I think of Calvin Trillin as a contemporary Walt Whitman, humorous, politically savvy, and egalitarian. It just so happens that Trillin’s daughter Abigail moved to Oaxaca with her family. This became a perfect excuse for him to re-visit, eat grasshoppers, learn to cook with maguey worms and write about it. His take on Oaxaca food (and other musings) is in The New Yorker ‘s upcoming December 3, 2012 issue.
Titled Land of the Seven Moles: Adapting to Life’s Changes, at the Table, Trillin takes us on a brief culinary tour of Oaxaca and tells us about the cooking class he took with his son-in-law Brian. (I’m certain it was at the home of cooking teacher Pilar Cabrera, although no names are mentioned. The experience he describes reminds me of the class I took with Pilar where we made a salsa out of hormigas AKA ants!)
Rather than go on and on, paraphrasing the article, click on the link above and read for yourself. You’ll have a good chuckle, just as I did!