Tacos Arabes--because they deserve their own post

When most people think of authentic, Mexican tacos, tacos de pastor most often come to mind.  With reason, as they´re fabulous and easy to find just about anywhere.  At least, anywhere I´ve visited,

However, my first Mexican taco experience was with tacos arabes.  As much as I like tacos al pastor (and I LOVE them), tacos arabes are still my favorites.

Maybe it´s because I´m fron the US and I prefer wheat tortillas to corn tortillas.  But, to be honest, the tortillas used in tacos arabes are more of a pita bread than a wheat tortilla

Maybe it´s the chipotle-laden sauce that should be generously poured over the meat.  I´m a sucker for chipotles.  But who isn´t?

Whatever the reason, whenever I´m in Puebla, I just can´t get enough of these beauties.

Yet another reason that I thank the Lebanese-Mexican community´s contributions to this country.

Mmmm . . . just look at that porky goodness!

Where can one find tacos arabes?

Lots of taco places in the city of Puebla will sell them.  A big chain for tacos arabes is the Antigua Taquería Oriental.  They´ve got locations all over Puebla, but I´m guessing that the original is on the zócalo in Puebla, on the same side as the entrance to the cathedral.  It´s small and easy to miss (the other franchises are a great deal larger . . . if, indeed, they are the same franchise).  Whatever, they are, they´re all good!

New Year, New Blog

New Year, New Blog?

Not really.  

However, instead of making New Year´s Resolutions for myself, I´ve been spending more and more time lately thinking about this blog.  Therefore, I have New Year´s Resolutions for this blog.  

They seem easier achieve than losing the excess baby weight. 

What are my Blog Resolutions?  

In a nutshell, focus.  After writing this blog for a few years, I realize that there are some categories that interest me more than others.  For example: 

• Travel in Mexico     I have photos stockpiled from vacations over the last few years.  I took a lot of those pictures with the intention of highlighting a specific city on this blog, or an aspect of that city.  Then real life steamrolled right over me, and those pictures never saw the light of day.  

          Therefore, if a flurry of new destinations pop up on this blog,             don´t be surprised.  We haven´t just taken an epic tour of the             country.  I´ve simply been hoarding pictures and memories for              the last ten years, and it´s time to do something with them.  

• Parenting      Having a baby recently, I´ve had time on my hands to reflect and be awed by the huge responsibility that parenting is.  That, and I have multiple opportunities a day to reflect on the weirdness that is inherent in parenting.  Parenting is silly and messy and beautiful and lonely and hard and awe-inspiring.  Sometimes I need a place to write about those things--to remember them for the future, to share them with friends.  So many of us have been there.  Even thought we know we´re not alone, sometimes it´s helpful to put it out there, to have someone else comment that yes, they´ve been there, too.  

• Mexican Wines and Microbrews     On these vacations that I will be highlighting, one of my favorite parts is to find wineries and microbrews.  For far too long, Mexico´s beer selections have been dominated by two huge companies.  Sure, they often make good beer.  But in the last few years I´ve noticed the Mexican microbrew scene explode.  It seems everywhere I look, there´s a new beer from a city that I never realized made beer.  They can be hard to find, but the joy is in the search.

         And Mexican wine--where do I begin?  Look beyond Padre Kino--there is some AMAZING                wine out there, and not all of it is grown in Baja California.  I´m making it part of the mission of          my life to enjoy as much of it as I can.  And then to share the joy.  

What might no longer appear on this blog?  

       If I have information about Saltillo, I´ll generally share that on SaltilloExpats.  

      And sometimes I´ll be inspired and have an epiphany and spew over with evangelical fervor.  That´s all well and good, but I´ve decided to stow those musings at an entirely different site.  Click here to check it out, or on the "spirituality" subheading at the top of this blog.  

After not doing much with this page for the last year, I´m getting warmed up and ready to dig into this again!