Last year I wrote a post about one of my favorite Mexican comfort foods: molletes. As a young student in Mexico City I didn’t have a lot of money to spend in fancy restaurant food (what student does?) so when our group of friends wanted to eat in restaurant we would go to Sanborns, a very popular restaurant chain that has been around for more than 100 years in Mexico. The place is really not expensive and their food is good. Our choice was always molletes for being inexpensive, very filling and, of course, delicious.
Since I haven’t been in the mood to cook very complicated foods lately I decided to make molletes for lunch the other day. A mollete is an open face bolillo with spread refried beans and cheese. They are baked for 10 minutes to melt the cheese and make the bread crispy. They are served with green or red salsa or pico de gallo. You can get fancy with them and add ham, shredded chicken, chorizo or even an egg for breakfast. They are the perfect food for these lazy summer days when you really don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. And if you don’t want to turn your oven on for 10 minutes you can grill them and have a Mexican panini.
I know I haven’t been posting a lot lately or visiting my friends’ blogs as often as I should, but I have been busy with a new project of mine. Like I’ve mentioned many times before I love food and photography, so I am looking into becoming a food photographer. I still have a lot to learn and a long way to go, but this is something that I really enjoy and can see myself still doing it in 10, 20 or 30 years in the future. Right now I have been experimenting a lot in my improvised home studio and getting ready to start looking for clients. Any ideas, suggestions, criticism and recommendations are welcome 
Maybe this will help me with our planned move to Chicago…
¡Buen provecho!
12 Replies
Wonderful setup Ben. Very professional. My best wishes to you corazon. Molletes are’t bad either! :p
Posted on July 17th, 2009 at 8:48 am
Hi Ben,
I couldn’t resist the call of “Mexican comfort food” from the front page of Tastespotting. Although I might prefer sopes, who can be bothered with all the prep work, especially on these hot summer evenings?! So, molletes it is! And if it goes on the grill…even better.
I was looking at your last photo here, which shows your set-up, and it occurred to me that you might enjoy a new site called Culinary Snapshot (http://www.culinarysnapshot.com/) It’s a site for food photographers (and those aspiring to be) that shows before and after photos of the food photography process. The pictures in this post alone would make a great submission. Just a thought.
Best of luck to you in your photographic pursuits!
Sincerely,
Casey
Editor
http://www.tastestopping.wordpress.com
Posted on July 17th, 2009 at 11:45 am
I should have come here right before lunch! I’m so hungry now. Best of luck with your new endeavor! Isn’t is amazing how time flies when you’re working on something you really enjoy?
Posted on July 17th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
These sound amazing, comfort food at its best Ben. Love your photograpjhy set up as well.
Posted on July 17th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
Sounds delicious. I love the set up you have to photograph your dish. I think I should look into something similar. Your photo is great!
Posted on July 17th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
Yummy, cheap and beautiful for the eyes and tummy! Excellent photos as always with …the umbrellas wow
Cheers!
Gera
Posted on July 17th, 2009 at 7:28 pm
I love molletes. My dad would make them all the time (and still does) when I was growing up. He uses english muffins for the base. Your’s are gorgeous. YUM. Thanks for sharing.
Posted on July 17th, 2009 at 8:00 pm
I’m a firm believer in that street food and cheap eats are often the most delicious, comforting and satisfying! these molletes look delicious, will try to reacreate them at home
Posted on July 23rd, 2009 at 12:02 pm
GRACIAS BEN!!! Como no van a estar buenas tus fotos de molletes y de todo!!!
Y no solo las fotos tambien todo lo que cocinas! Ven mas seguido a mi blog! es un honor para mí.
Besos
Posted on July 30th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
Oh molletes My Lord! Molletes are the best and easiest Mexican comfort food. I just recently made this, when I found that the padaderias (panaderias-bakery shops) sell a mollete like bread. I felt home
I’m gonna post my recipe soon and will link yours too (que desde ahora te digo no se ven tan lindos como los tuyos, geniales fotos).
And big congratulations to you, se necesitan muchos pantalones para seguir el corazon en materia de trabajo. Well done, I’m sure you’re gonna have a very successful career in food photo-journalism. If I were in Chicago I would apply to be your chicharina (jeje)
ps. como no voy a engordar Hombre? entre pasteles de chocolate y molletes?
mil besos
Posted on July 30th, 2009 at 8:34 pm
Hola Ben,
Mucho tiempo hace que pase por aqui, todo esta muy cambiado, muy bello y padrisimo!
Te felicito, eres todo un artista, Tus molletes estan de lujo.
Saludos!
Posted on July 31st, 2009 at 6:11 am
Se me olvido comentar, que tienes talento, y la vas a hacer en grande en CHicago o donde quiera que vayas.
Tus fotos son bellas!
Posted on July 31st, 2009 at 6:20 am
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