Tag: Mexico
Comida Corrida at Al Asadero
Market Breakfast
Mercado Liberdad
Perpetual Motion
The need to move forward, to act, to avoid stasis is something you might want to fight against.
When I travel and the day approaches, the need to move grows stronger and stronger. I can’t sit still. I’ll wake at 3 am if it will help start the trip, end the anticipation, propel me forward.
My cousin Deb says it’s in my DNA. And it goes far beyond my all too infrequent travels. There’s too many occasions when stopping and thinking and, God forbid, not acting would be the wisest course. But I act anyway.
It might be a lack of comfort in my own skin. That, if I stand still, I might have to deal with myself and all my inglorious quirks.
The Buddhists know this. The outside world is a distraction. Inner peace is the goal.
So I have been trying to fight against the urge to fill my life with action and distraction. To stop and do nothing. To be here now.
But I strive and much of the time, I fail. So on this trip I felt the need to move and decided to head down to Seattle a day early. I often fly from Seattle because I save a lot on the flight. And hey, I get to spend extra quality time with people I love. I can rationalize this, no problem.
But in my haste I managed to forget the power cord for my Chromebook. So tomorrow I will spend quality time at Best Buy trying to find a replacement.
In my haste to move, to not miss anything, to avoid spending quality time with myself , to slow down, I have wasted time and most likely money.
Stop. Smell the roses. Not all action is living.
Petrita Restaurante in Chapala
On a gorgeous hot day in Guadalajara we decided to take a day trip to Lake Chapala.
We’re adventurous so we took local transportation. That ended up being three buses and a cab, but eventually we made it to this pretty lakeside town.
While we knew that prices would be higher, we decided to splurge on the Petrita which has a great view of the immense expanses of Lake Chapala
Once we were seated we were served an appetiser of cucumber and jimica sprinkled with chili powder along with a seafood salsa and limes
We were lured in by the promise of two free margaritas if we purchased one of the larger selections. We chose one the macajete dishes. The ingredients are cooked and served in a hot stone grinding bowl called a macajete. Fajitas are sometimes served like this. The vessel arrives sizzling and keeps the food piping hot.
It was delicious. Shrimp and steak and chicken and sweet peppers in a very savoury sauce. It looked like they had first placed melting cheese in the bowl so you could scoop out a good portion of cheese at will.
All this was accompanied by copious amounts of fresh cooked corn tortillas.
We broke the budget on this meal but have no regrets
The Petrita Restaurante is located past the east end of the Malecon in Chapala, Jalisco
Esquites
Watching the Guadalupana festival in Catemaco was a real treat. Hundreds of vehicles moving through the streets, each decorated with balloons and flowers and always a portrait of the Lady of Guadalupe.
There were so many cars and trucks and horses we thought they must be circling around over and over, though we were assured they weren’t.
But standing and watching for so long worked up an appetite. So we reached for the standard snack found in the Catemaco zocalo: Esquites.
As usual, the photo was taken after the first bites, a bad habit of mine. But this little styrofoam cup is packed with corn “milk” and queso fresco topped with a mildly spicy chili powder.
All for only 10 pesos! A nearly religious gourmet treat
Torta Cubano in Puebla, Mexico
A Mexican version of the classic Cuban sandwich. I needed a takeout dinner for my ailing wife (just a cold) so I went to a small restaurant on 3 Sur near 7 Poniente in Puebla. The result is shown above. It is a smorgasbord in a bun, including: chicken cutlet, hotdog wiener, bologna, avocado, chorizo, tomato, refried beans and queso cheese all on a bun my bun-hating wife called “good”
Tamal Canario at Los Portales restaurante in Xico, Veracruz.
The building we’re in dates back to 1794 and once was a prison that held General Santa Anna. The restaurant is Los Portales.
Tamal Canario is made from cornmeal and custard wrapped in a corn husk and steamed. At first we wondered whether we would open it and find an actual canary
La Fonda in Xalapa
At the bottom of la Callejon Diamante or Alley of Diamonds in Xalapa you will find La Fonda, a very typical Mexican Fonda. Each day a set menu is prepared for the Comida Corrida. Today’s is just 60 pesos or about $4.80.
As a wise diner I have a tasing companion with me so I can sample more dishes. This Comida starts with soup. I get the minestrone while my accomplice orders the consume de pollo. She gets the better part of the deal as her soup, while a bhit thin, has lots of cilantro. Mine is admittedly quite Italian with lots of spaghetti noodles and a rich tomato sauce
The soup was servered with some of the best tortillas I’ve ever had
For my main course I ordered the Salsa de Chicorrones. Essentially this is pig skin in salsa. Not too bad at all and the beans were heavenly
My co-taster had a dish I do not have the name of but it was meatballs made of what tasted like corned beef with egg in the middle, all slathered in a tasty chili sauce
Tomorrow it is off to Noalinco, a leather town with it’s own special mole sauce
Tortas de Vena, street eats in Xalapa, Veracruz
Kinda like a fritter. Various meats and the city’s namesake chili, Jalapenos. All served on a tortilla with refried beans and cheese
Bow and Arrow Food 