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A little about Playa Zipolite, The Beach of the Dead . . .

Playa Zipolite, Oaxaca, Southern Mexico, on the Pacific Ocean. A little bit about my favorite little get-away on this small world of ours.

Zipolite, a sweaty 30-minute walk west from Puerto Angel, brings you to Playa Zipolite and another world. The feeling here is 1970's - Led Zep, Marley, and scruffy gringos.

A long, long time ago, Zipolite beach was usually visited by the Zapotecans...who made it a magical place. They came to visit Zipolite to meditate, or just to rest.

Recently, this beach has begun to receive day-trippers from Puerto Angel and Puerto Escondido, giving it a more TOURISTY feel than before.

Most people come here for the novelty of the nude beach, yoga, turtles, seafood, surf, meditation, vegetarians, discos, party, to get burnt by the sun, or to see how long they can stretch their skinny budget.

I post WWW Oaxaca, Mexico, Zipolite and areas nearby information. Also general budget, backpacker, surfer, off the beaten path, Mexico and beyond, information.

REMEMBER: Everyone is welcome at Zipolite.

ivan
Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts

Friday, March 28, 2025

Tuesday, March 25, 2025

Taste of Mexico: Chía seeds

Famous worldwide for its health benefits, chia is — you guessed it — a distinctly Mexican flavor

Sunday, March 23, 2025

Casa San Agus rsSpotoendc2ihc1h2ic493t60a7319u h ta2t27792803tgcu5 9 19fm0 1 21h · Ven a disfrutar de nuestras Tortas Gigantes, estilo chilango. En Cafetería Posada Casa San Agus. Nos encontramos en la calle principal de San Agustinillo, casi en la entrada llegando desde Mazunte. De martes a domingo desde las 11:00am Come and enjoy our Giant Cakes, Chilango style. At Cafe Posada Casa San Agus. We found ourselves on the main street of San Agustinillo, almost at the entrance coming from Mazunte. Tuesday to Sunday from 11:00 am

 Casa San Agus

Ven a disfrutar de nuestras Tortas Gigantes, estilo chilango.
En Cafetería Posada Casa San Agus.
Nos encontramos en la calle principal de San Agustinillo, casi en la entrada llegando desde Mazunte.
De martes a domingo desde las 11:00am
Come and enjoy our Giant Cakes, Chilango style.
At Cafe Posada Casa San Agus.
We found ourselves on the main street of San Agustinillo, almost at the entrance coming from Mazunte.
Tuesday to Sunday from 11:00 am




Monday, March 17, 2025

Pecan-pie cobbler, the Mexican way

Pie is serious business in Mexico, after all, we fought a war over it — so why not remix a classic?

Taste of Mexico: Quelites

These might technically count as "tastes" of Mexico, but either way, they're an essential part of the flavor that you know and love.

Saturday, March 8, 2025

Taste of Mexico: Quelites

These might technically count as "tastes" of Mexico, but either way, they're an essential part of the flavor that you know and love.

Tuesday, February 25, 2025

Saturday, February 15, 2025

bonito todo me parece... - Restaurant Boca del mar Zipolite - Facebook


bonito todo me parece... - Restaurant Boca del mar Zipolite - Facebook
bonito todo me parece bonito #happyfriday #zipolitebeach #weekendvibes #bocadelmarzipolite #restaurante #bar.





Taste of Mexico: Cuitlacoche Have fun pronouncing this one — and have even more fun eating it. Does Los Cabos have too many golf courses? With almost one course per 15,000 residents, Los Cabos has become a golfing destination sans compare — but at what cost?

https://mexiconewsdaily.com/food/taste-of-mexico-cuitlacoche/?utm_source=newsletter_free


Taste of Mexico: Cuitlacoche

I’ve seriously considered renaming this series to “Don’t judge my ingredient by its suspiciously odd appearance.”

Today, I want to introduce you to huitlacoche, often referred to as the Mexican truffle. It has a unique flavor that I’m sure I won’t be able to describe perfectly. Although huitlacoche has been around as long as maize, its popularity as a food source is a more recent development.

Closeup of a corn cob infected with huitlacoche or cuitlacoche fungus
This handsome devil is huitlacoche, the delicacy known in English as corn smut. (Amada44 / CC 4.0)

Cuitla-what-che? 

Cuitlacoche, also known as huitlacoche, is a parasitic fungus that exclusively grows on maize plants, affecting their corn kernels, stalks and leaves. Called corn smut in English, it typically appears during the rainy summer season and can vary in color from grayish to bluish and even deep black. The flavor of huitlacoche is as intriguing as its appearance; it has earthy notes with hints of chocolate, vanilla and a slightly bitter taste, alongside a subtle smokiness and a resemblance to white corn. See? Words fail at adequately describing its unique flavor.

The Náhuatl word cuitlacoche roughly translates to “excrement that grows on something”;in this case, corn. While we won’t delve into the psychology of the Mexica people, the name provides insight into how cuitlacoche was not traditionally regarded as a prized ingredient in pre-Columbian cultures.

Is it really like truffle?

The comparison isn’t entirely far-fetched. In traditional settings, the origin of huitlacoche is unpredictable, and locating infected corn cobs among towering maize fields, which can grow over two meters high, is a challenging and time-consuming task. The growth of huitlacoche is directly influenced by rainfall and humidity levels. Although it may seem easy to manage humidity in a field, the fungus is actually spread by birds and other natural factors that affect the maize. Therefore, it has traditionally been difficult to control huitlacoche production. In recent decades, however, huitlacoche production techniques developed by Mexican scientists have made it possible to grow the fungus year-round with reliable yields.

In terms of cost, though not quite at the level of truffles, huitlacoche is often more expensive than regular corn, due to its rarity and the challenges associated with harvesting it.

A modern dish 

Historical research reveals that pre-Columbian cultures viewed huitlacoche more as a nuisance than as a delicacy. In fact, they believed that eating it could lead to poisoning. 

A pile of corn cobs infected with huitlacoche or cuitlacoche fungus next to a pile of other vegetables
Huitlacoche on the cob. (Secretaría de Agricultura y Desarrollo Rural)

It wasn’t until the 1950s that upscale restaurants began to feature dishes like huitlacoche crepes and chicken in huitlacoche sauce on their menus. These dishes gained popularity for their exotic and intriguing qualities.

Today, huitlacoche is much more accessible and widely consumed, although its popularity remains largely concentrated in central regions of Mexico. Even now, in some rural communities, the appearance of huitlacoche is considered a divine curse. In others, it is ignored, and in some instances, it is consumed more out of necessity than as a culinary treat.

If it’s god’s poo, why are you eating it? 

The way we cook huitlacoche — with onions, aromatic herbs and garlic — may be what makes its flavor absolutely delicious and irresistible. 

Packaged cuitlacoche or huitlacoche at a supermarket
As a supermarket shopper, you’re more likely to encounter cuitlacoche in this form when looking for it in the vegetables section. (Nsaum75 / CC A-SA 3.0)

In addition to its great taste, recent studies have shown that huitlacoche offers numerous health benefits due to its high levels of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and proteins. Fun fact for our vegetarian friends: huitlacoche contains 17% more protein than other mushrooms and has less fat than most of them.

Ways to enjoy the Mexican Truffle

In Durango, Jalisco and Chiapas, huitlacoche is used to make a drink, a type of atole. In central Mexico, where the most experimentation with this fungus occurs, it is consumed in soups, moles, tamales and, of course, tacos and quesadillas. 

Interestingly, pairing huitlacoche with nixtamalized corn in tacos and quesadillas maximizes its nutritional benefits. So, if you see huitlacoche or cuitlacoche on the menu at a restaurant, don’t hesitate to try it. The flavor is unique and unlike anything you’ve experienced before. 

A cuitlacoche taco. (E.dronism / CC SA 4.0)

If you’re walking down the street and come across a taco or quesadilla stand offering cuitlacoche, make sure to order a taco. My personal favorite is the quesadilla, which features a homemade long tortilla, Oaxaca cheese and cooked cuitlacoche. That first bite is simply glorious!

Making your own cuitlacoche dishes

Want to prepare cuitlacoche at home? As always, we’ve got you covered! When buying huitlacoche, it’s best to purchase it still on the corn cob. However, if you prefer to skip the hassle, look for pre-packaged trays. If the huitlacoche appears black, dried out, or has black juice surrounding it in the tray, it’s likely not very fresh. Fresh huitlacoche should look grayish and fluffy, almost begging to be squeezed.

 

To cook the fungus, the simplest and most common method is to sauté garlic and onion in a pan with some oil until they become translucent. Then, add the huitlacoche and cook until it releases some of its juices and aromas. Finally, season with salt to taste and add a few leaves of epazote. Treat huitlacoche like any other mushroom, and you’ll be just fine. Once your huitlacoche is cooked, heat up a tortilla and prepare yourself a taco!

In Chiapas, a southeastern state, I learned that you can enjoy huitlacoche uncooked by making a purée. Simply mash the huitlacoche and add some salt. Once you have your purée, use it to make quesadillas. To a regular tortilla, add cheese and your huitlacoche purée, then cook until the cheese is melted. The flavor is so much more intense and fresh this way.

Have you tried the Mexican truffle? How would you describe its flavor?

María Meléndez is a Mexico City food blogger and influencer.