My father's family came from Merida, Yucatan Province in Mexico in 1922. I never saw my grandmother or great aunt make Mexican food, but my great aunt's sister in law was an excellent cook. She and her husband lived in Coney Island, Brooklyn back when it was still a decent neighborhood, and once a year my parents would take us there, and after a day at the amusement park, we'd go back and have the best Mexican food I've ever had. I've never had anything like it in Mexican restaurants. Black bean soup with thick noodles, beef empanadas, and a cassarole made of potatos, corn, peppers and lord knows what kind of spices. Like I said, no restaurant I've ever been to comes close. Maybe it's Mexican restaurants never feature Yucatan food. All the old relatives are gone now, so I'll never get the recipes.

Steve