Buffalo Rising Online

Nov 10th 2007, 11:58am By Christa Glennie Seychew

Recently I had the opportunity to partake in a cooking session held in the home of Buffalo Rising contributor and professional chef, Laura Anhalt. Laura and her business partner Beverly Barry make up A Taste of the World, a business that offers not only a very popular series of intimate cooking classes, but also a newly developed bottled Chimichurri sauce which will be available at the Broadway Market’s upcoming Christmas Food Fair.

Each Friday, Taste of the World focuses on authentic Mexican and pre-Hispanic cooking, taking full advantage of Laura’s Mexican heritage and passion for her culture and its food. Other classes include Tuesday Night’s Quick Cuisine programs, which feature flavors from all over the world with recipes designed for folks on the go.

The class that I was invited to was a celebration of the Day of the Dead. Students trickled into Anhalt’s living room to an array of wine, cheeses, homemade tortilla chips, salsa and guacamole made with tequila. Once gathered we were handed copies of the recipe and given a brief and interesting verbal history of the Day of the Dead, Day of All Saints, and some of the traditions that accompany these Mexican celebrations. On to the kitchen, where the class’s ten students were split into groups, each handed the task of preparing one of the dishes on the menu: Mashed Drunken Beans, Rice Topped with Cactus Salad, Aztec Cake with Mole and Candied Pumpkin.

The class flowed smoothly; strangers and friends stood side by side adding ingredients to pots, whirring sauces in blenders, chatting, joking, and drinking wine. It really is amazing how quickly people will meld together when given reason, and A Taste of the World’s cooking classes are better than many that I can think of. Whether you’re interested in cooking or not, A Taste of the World’s cooking classes are good fun.

Once the cooking is done, friends both old and new, head to the dining room for a family style feast. All of the food I enjoyed was absolutely delicious and reminded me of how desperately we really need good, authentic Mexican food in this city. Until then, we’ll have to go to dinner at Laura’s house with A Taste of the World, where the food alone is well worth the price of admission.

My favorite dish was the Aztec Cake with Mole, a truly outstanding dish packed with well-paired flavors and textures. It is less like a cake and more of a lasagna, a layered casserole where the mingling of ingredients under heat creates a whole world of taste sensations. I’ve included the recipe below, a recipe developed by Anhalt herself. Please note that although it will require a little scouring at the supermarket, Anhalt only endorses the use of tortillas made by La Banderita.

Aztec Cake with Mole

24 corn tortillas ∙ corn oil (for frying the tortillas) ∙ 4 skinless chicken breasts, cubed ∙ 1 jar Dona Maria mole paste ∙ 1 ½ cups chicken or vegetable stock ∙ 2 cubes chicken bouillon ∙ 16oz. Monterey Jack cheeses, shredded ∙ 1 cup sour cream ∙ 4 small zucchini, finely sliced ∙ 2 cups of corn kernels (fresh or frozen, but thawed) ∙ 4 large tomatoes, cubed ∙ 1 large whit onion, cubed ∙ 2 cloves garlic, whole ∙ ½ cup cilantro, finely chopped ∙ a few sprigs of cilantro ∙ 1 large red onion, thinly sliced

Pre-heat oven to 350°

Heat enough corn oil over medium heat to lightly fry tortillas. Lightly fry or “pass” the tortillas through the corn oil, remove and drain on plate lined with paper towels. Set aside.
In a blender, combine the tomatoes, white onion, garlic, chicken bouillon and sprigs of cilantro. Blend well and set aside.

In a hot skillet, caramelize the red onion. Add the cubed chicken breast and the contents of the blender. Cook on medium-high, stirring often, until chicken is thoroughly cooked. While chicken is cooking, add the Donna Maria mole paste and broth to a small saucepan. Mix well over medium heat until thoroughly incorporated.

Reserve enough mole, cheese and cilantro to cover the top of the casserole. Assemble your dish by covering the bottom of your casserole dish with tortillas, leaving no spaces. Add a thin layer of mole, a layer of cheese, a layer of chicken, a layer of corn and zucchini and a sprinkle of cilantro. Continue the process of layering tortillas, mole, cheese, chicken, corn, zucchini and cilantro. The final layer should consist of tortillas covered with mole, cheese, cilantro and sour cream.

Bake until the edges begin to brown, approximately 25 – 30 minutes.


A Taste of the World
290 Ashland Avenue, Buffalo 14222
716.481.0651

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