the land of corn 🌽 (a peek into our mexico trip)
the land of corn 🌽 (a peek into our mexico trip)
'of rice & yams' no.9
In Mexico, there’s a popular saying: "Sin maíz, no hay país," meaning without corn, there is no country.
Woooo! We recently got back from a two-week trip through Mexico, and my appreciation for corn has deepened in ways I never expected. Our journey was split between the lively streets of CDMX (Ciudad de Mexico/Mexico City), the colourful heart of Oaxaca, and the scenic shores of Puerto Escondido, with about 4-5 days in each place to get a good taste of what each had to offer.
CDMX blew our minds with its lush, tree-lined boulevards and plant-filled patios—a contrast to the dry, lofty climate we stepped into. The high altitude caught me off guard with a few unexpected nosebleeds 😳, and had me reaching for cold-qi foods and fruit juices—just as mama taught me. For Reid, it proved to be the easiest place to navigate a gluten allergy, sparking an excitement that had us both journaling about every meal we ate. We had landed in México where the avocados were extra buttery, the limes extra juicy, and all we wanted to do was explore and eat all the foods!
Corn-tortilla tacos were unsurprisingly everywhere, and we dedicated a full day to hopping from shop to shop, tasting variations of al pastor (rotisserie pork served with pineapple), 8-hour braised picanha, and beauutifully presented avocado with Mexican crema on blue corn tortillas with hoja santa (a sacred anise-tasting leaf) pressed into them. At our favourite taqueria, Maizajo, tortillas were made fresh before our eyes, and we gawked giddily as they puffed into perfect whoopee cushions while devouring the masterpieces in front of us. See the post below for our CDMX taco highlights:
In Mexico City, we also tried huitlacoche (a corn fungus delicacy with an earthy, mushroomy taste), chapulines (crunchy, toasted grasshoppers similar to fried onions in texture, seasoned with lime and chilies), and café de olla (coffee fragrantly infused with cinnamon, star anise, cloves, orange peel, and cane sugar). I happily consumed more guava and passionfruit in two weeks than in my whole life combined.
Perhaps the landlocked, dry climate made the prominence of incredible seafood a bit surprising, with aguachiles galore (raw fish marinated in ‘chile water’), show-stopping ceviches, and charcoal-grilled delights with all sorts of fresh salsas pounded in molcajetes (mortar and pestles).
We also floated over the Teotihuacan pyramids in a hot air balloon—a MAJOR highlight and completely worth the 4:30AM wake up. From Reid’s first gluten-free concha (a sweet bread similar to the Hong Kong pineapple buns I grew up eating), to Indian-Mexican fusion, CDMX revealed itself as a haven of food and culture, leaving us eager to return for so much more!
In Oaxaca, we kicked things off with an unforgettable cooking class at Lucina Cocina. We began by visiting a local mercado to gather various ingredients, from tomatillos to rabbit herb (a new taste for me, reminiscent of rau ram or Vietnamese coriander but with plumper leaves). Our enthusiasm for learning about masa (ubiquitous corn dough) prompted our host, Enrique, to make a pit stop at the neighbourhood molino, where nixtamalized corn (soaked and de-skinned) is weighed and ground to create glorious, supple masa. We brought it back to the dreamy outdoor kitchen, wood-burning clay flat top and all, where we spent the rest of the afternoon preparing nine different types of masa—a true taste of Oaxaca’s culinary traditions. You can see all the different types in this reel!
The rest of our time in Oaxaca was spent wandering through the vibrant streets and markets, sampling all the forms of masa we could find. At La Atoleria, we fell in love with atole (a cozy masa-based drink) and savoured a tasting flight featuring flavours like chocolate, guava, coconut, vanilla, and mamey (a native fruit that reminds me of a hybrid of pumpkin and papaya).
We barely scratched the surface of the world of moles, ranging from deep and rich to bright and fruity, with a spectrum of spice in between. Our favourite was probably a tie between a braised short rib mole with plantain purée, and a tamal stuffed with a chili, which was in turn stuffed with turkey, served alongside a pineapple tomato mole. It’s not at all surprising that I loved the ones with fruit 🍍
We felt like kids in a candy store at the bustling Mercado Tlacolula, a market brimming with colourful textiles, artisanal goods, and endless stalls of dried goods selling everything from cacao beans to regional spices. By noon, the market was alive with locals enjoying lunch—a copious array of meats and vegetables purchased from vendors and grilled on the row of charcoal grills available. We cooked up some flank and chorizo, accompanied by fresh tortillas (of course), onions, limes, avocados, and tomato salsa.
Our trip wound down at the beach in Puerto Escondido, known for its consistent surf-ready waves. At this point, our magical, gluttonous food tour had come to an end, but it was nice to enjoy a few slower days in a more humid, tropical climate.
This trip was a true feast for the senses, and I’m so grateful for our deepened understanding of Mexico's rich culinary landscape and its role in gluten-free eating. For all the stops we made, see the map I’ve put together here!
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SOME HELPFUL TIDBITS 💁🏻♀️
Gluten to look out for 🔍
If you are ordering a raw fish dish (ceviche or aguachile), double check that there’s no soy sauce in the marinade.
Although flour tortillas are not as common as they are in the US and Canada, make sure you’re always getting a corn tortilla with your tacos.
Useful Spanish phrases 🗣️
Yo soy alérgica al gluten (feminine) / yo soy alérgico al gluten (masculine) – I am allergic to gluten
Es sin o con trigo – is it without or with wheat?
Don’t be funny with your money, honey 💰
The Wise app is a total game changer for traveling to destinations with foreign currencies. You can hold multiple currencies at once and their pre-paid credit card is great for avoiding high exchange fees!
Getting around 🚕
Uber is widely used in CDMX, but download the Didi app for getting around in Oaxaca and Puerto Escondido
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It’s been an incredible stretch of travel and time with loved ones, but I am looking forward to a calmer spring with more space to let this newfound inspo flow into my projects. Until next time!
✌🏼 Peace, love and good food,
Jannell
Looks like you had a great trip! I've definitely had CDMX on my list of places to travel to and am happy to have some tips on navigating gluten-free eating there.