Molletes – Dani Francuz Rose

Another international move is on our horizon (and fast approaching), so, of course, I find myself reminiscing and thinking about what an amazing 2+ years we’ve had en México. As I did with both China and Poland, I felt the urge to record some of our favorite things about living here in the form of an A-Z list of what we think we’ll miss most when we leave. Things like:

Amigos – Without a doubt, the hardest part of any move is leaving behind our friends, and I don’t know if it’s because we were here longer or because we found our friendship medias naranjas (soulmates), but this time it’s even harder. 🥹

Bebidas – Where do I even begin with all the drinks we’ll miss! Cantaritos, cazuelas, carajillos…hey, maybe this should have been “c”! Pre-Mexico, I didn’t think I was a fan of fruity drinks or coffee, but I clearly had no idea what I was missing!

Comida – Fittingly, right after bebidas is another, equally important category: la comida or the food. Even before we stepped foot into Mexico, I knew this was my favorite cuisine. Tacos are life as far as I’m concerned, and it should be no surprise that by far the best tacos (and every other Mexican dish) I’ve had has been right here.

Day of the Dead – I’m not into creepy or scary things, so I wasn’t sure what to expect with Día de Muertos, but after celebrating it in both GDL and Oaxaca, I absolutely love it! I’m taking my Day of the Dead decorations with me to Canada, so let the celebrations continue!

Español – This is another big one. I put so much time and energy into learning Spanish over the past three years that it really pains me knowing it’s already starting to deteriorate. I also know I’m really going to miss all the friendly “buen día”s and general ease and openness that comes with español.

Futbol – Tucker loves his sports, particularly local sports, so we had amazing luck moving to GDL, choosing to support Atlas, and then watching them win back-to-back championships! But really, you don’t have to win or even like soccer to enjoy the excitement you can hear literally everywhere in the city when someone scores a ¡GOOOOLLLL!

Guadalajara – Of course, “g” is for the city itself. We chose Guadalajara specifically, which was new for us. I wasn’t assigned to a posting here, we personally decided that GDL had the vibes we wanted (and maybe needed) in the uncertain pandemic times. And honestly, I don’t think we could have possibly made a better choice. In another life, we were definitely Tapatíos.

Handicrafts – I thought China had the handicraft market cornered, but I was so wrong! Mexico also has an incredibly vibrant and varied collection of things ranging from jaguar whistles to braided bags. I will, of course, be bringing many things with me when I go, but I’ll also miss seeing what all is out there!

Ice cream – Or more specifically, nieves de garrafa, is one of the main sweet treats we know we’ll miss (especially Tucker). I mean, ice cream is always good, but when it’s tequila or Ferrero Rocher flavored, that’s really something special.

Jacarandas – I’ll likely never have my own garden (for so many reasons, worms being just one of them), and maybe this is why I was completely entranced by the flowers of Mexico. Even in the cities, there are tons and tons of flowers all year round, my favorite of which are undoubtedly the absolutely gorgeous jacarandas.

Knife sharpeners – This one really represents all the sounds we’ll miss when we leave Mexico. The pan flute whistle of the knife sharpeners, the garbagemen and their cow bells, and the daily shouts of “AGUA” just to name a few.

Limones – Tucker thinks I have a limón problem. If they’re offered as a food or drink accompaniment, I usually take several and douse whatever I have. I have absolutely become a limón convert during our time here, and I know I’ll miss having them as often as I’d like.

Molletes – A dish I had never heard of quickly became one of my favorites in Mexico, the humble mollete. Toasted bread covered in a variety of amazing combinations from the more traditional: melted cheese, refried beans, and salsa Mexicana (my favorite), to the more modern, eggs Benedict, not to mention all the dulce options like lechera or cajeta and fruit, all of which I miss already!

Nature – Stereotypes have a way of getting into your head without you even realizing it, and for me, one that I had prior to our time in Mexico was that it was all deserts down here, which is absolutely not the case. I rarely saw the deserts of the North, but I will certainly miss the agave fields, the waterfalls, the forests, the beaches, and really all the amazing nature Mexico has to offer.

Our neighborhood – As much as I love GDL, what I love most is probably our neighborhood: Colonia Americana. It was recently voted as one of the coolest neighborhoods in the world, and we couldn’t agree more.

Pueblos mágicos – Someone had an amazing idea to boost tourism in some of the random smaller towns across Mexico by creating a pueblos mágicos (or magic towns) list. Visiting these places felt a little like collecting Pokémon, but it also allowed us to see so many different sides to this beautiful country.

Queso fundido – Another pleasant surprise for us came in the form of queso fundido. We knew we loved the queso you get at Mexican restaurants in the US, but real queso is so much better. Thick and eaten with warm tortillas, why has this version not made it north of the border?!

Rainy season – I am so happy that we already got the first storm of rainy season 2023 (a bit early as they usually start in June) because I LOVE RAINY SEASON. The clouds rolling in, the smell of a storm coming, the ridiculous amounts of rain and lightning and thunder, and even the adrenaline-inducing inundaciones that follow.

Spontaneity – If China taught us to expect the unexpected, Mexico has taught us to stop planning ahead so much. It’s far more fun to just wing it, and trust me, that’s actually much easier to do when literally everyone else is doing it too.

Tacos y Tequila – I couldn’t pick just one! Tacos are my favorite food, and learning the true art of the taco has been a dream come true for me, but tasting the best tequilas in the world from the city where they originate is something I’ll also miss dearly.

Usar esto… and by “esto” I mean the Mexico-specific finger gestures used to indicate “sí” or “no”. After being confused by these finger nods for months, we finally asked what they meant, and then quickly adopted them ourselves. I can’t wait to attempt them in Quebec and see the reactions!

Viajar – Of course, one of the things I always miss when we leave a country is the easy access to domestic travel options. I LOVE seeing parts of a country that usually only locals see, and in Mexico, although it was a bit harder to accomplish, I felt equally if not more excited when I was successful.

Weather – Surprisingly, one of the things we’ll miss most is el clima de GDL. Even though it’s so far south, the high elevation means that it doesn’t get super hot, there’s minimal humidity, and the seasons are the most consistent I’ve ever experienced. We almost forgot that in most places (like Canada), you have to check the weather every day before going out – how weird!

Xolos – Seeing a xolo (or Xoloitzcuintle) in the wild, or you know, just walking down the street with its owner was something like a game for us. “Xolo spotting” we called it, and we’ll definitely miss it as well as the regal, hairless dogs themselves.

Yolo vibes – I didn’t know how else to put this, but one of the things I’ll miss most about our Mexico lives are the “yolo” vibes we’ve experienced. “Social Thursdays”, staying up late and eating tacos well into the madrugada, the calm, good-humored or tranquilo way of handling life’s problems; it felt mentally healthier and at the same time, so much fun!

Zócalos – or plazas, are a bit of a stand-in for all the incredible architecture and history that make up each of Mexico’s many beautiful city-centers. Being from a country that loves to knock things down and build anew, I’ll forever be enamored by pre-1700s buildings, of which Mexico has its fair share.

So that’s our list! As always, I’m excited to see which of these really end up being the things we crave in a year or two, but for the time being, I’m happy to spend our last week here relishing these and many more aspects of Mexican Life as we try to gather the courage to leave it all behind. Thanks again, Mexico, what an amazing experience it has been!

I absolutely love Mexican food! Tacos, enchiladas, guacamole…yes, yes, yes! But what I didn’t know and what I’m still learning is that the old stand-bys that we all know and love are only the teeny tiny tip of the authentic, Mexican food iceberg (quite the image, I know!). After delving a bit deeper into some of the regions of Mexico in 2019, and definitely more so recently, I’ve been discovering (and tasting) a lot of this incredible variety. Here’s what I’ve learned so far:

Like in many large, diverse countries, the dishes of Mexico are often grouped by geographical region. The boundaries of these regions might differ slightly from person to person and occasionally a few are lumped together for simplicity, but in general, there are seven main regional cuisines: Baja, El Norte, Bajío/The West, Gulf Coast, Central, South Pacific, and Yucatán.

Starting at the top left is the region of Baja, and you guessed it; this region contains the two states that make up the Baja California peninsula. The food of this region is sometimes called Cali-Mex, and it is often seen as somewhat of a fusion of Mexican and Californian fare. Being surrounded in water, seafood is, of course, a big part of the local cuisine there. Baja is well-known for its amazing ceviches (fresh, raw fish cured in citrus juices) as well as the infamous Baja fish tacos. Interestingly, Baja is also the point of origin for the now quite internationally famous Caesar salad.

Next, and easily the largest region in Mexico is El Norte (The North). This is the region that has arguably had the greatest effect on US-Mexican food (including the super Americanized hybrid that is Tex-Mex). This cuisine and culture evolved around ranch life; thus, beef is a main component. Flour (as opposed to corn) also reigns supreme here, and the need for a meal on the go (say via horseback) is how some say the burrito was born. Fajitas and other grilled dishes are also popular, and many of Mexico’s numerous cheeses are made in El Norte.

The next region on the list is very close to my heart (I live here), and funnily enough it’s often referred to as the “heart of Mexico”. Bajío means lowlands in Spanish, but the region generally includes states not necessary lying solely in the lowlands. This region, of which Jalisco is front and center, is known for its signature dishes, such as birria (a sort of meat stew), tortas ahogadas (literally “drowned sandwiches”, which are sandwiches swimming in tomato or chili-based sauces), and carne en su jugo (“beef in its juice”), as well as its desserts, like arroz con leche (rice pudding) and the absolutely delicious cajeta (caramel made from goat’s milk). Jalisco is also the birthplace of tequila, so the influence clearly doesn’t stop at food!

Heading east, we come to the Gulf Coast of Mexico. This is the region where the Spanish first landed, and their influence can be seen even in the modern-day cuisine of the area. One of the most popular dishes is Huachinango, or baked snapper flavored with traditional Spanish ingredients like olives, garlic, and capers. The incredibly diverse Caribbean and African influence can also be seen in this region. Unsurprisingly, seafood is generally the protein of choice here, particularly shrimp, although plantains also feature prominently, as well as vanilla, which is indigenous to the area.

Another big-hitter in the Mexican cuisine line-up is the Central region, which includes Mexico City and Puebla, two very influential areas. Here the Aztec influence can still be felt (and tasted), especially in the abundant use of chili peppers. In fact, Mexico’s most patriotic dish, Chiles en Nogada (which are stuffed chili peppers in a walnut sauce sprinkled with parsley and pomegranate seeds), hails from this region. Street foods such as tacos and tortas are also generally associated with Central Mexico and like El Pastor (spit-grilled pork), probably come from the mixing of cultures that has always been prevalent in this part of Mexico. Interestingly, while the Central region is famous for its street foods and cheap eats, this is also the location for Mexico’s haute cuisine scene as well.

(chiles en nogada) (el pastor) (tacos y aqua frescas)

Down in the South Pacific region, lies another internationally renowned cuisine, particularly the dishes and food culture of Oaxaca. Known for its moles (traditional Mexican sauces/marinades) and the use of chocolate in savory dishes, the South Pacific has been influenced by the Zapotecs and other indigenous peoples. This is the region where chapulines (grasshoppers) can be found as well as other unique ingredients like huitlacoche (corn fungus). Oaxacan cuisine is often touted as one of the greatest untapped resources of the culinary world.

Finally, we have the oft-visited, Yucatán peninsula. The resort cities of Cancún or Cozumel have their own culinary flair (catered to the needs of their many guests), but this region also has an array of incredible Mayan-influenced dishes. Papadzules (hard-boiled egg-stuffed tortillas covered in a pumpkin seed sauce), Cochinita Pibil (roasted pork), and anything with achiotes (flavorful seeds turned spices), are all unique, colorful, and absolutely delicious. As are the numerous tropical fruits incorporated into this region’s cuisine. Another personal favorite of mine, Yucatán cuisine surprises me at every bite. Even the seemingly simple panuchos (fried tortillas topped with beans, chicken, avocado, and pickled veggies) are just perfect.

Of course, this is only a sample of the thousands and thousands of dishes that originated in Mexico. In fact, some of the most ubiquitous weren’t even included on this list because they don’t really belong to any particular region; dishes like chilaquiles (sort of like breakfast nachos), tacos, sopes (sometimes called Mexican pizza), tostadas, quesadillas, molletes (toasted bean and cheese flatbreads), pozole (hominy or puffed-corn soup), elotes, and tamales. They instead represent the country and its people as a whole; a country every bit as diverse as its cuisine. So, the next time you find yourself in Mexico (or even in a Mexican restaurant) try to stray away from the classic enchiladas or quesadillas and see what other offerings are available – you might find a few new favorites (much like I certainly have). Either way, ¡buen provecho!