Mexican Microbrews: Saga--white ale

On New Year´s Eve, we were perusing the shelves at PRISSA, a fabulously huge liquor store in Puebla, and we stumbled upon a few samples from the Cervecería 5 de Mayo.  Since we are always game for trying a new microbrew, we bought two different types.

Is it just me, or is the Mexican microbrew scene exploding?  Our eyes were opened last year in Aguascalientes, then we were reminded how good Monterrey has it when we visited during Semana Santa, and now we´re finding microbrews in Puebla, of all places!

Let me tell you--Mario lived in Puebla for eleven years.  Mario loves beer.  Had this brewery been around ten to twenty years ago when Mario lived here, I´m confident that he would have known about it.

In the interest of full honesty though, this brewery isn´t from Puebla.  It´s from the little town of Atlixco, just outside of Puebla.  All the more to shock my socks.

So, first up:  Saga--white ale.

            Jill´s thoughts--"I really, really like it."

           Mario´s thoughts--"They say ale--this tastes more like a weiss."

           Jill´s thoughts--"It´s flowery."    [probably because it was a mislabeled weiss]

          Mario´s thoughts--"The hops were possibly over-roasted."

         
He said it was bitter at the end, I thought it was simply stronger at the end.  I was reminded of pumpkin, Mario disagreed.

Whatever it was--white ale or weiss, pumpkiny or not--I will happily buy myself more the next time I´m in Puebla!


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Where is that kick-ass awesome PRISSA liquor store?

In Puebla, right next to the Gandhi bookstore that´s across the street from
Angelopolis.  

Destination: Cuauntinchan, Puebla

Never heard of Cuantinchan?

No surprise.  It´s not written up in Lonely Planet.  Trip Advisor won´t be able to tell you much about it, either.

But we go there once every year or two.  It´s a place I look forward to visiting.

There isn´t much to the town.  Like most towns, they have a lovely plaza, and, with their larger-than-usual fountain and normally-empty benches, Cuauntinchan´s plaza is more inviting than most.

But the real draw to Cuauntinchan is the former convent.  There are traces of some seventeenth-century murals, next to the main church.  The convent, its walls and patios, are clearly centuries old,  I love the feeling of being immersed in history when I´m there.

But it´s also well-maintained.  On weekends, the church is sometimes opened for weddings.  (We crashed one there, once.)  And it´s the type of town that wedding parties parade through town on foot.
Apparently the town throws a huge party for New Year´s.  We haven´t been to that, but they were full-swing into setting up massive tents around the zocalo and in front of the convent.  But they did advertise tours to the convent´s bell tower.

All in all, it´s a lovely, quiet place to wander through history, thanks to that convent.

Doors to history

Pieces of a mural 

Monks on a mural

Arches guarding the murals

Side entrance to the church on the plaza.

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Where is Cuauntinchan?

      From the city of Puebla, follow the road to Tecali.  It´s pretty close to Tecali, but there will be signs announcing Cuauntinchan.

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!

My Salute To Those Other Mexican Immigrants

While there are around a million of us gringos calling Mexico home, another group of immigrants to Mexico has been making their presence known for well over 100 years. 

Lebanon, of all places, has been providing Mexico with thousands upon thousands of wanna-be Mexicans.  After more than 100 years of Lebanese immigration, there are now an impressive number of Mexicans of Lebanese descent . . . their ancestors weren't just wanna-bes, like yours truly.

Saltillo's Lebanese Immigrant Plaza  (on Jose Musa de Leon)

Between escaping the Ottoman Empire in the 1890s and leaving civil war behind them in the 1990s, Lebanese have settled all over the Americas.  Some cities in Brazil claim to have a larger Lebanese population than Beirut.  But plenty have come to Mexico, particularly in Merida, Puebla, Mexico City, and Tampico (according to Wikipedia and other sources).  Glancing through the last names in Saltillo's social pages, plenty of Lebanese also decided that Saltillo is a pretty great place to live, too.

Why is this worth mentioning for me?  Arabic restaurants, baby!  During college, I got involved with a group that served international dinners once every couple of months, and I fell in love with Middle Eastern food.  Unfortunately, I'm from northeast Indiana, and Middle Eastern food is rather difficult to find.  To the best of my knowledge, the nearest restaurant that serves anything wrapped in grape leaves is in Ann Arbor, a good three hours from my house.  So how delightful was it to move to Saltillo, which--while twice the size of my hometown--seems half as small, I could find not one, but a number of Lebanese restaurants!    

Embarassingly, though, we have only tried one.  Almajal, on Jose Musa de Leon, just north of Figueroa, serves an excellent buffet every Sunday.  We like it so much, we haven't bothered trying anywhere else.  (But we will, we will!)

After a year of living in Puebla my hands-down favorite Mexican meal is really a Mexican-Lebanese creation, the taco arabe.  It deserves its own post.  We spent many a Saturday afternoon at the Antigua Taqueria Cholula, scarfing these babies down until I discovered something even better--the falafel taco.  Nestled in a big, warm, pita tortilla was a bed of slivered beets, cradling a generous portion of falafels, bathed in jocoque.  A-mazing.

Then Mario moved out of Cholula and the next thing we knew the Antigua Taqueria Cholula went out of business.  (If anyone in Cholula/Puebla can find out that they just moved, instead of going out of business, please let me know.  We will make the 12 hour drive some weekend just for the joy of the falafel taco.)

Recreation of the falafel taco--success!

A few months ago, when I was missing my falafel tacos more than usual, I was inspired while at the market.  My verdulero had great-looking beets for sale.  I had never bought them before, but thought, "Hmmm . . . with fresh flour tortillas, jocoque, these beets and falafels (from a recipe that I had just found on pinterest) I could make falafel tacos! 

And I did. 

And they were amazing.

And we even got Clara to eat beets, because my girly-girl three-year-old was pretty excited about a pink vegetable.

Anyway, that's all a very long, roundabout way of saying, thanks for coming to Mexico, all you Lebanese immigrants!  You make this country even tastier than it already was.       

Destination: Cholula

Thirteen years later, still taking the same pictures in the same places.

 A few weeks ago, we took the fastest visit ever to Mexico City took a side trip to Cholula, just outside of Puebla (2-3 hours from Mexico City).  Way back in 1999, when I came to Mexico for the very first time, Cholula was home for 4 months.  When I spent two years in Morelos, I came to Cholula every other weekend to visit Mario, making it home again.  This town has a very special place in my heart, and walking around made me feel like I was home again.

The view from the zocalo.

As we drove into town, we drove behind the University de las Americas (where Mario studied and I spent my study-abroad semester).  Our mouths hung open as we drove past bar after swanky club after posh bar--it was like the strip at Acapulco without the beach!  Mercifully, once we got out of spitting range of the UDLA, it became evident that Cholula was still sleepy, loveable Cholula.

The Capilla Real--49 domes!  One of my favorite churches in Mexico.

Mario lived for 11 years, two blocks from the zocalo and that was just about where we parked.  We had tacos arabes at Tacos Robert (I was also craving a cemita and contemplating getting both a cemita AND the tacos, but they were out of cheese.  What's a cemita without cheese?  OK, it'd be a big, huge drippy sandwich--without cheese.  No thanks).  After that we wandered the zocalo, and visited our favorite chapel Cholula is said to boast 365 churches (as the Spanish built a church over Aztec pyramids and Cholula was a huge center of worship for the Aztecs).  In reality, there are something like 200+ churches in little Cholula.

Front door to the main church.

Popo (the volcano) was putting on a good show!

Love the contrasts!

My boys in front of the Capilla Real (please correct me if I've got the name wrong!)

We had ice cream and people-watched on a bench in the zocalo.  Then we noticed that they were setting up for a concert in the kiosko in the center of the zocalo, so we stayed to listen (Mario will do ANYTHING to drive into Mexico City as late as possible to avoid the traffic--the concert was a great excuse).  And a highlight was that they played the William Tell Overture, so I could bounce Joey on my knee with accompaniment other than my own humming.  I think I enjoyed it more than he did.

There are three huge, enormously old trees in the courtyard.  Waaaay back in the day, the Indians weren't allowed inside the churches, so mass was held outside for them  Passing these trees I always think about the countless people who spent hours sitting under these trees, nearly 500 years ago.  Oh, the stories the trees could tell!

I had always wanted to hear a concert in the bandstand. This visit, dreams came true!

What a great day!  We felt that we were literally walking down memory lane.       

Why Are There So Many Churches Here?

Visitor: How many churches there are in Mexico!

Me: All the better to stalk weddings, my dear.


I have a confession. I am a wedding stalker.

When I first moved to Mexico, I was living in Puebla. It's got more than its fair share of churches, and is just a few minutes down the road from Cholula, a town that used to be a huge religious center in pre-hispanic times. And, wherever the Spaniards knocked down a temple, they built a church right over the ruins. Cholula had one pyramid for every day of the year, and they still claim to be a town of 365 churches. (I believe the actual number is closer to 200+ . . . but who's counting?) Puebla, although having a much larger population than Cholula, is right about on par with them for the number of churches.

It makes for a great city to learn how to be a wedding stalker.

Mario and I often spent our Saturday afternoons just wandering the city. We'd poke our heads into the doors of various churches (my favorite being one that was just a block or two south of the zocalo and about a block or two west of Los Sapos). Whenever we saw one boasting an aisle full of fresh flowers and the carpet runner all ready to go, we knew to stake out the benches around 6 or 7pm.

Because then, the parade begins.

Weddings in the US (in my experience) are usually a casual to dressy-casual affair. Khakis and sundresses are prefectly acceptable attire. Not here. Full suits and evening dresses are the standard--at least at the weddings I stalk. And that church by Los Sapos was our favorite, as the bride would usually arrive riding in an antique car of some sort. I'd enjoy the fashion parade, Mario enjoyed the car. It's a great way to enjoy a Saturday.

While I do have a church down the street just blocks from my house, I prefer to do my wedding stalking in Saltillo at the cathedral downtown. Because, just three blocks behind the cathedral, is another church (San Francisco, I believe). Both boast ample sidewalk space and benches to hang around and gawk. This is what is lacking at my church. And, if the wedding at one church turns out to be a simple affair (to be honest, I haven't really come across this yet), I'll just run down the street and stalk the other. Or, if there's a quincenera at one, I have the option of moving on to the wedding at the other. Not that I don't like quinceneras--I just prefer weddings.

The best time of day to be at the cathedral on any given Saturday is right about 7pm. At that time, the 6 o'clock wedding is just getting out, while the 7 o'clock wedding is still waiting to be seated, meandering around the courtyard, and in general, just showing off their beautiful dresses.

And I do enjoy it! And thanks to all of you whose weddings I've stalked. I wish you all the best in your married life. I truly appreciate you sharing your day with me.

Si te reconoces en estas fotos y prefieres que las quito, mandame un comentario y los quitare enseguida. Mil disculpas y felicidades!

Chiles en Nogada

On our way between Veracruz and Mexico City, Mario needed to stop to take care of some personal business. I also needed to take care of some personal business--I had a hot date with a chile en nogada!

Chiles en nogada are hands-down my favorite Mexican meal. Unfortunately for me, restaurants generally only sell them during August, September, and October to celebrate Independence Day (September 16). And although I'm a fairly adventurous cook, I do not ever plan on trying to make these at home. They're wickedly labor-intensive.

So what is a chile en nogada? It's a big poblano pepper (they're not spicy), stuffed with meat (turkey, I believe), nuts, raisins, citron, and probably a few other tasty ingredients. Then the chile is battered in a savory meringue and fried. Once it's fried to golden perfection, the stuffed pepper is generously bathed in the creamy nogada sauce (pecan sauce). According to Mario, the pecans have to be perfectly peeled, otherwise the sauce will be bitter. This is the ridiculously labor-intensive stage. If I could buy the sauce, I would consider making them. But then again, it's the sauce that makes the meal absolutely heavenly.

As a finishing touch, the chile is sprinkled with pomegranate seeds and cilantro leaves, rendering the finished product a patriotic red, green, and white. Quite likely, because of this patriotism, the chile en nogada is considered Mexico's national dish. But this is the reason why it only makes an appearance around Independence Day.

Chiles en nogada were another inspired product of those culinary genius, eighteenth century nuns from Puebla. These wonderful women created some of Mexico's most celebrated food--mole poblano, chiles rellenos, and heaps upon heaps of poblano candy (I believe a tour down Santa Clara street in Puebla should be in the forefront of most peoples' 10 Places to Visit Before I Die lists).

What does a chile en nogada taste like? It reminds me of Thanksgiving dinner--all the courses rolled into one beautiful entree. Now, this sounds like it might be a bit overwhelming, but it is absolutely delicious. Sometimes the post-Thanksgiving food hangover sets in, sometimes it doesn't. But as I mentioned, walk it off by touring Santa Clara street. Ah, bliss!

Quite unfortunately, I have not seen any chiles en nogada advertised here in northren Mexico. Do they make them here? If anyone knows of restaurants serving them in southren Coahuila or the Monterrey area, let me know!

The photo above is of my sister-in-law, Lili, getting ready to dive into her first chile en nogada. Seriously? Her first?!? How can one live so close to Puebla for 32 years and never have tried chiles en nogada? We put a stop to that.