Friday, December 25, 2009

Going Mexican

The Giannini family went Mexican for Christmas Eve this year. It started off as a bit of a joke that ended up being a seed that planted and started to take root in my little brain. Tamales for Christmas... great idea. That means not having prime rib two days in a row. Being someone who rarely eats red meat anyway, the thought of an alternative was very enticing to me. That meant a search for the best tamales in San Jose. This was an adventure I greatly enjoyed in the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas. The answer for us was found at El Azteca on 28th Street. The menu took hold - tamales, enchiladas, Spanish rice, beans, corn pudding - and we were ready for the trial run.

The end result was that everyone agreed that this could be the beginning of a wonderful new tradition. There are many advantages to the Mexican meal on Christmas Eve. I LOVE Mexican food so in all honesty, this would probably work for me any day of the year. Cumin and red pepper sauce have a tendency to warm the nostrils even before you take a bite. We loved the warmth of the spices in the air as well as on our tongues. What could be better to warm your spirit on a cold and dreary winter night? In addition this meal included my two favorite beverages in the whole world - Mexican hot chocolate and margaritas. The clincher for me was that it was definitely cheaper and easier to prepare than prime rib. During the time of year that we need desperately to conserve both money and energy, what could be better?

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