The 'Holy Trinity' Does Not Exist !!! (for Mexican cooking) - Page 2

rhines81 · January 1, 2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by pmcgrady

I have Pasilla Bajio, Mulato Islano, Ancho San Luis and Guajillo dried peppers from last season, sounds like I need to grind a few and start mixing them.

Or reconstitute and blenderize them with some chicken stock. I grew those varieties too except for the San Luis... yum yum!

rhines81 · January 1, 2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by Father'sDaughter

I've seen many dishes that call for sofrito as their flavor base, but I've never heard of a Mexican "Holy Trinity." And if you go hunting for sofrito recipes, you'll find hundreds of variations from several different countries.

I've always associated Sofrito with Caribbean cuisine.

rhines81 · January 1, 2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gerardo

No such thing, cuisine too diverse due to geography.

Depends on what your target is. Use them all, your palate will lead the way

Agreed and it is a long journey of sampling and mixing.

Worth1 · January 1, 2018

I'm surprised no one has mentioned chili arbol it is a very popular chili, a household staple.

Worth

bower · January 1, 2018

I tried to grow Chile Arbol too but only got a couple of measly green peppers off it.

I used a dried Italian Pepperoncini and a dried red Guerito together for the pepper flakes in my Gambas al Ajillo yesterday... om nom nom.

The heat and flavor was perfect to me.

Worth1 · January 1, 2018

Pointless to grow any of these peppers mentioned here they are cheaper than dirt in bulk at the Mexican stores.

Gerardo · January 1, 2018

Here's a few that may help sort our names, they change from fresh to dry.

PS. let's not forget Chiltepín!

AlittleSalt · January 1, 2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worth1

Pointless to grow any of these peppers mentioned here they are cheaper than dirt in bulk at the Mexican stores.

Yes, peppers are very cheap here too. Dried or fresh.

I also use Fiesta brand and if I had to pick a 'Holy Trinity' for cooking Mexican/TexMex - It would be Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, and Comino/Cumin.

Worth1 · January 1, 2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

Yes, peppers are very cheap here too. Dried or fresh.

I also use Fiesta brand and if I had to pick a 'Holy Trinity' for cooking Mexican/TexMex - It would be Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, and Comino/Cumin.

Ironically none of those are native to the Americas.

If I were to pick a holey trinity for Mexico it would be Maize/corn, chilies and tomatoes.
Maize by far is the number one thing people of many parts of Mexico live on.
They even have a book Men Of Maize/Hombres De Maize.

Worth

rhines81 · January 1, 2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gerardo

Here's a few that may help sort our names, they change from fresh to dry.

PS. let's not forget Chiltepín!

Nice find Gerardo !

rhines81 · January 1, 2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worth1

Ironically none of those are native to the Americas.

If I were to pick a holey trinity for Mexico it would be Maize/corn, chilies and tomatoes.
Maize by far is the number one thing people of many parts of Mexico live on.
They even have a book Men Of Maize/Hombres De Maize.

Worth

I did find that Chile Peppers, Corn and Beans (not tomatoes) has been mentioned as the trinity in a few Mexican cooking references.

Worth1 · January 1, 2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhines81

I did find that Chile Peppers, Corn and Beans (not tomatoes) has been mentioned as the trinity in a few Mexican cooking references.

Yes I was considering going back and changing it to beans but since this is a tomato forum.

Worth

SueCT · January 1, 2018

Wish I could grow the peppers I use in my Chili mix, but the growing season simply isn't long enough here. Chili Arbol, which are ridiculously cheap and I get more than I can use so not really worth growing; Cascabel Chilis, and Anchos. I can grow the Poblano, but they don't have enough time to ripen, so I just get the green ones. The dried Ancho I use are a dark purple, I assume from fully ripe Poblanos. So I will have to continue to buy them dried. The nice large Anchos and the Cascabels are much more expensive then the Arbol and I wish I could grow them myself. I use them mostly for the flavor and the Arbol add a little heat.

bower · January 1, 2018

Cool pepper posters, Gerardo!

(Or should I say, HOT!!)
Maybe the Mirasol I grew was mislabeled.

Since I grew no peppers this year, I bought a jar of pickled peppers at the store. Ridiculous amount of peppers for a couple of bucks, when I think of the months I spent fawning over my little plants and filling my house with them and fighting aphids fungus gnats and.....

But then I tasted the pickles. They were like mush.

So I would grow some sweets and a few hots at least for fresh use and for a few pickles, which can't be compared to the junk I can buy.

rhines81 · January 5, 2018

I am limited to bell peppers and jalapenos at my grocery. Banana peppers are only sold jarred. On rare occasion, I see poblanos. Even the powdered pepper selection is limited. The nearest Mexican grocery that offers fresh produce is an hour away. A good price for bells (green) is $0.85 each and Jalapenos can be had for around $0.35 each. If I were picky and insisted on organic labeled, the price doubles. Anyhow, even if they were $0.10 each, I would still grow my own - to me it is the satisfaction of eating something from the 'fruits' of my labor.
If I were to value my time versus the price of the product I raised - I'd be a Maine lobster farmer!

January 1, 2018	#19
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	I'm surprised no one has mentioned chili arbol it is a very popular chili, a household staple. Worth

January 1, 2018	#20
bower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 6,794	I tried to grow Chile Arbol too but only got a couple of measly green peppers off it. I used a dried Italian Pepperoncini and a dried red Guerito together for the pepper flakes in my Gambas al Ajillo yesterday... om nom nom. The heat and flavor was perfect to me.

January 1, 2018	#28
SueCT Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Connecticut Posts: 1,460	Wish I could grow the peppers I use in my Chili mix, but the growing season simply isn't long enough here. Chili Arbol, which are ridiculously cheap and I get more than I can use so not really worth growing; Cascabel Chilis, and Anchos. I can grow the Poblano, but they don't have enough time to ripen, so I just get the green ones. The dried Ancho I use are a dark purple, I assume from fully ripe Poblanos. So I will have to continue to buy them dried. The nice large Anchos and the Cascabels are much more expensive then the Arbol and I wish I could grow them myself. I use them mostly for the flavor and the Arbol add a little heat.

January 1, 2018	#29
bower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 6,794	Cool pepper posters, Gerardo! (Or should I say, HOT!!) Maybe the Mirasol I grew was mislabeled. Since I grew no peppers this year, I bought a jar of pickled peppers at the store. Ridiculous amount of peppers for a couple of bucks, when I think of the months I spent fawning over my little plants and filling my house with them and fighting aphids fungus gnats and..... But then I tasted the pickles. They were like mush. So I would grow some sweets and a few hots at least for fresh use and for a few pickles, which can't be compared to the junk I can buy.

January 5, 2018	#30
rhines81 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Zone 5A, Poconos Posts: 959	I am limited to bell peppers and jalapenos at my grocery. Banana peppers are only sold jarred. On rare occasion, I see poblanos. Even the powdered pepper selection is limited. The nearest Mexican grocery that offers fresh produce is an hour away. A good price for bells (green) is $0.85 each and Jalapenos can be had for around $0.35 each. If I were picky and insisted on organic labeled, the price doubles. Anyhow, even if they were $0.10 each, I would still grow my own - to me it is the satisfaction of eating something from the 'fruits' of my labor. If I were to value my time versus the price of the product I raised - I'd be a Maine lobster farmer!