Hungry in Cholula [2] (Puebla, PUE; Mexico): Blue Corn Quesadilla De Huitla Y Flor

Una Quesadilla Chula De Cholula: Huitlacoche, Squash Blossoms, Epazote


With my appetite already ultra whet by that nutty Tejate, I was ready for a day of seizing (strike through) eating the day. Unfortunately, my dads eyes were full and gleaming, he had spotted the towns landmark church, Santuario De La Virgen De Los Remedios at the peak of the mountain. This meant I had to eat somewhere fast; his religious fascination timer was lit.



La Capilla Del Pueblo: Zeroed In By Pops


But the tarps never fail me. They started to show up in the near distance. Bright colored tarps set up anywhere in Mexico is like a flair shot in the air signaling vendors of some kind, more than likely they are going to include some sort of food. You will be enchanted by the Mexican work ethic as soon as you walk in to their shouting distance, go with you’re your gut or number of people eating at the booths…no matter how many rhythmic, trance-like “Amigo, Se Venden _________” chants you hear, feel free to pass on by.



Food Yonder: Hay Por La Esquinita


We hit the uphill entrance of the church, right in front of a full-on corner of Blue Corn Quesadilla action. There were three layers of vendors, I walked all the way in but decided on the first one in line…their Huitlacoche looked the least muddiest.



The End Of The Line: It Was Quesadillas or Nothing


We were sat and they took my order. It was to be my usual “de flor, Huitla y poco quesillo”, that’s poblano short order cook lingo for a quesadilla stuffed with Squash Blossoms, Huitlacoche and really easy on the Quesillo. The tangy, string cheese of Oaxaca that melts just splendidly.

Faster than you can say Huitlacoche 10x, my order had arrived.



Thin, Blue And Strapping: Las De Cholula, Puebla That Is


Its complexion was even, with delightful extra toasted splodges and a deep, blue sea of evenly cooked Masa. Steam gently exited the dense, blue tortilla as I picked it up and contemplated this gorgeous mother grain. Blue corn doesn’t just look more stunning but also packs a nutritional punch, filling you up faster with its bigger, starchier kernels than that of yellow and white varieties. Nonetheless, this study on masa was light and pliable.

It was delicately stuffed with the supple sautéed ingredients. Since Huitlacoche was up in the mix, there was also to be fresh, slender Epazote leaves stanking up the party with its taming, tantalizing aroma too.

Tear dropped dots of the pulpy green magma Salsa Verde completed this artful turnover. The huitlacoche tasted just how it looked, earthy, pronounced and strong. It was still attached to the infected corn kernels from which it was bore from/ dark. The squash blossoms were vegetal and springy tasting of faint squash, the total opposite of Huitlacoche. This pairing deserves to go up there with vanilla and chocolate, champagne and caviar etc. Serio.



La Guadalupana


And look at that, we ate these things so fast that my dad managed to catch a live Perenigracion all the way up to the church. This is when a bunch of parade all the way up to a church with a huge altar or frame of the Virgin Mary. Not an uncommon site in the motherland at all.

Hungry in Cholula [1] (Puebla, PUE; Mexico): Bate, Bate El Tejate!

Bate, Bate El Tejate!


Our second day in Puebla was not going to be taken lightly in the least, our destination was Cholula. Again, the idea to come here was incepted by a particular art blogger of sorts. I was told I would like it and I took her word for it. Like our trip decision to Puebla, I went with an open mind, not having any idea what would be waiting for us when we arrived.

We stepped into a Combi, old Volkswagen bus’s whose vintage fate is revamped as a mini public bus with a daily fixed route. The drivers of these makeshift public vehicles drive with elegant gusto as they weave nonchalantly in and around the larger Camiones.

We were told to catch one that slated the opaque location placard bearing “Capu”, the name of the main bus terminal (Camionera) of the city. “Pero el que entra hasta dentro porque hay uno que te deja a una cuadra.” So there was one that dropped you off a block away apparently too?



A Roaming Camote On The Bus: Cooked In Honey



Once inside Capu, we were oriented to the local terminal of bus’s--to the left of the bustling station--aside from the national terminals. We embarrassedly asked around and found our bus, not before almost departing on a wrong one though. The ride over was shorter than I though, about half hour. It didn’t hurt that my socialite of a dad had made friends with a vendor who sold honey’d goods in the style of San Pablo, Puebla.

The trip was now short and sweet thanks to sweet potatoes, figs and apricots all braised in wildflower honey, an acquired snack way past the point of cloying. My dad ate one whole without water, milk or anything just like that. This was his version of being a kid in a candy store.



Cholula: Que Chula!


The ambiance in Cholula was a more serene one than that of downtown Puebla’s. And word on the bus was that the annual feria was in town, meaning booths and vendors increase at least tenfold. And it was evident as I walked down the street and saw a girl whipping up a chocolaty, foamy storm. Her sign read “TEJATE”. Ultra score.



Girl Meet Foam: Boy Has Foam Mustache


I asked her just to be sure. I’ve never seen such a voluminous head of foam.



Tejate: The Frappuccino Of Pre-Hispanic Mexico


Tejate is Horchata’s cooky, cacao based cousin of the South. Getting its fame in Oaxaca, this is the pre-hispanic Mexican version of a Frappuccino. A base of toasted corn, cacao, sugar and the black pit of the Mamey custard fruit are all ground and made into a chocolate-milk like substance. There are other regional renditions of course, like the one I was about to imbibe had some toasted fava beans. Whatever the chosen solids are, it is ultimately whipped until a thick layer of foam forms.

Tejate’s foam is a product of natural fat separations of the cacao and toasted corn, this fluffy stuff is hard-peaked enough to satisfy even the most nitpicky of Venti consumers.

With my Tejate mustache in full sheen, I spotted some dark blue disks being griddled in the distance.

It was time for a typical lunch in Puebla, Blue Corn Quesadillas….

Pan De Zacatlan (Puebla, PUE; Mexico): A Taste Of A Mountain Village In Downtown Puebla

Roaming The Night In Puebla


We had decided to stay an extra day; it was ‘too late’ to leave now. But the fact of the matter was that my father, little sister and I all fell deeply in love with Puebla. We all came not knowing what to expect. None of us had been before and they all came because of me. And the only reason I came was because a certain someone would always share such gleaming stories of Puebla and its beloved dishes.

We found a cheap hotel in that same corner where Mi Ranchito was at, which also happened to be right across the street from that intriguing bakery I mentioned in the review. I went to sleep early that night just to wake up even earlier. I was to have a breakfast of bread, glorious, tender...fresh baked bread.



Pan De Zacatlan: A Taste Of A Mountain Village In Downtown Puebla


Mexicans of all walks of life take sincere pleasure in daily fresh baked Pan Dulce, its even instilled in our religious upbringing that most of us grew up with “Danos hoy nuestro pan de cada dia” (give us today our daily bread). With coffee, it serves as a satisfying breakfast, an afternoon snack, even as a dessert course after dinner. Be it a crumbly, corn meal based polvoron (shortbread), a soft and pliable Cuernito (Mexican Croissant) or an extra-decadent cream filled Empanada we just can’t get enough of the sweet, bready stuff.



Crusty Bolillos: Begging For A Torta Destiny




Empanadas: Savory Too!




The Mexican Bakery Classics: For Everyone Else




Walking in, this bakery did not seem too different from any other Mexican Bakery at first glance. With the classics like Orejitas, Mil Hojas and even the nouveau Mexican Bakery Donuts all presented first.



Pumpkin Seeds, Sunflower Seeds & Amaranth Grains: The Health Food Section


Although, this was one of the few bakeries that included whole grain renditions with toppings of toasted nuts. This stuff is known as productos naturistas in Mexico and usually means stuff with no sugar, whole wheat etc. I am a consumer of these products, it was the first thing I picked up with the standard-issue bakery tongs, I put it on my aluminum tray and kept walking.



Gusanos: Stuffed With Zacatlan Cream Cheese


Right next to the cashier was the regional “relleno de queso” breads from Zacatlan that the bakery advertised. There was only one since I went so damn early. It was called a gusano (larvae) even if it looked nothing like one. It was ridged with a texture somewhere between a cakey scone and a crumbly cookie. A paper thin layer of cream was what made this pastry special from the rest, slightly sweet but tangy more than anything, This was no industrial bavarian cream 'cream filling' that is the U.S standard for cream filled goods. The other pumpkin seeded cookie I picked up wasn't as crumbly as I would of liked it. But I nibbled on only the edges and seeds on top and went on with my day.

My curiosity was solved and it was time to cast savory sail to Cholula...

Pan De Zacatlan

Right on Corner of Avenida 4 and Calle 4 in Downtown Puebla.

(In front of Mi Ranchito)

Cemitas El As De Oro (Puebla, PUE; Mexico): The Prideful Sandwich Of Puebla

Hungry In Puebla: An Ants View


Uneventful lunches only make the next meal all the better. With that in mind, we walked around Puebla like no other that day. Aimlessly of course, after all, it is the best kind of walking when new and nothing to do in such a beautiful city.



Snacking Is A Way Of Life In Mexico: Nuts, Toasted, In Toffee, In Chile; Sustaining




Noooo!: A KFC In Paradise? (What The Hell Is A ‘Krushem’?)




Falun Gong In Puebla




Keeping That O.G Style: Inside A Colonial Home In Puebla


We eventually stumbled into El Zocalo. It was filled with older couples who brought out their kids for some fresh air and younger couples who glowed as they walked by with hands bound tight.



El Zocalo De Puebla




Puebla Is Ready For The Mexican Bicentennial: 200 Years Of Tortillas


It was the type of scene that only seemed to come true in movies. I sat down and took it all in. Even my dad decided to enjoy the moment, while getting his boots shined by a local bolero, (shoe shiner).



Pops Getting His Botitas Shined!


Knowing of my disappointed meal earlier, he asked around—while embarrassingly charming several girls at the same time--and found out where the local Mercado was at. This was the first time I saw him make food a destination. Puebla is magical.



Mercado Venustiano Carranza: Talk About Old School Mexican First Names!


Tropical rain started to pour down on us hard during our hackneyed quest for the almighty Cemita but 18 blocks later we had found the local produce Mercado. We were fast to scurry in for a shelter of a sandwich.



Sneaky Shot Inside El Mercado: Vendors Don’t Like Cameras Apparently


It was rather late and inside it was almost the end of the Mercado workday. The raw meat at the carnicerias that once hung lavishly on kitchen twine was all sold out, the produce at the verdulero stands was starting to brown and lose their sheen. But fortunately, the food area was still in full, blaring steam.

I was quickly reprimanded when trying to take photos of this area though, like so many other times already in this whole trip.

Just imagine the total opposite of a mall food court, a labyrinth of small rectangular booths right next to each other all selling the same things. The heckling vendors trying their hardest to get you to buy some of their food, overwhelming at first. The best thing is to go with your gut and just sit down wherever. I have painfully learned that it’s really a 50/50 chance with these situations. Sure, there are a couple of things to look out for if you can. Things like which booth has the most people, which booth has the freshest looking raw ingredients and of course…which booth has the most tantalizing aroma. But all this is hard to assess when under the trance-like state that is induced by the combined, harmonizing rhythmic sales chants of all the vendors.

We finally settled on a booth called El As De Oros after one of the chants from the sales guy said “si no te gusta, no la pagas!” (If you don’t like it, then you don’t pay!). My dad told the guy “tu si eres buen vendedor” (you really are a good vendor) and immediately sat down.



Cemita De Barbacoa: This Was Imminent


A Cemita Poblana is required eating when in Puebla. It is not just a sandwich but also a symbol of convenient bounty and a working class society. A copious sesame seed studded roll is baked hard. It is then sawed open and stuffed with Puebla’s plethoric pride and joy of plentiful proteins. Fried Beef Milanesa that is pounded whisper thin and delicate is the peoples favorite and most widely available, while other fillings like chicken, braised pork leg, pork skin, pork etc. are also popular.

No matter which filling though, a generous layer of “Queso Oaxaca” (Quesillo) will always be a corequisite cheese to the meat. That, as well as thick slabs of ripe, creamy avocado, the option of pickled Rajas or smoky Chipotle peppers and the local acrid herb of Papalo, which I once described as 'tasting like ammonia and deer piss'--will always be in your sandwich declaration.



The Cemita Strata/b>: It Comes Strapping At El Mercado Venustiano Carranza


I decided on the braised lamb Barbacoa Enchilada as my protein since its my favorite back in L.A. Lamb is called carnero over here, and its essentially the same red chile marinade that goes in those afore-posted Mixiotes I got at the earlier Ahuizotla Tianguis.

The toasted roll’s bready guts had to be ripped out in order to make room for the filling. It must of came with more than a half pound of meat, but it was finger-tender so I wasn’t complaining in the least. They weren’t shy with the Quesillo and rest of ingredients neither. Although I would have liked the bread to be softer, it would probably collapse under the strapping weight of the fillings. It’s hard to believe that one person averagely finishes this. My little sister and I both went rabid hyena and let loose on it but there was still enough leftover to make an average, boring sized sandwich.

I pleasantly burped Papalo the rest of the evening.

Cemitas El As De Oro
El Mercadeo Venustiano Carranza

50 Pesos Per Barbacoa Cemita

Restaurant “Mi Ranchito” (Puebla, PUE; Mexico) Local Approved Comida Corrida

Hungry In Puebla


The ice cream earlier had bought me time to investigate the local food scene and roam around aimlessly just a bit more. But the sugar high was fading fast and I needed to get something in my system ASAP.




Mercado El Parian: Handicraft Market And Valuable Local Food Info Source

Not before my family stopped at the local artisan handicraft market and bought a bunch of trinkets though. But as they bargained, I got valuable recommendations from the humble vendors about what they liked to eat them selves. Two people told me about a fonda (small place to eat that specializes in home style local cooking) they said was good and affordable called Mi Ranchito…it was settled.



Restaurant Mi Ranchito: Local Approved


The glossy window with handwritten letters looked inviting. Inside, the owner was having lunch with an old lady and got up to seat us.



Mi Ranchito: A Calmer Life


We were handed the menus. Usually, Fondas will specialize in basic and affordable, multi course meals. Usually 3-4 that include a soup, a starch (rice or pasta) and then the main entrée with protein and veggies, drinks and desserts are interchangeable depending on the fonda. The menu changes daily with whatever is in season at the Mercado and whatever the cooks want to make.



Talk About Rotating Menus


My dad was up front and asked our ownder right away “what foods on the menu were specifically ‘Comida Poblana?’” In the sternest of voices, he inflated his chest and murmured “pues los Chiles En Nogada and Pipian Rojo Con Cerdo. Without even looking at the rest of the options on the menu, that was that.

Before everything, there was bread.



A Moment For Bread


I was quite excited to nibble on the breadbasket that was on everyone else’s table. But it proved to be a little stale and dry, probably not fresh from that day. Quite a shame too since there was a bakery from Zacatlan directly across the street.

The soups were served first. We got both soups that were on the menu for the day.



Crema De Broccoli: Smooth and Thin


Making a pureed soup is not new in Mexico. A way of pleasantly stretching out product usually, I didn’t care too much for this cream as it had a little too much water in it to stretch it out and not enough broccoli or milk/cream.



Consomé De Camaron: Made With Dried Shrimp


This broth-based soup was the better option today, especially with the added accoutrements of lime, minced onion, cilantro and local serrano’s. The dried shrimp added much depth and texture due to the edible skin.

We were then served the starches. Again, we got both options available.

The rice came in huge clumps instead of a neat pile. It was serve at room temperature. Although I knew this was normal and did not mind, my dad sent it back to get re-warmed. I had never seen him do that. It was not bad but nothing special, just there to be eaten with the food.



Spaghetti Alfredo?: Out Of Nowhere


Surprisingly, the spaghetti came in a blandish cream sauce. It was super overcooked and broke with every forkful, just like my mom used to sometime make it. Think it has to do with our belief in “sopa” always cooked in a soup (Spanish for pasta). My dad ladled some chile verde all over it and deemed it ok.

It was finally time for our mains. We got every option as well.



Cerdo En Pipian Rojo Poblano: Complex With Clove Tender


This dish came first and it was the best thing of this entire meal. The pork spare ribs were tender and adhered nicely in the complex pool of smooth spices and nuts. Clove was the prevailing flavor tasting sweet because of it but with no actual sweetness in the dish.



Chile En Nogada: The Other Crowing Jewel Of Comida Poblana


Quite possible Pueblas most famous dish behind Mole Poblano, this dish is advertised and chanted at you by every single place to eat in the city. You will see blown up pictures of it in every window when pomegranates are in season. The dish is essentially a old school ‘haute cuisine’ from old school Mexico, prepared by Spanish nuns for priests dating all the way back to the 1800's.

The dish is essentially a type of “Chile Relleno”. A stuffed Chile (Ancho) Poblano that is “capeado” (battered in whipped egg) then fried. But here the filling consists of ground meat (pork or beef usually) that is cooked with things like candied cactus (Dulce De Bisnaga), raisins, apples etc. It is then topped with a sweet cream sauce inflected with ground pecans and generously sprinkled with pomegranate seeds. This is basically Mexico’s answer to medieval savory mincemeat pies.

An acquired sweetness for my family and I, I liked the version at La Casita Mexicana a lot better. This one was still stone cold on the inside and just not balanced. The cream sauce was killed by thinness too.

The last dish we got was their filete de Pescado.



Filete De Pescado At Mi Ranchito: Fish Milanesa Maybe?


The filleted fish came heavily breaded and was served with scant servings of refried beans, watery ‘guacamole’ and 4 strips of iceberg lettuce. I actually didn’t mind this dish since Pueblas breading and frying technique is quite masterful and tasty. Ever had Milanesa? Well, think of what it would taste like if it was made with fish.
Lastly, we were served a dessert course.



Fresh Guavas In Syrup: Does The Job


Fresh guavas were cooked in simple syrup and served as is. Appreciated that the guavas texture was retained. Love those violently crisp seeds!

Oh well, you can’t win ‘em all. Was not going to let this experience phase me in the least!

Next...how could I leave Puebla without having a Cemita Poblana?

Mi Ranchito, Right on Corner of Avenida 4 and Calle 4 in Downtown Puebla.
In front of Panaderia Zacatlan and right next to an OXXO convenience store.

VillaNieve (Puebla, Pue; Mexico) ¡Helado For Lunch!

An Afternoon In Puebla


It was our 3rd day in Mexico and we were to waste no time, we were off to Puebla. We arrived at the Centro Camionero ‘Capu’ at 15:00 sharp. We took an ADO bus from Centro De Autobuses ‘Del Norte’ that left at noon and it was a rather scenic ride over, curvy toll roads surrounded with thick greenery of all kinds proved to be my endless entertainment all through the trek.



Corn Fields Forever


Upon arriving to Capu, I was nothing short of famished by the enduring drive. I had a breakfast of Mexican champions too, some leftover broccoli-like Huazontle fritters my uncle made me the night before. But I was in Puebla, and my mind tends to always over rule my stomach in matters like these.



Homemade Huazontle Fritters


We asked around and got directions to how to get downtown Puebla. I hadn’t done much research for where to eat so I was on my sans-technology own. I tried to make due with asking some of the local handicraft vendors on where they liked to eat but the places they had veered me to were more of the touristy type of places. I came for the food of the people.



Locals, Don’t Do Me Wrong Now


But my metabolism is that of a little boys and I had to get something in my system fast. Luckily, I had spotted this silver signage touting “VillaNieve Desde 1958” in that same touristy area (San Francisco) so decided to whet my appetite with a scoop of local ice cream. I think its actually a chain but I figured it had to be good since their was nothing but guys my age who were sharing Ice Cream with girls outside.




VillaNieve For Lunch


Inside, the layout was built like a traditional gelato shop. The mounds of frozen happiness were shaped thick, high and curiously carved with the water based ‘nieves’ on the right side and cream based ‘helados’ on the other.



A Gelato Shop In Puebla


It was overwhelming and I sampled away until the girl at the counter gave me the stink eye but I decided to stay on task and get a cup of Tamarindo nieve while my little sister took the more luxurious route and got ‘blueberry’.



Tamarind and Blueberry: Sibling Ice Cream Rivalry


Oh man was this stuff rich. I don’t know how they do it but just like sorbetto’s, this water based stuff was damn creamy. I was happy to see small remnants of mashed tamarind pulp in my scoops, and it was actually quite tart. But behind the tartness was enough sugar to almost stun my tongue. My sister’s blueberry was like 10x as rich as mine, with the texture of melted rubber and frozen butter. A little strength was needed to scoop out the stuff, crazy thick! It reminded me of the customary Buenos Aires Helado that Argentineans indulge in daily when I was there.



VillaNieve Viscosity


The ice cream probably had as much calories as a full meal but I was still hungry and it was time to get serious about lunch. It was time to hit up a fonda.

VillaNieve

4 Callo Oriente
Ciudad De Puebla
(Inside Plaza of Convento De San Francisco De La Ciudad De Puebla)
Mexico