MEXICAN COOKING DEMOSTRATION AND THE BREAKING OF THE PIÑATA
On April 11th, 2016, the ballroom of the Far East – Shangri-la hotel was lighted, beautiful and happily decorated to host the ladies of the Welcome to Taipei, International group to “”The Mexican cooking demonstration””. My purpose was to make a brief and warm presentation of Mexico in two different aspects, Culinary and Traditions, without forgetting: that Mexico is a country with many more contrasts, many more traditions, and it is populated by diverse charismatic and more interesting people.
I chose carefully the recipes to be the ones more representative of my land and the more appreciated by international palates. Likewise, I thought of the easiness to find the ingredients in Taipei, and that the ladies trying these recipes will not struggle in replicating them.
Guacamole is almost a trade mark of Mexico. Through the preparation of a guacamole bowl, I shared with you my secret recipes as well: additionally to the original version of guacamole, I added the one with mango, and the other one, with fresh pineapple, that you can adopt according to your tastes, preferences, and weather in your own countries.
The second, dish was the easy to cook “beef with onions, tomatoes , and all colors of bell peppers”. Simple dish, but keeping the juices of the meat and vegetables, you get a tasty main dish, that you can accompany with red or white rice and delicious corn tortillas, products easily available everywhere.
For dessert, I showed you how to prepare a simple fruit salad, with two fruits of the season in Taiwan. In April, it was tangerine or mandarin slices mixed with a highly popular fruit you have in Taiwan in abundance: Jicama ( dou shu) marinated only with little amount of sugar and orange juices.
As a second part of the demonstration, I thought convenient to show you what a Piñata Festivity is. Piñatas feast, which originated many years ago as a religious tradition, nowadays they have become part of every family celebration, either for birthdays, school parties, or simply as part of our December Festivities for children and adults alike. As I showed in the screens, there are entire towns dedicated to the fabrication in great scale of Piñatas, for the consumption of our Mexican population, as well as for exportation to other countries. Piñatas can be in the form of any animated design characters, fruits, faces of animals, or music instruments, anything can be replicated as Piñata. They are made of different sorts of colorful papers forming the well-known paper matche.
The game goes like this: The family members prepare their own piñatas at home, or simply buy them. Long time ago, all members of the family participated in the fabrication, piñatas were made out of clay pots, instead of paper matche, as it is nowadays. Once the piñata is decorated, they fill them up with sweets and fruits. Families go out to the small patios or gardens to hang the Piñata with the use of a cord and they name two members of the family to be in charge of the delicate task of bringing the piñata up and down, or from right to left, trying to avoid the hitting of the blind-folded person in turn. All of these actions were and continue to be part of the fun, to cheat the person who is trying to break it, and the holders of the piñata, trying to put it in unexpected sides. Every person has 3 or 4 chances of hitting and breaking the Piñata, and if he is unable to accomplish the task, he is obliged to pass the broom stick to the next person in line.
The breaking of the Piñata is the highest point of joy of this innocent event, and all kind of fruits or sweets are spread into the floor. The only expectations of all the attending people are : who can get the more fruits or who get the more sweets.
On April 11th, I presented three colorful big Piñatas, two for the decoration of the ballroom, and one to be broken among the audience of ladies or their husbands. I think everyone, of all ages and nationalities, enjoyed this unexpected activity: to my deep happiness!
This Piñata tradition started long, long time ago as a Catholic religious event, celebrated for 8 consecutive nights, starting on December 16th through the 24th, commemorating the 8 days and nights that The Virgin Mary was asking for a place where to rest and eventually give birth to her son: Jesus. The 8 nights of commemoration are called “Posadas” in Spanish or “Inn” in English ,meaning a place where to pass the night. Celebrations like these were done by rich or poor at their homes in every corner of our city and of our country. Dancing and happiness followed the breaking of the Piñata.
Posadas are well passed, due to economic restrictions, but PIÑATAS remain as part of our enjoyable inheritance to children and adults, and, in this April 11th, 2016, PIÑATAS appeared in Taipei, for the delight of our international friends attending this event.
With these words, and the fresh taste of Mexican food and the revival of Mexican traditions I say to you: “”HASTA LA VISTA””, dear friends of Welcome to Taipei. Thank you to all organizers of the “”Welcome to Taipei International Club.””
By Silvia Villascan.
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