The Mija Chronicles

Mexican food and culture, on both sides of the border

The year in Mexican food, 2009

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In honor of my first year in Mexico, I thought it might be fun to reflect back on some of my favorite food memories over the past 11 months.

Also: I wanted to thank you for reading and commenting over the past year. You’ve really made this year special, and I’m sending you each a virtual abrazo. (Although not a beso, because of swine flu concerns.) Please have a happy New Year, and felicidades!

My visual Mexican food journey starts below….

Lesley’s Favorite Mexican Food Memories of 2009

1. Lusting after sweet bread
This is probably the main reason that my formerly comfortable jeans are now in my “tight jeans” pile. But whatever. It’s been worth it.

2. Drinking mescal
It’s not technically food, but I’ve really enjoyed getting to know mescal, a smoky spirit made from the agave plant. The drink is served neat, and is almost always accompanied by orange slices dusted in chili powder. The mescal below is the first one I ever tried, from El Andar in the Centro.

3. A heavy dose of “Vitamina T”
Vitamina T is the Spanish phrase for all the casual comfort foods Mexico City has to offer: tacos, tortas, tostadas, tlacoyos. I’m going to throw flautas in there, too, even though they don’t start with an “f.”

Tacos El Caminero on Rio Lerma

Tacos de Nana at Mercado Lázaro Cardenas in Del Valle

Seafood tacos in Campeche

Tacos de bistec, from a street vendor on Rio Sena in Col. Cuauhtémoc

Seafood tostadas from La Ostionera in the Mercado Medellín, in Col. Roma

Lamb flautas, covered in crema and shredded lettuce, at Mercado San Juan de Belem

4. Mamey
My first Mexican produce obsession, with its sunset-colored flesh and lightly sweet flavor. Is it a melon? If so, why does it have the texture of a cooked tuber?

Whole-wheat mamey muffins (recipe)

Mamey frozen yogurt (recipe)

Mamey ice cream

5. The Mexican-American recipe exchange
This year, my friend Jesica and I organized a recipe exchange based on the idea that she wanted to learn how to cook American desserts, and I wanted to learn Mexican food with a vegetarian bent. (Jesica’s husband is vegetarian and she’s always whipping up interesting meat-free dishes.) We started with an apple brown betty with homemade cinnamon ice cream, and then moved to pasta al ajillo and hibiscus-flower quesadillas. Eventually we made goat-cheese stuffed ancho chiles with mango sauce….

And Korean fried chicken, which might have been my favorite recipe exchange item of the year.

6. Hibiscus Flowers
Hibiscus flowers, known as flores de jamaica in Spanish, opened my eyes to how complex and versatile Mexican cooking could be. Here is this small, dried purple flower, and not only can you boil it to make tea, but you can saute it in butter and olive oil, and eat it as a savory dish. I tried the flowers in quesadillas and just about died, because the texture was so odd (how can a flower actually taste hearty?). From that point on, I wanted to toss hibiscus flowers in everything: salads. Pasta. Quinoa.

A few months ago, I spent six hours making three dozen whole-wheat empanadas, with a hibiscus flower filling.

7. Nicuatole
A corn pudding that looks unassuming, but is so beautiful in its simplicity — it has this clean, pure taste of corn, milk and a hint of vanilla. If you’re at Azul y Oro, it is the dessert to order. I made nicuatole with Maseca a few months ago, but next year I’m making my own nixtamal and trying it again. I plan to buy a corn grinder fairly soon. Gonna go ahead and call 2010 (for me anyway) as The Year of the Nixtamal.

8. Beans, cooked in a clay pot.
I raved about it recently here, so I’ll spare you further gushing. Suffice to say, I’m now a big fan of cooking in clay pots.

9. Tamales
I ate them at Christmastime when I was growing up, but I’d never made my own batch by myself. This year, I went and bought my own tamale steamer pot, and my own harina de maiz and lard. But I started doubting myself as soon as I was elbow-deep in masa. How much masa was I supposed to put on the husk? What happens if my fillings spill out?

They turned out fine. And I was glad I made them, because a few days later I hosted seven women at my house for a tamalada. Those tamales turned out much better than my first batch. And I got to make them with my favorite women in DF. I’m definitely hosting a tamale-party again next year.

10. Romeritos
Romeritos are wild, hearty greens that are sold in big leafy piles in the markets. I bought some just because they looked cool, but I recently realized the traditional way to eat them is with fried shrimp cakes, smothered in a pool of mole. You can’t even taste the romeritos in this dish. You just see them stuck in the mole, like fossils in a tar pit.

This is a picture of romeritos con tortitas de camaron, from El Bajio in Azcapotzalco:

Since I like to taste them, and feel their little bean-sprout-like stems crunch beneath my teeth, I sautee them in a bit of oil and onion, and toss them with 1 tablespoon of mole sauce. Over that, a sprinkle of quinoa. One day I’ll make this dish and post the recipe.

Thanks again for looking and Feliz Año Nuevo!

Reader Interactions

Comments

    • Thanks Cristina. Really enjoyed your bean post — it was my inspiration to buy a clay bean pot! Hope you and your family have a great New Year.

  3. do you have a collection of taco stands in america you like
    if you ever come to sf, taqueria san jose makes the best carnitas in the city
    juicy interior pork that is held together by burnt crusts

  5. what a cool blog – i just found it today and am going to have to catch up on your story and why you are in mexico. you are so lucky (and brave!). i would love to be able to live in mexico, but have to content myself with going once a year to visit (usually PV, this year cozumel). i have relatives that live in DF! would love to visit them again – someday….

    • Hey thanks Aurora! Welcome! Just FYI, I’m in Mexico because my husband’s job moved us here, and because we’d always wanted to live in Mexico City. I love it here… definitely a much different experience from PV or Cozumel, but its choas and quirkiness and soulfulness are things you may not find in Mexican beach cities. You should come visit!

  8. Holy S. That all looks really good! Except for the puffy sweet breads that are very cute to look at, but dry and bland to taste (in my opinion). Luckily, I live in Texas and am privvy to these delights from friends and neighbors! Yay!

    • I’m going to beg to differ on “dry and bland.” 🙂 It’s because you’ve never had the good ones! Trust me, I’ve devoted a whole search to finding the best concha rolls (the puffy sweet bread you referred to) in Mexico. Check out the category heading on the homepage… seriously, it’s a whole other world out there.

      Nice to see another Texan here, by the way. Welcome!

  12. You really had to do that to me didn’t you?!
    I just got back from an amazing trip to Mexico and I can’t stop talking about the food! Just when I thought I was getting over my withdrawal symptoms I stumbled onto this page. -sigh- Awesome pictures! Great subject! Hope to read more about your adventures.

  13. I loooove the vanilla rice pudding. I want some right this second! I had my first visit to Spain in April 2009 and had some wonderful food. I never saw anything like the vanilla rice pudding while i was in Spain. Depending on the quality of the vanilla (& I would hope organic vanilla bean is used), I am sure this is a great tasting simple and refined desert. Thanks for sharing.

    • Hi there: Just wanted to clarify, nicuatole is actually corn pudding, not rice pudding. You make it with corn flour — either Maseca, the kind you can find at Latino grocery stores over in the States, or fresh corn flour, comprising dried corn that’s been ground into a textured meal. (You can find that at tortillerias in the U.S.) I’ve never had vanilla rice pudding before, but it sounds good!

  16. I have fallen in love with Mexican cuisine. Diana Kennedy and Rick Bayliss are to blame along with a recent trip to Mexico. Your photographs have added further temptation to my already inquisitive palate. Now I’m on the search for the best recipes. Any recommended sources?

  17. Everything looks yummy, I could stay here all night drooling over the many dishes! I have an Italian clay pot I use for my beans, they come out perfecto!

    RE: A heavy dose of “Vitamina T”- we like to include Sauza Tequila Blanco, goes with all the above 🙂

    Happy New Year, Lesley!

  18. Es bueno ver como la gente de otros países se admiran por la extensa variedad de colores, texturas y combiaciones de la comida mexicana. Es bueno saber que nuestra gastronomía es agradable al paladar extranjero…
    Saludos desde México!!!

  19. great…i very curios to know about hibiscus…sound weird if actually that flower we can eat…but its so interesting, what kin of hibiscus it can we make some food? u have the recipes? maybe a simple recipe for me! there are so many Hibiscus in my country..

    Thanks a lot Lesley…Happy New Year..

  21. Woow, everything look so yummy. I think i will go to have some mexican food since in the pictures it looks so tasty. Thank for the pics, happy New Year! Felicidades!

  22. Very nice post and photos, Lesley.

    The pan dulce at Rivepan in Pátzcuaro looks better than it eats. However, that’s typical of the genre. The really good conchas you’ve sought and found at better bakeries in el D.F. are extraordinary and far ahead of the pack.

    Was the photo of the seafood tostadas taken at Ostionería La Morenita, in el Mercado Medellín, Mexico, D.F.? I just know was amazed to discover that they have a website: http://www.mariscoslamorenita.com/

    I took some photos there a couple of times in the last couple of years. http://www.pbase.com/panos/image/96209326

    Saludos,
    Don Cuevas

  23. Yummy! Just as well I at lunch. What beautiful pictures of Mexican cuisine. Love the tacos and fried hibiscus flowers? I’m gonna plan a trip to Mehiko soon…your post is invitation indeed. Thank you for sharing these culinary delights.

    Happy New Year and all the best for 2010.

  29. Love your blog. I was turned on to it by David Allen and thought I would check it out. My wife and I lived in Venezula for a year in 1970. So I sort of understand what is going on with your day to day life. Any way Happy New Year.

  30. I lived in Sonora, Mexico when i was a child and will never forget the food, the culture and the beautiful people!!!! glad your blog was on “freshly pressed” happy new year/

  32. I have been reading your blog, needless to say that I have read every entry. Congratulations for making a wonderful life for you and your husband.

  33. What luck to stumble upon this blog. I’m an American who spent the last Christmas and New Year in Puebla. A lot of good memories had to do with food and these pics rekindled them. Tamales, above all! Como los extrañññooo!!!

    I always enjoy reading about expats; I may be one myself pretty soon. Living abroad is never easy but it does come with its rewards if you can make the adjustments. Thanks for sharing your experiences along the way.

    Feliz año!

  34. Vitamina T! I love it!lol Last weeks “la hora nacional” was about it and they also added flautas, guaraches, lonches to the list as you have. My mouth watered but because I had a tooth extracted I have to wait a0 while to eat most of this stuff. I’m really sad I’ll be far away from the Mx border soon. I had my last mexican lonches on friday 🙁 Of course, I’ll also miss Whataburger hehe (love being texan)

  35. Holy cow you have a million comments on this post. lol You write a great blog and I look forward to reading your food related experiences in 2010. I cant get over how you can manage to write so much about food and it never gets boring. Anyway Im loving it so keep it coming.

  36. Hi Mija,

    We (my partner Rox and I) are gonna be in DF for one night (Feb. 6th)on our way to Puerto Escondido for 3 weeks and are looking for suggestions for a great place for dinner (preferably around Centro since we will be staying at Hotel Gillow). We’ve been to Cafe Tacuba and La Torre (loved them both) and will be looking for Mexican food (we’ve also got a bunch of favorite taco stands and have been to the Gili Pollas rosticeria – kitty corner to our hotel) but would love any suggestions from you or anyone else reading this.

    Gracias,
    Scooter

    • Hey Scooter: I like Al Andar in the Centro. It’s right off Isabel La Catolica and Calle Regina, so it should be close to your hotel. I don’t have an exact address for you (I don’t think it has one, to be honest), but it is between Isabel La Catolica and 5 de Febrero. Look for a little hole in the wall with a few sidewalk tables out front. It’s a small place, but they’ve got great artisanal mescal, tacos, vegetarian pastas, salads. Bohemian, casual vibe.

      If you’re willing to travel to the Zona Rosa, I would highly recommend Casa Mexico. It opened about a month ago; I tried it recently and loved it. The menu is built around regional Mexican dishes, and the prices are a steal for the quality of the food. (Less than $5 for an appetizer!) The service is also outstanding, and they have Mexican wine and mescal. It’s on Genova street — Google it and you should be able to find the address. It’s an elegant place, but I think you could show up in jeans and be fine.

      Also, if you want to grab a beer in the Centro, I love Cantina La Mascota. You could also eat there — they offer free food with the purchase of a few beers. Great jukebox, friendly waitstaff, interesting clientele. It’s on Calle Mesones, between Bolivar and Isabel la Catolica, at the corner of Mesones and Bolivar. Let me know if either of these end up working out for you!

  37. Wow Lesley thanks,

    I figured you’d come through for us. These all sound great. Makes me sorry that we’re only staying overnight this time (maybe we’ll manage to fit in a 2nd supper or something…).]

    Scooter