Daniel & Carmen Ruiz - Daddy Chief

Daniel was born and raised in Taos but moved out and came back a couple of times due to college and other persuasions. Currently, he’s now back and brought his wife Carmen with him, and she also fell in love with the place right away.Daniel is the cook of the family and does that for as many people as he can. He loves playing that role even though Daniel isn’t a professionally trained chef. To him, everyone needs to eat, and he’ll fulfill that desire in whatever way he can. Carmen as well seconds her husband’s capabilities around the kitchen. To her, Daniel really knows their eating preferences and is good at preparing mostly anything. So, even when they are invited for dinner or going out as a family, Daniel usually picks what to eat or cook.

Daniel’s Cooking Inspirations

Most of Daniel’s cooking inspiration came from his parents and personal experience as well. He used to watch celebrity chefs do their thing while he was young. His favorite celebrity chef was Graham Kerr, and Daniel grew fond of the kitchen so much that you would find him there almost all the time.Daniel also baked cakes with his mom, which is an addition to where he got his cooking inspiration.

Menudo and Posole Recipes

According to Daniel, both the Menudo and Posole recipes are very similar in that they both have the Posole in them. However, the two undergo different preparation steps using other ingredients. The two can be considered as comfort foods or hangover foods as well.Flavors Used on the RecipesMenudo has brightness due to the acidity coming from squeezed lemons and the Posole. You also get various inclusions like oregano, chili flakes, and diced onions. According to Daniel, the inclusion of different flavors mostly depends on your origin and what you prefer.The recipes are like a family tradition considering that Daniel’s parents are Mexican immigrants, with his grandfather being Hispanic, while his mother is from New Mexico. Daniel remembers their Christmas tradition as a fantastic experience.

COVID and the Holidays

The pair will still plan to keep their holiday traditions alive and kicking, though not as large as before. Usually, the pair and their kids would visit their parents and spend quality time with extended family members. This year, they’ll be keeping their unique holiday traditions, like cutting down a Christmas tree, and enjoy the quality time together.

The Pair’s Holiday Message

According to Carmen, we ought to be more thankful that we can still connect with our loved ones via multiple social media platforms. It’s even better to stay apart for a while from your loved ones than to lose them altogether. So, we should be thankful for what we have and make the most out of it. Daniel also points out that we should focus on the positives. He also mentions that we should keep each other safe by washing our hands, wearing our masks, among other safety measures.

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