Mango Lime Kombucharita ~ Kombucharita de Mango y Limón

With each passing year, I anxiously await the arrival of spring more and more. I look for signs at every turn–from the appearance of the first robins to the green daffodil stems that pop through the snow to the blooming of the yellow forsythia.

I know that around Tax Day (April 15th) the grass starts to turn a rich green and the flowering trees begin to bloom, and by the time Cinco de Mayo is here the trees are lush with their emerald-hued leaves and the scent of lilacs floats on the soft breeze.

My heart always flutters a bit when I see the Manila/Champagne mangoes arrive at the grocery stores during this time, too. The sight and smell of them provokes a wave of emotion and memories. They remind me of my first trip to Mexico, and how I would eat them as an after dinner dessert, my hands sticky from their sweet juices. And, they remind me of my Mom, who became a true mango aficionado much later in life and would buy them buy the box-full when they would come in season.

 

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Homemade Achiote Paste ~ Recado de Achiote

If you’ve ever tried the slow-roasted citrusy pork dish, cochinita pibil, from the Yucatán peninsula, then you’ve certainly experienced the flavor or achiote or annatto seeds.

The achiote tree or bush is native to the tropical regions of the Americas. The fruit of the plant is very peculiar looking. The orange-red seeds grow inside hairy brown pods and have been used to color everything from lipstick to cheeses.