Don´t drool, please, pictures and descriptions of Mexican food...

[Jesus]

Originally Posted by maestranba

Thanks for the great pics and descriptions, Jesus! I tried a lot of those dishes while in Oaxaca, and some I liked and others not so much! I'm a very picky eater, unfortunately. The cuitlacoche tasted pretty good but it wasn't very appetizing to look at! We had some appetizers at el Refujio Fondo in the Zona Rosa in D.F. and they were delicious. They were called sope, I think. They were small, round, tortillas topped with chicken, cheese, and guacamole. They served them w/ green sauce to put on top. Everything at that restaurant was outstanding!!

Unfortunately, I didn't take any food pics while on that trip. Next year when we go back, I'll make sure to take some, so I'll remember what I ate!!

With food, names and recipes depends on the zone or the cook (like the famouse Phily CheeseSteak), so guys, if you find a different name for something you saw here, is perfectly possible, also the reverse, like the sope, when I was a kid, the sopes were as large as the huaraches, but thin and with nothing inside.
Quesadillas are so different from zone to zone and from a restaurant to another that you have to ask first. The most normal are deep fried (the ones I showed you here weren´t fried at all).
Carne a la tampiqueña usually comes with avocado and rice, but here (next picture) they are nowhere to be seen but you find a taco dorado and french fries in their representation.
And for Pozole, here is a close-up of the kernels.
I still have to fill the descriptions above but meanwhile here are some snacks: Chicharrones y frituras (pork rinds, Bumper calls 'em)

[Jesus]

Originally Posted by Sol

Me too!!!!! I have tears in my eyes as I write this. Jesus you are such a travieso! (naughty man) The pictures are very beautiful.

Bad, baad, baaddd BAD Boy... (you know the song).
Please, don´t drool and don´t cry on top of the computer!!!!!
Well, if you two guys are going to ignore me, then I can just stop writting, phew!!!

[Playaluvers]

No...Please!!! Don't Stop!!!! Loving it all please keep reporting!!!

[Jillian]

Jesus,those pics made my already hungry stomache scream even louder at me!!! I can't wait eat all that yummy food!!!!

[Jesus]

Originally Posted by maestranba

The cuitlacoche tasted pretty good but it wasn't very appetizing to look at! We had some appetizers at el Refujio Fondo in the Zona Rosa in D.F. and they were delicious. They were called sope, I think. They were small, round, tortillas topped with chicken, cheese, and guacamole. They served them w/ green sauce to put on top. Everything at that restaurant was outstanding!!
Unfortunately, I didn't take any food pics while on that trip. Next year when we go back, I'll make sure to take some, so I'll remember what I ate!!

Yes, you are more than right, the sigh of the cuitlacoche is not appealing at all, looks like dark mud and once you learn it's a fungus you will normally stay away. But the flavor is mild and compare to nothing I can think of. In high cuisine places they may crepes de cuitlacoche and is a very expensive delicacy, available only during the rainy season. It took me many years to overcome the repulsion of it, but now I know what I missed for so long.
In the past I thought that taking pictures of your food on vacation was a little bit bizarre, but there is an excellent reason for taking them, is much easier to make recommendations!.
Well, I updated the text on the previous pictures so you can have a better idea on them.

[Jesus]

I found a great webpage on Yucatecan food.
Give it a try, no pictures but you imagination or memories will fill the gap.
http://www.melissaclark.net/articles...es/000113.html

Incudes some recipes that look real nice.

[suzeq]

Well, I know some new recipes I'm trying next week! They sound wonderful. Thanks for sharing.

[sunnygrl]

One word, Jesus:
YUM!

[Jesus]

Carnitas y Chicharron.

Sorry Michael, this are farther than those I took you on your last time.

Carnitas (little meats) are made of pork marinated with garlic, cumin, oregano, and other spices, the Michoacán style (so far the only one I know for carnitas) involves boiling and frying. You get the Macisa (only muscle) and cueritos (little skins), the first may not be rich in flavor so you add a little of cueritos wich are fried and salty, plus the inavoidable salsa and there you go with your taco.

Chicharron, it's all about taking advantage of the whole pig, you deep fry the skin, in a process that takes advantage of the porks own lard, and the result is a sheet of crispy, crunchy stiff "shell", you cut with your hand pieces of it and dip in the guacamole or in your taco. Yumm.

[StewartG]

More yummies Jesus, thanks!

Hey, where is the best place to get carnitas in Playa?

Originally Posted by Jesus

Carnitas y Chicharron.

Sorry Michael, this are farther than those I took you on your last time.

Carnitas (little meats) are made of pork marinated with garlic, cumin, oregano, and other spices, the Michoacán style (so far the only one I know for carnitas) involves frying and boiling. You get the Macisa (only muscle) and cueritos (little skins), the first may not be rich in flavor so you add a little of cueritos wich are fried and salty, plus the inavoidable salsa and there you go with your taco.

Chicharron, it's all about taking advantage of the whole pig, you deep fry the skin, in a process that takes advantage of the porks own lard, and the result is a sheet of crispy, crunchy stiff "shell", you cut with your hand pieces of it and dip in the guacamole or in your taco. Yumm.

[Jesus]

Originally Posted by StewartG

More yummies Jesus, thanks!
Hey, where is the best place to get carnitas in Playa?

Sorry, haven´t had them in PdC. Those pictures are from Mexico City, I never said I was going to post about Mexican Food of Playa, That's what makes me a Bad Food Moderator, to tease your cravings.
.

[StewartG]

Originally Posted by Jesus

Sorry, haven´t had them in PdC. Those pictures are from Mexico City, I never said I was going to post about Mexican Food of Playa, That's what makes me a Bad Food Moderator, to tease your cravings.
.

Bad! Bad! Bad food moderator!!!

[2QRoo]

The is grest stuff Jesus. I have a question for you about carnitas, one of my favorites. How are they cooked? i have heard they cook the pig in a really big pot in its own fat for a long time until it is tender enough to fall apart. Is this true? Is it cooked over a flame, or in an oven? Covered or uncovered? Are any liquids, or vegetables, or herbs and spices added? We've got wild pigs wandering the countryside around here in N. California, tearing up the land and causing a lot of erosion, so we wouldn't mind at all turning some of the into carnitas...They are actually domestic pigs that went wild many years ago so they don't have as much fat.

[Jesus]

Originally Posted by 2QRoo

The is grest stuff Jesus. I have a question for you about carnitas, one of my favorites. How are they cooked? i have heard they cook the pig in a really big pot in its own fat for a long time until it is tender enough to fall apart. Is this true? Is it cooked over a flame, or in an oven? Covered or uncovered? Are any liquids, or vegetables, or herbs and spices added? We've got wild pigs wandering the countryside around here in N. California, tearing up the land and causing a lot of erosion, so we wouldn't mind at all turning some of the into carnitas...They are actually domestic pigs that went wild many years ago so they don't have as much fat.

Hi, truly I don´t know for sure, there are several different styles and recipes.
But normally for carnitas, there is a big pot (look at the pictures of chicharron) and I think there are at least two different steps for cooking, involving boiling but also frying, it all depends on the style. Frying is done on the copper pot, over flame, uncovered, you will see the cook with a large wood "ore" moving the pieces of meat.
Here is a recipe I found on the net, but I haven´t tried it but looks better than others I saw.
http://www.bbqjunkie.com/archives/2006/04/17/carnitas/ In this, the pictures are excellent and represent the real carnitas.
http://www.ladybugletter.com/articles/TheRealThing.html very descriptive recipe and cultural background, recommended.
-----------
And just for your delight (if you live in SoCal) I found a blog dedicated to Tacos, a guy is sampling his way through all the taco places he can find in the horizont. Includes pictures and detailed comparisons.
http://tacohunt.blogspot.com/2006_02...t_archive.html

[2QRoo]

Thanks Jesus, these are great links, very helpful especially the 'RealThing' link that starts with the pig in the backyard!

My first encounter with carnitas was in the state of Michoacan. We - my husband and 2 yr old daughter - drove around the state for 2 months in '86, on little roads, getting lost half the time but discovering some wonderful small towns and great food along the way, very friendly people, and of course those super-succulent Michoacan carnitas. I had assumed that carnitas were typica everywhere in Mexico, but i never again could I find such tastey, sweet, juicy crispy pork meats anywhere else, and I've tried quite a few.

So now i think you have revealed the real secret of good carnitas - the can of Coca- Cola! I can't wait to try cooking some, or even better, just going back to visit Michoacan. What a gorgeous state it is, from the Pacific all the way up thru the green mountains and lakes, to the high and dry colonial towns.

Thanks again!