Food was the love language in my house as a child and it has turned into my career as an adult. As a culinary instructor and food writer, I’ve learned that the tastes and desires of every person are different but eating vibrant foods full of history and culture is something everyone agrees on.
My job is to teach people how to cook, so I spend my days thinking about how and why people eat and then I think about what I want to eat.
So when I look for new destinations to explore, the first thing I consider is the food scene and what culinary adventures I can experience, which is why I knew I had to go to Mexico City. I’d heard so much about the beauty of this city and the way it lights up your senses with every bite. I have to say, it exceed any expectation I could have had and I can’t wait to go back…
On a Fall morning in Mexico City’s posh La Condesa neighbourhood, I embarked with three of my best friends on a five-hour food tour adventure – “Eat Like a Local”. It began with a delicious breakfast roll, called “concha” and a bold cup of coffee.
We followed that with a luscious mixiote taco, combining lamb and beef, which was made in a sealed bag made from the thin agave leaf skin that cooks in hot water. The taquero uses a generation’s old recipe for the mixiote as well as the spicy – yet sweet -pineapple salsa.
Astrid, our guide, not only knew of the culinary history, but also history of various neighbourhoods and experiences. “A Spanish countess owned this land, lending to the name La Condesa”, said Astrid. “It had a race track on it”, which explained the oval shaped streets.
In 1985, a giant earthquake destroyed the haciendas and large homes that were built for the wealthy. It then became a homeless encampment until local artists moved back into the area salvaging the remaining architecture and making buildings into homes and studios. You only have to visit La Condesa to see for yourself how totally revitalized it has become. The pocket sized area is more popular than ever.
Next on the tour was Mexico City’s largest flower market, Mercado de Jamaica, which is also home to a vast array of gorgeous produce in a huge variety of colours, shapes and flavours. To arrive at this destination, we were led to the Mexico City subway, a robust and efficient organization of coloured lines that are labeled with different icons to help those who may have difficulty reading. Everything on the tour, including subway fares, is included in the $100 price tag.
Upon entering the Market, Astrid quickly claimed seats at a communal table where we were immediately served fresh carnitas tacos. Luckily, to beat the heat of the habanero salsa, she also provided us with tepache, a local favourite sweet and refreshing drink made from fermented pineapple. Next, Astrid approached a vendor at a large fruit stand who split open a piece of every fruit he had to offer. Each slice was presented to us as if it were a delicate treasure that represented his pride and country. Some I could name, like maracuya (passion fruit) and guayaba (guava) while others made it clear that we weren’t in America anymore. Possibly the most memorable of all the tacos in Mercado de Jamaica was the green chorizo tacos mixed with spinach and various green herbs.
Hopping back on the vibrant subway, our next stop, Mercado la Merced, throws you immediately into the hectic vibe of the actual marketplace. Our first vendor was a stand where we were given a glass of fresh squeezed pineapple juice spiked with vodka. Quite helpful actually when our next stop was sampling the fried insects. Astrid had us bobbing and weaving, tasting food from countless vendors and market stands. In keeping with the sustainability factor of the tour, Astrid supplies her guests with metal spoons, continuing with her company’s desire to leave no waste behind. They are collected at the end of each tour. We put those spoons to good use, winding through the labyrinth of vendors, sampling various versions of elote, the ever popular street corn typically smothered in mayonnaise and crumbled cotija cheese topped with chili powder. This time, though, we ate a variation of elote that combined fresh arbol chiles, lime juice, and salt. Just like the other recipes, it was served in the corn husk itself to emphasize the trend of sustainable living by using every part of the plant.
After five hours of eating, drinking, meeting wonderful people and absorbing the local culture, we were beyond satisfied. Astrid and Eat Like A Local truly showed us the hidden treasures that lie at the heart of Mexican cuisine, all while emphasizing environmental interests and farm to table freshness of the Mexico City’s food scene. After thanking Astrid for her formidable tour that showed us how we can strive to live a “green” lifestyle, our stomachs thanked us for the experience. Yours will too.
Taryn Lachter is a cooking instructor and food writer based out of Brooklyn, New York. Follow her delicious adventures at www.whattarynate.com and @whattarynate on Instagram.
