The peanuts are not grown in Japan, nor is the snack imported from there. But there is a Japanese connection. Leigh Thelmadatter explains.
Stories by Leigh Thelmadatter
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Doctor, lawyer, filibuster: William Walker’s short-lived Mexican republics
With the Gold Rush over, this American turned his eye for fortune on Mexico and briefly controlled parts of Sonora and Baja California.
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Many foreign cuisines are found in Mexico but mostly as a niche market
Thanks to a long and continuing history of migrants, various ethnic foods exist here, but many Mexicans still stick to homegrown fare.
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Butterfly chaser: how Mexico’s monarchs helped an expat find a new life
American Ellen Sharp abandoned a career in academia but got a husband and a true calling here in ecotourism.
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Despite its sunny reputation, some parts of Mexico do have cold winters
A nation of many climates, certain Mexican states see cold temperatures annually. One state once recorded a historic low of -29 C.
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And to all a good night: Noche Buena beer is Mexico’s Christmas favorite
Noche Buena, the country’s only seasonal Christmas beer, is seen by many Mexicans as a traditional part of their holiday gatherings.
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Discover natural ‘hot-tubbing’ and dip into Mexico’s thermal springs
Thanks to centuries of geological activity, Mexico has several naturally warm swimming holes nationwide. Read on to find one near you.
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Originally Mesoamerican, the piñata keeps evolving through the centuries
The iconic Mexican piñata began with the nation’s ancient indigenous ancestors, but it’s had a few outside influences since then.
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In Mexico’s north, silver artisans revive a dormant colonial industry
For years, only Guerrero has been known for silverwork, an art form that had mostly died out after independence from the Spanish viceroyalty.
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Artist turned her Tepoztlán neighborhood into a community coloring book
Expat Judy Wray’s community mural projects, which she started to tackle rising petty crime, attract artists from around the world to help out.
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Santa Claus has helpers in 2 Mexican towns
If you own blown-glass Christmas ornaments from Mexico, they were likely made in either Tlalpujahua, Michoacán, or Chignahuapan, Puebla.
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A French cookbook’s secret weapon: the Mexican cooks in a CDMX test kitchen
To test recipes for his new cookbook on Parisian cuisine, food writer James Oseland put his trust in two home cooks in greater Mexico City.
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Canadian Shari Bondy followed the whales to Baja after they saved her life
After a storm stranded her at sea and a pod of gray whales helped her stay alive, she decided to pay them back by telling others about them.
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When revolution came to Cuernavaca, this British hotelier saw it all
Expat Rosa King wrote a forgotten autobiography filled with eyewitness accounts of the Mexican Revolution and its leaders.
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Mexican Revolution 101: why is November 20 such an important date?
A letter written on this date in 1910 began a culture shift that would eventually oust a president and end a three-decade dictatorship.
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Should the ‘gringo village’ of Ajijic, Jalisco, have been designated a Magical Town?
Ajijic, Jalisco is not a typical Pueblo Mágico with historic architecture and culture, but rather a cosmopolitan expat enclave.
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Far from crazy, Lalocura’s organic distillery aims to save real mezcal
Mezcalero Eduardo Ángeles is out to show how sustainable practices can produce a quality liquor and beat pressures on makers to industrialize.
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The Oaxaca pierogi restaurant run by an award-winning filmmaker
Oscar-nominated filmmaker Slawomir Grunberg and his author wife Barbara didn’t plan to open a pierogi restaurant when they moved to Puerto Escondido.
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Coming to terms with grief: the psychological perks of Day of the Dead
Day of the Dead takes the morbidity out of thinking about death and offers a special opportunity to connect with ancestors and process grief.
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Mexico still struggles to get the lead out of its pottery
Despite efforts by federal and private entities and market consequences, many artisans still use dangerous lead glazes on ceramic cookware.
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On Day of the Dead, sugar-based folk art such as the popular sugar skulls survives and thrives
Alfeñique sugar sculptures are a tradition that mixes European and indigenous culture to celebrate the Day of the Dead.
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Starting a small business in Mexico: what online sites don’t tell you
Mexican commercial enterprise has real bureaucratic and interpersonal challenges, but many expat entrepreneurs also see advantages.
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Creating guided art tours in a Puebla town is a ‘learn as you go’ experience
The writer explores tours of recycled mosaic installations, coupled with a workshop to learn how they are made.
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More than 50 years later, Mexicans refuse to forget the Tlatelolco Massacre
For foreigners living here, October 2 is just another day, but for citizens, especially in Mexico City, it is a highly emotional anniversary.
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A reverse snowbird enjoys a life of Baja heat and Canadian ice
When I think of Canadians traveling seasonally to Mexico, I think of well-off people looking for comfortable temperatures year-round, but FULL STORY
