photo souvenir mexican fiesta with peter kuruvita

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MEXICAN

17 MARCH- 01 APRIL 2015

FIESTA

withPETER KURUVITA

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As local representative for World Expeditions, we are happy to send you warm greetings from Mexico. We hope you will never forget the cooking classes you had with indigenous seoras as well as with renowned Mexican chefs; the dancing on Mariachi music; the interaction with local people; the encounters with nature; the visits to world-famous archaeological sites; and that cocktail on a Caribbean beach. It was an adventure of the senses that can only be understood by experiencing it. To help you to cherish your memories, we created a special photo album for you with a selection of the best pictures taken by us and local operators, together with our warm greetings.

Greetingsfrom mexico

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Arrival at Gran Hotel Mexico City. We enjoyed a welcome cocktail in a private salon in the Gran Hotel, with a beautiful view of the Zocalo, a briefing by Pe-ter Kuruvita and guide Francisco. This meeting was accompanied by some margaritas and a light introduction to Mexican food, with pambacitos, taqui-tos de chilorio and guacamole, sopecitos of chicken, ceviche, and brochetas with ate and cheese.

WELCOME TO MEXICO CITY!

DAY 1-17 MARCH 2015

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One of the worlds largest and most exciting cities. With its dis-tinct mestizo culture, blending native Indian (Nahuatl) and Spanish heritages, this mega city is the beating heart of the country. The Americas oldest capital has become one of the most important financial, economic, educational, cultural, gastronomic, and touristic centres of the world. Mexico City is a mosaic of contrasts but most of

all an experience in which all of Mexico comes together.







mexico city

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In the morning we took the coach to visit the Central de Abastos. This wholesale market, the worlds largest of its kind, is where you can literally find all the ingredients that mark the Mexican cuisine. Accompanied by a talented local chef, Jorge Varela, we explored different kinds of typical Mexican ingredients.

central de abastos

DAY 2 - 18 MARCH 2015

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We then returned to the historic centre, for a short walking tour including The Zocalo, the heart of the city. We visited the Metropolitan Cathedral, the Templo Mayor, and made a stop for tacos at El Huequito.

HISTORIC CENTRE DAY 2 - 18 MARCH 2015

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We had a little tour around the Market of San Juan, a kaleidoscope of tastes, colours and smells. This mar-ket is known for its exotic products and for many chefs it is a popular place for shopping fresh ingredients. Here we tasted a delicious gordita with duck, at chef Jorge Varelas gastro-boutique.

MERCADO SAN JUAN

DAY 2 - 18 MARCH 2015

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The floating gardens of Xochimilco, one of the most picturesque and colourful areas of Mexico City, and one of the last remaining vestiges of the old Aztec capital of Tenochtitln. The floating gardens were devised around 1000 years ago by the Indians who lived here as a way of making the lakeside marshes productive and today they still produce the same basic quartet of staple crops: maize, beans, squashes and chilies. We were poled around the gardens in a brightly decorated trajinera . Peter and chef Jorge Varela prepared a delicious local lunch with the ingredients we bought earlier at the Central de Abastos and the Market of San Juan:

Tacos of chicharrn with guacamole and salsa verde molcajeteada Esquites Salpicn of deer Aguas frescas (jamaica)

And this tasty lunch was, of course, accompanied by a bucket of Mexican beer!

xochimilco

DAY 2 - 18 MARCH 2015

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In the evening we had a 7-course dinner at one of the worlds best restaurants, Pujol, in the upscale Polanco district, with some of the most original interpretations of typical Mexican ingredients and dishes.

restaurante pujol

DAY 2 - 18 MARCH 2015

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In the early morning, we took off to Teotihuacan. Upon arrival, we saw how Don Too (the tlachiquero) collects the pulque liquid from the Maguey plant. This liquid is called agua miel, a sap that turns into pul-que after fermentation. A local family prepared a light breakfast for us (with quesadillas, tlacoyos, atole, and caf de olla).

PULQUE & QUESADILLASin teotihuacan

DAY 3 - 19 MARCH 2015

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After breakfast we moved to the house of Seor Mario Santos Nieves Rodriguez, a professional barbacoa vendor. We helped him with the preparation of barbacoa and tambaches teotihuacanos, typical local dishes that were served later. We also collected nopales and xoconoxtle, also used for our lunch.

culinary secrets

of teotihuacan

DAY 3 - 19 MARCH 2015

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After the preparation of our lunch, our dishes went into the oven. In the meantime, we went to visit Teo-tihuacn, one of the most impressive archaeological sites of the country. We admired (and climbed) the Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon, the Temple of Quetzalcoatl, visited residences, and walked down the Avenue of the Dead.

PYRAMIDS OF

teotihuacan

DAY 3 - 19 MARCH 2015

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After our visit to the pyramids, we moved back to the house of Seor Mario Santos Nieves Rodriguez, to enjoy our lunch.

culinary secrets

of teotihuacan

DAY 3 - 19 MARCH 2015

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After a little rest we continued to Plaza Garibaldi. We visited the MUTEM (Museum of Tequila and Mezcal). Upon arrival, we started our Mexican Fiesta with a tasting of Tequila, on the terrace with a view over Plaza Garibaldi. This was followed by an exclusive cocktail workshop, given by by Luis Carlos Iriarte, a professional mixologist. Each of us prepared three cocktails, based on pure agave. We also tried two freshly prepared Tapatian dishes, carne en su jugo and tortas ahogadas. Finally, we sang along with the mariachi, met La Catrina, and hit the piata!

plaza garibaldi

DAY 3 - 19 MARCH 2015

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In the morning, departure to Cholula. Once arrived in Cholula, we took a little tour around the historic centre and visited the local market, together with an anthropologist (expert in the cultural significance of markets in Mexico).

off to puebla

DAY 4 - 20 MARCH 2015

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We were welcomed by Angelica. She let us use the kitchen of her familys house. With chefs from the University, accompanied by some students, we prepared a

4-course lunch at the patio, with typical dishes from the region: Appetizer: Molotes of requeson with rajas rojas, tinga of pork, y huitlacoche (or potatoes with longaniza). Soup: Cream soup made of chile poblano Main dish: Enchiladas with the world famous mole poblano. Dessert: Typical candy from Puebla and Guayaba en dulce de piloncillo. Side dishes: Rice, frijoles, bread, avocado, and salsas rojas and verdes

mole poblano in cholula

DAY 4 - 20 MARCH 2015

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After lunch, we headed to Puebla, to explore the beautiful historic centre of the city.

city tourpuebla

DAY 4 - 20 MARCH 2015

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In the morning, transfer to Oaxaca. We checked in at the beauti-ful hotel Quinta Real, located in a monumental ex-convent, in the heart of Oaxaca. We then went for a walking tour in the historic downtown of Oaxaca. We met Pilar Cabrera, executive chef and owner of Restaurant La Olla. She joined us on a visit to Oaxacas most important markets, 20 de Noviembre and Benito Juarez, to learn more about the essence of Oaxacas renowned gastronomy.

continueto OAXACA

DAY 5 - 21 MARCH 2015

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OAXACA

S oon after the Spanish conquest of Aztec capital Tenochtitlan, the conquis-tadores arrived in present day Oaxaca. The founding of the city, in colonial times the most important town of southern Mexico, dates back to 1529. It is considered one of Mexicos most beautiful and vibrant colonial cities, and is surrounded by impressive mountains. Oaxacas colourful historic centre has been well preserved and it has been listed by UNESCO as World Heritage. Fortunately, the town has also retained many indigenous traditions which can still be seen today. Local highlights include the Santo Domingo Church, one of the most beautiful examples of Baroque in Mexico; colourful streets full of galleries, crafts shops, restaurants; and the typical markets 20 de Noviembre and Benito Juarez. In both of them you can encounter extraordinary crafts and taste the typical gastronomy from Oaxaca, with for

example the famous moles and chapulines.

OAXACA

OAXACA





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After the city tour, chef Pilar Cabrera welcomed us at the rooftop terrace of her cozy restaurant with a mezcal-based welcome cocktail. We learned how Oaxacas Moles are different from the one we tasted the day before in Puebla. After a general explanation about the preparation and the role of Mole in the local cuisine, we moved to a private space in the restaurant. Here we tasted the 7 types of Oaxacan Mole. Before serving each mole, Chef Pilar Cabrera explained how each mole has its own personality.

the 7 moles OF OAXACA

DAY 5 - 21 MARCH 2015

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rural cuisineof oaxaca

DAY 6 - 22 MARCH 2015

Departure to the nearby village of Tlalixtac, a Zapotec community in the Valley of Oaxaca, to learn about the rural cuisine. Here we had the chance to work on a unique local menu, together with seora Zefe, the lady in charge of the preparation of the meals for local cel-ebrations and events. On the menu was Sopa de garbanzos, a traditional chickpea soup, pre-pared with local products, typical for this community; Segueza, a very traditional dish, usually prepared for religious celebrations in rural zones of Oaxaca, made with tomato, chicken, and corn; Nicuatole, a sweet dish made with corn as basis; Tejate, a maize and cacao beverage originating from pre-Hispanic times, still very popular among the indigenous Mixtec and Za-potec peoples, especially in rural areas.

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In the early evening we visited mezcalleria Los Amantes. We learned about Oaxacas sacred liquor in this charming little and tasted three different types of artesanal mezcal: mezcal jo-ven; mezcal aejo; and mezcal tepeztate, made with wild species, aged approximately 20-25 years.

mezcal

DAY 7 - 22 MARCH 2015

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We had a typical Oaxacan breakfast at Casa Oaxaca, owned by the renowned chef Alejandro Ruiz. On the menu was, among others, pan dulce, fruit, memelitas, empanadas, tamalitos, chilaquiles, and cafe de olla.

oaxacan breakfast

DAY 7 - 23 MARCH 2015

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After breakfast we started our trip to Chiapa de Corzo, in the state of Chiapas. On the way, we were stopped by teachers from SNTE (National Syndicate for Educational Workers), who were blocking the highway as a way to ask for a dialogue with the government. It would result in a long day of waiting and being on the road. Peter, however, showed his talent for impro-visation and managed to prepare a good meal in a local restaurant.

ROADBLOCKS on the way TO CHIAPAS

DAY 7 - 23 MARCH 2015

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Our return to Oaxaca turned this day into a free day for shopping and ex-ploring more of Oaxaca s historic centre. In the late afternoon, flight to Tux-tla Gutierrez (via Mexico City). Upon arrival, transfer to hotel in San Cristobal de las Casas for some well-deserved rest.

Flight to chiapas

DAY 8 - 24 MARCH 2015

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san cristobalde las casas

San Cristobal de las Casas is one of Mexicos best-preserved colonial towns, with narrow cobblestone streets, full of brightly painted houses and beautiful churches. The town is laid out on a grid pattern and can be easily explored on foot. With its laid-back, bo-hemian atmosphere, you can spend hours browsing the shops and artisans markets. The city is situated in a fertile valley surrounded by mountains in the southern state of Chiapas. Several indigenous groups (descending from the Maya) inhabit the highland villages surrounding San Cristobal. The indigenous people of Chiapas speak their own language (often in addition to

Spanish), practice their own unique customs and can be identified by their traditional dress.







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Today we continued our program and visited coffee plantations in Aldama, a small town located in the highlands of Chiapas. We visited a coffee business operated by an indigenous cooperative run by local families. After this little tour around the planta-tions, these proud and traditional Tzotzil people welcomed you in their home for a chat about the production of their organic coffee and local (culinary) traditions. We also visited the nearby village of San Juan Chamula, to witness local traditions and to try a cup of Posh, a local artisanal sugar-cane-based liquor.

coffEE& INDiGENOUS COMMUNITIES

DAY 9 - 25 MARCH 2015

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After visiting these communities we went for a boat ride on the Gri-jalva River, at the Sumidero Canyon, to admire the geological forma-tions of the canyon with cliffs that measure up to 1,000 meters (3,280 ft) high, waterfalls, peculiar rock formations, plus the local flora and fauna. Wildlife was seen on the shores of the river (crocodiles, spider monkeys, and different species of birds).

natural treasureof chiapas

DAY 9 - 24 MARCH 2015

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We then returned to San Cristobal de las Casas and had dinner at Restaurant Tierra y Cielo, an award-winning restaurant with outstanding regional cuisine, with traditional local ingre-dients. Marta Zepeda, the chef of Tierra y Cielo, has been recognised, both nationally and internationally, as an influential promoter of the regional cuisine of Chiapas. We enjoyed a selection of some of the restaurants most representative dishes and drinks. Dinner was accompanied by a little demonstration of different methods to prepare coffee.

culinarychiapas

DAY 9 - 24 MARCH 2015

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In the morning, departure to Palenque. Upon arrival, in the afternoon, we visited the archaeological zone of Palenque. Surrounded by jungle, Palenque is one of the most important sites of the Mayan World.

mysticpalenque

DAY 10 - 26 MARCH 2015

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Today we headed to the coast of Campeche, to Xpicob, a small fishermens vil-lage. Here we prepared a lunch on the beach, including shrimps a la diabla, a sea-food cocktail, and pan de cazon.

seafood incampeche

DAY 11 - 27 MARCH 2015

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After lunch, transfer to the luxurious hacienda-style hotel Uayamon, located near the city of Campeche. Built in 1700, Hacienda Uayamon reflects the sophistication of a lux-ury resort with attention to its history and its surrounding natural beauty. The complete hacienda was reserved exclusively for our group! In the evening we had a regional din-ner, including a cheese cream soup, chicken breast stuffed with chaya, and ice cream of chili xcatic.

haciendauayamon

DAY 11 - 27 MARCH 2015

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wake upin the hacienda

DAY 12 - 28 MARCH 2015

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It was in Campeche where the Spanish first set foot on Mexican soil. Today, San Fran-cisco de Campeche is a captivating port full of naval history, baroque Spanish architec-ture, and aging beauty, definitely one of Mexicos most photogenic colonial cities. We had a short walk in the historic centre.

campeche

DAY 12 - 28 MARCH 2015

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We continued to Homun, in the State of Yucatan. Some of us had a swim in the Ce-note of Balmill. And we witnessed a ceremony known as a Jeets Luum (calming of the earth), to ask Mother Earth permission to use the land. Local people were invited. They elaborated a traditional (Yucatec) lunch, including pibes and pozole.

ceremonial welcometo yucatan

DAY 12 - 28 MARCH 2015

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Modern and traditional, impressive colonial architecture, delicious gastronomy, with a strong influence of Mayan heritage. Merida is the capital and largest city in Yucatan state and the cultural and financial capital of the region. Its a modern, cosmopolitan city with museums, art galleries, restaurants, shops and boutiques. The city was founded in 1542 by Fran-cisco de Montejo El Mozo (the son), and built on the site of the ancient Maya city Tho, meaning city of five hills. After the arrival of the Spanish, the ancient citys main pyramids were destroyed and their ruins used in the construction of Meridas cathedral and other important buildings. The city boasts the second-largest historic centre in Mexico; only Mexico Citys historic centre is larger. Mrida gets its nickname, La Ciudad Blanca (The White City), from the predominance of white limestone that was used as a building material, although locals today will tell you that it also relates to the cleanliness of the city. As a result of its strong Spanish influence and isolation from other parts of Mexico, Merida developed a distinct cultural identity. The unique culture and traditions that youll experience while staying in Merida are overwhelm-

ingly apparent in the local dress, language, cuisine and celebrations.

merida













merida merida

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Today started with a visit to the market in the small town of Uman, followed by a visit to the town of Santa Elena. Once arrived in Santa Elena, we met Don Hernan and his wife Doa Azaria. Together with Doa Azaria we prepared some of the elements to be used later for the papadzules.

yucatec classics

DAY 13 - 29 MARCH 2015

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Once we had prepared the key elements of the papadzules, we moved to the Haci-enda Yaxcopoil. This former henequen hacienda was founded in the XVII century. With more than 11 thousand hectares of land in its heydays, Yaxcopil used to be one of the regions most important properties. Its spacious garden formed a nice setting for a pic-nic. Together with Doa Azaria, we finished the preparation of the papadzules.

yucatec classics

DAY 13 - 29 MARCH 2015

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In Merida we watched the preparation of cochinita pibil . We met Seor Walter, a local vendor of this typical Yucatec dish. In the patio attached to his house, Peter helped to prepare the pork.

cOCHINITA PIBIL

DAY 13 - 29 MARCH 2015

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In the morning we visited Seor Walters roadside local (restaurant), where the cochi-nita pibil is served to the local people, and today also to us.

COCHINITA PIBIL FORBREAKFAST

DAY 14 - 29 MARCH 2015

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At the end of the Early Classic Period, around the year 600 AD, Chichen Itza was one of the largest and most prominent Maya cities. Nowadays, Chichen Itza is undoubtedly the best-preserved Maya site on the Yucatan peninsula, and it was recently declared one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

world wonder

DAY 14 - 29 MARCH 2015

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LOCAL LUNCH EN ROUTE

DAY 14 - 30 MARCH 2015

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Today you had a free day in the Riviera Maya. In the evening we enjoyed a final dinner, at a private space on the beach.

CARIBBEAN SUN & BEACH

DAY 15 - 31 MARCH 2015

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hope to

see you soon AGAIN!

DAY 16 - 01 abril 2015

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hotelsMEXICO CITY

GRAN HOTEL CIUDAD DE MEXICO - 03 NIGHTS - 5*www.granhoteldelaciudaddemexico.com.mx/de-

fault-en.html

PUEBLAQUINTA REAL PUEBLA - 01 NIGHT - 5*

www.quintareal.com/puebla

OAXACAQUINTA REAL OAXACA - 02 NIGHTS - 5*

www.quintareal.com/oaxaca

CHIAPA DE CORZOLA CEIBA - 01 NIGHT - 3.5*

www.laceibahotel.com

SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASASDIEGO DE MAZARIEGOS - 02 NIGHTS - 4*

www.diegodemazariegos.com

PALENQUEVILLA MERCEDES PALENQUE - 01 NIGHT - 4*

www.hotelesvillamercedes.com/english/hotels-in-chiapas/villa-mercedes-palenque

CAMPECHEHACIENDA UAYAMON - 01 NIGHT - special category

www.haciendauayamon.com

MERIDACASA DEL BALAM - 02 NIGHTS - 4*

www.casadelbalam.com

RIVIERA MAYADREAMS RIVIERA CANCUN - 02 NIGHTS - 5*

www.dreamsresorts.com/riviera-cancun

WHERE DID WE STAY?

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TAKE MEXICO HOME

MEXICANCOOKING RECIPES

TAKE MEXICO HOME

MEXICANCOOKING RECIPES

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Ingredients:

6 peeled avocados

2 serrano chilies finely chopped

cup finely chopped onion

4 chopped coriander branches

4 finely chopped tomatoes without skin and seeds

Salt to taste

Preparation:

With a fork grind the avocados until getting an irregular paste. Add

chili, onion and coriander and mix very well. Now add tomatoes

and season with salt to taste.

GUACAMOLE

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Ingredients

50 g dried shrimp

250 gr medium shrimp peeled and deveined

kg Tomato

3 cups fresh corn grains or frozen corn

2 dried chiles guajillo

2 oz Tequila

3 tablespoon vegetable oil

20 gr capers

1 garlic clove

medium onion

1 lt water

Pinch of dried oregano

CALDO DE CAMARON(Shrimp Stock)6 PERSONS

Preparation:

Cook and peel the tomatoes. Toast the dried shrimp and blend shrimp, garlic, onion, guajillo chili, tomatoes, and capers. Cook the sauce in a pan with oil until it is perfectly seasoned. Strain it and then add salt, oregano, tequila, and water. Boil until finding the perfect consistence. Add the corn grains and the peeled shrimps. Cover and reduce heat to low; let it simmer for another 10 minutes. Serve.

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Ingredients

500 g skirt steak

2 slices bacon, lightly cooked and cut into small pieces

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 garlic cloves

1 white onion, sliced thinly

2 tomatoes, sliced into thin slices

2 Jalapenos- de-seeded, sliced thinly

1 green bell pepper, sliced thinly

Tortillas

Cheese

Preparation:

Mix cumin, ground black pepper and salt together. Cut steak into small pieces and sprinkle spice mixture on steak evenly, set aside. Dice into small pieces garlic, tomatoes, and cut onion, jalapeno, and bell pepper into longer thin slices. In a non-stick pan place steak and diced garlic cover, saut for 5-7 minutes or until meat is cooked through. Drain any liquid that has accumulated. Add the onion, green bell peppers, tomatoes and jalapenos into pan with steak. Saut for about another 5 minutes or until veggies are ten-der. Remove from heat. Cook bacon lightly, not crispy. Set aside on paper towel and cut into small pieces. Place bacon and cheese over meat and cover with lid and set aside until melted.

Beef Alambre 4-6 PERSONS

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Ingredients:

3 cups fresh corn grains

cup sugar

4 tablespoon all purpose flour

5 eggs (yolks and egg whites separated)

1 tablespoon baking powder

125 gr butter

cup peeled and chopped almond

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon powdered sugar

cup cream

Preparation:

With mixer machine, blend the butter until thickening; little by little add sugar, salt and egg yolk (one at a time). Once the ingredients are perfectly incorporated add flour, almonds and baking powder. Blend the corn grains with the cream. Add this mixture to the pie pastry. In a separate bowl, using a hand mixer, whip the egg whites until glossy and firm and add them to the pastry. In a buttered pan, pour the mixture and bake in the oven 350 for about 45 minutes

For serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

TARTA DE ELOTE 6 PERSONS

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Ingredients

1 mango or 8 strawberries or 1 watermelon slice

4 lemon juice drops

1 ounce orange juice liquor

3 ounce tequila

3 tablespoon sugar

1 cups crushed ice

Preparation:

Prepare the sugar rim: rub the lemon slice in the glass at a slow steady pace. If any pulp or seeds get on the rim, remove them. Turn the glass upside down and dip it firmly in cup of sugar. Grind the fruit. Blend the lemon juice, the tequila and orange juice liquor, sugar and crushed ice for 30 seconds. Strain and then serve in sugar rimmed glass. If you are preparing watermelon margarita you will need 2 oz of orange liquor.

FRUIT MARGARITA 2 PERSONS

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mexicangastronomy

Mexican food is delicious, recognized as World Heritage, and famous all over the world. But food in Mexico might differ from the Mexican food you know from the Mexican restaurant in your hometown. Maybe it might be difficult sometimes when you are standing in front of a typical Mexican taco-stand. What are you going to order? What are they serving in a real Mexi-can restaurant? Well try to make things clearer. Browse through this list of typical Mexican food. It can help you to make your choice.

ALAMBRE Popular Mexican dish consisting of grilled beef (but other kinds of meat such as chicken or pork are also used) topped with chopped bacon, bell peppers, onions, cheese, salsa and avocado. It is usually served with freshly made tortillas.

ANTOJITOS A term covering a wide range of Mexican street food including tacos, tamales, gorditas, quesadil-las, elote / esquites, tlacoyos, tlayudas, and tortas as well as fresh fruit, vegetables, and also bever-ages and soups .

ARROZ CON LECHE A popular dessert in Mexico, made from rice mixed with water or milk and other ingredients such as cinnamon and raisins.

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BARBACOA Barbacoa generally refers to meat, often sheep, slow-cooked over an open fire, or more tradi-tionally, in a hole dug in the ground covered with maguey leaves. The common way of eat-ing barbacoa is having it served on warm corn tortillas with salsa for added flavour.

BURRITO Traditional food from Northern Mexico (but mostly famous from Tex-Mex food). It consists of a wheat flour tortilla wrapped or folded into a cylindrical shape to completely enclose the filling. Mexican burritos are usually small and thin, often contain-ing only one or two ingredients such as meat and/or refried beans.

BIRRIA Birria is a spicy Mexican meat stew usually made with goat meat or lamb. Birria is often served dur-ing festive periods, such as Christmas, New Years Eve, and birthday parties. It is typically served with corn tortillas, onion, and lime. Originally from Jalisco, but it is a common dish in many Mexican restaurants.

CABRITO Roast goat kid, a regional specialty of the Northern city of Monterrey.

CARNE EN SU JUGO Beef meat cooked in its own juice prepared with onion and served with frijoles, a treasure from Jalisco .

CARNITAS Literally little meats, originating from the state of Michoacn, Carnitas are made by braising or simmering pork in oil or preferably lard until tender. The result is very tender and juicy meat, which is then typically served with chopped coriander leaves (cilantro) and diced onion, salsa, guacamole, tortillas, and refried beans.

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CEVICHE Popular in coastal regions of Southeast Mexico, typically made from fresh raw fish. Shrimp, oc-topus, squid, tuna, and mackerel are popular bases for Mexican ceviche, apart from fish. The marinade ingredients include salt, lime, onion, chili peppers, avocado, and coriander leaves. It is usually served in cocktail cups with tostadas or salted crackers. When served in a cup with tomato sauce, it is called a ceviche cocktail.

CHAPULINES Grasshoppers, generally to be found in Oaxaca, which are crisp-fried and then coated in with a mixture of salt and ground chilies and served as a snack.

CHICHARRN Chicharrn is fried pork skin and a very popular ingredient for tacos, since it adds a crunchy tex-ture and has a subtle taste of its own. You will also find them spiced and packed, comparable to potato chips.

CHILAQUILES A very popular breakfast among Mexicans are the so-called chilaquiles. It is a plate of na-chos, which are simple tortilla chips, soaked in either salsa verde or salsa rojo and topped with cream and cheese. Sometimes they also add chicken, eggs or meat to the chilaquiles.

CHILE EN NOGADATraditional dish from Puebla, consisting of pob-lano chilies filled with picadillo (a mixture usually containing shredded meat, aromatics, fruits and spices) topped with a walnut-based cream sauce, called nogada, and pomegranate seeds, giving it the three colors of the Mexican flag: green for the chilies, white for the nut sauce and red for the pomegranate. The traditional season for making and eating this dish is August and first half of Sep-tember, when pomegranates appear in the mar-kets of Central Mexico and the national indepen-dence festivities begin.

CHILE RELLENO Originally from the city of Puebla, this dish consists of a roasted, fresh poblano pepper (a mild chili pepper named after the city of Puebla), stuffed with minced meat, coated with eggs, and often also with melted cheese.

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CHURROS Long, fried-dough pastry, often sold by street vendors. In Mexico they are usually filled with dulce de leche or cajeta but also with choco-late and vanilla.

COCHINITA PIBIL Traditional Mexican slow-roasted pork dish from the Yucatn Pennsula. Preparation of traditional cochinita or puerco pibil involves marinating the meat in strongly acidic citrus juice, colouring it with annatto (achiote) seed, and roasting the meat while it is wrapped in banana leaf. Tradi-tionally, cochinita pibil was buried in a pit with a fire at the bottom to roast it. The Mayan word pibil means buried. It can be served as tacos or on a torta.

CONSOMM DE POLLO A popular type of soup made from richly fla-voured chicken stock or bouillon that has been clarified.

EMPANADASA baked or fried pastry, usually stuffed with meat, seafood, cheese, fruit, huitlacoche, and/or vegetables.

ENCHILADAS Enchilada is the past participle of enchilar, which means to top something with salsa. Therefore en-chiladas are filled and rolled corn tortillas topped with Mole, Salsa Verde or Salsa Roja.

ENFRIJOLADAS Similar to the enchiladas, but with a sauce of beans (frijoles) instead of sauce made of chilies.

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ESCAMOLES Ant larvae, a dish native to Central Mexico, once considered a delicacy by the Aztecs. Often pan-fried with butter and spices.

ESQUITES A popular Mexican street snack. The word es-quites comes from the Nahuatl word zquitl, which means toasted corn. It is prepared by boiling the grains of corn in salted water. Then they are sauteed in butter with onions, chopped chilies, epazote and salt. It is served hot, in small cups and topped with varying combinations of lime juice, chile powder or hot sauce, salt,and mayonnaise.

FLAN Flan is a type of milk pudding that is made of condensed milk, eggs, sugar and cream cheese. It is, besides rise pudding (arroz con leche), the most popular Mexican dessert and can be found everywhere.

FLAUTAS The expression flauta is the Spanish word for flute and arises from its equal form. Similar to ta-cos, it can be filled with any kind of meat, cheese and vegetables. Afterwards it is deep fried and mostly topped with cream, cheese and lettuce. Sometimes they are also referred to as Taquitos or Tacos Dorados.

FRIJOLES REFRITOSFrijoles refritos is a simple paste of cooked and mashed beans. It is eaten with almost every Mexican plate, either as side-dish or as part of the topping or filling.

GUACAMOLE A type of salsa, considered one of the most fa-mous examples of Mexican food. The base of every guacamole is mashed avocados which are then, depending on the recipe, mixed with salt,

herbs, spices, vegetables or cream.

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GRINGAS A type of taco, consisting of a flour tortilla filled with cheese (like a quesadilla), al pastor meat (marinated pork), and pineapple slices.

GORDITAS Gordita means little fat one in Spanish. A gordita is typically prepared as a thick tortilla made with corn flour and stuffed with cheese, meat or other fillings. It is generally fried in a deep wok-shaped comal or baked on a regular comal.

HUARACHES A popular dish in Mexico City consisting of a fried base of dough, with a variety of toppings including green or red salsa, onions, potato, cilantro, frijoles, and different kinds of meat. Huaraches are simi-lar to sopes and simply differ in their form. While sopes are round and rather small, huaraches are oval and big.

MACHACAA traditionally dried meat, spiced beef or pork, which has been rehydrated and used in the popular local cuisine of Northern Mexico, often served with flour tortilla. A very popular break-fast or brunch dish is machaca with eggs.

MEMELITAS Thick, fried or toasted tortillas, then topped with black beans, salsa, shredded cabbage, mole negro, guacamole and/or cheese. Memelas is the Oaxa-can local name for the almost identical sopes and huaraches that are served in other parts of Mexico, but with different toppings.

MOLE Mole can be described as a more delicate type of salsa, which is used as a main com-ponent of a dish rather than to spice it up. It can consist of more than 25 ingredients and sometimes even contains chocolate. Most fa-mous is the Mole Poblano (from Puebla) and the seven different types of Mole from Oaxa-ca: Negro, Rojo, Coloradito, Amarillo, Verde,

Chichilo, Manchamantel

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MOLLETES Slices of bread which are partially hollowed, filled with frijoles refritos, and topped with cheese and slices of jalapeo or serrano pep-pers. It is then grilled in an oven until the cheese melts. It can be served with salsa or pico de gal-lo or topped with sliced ham, chorizo, bacon or

mushrooms.

NICUATOLE A pre-Hispanic gelatinous dessert, made with corn, adding

also milk, sugar and cinnamon.

NOPALES Prickly pear cactus leaves, usually chopped into pieces

when used in the preparation of local dishes.

PAMBAZOA Mexican type of white bread. Also the name of an antojito which is made with this bread dipped in a red guajillo pepper sauce and filled with pa-pas con chorizo (potatoes with chorizo).

PANUCHO Yucatec dish made with a refried tortilla that is stuffed with refried black beans and topped with chopped cabbage, pulled chicken or turkey, to-mato, pickled red onion, avocado, and pickled jalapeno pepper.

PAPADZULES Dish from Yucatan of soft, rolled corn tortillas filled with varying ingredients and topped with

pepitas (pumpkin seeds) and tomato sauce.

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PIBES A Yucatec specialty consisting of chicken simmered with onion, achiote, vinegar, bullion and chiles.

PICO DE GALLO Fresh, uncooked salad made from chopped to-mato, onion, cilantro, fresh serranos (but jalapeos or habaneros too), salt, and key lime juice. Often served as a side dish in Mexican restaurants

POC CHUC One of the signature dishes of Yucatan, con-sisting of meat, commonly pork, prepared in citrus marinade and cooked over a grill. Poc chuc is often served with a side of rice, pick-led onion, refried beans, and avocado.

POZOLEA mixture of soup and stew, which can vary a lot in taste, ingredients, color and look. Commonly it is prepared with any kind of meat, dried corn, lettuce, radish and other seasonal ingredients.

QUESADILLAS Warmed corn (sometimes flour) tortillas, often with melted Oaxacan cheese, and folded to a half moon. Al gusto it can be filled and topped with vegetables, meat and salsa.

SALBUTE A typical Yucatec dish of shredded meat in a tortilla garnished with lettuce, onion, tomato, and avocado.

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SALSA Salsa is the Spanish word for sauce and gives the spice and flavor to almost every Mexican dish. Generally there are two different main types of salsa: salsa verde and salsa roja. Sal-sa verde is mostly prepared with green toma-toes and chilies serranos, while salsa roja is made of red tomatoes. The taste and the de-gree of spiciness differ extremely, due to the differences in preparation and ingredients. It is recommendable to first try a small quantity of the salsa, before spicing up the dish to an

uneatable degree!

SEGUEZA A rural soup typically prepared in Oaxacas indigenous communities, usually for re-ligious celebrations in rural zones. It is made with tomato, chicken or pork, chil-ies, herbs, and corn.

SINCRONIZADAS Often confused with quesadillas, due to their resemblance to quesadillas sold in the United States. The main difference be-tween the real quesadilla and the sincroni-zadas is the inclusion of ham in the sincron-izada, while a wheat flour instead of corn flour is used for the tortilla. The sincroni-zada is prepared like a sandwich.

SOPA DE GARBANZOS A classic stew of chickpeas and vegetables in a tomato stock flavored with bacon, chilies and oregano.

SOPESThe base of sopes is very similar to torti-llas, which is made of fried corn dough. The main difference is the thickness. They are served with frijoles and any kind of meat, vegetables, cheese and salsa. Dont con-fuse the sopes with sopa, which is the word for soup.

TACOS Tacos are small tortillas filled with any kind of meat, fish, cheese, vegetables and salsa. They are eaten with the hand. Each region of Mexico has its own traditional tacos.

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TACOS AL PASTOR A popular type of taco containing spiced pork meat, grilled on a big spear. It is main-ly served in corn tortillas, garnished with cut onions, pineapple, cilantro, salsa and lime juice.

TAMALES This Mexican specialty is sold by venders who drive through the streets with their tamaleras, a big pot set on a type of bicycle. The tamales are made out of masa, the same corn based dough which is used for tortillas. It is filled with a variety of different ingredients and steamed in a banana leaf. Depending on the filling, it can be enjoyed as a sweet or as a salty meal.

TAMBACHES TEOTIHUACANOS

A local dish in Teotihuacan, consisting of meat prepared with tomatoes, orange, xoconostle and cooked in a nopal leaf.

TINGA Typical shredded chicken or shredded beef, originally from Puebla.

TORTAA kind of sandwich, which can be eaten

cold or hot, grilled, or toasted.

TORTA AHOGADA Typical dish from the Mexican state of Jalis-co, particularly from the city of Guadalajara. It is called drowned sandwich because the sandwich is submerged totally or partially in a sauce made primarily of a dried chili pepper

called chile de rbol.

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TORTILLAS This thin flat bread, made out of wheat or corn flour, serves as basis for tacos and many other popular Mexican dishes.

TOSTADAS Fried tortilla, used as a companion to many Mexican dishes, such as tinga, ceviche. etc.

TOTOPOS A flat, crispy, round, or triangular corn product, usually served as a side dish,

and used for dipping salsas.

TLACOYOSFatter than the usual corn tortillas and stuffed with refried beans, cheese, fava beans, chich-arron or other ingredients. Mexican street ven-dors often sell it adding toppings on it. How-ever, the traditional tlacoyo is supposed to be consumed without any toppings, but only with fresh salsa. Tlacoyos often come in three different colors, depending on the type of corn used. The most common color is blue, made with blue corn kernels.

TLAYUDASA large, thin, crunchy, partially fried or toasted tortilla, covered with a spread of refried beans, pork lard, lettuce or cab-bage, avocado, meat (usually shredded chicken, beef tenderloin or pork), Oaxa-ca cheese, and salsa. The tlayuda is con-sidered an iconic dish of Oaxaca.

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TEQUILA &MEZCAL

Originally from the western state of Jalisco (from the surroundings of the town of Tequila), tequila is with-out doubt Mexicos most iconic drink. It is distilled from the blue agave plant. Mexican laws state that tequila can only be produced in the state of Jalisco and limited municipalities in the states of Guanajua-to, Michoacn, Nayarit, and Tamaulipas. Tequila has five sub-classifications:

TEQUILA BLANCO (OR SILVERThis is tequila in its purest possible form. It is usu-

ally not aged, so you can really taste the true flavors, sweetness, and intensity.

TEQUILA JOVEN (OR GOLD)Unaged, sometimes with added color and flavor. It is usually cheap and used at bars for mixing with other drinks.

TEQUILA REPOSADO This type is known as aged or rested tequila. Aged in wooden barrels or storage tanks from a time pe-riod that lasts anywhere between 2 to 11 months. The color is usually gold and tastes like agave and wood.

TEQUILA REPOSADOThis type is known as aged or rested tequila. Aged in wooden barrels or storage tanks from a time period that lasts anywhere between 2 to 11 months. The color is usually gold and tastes like agave and wood.

TEQUILA AEJOThis tequila is aged for at least a year. The color of it is usually amber and is more smooth, dark, and complex.

TEQUILA EXTRA AEJOThis tequila is ultra aged (three or more years). The extra age gives it a very dark color,.

If the bottle of tequila does not state on the label that it is manufactured from 100% blue agave (no sugars added), then, by default, that tequila is a mixto. Tequila is most often made at a 3840% alcohol content .

In Mexico, the most traditional way to drink tequila is neat, without lime and salt. It is pop-ular in some regions to drink fine tequila with a side of sangritaa sweet, sour, and spicy drink typically made from orange juice, gren-adine (or tomato juice), and hot chilies.

Another popular way to drink tequila is the bandera (flag, in Spanish), named after the Flag of Mexico, it consists of three shot glass-es, one filled with lime juice (for the green), one with white tequila, and one sangrita (for the red). When served neat (without any ad-ditional ingredients), tequila is most often served in a narrow shot glass called a cabal-lito (little horse, in Spanish). Arriba, abajo, al centro y pa dentro!

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PARA TODO MAL,

MEZCAL, PARA TODO BIEN

TAMBIEN

PARA TODO MAL,


TAMBIEN

PARA TODO MAL,


TAMBIEN

PARA TODO MAL,


TAMBIEN

PARA TODO MAL,


TAMBIEN

MEZCAL Alcoholic beverage distilled from the fermented juice of certain types of agave / maguey plant and typically produced in Oaxaca. It is some-times referred as tequilas cousin, but mez-cal is generally consumed straight (instead of mixed) and has a smokier flavor. Mezcal follows the same sub-classifications as tequila (joven, reposado, aejo). Traditionally, mezcal is pro-duced by small-scale producers. Some Mezcal bottles contain a worm!

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MEXICANDRINKS

AGUAS FRESCAS Typical shredded chicken or shredded beef, originally from Puebla.

ATOLE Atole is a hot drink that is consumed in the morning and traditionally served with ta-males. Like much other Mexican food, the base of atole is corn, which is mixed with water, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon and ei-ther flavoured with chocolate or fruits.

CAF Spanish for coffee. In Mexico you can find great climate qualities for producing one of the best cof-fees in the world, especially in the states of Chi-apas, Oaxaca, and Veracruz. Mexico owns the 5th place of coffee producers in the World, just after Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, and Vietnam.

CHOCOLATE Traditional hand-made hot beverage made with cacao, sugar and some sweet

spices.

CAF DE OLLAA traditional way to prepare coffee in Mexico. The cof-fee is traditionally prepared in earthen clay pots. The distinct flavour of Caf de olla is derived from cinna-mon and piloncillo.

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HORCHATA Horchata is a sweet rice drink that is commonly served with cinnamon. It is often consumed with spicy food since

the milky consistence takes the fire out of the mouth.

MARGARITA Tequila-based cocktail, usually prepared with lime or lemon juice, and often served with salt on the rim of the glass.

POSH A sugar-cane and corn based alcoholic beverage used by tzotziles (indigenous group ) in Chiapas.

PULQUE An alcoholic beverage with milky consistence, made by extracting juice (aguamiel) from the maguey plant, which has been produced for millennia in Central Mexico.

TEJATE Traditional beverage from Oaxaca, made with cacao and corn.

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photo souvenir mexican fiesta with peter kuruvita

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