Fear Factor for Foodies

Outside the market in near Oaxaca's zocalo (town square) are soft heaps of succulent grasshoppers which the locals refer to as a "superfood." While I have no doubt that grasshopper's are nutritious, I had a hard time bringing hand to mouth when said hand was filled with little insects. I was much happier at Casa Oaxaca (García Vigil 407, Centro Oaxaca) where the chef has crushed the pests into a pesto.

Photo: Paul Nathan

String's the Thing

Oaxaca is famous for its glorious string cheese which is firm and milky, a little like Bocconcini. Find it in the market and purchase by the plaited pound. Or, for those in New York, the Whole Food Deli on the Upper West Side has it.

Squash Blossom Heaven

Oaxaca's vegetable markets are literally blooming with beautiful orange squash blossom. But unlike the Italians who tend to crumb, stuff and fry the flowers, the Mexicans prefer them a little fresher. I had them in a frittata crowned with freshly diced tomatoes, wrapped into a tortilla with Oaxacan string cheese and chopped into a soup.

Virgin Territory

I interviewed Jeffrey Eugenides last week for a piece about why his first novel, The Virgin Suicides is still so read.

Click on the link for more...

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-07-22/the-virgin-suicides-sweet-16/?cid=topic:mainpromo1

Art vs Society

“Art’s task is to contribute to evolution, to encourage the mind, to guarantee a detached view of social changes, to conjure up positive energies, to create sensuousness, to reconcile reason and instinct, to research possibilities, to destroy clichés and prejudices. Most people don’t see it that way.” - Pipilotti Rist

Back in Business

Ladies and Gentleman,
Ms. Rubin, M.A. (Journ) is back...