There’s no better way to dive into a culture than by sampling the local cuisine. Here are a few strange foods in Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, Mexico. Are they delicacies or fear-factor dining? Take a bite ( or a sip) and decide!
1. Salsa de Chicatanas: At the beginning and end of the rainy season, locals gather baskets full of flying ants as the insects escape from their flooded nests. The black ants are then toasted on a clay grill called a comal and ground in a molcajete to make salsa de chicatanas, a treasured spring delicacy. The ants are so prized you won’t find them in the market so your best bet is to sign up for a food experience with Gina Machorro at the Information Booth or befriend one of chefs at a restaurant such as Las Margaritas, that specializes in local cuisine.
A tasty trio of grilled chicatanas (ants), ants a la Mexicana and ant salsa for tacos Credit: Gina Machorro
2. Tamales de Tichinda: These warm tamales are stuffed (and accompanied) by fresh black snails. Look for them near the Colotepec River or try them in the towns surrounding Chacahua Lagoons National Park.
3. Chapulines: Crunchy, toasted and spiced grasshoppers are delicious in tacos or on their own as a quick snack. Take a food tour with Gina’s Walking Tours for an introduction to these crispy critters or buy some in Benito Juarez Market and experiment with them as topping for your favourite dish.
Pick up some toasted chile grasshoppers called chapulines at Benito Juarez market
4. Cuitlacoche: This unique black corn fungus is so revered for its earthy flavour that it’s known as the Mexican truffle. Appearance-wise, the delicacy may be as appetizing as a lump of coal, but the black gold fetches top dollar in local markets.
5. Mezcal: There’s a reason that artisanal mescal, tequila’s quirky cousin, is steadily earning its place on bar shelves worldwide. While tequila production is restricted to only one type of agave, skilled Oaxacan mescaleros craft mezcal blends using up to 20 different types, resulting in subtle nuances in flavour ranging from citrusy to smoky. For an adventure in taste, try a shot of Don Franco, a potent local liqueur or indulge in mezcal made with pechuga (raw chicken breast). Worm salt will make it taste even better.
Mezcal production in Oaxaca, Mexico
6. Nopal: Visitors are likely to raise an eyebrow when first spotting the prickly plant on the menu, but nopal cactus is one of Mexico’s most iconic ingredients.Try it for yourself at the market, where you can watch Zapotec or Mixteco vendors remove the spiky spines, peel the rind and then stack the shiny paddle-shaped leaves to go. With its delicate, tangy flavour, cactus is versatile.
Shop for nopal in Puerto Escondido’s Benito Juarez Market
7. Mole: This staple, which can refer to a variety of traditional sauces, takes hours to make and is a must-have at any Mexican celebration. Though Oaxaca is known as the Land of Seven Moles, if you’re forced to choose just one, go for the mole negro: a rich, spicy and smoky-sweet sauce made from tomatoes, almonds, raisins, chocolate, plantain and chilis, including the rare chilhuacle variety, grown only in southern Mexico.
8. Paletas: Icy paletas, made by freezing purified water with sugar and fruit, offer a quick and delicious way to cool off in the heat. Expect to find watermelon, guava and mango along with exotic creations like tequila, gooseberry or jicama with chili and gardenia petals.
Fresh fruit paletas or popsicles in Oaxaca Mexico
Travel Planner
Oliver Dawson and Alvin Starkman go local during The Spirit of Oaxaca Mezcal and Beer Lover’s Tour of Oaxaca, Mexico
Sample plenty of artisanal mezcal, authentic Oaxacan cuisine and craft beer during the 7-day Spirit of Oaxaca Mezcal and Beer Lover’s Cultural Tour, taking place on November 1, 2014. While the tour doesn’t go to Puerto Escondido ( yet), it goes deep into the countryside of Oaxaca to meet local mezcal producers.
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