September 17, 2003 -- Here are three things we know about our readers; they love affordable travel, they love learning and they love good food. Combine all three and you've the budget foodie travel trifecta! Spend a week at the Mexican Home Cooking School just outside of Tlaxcala, Mexico, and you'll do just that. If visions of Taco Bell and Chi-Chis just crossed your mind, think again. This is decidedly authentic and time-tested; the cuisine is a peppery blend of indigenous cultures (Olmec, Mayan and Aztec) sprinkled with the colonial flavors of the French and Spanish.
Our readers have raved about this program for a few years now and not for nothing. Owners Jon Jarvis and his wife, Doña Estela Salas Silva have created the perfect recipe for a truly flavorful vacation. You'll be staying in their own home, the Case Carmelita, where lessons are taught right in their kitchen, by Doña Estela and Jon, -- both have years of experience under their aprons as restaurant chefs and caterers. She likes to keep classes to no more than 4 students at any given week, so you know you'll be getting lots of one-on-one instruction; classes are held each morning for five days. You'll visit local markets to select ingredients and then prepare them from scratch all the way to the plate -- your morning's work becomes everyone's noontime meal. In October, they'll be hosting a "Week of Molé" featuring a variety of dishes featuring the chocolate-based sauce.
Afternoons are your own to explore nearby Tlaxcala (located 75 miles east of Mexico City) and any number of ancient pyramids, pre-colonial ruins and active volcanoes. In addition to his duties as sous chef, Jon is on hand to make recommendations and arrangements for transportation.
The price tag is usually an even grand, but if you mention that you're a loyal reader of Frommer's Travel Guides and Frommers.com, they'll take off 10% for all reservations for the next six months (for travel through March 17, 2004). That $900 includes your room and three meals a day (breakfasts, the lunches you prepare, and gourmet dinners in the evening -- including all the beer, wine and margaritas you care to drink), transportation from the airport and your daily lessons. The airfare is not included in the price, but they will work through a favorite agent of theirs to help you get the best airfare into either Mexico City or Puebla. Or, you can do that yourself.
For more information, including pictures of your host and hostess, the home, nearby attractions, and -- most importantly -- the food, plus sample recipes, go online to www.mexicanhomecooking.com. You can also contact Jon by phone or fax at 001-246-46-809-78 or e-mail at mexicanhomecooking@yahoo.com.
And Now for Something Completely Different; Calling All Writers
The Mexican Home Cooking School will play host to an intensive writing workshop January 20-26, 2004. Andrea Steffen -- a Jungian-trained psychotherapist, writer, performance poet and radio commentator --will facilitate a series of early morning meditative exercises followed by afternoon writing sessions. The fee for this weeklong workshop is $950. Jon is extending the 10% discount to this as well, so Frommers.com readers will pay $855, which includes your housing at either Casa Carmelita or the nearby Hotel Alifer, three meals a day and drinks, a cocktail reception and all necessary instruciton materials. Again, you'll have to pay additional for your airfare. Jon and Doña Silva are hoping that this will be the first in a series of cultural events housed at Casa Carmelita. For more information on the workshop, head over to https://www.ashlar.org/Tlaxcala.
Have you taken classes at the Mexican Home Cooking School? How was the food? How was your stay? Share you experience in our Mexico Message Boards today! Just click here to get started.