Comments on: Papalo (pipicha/pepiche?) has powerful flavor

By: Nicole Peyrafitte

Nicole Peyrafitte — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 02:24:56 +0000

This is the way I used it:
http://nicolepeyrafitte.com/blog/2009/09/16/papalo/
bon appetit!

By: Janet Majure

Janet Majure — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 18:43:44 +0000

Thanks, Wizard. The two certainly don’t look alike! I’d heard about the tabletop availability. Love the concept.

By: Wizard

Wizard — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 17:40:53 +0000

I’m from Guerrero in Southern Mexico and I’m not sure but papalos and pipichas are native to this area, at least native to the culinary culture there.

You’re right, they’re actually papalos. That’s what we call them there. Pipichas are a different kind of herb with a stronger bolder taste. Papalos are lighter more savory and the leaves are softer. These are pipichas: http://www.saveursmexicaines.com/images/gallery/gall1171120720.jpg

We usually eat them on picaditas, tacos, with mole rojo, with any meats but never on salads. We place a bunch in a glass in the middle of the table like a flower vase and pinch off the leaves while we eat. ;o)

By: Janet Majure

Janet Majure — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 00:41:32 +0000

Glad I could help, Gordon! What did you do with yours?

By: Gordon J

Gordon J — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 10:42:33 +0000

Wow, thanks for this sites info on PAPALO.. Papalo was all I had to go on. I didn’t even have the spelling..

By: Janet Majure

Janet Majure — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 19:29:43 +0000

Hey, Christopher. Thanks for stopping by. Not sure I could handle papalo in a salad (in fact, I think I tried), but I did find at least one place I liked it, as I reported here.

By: Christopher

Christopher — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 05:11:41 +0000

Hi Rachel,

I’m munching on apiece of Papalo right now. I am one of the “Loves It” group. It is a loveit, hate it taste.

I use to buy it from a small regional farmer here in Santa Barbara County (California) and now grow my own.

I use it in my fish tacos, New Orleans style red beans and rice and just thrown into a salad with avacado, red onion, tomato, and topped with a walnut oil and balsamic vinegar dressing. Amazing!

If you think you might like a pungent cross between Cilantro and watercress give it a shot. It doesn’t dry well as I’ve tried and it looses it’s potency. and mildews easily.

By: [eatingclub] vancouver || js

[eatingclub] vancouver || js — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 03:52:02 +0000

I’m so very curious about this herb. Haven’t seen it before nor tasted it. Looking forward to the dishes you’ll be making with it.

By: Janet Majure

Janet Majure — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 19:26:20 +0000

Hey, Rachel. Thanks for the link. Great photo. Thanks to you and to the Homesick Texan, I've learned more now about Puebla and food from there. Anyone else wanting to know more might want to check out the reports from Married with Dinner and from the CancunCanuck.

By: Rachel

Rachel — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 12:17:12 +0000

I have only had papalo from one place – Taqueria Puebla in Chicago. When they have it, they put it on their cemitas – which are really fantastic. A cemita is a Mexican sandwich on a sesame seed roll, your choice of meat, avocado, chipotles, cheese (this stringy cheese from the region – either Pueblo or Oaxaca. I can’t remember which). Even with all of these really strong flavors, it only takes a little bit of papalo – it’s strong stuff! Here’s a link to a picture (a few posts down on the page):

http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=1786&p=13536&hilit=cemita#p13536