¡Ven a Comer! Culinary Festival celebrates UTSA's Mexican Cookbook Collection
Festival brings UTSA's Mexican Cookbook Collection to life via a trio of unique culinary events May 5-7.
(April 28, 2017) -- For San Antonio chefs, a chance to peruse UTSA's massive Mexican Cookbook Collection is like being a kid in a candy store.
Local foodies can take heart – a festival taking place Cinco de Mayo weekend is bringing the collection off library shelves and onto plates via a trio of unique culinary events. Ven a Comer will feature modern interpretations of the food and spirits from the cookbooks in a unique collaboration of chefs from San Antonio and Mexico.
The highlight of the festival is a multi-course dinner at Hotel Emma, recently named one of the world's 40 best "food-centric" hotels, on May 7. Six chefs will collaborate on the menu including Jaime Gonzalez and Jennifer Riesman from Hotel Emma, and Rico Torres and Diego Galicia of Restaurant Mixli, who were recently named two of Food and Wine's Best New Chefs of 2017.
Joining the local chefs will be two visiting specialists from Mexico: chef Fabian Delgado of Guadalajara's Pal Real restaurant, and mezcal expert Pedro Jiménez Gurría, who will share his knowledge of the traditional agave-based spirit at event tastings and a documentary film screening on May 6.
Proceeds from Ven a Comer will support the development and preservation of the cookbooks, one of the largest collections of its kind in the country with more than 1,800 items published between 1789 and the present. Among the many gems in the collection are handwritten recipe books providing an intimate view of domestic life and Mexican culinary culture.
"This is kind of my secret weapon for menu development," says Torres, who has spent hours in the John Peace Library's Special Collections Reading Room in his quest to rescue and preserve historic recipes. "There's value in having this collection here….I think it just adds to the fact that San Antonio is a gateway to Mexican culture."
Ven a Comer is sponsored by Hotel Emma, the Pearl Brewery, UTSA Libraries, and the Mexican Cultural Institute, with additional support from the Consulate of Mexico in San Antonio and the Mexican Agency for International Development Cooperation (AMEXCID) of the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Festival events:
VIVA MEZCAL Documentary Film Screening & Mezcal Tasting
Friday, May 5, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Mexican Cultural Institute, Hemisfair Park, 434 S. Alamo St., San Antonio
Join director and mezcalero Pedro Jiménez Gurría for a viewing of this documentary on this agave-based spirit from Mexico and the future of the mezcal industry. Several varietals of mezcal will be available for tasting. Free and open to the public.
Mexican Street Food from the Culinary Institute of America
Saturday, May 6, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Farmers Market – Pearl Brewery, 306 Pearl Parkway, San Antonio
In celebration of Cinco de Mayo, the CIA will serve Mexican street food at the Latin Outdoor Kitchen in the Pearl plaza.
Ven a Comer - An evening of Fine Food and Spirits
Sunday, May 7, 5:30 p.m.
Hotel Emma, 136 E. Grayson St., San Antonio
A unique evening featuring a multi-course dinner with dishes inspired by UTSA's Mexican Cookbook Collection. Proceeds from the event will support the preservation and development of the collection.
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Learn more about UTSA Libraries.
Learn more about the UTSA Mexican Cookbook Collection.
See Chef Rico find ideas for menus at his restaurant using the Mexican Cookbook Collection.
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