The Week That Was In Mexican Food

If a cuisine's on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List, it must be something.

The Mexican fare, a marriage of Mesoamerican cooking techniques/main staples and European food components (such as cheese and meat and herbs), is one of the most complex my taste buds have ever encountered. It's up there with Persian, Indian and Chinese. The ingredients of dishes, I could not easily detect. And a lot of them I didn't/don't even know of.

Case in a point: Papaloquelite and huauzontle and huitlacoche (fungus that grows on corn). IKR?! 

The function of food for Mexicans is not only to fuel the body. It plays a role in traditions and festivals (such as Día de Muertos), and everyday social gatherings. The preparation itself, which mostly takes hours, draws people together.

To pay homage to this intangible cultural heritage (and to food technology), I the pilgrim, sampled all sorts of Mexican food for a week in Cancun. Plus uhm, two days in Palenque. I can see the aftermath on my significantly wider waistline now, but that's a non-significant issue I shall deal with later.

Here are some of the delights I stuffed myself with:

1. Tacos. The most popular Mexican dish — outside Mexico, I daresay. Wheat or corn (I prefer the latter) tortilla, topped/filled with different kinds of meat (beef, chicken, pork, seafood) plus cheese and veggies. Always accompanied by either guacamole or salsa or pickled onions. I like mine with salsa verde, a kind of salsa made with tomatillos. There's a plethora of traditional varieties in every Mexican state, dictated by the region's main spices and produce.

Vegetarian tacos which we ordered three times last week. 50 MXN for three at Mercado 28, Cancun Centro. Also, we bought tacos with chorizo and mushrooms from a street stand near our hotel. 5 MXN each.
2. Pollo En Mole Poblano. Mole, from Nahuatl (Aztec language) word mōlli, means 'sauce'. Such term is used for a variety of sauces. The states of Puebla and Oaxaca (Tlaxcala too) claim to be the origin of it. Mole poblano, my fave, is a kind of mole that's composed of a million ingredients — okay, maybe about twenty (including ancho chili or poblano and chipotle and sometimes chocolate) — pound together to form a paste. Added with water and simmered in a pot, it results to a thick, dark-colored sauce. This sauce is poured over turkey or chicken. Had the best in Puebla.

55 MXN, ordered twice in a week at Mercado 28.

3. Filete De Pescado Empanizado. Ordered at a time when my palate had a craving for subtle flavors. Breaded fish fillet with refried beans (refried means well fried, not 'fried again'), arroz (rice), beans and salad. Not really traditional, but like the milanesa (breaded beef, chicken or pork), it's a pretty popular comida. Especially to niños y niñas.

One of the comidas fijas (set meals) at Cochipavos, Mercado 28. 65 MXN. Comes with tomato-based pasta soup and jugo (juice). Their tamarindo jugo (tamarind juice) is yuhuhum!  

4. Carne Asada De Cerdo. Grilled thinly sliced, marinated meat (usually beef). This one's pork, marinated with salt and lime. Sometimes carne asada is served as the main dish. Sometimes chopped to be used as filling for tacos and quesadillas and other antojitos (snacks).

Also one of the comidas fijas at Cochipavos, Mercado 28. 60 MXN.

5. Nachos. Created by restaurateur Ignacio "Nacho" Anaya, circa 1943. The story goes that Anaya whipped up the meal with the few ingredients he had left in his kitchen for a group of wives of U.S. soldiers who arrived at his restaurant after it had closed. He cut tortillas into smaller pieces, added shredded cheese then heated them. Before serving he tossed in pickled jalapeños. Anaya's son, Ignacio Anaya Jr., stated that the person who named it 'Nachos Especiales' was Mamie Finan, after the snack was served to her and her friends.

Free appetizer at Restaurante Margely, Mercado 28. Uber oily, this batch, but couldn't stop eating them. Spicy salsa verde on the side numbed my tongue.

6. Huevos Rancheros. Popular Mexican desayuno (breakfast) of fried eggs on fried tortillas topped with tomato and chili sauce. Served with beans and sometimes rice.

35 MXN, served with a small basket of warm tortilla.  

7. Huevos Motuleños. Another desayuno meal which originated in Motul City, Yucatan. Like the huevos rancheros, it's made of fried eggs on tortilla with tomato sauce. But also with other ingredients like ham and fried plantain (and sometimes cheese).

50 MXN with coffee and juice.  

8. Pancita. Also called menudo (the Philippines has a tomato-based stew of the same name but is made of pork and liver). Tripe in a light, chili-based soup. Not spicy. Cooked for hours! Chopped cilantro, onions, and a squeeze of lime are added upon serving. Eaten with tortilla.

55 MXN for a big bowl. Wasn't able to finish all that tripe. Over. Whelming.  

 9. Gordita. My new fave antojito! Thick tortilla made with corn flour (dough resembles that of the Philippine empanada's), fried or baked, stuffed with meat and cheese and vegetables.

Crispy outside, soft inside. Stuffed with chicken, veggies and cheese. 22 MXN.  

10. Carne Al Pastor (sheperd-style), Res (beef). Spit-grilled/roasted meat, thinly sliced, then served with rice. Or used as fillings for a variety of antojitos. Meat is marinated with various spices and chiles and pineapple. This al pastor meal I had even got pineapple bits.

Another one from Cochipavos' comidas fijas. 65 MXN.   

11.  Cochinita Pibil. Cochinita means baby pig and pibil means buried. Suckling pig, roasted in a fire pit. These days, other pork cuts are used as alternative. Meat is marinated in citrus juice before it is slow-roasted (wrapped in banana leaf). Achiote (atsuete in the Philippines) gives it a reddish hue.

 Served with rice, refried beans and pickled onions. 60 MXN.

12. Torta. A Mexican sandwich that uses an oblong white bread/roll and is filled with meat, cheese, caramelized onions and peppers. I like mine with grilled/toasted bread, al pastor, Oaxaca cheese and cebolla asada (roasted onion).

27 MXN at the perpetually busy Tropi Tacos, Palenque.

13. Sope. An antojito of fried masa (thick, round-shaped, pinched on the sides) topped with meat, beans, veggies and cheese. This one I had is more like a huareche. A variation of the sope which is oblong in shape. Similar to the shape of a Mexican sandal of the same name.

30 MXN at Antojitos Estilo Hidalgo, Palenque.  

14. Quesadilla. Here's another familiar antojito. The word is a portmanteau of queso (cheese) and tortilla. Corn or flour tortilla, filled not only with cheese but also meat and veggies. Folded in half.

Quesadilla con queso. 16 MXN. With buddies taco bisteck and taco sirloin.

15. Because uhm, cerveza is food.

I remember being asked by Pop Talk host Kuya Tonipet Gaba in the show's third anniversary special (while doing a review of some new Mexican resto in Boracay) if I can eat Mexican food every day. My answer was a quick 'yes'. And I reckon this list is a dang good explanation.

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Photo Essay: A Mexican Eve With Radish Sculptures And Familiar Faces

Forty-five minutes in.

I still couldn't see the end of the line and I was down to my last straw of patience. Why the hubby and I put up with such queue? Well, the whole of Oaxaca seemed to be there — as if that snaking line was the hottest see-and-be-seen spot in town — so we thought, this gotta be amazing. Besides we had no plans that late afternoon. More importantly, admission was free.

It was day 184 of our round-the-world trip and we were there to see radish sculptures. 

Noche De Rábanos.  

Depending on your love for root vegetables, your reaction will range from 1) dumbfoundedness to 2) sheer delight to 3) hilarity. But whatever you think of it, you'd be interested to learn that the Night Of The Radishes or Noche De Rábanos began many years ago. Like, about more than a hundred. That long. It's celebrated annually, every 23rd of December.

And it ain't just a simple exhibit, the entries are actually up for competition.

One hour in line. For radishes. Radishes!
Security was tight. Man, those are heavily guarded root vegetables!
Viewing platform. Told you they're pretty serious.
There's a flower sculpture competition too.   Aaand corn husks.   Día de Muertos or Day Of The Dead
Creative and somewhat creepy.

Because it's almost Christmas, there should be a nativity scene.

And then there were those we didn't understand just cause we're not fluent in Spanish.

But this we know. Mexican painter Frida Kahlo.  

Even with the sea of crowd inching from one display to another, it took us only less than ten minutes to see everything. One hour queue for a ten-minute affair with radishes. Sounds quite ridiculous, but I have to admit, we unexpectedly enjoyed it. I only wish the viewing platform's closer to the exhibit so people could see all the teeny-weeny details.

Before calling it an eve and heading back to our posada, we passed by a block that was sorta out of the way but had a night market so we could check merchandise on sale. Speaking of ridiculous queues, I saw a two-meter deep one for a hectic taco stand, and found a couple of familiar faces in it. I pointed them out to the hubby. Both of us couldn't remember their names, an American couple who once couchsurfed our place, but we approached them and greeted "Ola!".

Top: Hosting Patrick and Tony (I know their names now after rereading their Couschsurf request) in our Baguio home, December 2010. Bottom: Finding them at some taco stand in Oaxaca, December 2011. 

Their faces broke into smiles of surprise when they spotted us. "You guys are the Couchsurfers from Ba-gee-yoh (Baguio)!", one of them mentioned. And that was the start of a lengthy where-have-you-been-where-are-you-going chat that kinda annoyed the other people in line behind us for it took the couple forever to choose their grilled meats. They can't remember our names as well, but none of us reintroduced ourselves. Cause you know, there are times when you don't need to remember names. Just moments.
 

We bade farewell when they were about to gobble their dinner. Those freaky radish sculptures sucked all the appetite out of me that I didn't feel like eating much until noche buena (and that's because we found mole poblano)!

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Puebla City, Puebla, Mexico: All Things Beautiful

Puebla had me at hello. Oh how I cursed countless times the first hour of our meeting. And the next... And the next.

Have you felt the same way with some place depressingly beautiful?

Been a long time coming. But it seems today is the day that I speak of a ciudad that I hold dear in my heart. Today because it's Cinco De Mayo (fifth of May). A patriotic holiday that commemorates the implausible victory of the badass Mexican army over French troops at the Batalla de Puebla (Battle Of Puebla) on May 5, 1862. In the United States, it's a shindig wherein Mexicans celebrate their ancestry and culture.

Templo de San Francisco. Puebla's rich with stunning churches.  

It was day 183 of our 2011-2012 round-the-world trip that I fell hard for the city. I remember stepping out of the deserted Hostal Santo Domingo and into boots-clad foot traffic. The Christmas buzz was heady, and its rush resembled that of the Philippines'. It left a slight pang of homesickness.

My longing, however, dissipated faster than you can say Cuetlaxcoapan (area where the city was founded in the 16th century) the more we inched through the tiled streets. Truth is, we didn't want to be anywhere else. The hubby and I soaked in the merry atmosphere. I know our toddler Luna did too.

Cafes and restos surround the Zócalo.  

Everywhere I laid my eyes on, there was some kind of visual treat. A flower-printed poncho. A ruby red poinsettia. A huge bunch of character balloons. A stranger's infectious smile. Multicolored walls. Oh those buildings I ran out of adjectives for!

So I resulted to cursing.

The historic center of Puebla is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And that says a whole darn lot about its colonial mansions, old monasteries and churches. When I think of the city, I remember how all things are beautiful. Let me count some of the ways.


Museo Amparo

As with most sightseeing itineraries I constructed, our start line in Puebla was a museum. Museo Amparo is housed in two linked colonial-era buildings, which were formerly called Hospitalario for the obvious reason that they once served as a hospital.

Banderitas at Museo Amparo's courtyard.   It has an impressive collection of pre-Hispanic and colonial Mexico artifacts. Could be underwhelming though if one has already visited Mexico City's National Museum Of Anthropology. My fave exhibit's a timeline of civilizations from different continents.

Free admission on Mondays.

Now that's an awesome timeline!  

Puebla Cathedral

This Roman Catholic cathedral's black limestone surface is in stark contrast to that of the nearby buildings' brightly painted facades. The cathedral's construction began in 1575, completed in 1690, and is currently looking well-preserved.

Puebla Cathedral dedicated to Immaculate Concepcion.   No words, people. No words.   Lackluster it may appear on the outside, but its interiors can surely cause even the hardest to please jaw drop.

Teatro Principal de Puebla 

One of the oldest theaters in Mexico, and is the oldest still in use as a theater.
Avenida Cinco De Mayo

Boutique shops got way more character than stalls in a colossal department store.  

Holy Mole! 

In a restaurant named Fonda De Sta. Clara, we had a dish of chicken mole poblano that made us weak in the knees. And let me tell you, we gobbled quite a lot of different moles (sauces).

Chili and chocolate, a match made in heaven.  

 Las Ranas.

Also in Puebla, the hubby found his fave restaurant in Mexico. Budget-friendly Las Ranas, whose divine al pastor's to die for, is considered a local institution. I wanna cry just thinking about their tacos and the whole shebang on the resto's menu.

Oh those buildings I ran out of adjectives for!

I know, I already mentioned that.

The city is also famous for its colonial buildings embellished with azulejos (ceramic tiles).

So after all that's been said and shown, I reckon you could easily fathom why Puebla is one of my favorite cities in the world. Because seriously, I got nothing more to utter but profanity.


Round-The-World Trip 2011-2012, Ola Mexico:

Teotihuacan, Mexico: Where Gods Were Born... And Where We Lost Our Pram
Morisco Kiosk And Museo Del Instituto De Geologia De La UNAM
Photo Essay: National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico City
Metropolitan Cathedral Of The Assumption of Mary, Ciudad De Mexico
Jade Guesthouse, Mexico City
Prospero Ano Nuevo
Feliz Navidad
Ola Mexico

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2012 Year-Ender/World-Ender

Ahhh... 2012.

You are an ebullient homage to wanderlust. Frankly, I am quite obsessed with your ruffled months. In fact it's almost midnight and amid that end-of-the-world hullabaloo, here I am fondly sewing a patchwork of idyllic imagery to commemorate your flamboyance and purport. Now this may seem like a pathetic way of exiting the universe, but at least I dove in a vibrant flashback during my last minutes on earth. I get to utilize fancy words too.

Nope. I'm not drunk.

Shoot for Travel Blogging Calendar 2013. Shout out to the photographer, fellow Pinay travel blogger Claire of Lakwatsera De Primera. Not the actual photo on the calendar.

Speaking of dying, just last week an aunt of mine told me, "Dami mo nang napuntahan, pwede ka na mamatay." (You've been to so many places, you can die anytime now.).

"Eh... I'd like to see more. A lot more." I said. Then she went, "Hinde, pwede ka na mamatay!" (Nah, you can die anytime/now).  I thought to myself, if the planet doesn't blow up and claim my life, her statement probably will.

But yeah, I got her point. And 2012 is a testament to that. See for yourself how the universe spoiled us to bits this year.

1. Mexico

Clockwise from top left: 1. New Year's Eve dinner, mole! 2. Palenque Ruins. 3. A cenote (sinkhole) in Cancun. 4. Chichen Itza without the hubby and baby doll.

2. Peru 

Clockwise from top left: Watching penguins in the wild, Islas Ballestas. 2. Red Beach in Paracas National Reserve. 3. Machu Picchu. 4. The Tree, Nazca Lines.

3. Brazil 
 

Clockwise from top left: 1. Cristo Redentor. 2. Carnival at the Sambadrome. 3. The hubby bought his first pair of Havaianas (Luna's first pair too)! 4. Sexy Ipanema Beach.

4. Morocco 

Clockwise from top left: 1. Hassan II Mosque, Casablanca. 2. Ancient Roman City Volubilis. 3. Sahara Desert. 4. Ait Benhaddou, Ouarzazate.

5. Vietnam 

Clockwise from top left: 1. Street art somewhere in Pham Ngu Lao District, Ho Chi Minh. 2. Pho! 3. After wriggling through the tunnels of Củ Chi. 4. Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica.

6. Mongolia 

Clockwise from top left: 1. Tsagaan Suvraga, Gobi Desert. 2. Two kilometer trek to Yolyn Am. 3. Inside our Couchsurfing host's ger in Ulaanbaatar. 4. Khongoryn Els Sand Dunes.

7. Russia
 

Clockwise from top left: 1. Aboard the Trans-Siberian train, skirting the world's oldest lake. 2. Luna dons her first down jacket. 3. Nizhny Novgorod. 4. St. Basil's Cathedral, Moscow.

8. Philippines

Clockwise from top left: 1. Dasol, Pangasinan. 2. Liwliwa, Zambales. 3. Gubat, Sorsogon for the Book Sharing Project. 4. Tondol Beach, Anda, Pangasinan.

9. Singapore 

Clockwise from top left: 1. With Singapore-based Filipino bloggers. 2. Ze sister's birthday. 3. Second overseas trip with the 'rents. 4. Harry Potter Exhibit.

10. Australia

Clockwise from top left: 1. Dee Why Beach. 2. Luna's play date with Justice and Mayor. 3. Meet up with Pinay travel bloggers. 4. Catching up with Persian in-laws.

11. Indonesia

Clockwise from top left: 1. Sanur Beach. 2. Luna tramping on an Ubud rice field. 3. Fourth anniversary of togetherness, Bali's Uluwatu temple. 4. First time checking in a boutique hotel.

12. East Timor

 Clockwise from top left: 1. Maubara Fort. 2. Third year wedding anniversary spent volunteering for Academy of Swimming Education East Timor. 3. Dollar Beach, Manatuto. 4. Cristo Rei, Dili.

And then some. 

Paying it forward. Left: Participated in the Book Sharing Project for the benefit of Rizal Elementary School in Gubat, Sorsogon. Right: Posed for the Travel Blogging Calendar 2013. Sales of the calendars will be donated to Mitrata Nepal and VSO Bahaginan. Purchase one now! Visit http://www.travelbloggingcalendar.com/
So do you think I can die any time now (Gulp.)?  How was your 2012, fellow travel junkie?
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