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High Design and Divine Beaches at Be Tulum

Elka Karl — Thu, 05 May 2011 14:20:52 PDT

My family and I just returned from a beach vacation in Tulum, Mexico, a little town on the Mayan Caribbean that boasts white sand beaches, tropical ocean views, and an incredibly relaxed vibe. While we rented a house to accommodate our baby, after seeing pictures of Be Tulum, I'm wishing we'd spent a few nights in its gorgeous interiors.

The only full-serviced resort in the area, Be Tulum features contemporary design, a celebrated restaurant, and a rooftop bar. With 20 suites that incorporate a minimalist design and local materials including limestone, Bisazza mosaic tiles, and Brazilian wood, the hotel is gorgeous indeed. Take a tour, and get transported on this Cinco de Mayo!

Take a Tour of This Mexican-Inspired Bathroom

Casa Community — Thu, 05 May 2011 13:38:55 PDT

Here's a post from YumSugar's Katie Sweeney from the Su Casa group:

Just in time for Cinco de Mayo, here are some photos of my friend's amazing bathroom. It's very Christian with Mexican influences.

Have you been inspired by friends or family members' decorating lately? Be sure to share photos of their homes in the Su Casa group!

What's Your Favorite Kind of Mexican Hot Sauce?

Katie Sweeney — Thu, 05 May 2011 13:15:22 PDT

Considering their extensive use of all kinds of chiles, Latinos really know their hot sauces. Since I stock my fridge with several kinds of hot sauce (each one has a different use!), when it comes to Mexican cuisine, I have one brand I can't get enough of: Valentina salsa picante. This slightly smoky, thick, and spicy sauce is wonderful on everything from eggs to tacos.

How about you? What's your favorite kind of Mexican hot sauce? Tapatio? Cholula?

Fast & Easy Dinner: Pescado Veracruzano

Katie Sweeney — Thu, 05 May 2011 04:31:09 PDT

If you're in the mood for Mexican, but don't want to go the taco-enchilada route, I have the perfect dish for you: fish Veracruzano. It's a fragrant recipe from Katie Lee that was inspired by a meal she had in Veracruz, Mexico. The fish is cooked in a lip-smacking good sauce that's full of onions, jalapeños, and tomatoes. Green olives and capers give the sauce an irresistible salty and briny quality. The ingredient list calls for red snapper, but since it's on the avoid list in terms of sustainability, I opted for another white flaky fish. For a complete meal, serve with Spanish rice and a cold beer! Get the scrumptious recipe now.

What to Do For Cinco de Mayo If You're . . .

Tara Sharp — Thu, 05 May 2011 04:00:26 PDT

Happy Cinco de Mayo! It doesn't matter what your Facebook status says today, you can have a fiesta-filled evening with my tips for celebrating with friends, lovers, and family.

Single and Looking: Go stag or grab your best wing-lady and get yourself to the most popular local taco spot. Sit at the bar for maximum mingling while you enjoy margaritas and chips and salsa. Bonus points if there's a mariachi band and dancing!
In a Relationship: Have a romantic night in and cook up some delicious Mexican dishes, complete with homemade margaritas. You won't have to fight the crowds, and you could even entertain yourselves with other people's relationship drama by watching some telenovelas!
Hanging With the Girls: If you're looking to spend some quality time with your gal pals, you don't want to be shouting at each other in a packed Mexican restaurant. Instead, get the gang together and go somewhere that doesn't serve chips and salsa. My friends and I have gone out to sushi to celebrate, which can be way more fun than waiting in line for two hours.
Married and Need a Date Night: Desperately need to get out of the house and just do something? Don your most dramatic, sparkly dress and hit the Latin dance floor with your hubby! Research ahead of time restaurants and bars that have free salsa or tango lessons, and unleash your inner dancing queen.
Getting Over a Breakup: Have a party at your house so you're surrounding by supportive friends, and if the alcohol induces an emotional breakdown, you don't have to take a late-night cab alone. For added fun, tape a pic of your ex on a piñata and do some therapeutic bashing. And you never know if your friends will bring along some single hotties to help cure you from your breakup blues.

Gorditas!

Yum Community — Thu, 05 May 2011 03:14:41 PDT

Just in time for Cinco de Mayo, zacatecanita has shared her images of homemade gorditas! Don't they look delicious?

Gorditas literally means "Fattie." It's like a fat tortilla freshly cooked and opened to be filled with all kinds of tasty filings.

Have you made something awesome recently? Upload the photos in the YumSugar Community so we can all see your masterpiece; we may just feature your story here!

Time to Salsa With Mango, Jicama, and Black Beans

Lauren Hendrickson — Thu, 05 May 2011 01:29:23 PDT

Cinco de Mayo is mañana, and there is no better time to try your hand at simple homemade salsas. The combination possibilities are truly endless, and this salsa mixes the crunchy texture of jicama with the sweetness of mango. It is perfect to serve with tortilla chips or as a topping for tasty tacos. If you want a little extra heat, be sure to include the jalapeno seeds! Time to start planning your fiesta so keep reading for this incredibly easy recipe.

What's Your Favorite Taco Filling?

Mandy Harris — Wed, 04 May 2011 12:56:06 PDT

Cinco de Mayo is finally almost here, and we're already drooling over the fiesta we plan to indulge in tomorrow. Here at Yum, we're pretty partial to tacos of all kinds. Hard shell, soft shell, chicken tacos, fish tacos - you name it, we'll happily eat it with a margarita or cerveza! There's something so satisfying about the simple combination of meat, salsa, and tortillas. Whether or not it's your favorite Mexican dish, what do you prefer in your tacos?

Source: Flickr User stu_spivack

Make Your Own Mexican Crema

Katie Sweeney — Wed, 04 May 2011 04:56:49 PDT

On Saturday mornings, I often enjoy watching Marcela Valladolid's Mexican Made Easy on Food Network. She cooks authentic cuisine with traditional ingredients. One ingredient that she always uses is Mexican crema. Somewhere between sour cream and crème fraîche, Mexican crema is a slightly sour, cooling, and creamy condiment.
Although you can purchase it at many ethnic markets, it's super easy to make at home. It's also wildly delicious: I couldn't stop myself from dunking chips into it and eating it like a dip. It pairs wonderfully with all types of Mexican food, from steak tacos to cheese quesadillas - basically anything you would have sour cream with. Ready for the recipe? Keep reading.

Name That Mexican Dish!

Mandy Harris — Wed, 04 May 2011 03:43:51 PDT

We can't wait to celebrate Cinco de Mayo tomorrow with everything from chili con queso to roast chicken tacos - and, of course, plenty of margaritas! But before you dig in to your fiesta, find out what you know about some of the more traditional dishes of Mexico. I'll give you the description, and you give me the dish. Ready? Buena suerte!

Source: Flickr User Emily Carlin

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