Celebrate Mexico’s Most Famous Female Artist
with Xochitl  Frido Kahlo is known for her striking paintings, and Philadelphia’s Mexican restaurant and tequila lounge, Xochitl (pronounced So-cheet), is celebrating her 100th birthday and the Frida Kahlo exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art (February 20 to May 18) with an equally striking 4-course, $35 prix fixe menu.
Executive Chef Dioninco Jimenez has drawn upon Frida's biography and love of cuisine for inspiration. The special menu includes dishes that mirror some of those the artist savored at significant moments in her life.  "Frida had a real commitment to Mexican traditions and she particularly enjoyed exploring regional dishes," says Xochitl owner Steven Cook. "Chef Jimenez enjoys experimenting with regional cuisine from across Mexico's 31 states." Menu highlights include Pozole Rojo de Puerco Jalisco (red hominy and pork stew from Jalisco), a dish enjoyed by guests at Frida's wedding reception; Revoltijo (shrimp, cactus and potato in guajillo sauce), a traditional part of Frida's hometown's Christmas celebration; and Chiles en Nogada (Poblano peppers stuffed with ground beef, dried fruit and nuts with creamy walnut sauce and pomegranate), one of Frida's very favorite dishes.
 The theme extends beyond the menu to the bar with a special cocktail created just for this event. Guest can enjoy a Corazon de Frida, which combines muddled pineapple and cilantro with blanco tequila and lime. The drink is Xochitl's modern twist on tepache, a pre-Hispanic fermented drink that Frida enjoyed often.
For reservations, call 215-238-7280 www.xochitlphilly.com. For more information on the Frida Kahlo exhibit, visit http://www.philamuseum.org/. edited by Ellen Schofield | 