Jicaletas!

For one reason or another, I haven't dove into the street food scene here as often as I did when I lived near Mexico City. Maybe it's that they eat odder things here (as in, things I haven't seen before) or maybe it's that I don't have a job.

Nah, that couldn't be it.

On Monday, while waltzing around downtown with some friends, we happened upon a vendor selling jicaletas. I knew I needed one at some point that day. When Missy bought one for her son, all my resolve went out the window and I, too, needed a jicaleta NOW!

By the way, isn't that the best word ever? Jicaleta [he-call-eh-ta]. I could just say it over and over all day. The word combines "jicama" (tasty root vegetable) and "paleta" (anything on a stick). Obviously, the jicaleta is then a healthy piece of jicama skewered on a stick, which is then bathed in chamoy (sweet and spicy sauce) and sprinkled with flavored chili powder.

At 6 pesos a pop, these may be my new snacking obsession.