We agreed to host the rehearsal dinner before a son’s wedding at our home because the bride and groom wanted to include many of their friends. They settled on a Mexican theme and equivalent food. On the day of the event, rented tables and chairs were delivered, set up poolside and covered with brightly hued cloths. A floral arrangement and a beautiful cake graced the dining room table. Relatives came over to help me organize the party.
By afternoon, the homemade salsa was chilling. Ingredients for enchiladas were assembled and placed in the refrigerator prior to baking and the sopaipillas were cut out and ready to cook. Uncle George and Aunt Irene joined me at the covered pool table to slice Honey Baked hams and add them to rolls. We were serving 50 guests, so the quantity was large. (And yes, I know that ham and rolls are not a typical Mexican dish but we had to accommodate the palates of guests who might not be as enamored of spicy dishes. Once complete, we carried the large tray with its tower of ham/rolls to the dining room, placed it on the table, and covered it well with plastic wrap. I returned to the kitchen to cook the rice and remaining food and it was then that I wondered aloud where Ginny, my Great Dane, could be. Aunt Irene and I exchanged looks and raced to the dining room.
The table appeared untouched – until I walked around to the other side. The plastic wrap had been gently pulled aside, and there was a gaping hole in the tower of ham rolls. Ginny had quietly helped herself to 8 or 10 of them and disappeared. I found the guilty culprit hiding in my daughter’s room. We rearranged the tray of ham/rolls and applied fresh plastic wrap. Ginny was banished to my bedroom and the party went on as planned with no one the wiser. The damage could have been a lot worse!
The food was a hit with the guests and I’m sharing a couple of the recipes with you here.
Sopaipillas
4 Cups All-Purpose Flour
2 tsp. Baking Powder
3/4 tsp. Salt
2 Tbsp. Sugar
1 TBSP. Solid Shortening
1 Cup Warm Water
Sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Cut in the shortening until mixtures resembles cornmeal. Add the warm water very slowly until the mixture forms a firm dough. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface just until smooth. It should be the consistency of a stiff pie crust dough. Cover and let it rest for 1 hour. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into triangles or squares. Heat Canola oil in a deep fryer to 400 degrees. Use a deep-fat frying thermometer to be accurate. Gently place a couple of sopaipillas at a time into the hot oil. Push them down with the back of large spoon and keep them submerged in the oil for a few seconds. Turn them frequently as they cook until they are golden brown. They should be quite puffy. Remove the sopaipillas from the hot oil with a slotted spoon and drain them on paper towels. Serve them with butter and honey.
*The key to success with sopaipillas is to ensure the oil is hot enough.” I learned this from the manager of La Placita in Albuquerque, NM. She stopped by the table to chat and I told her I had trouble with my sopaipillas not rising properly in the hot oil. She took me by the hand and marched me back to the kitchen to the alcove where a cook was frying these beautiful sopaipillas. He told me in mixed Spanish and English that I needed the thermometer to ensure the heat is the correct temperature. With my mangled Spanish and his just a bit better English, we had a nice conversation. What a treat that was! I had much better success with my own creations after that.
Carol’s Homemade Salsa
2 or 3 Ripe Tomatoes
1 Small Onion
1 Can of Chopped Green Chili’s, Drained
Salt and Pepper
A little Lime Juice
Chopped Cilantro
1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin (Optional)
Remove the center of the tomatoes. Dice tomatoes and onion. Add the green chili and remaining ingredients. Lime juice should be added to taste. Season with the cilantro and cumin and salt and pepper.
There are many variations of salsa and this is the one I settled on many years ago that worked for my family.
Decorations add to the success with a Mexican Fiesta. And music. And happy people. Combine all of those with good food and you have a winner!
