For a Few Mouth-Watering Food Pics

I’m sitting in the airport in Oaxaca, having a bit of trouble writing this because my brain is currently in Spanglish mode and it’s early. But one thing you should know about Oaxaca is it has some of the best food I have ever eaten. If you are someone who doesn’t enjoy looking at food pictures, you can skip this post, but otherwise enjoy!

Moles
One thing Oaxaca is famous for is its different moles, a savory sauce with a chocolate base. There are different types in Oaxaca, and I didn’t even have the chance to try all of them. I did decide that I prefer the red mole to the black mole. The black mole is a bit sweeter and to me feels much stronger. The red has a bit more spice to it, but yet is milder on the stomach.

Chocolate!
When people think of good chocolate, many people think of Switzerland or other European countries. I am here to argue that Mexican chocolate is the best in the world! It has a very unique flavor, with a hint of cinnamon. It is served in different ways, but is very common as a hot chocolate drink.

Cheese
Oaxaca also has a different kind of cheese that is similar to feta cheese, but a little different.

Tlayudas
One dish that is quite common in Oaxaca that you likely won’t find in any Mexican restaurant in the US is a Tlayuda. It is similar to a quesadilla, but the tortilla on the outside is much crispier. I had tlayudas filled with different ingredients, but the basics seem to be cheese, meat, and beans.

Chapulines
Something sold frequently in markets and eaten as a snack or a topping on other foods are chapulines (grasshoppers). Don’t worry, they are cooked and no longer alive! I was a little nervous about trying them at first, but they are actually rather tasty, with a similar flavor and consistency to sundried tomatoes. It made me wonder why we are so squeamish about the consumption of insects in the US but most of us don’t think twice about eating a cow or a chicken. What really makes it so different? I also ate a worm in Oaxaca, by the way!
Tortillas
Tortillas are served with pretty much every meal, and they are delicious.
Whatever this is
I don’t remember what this dish was called, but it was really good. Tortillas layered with beans, topped with fried eggs and fried banana.

Nieves
This is somewhere between being ice cream and a snow cone. It is often sold on the street, but looks a bit sketchy that way. Sold in a shop, though, it is quite good. This one is tres leches flavored.

Tacos
Of course you can’t go to Mexico without eating tacos. The best ones I ate were sold in a market that happens every Friday in the big park called El Llano.

Those were some of the culinary highlights of the trip. Of course, you should also try the mezcal like I talked about in my last post. Buen provecho!