Pescado Blanco Relleno

This recipe hails from "La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 9," published in 1890 by Antonio Vanegas Arroyo—a prolific Mexican printer and publisher famous for capturing the culinary and cultural spirit of late 19th-century Mexico. During this era, Mexican home cooks blended European techniques with indigenous ingredients, embracing both Old and New World flavors. Lard was a kitchen staple, reflecting both practicality and taste, while the inclusion of capers and pork underlines the cosmopolitan palate of Mexico’s urban elite. Recipes at the time were penned for resourceful home cooks, who relied on their senses and experience more than standardized measurements, often cooking with what was available seasonally.

In the late 19th century, kitchen work revolved around heavy wooden tables for prep, large knives for butchering fish and chopping vegetables, and mortars and pestles for grinding spices. Frying would be done in deep cast iron pans or copper cazuelas over a wood or charcoal stove; eggs were beaten with simple forks or whisks. Straining or ladling, if needed, was accomplished with enamel or tin utensils. Home cooks kept everything at arm’s reach to make the most of limited counter space.