Luci’s dulce de leche cookies were only part of the dessert phase of our fiesta.

I’ve hogged the spotlight, blathering on about tacos for so long (despite not even mentioning the stewed chicken with browned garlic) that it’s almost enough to put me off tacos.

Almost.

But first I should take a minute to share the fact that our fiesta was so much more. A bunch of talented people brought dishes to the table that together made a formidable meal.

Scott brought cochinita pibil, an allspice-scented pork dish from the Yucatan that’s steamed in banana leaves. Kathleen contributed delicious guacamole.

Al pastor tofu? Why not, if you dig tofu.

Kathleen’s husband Dan is a vegetarian, but he enjoyed tofu soaked in the al pastor marinade and grilled on the Weber.

Kevin and Liz brought Mexican rice, from a Rick Bayless recipe.

There were pickled jalapenos, garlic cloves, beets and carrots.

Matt brought fiery scallop cerviche, powered by habaneros, which I shamefully failed to photograph. Jody brought salsa verde. Mary Jane made the crucial contribution of a bottle of Cuervo 1800, which Matt, armed with a sack of limes and a blender, set to distributing.

Dulce de leche cookies - you don;t have to speak Spanish to know it sounds sweet.

Due to the efforts of Luci Levere, there was also dessert. Not just these dulce de leche cookies, but Real Mexican Hot Chocolate.

We’ll present that next, and wrap up our fiesta.

Filed under: Home cooking, parties, vegan & veg