Podcast Episode 83: Where to eat in Oaxaca, Mexico

1. Highlights

Oaxacan Hot Chocolate

• Dolores wrote the thesis Culinary Tourism in Mexico: Small Business Perspectives (San Diego State Press) and paper "Regional Insights of Culinary Tourism in Mexico: Cooking Schools in Oaxaca", International Journal of Hospitality and Tourism.

• The best times of year are October-December with Day of the Dead and other major holidays. July is also a festive time to visit Mexico.

• The largest cooking school in the area is Seasons of My Heart Cooking School

• Learn why Oaxaca is known as the “Land of Seven Moles ” (pronouced "moh-leh")

• Oaxacan chocolate is typically served as a frothy drink. Chile de agua, huitlacoche, and epazote are common ingredients in Oaxacan-style cooking.

• Discover local cheeses at Etla Market, enjoy barbacoa at the Zaachila Market, or try empanadas or traditional breads at the Tlacolula Sunday Market

• The cheapest way to get around is in a colectivo taxi, which is commonly shared with several people.

• English is commonly spoken in the tourist areas, but it is advisable to know some Spanish when exploring beyond the major cities.

• Many small restaurants in Mexico offer an inexpensive ‘menu de dia’.

• When eating at a restaurant in Mexico, you are welcome to stay as long as you wish. You will need to request the check when you are ready to leave.

• Artisan producers in Mexico are welcoming to tourists and are open to sharing the experience of making traditional foods.

• Food trucks are not very prevalent in Oaxaca, but one stand-out is La Hormiga

• Cinco de Mayo is primarily celebrated in the Puebla region to commemorate a victory over the French. Mexican Independence Day is Sept 16th.

Food for Thought

• Q: Which Mexican herb is known for reducing the gassiness commonly associated with eating beans?

• A: Epazote

Out of the Frying Pan Picks:

• Restaurant with great View: Casa Crespo

• Best Place to get Cocktails: Do a Mezcal tasting at Los Hermantes on Crespo Street

• Favorite Marketplace to eat: Mercado de la Merced for breakfast or Tlacolula Sunday Market for anytime

• Traditional Oaxacan Breakfast: salsa en huevos with black beans and corn tortillas

• Big Food Festivals: El Saber Del Sabor

• Chefs to Watch: Chef Pilar Cabrera at La Olla; Reyna Mendoza is home cook who has trained renowned American chefs like Rick Bayless

• Recommended travel guides: Trip Advisor, word-of-mouth, food magazines

• Prediction for food tourism in Mexico: continued growth particularly in traditional regions like Oaxaca and Puebla. Another up and coming region is Baja California (Ensenada).