biteBeach, Village + Urban Eating in OaxacaWinter 2018Issue 2FREE

http://9bahiascondos.com/

Jane

Editor’s Letter

Bite Team

Anunciate con nosotros!TheEyeHuatulco@gmail.com

Cel.: 958 100 7339

INVIERTE E IMPULSA

TU NEGOCIO!

Editor: Jane BauerCopy Editor: Deborah Van Hoewyk

Web Goddess: Erin Vig

Writers: Jane Bauer, Marcia Chaiken, Serge Dedina, Julie Etra, Brooke Gazer, Margret

Hefner, Mely Martínez, Sandra Roussy, Deborah Van Hoewyk, Kary Vannice

Cover Photo: Fudio

Photography/Art: Artpowerhouse.com (Reine Mihtla), Jane Bauer, Colectivo Tilcoatle,

Frances Lopez, Mely Martínez, Sandra Roussy, visionsi,

Distribution: Renee BiernackiAdvertising Assistant: Giselda Vanegas

BustamenteLayout: Jane Bauer

Opinions and words are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of

bite.

Visit Us Onlinewww.TheEyeHuatulco.com

The kitchen I grew up in wasn't filled with the smell of freshly cooked tortillas or the sweet taste of spicy chiles. My father didn’t grow corn and my mother has never made Oaxacan mole. But the types of food weren’t as important as the lessons they taught me

about food. Food is love and the taste improves the more you know about its providence.

Every summer my father would pick blackberries, which he would make into jam so that on the coldest Sunday mornings of Montreal winters we could have a taste of summer on our pancakes. He taught me to speak with the butcher, the baker, the cheese seller, the fish monger and that it was worth traveling across town for good ingredients. For my fourteenth birthday he ordered a sacher torte from the Sacher hotel in Vienna, Austria. I remember sitting around the kitchen table and opening the crisp white box. It was so incredibly decadent and delicious, but the real lesson was the slice of history it came with. All food tells a story and the sacher torte was a piece of my father’s childhood that he was sharing with me.

My mother always rewarded “welcome homes” from summer camp, vacations, and later college, with my favorite dishes: lamb chops with mint jelly or out to dinner at an Indian restaurant where we would feast on butter chicken and nan bread.

When I was on the plane flying into Mexico for the first time, I don’t think I had an idea of what magic was waiting for me, but I was well-armed with an insatiable curiosity. This 20-year journey of exploring and learning how to cook here; first as a girlfriend, then a wife, then as a mother and finally as a restaurateur, has been eye-opening. In the early years I would walk to the market in Puerto Angel and then spend all day recreating and tweaking recipes from the Moosewood cookbook or old issues of Gourmet magazine. My favorite day was Monday when the streets of Pochutla would fill with fresh produce and bushels of flowers. I was intrigued by women in the street selling dried fish and shrimp.

My parents taught me to be culinarily adventurous and the importance of what food can tell us about who we are. They taught me that it is worth taking the time to prepare something right- to do it with presence and to serve it with dignity to people you love.

We hope you enjoy the magazine. Please thank the advertisers when you use their services as their contribution makes this FREE publication possible.

Happy Eating,

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.

Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

BITE 3

In This Issue

Super SaladsPage 6

Huatulco Restaurant GuidePage 8

Eating at the Beach - HuxPage 10

Rosca de ReyesBy Julie EtraPage 11

Culture, Cuisine and Conservation in HuatulcoBy Serge DedinaPage 12

Eating off the Beaten PathPage 14

Zipolite Restaurant GuidePage 16

San Agustinillo and MazunteRestaurant GuidePage 17

Lunch with Alain Sánchez RojasBy Jane BauerPage 18

Fresh Chile GuidePhoto by ArtpowerhousePage 20

BITE 4

Dried Chile GuidePhoto by ArtpowerhousePage 21

Tamales on Candlemas DayDía de la CandelariaBy Marcia ChaikenPage 22

Puerto Escondido Restaurant GuidePage 24

Local and Farm FreshA Day with Almoraduz Chefs Cocina Mexicana De AutorText and photos by Sandra RoussyPage 26

Oaxaca City Restaurant GuidePage 30

Huitla...what?HuitlacocheBy Jane BauerPage 32

The Origin of ChocolateBy Brooke GazerPage 33

Blogger of the SeasonMely MartinezPage 34

Frutas y Verduras: A Fresh Food Lover's Guide to MexicoBy Margret Hefner and Kary VannicePage 35

The Cuisine of the YucatánBy Deborah Van HoewykPage 36

Emergency Phone NumbersPage 38

BITE 6

Carrot and Jicama

1 jicama julienned5 carrots julienned1 apple julienned1 inch ginger gratedHandful of cilantro3 tsp. sesame seed

Dressing:2 Tbs. ground sesame seeds5 Tbs. mayonnaise1 Tbs. rice vinegar2 tsp. soy sauce1-2 tsp. sugar½ tsp. salt2 tsp. sesame oil

Avocado and Shrimp

Two handfuls of mixed lettuceHalf a cucumber, diced1 diced avocado12 shrimp cooked in garlic oilSliced almonds

Dressing:3 Tbs. olive oil3 Tbs. lime juice1 Tbs. mayonnaise¼ tsp. cumin

Watermelon

1 medium seedless watermelon, interior scooped out with melon baller2 handfuls baby spinach10 mint leaves, torn in small pieces1 small red onion, halved vertically and very thinly sliced15 black olives (Kalamata or to your taste), diced or sliced¼ cup queso Chiapaneco (can substitute feta)

Dressing:3 Tbs. olive oil3 Tbs. lime juice1 Tbs. honey

Nopal and Corn

4 nopales, brushed with olive oil and salt, roasted or grilled, and cut into 1" pieces 1 cob of sweet corn, brushed with olive oil and salt, roasted or grilled, then cut kernels off the cob2 Tbs. cilantro, coarsely choppedJuice of half a limeFreshly ground black pepper to taste1 avocado sliced¼ cup queso fresco (can substitute feta)

Dressing:3 Tbs. olive oil3 Tbs. lime juice1 Tbs. Dijon mustard

Super Salads!

Huatulco

Eating is so intimate. It�s very sensual.

When you invite someone to sit at your table

and you want to cook for them, you�are inviting

a person into your life. Maya Angelou

‘

BITE 8

Huatulco Restaurant Guide

La BotanitaFresh, Sandwiches, SaladsGardenia 901 Tel.: 958 105 1534Tues.- Sun.: 8:30am- 10pmCredit Cards Accepted

Café Casa MayorCoffee, Relaxed, Live MusicBugambilia 601Tel.: 958 587 1881Daily: 7:00am- midnightCredit Cards Accepted

Café PortoCoffee, DessertMain Square La CrucecitaTel.: 958 688 1874Daily: 8:00am- 11:00pmCash only

Che DieguitoArgentinian GrillBugambilia and AcaciaTel.: 958 583 4996Daily: 2:00pm- 11:00pmCredit Cards Accepted

El PadrinoTacos, Juices, DeliverySierra de Tamazulapan(Behind Pemex gas Station)Tel.: 958 587 0554Daily 8:00am– 4:00pmCash Only

Giordana'sItalian, Deli, PastaGardenia and Palma Real Tel.: 958 583 4324Tues.- Sat.: 12pm- 10:00pmCash only

El Grillo MarineroLocal, Fresh, SeafoodCarrizal and Macuhitle Tel.: 958 587 0783Wed.- Mon.: 1pm- 8pmCash only

El PorrónSpanish Food1303 Gardenia at Palo VerdeTel.: 958 688 1834Daily: 1:00pm- 11:00pmCash Only

KabanaSports BarFlamboyan 310Tel.: 958 587 0484Wed.- Mon.: 3pm- midnightCredit Cards Accepted

L’art'illeríaMexican, MezcalBugambilia and CeibaTel.: 958 587 2006Daily: 2:00pm- 11:00pmCash Only

La CremaPizza, Bar, ShopGardenia 311, second floorTel.: 01 477 675 7233Daily: 7:00pm- 2:00amCredit Cards Accepted

Los GallosMexican, CasualCarrizal and Palma Real Tel.: 958 587 0139Tues.- Sun.: 2pm- 10pmCash Only

Los ParadosTacos, Tlayudas Tel.: 958 587 6967Daily: 8am-10pmMacuil and CarrizalCash Only

Mamma MiaItalian, delivery Ceiba and Bugambilia Tel.: 958 105 1548Tues.- Sunday: 2pm- 11pmCredit Cards Accepted

MareItalian, SeafoodTel.: 958 113 3106Gardenia 1303Daily: 5:00pm-10:00pmCash Only

La Crucecita Pollos San GerardoRoast chicken, Delivery1101 MacuilTel.: 958 587 1549 Daily: 8:00am- 6:00pmCredit Cards Accepted

Los PortalesTacos, MexicanBugambilia 603Tel.: 958 100 4551Daily: 8:00am- midnightCredit Cards Accepted

OnixInternational CuisineBugambilia 603Tel.: 958 587 0070 Daily: 3:30pm- 11:30pmCredit Cards Accepted

Ricky's #JuanBar, International CuisineMain SquareTel.: 958 585 0416Daily: 11:00am- 2:00am

Sabor de OaxacaUpscale Oaxacan foodGuamuchil 206Tel.: 958 587 0060Daily: 7:30am -10:30pmCredit Cards Accepted

TeresinaItalian, Pizza, DeliveryColorín 509Tel.: 958 587 1391Thurs.- Tues.: 5pm-11pmCash Only

TerracottaInternational Cuisine, ACGardenia 902Tel.: 958 587 0165Daily: 7:00-22:00Credit Cards Accepted

West Park CaféPastries, Breakfast, CoffeeGardenia 1302Tel.: 958 587 2551Mon.- Sat.: 9:00am- 4:00pmCash only

Agua Bendita GastropubCraft beer, Mexican cuisineBoulevard Santa Cruz Tel.: 958 587 2028Tues.- Sun.: 4pm- 11pmCredit Cards Accepted

BossanovaCrêpes, Salads, SandwichesHotel Maxico Mon.- Sat.: 7am-11pmTel.: 958 122 7183Cash Only

Café HuatulcoCoffee, Tamales, Breakfast Santa Cruz KioskTel.: 958 587 1228Daily: 8:00am- 11:00pmCash only

Café IcacosCoffee, salads, tapasBlvd. Santa Cruz, across fromHotel Binniguenda Tel.: 958 122 5199Tue.-Sun.: 8am- 8pmCash Only (for now)

Doña CeliaBeachfront, Sea FoodSanta Cruz BeachTel.: 958 583 4876Daily: 8:00am- 11:00pmCredit Cards Accepted

Guns & BeersBar, Live Music, Pool TableBoulevard Santa Cruz Tel.: 958 105 1558Daily: 12:00 pm- 1:00amCredit Cards Accepted

ItoóBreakfast, Mexican Calle Otitlan del ValleTel.: 958 115 8571Tues.- Sun.: 7am- 2pmCash only

Habanero LokoPizza, SeafoodSanta Cruz Beach Tel.: 958 587 2000Tues.- Sun.: 8am- midnightCredit Cards Accepted

BITE 9

Santa Cruz

Jaguar International, Mexican Holiday InnAv. Benito Juárez 604Tel.: 958 583 0433Daily: 7:00am-11:00pmCredit Cards Accepted

La PlayaBeachfront, SeafoodSanta Cruz Beach Tel.: 958 587 0811Daily: 10:00am- 6:00pmCredit Cards Accepted

Lu ibáBeachfront, MediterraneanSanta Cruz Beach, by the cruise ship pierTel.: 958 587 1417Tue.-Sun.: 1pm- 10pmCredit Cards Accepted

MercaderAsian, Thai, FreshAndador Huatulco 304Tel.: 958 587 0623Tues.- Sun.: 2pm- 10pmCredit Cards Accepted

Niko’s Organic CoffeeCoffee, Breakfast, TapasMitla 106, Plaza Las PalmasMon.- Sat.: 8:30am- 11pmTel: 958 116 6094Credit Cards Accepted

Ve el Mar Beach Front SeafoodSanta Cruz BeachTel.: 958 587 0364Daily: 9:00am- 10:00pmCredit Cards Accepted

Best Western Mexican, InternationalMixie and Mixteco(Behind Chedraui)Tel: 958 587 0945Daily: 7:00am-10:00pmCredit Cards Accepted

Café JuanitaFresh, International, Oceanview Marina Chahue, Local #2Tel.: 958 105 1671Cel.:958 100 7339Tues.: 8:30am- 4:00pmWed.- Sun.: 8:30am-10pmCredit Cards Accepted

La MezcalaTlayudas, Mezcal, BarBlvd. Benito JuarezTel.: 958 587 1011Tues.- Sun.: 7pm-3amCredit Cards Accepted

KonnichiwaSushi, Japanese, DeliveryMarina Park Plaza Tel.: 958 105 1550Daily: 2:00pm- 11:00pmCredit Cards Accepted

La BaguitaBaguettes, MexicanPlaza del RosarioTel.: 958 118 8233Thurs.- Tues.: 8:30am-10pmCash Only

Chahue

Craft Beer & Mexican CuisineBoulevard Santa Cruz

Tel. 958 587 2028Tuesday- Sunday: 4:00pm- 11:00pm

Accepts Credit Cards

BITE 10

L'EchaloteFrench and Vietnamese Hotel Eden CostaTel.: 958 587 2480Tues.- Sun.: 6pm- 10:30pmCredit Cards Accepted

Mama Elsa's HamburgersBurgers, Tacos, Carrot CakeBeside Hotel VillablancaTel.: 958 100 4032Mon.- Sat.: 6pm- 11pmCash only

McCarthy's Irish PubWings, Bar, Sports TV Chedraui parking lotTel. 958 103 9747Daily: 2:00pm- 3:00amCredit Cards Accepted

RocotoSouth American flavorsPlaza Chahue Local 2Tel.: 958 106 7502Mon.- Sat.: 1:30pm-10pmCash only

Santa ClaraMexican cuisineCalle Mazateco, Sector RTel.: (958) 587 1047Daily: 8:00am- 9:00pmCredit Cards Accepted

7 TavoliItalian, MediterraneanMarina Chahue Local 5 Tel.: 958 583 4499Wed.- Mon.: 5pm- 11pmCredit Cards Accepted

Tomas BeachMexican, Bar, ACBoulevard Benito JuárezTel.: 958 105 1618Tues.- Sun.: 9am- 1amCredit Cards Accepted

La Finca de VaquerosMexican Grill, SteakCalle Carrizal (Beside Goodyear)Tel.: 958 587 0807Open Daily: 1pm- 10pmCredit Cards Accepted

Azul ProfundoRomantic, Beachfront, Mediterranean Fusion Hotel Camino Real Zaashila Tel.: 958 583 0300Mon.-Wed.-Fri.: 7pm- 11pmCredit Cards Accepted

Don PorfirioSteak, Seafood, MexicanBlvd. Benito Juárez(Across from Dreams)Tel.: 958 581 0001Daily: 11:00am- midnightCredit Cards Accepted

Las CupulasRomantic, OceanviewHotel Quinta Real Tel.: 958 581 0428Daily: 7:00am- 12:00pm, 6:00pm-10:00pmCredit Cards Accepted

Las ParotasBreakfast, AC, parkingLas Parotas Golf CourseTel.: 958 583 0400Daily: 7:00am- 5:00pmCredit Cards Accepted

OceanMexican, Bar, SeafoodArrocito, Cosmo Residences Tel.: 958 525 2241Wednesday- Monday: 1:30pm -10:00pmCredit Cards Accepted

VienaAustrian and Thai CuisineBoulevard Benito Juarez Plaza HuatulcoTel.: 958 106 5760Mon.-Sat.: 5pm-11pmCash only

Tangolunda

Eating At the Beach- HUX

Maguey Beach:Camaron GiganteTry the: Stuffed Pineapple Tel: 958 587 4790Daily: 8am- 6pm

La Entrega Beach:Cielito LindoTry the: Shrimp 4x4Tel: 958 109 4464Daily: 8am- 8pm

Santa Cruz Beach:Ve el MarTry the: Mixed Seafood PlatterTel: 958 587 0364Daily: 9am-10pm

La Bocana Beach:Los GüerosTry the: Fish BurgersTel: 958 100 9969Daily: 8am-10pmCash Only

BITE 11

Rosca de Reyes

Th i s s w e e t yeasted cake in the form of a t o r u s , o r a t h r e e -

dimensional oval, is an essential part of the Mexican celebration of Three Kings Day, which takes on January 6th. On this day Christians commemorate the arrival of the Magi or "Wise Men" (Balthazar, Melchior and Caspar) who brought gifts for the baby Jesus. In most of Spain, Spanish America, and sometimes in Hispaniccommunities in the United States, this is the day when children traditionally get presents as opposed to Christmas Day. It is also known as the Epiphany or Christian celebrating the revelation of God feast dayincarnate as Jesus Christ. The eve of the celebration is known as Twelfth Night. This tradition dates from the middle ages in Europe, mainly from Spain and France, and arrived in Mexico during the early years of the viceroys. In Spain, before children go to bed, they leave a dish filled with biscuits and a few glasses of water for the three wise men and their camels.

The tradition of hiding a figurine of the baby Jesus in the cake is very old and represents the flight of the Holy Family, fleeing from King Herod's Massacre of the Innocents. Whoever finds the figurine is blessed, and is symbolically the baby's godparent. Being a godparent entails two responsibilities: the finder takes the figurine to a house of worship on February 2 (Candlemas Day, or Día de la Candelaria), the day Jesus was taken to the temple to be blessed, and must throw a tamale party to celebrate the blessing, inviting all those who were present when the rosca was cut on January 6.

Although there is technically supposed to be one figurine per cake, and hence one person to make the tamales, the cake I had last year had at least four. And contradicting what I assumed was a consistent tradition, I have seen cakes in several chain bakeries selling mini roscas as early as the first week of December.

Although recipes vary from country to country, and within countries, this yeasted cake is essentially made out of wheat flour, essence of orange blossom, melted butter, sugar, egg yolks, whole eggs, and salt. Figs, quinces, cherries, dried or candied fruits slices are used for decoration. The cake is a bit complicated to make, as it has to rise twice and the second time for 6 hours, so plan accordingly. The following recipe is fairly standard.

By Julie Etra

Rosca de Reyes (makes 2 rings, 8 slices each)

Ingredients¼ cup warm water1 envelope dry active yeast (hard to find in Mexico, substitute2¼ tsps. of levadura instantanea)4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (additional for kneading)¾ cup sugar (or more to taste)3 whole eggs (large)7 egg yolks ¼ tsp. salt1½ Tbs. orange extract¾ cup melted butter (additional for greasing the dough)1cup candied fruits (citron, orange peel, cherries, quince paste)2 baby Jesus figurines

Instructions (Equipment other than measuring cups/spoons shown in bold type.)Warm a large mixing bowl with hot water, wipe dry, and put in the warm water. Sprinkle the yeast over the surface and stir until dissolved. Let stand until foam forms (5-10 minutes). Add about half the flour, mix until a dough forms, and knead on a floured surface until you have a moderately smooth ball. Clean and grease the mixing bowl, put the dough into it, and cover with a damp towel. Let rise until dough has doubled (25-30 minutes).In a second large mixing bowl, stir together the remaining flour, sugar, whole eggs and egg yolks, salt, orange extract, and melted butter.Combine with the risen dough and knead until the dough is smooth, evenly moist, and elastic. Form it into a log, put on a large platter, grease with additional butter, and smooth plastic wrap over the surface. Let the dough rest at room temperature for about 6 hours.Preheat the oven to 375º F (180º C).Divide the dough in half, place the halves on two buttered baking sheets, forming the “roscas.” Carefully insert a baby Jesus into each cake, pinching and smoothing over the hole.Decorate the rosca with the candied fruit and quince paste.Bake for 15-20 minutes. I love these cakes, and there are plenty of good bakeries in our area, so I do not intend to bake one. I am not sure if the number of babies Jesus's varies with the bakery, but it is something to take into account when/if you are selected to make the tamales. It is considered good luck to find the baby and an honor to host the party.

BITE 12

If t h e r e i s a m o r e beaut i fu l beach in Mex i co than P laya Cacaluta in the 29,383-acre Huatulco National

Park, I haven't seen it. The steep white sand beach is fringed with theme green mangroves and surrounded by tropical forest as far as the eye can see. Sea turtles, humpback whales and giant manta rays swim in the pristine waters offshore. “There are jaguars in the mountains and jaguarondi, anteaters and even deer along the coast,” said Saymi Pineda, our guide who works with Mexico's National Commission of Protected Areas or CONANP.

I had just taken a tour of the fragile coral reefs of the national park in the company of a group of friends from Southern California and my team at WILDCOAST a conservation organization I co-founded in 2000. We are working with Saymi and her colleagues at CONANP and local dive outfitters to protect the delicate corals from overuse. To date we have installed more than 200 buoys that steer boaters away from the reef system.

Our lunch break was at Cacaluta. We swam ashore and were greeted by a beautifully set table under a ramada. I had expected maybe a few sandwiches - instead I was blown away by an al fresco Oaxacan feast. Chefs Eusebio Villalobos, Filberto Mendes and Jesus Lopez greeted us with refreshing agua de maracuya and soon we settled in for an incredible meal, served up by these passionate, young chefs committed to exploring the indigenous cuisine of southern Mexico.

The menu inc luded dobladores de quesillo with flor de calabaza and epazote with roasted t o m a t o s a u c e a n d avocado; fish tamales on yerba santa leaf with mashed sweet potato; marlin ceviche as well as escabeche de barrilete. It was an exquisite meal that reminded me of the inventiveness and passion of the food scene in northern Baja, the experience only heightened by the white sand beauty of Cacaluta.

Culture, Cuisine and Conservation in Huatulco

By Serge Dedina

BITE 13

Plaza el RosarioTel.: 958 118 8233 8:30am-10:00pmClosed Wednesday

Hungry? Call UsWe deliver!

BaguettesMexican Breakfast

Eusebio, Jesús and Filiberto all form part of Colectivo Tilcoatle in Huatulco, a group of artists and artisans who ca r ry ou t a r t i s t i c and gastronomic activities along the southern Oaxacan coast. “The kitchen we manage is inspired by tradi t ional c u i s i n e . M o s t o f t h e ingredients are from the region,” said Eusebio.

The next 36 hours were a blur of sun, sand, sea turtles and incredible food. We witnessed a pre-dawn olive ridley sea turtle arribada at Morro Ayuta beach, and enjoyed another incredible meal served up by Eusebio, Filiberto and Jesus under the traditional palapa roof of eco-guide extraordinaire, Pablo Narvaez, in Barra de la Cruz. The menu included beet carpaccio, pineapple salad presented in a molcajete cured with mescal fire, peppers stuffed with mushrooms, tuna sashimi with ponzu sauce, and grilled tuna medallions (Pablo caught the tuna). We topped off the meal with a desert of fruta de jamaica with chocolate-mezcal sauce and earthy mezcal produced by the Colectivo.

“Eating this simple but abundant food, chatting with the chefs who are honoring and building upon Oaxaca's amazing cuisine, I felt closer to the land than I ever have,” said Kassie Siegel, who hails from Joshua Tree.

We were lucky to enjoy a perfect visit to what is arguably one of the most beautiful coastal regions of Mexico, rich in both wildlife and culture.

Serge Ded ina i s the Execut i ve D i rec to r o f WILDCOAST/COSTASALVAJE, an international conservation team that conserves coastal and marine ecosystems and wildlife. He is the author of Saving the Gray Whale, Wild Sea and Surfing the Border and lives in Imperial Beach, California, on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Resources: WILDCOAST: www.wildcoast.netColectivo Tilcoatle: www.facebook.com/Colectivo-Tilcoatle-833043266723728/

www.PrincessMayev.com

Huatulco’s Luxury Boutique Hotel

Paseo Punta Santa Cruz, Huatulco

Toll Free Tel: 01-800-00-MAYEVTeléfonos: 958-587-2955, 958-587-2877

info@princessmayev.com

BITE 14

Eating off the beaten path

Local Seafood! Open 9am- 6pm Tel. 958 111 1482

Closed TuesdaysLocated in Copalita(10 Min. from Huatulco)

Marina Chahue, HuatulcoTel. 958 105 1671Cel. 958 100 7339Closed Mondays

www.cafejuanitamexico.com

Join Us for Brunch!Sundays 9am- 3pm

$45 USD + tax for two/ night *Restrictions apply and depends on availability.

Receive a 10% discount at our restaurant with your copy of Bite!

Corner of Mixie and MixtecoChahue, HuatulcoTel: 958 103 5125

www.bwhuatulco.mx

You’re home away from home!

Laguna de Manialtepec:La Puesta del SolOn the lagoon, family styleLagoon activities availableKm. 124, Carretera costera (Rte. 200)Daily: 8am- 6pmTel.: 954 124 7001Credit Cards Accepted

Boca Vieja Coyula:El Conejo MarineroTry the: Lobster and OystersTel: not availableDaily: 8am- 6pm

Santa Maria Huatulco:Kayuko’sTry the: TostadasTel: 958 581 4396Daily: 9am- 10pm

Pluma Hidalgo:

La Flor de CaféTry the: Mole de OllaTel: 958 525 8108Daily: 6am- 7pm

Zimatan:‘Village to Table’ dinners through Chiles&Chocolate Cooking SchoolTry the: Venison with RaisinsTel: 958 100 7339Friday Evenings 5pm-9pmwww.HuatulcoCookingClasses.com

Zipolite, san agustinillo, mazunte

So long as you have food in your mouth, you have solved all questions for the time being.

Franz Kafka

Zipolite Restaurant GuideBuda MarAsian, Mexican, BeachfrontMid-Beach, Playa ZipoliteTel: 958 584 3356Daily: 8am- 10pmCredit Cards Accepted

Cafe Maya- Casa AcalliHealthy, Fusion, AsianMid-Beach, Playa ZipoliteTel.: 958 584 3300Daily: 8am- 8pmCredit Cards Accepted

ChipirinWine, Tapas, CigarsEntrance Roca Blanca Tel: 958 585 8433Mon.-Sat.: 10:30am–9:30pmCash Only

Comedor AlexMexican, CasualMain Road by Playa del AmorTel.: Not availableDaily: 9am- 10pmCash Only

El AlquimistaPizza, BeachfrontPlaya ZipoliteTel: 958 587 8961Daily: 8am- 11:30pmCredit Cards Accepted

El MareItalian, SeafoodEntrance Roca Blanca Tel: 958 117 9492Mon.-Sat.: 6pm-11pmCredit Cards Accepted

DonDe FrancoItalian, Pasta, DessertsAdoquin- Main RoadTel: 958 584 3290Mon.-Sat.: 7am-12amCash Only

La ProvidenciaGourmet Food, InternationalCalle Shambala Tel: 958 100 9234Wed. – Sun.: 6pm- 10:30 pmCash Only

Lola'sMexican, Seafood, Playa del AmorTel: 958 584 3162Daily: 7am – 11pmCash Only

Nice Place on the BeachBreakfast, MexicanMid- beach, Playa ZipoliteTel: 958 584 3195Daily: 7am-4:30pm, Bar open until 2amCash Only

NudeInternational, SeafoodMid-BeachTel: 958 584 3062Daily: 8am – 10:30pmCredit Cards Accepted

Orale CaféBreakfast, Quiche, BaguettesCalle Shambala Tel.: 958 117 7129Thurs.– Mon.: 8am- 3pmCash only

Pacha MamaSteak, Italian, PizzaCalle Los ManglesTel: 958 106 6164Fri.- Wed.: 6pm – 12amCredit Cards Accepted

Posada Mexico RestaurantMexican, Pizza, ItalianMid-BeachTel: 958 584 3194Thurs.- Tues.: 8:30am-11pmCash Only

3 de DiciembrePizza, Vegetarian optionsEntrance Roca Blanca Tel 958 584 3157Daily: 6:30pm- 2amCredit Cards Accepted

Tutti-FruttiCrepes, Ice Cream, CoffeeAdoquin- Main RoadTel: 958 106 1784Daily: 9am – 10pmCash Only

San Agustinillo and MazunteRestaurant Guide

Casa AamoriMexican, Seafood, GourmetCalle PrincipalTel: 958 111 6570Daily: 8am– 6pmCredit Cards Accepted

La Mora CaféWaffles, Italian, SandwichesCalle PrincipalTel.: 958 584 6422Wed.- Mon.: 8am-2pm, 6pm- 10pmCash only

La TermitaPizza, Pasta Calle PrincipalTel.: 958 589 3046Daily: 8am- 3pm, 6.30pm-11pmCredit Cards Accepted

Pollos HermanosRoasted chickenCalle PrincipalTel.: 958 113 2140Tues.- Sun.: noon- 10pmCash only

AlessandroItalian-Mexican FusionPlaya Rinconcito 958 122 0700Thurs.– Mon.: 6pm - 11pmCredit Cards Accepted

Ek Balam Parrilla Tapas Bar Playa RinconcitoTel.: 958 583 7667Open 24 hoursCredit Cards Accepted

El Agujon PizzeriaPizzaPlaya RinconcitoTel.: 958 116 8944Daily: 7am- 11pmCash Only

Estrella FugazInternational CuisinePlaya RinconcitoTel: 958 113 2895Daily: 7:30am- 11:30pmCredit Cards Accepted

KaprichoSeafoodPlaya RinconcitoTel.: 958 113 2895Daily: 1pm- midnightCredit Cards Accepted

La CuisineFrench, InternationalPlaya RinconcitoTel.: 958 107 1836Tues.– Sun.: 6:30pm- 11pmCash Only

La EmpanadaMexican, Pizza, InternationalAvenida Principal (beside The Body Shop) Tel: 958 100 1689Daily: 4pm - 11pmCredit Cards Accepted

SiddharthaFusionPlaya RinconcitoDaily: 9am- 11pmCash Only

San Agustinillo

Mazunte

BITE 17

Lunch with...

Location: Cala Club, Montecito

Menu:Mint Cucumber Agua

White Wine: Vina Maipo, Sauvignon Blanc

Red Snapper with Plantain Puree and Truffle Oil

By Jane Bauer

Alain Sánchez Rojas

BITE 18

Name: Alain Sánchez RojasPosition: Executive Chef at Montecito Beach Village, HuatulcoOriginally from: Santa Maria Huatulco, Oaxaca, Mexico

What did you have for breakfast this morning?Bean and nopal tostadas with queso fresco from the Saturday morning organic market.

Why do you cook?I grew up in a family that cooked together- when I cook now I feel like it connects me with my childhood.

Who has influenced you?Spanish chefs Martin Berasategui and Gorka Txapartegui

What are you reading?Cooking with Joan Roca at Low Temperatures

What are you watching?Suits on Netflix

Favorite restaurant?Arzak in San Sebastián, Spain

Who is your hero?My parents

Travel goals?India

Describe your style? Spontaneous. I like to see what I can create in the moment with what is available.

Last day on earth … what would your final meal be?Dark chocolate and red wine.

BITE 19

Huatulco Weddings

www.HuatulcoWeddings.net

Fresh Chile Guide

Poblano

Habanero

Serrano

Manzanita

Tusta

Costeño

JalapeñoMirasol

Chile de Agua

Photos by Artpowerhouse

BITE 20

Dried Chile Guide

Chile Ancho

Chile de Arbol

Tusta

Chipotle

Mirasol

Costeño

Guajillo

BITE 21

BITE 22

Tamales on Candlemas DayDía de La Candelaria

By Marcia Chaiken

amales, in addition to being among the most

Tdelicious Mexican treats, are a bridge between two holidays and two cultures. On January 6, the celebration of the visit of three kings bearing gifts for the baby in Bethlehem, a cake

called rosca de reyes is traditionally served. People who find a tiny figurine of the baby Jesus in their slice of cake are then traditionally obligated to provide tamales on Candlemas, February 2, to all who shared the same rosca.

Why tamales on Candlemas? The day celebrates the first presentation of Jesus at the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem after his mother Mary (or Miriam in Hebrew) observed the prescribed Jewish rite of purification for mothers who have given birth to a son. One might think that the tamales, wrapped in either corn husks or banana leaves, represent the swaddled infant. However, the one ingredient essential in tamales is corn. And corn, representing life, was always a part of the celebration of the first day of the Aztec year, which coincidentally occurs on February 2.

Tamales appear to have been part and parcel of Aztec cuisine long before the first Christian set foot on the North American continent. We don't have an Aztec recipe for tamales, but a dear friend, who had found a baby Jesus in her rosca at five different parties one year, involved me in making tamales for the better part of the day before Candlemas in that year. We began by preparing a rich chicken broth, saving the chicken for a filling.

While the broth was simmering, we soaked the corn husks and banana leaves, adding a few drops of disinfectant, drained and dried them. We also prepared a multi-ingredient mole sauce and a green sauce made from tomatillos, onions, cilantro and other greens. Once the broth was ready and cooled, we prepared the corn dough, first adding baking powder and salt to the corn meal (masa) and then progressively beating and beating and beating broth and oil into the mixture until the dough was just firm enough to hold its shape. Our oil replaced the traditional lard used in such recipes, appropriately enough, since for Jewish ritual purposes Joseph and Mary would never have prepared or eaten pork of any kind.

The dough rested while we prepared the banana leaves, trimming them and quickly heating them on a grill. Then we assembled the tamales, smearing a thin layer of dough on the corn husks and banana leaves, adding a layer of shredded chicken, topped by a spoonful of mole or green salsa. The leaves and husks were folded over into an envelope that then was placed standing up in a very large steamer. Once the steaming was underway, we cleaned up the considerable mess in the kitchen and then sat gossiping until one tamal (singular of tamales) was tested and found to have a firm layer of dough that easily peeled off the wrapper and contained wonderful mingled tastes of chicken and mole or salsa. Delicious!

Tamales can also be filled with beef, pork, cheese, beans or a combination, and sweet tamales and be prepared using fruits and nuts. But without the corn dough, it's simply not a tamal. Here's to tamales, to corn, and to life.

Puerto Escondido

�Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with

abandon or not at all.� Harriet Van Horne

Puerto Escondido Restaurant Guide

Brad's Split CoconutLive Music, Bar and GrillPlaya ZicatelaTel: 954 104 2689 Wed.- Mon.:2:30pm- 9:30pmCash only

Cayuco Cocina y MezcalOaxacan Food, MezcalMain Street Playa ZicatelaTel: 954 134 5777Tues.– Sun.: 2pm- 10pmCredit Cards Accepted

Costeñito Cevicheria Mexican, SeafoodMain Street Playa ZicatelaTel: 954 127 0424Daily: 1:00pm- 11:00pmCredit Cards Accepted

El CafecitoFresh baked goods, Mexican and International CuisineMain Street Playa ZicatelaTel: 954 582 0516 Daily: 6:00am- 11:00pmCredit Cards Accepted

EL MANASalads, Vegetarian optionsMain Street Playa ZicatelaTel: 954 582 2966Daily: 8:30am- 10:30pmCredit Cards Accepted

Dan's Cafe DeluxeBreakfast and Lunch Calle Jacarandas # 14Tel: 954 582 2760 Daily: 7:00am- 4:00pmCredit Cards Accepted

Fresh Restaurant & LoungeCasual, Creative, BeachfrontMain Street Playa ZicatelaTel: 954 559 2968Daily: 2:00pm- 11:00pmCredit Cards Accepted

Hotel Santa Fe RestaurantVegetarian options, MexicanMain Street Playa ZicatelaTel: 954 582 0170Daily: 7:30am- 10:30pmCredit Cards Accepted

Kuhl Frozen YogurtFrozen yogurt, dessertMain Street Playa ZicatelaTel: 954 104 2031Daily: 11:00am- 10:00pm (Sundays they open at 2pm)Cash only Palapita BarBeach Bar, SmoothiesMain Street Playa ZicatelaTel: 555 460 0195Wed.– Mon.:11am- midnightCash only

Palma NegraIce CreamMain Street Playa ZicatelaTel: 954 107 7112Daily: 12:00pm- 11:00pmCash only

PeconiArtisanal GelatoMain Street Playa ZicatelaTel: 954 104 4530Wed.- Mon.: 4pm- 10:30pmCash Only

Playa KabbalahSeafood, Lounge, DancingMain Street Playa ZicatelaTel: 954 582 3887Daily: 8:00am- 3:00amCredit Cards Accepted

Revolucion BeachSnack food, baguettesMain Street Playa ZicatelaTel: 449 155 1777Tues.– Sun.: 12:00pm- 12:00amCredit Cards Accepted

Sativa TerrazaFusion, Drinks, Vegetarian Main Street Playa ZicatelaTel: 954 582 4384Mon.– Sat.: 3pm- 12amCredit Cards Accepted

SpirulinaSmoothie and Juice BarCalle Bajada las Brisas- Just off main streetTel: 954 582 1375Wed.– Mon.: 8am- 10pmCredit Cards Accepted

Benditos Italian, PizzaAdoquinTel: 954 588 2186Wednesday- Monday: 4:30pm-11:30pmCash Only

Gringo BurgerEl AdoquinTel: 954 559 2219Sun - Sat12:00 pm - 2:00 am

La GaleriaItalian, InternationalEl AdoquinTel.: 954 582 20398:00am- 11:00pm

PascaleGrill, Seafood, SteakEl AdoquinTel: 954 103 0668Tues.- Sun.: 6pm- 11pmCredit Cards Accepted

BITE 24

Zicatela

Adoquin/ Playa Principal

Almoraduz Gourmet Mexican CuisineMain Street, Rinconada Tel: 954 582 3109Daily: 7:00 am- 10:00 pmCredit Cards Accepted

El CafecitoFresh baked goods, Mexican and International CuisineMain Street RinconadaTel: 954 582 3465 Daily: 6:00am- 10:00pmCredit Cards Accepted

El NeneMexican and InternationalMain Street, RinconadaTel: 954 102 5701Mon.– Sat.: 2pm- 11pmCash only

El SultanMiddle Eastern FoodMain Street, RinconadaTel 954 582 0512Tues.– Sun.: 8am- 10pmCredit Cards Accepted

EspadinGourmet Mexican Food, Amazing viewInside Villas Carrizalillo HotelTel: 954 582 0995Daily: 8:00am- 10:00pmCredit Cards Accepted

Estrellas GourmetInternational Mexican Main Street, RinconadaTel: 954 582 3420Mon.– Sat.: 8am- 10pmCredit Cards Accepted

Luna RossaItalian, Pasta, PizzaMain Street, RinconadaTel: 954 104 2181Wed.- Mon.: 2:30pm- 10:30pmCredit Cards Accepted

Palma NegraIce CreamMain Street RinconadaTel: 954 107 7112Daily: 10:00am- 10:00pmCash only

Paris le BistrotFrench, MusselsMain Street RinconadaTel: 954 109 0723Thur.– Tues.: 4pm- 11pmCash only

Pez GalloSeafood, MexicanVilla Sol Hotel, BacochoTel.: 954 582 0350Daily: 8:00am- 6:00pmCredit Cards Accepted

Sushi en RinconadaJapanese, SushiMain Street RinconadaTel.: 954 582 06062:30pm- 10:00pm

Turtle Bay RestaurantSeafood, SteakMain Street RinconadaTel: 954 147 7469Tues.– Sun.: 11am- 10pmCredit Cards Accepted

AlaburgerBarbecue, Fusion Alejandro Cárdenas Peralta, Punta Zicatela, Tel.: 55 4913 8249Daily: 1:00pm - 11:00pmCredit Cards Accepted

Lychee Thai FoodThai Alejandro Cárdenas Peralta, La PuntaTel.: 954 134 5718Sun.– Sat.: 5pm- 12:30amCredit Cards Accepted

BITE 25

Puerto Escondido

Rinconada

Zicatela

La Punta

Adoquin

Rinconada

La Punta

BITE 26

Local and Farm Fresh:A Day with the Chefs of Almoraduz

Text and photos by Sandra Roussy

Rated the #1 restaurant in Puer to Escond ido on TripAdvisor, Almoraduz definitely has carved out its top spot for a reason.

Quetzalcóatl Zurita and Shalxaly Macías are the pair behind the culinary de l ights that come out o f the Almoraduz kitchen. The traditional and distinctive flavors of Oaxaca inspire every single plate that they innovatively craft for their restaurant. Their day begins with a trip to the local market in Puerto Escondido to purchase fresh and entirely locally grown products. I accompanied Quetzalcóatl on a Saturday morning to experience first-hand the hustle and bustle that goes on there. He took pleasure in showing me the local vegetables, flowers, beans, herbs, fish, meats and insects that help him to create the dishes at Almoraduz. All of these are, needless to say, organic and essentially farm-to-table fresh. The inspirations for the Almoraduz cuisine entirely come from the products that they find in this market. Every new dish that is proposed is a direct outcome of what they find there, products that are delivered every day by the farmers from the neighboring villages and fished from the Pacific Ocean that day. They buy seasonal products, go straight to their kitchen, and experiment with new ideas to introduce the traditions of Oaxaca in a modern and accessible manner to their growing customer base. As the rainy season flows into the dry season, the menu changes and accommodates the new products that become available.

To a foreigner like me, this traditional Mexican mercado is an explosion of colors, aromas and is essentially bursting with newness. Many of these products are unique to the region and some are actually items that we would disregard and not think to add to our own cooking. Oaxaca has an international reputation for being a culinary experience like no other. Where else than in Oaxaca do we make weeds and insects taste incredible! Keeping it local for the pair also means providing work for local artists and suppliers. All aspects that go into the making of the restaurant, from the serving sets to the interior design, were all provided by local artisans and businesses.

Almoraduz is the name of a plant that grows in the area and that was used in the chef's family kitchen when he

was growing up. He now uses this plant in many of his dishes; it is a comfort food for him and also reminds him of his roots. The dishes prepared at Almoraduz are nothing short but works of art. A lot of detail goes into creating and executing every plate that is ordered. The menu is compact but always diverse enough to cater to a variety of palates. Also available is an exclusive cocktails list, local mezcals, and a wine selection that

are all well harmonized with the dishes. Eating at Almoraduz is not only a question of savoring a good meal; it is a full culinary journey through the flavors of Oaxaca and the culture of its people.

www.almoraduz.com.mx/homewww.facebook.com/almoraduzrestaurante/

Cocina Autor de Mexicana

BITE 28

oaxaca city

A crust eaten in peace is better than a banquet

partaken in anxiety. Aesop

Atila Del Sur Traditional MexicanMartires de Tacubaya 405, CentroTel.: 951 439 8990Thurs.- Sat.: 7pm- midnightCash only

Azucena Zapoteca Traditional Oaxacan Alcala 303, CentroTel.: 951 516 7456Daily: 8am-10pmCredit Cards Accepted

BoulencBakery, Coffee, SandwichesPorfirio Diaz 207, CentroTel.: 951 351 3648Mon.– Fri.: 8:30am- 8:30pmSaturday 8:30am- 4pmCredit Cards Accepted

CabucheTraditional Mexican Miguel Hidalgo 1017, CentroTel.: 951 514 1672Mon.– Sat.: 10am- 10pmCash Only

Cafe Bistrot EpicuroItalianVicente Guerrero 319, CentroTel.: 951 514 9750Wednesday- Monday: 1:30pm- 10pmCredit Cards Accepted

Casa EstambulMezcal, Live Music, MexicanAllende 316, CentroTel: 951 156 0321Daily: 8:30am-1amCredit Cards Accepted

Casa Oaxaca CaféGourmet OaxacanJazmines 518, Colonia ReformaTel.: 951 502 6017Mon.- Sat.: 7:30am- 11pm Sunday: 10am - 6pmCredit Cards Accepted

Casa Oaxaca RestaurantGourmet OaxacanConstitucion 104A, CentroTel.: 951 516 8889Mon.– Sat.: 1pm - 11pmSun.: 1pm- 9pmCredit Cards Accepted

Casa TavicheMexican, Latin AmericanMiguel Hidalgo 1111, CentroTel.:951 688 5440Mon.- Thurs.: 1pm- 6pmFri.- Sat.: 1pm- 10pmCash Only

Catedral Mexican, InternationalGarcia Vigil 105, CentroTel.: 951 516 3285Wed.– Mon.: 8am- 11pmCredit Cards Accepted

CriolloGourmet OaxacanCalzada Madero 129 Tel.: 951 351 1908Tues.– Fri.: 1:30pm-10:30 pmSaturday: 10am- 10:30 pmSun: 10am- 7pmCredit Cards Accepted

El Asador VascoSteakhouse, SpanishPortal de las Flores 10, Zocalo CentroTel.: 951 514 4755Daily: 2pm- 11pmCredit Cards Accepted

El EscapularioTraditional MexicanGarcia Vigil 617, CentroTel.: 951153 6598Daily: 8am - 11pmCash Only

El DestiladoContemporary MexicanCalle 5 de Mayo 409, Centro Tel.: 951 516 2226Tues.– Sun.: 5pm- 11:30pmCredit Cards Accepted

El Morocco Middle EasternReforma 905, CentroTel.: 951 513 6804Tues.– Sun.: noon- 11pmCredit Cards Accepted

El OlivoTapas, Paella, PastaConstitucion 207, CentroTel: 951 501 0333Tues.- Sat.: 4pm- 1amSunday: 2pm- 11pmCredit Cards Accepted

Expendio TradicionTraditional OaxacanReforma Esquina Murguia, Centro Tel.: 951 501 1460Daily: 1pm- 1amCredit Cards Accepted

Hosteria de AlcaláMexican, ArtMacedonio Alcalá #307Tel.:951 516 2093Daily: 9am-10pmCredit Cards Accepted

Oaxaca City Restaurant Guide

BITE 30

il GiaguaroMediterranean, Italian Santos Degollado 609-A, CentroTel: 951 351 0072Daily: 2pm- 11pmCredit Cards Accepted

In Situ MezcaleriaMezcal barMorelos 511, CentroTel.: 951 524 1811Mon.– Sat.: 1pm- 11pmCredit Cards Accepted

Gourmand DelicatessenEuropean-style DeliPorfirio Diaz 410, Centro Tel.: 951 516 4435Mon. – Sat. 9am- 1amCredit Cards Accepted

La BiznagaFresh International GourmetGarcia Vigil 512, CentroTel.: 951 516 1800Daily: 10am-10pmCredit Cards Accepted

La Casa de la AbuelaTraditional Oaxacan Hidalgo 616, CentroTel.: 951 516 3544Daily: 1pm- 9pmCredit Cards Accepted

La Matatena PizzeriaGourmet PizzaGarcia Vigil 212, CentroTel.: 951 207 4142Tues.- Sun.: 5pm- 10pmCredit Cards Accepted

La PopularFusion OaxacanJesus Carranza 105, CentroTel.: 951 206 2751Daily: 10am- 11pmCredit Cards Accepted

La Olla Mexican GourmetReforma 402, CentroTel.: 951 516 6668Mon.– Sat.: 8am-10pmCredit Cards Accepted

Las Quince LetrasTraditional OaxacanAbasolo 300, CentroTel.: 951 514 3769Daily: 9am- 9pmCredit Cards Accepted

Los DanzantesGourmet MexicanMacedonio Alcala No. 403-4, CentroTel.: 951 501 1184Daily: 1pm- 11pmCredit Cards Accepted

Los PacosOaxacan Belisario Dominguez 108, Colonia ReformaTel.: 951 515 3573Tues.– Sun.: 8:30am- 6:30 pmCredit Cards Accepted

Marco PoloFamily-style, MexicanPino Suarez 806, CentroTel.: 951 513 4308Daily: 9am- 6pmCredit Cards Accepted

MexitaPizza, ItalianFederico Ortiz Armegol 105, Colonia Reforma Tel.: 951 520 2180Tues.- Sun.: 2pm- 9:30pmCredit Cards Accepted

Mezquite. Gastronomia y destiladosContemporary MexicanGarcia Vigil 601-A, CentroTel.: 951 514 2099Mon – Sat.: 8am- midnightSunday: 8am- 9pmCredit Cards Accepted

MezzalunaItalian, Pizza, PastaAllende 113, CentroTel.: 951 516 8195Daily: 1pm- 11pmCredit Cards Accepted

OaxacaliforniaOaxaca/Baja California FusionAv. Universidad 200Tel: 951 506 1149Mon.- Sat.: 7:30am- 11pmSunday: 9am- 6pm Credit Cards Accepted

Oscuro Brebaje AlamedaBritish, Mexican, VegetarianHidalgo 608, CentroTel: 951 205 6786Daily: 8am- 10pmCredit Cards Accepted

OrigenContemporary OaxacanHidalgo 820, CentroTel.: 951 501 1764Daily: 1pm- 11pmCredit Cards Accepted

PitionaContemporary MexicanIgnacio Allende 114, CentroTel.: 951 514 0690Mon.– Sat.: 1pm- 11pmSunday: 1pm- 9pmCredit Cards Accepted

Sabina SabeModern Mexican5 de Mayo 209, CentroTel.: 951 514 3494Daily: 1pm- midnightCredit Cards Accepted

SacapalabrasMezcal, Live Music, ArtGarcia Virgil & Quetzacoatl, CentroTel: 951 351 8371Daily: 2pm- 2amCredit Cards Accepted

Santisima Flor de LupuloTapas and Artisanal BeerIgnacio Allende 215, CentroTel: 951 516 4435Mon. – Sat.: 5pm- 1amCredit Cards Accepted

BITE 31

TobazicheModern MexicanCalle 5 de Mayo 311, Centro Tel.: 951 516 8116Daily: 1:30pm- 12:30amCredit Cards Accepted

TR3S 3ISTRO Oyster Bar, French, SeafoodZocalo, CentroTel.: 951 501 0407Daily: 9am- 11:30pmCredit Cards Accepted

Xuncu Choco MexicanIndependencia 403, Centro, Tel.: 951 501 1169Mon. – Sat.: 8am- 9:30pmCash Only

Yu Ne NisaJuchitan foodAmapolas 1425, Col ReformaTel: 951 515 6982Daily: 12pm- 8pmCash Only

ZandungaMexican IstmeñoGarcia Vigil 512-E, Centro Tel.: 951 516 2265Mon.– Sat.: 2pm- 11pmCredit Cards Accepted

Oaxaca City

Huitla...what?HuitlacocheHuitlacoche (corn fungus or corn smut) develops on pesticide-free organic corn as it ripens after the rainy season or an errant rainstorm. Huitlacoche will consume the corn kernels and push itself out through the corn shucks, easily visible in a cornfield.

Huitlacoche is also super healthy; it is full of the amino acid lysine (which builds muscle, strengthens bones, fights infections and keeps skin looking young). It also contains more cholesterol reducing beta glucans than oatmeal, and more protein than most of the mushroom family.

While these corn smut mushrooms are often pureed to a paste and used in omelets and empanadas, my favorite way to eat them is sauteed whole and fresh, with guajillo chile and almonds. I like to serve them on toasted baguette and topped with queso fresco for a yummy appetizer. Don’t use canned huitlacoche- it will make you think you don’t like it!

By Jane Bauer

BITE 32

The Origin of ChocolateBy Brooke Gazer

ersonally, I can't imagine a world without

Pchocolate, but before Cortez conquered Mexico it did not exist in Europe. In fact, it was centuries later before the confection that we know today came into being. In Mexico, where

chocolate originated, it was not a sweet treat, but a bitter tasting beverage, mixed with chile and sometimes with blood. Apparently when Cortez first tasted it he commented that it was, “more a drink for pigs than for humanity.”

Believing chocolate to have divine properties, the Mayans and Aztecs reserved it for royalty and high priests. Common people might only have partaken during sacred rituals like birth, marriage, and death. Those about to be sacrificed were often given a gourd of chocolate, tinged with the blood of previous victims, to cheer them up. Of course, some fermentation had occurred and who knows what other intoxicants were added? Apparently, this concoction lifted their melancholy mood long enough for those victims to join in the dancing, climb the steps, lie over a stone altar and permit their hearts to be ripped from their chests.

For centuries, cacao beans were used as currency in Mexico. Around 900 A.D., ten beans bought a rabbit. Cortez maintained this form of currency after the conquest, but the cost of a rabbit had risen to thirty beans. Inflation has been with us for a very long time.

Many Mexicans seem almost addicted to sugar, but prior to the conquest, it was unknown in Mexico. The Spanish controlled most of the Caribbean Islands and with these islands came sugar cane.

An industrious entrepreneur brought some to Mexico and one of the world's first fusion recipes was born. A sweet drink made with cacao and sugar became popular, quickly spreading to Europe. Once someone thought to omit the chili, this beverage really took off as dozens of chocolate houses opened on the continent.

In the early 1800s, a Dutchman named Coenraad Van Houten developed a process allowing cocoa to mix more easily with water. This made it possible for people to prepare the beverage at home. Most of us enjoy this satisfying hot drink made with milk, but in Mexico it is still more commonly made with water.

Half a century later, Joseph Fry revolutionized the chocolate industry. This British inventor added cocoa butter and sugar to the cocoa powder, introducing the world's first solid chocolate. Daniel Peter and Henri Nestlé of Switzerland later added condensed milk, creating milk chocolate. The race had begun to produce the best sweet treat, when another Swiss gentleman, Rudolph Lindt, invented a machine that mixed chocolate to a perfect consistency. By 1907, Milton Hershey's factory was popping out 33 million kisses per day in eastern Pennsylvania in the U.S.

Today Fry, Nestlé, Lindt, and Hershey are still synonymous with the world’s most loved confection. The Aztecs and the Mayans, who originally developed cacao-bean processing have, for the most part, been overlooked.

Brooke operates a luxury B&B in Huatulco.

www.bbaguaazul.com

BITE 33

Blogger of the Season

I'm Mely Martínez, a former schoolteacher and food blogger, born and raised in Mexico.

I am passionate about sharing the culture and rich gastronomy of my home country with the world, and with this idea in mind I started my blog “México in my Kitchen,” where Mexican food enthusiasts can find their favorite recipes for a u t h e n t i c M e x i c a n dishes that everyone can enjoy.

My blog “Mexico in my Kitchen” started almost ten years ago, in December of 2008, as a way to preserve our heritage and to share my love for authentic Mexican recipes with my son, but it has grown to be a true gateway that allows me to connect and meet with people from all over the world and showcase our recipes, family stories and cultural tidbits about México.

I love to share the traditional home-style meals of Mexico. And must of the times I try to present the recipes in an easy, step-by-step process so that readers can cook an authentic Mexican meal in their own kitchen; each post also adds a little background about the history of the recipe and the region of the country where it originated.

I hope you enjoy our blog and if you do, please share it with your friends, family and loved ones.

Thank you

Visit Mely’s Blog:www.mexicoinmykitchen.com

Mexican Black Bean Soup

Cuisine: MexicanServings: 4Author: Mely Martínez – México in my Kitchen

There are many versions of Mexican Black Bean Soup throughout Mexico. This one, in particular, uses chorizo and is inspired by one that I had many years ago in the town Poza Rica, Veracruz. It’s a simpler version of the famous Frijoles Charros, which uses many more ingredients.

I’m using homemade beans for this recipe, but you can also use canned ones. Homemade beans can be cooked in large batches and conveniently frozen in small containers or freezer bags. This is a regular custom with many cooks in my family; we make large amounts of beans and always have some ready in the freezer!

When making this soup, I don’t always add the poblano peppers, since they’re not always available (although they do add a lot of flavor). This is why I’ve listed them as optional, so don’t worry about it if you can’t find them.

This Black Bean Soup is hearty and wholesome and is great as a main meal on a cold winter evening. Enjoy!

BITE 34

Ingredients6 oz. soft Mexican chorizo (about 2 medium links), removed from the casing½ cup chopped white onion1 poblano pepper, seeds and stems removed, chopped (optional)2 serrano peppers, chopped2 cups chopped tomatoes4 cups cooked black beans with some of the bean broth 1 cup water4 corn tortillas cut into fine strips¼ cup vegetable oil (to fry tortilla strips)¼ cup chopped cilantro1 avocado (sliced for garnish)

Instructions1. Using a large saucepan over medium heat, fry the chorizo in its own fat until cooked (about 8 minutes).2. Add the chopped onion and cook until it starts to look transparent (about 2 minutes), then stir in the chopped peppers and for another 3 minutes. Then stir in the chopped tomatoes and cook for about 6-8 minutes.3. Add the beans in their broth and the cup of water and cook until it comes to a boil. Reduce the heat and gently simmer for another 5 minutes.4. While the soup is cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet and fry the tortilla strips until crisp. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain excess oil.5. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the fried tortilla chips, chopped cilantro and avocado..

Sometimes I add a little bit of beer to the soup while cooking, but this is optional.

Great Getaway!

Where to stay: Hotel Santa FeLocated on Playa Zicatela with ocean views, pools, and a fabulous restaurant, it is the perfect place to stay.www.hotelsantafe.com.mx

What to eat:Risotto at Almoraduz

What to do:Take a day trip out to the Lagunas de Manialtepec for wonderful bird watching or an evening of bioluminescence.

Puerto Escondido

BITE 35

Frutas y Verduras:A Fresh Food Lover's

Guide to Mexico

Women, from the very old, bent and wizened, to those with small children in tow, travel long hours to various markets with that day's produce. Without a set stall “address”, they'll set up on the fringes of the mercado, at a weekly tianguis, or perhaps at a bus stop or in a plaza.

Some roam the streets with pails on their arms, others lay a cloth on the ground with tidy piles of fruits, vegetables, and often, handmade tortillas made from freshly ground nixtamal laid out before them. They are marchantes: itinerant vendors.

What they have to offer you is pure gold in exchange for a few pesos.

When personal chef Margret Hefner moved to Mexico, she soon learned she preferred to buy her produce from these vendors. In doing so, she began learning about foods that are unique to Mexico and truly the foundation of the gastronomy.

These daily trips to the local markets were the motivation behind her recent “passion project,” a self-published digital guide that she titled simply Frutas y Verduras: A Fresh Food Lover's Guide to Mexico.

If you've ever been mystified by the local/native fruits and vegetables here in Mexico, this wonderfully informative and beautiful ebook will demystify them for you. You'll find everything from how to pronounce their names to how to know when they are ready and ripe for eating and preparing. By adding the regional foods of Mexico to your dietary lexicon, you participate in their continued preservation.

You can find Margret's ebook in iTunes and Kobo online stores, or you can visit her personal website where she offers a "Pay What You Wish" payment system - http://fyvmexico.com/fyv-book-pwyw.

If you're not sure if this guide is for you, here's what one reader had to say after she purchased chef Margret's book, “Loved this book! (It's) so immensely helpful when I lived in Mexico and I am finding it very useful traveling in Europe as there are familiar ingredients here as well. Well worth it and will come in very handy when cooking and sourcing ingredients all over Mexico, South and Central America.” –Faith C.

By Margret Hefner and Kary Vannice

The Cuisine of the Yucatán

It takes more than a quick charter and l y i n g o n t h e beautiful beaches of Mexico's Caribbean

coast to really appreciate the subtleties of the regional cuisine of the Yucatán. In fact, Rick Bayless, Chicago's famed authority on Mexican food, spent two entire seasons of his U.S. public television show exploring Yucatecan cooking.

The cuisine comes down from the Maya, but given that the Yucatán was the landing site for the Spanish conquistadors and then international trade, the cuisine has been modified by European influences, including the Dutch fondness for cheese; there are Caribbean and Lebanese strains in Yucatecan dishes as well.

Along the coast, of course, fish and seafood have been key sources of protein, while poultry and pork are widely used in the interior. Some dishes have spread throughout Mexico and beyond (ceviche, thought to come from Latin American countries on the Pacific, is now a restaurant specialty throughout the entire Latin Caribbean), while some foods and flavors are unique to the area.

The tropical climate presents a challenge for preserving food, so smoking, brining, and marinating are key techniques in traditional dishes—this gives you a “flavor base” of citrus fruits (notably the sour Seville orange brought over by the Spaniards, which largely replaces vinegar in the cuisine), hot peppers (mostly habaneros), smoke, and achiote, a sweet-sour-ish sauce based on ground red annatto seeds. The Yucatán is also renowned for its recados, spice mixes adapted to different dishes; the recados can be used as flavor bases, rubs, or sauce thickeners, and are often marketed for particular dishes, as in recado para bifstek (for steak).

Some say that cochinita pibil—pork roasted in a pit—is the most famous dish of the Yucatán; g lued to the screen during Rick Bayless' episode on cochinita pibil, I thought “Not about to make that, have t o g e t b a c k t o t h e Yucatan.” A whole suckling pig is covered in a spice paste, wrapped in banana leaves, then slow-cooked in a sealed barbecue pit, suffusing the meat with spice and smoke. Pibil is also practiced more generally as a food preservation and cooking method, allowing people in the rural parts of the peninsula to live off the land.

Dishes that originated in or are unique to the Y u c a t á n i n c l u d e chilaquiles (a breakfast dish of fried tortilla chips or strips simmered in the salsa of your choice, often topped with other breakfast food—beans, eggs, etc.), poc chuc (pork slices brined in salt for preservation and then marinated in a sour-orange/achiote sauce and cooked over a grill, preferably over a wood fire), papadzules (the unique Yucatecan tamale made of hard-boiled eggs w r a p p e d i n t o r t i l l a s a n d c o v e r e d w i t h a tomato/pumpkin-seed sauce), sopa de lima (chicken-lime soup), sopa seca (a broth-soaked rice dish that hosts any variety of ingredients), and queso relleno (a whole round of Edam cheese, hollowed out and filled with a mixture of ground pork; tomatoes, peppers, and onions; and raisins, capers, olives, herbs, and spices).

By Deborah Van Hoewyk

BITE 36

Crêpes, Salads, Sandwiches

Hotel Maxico, Santa Cruz, Huatulco

Mon.- Sat.: 7:00am-11:00pm

Tel.: 958 122 7183

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Cel.: 958 100 7339

INVIERTE E IMPULSA

TU NEGOCIO!

HuatulcoSalt Company

handcrafted unrefined sea salt

Our collection of hand-harvested gourmet sea salts will take your dishes from good to mouth-watering.

To order:HuatulcoSaltCompany@gmail.com

Huachinango a la Veracruzana (Red Snapper Veracruz-style)

While Veracruz cooking is not completely synonymous with Yucatecan cuisine, this particular recipe makes good use of the region's tart, sunshiny, and complex flavors. It can be a complicated recipe with hard-to-find ingredients, but this simple version is based on an early Diana Kennedy cookbook put out by Sunset Books in the late 1970s. (It's the first Mexican dish I ever made, after I came back from my first trip to Mexico.)

INGREDIENTS

1 whole red snapper (3 – 3½ pounds), cleaned and scaled but with the head and tail still on

1 tsp salt

¼ cup juice from a Seville orange (substitute 1 TBS lime juice and 3 TBS orange juice)

½ cup olive oil

1 cup thinly sliced white onions

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

5 cups diced tomatoes and their juices (halve and juice the tomatoes into a bowl before dicing the tomato meat)

2 Mexican bay leaves (regular will do)

¼ tsp dried Mexican oregano (regular will do)

12 – 15 pitted green olives, sliced into three pieces

3 TBS large capers

2 pickled jalapeños, cut in thin strips

BITE 37

INSTRUCTIONS

You will need a glass baking dish large enough to accommodate the fish; preheat the oven to 325º.

Prepare the fish:

Put the fish in the baking dish and prick both sides with a small knife or fork.

Rub in the salt and citrus juice, and put it in the refrigerator to marinate for 2 – 3 hours.

Prepare the sauce:

Heat half (¼ cup) the oil in a skillet and saute the sliced onion and garlic until soft.

Add all the remaining ingredients and cook over medium-high heat until the flavors meld and the sauce has thickened but is still liquid (about 10 – 12 minutes).

Cook the dish:

Pour the sauce over the fish and drizzle the remaining oil evenly over the sauce. You should see a zig-zag pattern over the surface of the dish; it may not take all the remaining oil.

Loosely cover the dish with aluminum foil or parchment paper, put it in the the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, basting frequently with the sauce.

Use two large spatulas to carefully turn the fish over.

Bake until tender, continuing to baste (about another 20 minutes).

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Civil Protection 954 582 3538

Port Captain954 582 2290

Red Cross954 582-05-50

Oaxaca City Emergencies066

Fire DepartmentCentral: 951 549 2197South: 951 506 0248

Municipal Police Oaxaca De Juárez060951 514 4525

Traffic Police951 572 5800

Red Cross065 516 445551 6 40 03

Huatulco Fire Department 958 587 0047/ 958 587 0847

Municipal Police Santa María Huatulco958 587 0675

State Police958 583 4080

Traffic Police958 587 0186

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Red Cross Huatulco 958 587 1188

IMSS958 587 1182

Naval Hospital958 587 0366

Immigration958 581 9003

Emergency Numbers

Canadian Citizens needing immediate assistance can call the Embassy at any time from:

Mexico City: (55) 5724-7900Elsewhere in Mexico: 01-800-706-2900.

U.S. Citizens needing immediate assistance can call the Embassy at any time from:

Mexico City: (55) 5080-2000Elsewhere in Mexico: 01-55-5080-2000

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Chiles&ChocolateCooking ClassesHuatulco, Oaxaca

Tel. 958 105 1671 Cel. 958 100 7339

chiles.chocolate@yahoo.com

The best way to learn about a culture is through its food.

Chiles&Chocolate Cooking Classes offer a delicious culinary and cultural experience that explore a variety of Southern Mexican cuisine. Our hands-on classes ensure you will leave prepared to recreate the dishes when you get home.

· Small Groups· Hands-on· Instruction in English· Recipe Manual · Free Gift Bag· Lunch and Drinks Included· All classes start at 9:30am · Transportation Included

Cost: $85 USD per personCooking Classes are 3-4 hoursZimatan, Huatulco

CLASS DESCRIPTIONS

TUESDAY- By the Sea-Ceviche-Oven Roasted Shrimp Seasoned-Baja-style Fish Tacos-Shrimp Mousse-Michelada with Clamato

WEDNESDAY- Mama’s Kitchen-Black Mole- This is the most exquisite and complicated Mexican salsa. -Yellow Mole-served with Rice and Chicken-Mezcal Margarita

THURSDAY-Fiesta- Perfect recipes for your next party!-Poblano and Nopales Emapanadas- Jicama Salad-Beef Tamales in Corn Husk-Rum Horchata

FRIDAY- Street Food- A great intro to Mexican Food.-Salsas-Handmade Tortillas-2 types of soft tacos fillings-Sopes-Tlayudas-Jamaica Margaritas

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