Puerto Vallarta Rentals Blog

Daily access to authentic Mexican cooking
is one of the special perks of spending a week or two in a Condo in Puerto Vallarta. Genuine Mexican cuisine produces a mouth-watering scent and savory taste that can only be achieved using traditional recipes and spices
. If you want to learn the art of Mexican cooking, you’re going to need a few special ingredients that may be a bit new to you.

* Chiles: Many recipes include chiles, and not just your garden-variety chiles. You may be surprised to learn the number of different types of chiles, and each brings its own special properties to the table, so to speak. Anchos are mild and aromatic; the aromatic pasilla is essential for mole; chile de arbol is incredibly hot.

* Cumin: this spice was originally found in hot and dry regions of the Middle East. Today, it features prominently in several international cuisines, including Mexican dishes. Some recipes call for cumin seeds and others ground cumin. This is a strong spice that should be used with a delicate touch so it doesn’t overpower the other flavors in your dish.

* Cilantro and coriander: there’s a reason to list these two spices in one place – they both come from the same plant. Cilantro is the leaf. It has a strong scent which helps bring out other flavors in your favorite dishes; use only fresh cilantro to get the best results. Coriander is the seed; it adds a warm, sweet flavor to dishes.

* Mexican oregano: this one may not be what you’re thinking – it comes from an entirely different plant family than Mediterranean oregano (the common variety). The plant is native to Mexico; the herb is stronger and sweeter than common oregano, and it’s a “must have” in many traditional Mexican dishes.

Fine Mexican cuisine also uses a number of other, more common spices that you’re likely to find in any good spice collection, including the one in your Condo in Puerto Vallarta.

* Bay leaf: this leaf was favored in ancient Greece and featured in mythology, when it was known by its other name, laurel. This spice has a distinctive strong scent and a slightly bitter taste.

* Cinnamon sticks: this delightful, aromatic spice is actually the inner bark of a tree. That’s right, and it is so popular that once upon a time, folks used it as currency.