Thanksgiving 2013

One might think that in Mexico Thanksgiving is either non-existent or quite dissimilar to turkey day in the USA.  And in many senses you would be right.  However in many other degrees you would be dead wrong.  

This year we hosted an event with over 50 people, mostly Americans and Canadians living in Mexico from a couple of weeks a year to year round.  We hosted the event in the entryway to our condo complex under 2 large palapa (thatched) roofs.  Tables, chairs and tablecloths were ordered for the event and showed up the morning of, and had to be assembled.  We bought 5 turkeys which we distributed between various attendees to cook and bring.  Brent Parkin was also hired to play live music.  Then each guests brought the equivalent of $10 USD to cover the cost of items purchased/rented. Guests were also required to bring a dish to share (and their own beverages).

It's not like having dinner at home with family, but it's the next best thing.  We have made some wonderful friends, and by being inclusive we are always making more.  Our friends (who we now consider like family) have made our experience here in Playa del Carmen wonderful.  The sense of love, family and sharing one might feel at a USA Thanksgiving is just as strong south of the border at our turkey day event.

Me chatting with Larry and Leslie

Brent Parkin

Brie, Jackson and me.

Some of the spread.

Mary, Dan and Neil

Grasshoppers on the Menu at Barro Negro

We met friends, Chris and Betsy, for lunch at the new restaurant Barro Negro in the old Origines building on the corner of 38th Street and Flamingo Avenue.  The waiter handed us menus in English which listed grasshoppers as a primary ingredient in several dishes.  We thought surely this was a mistake.  We asked the waiter who confirmed there was no translation issue - they were serving grasshoppers.

The server at Barro Negro explained that in the Oaxaca region of Mexico grasshoppers are a staple in the daily diet.  He then brought over some miniature dried and salted grasshoppers with lime for us to try.  I refused at first since I am not much of an adventurous eater, but after Chris, Betsy and Allan tried them and said they were good I figured what the heck.  They were a bit crunchy but really all you could taste was the salt and lime so it really did not taste like I was eating an insect. Betsy, who spent her child hood in Hong Kong said outside the Western diet, grasshoppers are on the menu in pretty much every other culture.

The waiter also brought over some grasshopper powder with salt and lime which some apply to the rim of cocktail glasses.  I had enough insects for the day so I passed on trying this one, but everyone else said it was good.  Allan was so inspired he ordered sautéed grasshoppers as his main dish and commented they were very good. I opted for a duck toastada with tomatoes, peppers, cheese and avocado - it was delicious.   In short I would say the food at Barro Negro (for grasshopper fans and those not) is really good but the drinks are very expensive - cokes are about $3 USD - more than twice what they normally are.

Barro Negro Menu

My delicious toastada which I split with Chris

Grasshopper powder

Chris enjoys dry, salted grasshopper with lime

Proper Permits to Run a Restaurant

One of our favorite local restaurants closed a couple of months ago.  Although we're used to seeing restaurants come and go, we hate to lose some of our local haunts.  Playa has a very competitive restaurant scene.  Every year many businesses close and others open.  Some take over empty space, build out the entire restaurant and then never even open.  Others seem to do fine in high season but then starve when all the tourists leave and wind up closing in less than a year.  A lucky few will open, survive and thrive.  And sometimes it will be a cafe that opens with 5 other cafes in a one block radius and turns out to be the new hot spot in town.

Overall though the selection and quality of restaurant food in Playa in my opinion is some of the best, freshest and authentic in the world.  Luckily our local restaurant that closed amazingly reopened last week but in a different location.  We went for dinner the other night along with a group of friends and I just had to ask the waitress what happened.  She explained the owner of the space they were renting before did not have a permit for "Uso del Suelo" (literally, use of the ground).  Without this permit the authorities had come by, fined the restaurant owner, closed the business, and after paying the fine she was open the next day.  The next time she had a knock at the door she was fined a higher amount, closed, paid and opened again. The third time she was fined even more, but this time said no way so she closed and moved locations to where I'm guessing the owner of the new commercial space has a "Uso de Suelo".

Although I had a general idea of what "Uso de Suelo" was, I wanted to get more specifics so I looked it up online and also asked my head of maintenance who is also an accountant what permits are required to have a restaurant.  Essentially "Uso de Suelo" is permission from the local government to have an establishment open to the public.  It helps prevent proliferation of any one type of business and it adds quality control over things like sanitary conditions and public safety.  The cost of such a permit is only around $4,000 pesos (approx. $300 USD).  You can read about it (in Spanish) here: http://actualicese.com/actualidad/2010/01/21/uso-de-suelo-un-documento-obligatorio-para-poder-tener-un-establecimiento-abierto-al-publico/.

In addition to the "Uso de Suelo", a restaurant owner would also need a "Licencia de Funcionamiento" (operator's license), a "Licencia Sanitaria" (sanitary license) and a license to sell liquor (if applicable). Additionally all the employees would need to be registered with hacienda (the local tax authority).  These permits and regulations seem fairly standard, and would be expected in the US.  There may be other permits and permissions I'm missing, but this is what I came up with in my limited research.

Mexico is different than the US in terms of zoning. At least in Playa your neighbor can literally (with the correct permits) drive their car out of the driveway and put in a restaurant or a store in a residential area.  It's not so easy for foreigners to do this, but locals do it all the time.  It certainly makes for some interesting neighborhoods, though at times I do appreciate US standard zoning laws. Who knows, maybe my neighbor in Playa will want to open a late night hamburger joint where people stop for a bite at 6am after hitting the clubs!

Pelican on the beach in Phase 1

Allan, about to enter a cenote in Playa

Dining Out in Playa del Carmen

Dining out is one of Allan and my favorite past times.  While living in Boston we frequented as many affordable and ethnically diverse dining establishments as possible, splurging for the more expensive ones on special occasions like birthdays.  Having since moved to Playa del Carmen we have been pleasantly surprised at the quality of the local cuisine.  Although it's hard to compare the dining options with a major metropolitan and ethnically diverse city like Boston, Playa del Carmen has certainly not disappointed us with its dining options.

One of our local favorites in Playa del Carmen is Da GiGi, located on 5th Avenue between 32nd and 34th Streets, with other locations in the Riviera Maya.  Owner and operator Gigi and his master chefs have been serving up delicious Italian food and pizzas for over a decade.  They make a point to personally check on diners and socialize with them, making the dining experience more personalized.  It has become the place to see and be seen as many local politicians and celebrities dine here as well.  The 5th Avenue location has both outdoor and indoor dining options.  If you choose outdoors make sure to pay a visit inside to see the amazing restaurant decor and layout personally designed by GiGi.

A newbie on the Playa dining scene is El Mero Negrillo, located right around the corner from our house on 26th Street between 5th and 10th Avenues.  Modeled after their sister restaurant in Veracruz, Mexico, El Mero serves fresh Veracruzano style seafood at reasonable prices.  We like to order as an appetizer the oyster sampler (be aware it is very spicy) and then randomly choose one of their many seafood offerings as a main dish.  When in doubt just ask their friendly and accommodating bilingual staff.

Our favorite restaurant, El Camello Jr. (Camel Jr.), is not even located in Playa del Carmen, but rather is 45 minutes south in Tulum.  Situated at the most southern end of Tulum on the eastern side of the main highway, El Camello sits in a very nondescript building with plastic tables and chairs out front.  It's always packed with locals, and has yet to disappoint us.  The fried whole fish was incredible, as well as the fish fillet with garlic and the grilled squid.  Quite frankly we have been ecstatic with every meal so far.  El Camello Jr. offers twice the quality at half the price.

Who would have thought two foodies like Allan and I could move from a dining hub like Boston to a sunny beach town like Playa del Carmen and be satisfied with our dining options?  I can comfortably say when dining out the food in Playa is fresher and costs a fraction of what it would in Boston.  Although the cuisine is not as ethnically diverse as Boston, there are a variety of ethnic establishments in Playa.  Even though we do miss some of the diversity in terms of food, we can always calm our cravings on trips back to Massachusetts.

Tasting a Variety of Odd Tropical Fruit in Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Recently a friend in Playa was telling us how she went to the local store and bought a bunch of fruit she had never tried before, just to see how they tasted. We thought it was a good idea, so we took up the challenge as well. Expanding one's horizons is always a good idea.  Why not try something native and local - maybe we'd really like it?

At the local grocery store, Soriana, we encountered a selection of fruits that we're not really familiar with and decided to buy one of each.  Do you recognize these fruits?

Once home it was time to go to work and try each one.  Luckily Connie, our assistant, was there to help us with the names of each one rather then having to try to find them online.  The first one we tried was pitaya:

I thought pitaya was the most gorgeous looking fruit I've ever seen. Taste wise I considered it bland, crunchy and tangy - not my favorite, but I didn't hate it either.  Allan loved it, and was quick to remind me we already tried it at a friend's place in Playa.  So much for the new and adventurous.

The next one we tried was mamey, and this by far was my favorite:

Mamey tastes and looks like cooked sweet potatoes with brown sugar and maple syrup.  Yum!!  Allan was very hesitant to try it, but loved it in the end.  Per Connie's recommendation we made a shake out of it with honey and milk.  Now I have my favorite concoction!

Third for us was guayaba, which is not really a new flavor for us since even in Massachusetts they have guayaba juices.  However, I've never actually bought or tried the fruit seen here:

Guayaba was disgusting.  Before I even tried it Luis our maintenance man told me not to eat the seeds since they would make me constipated.  Then Connie chimed in and said they would give me diarrhea rather then bind me up.  So much for consensus.  Connie said to eat the skin and everything inside; Luis said to not eat the seeds.  In the end I just took a bite, and it tasted like orange peel - disgusting as you can see here:

Next we tried tunas, also known as prickly pears.  Driving down through Mexico when we first came down we tried one.  It was time to try again.  Jorge our other maintenance man showed us to how to peel it with a fork and a knife so not to pierce our skin with the prickly outside.

I was hesitant to try it again.  When I did, it tasted like bland raspberry water - not too exciting   Here you can see me smelling it before trying it.

Lastly it was time to try tamarind.  We've tried the tamarind flavored candies but never the actual fruit which grows on trees inside large seeds.  At the store the clerk was laughing at us since we only bought one, and I guess traditionally they are purchased in bulk.

The tamarind was sweet and tasted like a mix between a raisin and a prune.  I much prefer the candy version.  Allan wasn't a big fan either.

In the end we're glad we tried all this new fruit.  We found our favorites: mine was mamey; Allan's was pitaya.  I'm sure our fruit bowl will soon look more colorful with these new flavor's we are going to add to our diets!

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Tasting an Odd Variety of Mexican Candy

One of the most notable differences of living in Playa is the assortment of available candy.  There are the traditional M&Ms and Snickers in wide abundance, but you will also discover a large selection of sweets that make one ponder and think really?  Although we have mostly stuck to eating traditional American goodies, we have plunged into a few of the Mexican versions.

In our welcome basket provided to our condo and villa renters we offer Tamborindos.  They are very delicious soft fruit candy made from the tamarind fruit and are covered in chili powder.  This is the favorite snack of my Mexican employee, Claudia, who can often be seen apologizing after raiding our stash.  I have also come to like Tamborindos, but since I refrain from eating candy due to self-imposed dietary restrictions, it is more of a rare splurge.

Unlike American candies which often are very sweet and are filled with peanut butter, Mexican ones are most always topped with hot chili powder and are more salty than sweet like jalapeno and corn flavored candy.  I can distinctly remember our first trip to a Mexican fair where they were serving Popsicles covered with chili sauce and chili powder. To say the least it was an eye opening experience. 

Part of the Mexican experience is trying all these different types of sweets.  I recall when we first came to Playa one of my Mayan Mexican housekeepers invited us over to a kid's birthday party.  In the gift bags given to all the attendees were a bunch of sweets I have never seen before like dulce de leche (milk candy), Salsaghetti (straws of spicy watermelon that look like spaghetti) or chamoy liquid candy (based on a Mexican condiment made from picked fruit).  In retrospect I should have tried them all rather than gifting them to my other employees.  Now that we've settled into life in Playa we should make more of an effort to try these different sweets.  Each Mexican holiday has its own different type of sweet, so it should be a fun cultural experience tasting the full gamut of goods!

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Tamarind candies

Tamborindo candies used in our welcome basket

The last evidence that I ate one

Lollipops with chili powder.  I haven't tried these yet.

 These are spicy and sweet liquid candy flavored like tamarind

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Chicharrones - Tasting Fried Pork Skins

Chicharrones, or fried pork skins, comprise an integral part of the Mexican experience.  Although they are mainly eaten by children with some sort of spicy sauce, they are also a favorite treat for many adults.  I tried my first Chicharon the other day and I must say it met my expectations for greasiness and disgust.

One of our condo owners from Monterrey, Mexico was in town munching down on a bag of Chicharrones.  He offered me either the imitations made from fried flour or the real ones made from deep fried pig skin.  Although I was very hesitant I figured if I was going to try a Chicharron it might as well be authentic.  I put the small light brown, puffy treat into my mouth, and immediately I could taste warm fat.  It was absolutely disgusting.  As soon as it hit my taste buds my fingers went into my mouth and yanked it out.  Although I could have masked the taste with a red spicy sauce like Valentina's, there really was no point.  I didn't really want to eat it anyway.

As a child there was a short period when I enjoyed eating meat fat.  My grandmother on my Dad's side got me hooked.  I don't recall when or why I stopped, but eventually I outgrew this bad habit.  As an adult I can appreciate a good steak with nice fat marbling which adds to the flavor of the meat. However, eating straight fat not only tastes unsavory, it is also extremely unhealthy.

Many countries have unhealthy snacks.  In the US take fried twinkie for example. Many find them delicious but does that mean most anyone would like them?  I know that when my Mexican employees try US style cupcakes and cakes they say the frosting is way too sweet.  I guess when one is raised to like a particular taste or treat it can affect one's food predilections for life.

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Allan and Mauricio and a bag of Chicharrones

Chicharrones at a local restaurant

Demi

Demi

Mitzi

Mitzi

Mitzi and Demi

Mitzi and Demi

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Cooking with Spice

Spicy food in Mexico is a way of life. Like peanut butter and jelly are staples of the good 'ol diet of American children, habenero peppers are fed to Mexican children like candy. If you think jalepeno pepper are hot, you should try habeneros; jalepenos are considered mild/medium in comparison. I have heard they are making a new Mayan chile which may be even hotter.

As part of our Mexican experience, I decided to incorporate some spice into our diet. The first day I made stuffed poblano chiles, which came out fantastic. Poblanos are mild by Mexican standards but would beat Taco Bell's super hot sauce by miles.

My second day of cooking burned me, pun intended. I decided to use jalepenos incorporated into a shrimp dish. No one told me I should have used gloves. I deseeded the peppers by hand and then chopped them up nice and thin. Apparently the juice from the peppers remains on the hands and can be transmitted to other parts of the body. Luckily I only touched my eye once, and was mildly blinded for a few minutes until I flushed it out with water.

However the residue on my fingers lingered for days, causing a mild burning sensation under my finger nails. Even after the 2nd day I could put my finger in my mouth and taste the burn. Thankfully I did not spread it to my privates, which I hear are extremely sensitive to the effects of peppers and burn like anything.

Overall I have found my taste buds are becoming acclimated to more spicy foods. I recall the first time I had spicy food - it was an Indian restaurant in Marbella, Spain and it was not a pleasant experience. How can one enjoy food when one's mouth is burning so much? Over time, and through all the spicy concoctions I eat south of the border, I am starting to like spicy more and more. However, I don't think I will ever become like my employees who use habenero sauce on everything - like we would add salt and pepper. The experience of their tounge burning is apparently a pleasant experince, at least according to their accounts. To support this claim just visit the local grocery store and witness the entire vegetable section practically dedicated to peppers. Like baseball teams are part of the US vocabulary, types of peppers roll of Mexican's tounges quicker than you can say Boston Red Sox.

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