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South Pacific Coast (Guerrero, Oaxaca, Chiapas)

South Pacific Coast (Guerrero, Oaxaca, Chiapas)

Featured Dishes from South Pacific Coast (Guerrero, Oaxaca, Chiapas)

Aporreadillo

Aporreadillo

Frijoles Oaxaqueños

Frijoles Oaxaqueños

Oaxaca-style refried beans, black beans cooked with onion, epazote (or cilantro), avocado leaves, chili peppers, lard, seasonings

Huevos motuleños

Huevos motuleños

Huevos motuleños is a breakfast food which originated in the town of Motul (Yucatán). The dish is made with eggs on tortillas with black beans and cheese, often with other ingredients such as ham, peas, plantains, and hot sauce. In addition to being served in many restaurants in Yucatán, Quintana Roo and Oaxaca, this breakfast dish is also common in Cuba and Costa Rica.

Memela

Memela

Memelas, also known as memelitas, are fried or toasted cakes made of masa topped with different fresh ingredients eaten as antojitos or snacks in the states of Guerrero, Oaxaca, Tlaxcala, and Puebla, Mexico, which has its origins in prehispanic food. They are similar to fresh corn tortillas, but are slightly thicker and usually oblong/oval in shape. Memela is the local name for the almost identical sope and huarache served in other parts of Mexico, but with different toppings. The corn masa is flattened with a tortilla press, pinched to create indentations along its borders, then placed over a hot comal or griddle. When the tortilla-like base is cooked and charred where the dough hits the hot metal of the grill and becomes as chewy as a medium-well steak, it is then topped with black beans, salsa, shredded cabbage, mole negro, guacamole, and cheese. Although the traditional memela is supposed to be topped with no other additional ingredients, those toppings now vary from recipe to recipe. Modern incarnations include other vegetables and the option of a layer of tinga or potatoes and sausage.

Pan de yema

Pan de yema

Sweet egg bread/rolls

Vuelve a la vida

Vuelve a la vida

Seafood cocktail, made with clams, oysters, red snapper, shrimp, squid in a spicy sauce

Fruit

Fruit

Fruit seasoned with chili, lime juice and salt, commonly sold in bags on the street

Nicuatole

Nicuatole

Sweet corn masa pudding, may include fruit, coconut, milk

Balché

Balché

Balché is a mildly intoxicating beverage that was commonly consumed by the ancient Maya in what is now Mexico and upper Central America. Today, it is still common among the Maya. The drink is made from the bark of a leguminous tree, Lonchocarpus violaceus, which is soaked in honey and water, and fermented. A closely related beverage, made from honey produced from the nectar of a species of morning glory , is called xtabentún. Ritual enemas and other psychoactive substances were also taken by those who drank balché. According to food writer Sandor Katz, the ancient Maya consumed balché in enema form to maximize its inebriating effect. After the Maya were conquered by the Spanish, the drink was banned and their orchards were destroyed.

Beer

Beer

Beer is an alcoholic beverage produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches from cereal grain—most commonly malted barley, although wheat, maize , rice, and oats are also used. The grain is mashed to convert starch in the grain to sugars, which dissolve in water to form wort. Fermentation of the wort by yeast produces ethanol and carbonation in the beer. Beer is one of the oldest alcoholic drinks in the world, the most widely consumed, and the third most popular drink after water and tea. Most modern beer is brewed with hops, which add bitterness and other flavours and act as a natural preservative and stabilising agent. Other flavouring agents, such as gruit, herbs, or fruits, may be included or used instead of hops. In commercial brewing, natural carbonation is often replaced with forced carbonation. Beer is distributed in bottles and cans, and is commonly available on draught in pubs and bars. The brewing industry is a global business, consisting of several dominant multinational companies and many thousands of smaller producers ranging from brewpubs to regional breweries. The strength of modern beer is usually around 4% to 6% alcohol by volume (ABV).

Chilate

Chilate

Chilate is a drink prepared with cocoa, rice, cinnamon and sugar. It is originally from Ayutla de los Libres, Guerrero, México. Chilate is served cold and usually accompanied by buñuelos. Atolli or "maize drink" in Nahuatl, is the base for chilate. This drink is served very cold.

Coffee

Coffee

Coffee is a beverage brewed from roasted, ground coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content, but decaffeinated coffee is also commercially available. There are also various coffee substitutes. Typically served hot, coffee has the highest sales in the world market for hot drinks. Coffee production begins when the seeds from coffee cherries are separated to produce unroasted green coffee beans. The "beans" are roasted and then ground into fine particles. Coffee is brewed from the ground roasted beans, which are typically steeped in hot water before being filtered out. It is usually served hot, although chilled or iced coffee is common. Coffee can be prepared and presented in a variety of ways (e.g., espresso, French press, caffè latte, or already-brewed canned coffee). Sugar, sugar substitutes, milk, and cream are often added to mask the bitter taste or enhance the flavor.

Comiteco

Comiteco

Alcoholic drink from the maguey plant

Hot chocolate

Hot chocolate

Made with water or milk, flavored with ground almonds, cinnamon, vanilla, ginger

Margarita

Margarita

A margarita is a cocktail consisting of tequila, triple sec, and lime juice. Some margarita recipes include simple syrup as well and are often served with salt on the rim of the glass. Margaritas can be served either shaken with ice , without ice (straight up), or blended with ice (frozen margarita). Most bars serve margaritas in a stepped-diameter variant of a cocktail glass or champagne coupe called a margarita glass. The margarita is one of the world's most popular cocktails and the most popular tequila-based cocktail. The history of the margarita is shrouded in mystery and folklore due to its numerous origin stories. According to cocktail historian David Wondrich, the margarita is related to the brandy daisy (margarita is Spanish for "daisy"), remade with tequila instead of brandy. (Daisies are a family of cocktails that include a base spirit, liqueur, and citrus. A sidecar and gin daisy are other related drinks.) There is an account from 1936 of Iowa newspaper editor James Graham finding such a cocktail in Tijuana, years before any of the other margarita "creation myths". The Cafe Royal Cocktail Book, published in the UK in 1937, contains a recipe for a Picador using the same concentrations of tequila, triple sec, and lime juice as a margarita. One of the earliest stories is of the margarita being invented in 1938 by Carlos "Danny" Herrera at his restaurant Rancho La Gloria, halfway between Tijuana and Rosarito, Baja California, created for customer and former Ziegfeld dancer Marjorie King, who was allergic to many spirits, but not to tequila. This story was related by Herrera and also by bartender Albert Hernandez, acknowledged for popularizing a margarita in San Diego after 1947, at the La Plaza restaurant in La Jolla. The story was debunked in 1992 by the San Diego Reader.

Mezcal

Mezcal

Mezcal , sometimes spelled mescal, is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from any type of agave. Agaves or magueys are endemic to the Americas and found globally as ornamental plants. Native fermented drinks from maguey plant, such as pulque, existed before the arrival of the Spanish, but the origin of mezcal is tied to the introduction of Filipino-type stills to New Spain by Filipino migrants via the Manila galleons in the late 1500s and early 1600s. These stills were initially used to make vino de coco, but they were quickly adopted by the indigenous peoples of the Pacific coastal regions of Mexico and applied to the distillation of agave to make mezcal.

Michelada

Michelada

A michelada is a Mexican drink made with beer, lime juice, assorted sauces (often chili-based), spices, and chili peppers. It is served in a chilled, salt-rimmed glass. There are numerous variations of this beverage throughout Mexico. In Mexico City, the most common form is prepared with beer, lime, salt, and particular hot sauces or chile slices. There are several other optional ingredients, such as Maggi sauce, soy sauce, Tajín, Worcestershire sauce, chamoy powder, serrano peppers, or clamato.

Ponche de piña

Ponche de piña

Pineapple punch, common during Christmas

Pozol

Pozol

Pozol is the name of both fermented corn dough and the cocoa drink made from it, which has its origins in Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. The drink is consumed in the south of Mexico in the states of Campeche, Chiapas, and Tabasco. It is a thirst quencher that has also been used to fight diseases. It has also aided indigenous peoples of the Americas as sustenance on long trips across the jungles. Since ancient times, the Maya-Chontales from Belize prepared this drink with boiled cornmeal, cocoa, and grains. Initially, it was called pochotl (from Nahuatl, pozolli, meaning "sparkling"), but after the arrival of the Spanish in Tabasco in 1519, the name changed to the now-familiar "pozol". Pozol was traditionally made by women by fermenting corn dough, which, when dissolved in water, is eaten raw by various ethnic groups of southern and southeastern Mexico. In Chiapas, this drink was prepared for Mayans, Zoqueans and Chiapanecos. Pozol is drunk throughout the day, especially by the lower classes, though it is generally used throughout all classes. In pre-Hispanic times, it was drunk mixed with cocoa, unsweetened; since the twentieth century, sugar and ice are added throughout Chiapas.

Tascalate

Tascalate

Tascalate is a chocolate drink made from a mixture of roasted maize, roasted cocoa bean, ground pine nuts, achiote and sugar or panela, very common in the Mexican state of Chiapas. Tascalate means tortilla water (agua de tortilla) and their origins can be rooted to their noble prehispanic lineage. Ingredients could vary, so that some variants are dominated by the taste of roasted corn, whilst other mixtures are dominated by chocolate flavor. But actually the ingredients are mostly standardized without major variations.

Tejate

Tejate

Tejate [teˈxate] is a non-alcoholic maize and cacao beverage traditionally made in Oaxaca, Mexico, originating from pre-Hispanic times. It remains very popular among the indigenous Mixtec and Zapotec peoples, especially in rural areas. It is also very popular in Oaxaca and the surrounding regions. Principal ingredients include toasted maize, fermented cacao beans, toasted mamey pits and flor de cacao (also known as rosita de cacao). These are finely ground into a paste. The paste is mixed with water, usually by hand, and when it is ready, the flor de cacao rises to the top to form a pasty foam. It can be served as-is or with some sugar syrup to sweeten it. The drink is served cold. The origin of the Mexican Spanish name tejate is not known for certain, but is thought to derive from the Nahuatl "floury water" texātl [ˈteʃat͡ɬ], compounded from "flour" textli [ˈteʃt͡ɬi] and "water" ātl [aːt͡ɬ]. The Zapotec name for tejate is cu'uhb. The main ingredients of tejate are roasted corn flour, fermented cocoa beans, mamey seeds and cocoa flower also known as rosita de cacao, which grows only in San Andrés Huayapam. These ingredients are finely ground into a paste, which is then mixed with cold water, usually by hand, and when ready, the cocoa butter rises to the top of the container to form a pasty froth. The drink is served cold and can be served as is or with a little sugar syrup to sweeten it.

Aporreadillo

Aporreadillo

Armadillo

Armadillo

Armadillos are New World placental mammals in the order Cingulata. They form part of the superorder Xenarthra, along with the anteaters and sloths. 21 extant species of armadillo have been described, some of which are distinguished by the number of bands on their armor. All species are native to the Americas, where they inhabit a variety of environments. Living armadillos are characterized by a leathery armor shell and long, sharp claws for digging. They have short legs, but can move quite quickly. The average length of an armadillo is about 75 cm (30 in), including its tail. The giant armadillo grows up to 150 cm (59 in) and weighs up to 54 kg (119 lb), while the pink fairy armadillo has a length of only 13–15 cm (5–6 in). When threatened by a predator, Tolypeutes species frequently roll up into a ball; they are the only species of armadillo capable of this.

Caldo de chuti

Caldo de chuti

River snail soup

Caldosa

Caldosa

Stew or hearty soup made with chicken, chorizo, ham, potatoes, onions, plantains, taro, corn, sofrito

Chanfaina

Chanfaina

Tripe, offal and vegetable stew

Chileajo

Chileajo

Chileajo mole dish, commonly made with pork (chileajo de cerdo) but can also be made with chicken, vegetables

Clam

Clam

Clam is a common name for several kinds of bivalve mollusc. The word is often applied only to those that are deemed edible and live as infauna, spending most of their lives halfway buried in the sand of the sea floor or riverbeds. Clams have two shells of equal size connected by two adductor muscles and have a powerful burrowing foot. They live in both freshwater and marine environments; in salt water they prefer to burrow down into the mud and the turbidity of the water required varies with species and location; the greatest diversity of these is in North America. Clams in the culinary sense do not live attached to a substrate and do not live near the bottom (whereas scallops do). In culinary usage, clams are commonly eaten marine bivalves, as in clam digging and the resulting soup, clam chowder. Many edible clams such as palourde clams are ovoid or triangular; however razor clams have an elongated parallel-sided shell, suggesting an old-fashioned straight razor.

Cochito

Cochito

Roast pork or suckling pig flavored with chili peppers, spices and herbs

Crab

Crab

Crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura , which typically have a very short projecting tail-like abdomen, usually hidden entirely under the thorax.[a] They live in all the world's oceans, in freshwater, and on land. They are generally covered with a thick exoskeleton. They generally have five pairs of legs, and they have pincer claws on the ends of the frontmost pair. They first appeared during the Jurassic period, around 200 million years ago. Crabs are generally covered with a thick exoskeleton, composed primarily of highly mineralized chitin. Behind their pair of chelae (claws) are six walking legs and then two swimming legs. The crab breathes through gills on its underside; gills must be at least moist to work.

Garnacha

Garnacha

Garnaches are a traditional dish composed of fried corn tortillas topped with refried beans, shredded cabbage, cheese, and other garnishes. Garnaches are especially popular in Oaxaca, Mexico, where they are available in most restaurants as an appetizer and are traditionally made with fried corn masa, refried or blended beans, and Dutch cheese. They are also popular in Belize. Some people prefer replacing cabbage with onions and adding ketchup.[citation needed]

Grouper

Grouper

Groupers are fish of any of a number of genera in the subfamily Epinephelinae of the family Serranidae, in the order Perciformes. Not all serranids are called "groupers"; the family also includes the sea basses. The common name "grouper" is usually given to fish in one of two large genera: Epinephelus and Mycteroperca. In addition, the species classified in the small genera Anyperidon, Cromileptes, Dermatolepis, Graciela, Saloptia, and Triso are also called "groupers". Fish in the genus Plectropomus are referred to as "coral groupers". These genera are all classified in the subfamily Epiphelinae. However, some of the hamlets , the hinds (genus Cephalopholis), the lyretails (genus Variola), and some other small genera (Gonioplectrus, Niphon, Paranthias) are also in this subfamily, and occasional species in other serranid genera have common names involving the word "grouper". Nonetheless, the word "grouper" on its own is usually taken as meaning the subfamily Epinephelinae.

Higaditos de pollo

Higaditos de pollo

Chicken livers are stewed, fried, mixed with rice, eggs

Huarache

Huarache

Huarache is a popular Mexican dish consisting of masa dough with smashed pinto beans placed in the center before it is given an oblong shape, fried, topped with green or red salsa, onions, potato, cilantro and any manner of protein such as ground beef or tongue, then finished with queso fresco. Huaraches are also often paired with fried cactus leaves, or nopales. The dish originates from Mexico City. The name "Huarache" is derived from the shape of the masa, similar to the popular sandals of the same name. The word Huarache is originally from Purépecha and the Nahuatl word for huarache is kwarachi. Huaraches are similar to sopes and tlacoyos but differ in shape. The original huarache does not resemble a pambazo or a memela. Neither can it be classified as a tlacoyo. The main characteristic of the huarache is its elongated shape, which differentiates it from other Mexican snacks, which do not have holes in the upper part. Huaraches originated in Mexico City in about the early 1930s. Their origin was at a stall along La Viga navigation channel, where Mrs. Carmen Gomez Medina prepared tlacoyos. When the navigation channel was covered to make the "Calzada de la Viga", Mrs. Gomez moved to another place and after 1957, when the Mercado de Jamaica was founded, she moved there, and then to a little place at Torno street. Because Mrs. Gomez's new invention was shaped differently than a sope or a tlacoyo and resembled the sole of a sandal, people started to call it "huarache".

Mojarra

Mojarra

Mojarra refers to a family of fish, Gerreidae, found in warm marine environments, including Mexico, where they are often used as bait or prey. Additionally, "mojarra" can also refer to a popular fried fish dish made from species like tilapia, commonly enjoyed in Latin American cuisine.

Mole amarillito

Mole amarillito

Mole made with chili peppers, tomatoes, garlic, Mexican oregano, cinnamon, cumin, cloves, yerba santa leaves, onions, tomatillos, served with chicken, pork, chochoyotes (dumplings)

Mole amarillo

Mole amarillo

A chili pepper sauce thickened with corn flour, used with turkey, vegetables, seafood, tamales

Mole chichilo

Mole chichilo

Stew-like mole made with dark roasted chili peppers, spices, tomatoes, garlic, avocado leaves, chicken or beef stock and burned tortillas

Mole chileajo

Mole chileajo

Sauce made with pork broth, roasted chili peppers, tomatoes, garlic, herbs

Mole coloradito

Mole coloradito

Red mole, made with dried red chili peppers, commonly served with turkey or chicken

Mole manchamanteles

Mole manchamanteles

Stew with meat, fruit, vegetables, chili peppers, tomatoes, pineapple, spices

Mole negro

Mole negro

A sauce made with chilhuacle negro chili peppers, nuts, raisins, plantains, chocolate, onions, garlic, tomatoes, seeds, used in many different dishes, meats

Mole niguijuti

Mole niguijuti

Sauce made for pork, made with chili peppers, garlic, onion, tomatoes, cloves, allspice, sesame seeds, plantains

Mole rojo

Mole rojo

Red mole made with chili peppers, nuts, tomatoes, sesame seeds, raisins, chocolate, cinnamon, broth, bread

Mole verde

Mole verde

Mole , meaning 'sauce', is a traditional sauce and marinade originally used in Mexican cuisine. In contemporary Mexico the term is used for a number of sauces, some quite dissimilar, including mole amarillo or amarillito (yellow mole), mole chichilo, mole colorado or coloradito (reddish mole), mole manchamantel or manchamanteles (tablecloth stainer), mole negro (black mole), mole rojo (red mole), mole verde (green mole), mole poblano, mole almendrado (mole with almond), mole michoacano, mole prieto, mole ranchero, mole tamaulipeco, mole xiqueno, pipián (mole with squash seed), mole rosa (pink mole), mole blanco (white mole), mole estofado, tezmole, clemole, mole de olla, chimole, guacamole (mole with avocado) and huaxmole (mole with huaje). Generally, a mole sauce contains fruits, nuts, chili peppers, and spices like black pepper, cinnamon, or cumin. Pre-Hispanic Mexico showcases chocolate's complex role, primarily as a beverage rather than a confection. Although modern culinary practices emphasize its versatility, historical evidence indicates chocolate's earlier use in sacred rituals and as currency. It wasn't until much later that chocolate was added to mole.

Oaxacan barbecue

Oaxacan barbecue

Pit-grilled beef, chicken, pork, lamb

Pepita con tasajo

Pepita con tasajo

Dried beef cut into strips and cooked in a sauce made with pumpkin seeds, rice, achiote paste, tomatoes, onions and broth, common during Comida Grande celebrations on January 20th

Pescado a la talla

Pescado a la talla

Butterflied and grilled whole fish with one side topped with green salsa and the other side topped with red salsa

Pollo en salsa verde

Pollo en salsa verde

Chicken in a tomatillo and chili pepper sauce

Pozole verde

Pozole verde

Thick soup made with hominy, pork, chicken, fish, tomatillos, avocado, chili peppers, radishes, garlic, herbs, spices, lime juice

Sardine

Sardine

Sardine and pilchard are common names for various species of small, oily forage fish in the herring suborder Clupeoidei. The term 'sardine' was first used in English during the early 15th century; a somewhat dubious etymology says it comes from the Italian island of Sardinia, around which sardines were once supposedly abundant. The terms 'sardine' and 'pilchard' are not precise, and what is meant depends on the region. The United Kingdom's Sea Fish Industry Authority, for example, classifies sardines as young pilchards. One criterion suggests fish shorter in length than 15 cm are sardines, and larger fish are pilchards.

Sea bass

Sea bass

Sea bass is a common name for a variety of species of marine fish. Many fish species of various families have been called sea bass. In Ireland and the United Kingdom, the fish sold and consumed as sea bass is exclusively the European bass, Dicentrarchus labrax. Sometimes referred to as sea bass include the following: Family Serranidae

Seafood

Seafood

Seafood is any form of sea life regarded as food by humans, prominently including fish and shellfish. Shellfish include various species of molluscs , crustaceans (e.g. shrimp, crabs, and lobster), and echinoderms (e.g. sea cucumbers and sea urchins). Historically, marine mammals such as cetaceans (whales and dolphins) as well as seals have been eaten as food, though that happens to a lesser extent in modern times. Edible sea plants such as some seaweeds and microalgae are widely eaten as sea vegetables around the world, especially in Asia. Seafood is an important source of (animal) protein in many diets around the world, especially in coastal areas. Semi-vegetarians who consume seafood as the only source of meat are said to adhere to pescetarianism.

Shrimp

Shrimp

A shrimp or shrimps (UK)) is a crustacean (a form of shellfish) with an elongated body and a primarily swimming mode of locomotion – typically belonging to the Caridea or Dendrobranchiata of the order Decapoda, although some crustaceans outside of this order are also referred to as "shrimp". More narrow definitions may be restricted to Caridea, to smaller species of either group or to only the marine species. Under a broader definition, shrimp may be synonymous with prawn, covering stalk-eyed swimming crustaceans with long, narrow muscular tails (abdomens), long whiskers (antennae), and slender legs. Any small crustacean which resembles a shrimp tends to be called one. They swim forward by paddling with swimmerets on the underside of their abdomens, although their escape response is typically repeated flicks with the tail driving them backwards very quickly. Crabs and lobsters have strong walking legs, whereas shrimp have thin, fragile legs which they use primarily for perching.

Sopa de pan

Sopa de pan

Vegetable soup thickened with dry or fried bread

Taco al pastor

Taco al pastor

Tacos filled with pork and pineapple marinated in a chile sauce

Tacos arabes

Tacos arabes

Marinated shawarma meat, typically pork, that is cooked on a spit and eaten in a pita with, for example, chipotle salsa (Arab taco salsa), chili peppers, crema

Tamal de jacuané

Tamal de jacuané

A tamale made with dried shrimp, black beans, chili peppers, pumpkin seeds

Tlayuda

Tlayuda

Tlayuda , sometimes spelled clayuda, is a handmade dish in traditional Oaxacan cuisine, consisting of a large, thin, crunchy, partially fried or toasted tortilla covered with a spread of refried beans, asiento (unrefined pork lard), lettuce or cabbage, avocado, meat (usually shredded chicken, beef tenderloin or pork), Oaxaca cheese, and salsa. A popular antojito, the tlayuda is native to the state of Oaxaca. It is regarded as iconic in the local cuisine, and can be found particularly around Oaxaca City. Tlayudas are also available in the center-south region of Mexico, such as Mexico City, Puebla, or Guadalajara. The dinner plate-sized tortilla is either seared (usually on a comal) or charred on a grill. Refried beans are then applied, along with lard and vegetables, to serve as a base for the main ingredients. The rules for topping a tlayuda are not strict, and restaurants and street vendors often offer a variety of toppings, including "'tasajo" (cuts of meat typical of the Central Valley of Oaxaca), chorizo, and cecina enchilada (thin strips of chili powder-encrusted pork). They may be prepared open-faced or folded in half.

Bolillo

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Bolillo

A bolillo (in Mexico) or pan francés (in Central America) (meaning "French bread") is a type of savory bread made in Mexico and Central America. It is a variation of the baguette, but shorter in length and is often baked in a stone oven. Brought to Mexico City in the 1860s by Emperor Maximilian's troupe of cooks, its use quickly spread throughout the country. It is roughly 15 centimeters (5.9 in) long, in the shape of an ovoid (similar to an American football), with a crunchy crust and a soft inside known as migajón ( Spanish pronunciation: [miɣaˈxon]). It is the main ingredient for tortas and molletes. It has a slash on top made with a slashing tool or bread lame, which permits the exhaust of steam and the expansion of bread without stressing its skin. Other variations include bolillos made of alternate ingredients such as whole wheat, wheat germ, or flax. The bolillo is a variation of the baguette, and thus often has names in the local language reflecting this. In Guadalajara and Sonora, they are called birotes which are often made with sourdough. In northern Mexico, they are known both as bolillos and pan blanco, whereas in northeast Mexico it is known as pan francés. In Sinaloa, they are called torcido and birote. In Central America, especially in El Salvador, it is also known as pan francés and in Guatemala it is known as pirujo. In Panama, a similar but longer type of bread is known as flauta (flute) while pan francés refers to the thinner, crustier French baguette. In Brazil, a similar bread is made and known as pão francês or pão de sal ("bread of salt"). In the Philippines, another similar baguette-derived bread is known as pan de sal (also "bread of salt").

Chapulines

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Chapulines

Chapulines, plural for chapulín , are grasshoppers of the genus Sphenarium that are commonly eaten in certain areas of Mexico. The term is specific to Mexico and Central America, and derives from the Nahuatl word chapolin [t͡ʃaˈpolin] (singular) or chapolimeh [t͡ʃapoˈlimeʔ] (plural). They are collected only at certain times of year (from their hatching in early May through the late summer/early autumn). They are toasted on a comal. Often they are seasoned with garlic, lime juice, chilies and/or salt.

Chili pepper

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Chili pepper

Chili peppers, also spelled chile or chilli , are varieties of berry-fruit plants from the genus Capsicum, which are members of the nightshade family Solanaceae, cultivated for their pungency. Chili peppers are widely used in many cuisines as a spice to add "heat" to dishes. Capsaicin and the related capsaicinoids give chili peppers their intensity when ingested or applied topically. Chili peppers exhibit a range of heat and flavors. This diversity is the reason behind the availability of different types of chili powder, each offering its own taste and heat level. Chili peppers originated in Central or South America and were first cultivated in Mexico. European explorers brought chili peppers back to the Old World in the late 16th century as part of the Columbian Exchange, which led to the cultivation of multiple varieties across the world for food and traditional medicine. Five Capsicum species have been widely cultivated: annuum, baccatum, chinense, frutescens, and pubescens.

Chipilín

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Chipilín

Crotalaria longirostrata, the chipilín, is a perennial legume that is native to Mexico and Central America. Other common names include chepil, chepilin, chipilin and longbeak rattlebox. Chipilín leaves are a common leafy vegetable in the local cuisines of southern Mexico, including Chiapas, Oaxaca, and Tabasco, and Central America, especially El Salvador and Guatemala. The leaves are high in iron, calcium, magnesium, and beta carotene. They can be boiled and served green, dried and used as an herb, or added to tamale doughs for color and flavor.

Chorizo oaxaqueño

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Chorizo oaxaqueño

Oaxacan chorizo

Frijoles Oaxaqueños

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Frijoles Oaxaqueños

Oaxaca-style refried beans, black beans cooked with onion, epazote (or cilantro), avocado leaves, chili peppers, lard, seasonings

Hoja santa

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Hoja santa

Piper auritum is an aromatic culinary herb in the pepper family Piperaceae, which grows in tropical Central America. Common names include hoja santa , yerba santa, hierba santa, Mexican pepperleaf, acuyo, tlanepa, anisillo, root beer plant, Vera Cruz pepper and sacred pepper. It is a perennial herbaceous plant up to nineteen feet (six meters) in height with heart-shaped velvety leaves. The leaves can reach up to 30 centimeters (12 in) or more in size. The flowers are in simple white spikes containing myriads of tiny florets which rise above the foliage like candles. The entire plant is said to have the fragrance of Sassafras. The complex flavor is not so easily described; it has been compared to eucalyptus, licorice, sassafras, anise, nutmeg, mint, tarragon, and black pepper. The flavor is stronger in the young stems and veins.

Memela

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Memela

Memelas, also known as memelitas, are fried or toasted cakes made of masa topped with different fresh ingredients eaten as antojitos or snacks in the states of Guerrero, Oaxaca, Tlaxcala, and Puebla, Mexico, which has its origins in prehispanic food. They are similar to fresh corn tortillas, but are slightly thicker and usually oblong/oval in shape. Memela is the local name for the almost identical sope and huarache served in other parts of Mexico, but with different toppings. The corn masa is flattened with a tortilla press, pinched to create indentations along its borders, then placed over a hot comal or griddle. When the tortilla-like base is cooked and charred where the dough hits the hot metal of the grill and becomes as chewy as a medium-well steak, it is then topped with black beans, salsa, shredded cabbage, mole negro, guacamole, and cheese. Although the traditional memela is supposed to be topped with no other additional ingredients, those toppings now vary from recipe to recipe. Modern incarnations include other vegetables and the option of a layer of tinga or potatoes and sausage.

Mole amarillito

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Mole amarillito

Mole made with chili peppers, tomatoes, garlic, Mexican oregano, cinnamon, cumin, cloves, yerba santa leaves, onions, tomatillos, served with chicken, pork, chochoyotes (dumplings)

Mole amarillo

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Mole amarillo

A chili pepper sauce thickened with corn flour, used with turkey, vegetables, seafood, tamales

Mole chichilo

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Mole chichilo

Stew-like mole made with dark roasted chili peppers, spices, tomatoes, garlic, avocado leaves, chicken or beef stock and burned tortillas

Mole chileajo

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Mole chileajo

Sauce made with pork broth, roasted chili peppers, tomatoes, garlic, herbs

Mole coloradito

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Mole coloradito

Red mole, made with dried red chili peppers, commonly served with turkey or chicken

Mole manchamanteles

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Mole manchamanteles

Stew with meat, fruit, vegetables, chili peppers, tomatoes, pineapple, spices

Mole negro

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Mole negro

A sauce made with chilhuacle negro chili peppers, nuts, raisins, plantains, chocolate, onions, garlic, tomatoes, seeds, used in many different dishes, meats

Mole niguijuti

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Mole niguijuti

Sauce made for pork, made with chili peppers, garlic, onion, tomatoes, cloves, allspice, sesame seeds, plantains

Mole rojo

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Mole rojo

Red mole made with chili peppers, nuts, tomatoes, sesame seeds, raisins, chocolate, cinnamon, broth, bread

Mole verde

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Mole verde

Mole , meaning 'sauce', is a traditional sauce and marinade originally used in Mexican cuisine. In contemporary Mexico the term is used for a number of sauces, some quite dissimilar, including mole amarillo or amarillito (yellow mole), mole chichilo, mole colorado or coloradito (reddish mole), mole manchamantel or manchamanteles (tablecloth stainer), mole negro (black mole), mole rojo (red mole), mole verde (green mole), mole poblano, mole almendrado (mole with almond), mole michoacano, mole prieto, mole ranchero, mole tamaulipeco, mole xiqueno, pipián (mole with squash seed), mole rosa (pink mole), mole blanco (white mole), mole estofado, tezmole, clemole, mole de olla, chimole, guacamole (mole with avocado) and huaxmole (mole with huaje). Generally, a mole sauce contains fruits, nuts, chili peppers, and spices like black pepper, cinnamon, or cumin. Pre-Hispanic Mexico showcases chocolate's complex role, primarily as a beverage rather than a confection. Although modern culinary practices emphasize its versatility, historical evidence indicates chocolate's earlier use in sacred rituals and as currency. It wasn't until much later that chocolate was added to mole.

Molote

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Molote

A molote is a filled, plantain or corn-based pastry usually served as an appetizer or snack in Mexican cuisine. It consists of a dough made from plantain or corn masa, sometimes blended with mashed potatoes, that is filled with various ingredients, then fried in lard or oil. In some areas molotes are rolled into cigar shapes or ovals, in others they are formed into half moons similar to empanadas.

Olotón

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Olotón

An unusual landrace of maize (corn) with aerial roots that secrete a sugary mucus to feed nitrogen-fixing bacteria, fertilizing itself to thrive in the poor soil near Sierra Mixe District in Oaxaca, Mexico

Pan de yema

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Pan de yema

Sweet egg bread/rolls

Pasilla salsa

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Pasilla salsa

Salsa made with Pasilla de Oaxaca chili peppers, tomatillos, garlic, salt and water

Queso Oaxaca

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Queso Oaxaca

White semi-hard cheese

Tasajo

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Tasajo

Tasajo is a cut of dried beef, normally cooked over a wood fire. In Spain, specifically in Toledo, it consists of marinated deer loin that is smoked over a slow fire of holm oak wood, typical of hunting regions. In the region of La Vera , and in the neighboring town of Candeleda (in Ávila province), it consists of marinated goat meat that has been macerated and dried. It is usually served as an appetizer in the bars of the area, and it is a good accompaniment with pitarra wine.