Ep. 3, Mercado: Artisanal Street Food & L.A.'s Best Mole | KCET

Ep. 3, Mercado: Artisanal Street Food & L.A.'s Best Mole
On a bustling street corner in Downtown L.A., the tantalizing smell of freshly deep-fried chicharrón wafting in the air comes from a street vendor who is a master at the craft. Over at Grand Central Market, the family behind a long-standing shop has been dutifully providing Hispanic goods to the community for the last few decades.
In this episode, we get a glimpse into the lives of the two Mexican families behind these different business ventures, and explore what they have in common: hard work, dedication and hope.
At a time when an influx of immigrants fled from their countries for better labor opportunities in the United States, Celestino Lopez opened Chiles Secos, a stand in Grand Central Market that offered the community a familial sense of home. The late purveyor brought to L.A. imported Hispanic products, including mole pastes, dried chiles, spices, beans, and grains. The story of his entrepreneurial spirit and perseverance is told through his widow Antonia Lopez and granddaughter Claudia Armendariz. Armendariz now writes the next chapter in her family’s legacy, as she has taken it upon herself to keep Chiles Secos relevant as the Grand Central Market evolves into something different than what it was before.
On the other end of the spectrum, we learn about the life of the street vendor through Enrique Peralta, whose crispy pork rinds are among the best in the city. He works diligently to be a good role model to his children, and tries to positively contribute to society in any he can. While street vendors are working for their livelihood and to supplement their income, they also face painful hurdles due to pushback from police. Through their stories, both families show immigrants' ongoing struggle to make it in the land of opportunity.
Full Episodes
-
The Migrant Kitchen
The Migrant Kitchen
S3 E1: The Jewish Deli
Season 3, Episode 1
The Jewish Delis of Los Angeles serve an important role for connecting heritage to food. Discover the delis that make up the fabric of Los Angeles life.
-
The Migrant Kitchen
The Migrant Kitchen
S3 E2: Sequoia Sake
Season 3, Episode 2
Rooted in the traditions of Japanese sake brewing, Sequoia Sake works to resurrect an heirloom rice in California and pioneer the young but growing craft sake movement in the U.S.
-
The Migrant Kitchen
The Migrant Kitchen
S3 E3: El Jardín
Season 3, Episode 3
Inspired by the traditions of generations of Mexican women and combining regional heirloom ingredients from across Mexico, Claudette Zepeda-Wilkins takes a huge risk to elevate the cuisine in her hometown.
-
The Migrant Kitchen
The Migrant Kitchen
S3 E4: Mister Jiu's Chinatown
Season 3, Episode 4
With the rapid gentrification of the neighborhood, the face of the country’s oldest Chinatown is changing while a younger generation holds on to the traditions and flavors of the past.
-
The Migrant Kitchen
The Migrant Kitchen
S3 E5: Man'oushe
Season 3, Episode 5
Two extraordinary women of Palestinian descent, Reem Assil and Lamees Dahbour, use food to bring their misunderstood homeland closer to Western tolerance and acceptance.
- 1 of 4
- next ›
Upcoming Airdates
El Jardín
Season 3, Episode 3
Chef Claudette Zepeda-Wilkins opens her new restaurant, El Jardín, in San Diego. Inspired by the traditions of generations of Mexican women and combining regional heirloom ingredients from across Mexico, Zepeda-Wilkins takes a huge risk to elevate the cuisine in her hometown.
-
2019-12-11T16:00:00-08:00KCET-HD
Mister Jiu's Chinatown
Season 3, Episode 4
In San Francisco’s Chinatown, Brandon Jew walks the line between his Chinese heritage and his American upbringing with his restaurant, Mister Jiu’s. With the rapid gentrification of the neighborhood, the face of the country’s oldest Chinatown is changing while a younger generation holds on to the traditions and flavors of the past.
-
2019-12-15T08:00:00-08:00KCET-HD
-
2019-12-18T16:00:00-08:00KCET-HD
Man'oushe
Season 3, Episode 5
Two extraordinary women of Palestinian descent, Reem Assil and Lamees Dahbour, use food to bring their misunderstood homeland closer to Western tolerance and acceptance.
-
2019-12-22T08:00:00-08:00KCET-HD
Popular Videos
-
California’s Native peoples have lived with drought cycles for millennia and today, the Paiute are shepherding conversations around access to water resources, raising key questions about how our snowpack, streams and aquifers are used and maintained.
KCET Original -
Griffith Park is one of the largest municipal parks in the United States. Its founder, Griffith J. Griffith, donated the land to the city as a public recreation ground for all the people — an ideal that has been challenged over the years.
KCET Original -
Socal Connected looks at what happened to LA Jets’ Obea Moore and the current state of youth track and field today.
KCET Original -
Los Angeles’s water sources run as far as hundreds of miles away.
KCET Original -
An investigation reveals how the state and many cities have let developers get away for decades with not paying their fair share when they replace affordable lodging with luxury hotels up and down California’s coast.
KCET Original
Expiring Soon
-
After many years for neglect, the Gardens Conservancy and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area have begun a multi million-dollar restoration of the gardens. Huell gets a special look at this almost forgotten part of our history.
-
Phryne investigates the death of a young female worker in a factory 'accident' and soon learns that the woman's death might not be the misadventure the police think it is.
-
"Mother of the Earth" takes a look at Hayedeh Shirzadi and her husband's attempts to put an end to the dumping and burial of urban garbage in their city.
-
George crisscrosses Laos to witness a nation entering the modern world.
Comments