In general, oaxacan cuisine is not what someone foreign first think of when they picture Mexican food.
Some dishes can be super spicy, not it the sense that they are hot, though, but in that they can use a tonne of ingredients/spices. Take mole for example a very versatile sauce that can contain fruits, nuts, chilis, and spices, (even bread or tortillas) the star ingredient being chocolate. Mole is so culturally significant, there’s even songs about it
There’s some dishes that have been declared UNESCO cultural heritage like tlayudas (or was it the whole cuisine? I can’t remember) they sort of look like a pizza, and the toppings vary but the “sauce” is made from beans, and the base is like a crunchy, slightly smoky big-ass tortilla.
The state is also famous for consuming bugs, like “chapulines” (grasshopper s), xamues (beetles) , or the maguey worm, as a standalone snack or in a taco, the maguey worm also gets added to mezcal bottles.
And Oaxaca even has a regional cheese, named after the state. Something akin to mozzarella in texture.
If you visit that oaxacan restaurant, ask for some Tejate,it’s a very tasty fermented cacao drink of prehispanic origin. Or some oaxacan chocolate.
Imma stop here but I could go on and on haha. Oaxacan cuisine is great is all I’m saying ;)
Also, Fret not, like I’m Mexican and I wouldn’t ever dare to think of attempting making mole hahaha it’s a super involved multi- day process, reserved for the toughest and most committed. But you can certainly buy the paste pre-made at a bodega (Are those all over, or just an NYC thing?) Or that restaurant probably sells some. And make some enmoladas. (Like the enchiladas, enfrijoladas but with mole) or you can add it to some chicken, or even pour the sauce over rice!.. usually it only takes diluting the paste with water and stir it a couple of minutes on low heat on the stove… If you do make it, let me know how it goes!
Also, how could I forget.
☆ﾟ.･｡ﾟ𝑶𝒂𝒙𝒂𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒕𝒂𝒎𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒔☆ﾟ.･｡ﾟ
, a god damned delicacy. The only type of tamal I like :)
In general, oaxacan cuisine is not what someone foreign first think of when they picture Mexican food.
Some dishes can be super spicy, not it the sense that they are hot, though, but in that they can use a tonne of ingredients/spices. Take mole for example a very versatile sauce that can contain fruits, nuts, chilis, and spices, (even bread or tortillas) the star ingredient being chocolate. Mole is so culturally significant, there’s even songs about it
There’s some dishes that have been declared UNESCO cultural heritage like tlayudas (or was it the whole cuisine? I can’t remember) they sort of look like a pizza, and the toppings vary but the “sauce” is made from beans, and the base is like a crunchy, slightly smoky big-ass tortilla.
The state is also famous for consuming bugs, like “chapulines” (grasshopper s), xamues (beetles) , or the maguey worm, as a standalone snack or in a taco, the maguey worm also gets added to mezcal bottles.
And Oaxaca even has a regional cheese, named after the state. Something akin to mozzarella in texture.
If you visit that oaxacan restaurant, ask for some Tejate,it’s a very tasty fermented cacao drink of prehispanic origin. Or some oaxacan chocolate.
Imma stop here but I could go on and on haha. Oaxacan cuisine is great is all I’m saying ;)
If you don’t mind, I would love to feature your thoughts in an upcoming CASUAL FRIDAY post.
I mean… I love cooking upon lots of cultures, but I’m just such an amateur… :S
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MpPGb_apD8
Of course! Please go ahead :D
Also, Fret not, like I’m Mexican and I wouldn’t ever dare to think of attempting making mole hahaha it’s a super involved multi- day process, reserved for the toughest and most committed. But you can certainly buy the paste pre-made at a bodega (Are those all over, or just an NYC thing?) Or that restaurant probably sells some. And make some enmoladas. (Like the enchiladas, enfrijoladas but with mole) or you can add it to some chicken, or even pour the sauce over rice!.. usually it only takes diluting the paste with water and stir it a couple of minutes on low heat on the stove… If you do make it, let me know how it goes!
Also, how could I forget.
☆ﾟ.･｡ﾟ𝑶𝒂𝒙𝒂𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒕𝒂𝒎𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒔☆ﾟ.･｡ﾟ
, a god damned delicacy. The only type of tamal I like :)