I haven’t posted too much about food since I have been in Mexico. Its about time I change that! Here are photo’s of some of the local eats & treats in Guayabitos and surrounding towns, that have made my taste buds sing.
Breakfast
One of my favourite things to have for brekkie in Mexico is chilaquiles. This dish came about as a way to use the previous days stale corn tortillas. The sauce of the dish is either verde or rojo, my favourite is red or rojo. The chips are piled up on the plate, doused with the sauce then sprinkled with dry cheese, onion and cilantro and drizzled with a white mayo type sauce.
Chilaquiles usually come served with beans and bread and you can add either eggs, chicken or another meat. It is also really common to see locals drinking Coke with breakfast, sooooo when in Rome…. Let me tell you, chilaquiles are divine! I know, it doesn’t sound that appetizing, or even really look that amazing on the plate, but your taste buds will be happy while you munch away.
Pastries
An astute reader will probably know by now that I love everything pastry and baked goods related. I will scour a market or town for the stall or store with any kind of baked sweet treat. Well jackpot did I hit here. I discovered a spiral jelly roll type cake, either covered in sugar crystals or coconut. It has quite a dense texture but lovely and moist and surprisingly not overly sweet.
There was a stall at the La Penita market where I purchased the most delectable sweet yeasty doughnut type treat, cut in half and filled with warm home made custard. Ummmm, I dream about this thing every day. It was heaven.
Fruit & Veg
We are in the tropics after all. The fruit and veg here is over the top amazing. Probably because it is picked and harvested at its prime, while perfectly ripe.
It it is customary here to have some variation of fresh squeezed juice to start your day. Green juice and orange juice are the most popular. The green juice can be a mix of your choosing or you can simply ask for jugo verde.
This day, I asked for green juice and the lady made it from celery, spinach, cilantro, limes, oranges, nopal, flax seed and chia seed. It made me feel entirely healthy, even with the cheeky jelly roll.
The taste of this ultra healthy produce is almost indescribable. It is well…perfection. From the soft buttery avocados, to the crispy sweet pineapples, all is bountiful and packed with flavour.
In many parts of North America we have gotten used to really subpar produce that has little to no flavour. When I travel, I almost can’t believe what I am tasting is real. The foods seem as though they must be an imitation, a fake because the flavour is just so complex and bold.
Meat
The meat in small towns in Mexico is so interesting. I am fascinated by the differences of how we treat meat products in the west and what is the norm here.
There is not really much of any refrigeration in the butcher shops. There is of course usually a little deli type case that houses freshly cut meat, but the large majority of the selection is out in the open. I passed a butcher the other day, the large flanks of beef were hanging right there in the middle of the room with only a fan above to keep the flies away.
The chicken is usually out in the open, warm, and all pieces but the head are for sale. The eggs are incredible, so full of flavour with bright yellow yolks.
And pork is everywhere! A lot of the cooking happens right out on the streets as large deep vats are being used for freshly deep fried chicharrónes and chicken.
And of course, I am in the bay of Jaltemba and there is so much beautiful fish! Red snapper, dorado, mahi mahi, mackerel, tuna, octopus, and loads of shrimp are offloaded daily on the beaches of Los Ayala, La Penita and Guayabitos.
Fresh as can be, the flavour is incredible even though usually cooked in the most simplest of ways, either over open flame or a quick sauté.
Ahhhh food, I could go on and on. And I will in another post.
Buen Provecho mi amigos!
