Alma de Mi Tierra
Alma de Mi Tierra
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About
Alma de Mi Tierra Cooking Classes offers day cookery classes. Nora Valencia is a native of Oaxaca and passes on time-honored recipes and techniques and some new ones of her own to her enthusiastic students. Almost 20 years experience in instructing classes has led Nora to be filmed by the BBC, French TV, Japanese Special live broadcast as well as numerous chefs form the U.S. Nora is also a federally certified tour guide who enjoy leading her gastronomical and textile tours. Nora is also conducting online cooking classes lasting from 60-90 minutes. Please contact us for more information and to reserve.
Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico
Awards
Travelers' Choice
2024
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
244 reviews
Excellent
235
Very good
6
Average
1
Poor
1
Terrible
1
Céline D
Ghent, Belgium1 contribution
Dec 2019
Out of many options we chose your cooking school. It was simply fabulous. Your passion for food and your knowledge about the ingredients as well as the perfectly organised class and visit to the market, I can only very highly recommend! Thanks again for teaching us how to prepare delicious tamales, herbie santa consomé and more. You know exactly how to bring people together to learn about the amazing culinary culture of Mexico. Thanks again and I hope to be back one day!
Written January 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Voyage291310
1 contribution
Nov 2020
I have known Nora for many years and have taken a number of her in person classes in Oaxaca and have shared her knowledge with student and adult groups. She is now doing on-line classes and they are wonderful! The best things is that now I am cooking the yummy food in my own kitchen and I have the confidence that I can continue to do so. Many of my friends have also joined in these on-line experiences and they have all found them valuable and the food great!! We all hope to see you in Oaxaca soon!
Written November 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Grace H
1 contribution
Oct 2021
My class with Nora was an unforgettable and one-of-a-kind experience! She is so pleasant and fun to work with, and efficient yet patient with all of the tools and techniques in the kitchen. She presents a full story, with her professional expertise in Oaxacan culinary and social history. In the market she told me about all of the different peppers, corn, and legumes that are unique to this region as we interacted with the vendors. Then, we cooked a number of different dishes simultaneously in her gorgeous kitchen, taking no shortcuts. I have such an appreciation for the complex art of making mole now, and how the types of moles have evolved over the years with Spanish influence and new ingredients. Finally I enjoyed the best meal of my entire week in Oaxaca. I will recommend this class to my friends and look forward to returning soon. Thank you, Nora!
Written October 11, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Steven S
Bellingham135 contributions
Jan 2020
Nora Valencia is a Oaxacan Treasure. She teaches students classic Oaxacan recipes but is not afraid to be creative and make the traditional foods healthier. She will arrange custom classes for groups, families and friends traveling to Oaxaca. Individuals and couples are welcome as well. She may run two or more classes a week to accommodate the demand. If there are dietary restrictions, she tries to work with students to see they are getting recipes suitable for their needs. She has unique recipes. This time we really enjoyed the yogurt based chocolate and banana helado. Nora is a licensed tour guide as well...at least she is when she isn't cooking up a storm. We have been in Nora's ckoking class four times now and it is always fun and informative. After class the students sit down at her beautiful table and dine on that day's creations.
Written January 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sarah D
21 contributions
Dec 2021 • Friends
Any cooking-inclined folks should definitely take Nora’s cooking classes. She has a passion for Oaxacan cuisine that is contagious. You will learn tons during the market tour and cooking demos. And the food … some of the best we ate.
Written January 1, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
charlotte
Sedona, AZ49 contributions
Jan 2024 • Couples
My husband and I were guests at Nora and William’s apartment and we’re able to schedule a cooking class day with Nora. What a fun way to wrap up our stay with a visit to the Mercado with Nora, including a stop at the Molina where people bring their corn or other products to be ground. Under her expert direction and recipes we made ceviche, a mole and sweet tamales with pineapple and coconut. Then we were served and enjoyed the meal in their lovely dining room. We learned so much about techniques, chiles and the background of these traditional recipes from Nora who is clearly so steeped in it and willing to share. Thank you Nora!
Written January 13, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Holly L
Boston, MA18 contributions
Mar 2023
Nora's cooking class is outstanding. Everything from the market visit to prep to cooking to mezcal tasting to eating is fantastic. Nora brings in depth knowledge of Oaxacan products and cooking and history to a new level. It does not hurt that her and William's home is beautiful. The class attracts really fun and interesting people of all ages/nationalities. It takes a special knack to know just how to orchestrate the day so that there is enough time for everything and you are happily busy without even a hint of moving to either bored or stressed. Basically, it was perfect! I can't imagine that there are any peers in this category.
Written March 15, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David L
1 contribution
Mar 2023
A wonderful cooking class and market tour. Nora is a first-class professional whether teaching cooking or leading a tour. Knowledgeable, friendly and open, particularly about Oaxaca and its history and its food. In Nora's kitchen there were 8 of us with 8 different levels of comfort prepping and cooking and she got us all into doing the right things at the right times. Result: delicious. My partner and I plan to be back next year!
Written March 6, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wander50666600603
26 contributions
Jan 2024 • Friends
What an extraordinary experience it was to shop in the local market and then engage in traditional cooking practices with Nora! Nora was patient, highly knowledgeable and above all, welcomed us with warmth and kindness into her home and exquisite kitchen, where all the magic happened. Nora had each of us engaged in some aspect of the meal prep, encouraging us gently to participate. If we went off track with our task, she redirected us, showed us again, and remained calm and patient throughout the whole process. The meal we prepared...a beautiful zesty appetizer of ceviche, chicken enchiladas with the traditional mole sauce (Nora is an expert with a lifetime of experience making mole) and chocolate yogurt based ice cream...were absolutely delicious. This cooking class is an absolute must if you want to truly experience the flavours of Oaxaca.
Written January 28, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
hanalea
Olympia, WA234 contributions
Jan 2022 • Friends
Nora is fantastic. She is beyond knowledgeable about traditional Oaxaca cuisine. These are recipes handed down for generations. There are seven well known types of mole, the types found in restaurants around Oaxaca. But there are hundreds of variations in families. So today, we prepared mole MANCHAMANTEL, made with pineapple and plantain and chicken, four types of chili, and a dozen more classic things such as almonds, sesame seeds, garlic, raisins, PRUNES, her own in-house chocolate with cinnamon, oregano, and more. It was heavenly. Even the rice side and the guacamole were unique. Starter was grilled fresh nopales topped with the guacamole, Fresca cheese, chapulines, and chopped jalapeño. This was all topped off with a delicious mango mousse we made. She served in house aqua fresca made from passion fruit.
Prior to eating, we cleansed our palate with an unbelievable local mescalita infused with pineapple during distillation (Espina Dorada) available only at a local distillery.
Nora is also highly aware of the relationship between the quality of eating locally sourced traditional foods and health.
Her home is in a lovely neighborhood on a cobblestone street.
Prior to eating, we cleansed our palate with an unbelievable local mescalita infused with pineapple during distillation (Espina Dorada) available only at a local distillery.
Nora is also highly aware of the relationship between the quality of eating locally sourced traditional foods and health.
Her home is in a lovely neighborhood on a cobblestone street.
Written January 27, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hola somos una familia mexicana que conocerá Oaxaca por primera vez ( 2 adultos y 3 niñas 15, 12 y 8 años )nos gusta mucho cocinar y conocer nuevas cosas para preparar y probar ,las niñas comen de todo, habrá disponibilidad para tomar una clase de grupo toda la familia? La clase puede ser en inglés o en español no importa.
Written May 1, 2017
Había 6 de nosotros en la clase que nos llevó - 5 adultos y una chica de escuela secundaria. Seis personas en la clase trabajaron bien.
Written May 3, 2017
Eaglecdn
New Hamburg, Canada
Hello,
My wife and I would love to take at least one and likely more of your cooking classes. We have not set any times to travel to Oaxaca yet but think it would be in mid-January to in early February. We are Canadian. I speak some Spanish. Can you recommend any places for us to consider to stay? We would prefer a two bedroom apartment as our daughter may also join us. Also, are you near the Historic Center?
Gracias,
Charles Pierce
Written December 26, 2015
You might try Casa de ms recuerdos. Address your questions to William there are 3 family owned, wonderful, b & b. There is also an apt available at one of the b b. All have English speakers all are very central to cultural downtown, we walk every year to and from the Zocolo. Enjoy your trip
Written December 28, 2015
I will be in Oaxaca for the month of July and am wondering if you give cooking school classes on Sundays.
Thank you!
Pam Bellows
Written May 31, 2015
Hello...thank you for your interest in our classes....I usually do not give classes on Sunday, but if the class is big enough, 6+ then I will, otherwise I am sorry, no. Thank you
Written June 15, 2015
how much are the classes? are they by the day?
Written May 3, 2015
I believe the class cost $75 and it was for a 5-6 hour session
This included the prep of the meal, enjoying the meal and a trip to the market.
Very nice day.
Written May 3, 2015
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