A mistake?

Maybe.

But this episode isnt!

*paper sounds * *funky music * Enrique: Welcome to FoodNotes *, where we explore stories from people and places through the one thing we all know and love.

Christina: Food!

And today were MariChuys Mexican Kitchen in Midtown Reno.

This is the Chuy of MariChuys.

Let's learn more about him.

Chuy: I am a father.

I am a community member.

I am a business leader in the co Thats who we are.

My wife Mari is in the top, and Chuy on the bottom.

The whole community knew who Mar and who Chuy was.

Mari was the front of the house and I was the dishwasher in the back of the house.

and I was the dishwasher in the back of the house.

Enrique: Oh wow!

Chuy: My wife she is from Mexico Chuy is from Michoacán.

[in Spanish] Creado in Leon, Guanajuato.

So all the inspiration, the deco everything is from Mexico City, Leon, Guanajato.

And all the food from Michoacán.

And why Michoacán?

Michoacán has a lot of farming.

Christina: Oh nice so its like that you two are in your restaur Chuy: Everything in one capsule.

[in Spanish] Yo siempre lo digo la cápsula de Christina: Michoacán.

Enrique: Located in western Mexi about 20% of the land in Michoacán is used for agriculture alone.

That's over 2 million acres.

Christina: The primary crops include avocados, strawberries, mangos and corn.

Enrique: Although corn accounts for almost half of the harvested crops, Michoacán is the largest producer of avocados in the world.

Christina: Ranching is also larg in Michoacán, taking 43% of farmland to raise cattle, domestic fowl, sheep and more.

Enrique: What got you into the food industry to begin with?

Chuy: I always knew that I wanted to become a chef.

She took me under her wing since I was about six years old.

She just always loved food, she loved growing vegetables, she loved raising chickens.

Im from a rancher.

Those things they come naturally.

My abuelita is everything for me She taught me how to be humble and how to be kind.

You know she time, youre never going to suff As long as you have those princi anywhere you go youre going to Enrique: When you cook from some its an expression of love.

Youre spreading the same love that you felt growing up.

Christina: Did she have any reci that you have in the restaurant Chuy: Oh yeah.

90% of this place right here is abuelitas.

My favorite meal is a Chicken Vegetable Soup.

And a lot of people they get sur “Why a chicken vegetable soup?

Its very easy!

” Well show me how to make a Real Chicken Vegetable Soup.

*funky music * And a lot of people think in the just go into the freezer grab a chicken breast, vegetable throw them in the pot and thats This is not the case, the case i youre going to find the chicken *awkward silence * butcher the chicken.

Feather the Go get the vegetables, and prepare the meal.

That meal it takes from five to hours from start to finish.

Thats the Real Chicken Vegetabl Christina: It reminds me of when I was younger because, like my grandma she had And you just make sure that its the freshest that it can ac Enrique: So what's next?

Chuy: Were going to make this thing more exciting.

Enrique: Let's get to the food!

*upbeat piano music * *funky music * Enrique: A lot of people would look at this sauce and they'll say this is Pico de But when you first came here, you didnt realize this is what they call Pico de Gallo.

Chuy: Yeah, for me, it was Salsa Fresca.

Christina: Pico de Gallo.

Enrique: Pico de gallo comes fro culture and has many names, including Salsa Fresca, Salsa Ba and Salsa Cruda.

Christina: It is traditionally made with chopped tomato, onion, peppers, salt, lime juice and cilantro.

Enrique: The phrase pico de gallo means roosters beak.

Christina: There is some confusion as to why it's called Some say it's from the method of eating the salsa by pinching pieces between the thumb and forefinger.

Enrique: While others say it's because the salsa has a bird feed like texture and appearance.

*funky music ends * *Ranchera music begins * Chuy: The way its chopped, I can see the roosters picking t Enrique: So we have the salsa fresca here.

Chuy: Yeah.

Enrique: but what do you have on this plate over here?

Chuy: We have frijoles, guacamole, chili pasilla, green salsa and ranchera sauce my abuelas favorite salsa!

Iit just brings me tears when I try my abuelas salsas.

Christina: Its like we're getting food from Abuelita.

Enrique: I think this is the spi Chuy: You know you just feel it Thats when the spice of the foo you can enjoy it.

But if it burns your lips what happens?

Christina: Stays up here *laught Enrique: Do you try to control.. [in Spanish] Que no es tan picante.

Chuy: Well you know, thats it.

If they ask for if they ask for super spicy, we But you want to bring the stuff that anybody can taste.

Christina: I like them all, theyre all really good.

Enrique: What do we have here in terms of margaritas?

Chuy: A las margaritas, citrus margarita.

The famous jalapeño margarita.

I mean, everybody loves this jalapeño.

I never thought that Im going t jalapeños in my margaritas!

Look at this jalapeño, you know?

But people come here and they gi these ideas.

Why not give it bac Enrique: Thats the way to do it Thats community.

Chuy: [in spanish] Siempre que yo observo a alguien [in Spanish] que tiene una experiencia bonita [in Spanish] el lo que me gusta me hacer.

Anywhere you go you can make tha But if it doesn't come with your heart doesn't taste good, like my Mango.

Delicious.

Salud.

Christina & Enrique: Salud.

*drinks clink * *ranchera music plays * Enrique: Thats dangerous!

Thats dangerous.

Thats good!

*ranchera music * You know I dont really like jalapeños but thats Christina: This is really good!

Enrique: That's good.

It kindve *clears throat * It kindve burns the back of my throat a little bit.

But its go Gracias.

Mucha Gracias!

Enrique: Nothing says MariChuys hospitality and love like two tables Christina: Full of food.

Chuy: Well, this is a real, authentic Mexican kitchen Tacos al Pastor.

Tacos a pescado.

Frijoles, arroz Look at the molcajete!

Enrique: Molcajete.

The Molcajete dates back several thousand years, from Mesoamerican cultures.

Christina: It is traditionally c out of a porous volcanic rock, which allows flavors to carry over from one dish to the next Enrique: and to maintain heat for a long period of time.

Christina: Molcajetes are typically used to grind spices and prepare salsas or guacamole.

Enrique: It can even be used as the container the food is served in during meal time.

Christina: ooooo dang!

*whispering * its sizzling!

Enrique: You can hear it!

Its a Christina: Can you hear my mic?

*intense sizzling * Christina: Smells delicious.

Enrique: You see some chicken, you see jalapeño, Christina: The chorizo.

Enrique: Some chorizo, some ques Christina: Oh look theres your *silence as Enrique processes the dreaded nopales in front of Enrique: Yeah.

Chrisitna: Big ol piece of cact Enrique: This ones topped off with nopales!

Christina: Oh dang look at that!

One of the ingredients that Enri doesnt particularly like cactus Chuy: I respect that.

Not a lot people like nopales.

Because of the texture and the t But you know what thats a filet mignon for me.

Enrique: Nopal.

Nopal is the spanish word for cactus, or prickly pear!

Christina: Its a common ingredient in Mexican cusine.

So much so that over seven milli acres of land are used to cultiv Enrique: It can be eaten raw or in pretty much anyway youd like Christina: It has a light, salty tart flavor and is a good source of many minerals and vitamins.

*upbeat music finishes * *ranchera music begins * Chuy: See how easy it is if you arent used to cactus?

You just put it on the side.

Enrique: There you go!

Christina: *laughter * Chuy: But we have a challenge for you.

Chuy: If you can grab a corn tortilla please.

Enrique: Uh huh.

*ranchera music * Christina: Corn tortilla.

Chuy: Corn tortilla thats a chi Enrique: Sorry.

Christina: *giggle * Chuy: Here, your cactus.

And then Im going to put a litt salsa.

Now try it, please.

Christina: A little salsa.

Chuy: Little salsa.

Now try it like a real Mexican t Just like this.

*ranchera music * All different flavors, right?

Look at his face.

At first he said he didn't like now look at him.

Enrique: There's a crunch every time I bite.

Chuy: You can mix it with pico d you can mix it on your molcajete, you can do scrambled eggs and ca basically you can put it anything.

You can make milkshakes with it.

Christina: Oooo, milkshake.

*laughter * And then I tried the chorizo.

what kind of spices did you put in it?

Chuy: Well, thats my abuelas secret recipe!

Christina: Oh secret.

Chuy: But I can tell you a few i you can guess one of them.

and then I can give you three more.

Christina: There's something spi I'm assuming a pepper.

Chuy: We use crushed peppers and we use some cinnamon.

We use some cloves and we use some.

allspice and nutmeg.

And then... Christina: Mystery.

Mystery.

Grandma.

Secret recipe.

Enrique: Do you keep the chicken pretty simple?

Chuy: [in Spanish] ajo, sal and pimienta.

That's it.

Enrique: Because then what you can do is you You can with tortilla, you can get anything with any salsa you want.

Chrisina: Yeah.

It's like a make your own.

Chuy: And then you can taste your chicken.

you can take your beef.

Our famous fish tacos.

Look at all the great stuff right there.

I even learned how to fold my taco and have it with the style.

[in Spanish] Es está el sabor mexicano.

Try your fish taco.

Please.

Enrique: I want to eat it how he Christina: Do it.

Yours is a bit big.

You might not be able to pinch the end.

Enrique: Its big but its ok!

*ranchera music * I can taste everything.

The jitomate.

The salsa.

Chuy: The coldslaw.

Everything.

Enrique: And if I don't taste th spice it reminds me.

Chuy: The al Pasor tacos the sec how do you follow your taco Christina: Oh, hes smart.

He covers the end.

Chuy: Everybody that's watching they can get their mouth watering.

Christina: Tacos al Pastor.

Tacos al Pator is a traditional Mexican dish made with marinated pork, onions and cilantro.

Enrique: al pastor translates to “Shepherds style ” which is derived from the origin cooking method of vertically gri Christina: The shepherd style co inspired by classic shawarma, which was brought to Mexico by Lebanese immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Enrique: As the original recipe evolved in Mexico, lightly seasoned lamb was replaced with marinated pork thus creating Tacos al Pastor.

*ranchera music ends * *sentimental music begins * Enrique: [in Spanish] Hey Chuy, haces comidas con su f Chuy: [in Spanish] Siempre.

[in Spanish] Es lo mejor que puede convivir con lo familia.

Enrique: [in Spanish] Yo visité en febrero It was my grandmother's 90th bir Every one of her children Chuy: It was there.

Enrique: Yeah, celebrating abuel Chuy: That's a big celebration.

a lot of history.

Enrique: Thats what talk about they talk about the past Chuy: They bring that past they bring the history That's beautiful.

That's something you never going to forget.

Enrique: Never.

No.

Chuy: We call it Every time there is a celebration, we just throw the house out of the window.

Christina: That's a good phrase.

Enrique: Your abuelita gave you the passion.

She gave you the love.

What do you think she would think of you now?

Think of everything you built.

Chuy: She will be very, very pro She said to me, when you start something, you finish it.

every time that I start, something scares me She was like, Keep going, keep going.

Christina: Well, we want to than Chuy for inviting us and then having all this wonderful food for us.

Enrique: Chuy you've been very g what you've taught us, what you've shown us.

Everything you've shared.

We really appreciate.

Thank you for all the food.

Chuy: [in Spanish] Y es un placer aprenderlos.

[in Spanish] muchas gracias por estar con nosotros [in Spanish] Y como mi abuela decía, [in Spanish] que dios nos bendiga Christina: Thank you for watching FoodNotes * Enrique: If you want more PBS Re check us out on the PBS Video Ap Christina: Or check us out online at pbsreno.org.

Enrique: And remember, this was made possible by viewers like yo Christina: Youre going to do th We dont have to do it at the en Enrique: Ive been a viewer my w though, and now I get to thank t Enrique: Thank you!

Christina: Thank you!