And…We’re Off!

June 7, 2024

We are thrilled to announce the  continued pioneering legacy of Culinary Adventures Inc by offering trips from a different angle that put the now “usual” culinary trip to Mexico on its head!

We are determined to re-focus Mexican cuisines on their places of origin to build an understanding of where the contemporary (and modern) riffs are coming from. Our trips will start and end in Mexico City (unless otherwise noted), transporting as a group to the region of interest, then back for a final wrap up with our longtime friend and collaborator, Chef Ricardo Zurita. Chef Ricardo puts your experiences together cohesively in an unforgettable masterclass (and meal!) sharing his years of research, investigation and profound love for our cuisines.

Our Trips Include: •regional cooking classes •demos •3 meals/day with group, hotel (based on double occupancy) •ground transportation (and air within Mexico, when applicable) •all fees associated with the trip (entrance fees, tips and similar)  

Excluded are: •alcoholic beverages (apart from any we consider pertinent to a class or meal) •your airfare to and from Mexico •early arrival or departure accommodations •excess baggage fees •travel insurance (strongly recommended)

Group size: A maximum of 14 guests like a large family at a restaurant in Mexico, and a minimum of 6 to keep things going.

NEW ITEM: Due to inflation since 2019, we’ve come up with a sliding scale system to encourage spreading the word and, as always, make the concept of a group the size of a large family out for a meal appealing– and it is culturally understandable in Mexico. Each upcoming trip will state its own sliding scale.

I do like to reiterate that we are the pioneers of these culinary trips in Mexico and have done them with a deep respect for our country. I continue to stand up for fair payment and respect to the people in each region we visit. Our country and its rich cultures are not a bargain, nor should any culture be so, anywhere.  75% of your fee goes just to the cooks, artisans, guides and food related places and personas!

Please see Upcoming Trips for a specific trip’s information and please email,  text or WhatsApp (760)577-2810 for any questions! 

          Hasta pronto- Carmen

“Cocina de fiesta: Oaxaca” August 31-September 10, 2024

June 7, 2024
Cook Reyna Mendoza at market in Teotitlán del Valle, Oaxaca

For our Oaxaca trip, we will begin (and end) in Mexico City, flying as a group to and from the Nation’s capital to Oaxaca City. There we shall contrast, what I call, the Euro-centric methods and viewpoints of local Chefs with the reality of the truly sophisticated origins via regional Cooks.

Fiesta is a word misunderstood and mistaken not only outside of, but within Mexico. There exists no one fiesta in Mexico, there are countless- and we are going to Oaxaca to explore the day by day making of just one celebrated in the Zapotec town of Teotitlán del Valle, where the renowned Cook, Reyna Mendoza, will demonstrate and share her culture’s traditions in a day by day breakdown of preparations for a specific fiesta. This is not voyeuristic; this is a sharing of knowledge and traditions, with Cook Mendoza taking our guests into her culture and thereby building deeper understanding and respect for and of each other.

Please arrive early to Mexico City to join our group from the onset, when we gather around 5pm at our hotel for introductions and a conversation about our trip’s focus with Jafet Durán, followed by cena at one of our favorite (now Michelin noted!) restaurants. The following morning, post breakfast, we head to the airport and fly to Oaxaca. Here, we will have daily classes and experiences in Teotitlán del Valle with Cook Reyna Mendoza and other noted talent; contrasted by classes and demos with regional chefs and their delicious innovations with their beloved region’s ingredients. And of course, there will be market visits, market meals, hip meals, mezcal tasting, non food related cultural excursions and yes, a little free time to explore on your own.

On our final full day back in Mexico City, Chef Ricardo Zurita will put together our culinary experiences in Oaxaca cohesively, at an unforgettable class and meal, sharing his years of investigation and love for Oaxacan cuisines. Departure morning includes breakfast at our hotel and transportation to the airport.

“Cocina de fiesta: Oaxaca 2024” starts at $6250* (see SLIDING SCALE SYSTEM) and includes: 7 cooking classes, 4 demos, 9 nights hotel (based on double occupancy), 3 meals/day, RT airfare within Mexico (Mexico City-Oaxaca-Mexico City), and all fees associated with the trip, excluding airfare to/from Mexico. [The fee for a single supplement is $400.00] Minimum participants: 6.

* SLIDING SCALE SYSTEM

Group Size (per person, double occupancy)

      6              $6250           

      8              $5350

     10             $4850

     12             $4550

     14             $4250

We have limited space and reservation time, so if interested in participating, a $550 deposit is due when signing up and final payment by July 30th. Your will receive an informative trip schedule after signing up.

With our sliding scale system, your final payment will be adjusted to the number of participants accordingly. In the extreme case of the minimum 6 participants not being met, your Culinary Adventures Inc trip deposit and payments will be fully refunded. 

Not included: •alcoholic beverages (apart from any we consider pertinent to a class or meal) •your airfare to and from Mexico •transport from international arrival •early arrival or departure accomodations •travel insurance •excess baggage fees •airline cancellation fees We strongly recommend purchasing refundable tickets and travel insurance. 

We look forward to receiving you in Mexico, sharing aspects of our cultures not designed for the tourist but indeed to create comprehension and esteem amongst each other! As I stated years ago, on our very first trip, I want to create Mexicophiles! For any questions, please email us at office@culinaryadventuresinc.com or send a text or WhatsApp to Carmen: (760)577-2810.

Hello Out There!

February 1, 2024

To both those who know me and those I have yet to meet- ¡¿cómo están?!!! Mostly leaving the exhausting Covid era out of the conversation- I do send my love to those affected by it and loving remembrances to those we lost.

After a long hiatus from our travels with groups, I am very happy to announce upcoming trips and a variety of services, some born from the pandemic- and others which have always existed on my part but not “advertised” in the past by Marilyn per se! Also, I have new coordinators assisting in the set up and investigation for trips. Jafet Duran and Cecilia Gaitan, both originally from Ricardo’s fold. They are invaluable to me. Some of you may well have met them at one point.          During Covid, I kept sane by teaching regional Mexican home cooking via Zoom for UCSD (University of California San Diego), consulting for several US located Mexican restaurants (with my team!) and translating cookbooks for Larousse México, plus the random projects Ricardo often throws at me!

UPCOMING TRIPS -oh those words are music to my ears- •OAXACA–Cocina de fiesta– September 1-8, 2024 •Yucatán–A fondo– for food professionals, November 9-17, 2024… On the drafting table are two summer trips of a slightly different nature, deeply rooted culturally and visually striking- more to come on them… And as always, I do like to reiterate that we pay people fairly, something I insisted on when Marilyn first proposed this business to me. Mexico is not a bargain or a deal. No one’s culture should be that.

New services for everyone– •We now offer personalized trip set ups for a fee, with or without one of us on hand to aide and assist in person. •We will also offer the flexibility of an alternative trip for aficionados or food professionals on most trips offered, if a minimum number of participants is met. This allows our food professionals to get their “manos en la masa” for the benefit of their profession and our aficionados to fulfill their culinary obsession of Mexican foods! •Dates not right for you? •Want to go at another time? •Have a group of staff or friends wanting to go? Text (760-577-2810) or email me office@culinaryadventuresinc.com and let’s see what we can work out!

New for food professionals– •Recipe development •staff training in food and culture in Mexico or on site at your restaurant •sourcing of service equipment such as linen, tableware, crockery, glassware and furniture •sourcing of ingredients (allowed by USDA!)…These are many of the “new” and some already existing services we want to offer our food people!

This is all for now, I will follow with more soon. And those of you who are already our people -our gente- an email will go out soon. ¡Hasta pronto! Carmen

88 Years Ago…

September 5, 2020

Today would be my co-founder and boss, Marilyn Tausend’s 88th birthday.

Thinking of her today and reflecting on the unexpected, unplanned, giant network she helped create within the culinary world.

Thanks to an unprecedented and triumphant lawsuit against an American institution, won by Marilyn’s husband Fredric C. Tausend for my parents; they brought Fred to Mexico, Fred brought Marilyn and, here we are today. In memoriam, a tu salud Marilyn.

Zoom Classes with Raquel Torres!

August 10, 2020

 

Raquel Torres, cook, anthropologist and one of our beloved culinary stars whom many of you know from our trips, is offering 3 fabulous classes via the now famous Zoom. The first, tomorrow August 11th, is in Spanish, followed by two in English on August 18th and August 25th. 

Her daughter, Metzli López Torres, is the person to direct message (DM) via Instagram here:  https://www.instagram.com/p/CDte3LblII7

An excellent way to get back to our New Culinary Adventures world, with more to come as we re-organize re-direct and re-do.

If you need any help connecting with Metzli for the info, please text or email me. I am happy as always to connect our worlds.

Hoping each and everyone of you is well, un abrazo,

Carmen 

 

Trip Dates…!

March 10, 2020

We are Happy to Announce Trip Dates!

Some for those who can leave on a whim… and some for those who must to plan ahead:

July 9-16, 2020   Xalapa-Tlaxcala: Contrasting & Intertwining Cuisines, Profound Ties

$3750   7 nights (final night in Mexico City), min# 6 people, max 10.

For more info: click here

July 17-21, 2020  Gourmet Weekend in San Miguel de Allende- Rainy Season Abundance

  • The rainy season fills our markets with ingredients and our chefs… with inspiration.
  • In beautiful San Miguel de Allende learn and revel with the foods of Chefs Kirsten West and Paco Cárdenas along with meals at both traditional and innovative restaurants. (Trip repeats with variations, in 2021!)

$2900   4 nights, RT ground airport transfer, min# 6 people, max 8.

For more info: click here

September 24-October 1, 2020    Querétaro From Comal to Convent

  • A close look at the fascinating array of Querétaro foods: traditional kitchens, convent cuisine, French imposition (or acquisition?)…colonial Mexico has much to share from its complex history and Querétaro is the place to be.
  • Anthropologist Raquel Torres Cerdán, Chef Olivia González Mendoza along with local Cooks will open the doors to this little visited region.

$3750   7 nights, min# people TBD, max 10. For more info: click here

October 29- November 2, 2020   Long Mexico City Weekend With Chef Ricardo Muñoz Zurita

  • A unique opportunity to hang out for the weekend of Día de los Muertos with our very own -and Mexico’s- leading chef and ‘anthropologist’ of Mexican cuisines. Ricardo will bombard you with local culture, cooking and insight regarding the foods and flowers for our celebration of our dead- not only out and about, but in his home as well. 

$4000   4 nights, min# people 6, max 8-10.  For more info:  click here

⇒⇒⇒JANUARY 17-23, 2021   YUCATÁN IN A NEW LIGHT⇐⇐⇐

Join us as we re-visit the beloved State of Yucatán, with a completely new perspective gastronomically. Ricardo is sharing his most recent investigations into to this region delving into both the traditional and new views on their regional cuisine foods. This trip will truly reflect our new focus and findings!

$ TBD (coming soon) 7 nights, min# people TBD, max 12. For more info: click here

⇒⇒⇒⇒JANUARY 28 – FEBRUARY 4,2021    OAXACA-REVISITED⇐⇐⇐⇐

As in our Yucatán revival, we will be taking you to a completely different side of Oaxaca, un-tapped by others. Again, all based on Chef Ricardo’s latest investigations into the region.  Culinary Adventures continues to  trail blaze and evolve with our country’s cultural changes!

$ TBD (coming soon)  7 nights, min# people 8, max TBD.  For more info: click here

We look forward to again sharing our world though food and people, making a mark upon your soul as only Mexico -unwittingly- knows how.

¡Hasta pronto!

Carmen Barnard Baca

 

Ricardo Muñoz- latest news…

March 7, 2020

New Year News With 20/20 Vision!

January 17, 2020

 

Emerging from a hiatus dedicated to finishing an exciting project (more on that later), we

are working on our new trips!

→Tabasco         →Yucatán          →Veracruz         →Oaxaca

    →Tlaxcala      →Querétaro      →Michoacán      →San Miguel de Allende

 → Ciudad de México

are in the works for:

JUNE,  JULY/AUGUST,  SEPTEMBER– 2020 

JANUARY (CHEFS EXCLUSIVE), FEBRUARY, MAY/JUNE,  JULY/AUGUST, SEPTEMBER –2021 

 Culinary Adventures continues its tradition of trailblazing culinary travel in Mexico, leaving behind worn-out styles and evolving with the naturally occurring cultural changes and new visions in both traditional and contemporary food.

We will post dates, destinations and skill levels soon…

Contact us at office@culinaryadventuresinc.com   or (760) 577-2810

¡Hasta pronto! -Carmen

Cooking Class with Anthropologist Raquel Torres Cerdán
Traditional Querétaro food with Anthropologist Raquel Torres Cerdán, September 2019

The joy of setting up a trip…

June 27, 2019

I just finished a conversation with a friend in Querétaro. We will be going there soon to do the set up for our September 21-28 trip.

Each segment of theses trip is such a privilege and blessing to work on. From the initial brainstorm, mundane budgeting, tracking down contacts, promoting and sale, planning and plotting, recipe translation- all is just like a small tile in the mosaic of the big work, the actual trip. It is like painting a mural, etching a woodblock, or cooking a grand meal for friends. Each person is vital to the outcome: the trip itself is the coming together of many factors– all driven by the desire to get you hooked on Mexico– our foods and therefore, our people.

Just a few spots left now. Email to sign up now on our trip to Querétaro, San Miguel de Allende & Mexico City: September 21-28, 2019!

Cilantro Seeds and So Forth

June 24, 2019

20190609_135856.jpgYesterday, taking a break from work, I sifted and sorted cilantro seeds saved from last year’s crop. Crop as in a clay pot in backyard.  A field, in my imagination.

They scent evoked yet another flavor memory; cilantro– or coriander– seeds are used in traditional Mexican candies that are placed inside piñatas. Colaciones in plural or colación singular, they are bumpy little white marble size balls. You bite into one and a small explosion of flavor occurs, sugary sweetness and cilantro seed, the flavor of Christmas, of posadas, of childhood.  It’s an acquired taste, mysterious, profound, causing wonder,  a “where am I?” sort of feeling.

We have these endless supplies of food memories in Mexico because food and flavors and their relationship to daily and celebratory life are countless. Strike up a conversation in Mexico about food and you will get advice as to where to eat, a story of a best family cook, a recipe, a food related anecdote.

Please join us this time ’round on  September 21-28, 2019 as we delve into Querétaro, San Miguel de Allende and Mexico City.

We love bridging your world with ours as pioneers in culinary travel to Mexico. True regional cooks, chefs– and always fairly paid. Our ethos since 1989.

Sign up at: office@culinaryadventuresinc.com

Querétaro Flavors

June 3, 2019

My food memories of Querétaro are of contrasting flavors. When someone made a dish from there, it was definitely not our Morelia food, nor even Michoacán. ¿De dónde es?– I would ask. “It’s from Querétaro.” Querétaro evoked an exotic place in my mind because of those flavors, and never matched up visually once I went there. It too was a colonial city like Morelia- they even had an aqueduct like us! But the flavors were theirs alone.

queretaro quadratin.com.mx

A contrast of flavors: fresh with spicy, sweet with savory, rough with delicate. Cumin, oregano, cinnamon, clove, mixed into sauces and dishes unlike my region’s; near yet so far taste wise.

A gordita (little fat corn dough cake) is made in Querétaro with just a sauce of ancho and guajillo chiles, mixed into roughly ground corn masa, along with crumbled queso fresco, and some pork lard.  It is an example of that “contrast” style. Here is a recipe instead of just talking about it:

26oz roughly ground corn masa

4 ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded, deveined, soaked in hot water, drained

2 guajillo chiles, prepared as the anchos above

8oz good pork lard

12oz queso fresco, crumbled

salt to taste

Blend the chiles together in a blender until smooth. Mix into the corn dough with 3 tablespoons of the lard, 3.5oz of the cheese and salt to taste.  Form into little cakes about 3.5 inches in diameter, closing in a little of the remaining cheese into each one; flatten to about 3/8″ thick. Fry in the [remaining] hot lard until golden. Drain on recycled paper bag and serve. Re-heat on a comal or griddle.

Simply, flavorful and can be accompanied with a lime and olive oil dressed salad or jicama, carrots and cucumbers with lime juice and salt. This is soul food.

Join us on our upcoming trip to Mexico City-Querétaro-San Miguel de Allende, September 21-28, 2019, where we will delve into the local foods with chefs and cooks to guide us on another culinary adventure!

30+ plus years with the best of the best. True regional cooks, chefs– and always fairly paid. Our ethos since 1989.

Contact us at: office@culinaryadventuresinc.com

We are busy setting up our San Miguel de Allende trip…September 21-28, 2019!

May 20, 2019

San Pascual Bailón, Patron Saint of the kitchen.Going on a culinary adventure to Querétaro and San Miguel seems a culinary challenge for those who know little of our regional cuisines– be they foreigners or our own nationals! “What regional cuisine?” “Everything there [food-wise] is from other regions or countries.” Well, yes, there are many pleasant, tasty restaurants with varied cuisines in both cities, but the states of Querétaro and Guanajuato have their own distinctive dishes and sazón– seasoning– and we will be delving into these in our usual off-the-beaten track style.

Please join us- it is going to be another great trip to unexpected places as per our custom for over 30 years!

True regional cooks, chefs– and always fairly paid. Our ethos since 1989.

email office@culinaryadventuresinc.com  to hold your spot!