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ICC Day of the Dead Cooking Class Schedule
The Day of the Dead is celebrated with particular fervor in Oaxaca. Oaxacan sweets and candy skulls attend the song and dance at gravesides and offering altars. The table at the family home is laden with local specialities and old favorites. The aromas and vibrant colors of Oaxacan homecooking welcome the dead back into the family circle. The live celebrants are, meanwhile, at leisure to enjoy the wonderful flavors. Ingredients are fresh, waited on and bought up as early as September to ensure only the best chiles, eggs, spices, nuts, raisins and breads are used in Day of the Dead cooking. This October, the ICC—in association with the Oaxaca Times—is offering special Day of the Dead cooking classes. Lessons will be given in Spanish (with English translators available), by Oaxacan cooks with years of experience and the best local ingredients to hand—chilies, chocolate, squash, tomatoes, almonds, sesame seeds, raisins, cloves, cinnamon, thyme, black pepper, as well as other Spanish and Arabic spices that came originally from the Old World. With hands-on tuition and a beautiful view over the city of Oaxaca, discover the ancient secrets of Oaxacan cuisine and the gastronomic fun at the heart of the Day of the Dead celebrations. All cooking classes will take place from 3pm—7pm. To take part, meet at the ICC offices at Macedonio Alcalá #307—16, Oaxaca. For reservations send us an email to reservations@iccoax.com or call: (011 52 951) 516 3443 to reserve your place. Schedule: Saturday October 24—Sweets Day of the Dead sweets are traditionally intended for the ‘angelitos’—the young souls of departed children, who return to earth in the late afternoon of October 31. Learn how to make these traditional pre-Hispanic sweets to offer at Day of the Dead altars. Includes: Caramelized Pumpkin Wednesday October 27—Moles Typically, 30 ingredients go into Oaxacan ‘mole’ sauces, which appear in all Oaxacan homes for the Day of the Dead. Learn how to cook moles with subtly sweet tastes and moles with earthy, smoky flavors, in which most of the ingredients have been charred if not actually lighted. Includes: Mole Negro Oaxaqueño Thursday October 28 Includes: Mole Oaxaqueño (continuation) Friday October 29 Tamales—sweet and savoury corn or meat, wrapped in bannana leaves or corn husks and boiled—are delicate Mexican staples, and particularly popular during festivals like Day of the Dead. Includes: Sweet Tamales |
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Oaxaca has made a significant contribution to world cuisine. Two mainstays of Mexican cooking—the ‘molcajete’ stone pestle and mortar, and the indispensible ‘comal’ baking utensil—were first introduced by Oaxacan indians. More famously, Oaxacan ‘mole’ sauce, of which there are seven regional varieties, has established itself as a cornerstone of Mexican cooking, available all over the country. The Oaxacan originals, however, remain unmatched for their sharp flavors, rich textures, and subtle blend of sweetness and smokey heat.