The Mexican Cooking School

My husband and I returned last weekend from our week at The Mexican Cooking School in Atlahapa, Tlaxcala, which exceeded our expectations in every way. Estela Silvas is a lot of fun. She began her cooking career at the age of seven working in her family's restaurant in Puebla and she is a brilliant cook. The secret of central Mexican cuisine we learned, is in the sauce. There's a different sauce for every dish. We were amazed at how many variations existed from the same basic set of ingredients: chiles, tomatoes, tomatillos, onion, garlic, and of course, tortillas. I'll post a 'how to' for tortillas because whether you make an occasional Tex-Mex meal at home or you're into some serious authentic Mexican cooking, making your own tortillas dramatically changes the taste of the dish.