Random Thoughts: Food in Mexico

Well, as we mentioned before, Billy is more than excited about the cuisine here. I do use the term "cuisine" loosely, but the food really IS good, and I´m becoming more and more of a fan myself. However, the eats here are also amusing and they do take some getting used to. For example....

*Eggs in the grocery stores are NOT refrigerated. Granted people do tend to refrigerate them once they have been purchased, but until then, theyjust hang out by the dozen with the room temperature produce.

*Billy has suddenly become a sweets fan, mostly thanks to the pan dulce here (aka pastries). The pan dulce is sold everywhere, and in the grocery stores they have shelves and shelves of pan dulce varieties sitting out in the open (likely to tempt passers-by via scent and close encounter). Rather than protect the sweet goodness with the obvious protection of glass or plastic enclosure, most places instead strategically place fly traps in and around the area. Fly carcass + home-made dingdong? How could one possibly resist?

*Although many things here are significantly less expensive, some of our favorites are decidedly more costly. For example, Ben and Jerry`s ice cream in the states is appx $3. Here? Oh, at least twice that-- hence, we are not going to have many movie nights accompanied by Chunky Monkey. But, you know, my birthday is coming, so...

*While in an Oaxacan restaraunt, we were delivered our food bill on a sticky note! Despite the seeming novelty of the situation, we have observed that sticky notes are quite the popular vehicle of record-keeping here. The clerk at the gift shop in Teotihuacan took inventory of our sale on a notepad, as have many other store keepers. In fact, a few stores/restaurants haven`t even bothered with the formality of a pen and paper- they have just come to the table and announced the amount we owe :)

*We did mention that we ate cooked grasshoppers, right?

*ORANGE JUICE! Ok....this is why I`m in love with Mexico. So I`m easy to please, so what? Anyway, seriously-- the orange juice here is ridiculous. We can buy a litre of fresh-squeezed OJ in the grocery store or at a restaurant for appx US$1.00 - $1.70. That, and the pan dulce, and the tacos al pastor, and the produce, and the 17-hour work week might just keep me here (just kidding, Mom).

*Speaking of produce...aahhh...try super fresh and juicy and not-dry-like-American-fruit deliciousness. Especially the Mexican papaya, cantalope, mangos, oranges, grapefruits, avocados, etc. etc. etc.

*Chili/chile. Most things have it. Even ice cream. We got a vanilla/chocolate cone in el centro (which was delicious, by the way), and they both tasted distinctly like chile.

*Popcorn with chile sauce and mango with chile sauce. Need we say more?

*Avocado and banana smoothie. Don`t freak out, just try it. One avocado, two bananas, a little sugar, and enough milk to make it however thick or thin you want. Everyday, at least once a day.

*Meat just hanging out--without refrigeration--in the markets, everywhere.

*Remember my tale of the fatty fatty lamb-fat taco breakfast? It comes accompanied with lamb fat soup.

*Comida Corrida: (translates more or less literally into "running food", but what it really means is "four course meal"). These are popular during lunch time (akin to American happy hour) for a measly US $3.50.