|
|
 |
| Volume 11, No. 49 |
September 1-7, 2010 |
|
|
| | Cooking show explores roots of Mexican cuisine | | By Mía R. Cortez | |  There was quiet on the set and the cameras rolled at the EPCC Culinary Arts Facilities last Friday night.
In production was the last filming for two pilots of a cooking show called “Cocina Indígena,” directed and produced by El Pasoan Ernesto Hernandez, 29, co-owner of Antena Productions. Chef Miriam Ceballos, owner of an upscale indigenous Mexican restaurant in Texcoco, Mexico, is the culinary expert and star of the show.
In the background, a rustling noise caused two cuts before the cleaning person on the other side of the double doors was kindly asked to refrain from cleaning, and the building’s alarm system was cut to avoid further interruptions.
Hernandez, who has a degree in motion graphics and broadcast design from the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Ga., takes his work seriously. “Cocina Indígena” is a project he’s been working on since last April, when he and a production crew of five shot the intro in Texcoco and Teotihuacan, Mexico.
“I first saw Chef Miriam giving a workshop at Cafe Mayapan, and I saw it from a viewer’s eyes first – then from a producer’s,” Hernandez said. “I approached her about doing a show and she accepted.”
Ceballos, a native of Mexico City, pursued a degree in culinary arts with Universidad Anahuac del Sur in a program with the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) that took her to New York City and Bangkok, Thailand. She now owns Balché, a restaurant in Texcoco, Mexico, that specializes in indigenous Mexican cuisine and international gourmet foods.
“I have been researching and conducting interviews about Mexican gastronomy, from indigenous periods to modern-day foods,” said Ceballos, in an interview translated from Spanish. “Mexican gastronomy has changed a lot – since the arrival of the Spanish and then again with globalization and the fast food era. Now Mexicans often eat other countries’ foods, but they may not know the roots of our cuisine and culture. The same for Americans – it’s a unique experience.”
While Hernandez has some cinematic art direction experience, “Cocina Indigena” is the first television production for him and Ceballos.
“There’s not a show that focuses on indigenous food, even in Mexico,” Hernandez said. “Now I am going to work hard on post-production – editing, packaging and sending it off to television networks throughout Mexico and the U.S.”
For the second part of the pilot filmed in El Paso, Ceballos prepared tacos de huitlacoche, which is a corn fungi that is a delicacy in Mexico. For dessert, she prepared chapulines cubiertos de chocolate y amaranto, or chocolate-covered grasshoppers coated in rice cereal.
Ceballos believes strongly in educating the public about the delights of authentic Mexican cuisine that formed the roots of many of the modern dishes that exist today. She said now is the best time to introduce this type of cuisine, as there is a shift toward slower, healthier eating in Mexico.
“There was for a while – and still is, in some parts – confusion about Mexican vs. Tex-Mex dishes and fried appetizers,” Ceballos said. “But for the most part, the world is now turning their eyes towards Mexico and wanting to know more about our cuisine. It’s not only about food, but about culture and family and Mexican identity that we want to promote – every dish has a story behind it.”
Hernandez said the biggest challenge he’s faced in the production of “Cocina Indigena” has been funding. The process thus far has cost about $6,000, which does not include countless man hours on behalf of him and the crew of Antena Productions and Kiubo Media Group.
“There’s so much material and content that the show could go on for years, at least three seasons right off the bat,” Hernandez said. “The idea is to sell it. We need help: funders, producers and more equipment. It’s really a community involvement kind of project.”
To make a contribution, find more information and to view the trailer for “Cocina Indigena,” visit cocinaindigena.com or call Hernandez at (915) 999-3993.
Comments or questions about this story? E-mail Secret@whatsuppub.com
return to front page |
|
|
|
