Viral culinary impresario, chemical engineer, and death metal bassist Miguel Angel Garcia of Miguel is Cooking has put together a very special meal for this intimate pop-up event: a menu inspired by the traditional wedding meals from his parents town of Coatzingo in Puebla. At these type of big family gatherings, relatives, neighbours and friends gather to share festive, traditional Mexican dishes. These are the occasions when old family recipes that have been passed down for generations are made — in this case Miguel's aunt Emilia's recipe for Mole Poblano. (A personal homage, as she passed away last year). If you don't see yourself getting invited to a wedding the Mexican countryside anytime soon, then join us for the next best thing...
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Sopa de Tortilla
A flavourful chile-infused chicken broth with chickpeas and zucchini topped with crispy strips of fried corn tortillas and finished with a splash of lime.
Mole Poblano
This beautifully complex, rich mahogany red sauce, is one of the quintessential dishes of Puebla state. It is made with several types of dried chilies (mulato, pasilla, and ancho), blended with sesame seeds, almonds, plantain, raisins, cinnamon, clove, and Mexican chocolate, draped over tender poached boneless chicken, and topped with toasted sesame seeds, queso fresco, and slivered red onion. Served with arroz rojo, Mexican-style rice cooked with tomato, garlic, carrots, and green peas, and fresh, hand-made tortillas.
Tamal de Frijol
Tamales appear at many Mexican celebrations in an incredible array of shapes, sizes and flavours. An ancient, pre-Colombian dish of corn masa stuffed with fillings and steamed in a wrapper, most often corn husks or banana leaves. These layered black bean tamales are typical of Puebla and are infused with the aromatic, anise-like notes of fresh or dried avocado leaves.
Arroz con Leche
This cinnamon-dusted, creamy rice pudding is a classic Mexican dessert often prepared for special occasions. Arroz con Leche's roots can be traced back to Moorish Spain, making its way around the world along with Spanish colonization, and now variations can be found all across Latin America.
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Miguel Angel Garcia is originally from Nezahualcóyotl, near Mexico City. Miguel started out working with his brother (and bandmate in their death metal band, My Own Code) at their dad’s churro factory. Later, after working for a few pharmaceutical firms as a chemical engineer, he emigrated to Toronto where he began experimenting with making proper churros at home. This eventually grew into a popular Mexican food pop-up, Miguel is Cooking at Steadfast Brewing in 2025, with more tasty projects and pop-ups planned for 2026. @migueliscooking
Read more about Miguel in this profile in the West End Phoenix
