman of 4 feet, 5 inches, who weighs in at 75 pounds soaking wet. She keeps her kitchen the same as those before her did, always ready for a road weary traveler looking for a meal. I look forward to sharing some of the recipes she has made over the years, so you can taste the Southwest for yourself.I have seen cooking become a dying art in our young people, my daughter included, and I want to do what I can to help revitalize the joy that comes from making something wonderful to share with those you love.Cynthia Detterick-PinedaThe Heart and Soul of Southwest CookingI do not know how many times I have heard someone say how much they love Mexican food, and then wondered if they had really ever eaten Mexican food. Today’s culture has lumped together almost all types of Hispanic cuisine into one big group. I happen to love most all types of Latin American cuisine, including Mexican food. Growing up in the Southwest United States has given me an interesting taste perspective of the various types of foods and cuisines that are available. With society’s cultural mix, people from all parts of the U.S. have been exposed in at least some way to what is commonly called Mexican food.So just what makes a food Mexican food, and does it really have anything to do with Mexico? If we call something Mexican, then it should be Mexican. If we call it Tex-Mex, then it should be influenced by the pioneers and settlers into Texas, and by the Ranchers who supply the beef that way. If it is Cali-Mex, then California cuisine should be fused into the mix. Fusion cooking is not a new idea, it has been the basis of all culinary evolution since people began to travel among the various parts of the world. Maybe one of the easiest ways to see this is to look at the variety of food products used in each of these and in true Mexican food. Of course, we should also consider some of the recipes that have come from each as well.Mexican Cuisine: The Real Deal:True Mexican food can be found in all 31 Mexican states and the federal district. It can also be found in various places around the world where connoisseurs and cooks alike have made Mexican food one of the passions. Just like the regional variances of the United States, foods in Mexico also vary from one area to another. This is just a general overview.Various cultures have added to the foods of Mexico over the years. Originally, it was mainly the Aztec and Mayan Civilizations with their fruits, vegetables and occasional meats. In the 1400’s Spanish Conquistadors brought rice and flour that changed the way breads were made, which were originally made from corn.Some of the most common ingredients in true Mexican cooking consist of:AvocadosBeansCornCacao (Later to be made into Chocolate)Fish in the seaside regionsPeanutsPeppers (yes, the chili kind of peppers, mainly jalapeno chile peppers)PotatoesSaltShrimpSquashTomatillosTomatoesWild game meats in small quantitiesThe Aztec and Mayan styles of cooking can still be found in some areas. The more “exotic” ingredients in their cuisine can include iguana, rattlesnake, deer, spider monkey, and insects. These proteins were the ones available to the ancient Indians inhabiting the area.Tamales were an invention of early Mexican cooks, used much as we do a sandwich today. They were small, portable, and a good meal for the warrior on the go.Until the arrival of the Spanish, the meals were usually bland. When the Spanish Conquistadors came to the Americas, they brought other varieties of flour and new recipes. The introduction of wheat flour and rice changed the way starches such as bread and tortillas were made. Spanish rice came with the Spanish and Quesadillas were introduced. Oregano, sugar, cinnamon, black pepper, and cilantro came with the Spanish. This began the evolution of Mexican food as we know it today.During French occupation of Mexico, even more new foods were introduced. What we know of today as the Bunuelos is believed to have come from the breads made during this time.Onions and garlic, found in most all variations of Mexican and Native American foods may have came in with the European invaders, but the presence of these bulb plants being here already in a wild form along with cilantro, may mean the species used was changed, not the ingredient. Even species to species, taste change.The Spaniards and the French took some of the native foods home, and introduced them into their own cuisine. Mexican food has become a world traveler. New Mexican Cuisine – Land of Enchantment and Enchanting Foods:If any cuisine comes close to true Mexican cooking, then this would have to be the one. After all, New Mexico was part of Mexico up until 1848, and was not even admitted into statehood until 1916. Over the past 100 years New Mexico has come far in it’s recognition as a real state (and yes, there are still a few people out there who have yet to realize that New Mexico is not a part of Mexico).Mainly Navajo, Apache, and various other tribes and pueblo dwellers inhabited the area of New Mexico before the Spanish occupation. New Mexico remains in the top three states having the largest Native American populations. This without a doubt has influenced New Mexican cooking.Cooking in New Mexico is probably best associated with the chilies grown there. Jalapenos are not often the pepper of choice when it comes to New Mexican cooking. It is instead the long green variety. Two areas of the state well known for their Hatch Chile Peppers are Hatch in the South Central region and Chimayo a small village tucked away in Sangre de Cristo Mountains near Santa Fe.New Mexican Cooking, like Mexican cooking, pulls in many of the foods of its native inhabitants:BeansCornCilantroFish in the seaside regionsHominyLong Green Chile PeppersRed Chile Peppers (same as long green, only allowed to ripen and usually dried.Pins aka Pine nutsSquashTomatoesOther indigenous plants such as Cacti, Mesquite and many other plants along the roadside that we think of as weeds.What had affected Mexican cooking in the past, also affected New Mexican cooking. Contributions by the indigenous people of the areas did vary, however. Indian Fry Bread - Indian Tacos is a flour based bread almost identical to the Sopapillas and is found in many places across New Mexico. New Mexican cuisine may be defined more in the way it is cooked, rather than the ingredients in general. Comino (cumin) which is most common in Tex-Mex cooking, is used little in New Mexican cooking. Cumin is not a Mexican spice, as many believe, but a Middle Eastern Spice.Tex-Mex Cuisine - Here Comes the Cowboy Influences:When Texas calls itself “A whole other Country,” I sometimes wonder if they would not be better off calling themselves “A whole lot of countries put together”. Tex-Mex was one of the original spin-offs from Mexican cooking that really strayed far from its roots.Texas is the land of cattle ranches, oil wells and big appetites looking for big bold flavors. Mexican food on it’s own can be bold, colorful, and bursting full of flavor, but Tex-Mex has done it’s best to make it a unique cuisine, with only a few of the roots left intact in many of it’s dishes.Tex-Mex was the driving force behind many of the establishments people consider Mexican food, both fine dining and fast food. It may have even been the starting point of mass-producing the spicy and savory dishes that we have come to consider as Mexican food. Although street vendors are common throughout Mexico and Central America, so they are the real pioneers. What many people do not realize is that Mexican food and Tex-Mex are only cousins in the culinary world.The pioneers and settlers to Texas were more influential on Tex-Mex cuisine than any other group of peoples. The cattle ranchers brought beef, which although it had been introduced previously into Mexican cuisine, was prevalent in many dishes. It was even added to dishes, which previously were meatless (Enchiladas in particular). In fact, enchiladas are one of the best examples of how all these cuisines vary on one single dish, so we will take a better look at shortly, and maybe you will even get a good taste as well! Pioneers coming from other parts of the country, and even other countries, were bringing the flavors of their culture into Texas, and these would be mixed into Tex-Mex cooking as well.The 1830’s marked the beginning of German immigration into Texas. By the time of the Civil war, Texas had numerous German settlements. Many of these were near San Antonio, which is often considered the heart of Tex-Mex cooking. Although it most likely originated in the Middle East, sour cream was a favorite in Germany and came in with the settlers. Sour cream is among one of the stapes of Tex-Mex food, for both cooking and as a cooling garnish.Tex-Mex is noted for its unique usage of sour cream, large amounts of cheese and meat, heavy use of Comino (cumin), jalapenos, and even olives. Tex-Mex was a fusion just waiting to happen, and it continues to evolve even today.Cali-Mex Cuisine:California is another state sharing a border with Mexico, as well as a history of being a part of Mexico. California cooking would bring even more new and unique taste combinations to Mexican cooking. Fresh vegetables and fruits grown in the state would help to do this.The meats are most often shredded, not ground like Tex-Mex cooking, and the recipes are consistent with a lot of California cuisine in that fact they are "lighter." They still contain a bright, bold taste, just a bit of a different taste.Even Cali-Mex has its divisions. People in the north are accustomed to one sort of cooking, while people down near the Baja peninsula prefer “Baja Mex”.This is the same all over, each region adds to or takes from the basic recipes of Mexican cooking, and makes it their own. These are unique recipes, often passed down to family members. For some families, these may be the die-hard traditions of holidays, family celebrations and their own “comfort food.”Mexitalian Cuisine:Ok, I will admit it. I don’t know if something like this actually exists as a term or not. I just had to add it, with a comment made by my parents after a trip into the Northeast a few years back.While on a long RV trip up into the North East part of the US, through Eastern Canada and into Nova Scotia, my parents got a craving for some Mexican food. They were camped somewhere in Vermont and found a restaurant they thought would satisfy this craving. The food looked good on the plate when it was brought out, but the first bite would bring disappointment to satisfying their craving. They said the taste was definitely Italian.Now I am not saying the food was bad, or there is anything wrong with the spin the restaurant had on their cooking, it just was not Mexican food.There are many shared ingredients in Italian and Mexican cooking, as well as other cuisines, so flavorings could be similar depending on the cooking method. I think that true Mexican food, or any of the variations from it, should be called just what it is and be proud for what it is.There are followers for each and every one of these variations and some who love them all. There are those who will go to blows over the classification of a meal, and those who just want whatever “Mexican food” is presented to them.So next time you think you want Mexican food, stop and think is it really Mexican food you

From the prolific author of The Moon Within comes the heart-wrenchingly beautiful story in verse of a young Latinx girl who learns to hold on to hope and love even in the darkest of places: a family detention center for migrants and refugees. Nine-year-old Betita knows she is a crane. Papi has told her the story, even before her family fled to Los Angeles to seek refuge from cartel wars in Mexico. The Aztecs came from a place called Aztlan, what is now the Southwest US, called the land of the cranes. They left Aztlan to establish their great city in the center of the universe-Tenochtitlan, modern-day Mexico City. It was prophesized that their people would one day return to live among the cranes in their promised land. Papi tells Betita that they are cranes that have come home. Then one day, Betita's beloved father is arrested by Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) and deported to Mexico. Betita and her pregnant mother are left behind on their own, but soon they too are detained and must learn to survive in a family detention camp outside of Los Angeles. Even in cruel and inhumane conditions, Betita finds heart in her own poetry and in the community she and her mother find in the camp. The voices of her fellow asylum seekers fly above the hatred keeping them caged, but each day threatens to tear them down lower than they ever thought they could be. Will Betita and her family ever be whole again? Product DetailsISBN-13: 9781338343809 Media Type: Hardcover Publisher: Scholastic Inc. Publication Date: 09-15-2020 Pages: 256 Product Dimensions: 5.80(w) x 7.60(h) x 1.10(d) Age Range: 8 - 12 YearsAbout the Author Aida Salazar is an award-winning author and arts activist whose writings for adults and children explore issues of identity and social justice. She is the author of the middle-grade verse novels The Moon Within (International Latino Book Award Winner), Land of the Cranes (Américas Award Winner), and the forthcoming biography picture book Jovita Wore Pants: The Story of a Mexican Freedom Fighter. With Yamile Saied Méndez, she is slated to co-edit Calling the Moon, a middle-grade anthology on menstruation by writers of color. She is a founding member of Las Musas, a Latinx kidlit debut author collective. Her short story "By the Light of the Moon" was adapted into a ballet production by the Sonoma Conservatory of Dance and is the first Xicana-themed ballet in history. She lives with her family of artists in a teal house in Oakland, California.

My husband and I loved this salad the first time we ate it at Applebee's. After eating it three times my husband asked them for the ingredients in the dressing. The waitress told us the ingredients, so I went home and worked on a version we feel tastes just as delicious. —Pamela Shank, Parkersburg, West Virginia

For one of the best ice skating rinks in New Mexico, you'll want to head to Cloudcroft Ice Rink in Cloudcroft.

Is Toulouse worth visiting? Check out the top reasons why this Pink City should be on your radar, or why you might want to pass on it.

Traditional Welsh gifts don’t have to be complicated. In fact, sometimes it’s the simple things that speak to someone’s heart, like tea.

GOLD of a ripe oat straw, gold of a southwest moon, Canada thistle blue and flimmering larkspur blue, Tomatoes shining in the October sun with red hearts, Shining five and six in a row on a wooden

Visitors to Sedona will enjoy the wares, art, dining, and drinking at the Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village! Click here to learn more about what to explore in Sedona.

Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val a village that grew around an abbey and the legend of a saint and became a center of commerce on the Aveyron river.

Title: Mail-Order Brides of the Southwest book collection Author: Heidi Vanlandingham Genre: American Historical Western Romance Book Blurb: A historical western family saga filled with desperation, turmoil, and love. Lucie: Bride of Tennessee Taking a bride for the sake of his daughter, he discovers a second chance at love. To provide for herself and her younger brother, Lucie Croft accepts a mail-order bride contract in Chattanooga. Fate, however, has other things in store for her when her int

{"crowdriff":" ","related_listings":{"related_listing_title":["11th Street Station","Brew Pub and Kitchen","Carver Brewing Co.","Animas Brewing Company","Ska Brewing Co.","Steamworks Brewing Co.","The Office Spiritorium","Diamond Belle Saloon","Eno Wine Bar and Coffee Cafe","Durango Craft Spirits"]},"related_posts":{"related_post_id":["9750","10123","8932","9195"]}}

These protein-packed salads are perfect for spring. Plus, they boast a high fiber and low calorie count which can help support weight loss.

In California wine country, a sleek farmhouse is built to evoke elegant rusticity within its vineyard surroundings

Stay informed with the latest news from KTLA! Our up-to-date platform offers breaking regional and international stories, ensuring you never miss a crucial update. Get the most reliable and comprehensive coverage from the industry-leading source, KTLA.

Transform steak into a nutritious meal by serving it atop this lively Southwest-inspired salad recipe. If you make the dressing when you marinate the steak, this meal comes together quickly.

A ginger, soy and chili-garlic sauce plus a kimchi topping takes these chicken tacos on a Korean flavor vacation.

In southwest Wisconsin, Richland Center is a farming town that welcomes travelers who are seeking a true Dairy State escape.

Naples is the birthplace of pizza, but there are many more delicious things to eat in Campania - Just Heading Out

Here's my guide to the most beautiful towns in the Occitanie region of sunny southwest France. Occitanie is a secret out of the way land of wine and wonder -- chock full of art, castles, wine, and cassoulet. And not chock full of tourists.

A travel guide to 5 of the most charming towns in southwest France including Najac, the medieval Cordes sur Ciel and the charming Saint Cirq La Popie.

Ham slices, shredded Gouda cheese with dill pickles and a dash of mustard make a delicious quesadilla.

...

Try this delicious Sanderson Farms Peruvian Roasted Chicken Thighs recipe: http://sandersonfarms.com/recipes/peruvian-roasted-chicken-thighs/

From the prolific author of The Moon Within comes the heart-wrenchingly beautiful story in verse of a young Latinx girl who learns to hold on to hope and love even in the darkest of places: a family detention center for migrants and refugees. Nine-year-old Betita knows she is a crane. Papi has told her the story, even before her family fled to Los Angeles to seek refuge from cartel wars in Mexico. The Aztecs came from a place called Aztlan, what is now the Southwest US, called the land of the cranes. They left Aztlan to establish their great city in the center of the universe-Tenochtitlan, modern-day Mexico City. It was prophesized that their people would one day return to live among the cranes in their promised land. Papi tells Betita that they are cranes that have come home. Then one day, Betita's beloved father is arrested by Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) and deported to Mexico. Betita and her pregnant mother are left behind on their own, but soon they too are detained and must learn to survive in a family detention camp outside of Los Angeles. Even in cruel and inhumane conditions, Betita finds heart in her own poetry and in the community she and her mother find in the camp. The voices of her fellow asylum seekers fly above the hatred keeping them caged, but each day threatens to tear them down lower than they ever thought they could be. Will Betita and her family ever be whole again? This critically acclaimed novel, Land of the Cranes, joins the Scholastic Gold line, which features award-winning and beloved novels. Includes exclusive bonus content! Product DetailsISBN-13: 9781338343861 Media Type: Paperback Publisher: Scholastic Inc. Publication Date: 05-17-2022 Pages: 272 Product Dimensions: 5.20(w) x 7.50(h) x 0.80(d) Age Range: 8 - 12 YearsAbout the Author Aida Salazar is an award-winning author and arts activist whose writings for adults and children explore issues of identity and social justice. She is the author of the middle-grade verse novels The Moon Within (International Latino Book Award Winner), Land of the Cranes (Américas Award Winner), and the forthcoming biography picture book Jovita Wore Pants: The Story of a Mexican Freedom Fighter. With Yamile Saied Méndez, she is slated to co-edit Calling the Moon, a middle-grade anthology on menstruation by writers of color. She is a founding member of Las Musas, a Latinx kidlit debut author collective. Her short story "By the Light of the Moon" was adapted into a ballet production by the Sonoma Conservatory of Dance and is the first Xicana-themed ballet in history. She lives with her family of artists in a teal house in Oakland, California.

When you think of visiting a museum, you probably imagine ... Read more

In this unspoiled and sun-drenched corner of southern Italy, families can achieve the summer vacation trifecta of high culture, great food, and truly relaxing beach time—and make sightseeing, especially with little ones, feel serendipitous rather than onerous. Traveler Editor in Chief Pilar Guzmán recently explored the region with her own family, and came home with a glowing review.