"I had a great time. Good trip, great food and very nice people. Want to give them credit."

BookCulinaryVacations.com, edited

"My Mexican traveling partner and I spent two days and three lovely evenings here with hosts Estela, a fabulously versed chef, and her delightful American husband, Jon. The half-day cooking class gives one the chance to explore the delightful town of Tlaxcala just fifteen minutes away. The authenticity of the setting in true México allows one the delight of observing a typical day of a Tlaxcalan, whether it's dancing in the town square on Friday afternoon or attending Mass with their family at a lovely colonial church in their neighborhood. To return to the lovely accommodations and feast on one's own-prepared authentic Mexican delights is sensational travel in a sensational country."

TripAdvisor website, edited

"We spent 3 nights and 4 days with Jon and Estela and were treated like warm friends learning about Mexican cooking and the local culture. The food was amazing and often unexpected in type of ingredients used to produce the rich flavors. Each day we prepared about a half dozen dishes with Jon and Estella leading the team of the two of us. Jon did a great job in teaching us in the various techniques they used and suggested ways to incorporate them into our kitchen at home. Jon was also very helpful in helping us through the rest of our trip (up to Cuezalan) by arranging transportation and working out the reservation at the hotel (our Spanish at times is a bit sparse). Be prepared to stay in a rural environment where the two dogs, cat and bird are part of the family and the neighbors like to play music and set off fireworks most of the - to remind you that you are in Mexico!"

TripAdvisor website, edited

"My husband and I attended the school in last part of May. The food was very healthy and tasty. I think our favorite part of the day was having the best coffee ever outside on a beautiful patio with flowers everywhere, and fountains and birds singing. Then being served an amazing breakfast every day. Now that is my idea of heaven. John and Estela were so much fun, the classes are very detailed and they show you how to do everything. Alsom John makes a mean Margarita! The food and ingredients were very authentic, not Americanized, lots of great recipes you can make at home. We highly recommend John and Estela for a truly warm, welcoming Mexican experience."

TripAdvisor website, edited

"Estela and Jon's classes were fun and the food was delicious. We cooked every morning using the freshest ingredients, made 6-8 recipes, and ate them for lunch and dinner. With the exception of a few fried items (which were delectable-rellenos, bunuelos - worth the calories) the food was very healthy and, as Estela said they would be, the flavors were complex, but the recipes not difficult to make. That said, there are tips you get in class that you need to make the recipes taste right (how to roast some types of peppers the right way, for example). You cook in their home's kitchen, so it feels like cooking with friends. The first thing you learn is the various peppers and their characteristics, a key piece I was looking for. In the afternoons, we went to town or went on short excursions to Puebla and Cholula. Very historic and interesting places off the typical tourist path. If you want to learn to cook great, authentic food, and feel like you're in "real Mexico", this is a good choice."

"I stayed in an absolutely lovely casita separate from the house. The furnishings were charming and I had my own fireplace, which I used a couple of times since it was winter in Mexico at 7000 feet. Certainly not cold, but just a bit chilly some nights. I would get up in the morning and walk outside to see the nearby volcanoes and many birds, and would have coffee surrounded be Estela's and Jon's wonderful dogs and cat. I recommend going in a small group. Jon and Estela don't eat meals with you so, if you go by yourself, you're on your own. I went solo to this class and I was lucky to have another guest there that I liked very much. "

"Some people express safety concerns about going to Mexico these days. Couldn't have been further from my mind going to Tlaxcala and this school. A wonderful driver picked me up at the Mexico City airport and delivered me to the house. Same on the return. The town and region seemed as far away from danger as possible. I would not let those worries keep you from a wonderful and delicious experience. I would certainly do this again sometime and highly it recommend it to others."

TripAdvisor website, edited

"If you enjoy cooking Mexican food and want a good understanding of cooking with chillis plus want time to enjoy the Puebla area, this cooking school is for you. Each day we cooked for about three hours, making our own lunch and dinner. Lunch was usually a soup and an entree and dinner was an entree and side. Everything was hands on instruction. You could participate in as much as you wanted to. The instructor took us through the entire process so we could replicate the dish once we got home.After lunch we were on our own until dinner. There were a number of optional activities - some were included, others were at a minimal cost. Two options I felt were worth the cost and time were a hacienda tour and an archaeological tour. Taxi fare to Puebla or Tlaxcala was very reasonable and the Zocalo and old town areas were very interesting. The accommodations were spacious and comfortable - no TV's. We had WiFi in the patio and beautiful living room. Overall this trip was informative and relaxing. Jon and Estela are wonderful hosts and talented chefs."

TripAdvisor website, edited

"What a wonderful week my friend and I enjoyed at Casa Carmelita! It was the perfect mix of learning new cooking skills, exploration of a beautiful countryside and historic sites, enjoying delicious and freshly prepared foods, meeting interesting people, and relaxing. Jon and Estela are fantastic hosts and great teachers. Jon makes sure that the kitchen is well-run and Estela exhibits so much passion about the traditional Pueblan dishes that it's impossible not to get swept up in the simplicity and beauty of that cuisine. The classes are very small, allowing for a lot of personal involvement and attention. The accommodations are as beautiful as they look in the photos and the views are breathtaking. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit and look forward to showing off some of our new cooking skills."

Trip Advisor website, edited

"Can't voice enough positive comments to describe my traditional Pueblan cooking school experience. I had a checklist of specifics I wanted to learn about; each and every one was dealt with Estelle's professional and deep knowledge of the cuisine or Jon's learned 'sous chef' skills. I came away with a new appreciation and growing confidence for all the diverse nuances of flavor that are part of Mexican cuisine.On the accommodation front - 'my' little stone casita was a cozy delightful home away from home. All the meals were 'exceptional', but since I helped prepare many of them in class, I admit to being biased. They were served with every little detail thoughtfully taken care of by Armando, Estella or Jon. After dinner I looked forward to evenings spent reading in front of the fire; glass of wine in hand. Hopefully a return visit is in my future. "

Trip Advisor website, edited

"Where in the world can you eat amazingly delicious home cooked Pueblan Mexican food? Here! And by you! These friendly professionals, Jon and Estella, will teach you everything you need to know about where these unique dishes come from and the special love that goes into their preparation.Pueblan food is such a treat to cook and savor! You won't be disappointed. Their home and kitchen are spacious, luxurious and inviting. You will stay in a lovely and comfy traditional Mexican room or casita which may even have a fireplace! The gardens are lush and relaxing and the margaritas made by Armando are tasty!There is a special Fiesta of traditional Mexican singers that will serenade you at the end of your incredible week. And if its your birthday, watch out! Jon and Estella won't disappoint - so get your aprons on and get ready for the fun"

Trip Advisor website, edited

"I arrived in Puebla several days prior to my arrival to the Casita to explore that city...then on to the cooking school. Lovely, cozy accomodations that were private as well as home-like. Cooking lessons were well-organized and the results were consumed with delight.Jon and Estela and their staff were so friendly and gave me and my new friends plenty of ideas about local sidetrips for the afternoon. They looked after us in a lot of ways and made sure we returned safely to the airport and the end of the week. Highly recommended for those love to cook and try new things!"

Trip Advisor website, edited

"Many thanks to Estella, Jon and Armando for a great week. We enojoyed the professioanlism of the mornings lessons and the consuming of the outcomes (thankfully spread over lunch and dinner!). We have taken away the recipies and only hope we can turn out the dishes to the same high standard without your guidance.Our stone cottage was gorgeous and we loved making a fire in the evenings (althu its not really that cold!!). Your afternoons and evenings are your own and so good visit some of te local attractions. Managed to read a whole book which was great. Wifi is only available in the main house. Many thanks."

Trip Advisor website, edited

"My boyfriend and I arrived in Mexico City on Sunday, May 4th. With Jon's great directions we were able to find our way to another terminal to meet up with our driver who took us back to the cooking school. Our Casita was absolutely beautiful and "everything" was so colorful!We enjoyed a nice Margarita before our dinner & retired early as it had been a long day. The next morning we were up and every morning we got some great pictures of the sunrises. Breakfast was served to us outside with fresh picked flowers on our table every day.All of our breakfasts were different and very good served by a wonderful woman by the name of Inez. What a jewel she is! Usually around 10:00 we start cooking our dishes for lunch and dinner that day.We learned so much from Jon & Estelle who were so good about giving us tips and squashing some old wives tales. We definitely cooked with things we've never used before eg. Squash blossoms, cactus, and numerous chilies. We would take our excursions in the afternoon after cooking classes and lunch.We went to two archeological sites, visited downtown Tlaxcala and it's people, went to the Talavera "factory", went to the open market on Friday which was amazing. Mexico was definitely a culture shock and we experienced so much.Our last night we enjoyed the Tlaxcala Trio Mariachi band. Our time & experiences in Mexico were great and we got to experience the "real" Mexico, not a resort. Thank you so much Jon & Estelle for opening up your home to us! See you next year!"

Trip Advisor website, edited

"Thank you Jon and Estella for inviting us to experience all the wonderful cooking, hospitality and sights Tlaxcala has to offer! We had wonderful, fresh food to cook and eat every day. We visited different towns and archeological sites daily with a safe and friendly taxi driver to guide us.The accommodations were clean and well decorated. The host, Jon, made sure we had everything we needed and was very welcoming. Estella and Jon taught each cooking class together and gave a lot of valuable insight on how each recipe should be made. My friend and I really enjoyed ourselves, so thank you again!"

Trip Advisor website, edited