About

¡Hola! My name is Nicole Reyna and welcome to Flan and Apple Pie. I’m a Pittsburgh native who loves Mexican food. While I am of Greek descent and do enjoy a warm bowl of homemade avgolemono soup or a piece of flaky baklava, I grew up eating American classics like apple pie and homemade mac and cheese.

In 2007, I traveled to Mexico for the first time to study in Puebla. I fell in love with just about everything there–from tlacoyos and pan dulce to talavera and alebrijes. I later lived in Mexico City from 2009-2010, where I taught English at the Instituto Politécnico Nacional on a Fulbright scholarship. This time around I fell in love with more than just the food and culture; I met my Veracruz-born husband, Roberto, while living in Mexico City. When I returned to Pittsburgh, I greatly missed authentic Mexican food (and of course, Roberto!) and wanted to recreate some of the many delicious dishes I remembered.

Now, Roberto and I enjoy cooking up all kinds of traditional Mexican dishes right here in my hometown. We strive to bring you great recipes that capture the authentic Mexican flavors that we know and love. The recipes and insights on this blog have been shared with me by friends, strangers, professionals, and family. They have so graciously taken their time to teach me, and I hope I am able to do the same. Welcome to our happy kitchen–Flan & Apple Pie!

You can also read my Mexico in My Pocket recipe contributor. You can read my interview here and find my recipes here.

You can check out a collaborative Día de los Muertos project with Lola’s Cocina and Casa Artelexia here.