OAXACA, MEXICO
Bournemouth,UK, 16th May 2017
I am back in England… (2 weeks ago, seems yesterday)
My trip to Mexico has been amazing...
I do not understand how when I was living there I have never valued my family, my culture, the lovely sunny weather and the fantastic food.. perhaps I took it for granted and now that I don’t have it, I overvalue it and when I am here I am very nostalgic about it… I guess this is life regardless...
I filled myself with so much, my head hurt at times of so much I was taking…
In one of many Oaxacan market when I entered : The aromas, flavours, the ingredients, the vibrant colours and the combinations of all these, the textures and the ridiculous low cost made me feel like I was like being in a dream… at that time I felt overwhelmed. I felt like the hanging meats, Oaxacan white meters of shredded cheese, huge egg breads, enormous tlayudas, crunchy griddled corn tortillas, different flavours of mezcals, plenty of chocolate and cinnamon with almonds and nuts and meters and meters of long chorizos; will all fall from where they were on me and I would be happily crushed by them… abundance at its best!!!
My eyes were not big enough to take all that in, my stomach was craving desperate for any of these.. any ..and all…
The Mexican cuisine is simply majestic, nowadays seems that Mexicans cooks are getting worried to embrace it and making it “gourmet”, combining our pre-hispanic with the European cuisines, creating unique, unimaginable and many different contrasting flavours … chillies and fruits, sour and sweet, then bitter seeds and nuts, corn and flowers, chocolate and spices; all of these guarantee an experience that it is just memorable…
I am completely in love with my culinary heritage!
I wish you could make a trip to México one day, Oaxaca is the place to retire, to eat, to sit in the morning by the plaza with a hot chocolate and an a concha (sweet bread) hearing the children and the music play, watching the world passing by and enjoying it, or to sit in the afternoon with a mole negro and a refreshing hortacha, (rice and milk sweet fresh drink water with cinnamon) enjoying the aromas and colours of life, just for the pleasure to be there, enjoying the sunshine, breathing, drinking, eating, living...
One day you should drive there, from Mexico City to Oaxaca, stopping when you are hungry and exploring the marvellous, very trendy and quirky cafes, once in Oaxaca, you should flying balloons in the plaza like a local child, going to a fiesta to brake piñatas and drink mezcal to forget and forgive, to feel free and happy, and for the next day to cure your hangover with Pozole, Amarillo or Panza; hot soups that will give you your soul back...hope you dare to live Oaxaca one day...
Elisa X
