Zest Fest 2012

A short road trip to Irving for Zest Fest 2012!  I met up with my friend Katie and found out what a chilehead she is after she made 2 trips back to the car to unload her purchases.

I'm short on the show photos, there are plenty to be found. So here is a brief round up:

The Winners From I Love It Spicy

Photos From Scott Roberts

ZestFest 2012 at Facebook

My meager bounty of yummy loot.  I could fill the bath tube with the hot sauce that I have around here so I was more tasting and looking goodies for other than hot sauce or salsas.  With that being said, there are some excellent products out there  and it was a treat to taste all of the flavors of Zest Fest!  Congratulations to the winners and all the others that work so hard to bring spice to our life!

See more about the products at my
Photo Gallery.

After the Saturday at the Zest Fest, it was off to Grapevine for adventures with my friend Katie.  First stop, Tommy Tamale.  An large selection of fresh tamales, salsas and sauces.  After some sampling, I left with Spicy Pork and Four Cheese.  The owners are awesome and hard working.  I hope to see them next year at Zest Fest.  (They mail order, too)

Next stop, Tolbert's in the Grapevine historical district for some food, drink and after dining tunes.  Tolbert's was founded by co-founder of the Terlingua Chili Cookoff, Frank X Tolbert, Sr. and family. 

Highlight of the night was Buddy Whittington, blues rocker.  The band was late to start but  we got in the groove with an near 2 hour first set.  And I will have the opportunity to find Buddy in my hood next weekend. If he makes it to your town, don't miss the show!  Thanks Katie!

And then there was the midnight hour harvest of Opuntia sp. for Congo Joe.  I was able to collect from a couple of locations but got lost on the way out of town and missed the spiny one.  Next trip!

Back on the road home I always pay tribute to the Founding Father of Texas, General Sam Houston. But what did I find, some was stealing his monument.  Oh my gosh!  NOT, just a freak photo from my window.  I love road trips!

I had a hoot!

Beth in Texas

Grilled Tilapia Tacos with Xni-Pec

I was curious about a recipe I received this week for Xni-Pec (pronounced shnee-pek), a table sauce or salsa of the Yucatan.  In Mayan, Xni translates to "dog" and Pec to "nose" so we have "dog-nose" salsa.  This name could be explained by the moist nasal cavity you may acquire resulting from the Habanero in the recipe, you'll be just like a happy dog!

After a little googling, and I found many recipes and and become slightly confused when I found similar recipes for Salpicon, also of the Yucatan and Central America, all with the same basic ingredients and some with tomato or radish.  I also found Salpicón with the same ingredients and "is a term used in French cooking to define a mixture of minced ingredients that are.....to be bound with a sauce after they are diced and mixed and before they are used as a stuffing. The ingredients that are used in salpicon are commonly made up of a mixture of meat and vegetables. Salpicon sometimes incorporates fish."  

OK, Mexico won independence from France in 1867 but did the French influence the Mayans with their cuisine and Salpicón? or did the Mayans just mix their Xni-Pec with some beef or fish and it was still Xni-Pec?

That is research for another day, I just wanted some Xni-pec, a taco night with the ingredients I had on hand and I wanted it easy.  All is good.

Grilled Tilapia Tacos with Xni-Pec

For The Xni-Pec
1/4 - 1/2 cup Sour orange juice* or lime juice
6 - 7             Green onions, diced (1/2 large red or Spanish onion)
1                  Habanero, diced (or more, consider roasting first)
1                  handful Cilantro (or to taste), chopped
Salt to taste

For The Tilapia Tacos
4 Tilapia filets
Lime Pepper to taste
Remaining juice from above

4 - 6 Flour tortillas 

Combine onion, cilantro and 2/3 of the juice in a small bowl and set aside.

Pour the remaining juice over the Tilapia filets and season with Lime Pepper.
Oil grill top and heat grill to medium heat.  
Roast habanero until slightly toasted, de-stem, de-seed and dice to small.
Add habanero to onion / cilantro mixture. Combine well and add salt to taste.
Grill Tilapia 10-12 minutes, turning with large flat spatula halfway through.
As the Tilapia is finishing, fold tortillas in half and carefully toast n both sides.



Remove everything from the grill, lightly shred the Tilapia, stuff into tortillas, insert Xni-pec.  Serve with cucumber, sliced tomato and lime wedges.

My Comments:  
I will use red onion in the Xni-pec next time.
The lime juice works just fine vs sour orange.
I think the Xni-Pec would be very good with shredded brisket.
The Xni-pic with tomato would be very good Ceviche.
I highly recommend Guerrero Soft Flour Tortillas, they are large, moist and puff nicely.


*Sour orange juice   Substitutes:   Mix 1 part lime or lemon juice + 2 parts orange juice OR 2 parts grapefruit juice + 1 part lime juice + dash orange zest OR 2 parts lime juice + 1 page orange juice


For more recipes of the Yucatan visit LOS DOS - THE FIRST SCHOOL IN MEXICO DEVOTED EXCLUSIVELY TO THE CUISINE OF YUCATÁN.

I can now say that I now have prepared and eaten my first ever fish tacos!  Look out Long John Silver!

Beth in Texas