Archive for the ‘Mexico City’ Category
A few scattered moments …
Life in Centro Historico.
A clockwork of traffic crossing opposite Bellas Artes – the traffic lights are like dams and when they burst at their seams, a turbulent river of people make across the road.
Danza de los Voladores (Dance of the flyers) in Chapultapec park, opposite Museum of Anthropology – one playing the flute. An incredible ceremonial performance.
A walk down La Condesa neighborhood.
Tianguis Condesa (Tuesday Condesa Market) on Calle Pachuca.
A lazy afternoon watching bubbles
In search of grasshopper salt
We knew we would be able to source good Mezcal (e.g. Amaras Espadin) in California. But we were also certain that there would be no easy access to grasshopper salt. We were lucky to be living right opposite, Tlapaleria Gastronomica in Roma neighborhood, that sold artisanal food products made in Mexico. And what respectable gourmet shop in Mexico City won’t have grasshopper salt amongst its wares!
Tlapaleria Gastronomica, a gastronomic hardware show in Roma, right next door to El Parnita.
Various varieties of Mexican chili in oil.
More combinations of various chillies.
Finally, chapulin (grasshopper) salt.
View of a rooftop
Following murals are from rooftop of Museo Del Juguete Antiguo. This was a bit of a pleasant surprise, no one had really mentioned that the local artists had adopted the rooftop. We just noticed someone walking up, above the topmost floor of the museum, followed them and found the collection.
View from a rooftop
Following picture are from rooftop of Museo Del Juguete Antiguo. Some of these photos are reminiscent of rooftop views in Old Delhi.
Bugs? yum!
Limosneros in Centro Historico that serves ant pupae and beetles among other non-insect-y traditional cuisine.
Upscale bar with some lovely selection of mezcal.
Hmmm….lunch time mezcal. Served in a traditional dried hull of a fruit (calabash).
Salt with toasted ground grasshoppers and sweet lemon to cleanse your palate in between the mezcal sips. A friend had mentioned that toasted grasshopper legs scratch your throat going down! But in ground form, I could not taste anything aside from a spicy salt.
Escamoles – smoked ant pupae with epazote (a very distinctive herb), ayocote (a specific variety of ayocote bean, originally from oaxaca), humo de canela (cinnamon smoke). Escamole was served in a glass container with smoke inside.
Make yourself a taco (these were homemade) with the escamoles and add some spicy salsa. The escamoles look a little like plump version of rolled oats, a little sticky, somewhat chewy, a little funky tasting. It can be acquired taste like blue cheese.
Roasted beetles on top of cheese blocks wrapped in squash blossoms served with a couple of difference sauces. The beetles looked a little scary and I remembered my friend’s warning about legs scratching your throat going down. And I was worried about any goo-y secretion in my mouth once I bit down. But in reality, it was hollow and crispy and tasted like a mild nut. Overall, both thumbs up!
Dulceria de Celaya in Mexico City
Dulceria de Celaya, founded in 1874, is a traditional sweet shop in Centro Historico district.
Fried and glistening with syrup.
Various sweetened fruits. Reminded me of “Petha” from Agra, the translucent sweet candy made from a variety of white pumpkin. The pumpkin is soaked in chemical lime before cooking in syrup. Sounds strange when described but tastes like Pâte de fruit.
Doughnuts
Almond milk and coconut concoction and guava Pâte de fruit.
Almond and coconut pâte de fruit, in a sugar cooked lime.
Best steak at Mercado de Medellin
Los Canarios at Mercado de Medellin was a recommendation from New York Times from “36 Hours in Mexico City”. Since 1968, Los Canarios has been serving grilled meats, like sliced filet mignon at price of a plate of taco!
Medellin is a vibrant colorful non-touristy marketplace with a neighborhood vibe.
Tasty black beans.
Steak with cactus and onions.
Trio of stunning salsas.
Backdrop of sizzling meats and chopping action.
Taste of new fruits in Mexico City
Black sapote. You have to eat them when they get really ripe and squishy.
A dessert soup of black sapote and orange juice at Contramar.
Granadilla (fruit of the plant Passiflora ligularis). When ripe and ready to eat, the fruit feels hollow and the outer surface is brittle.
Granadilla on the inside. The little jelly like kernels stick to each other gently. They are easy to scoop out with a spoon. The individual kernels burst in your mouth releasing a lightly sweet and refreshing nectar. The seeds are crunchy and somewhat tart.
Locomotoring 