Two authors have written recent books that examine Mexico’s disappearing diversity of corn varieties and efforts to preserve them.
Mexico Life
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This New Yorker helped Puebla find a lost cultural tradition
Buffalo native Cayuqui Estage Noel was central to founding Atlixco’s Atlixcáyotl festival in 1965 after he attended festivities in Oaxaca.
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Creative ingredients make for a salad to remember
Salad’s a godsend during hot weather, so keep things interesting by ditching the lettuce and looking elsewhere for inspiration!
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Durango: a primer for tourists and the more adventurous
Driving through this northern state has its rewards, but you’ll need a sport utility vehicle or pickup truck for its many dirt roads.
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The mystery of Piedras Bola — how did these giant rocks form?
A geologist appears to have disproved long-held theories about how Mother Nature created these giant smooth, round balls of stone in Jalisco.
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An earthquake changed this expat’s life as he helped Mexico rebuild
After the quake, architect Aleksander Tokarz quit his high-paying job in the capital and gave his skills to those who really needed them.
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Oaxaca city’s neediest get free health care thanks to US doctors
Like the fictional character Don Quijote, the San Antonio, Texas, charity Quijotes fights off giants — the giants of poverty and poor health.
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Wake up your taste buds with smoky, spicy achiote
This earthy, sweet Mexican spice blend, the base for iconic Mexican dishes like tacos al pastor and adobada, adds complexity to any dish.
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Raspberries in winter? You can thank Mexico for that.
Mexico’s berry farming is rapidly growing, taking advantage of the warm climate and its proximity to a huge export market — the U.S.
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Jalisco water park offers delightfully warm swimming fed by geysers
The Soledad River’s geysers and boiling springs supply natural mineral water to pools at a rustic resort just outside Guadalajara.
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Never heard of Tlaxcala’s cuisine? This chef aims to change that
Irad Santa Cruz’s Tlaxcala Cuisine Research Center showcases the state’s vast biodiversity and preserves its traditional recipes.
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The ancient city of Cacaxtla ruled supreme until a volcano erupted
In southern Tlaxcala lies the ruins of the ancient city of Cacaxtla, a military power for hundreds of years.
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Make butter better with these flavorful add-ins
With just small amounts of ingredients, take your dishes’ flavor up a notch with these easy-to-make and easy-to-store compound butter recipes.
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Independence Day primer: Who was Miguel Hidalgo?
Although his role in securing Mexico’s independence was short-lived, he was then and still is an iconic figure who moved hearts and minds.
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In Mexico, hiking isn’t just climbing — it’s senderismo
In English, the word “hiking” is practical. This much richer Spanish word also conveys the joy and mystique of being in the great outdoors.
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Oaxaca charity gives low-income kids education and a childhood
Oaxacan children, on average, complete only 6.4 years of schooling. Oaxaca Streetchildren Grassroots is working on changing that.
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Puebla missing persons collective finds connection in shared grief
A group that María Luisa Nuñez formed in 2018 to find her son has become a close family dedicated to bringing all members’ missing kin home.
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Remembering S19, the devastating 2017 earthquake that changed Mexico City lives
Anyone who lived through it has a story to tell about how the worst temblor to hit Mexico’s capital since 1985 has affected them.
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Painting while dangling from a rope? Just another day at work for this cave artist
Victor Cruz, known online as “The Cave Painter,” hangs in the air with the greatest of ease as he paints little-seen images of Mexico’s caves.
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This Puebla town is so known for its apples, it’s in its name
If you’re a fan of the fruit, Pueblo Mágico Zacatlán de las Manzanas is an apple-growing town with an annual harvest fair not to be missed
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Was Edward James’ magnum opus in San Luis Potosí art or egocentrism?
People still debate the artistic value of this Surrealist estate in San Luis Potosí’s rainforest. James himself called it “pure megalomania.”
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Hot, hot and even hotter: the challenge of summertime cooking
Janet Blaser offers up easy, refreshing recipes for those unbearably hot days when you just don’t want to spend a lot of time cooking.
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In this Jalisco town, families turn local clay into works of art
San Juan Evangelista’s ceramic works, including figurines, furniture and more, start with ‘virgin clay’ that is collected by hand nearby.
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Artist revives a lost craft from Aguascalientes’ past
Fifty years after the state’s last ceramics workshops closed, Ivan Pugga researched the defunct industry and found its last living craftsmen.
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Acclaimed children’s book has an unlikely star: Mexico’s axolotl
Helsinki-based author Linda Bondestam’s My Life at the Bottom: The Story of a Lonesome Axolotl gently teaches kids about climate change.
