Wow, you're taking our readers into the graduate school of Mexican cooking!  Yes, in many places in Mexico, they call the small purple tomatillos 'tomates milperos' or 'tomates de milpa' because they come up "volunteer" in the corn fields (milpas).  They have the best flavor.  (By the way, in Oaxca they call them 'miltomates.')  To find seeds for this kind of tomatillo, go to johnnyseeds.com

Sincerely,
Rick

We just launched the Frontera Scholarship, our new program in conjunction with Kendall College, to send a Mexican-American student to culinary school. Part of the program is an internship here at our restaurants - and the chance to accompany the Frontera team on our annual trip to Mexico in July. This is the first year of the program and we are all excited!

To qualify, you must be a recent graduate or current senior in the Chicago Public Schools. Recipients must also be of first or second generation Mexican origin. All the qualifications and requirements are spelled out in the application.

Sincerely,
Rick

Hey, Green City Market starts on May 14!  And our big 10th Anniversary Festival (even Mayor Daley is coming!) is on Saturday, May 17.  The big program (including the all-local birthday cake for everyone--and cochinita pibil tacos from our crew!) starts at 9 am.  

About that pan:  yes, in fact, you need it to make the chocoflan.  A regular 10-inch cake pan isn't deep enough to hold everything.  We used the one from Wilton that you've already found. 

Sincerely,
Rick

This year I decided to share some of my playlists--because I, too, love great music when I'm cooking and having friends over.  So if you run your cursor over "Television" in our web site, you'll be able to click on "Resources and Playlists."  That's where you'll find some of my favorite mixes.

Sincerely,
Rick

Okay. That shirt--one of my prize posessions. I mean, isn't it true? I once met a staunch vegetarian that ate bacon because, as she put it, "bacon's a treat like candy, not like meat." The shirt came from CafePress.com; type bacon into the search field, then scroll through the choices. Very good choices, I might add, for any bacon lover.

Sincerely,
Rick

I am so glad you're enjoying the new shows! Cajeta is Mexico's version of dulce de leche, a caramel that is made by simmering milk and sugar (and sometimes cinnamon) for a long time until it has reduced to about a quarter of its volume and turned golden brown. Very different from our traditional caramel sauces that start with caramelized sugar. (you can make it or, as I did in the recipe you watched me prepare on the show, buy it in a squeeze bottle (available in Mexican and other well stocked groceries). Corona is a reliable brand; I like the cajeta made from goat milk or the one called ' quemada,' meaning that it is a darker caramel.

Sincerely,
Rick

Basically I chose Topolobampo because once, when travelling through that little fishing town near Los Mochis in the Northwest Mexican state of Sinaloa, I thought about what a cool word it was.  Topo-lo-BAM-po or tplBAM...po (as it's contracted by many of us who say it a thousand times a day) or simply Topolo or, as my mother has been known to say, Topo la Bamba.  However you say it, the word brings a smile to your face. Like we hope the food does.  There's a longer story, but I'll go into that at another time.

Sincerely,
Rick

Don't worry, our little re-tooling of the format for Season 6 is just our way of weaving in things a lot of our viewers have been asking for.  Namely, how to captures that incredible Mexican fiesta spirit when we're entertaining family and friends back home--without resorting to clichd sombreros and serapes, a blaring mariachi soundtrack and day-glow green margaritas.  But Season 7, which we're deep into working on now, will focus again on places (with a couple of fun new twists in format), taking you to some incredible places that few have visited. I promise.  

Sincerely,
Rick

Check your local listings for times and start date.

Sincerely,
Rick

I know it seems confusing--it IS confusing--but you put the cake batter in first, dribble on the flan's custard mixture and put it in the oven.  During the baking the cake mixture floats up through the custard before it sets, winding up on TOP when you remove the pan from the oven.  Honestly.  So ... When you flip your chocoflan over to unmold it, the cake will be on the bottom.  EVERYONE LISTEN UP: I've been making the chocoflan a lot recently and I have decided that the cake has the best textures and taste if I use a non-Dutched (not alkali-treated) cocoa. 

Sincerely,
Rick

Thanks for the comments.  We're having a ball shooting these shows!  My book Mexican Everyday has lots of good, simple recipes that are for everyday eating ... meaning they lean toward the leaner side of my repertoire.   

Sincerely,
Rick

Everything Season 6 will be live on the website shortly! In the meantime here are the links to the Braised Short Ribs and the Impossible Chocoflan

Check it out and keep coming back for more updates and great recipes!

Sincerely,
Rick

The good new is: We're planning to start making our own Oaxacan-style chocolate (importing the beans from Mexico and grinding them with canela and organic sugar). And once we get it donw, you'll be able to order the chocolate from us to make your own delicious brew. The not-so-good new is that you'll probably have to wait until the first part of 2009 to satisfy your craving.

Sincerely,
Rick

Each season we put 5 of our most popular shows on a DVD.  As you can imagine, the show you're talking about ... well, everyone is talking about. So you can buy it from rickbayless.com.  Just click on this link.  Good luck with your pig roast!  Several people have told me they've followed my procedure and made a lot of people happy. 

Sincerely,
Rick

I'm just waiting for the call.  Two years ago, I competed in our one-evening charity Dancing with Chicago Celebrities. And I won! Definitely one of the highlights of my life.  So Dancing with the Stars?  I'd jump at that in an instant. 

Sincerely,
Rick