A pelona, or fried poblano sandwich stuffed with lettuce, crema and shredded meat
I was in Puebla this weekend visiting my friend Rebecca, who runs the excellent All About Puebla, an English-language online city guide. She’s a badass go-getter type of gal, so when the two of us get together it always feels like we can conquer the world.
She took me to some of her favorite places to eat, and interestingly, few involved corn. Puebla is full of savory breads: the pambazo (a plump, flour-dusted bread, not in any way similar to the Mexico City pambazo); the pelona (a fried roll); the chancla (a fried roll covered in sauce); the telera (a flat, soft roll used for tortas); the cemita (an airy, sesame-seed dusted roll), and the torta de agua (a crunchy, rustic bread). All are used in different sandwiches. The most Poblano of tacos, the taco árabe, is traditionally served on pita bread and not corn tortillas.
The two of us hit Puebla’s Centro last week for a food-fest, filling up on as many snacks as our stomachs could handle. (This may be why my stomach can suddenly only handle rice and applesauce. The travails of being a food researcher.)
Here’s a quick look at what we tried:
A taco árabe, or spit-roasted pork wrapped in pita bread. This tasted different than Mexico City's árabes -- much closer to shawarma.
We tried mole in sandwich form. (As an aside, I love how manageable Puebla's tortas are. Yay for not being as large as your head!) This torta de mole from El Girofle was excellent.
Chalupas, or little corn tortillas bathed in salsa and shredded meat. The red salsa uses chipotles, because poblanos love them.
I've technically eaten this same cemita once before, but it's so good (Cemitas Beto at La Acocota) that it has become my poblano requirement.
Did I really have room to squeeze in a fresh-baked concha after all of that food? Yes. Yes, I did.
I’ve got some exciting Puebla news to share in the next few weeks, so stay tuned…
But some day you’ll have to try the cemitas of Mercado del Carmen as well…
Yes Jonas, that was the one market we didn’t make it to. Hopefully next time. Appreciate the tip!
Poblano food is AMAZING! I can’t wait to hear the news 🙂
Yes, and we barely made a dent in all the great stuff there is to try. (Don’t get me started on the dulces.) Will share the news as soon as possible. 🙂
Man, I am really wishing I was in Puebla right now. Like Ben says, it is AMAZING!
We went to the Mercado del Carmen a few years ago. The hand pounding of milanesas for the cemitas was fascinating. I ordered a cemita, and after requesting papaloquelite and chiles chipotles, I dug in. It was a serious sandwich, and I couldn’t finish it. I thought the milanesa part was kinda tough.
We loved the tacos Árabes and tacos al pastor at La Rana, in Centro.
Saludos,
Don Cuevas
My friend’s family has a restaurant in Puebla- El Balcón. It was there I first had Mole de Panza and Tostadas de Pata –both I’d been reluctant to try elsewhere but when he took me through the kitchen and showed me the careful preparations in process, and then basically foisted them upon me (never say no to offered food)– my response, “MUY RICO!!” And I have to say, have since ordered these in other places- never as good. I guess this a plug. 🙂
Margret: I’ve been hesitant to try Mole de Panza (which I’m thinking is just like pancita, no?), so if I will make sure that my first experience is at El Balcón. I do love tostadas de pata — didn’t realize until recently that it was beef pata, not pork. Much more delicate flavor and not as rubbery, IMO. Thanks for the tip!
I’m not sure they are “the same thing”- of course, any chef will have their own secrets anyway, right? Also, names of dishes are kind of regional, no? I have had many discussions with Mexicans about Tostadas de Pata, and so many insisted it was pork, but I went with Hiramo’s (El Balcón) recipe and used beef when I made it myself and it was just like I remembered. So yummy. Perhaps we can meet in the fall in Puebla!
Oh here’s the post I wrote about Mole de Panza and Tostadas de Pata at El Balcón (address included!)
http://www.tasteyourfreedom.blogspot.ca/2011/09/nasty-bits.html
Hi DC: You’re the second one to tell me about La Rana. It’s a must-visit for when I return.
I think I have corresponded with you somehow before, Michael. I want to share this post I wrote about cemitas, now, far too long ago. Have a big craving (several, actually) reading Lesley’s piece- heading back to Mexico from Toronto in September and can’t wait!
http://www.tasteyourfreedom.blogspot.ca/2011/07/cemita-great-el-grande-cemita.html
This is wonderful. Sometimes I look at pictures of Poblano food for hours on end. 🙂
I’m dreaming about that mole sandwich (and the rest of these dishes), all look wonderful!
What a great tour! I lived 2 years in Puebla and the food is memorable. “Los Arcos” was the place to go for carnitas in those times.
Saludos,
Mely
Thanks Mely! I haven’t heard of Los Arcos… I was pretty smitten with the pelona when I was there. 🙂
Next time I’ll try those. When I went to Puebla, I had the obvious but still delicious mole.
Thank you for those pictures, my kids dad is from Tepeaca, Puebla. This brought back memories of good times!
Oh my goodness. That all looks amazing. My family is from Puebla and I’ve only ever tried conchas and mole. A few weeks ago, I went to Cemitas Puebla here in Chicago and finally had cemitas and chalupas. I’m not sure if they’re as amazing as the real thing (though supposedly the owner makes weekly trips to Puebla for the bread), but it was so amazing. I had to get two, haha.
LOVE cemitas… I haven’t tried them in the U.S. yet, but I can completely believe making special trips just for the bread. It’s outstanding. Saludos!