Rose Burillo – Mexican Culinary Creativity

Whilst it is true that Mexico has a huge amount of delicious culinary delights and plenty of options for both street food and fine dining, I have to confess that for me it is the creativity which can be found in the country that always impresses me. Great food is not always about big price tags and fancy service, sometimes it is in the most simple of approaches and this is definitely one of my favorite things about finding snacks and meals in Mexico. There is very much a no limits approach here in the country and these are some examples of that.

Esquites With Chips

Esquites are sold each evening throughout the country and they are basically sweetcorn which is boiled and then served in a cup with mayonnaise, white cheese and chili. What the creatives souls down here have done however is to use chips instead of a cup and poured that tasty sweetcorn all over them. Usually they do this with Doritos, and they taste absolutely delicious.

Tortas Ahogadas

This dish, hailing from the city of Guadalajara is literally translated as ‘drowned sandwich’ which is also a perfect apt description for what you eat. The torta is famous throughout Latin America, a small, crusty bread bun which is then filled with all manner of ingredients to create some killer sandwiches. This particular sandwich however is served in a bowl and then it is drowned in a spicy tomato sauce, offering a gooey and delicious meal for whoever decides to order it.

Gorditas de Nata

Another favorite of mine, introduced to me by my dear friend Rose Burillo are gorditas de nata which are sweet snacks which come from the curdled milk which comes from making hot chocolate or oat drinks. As the milk clots at the top it is scraped off and then cooked to form a solid sheet. This is something which is very often sold for breakfast and it is a very sweet yet very light option which so many enjoy.

Beers

Whilst not technically a food choice, what these guys do with beer is simply incredible and it really is a sight to behold. The humble beer gets so many makeovers down here, from the michelada which is beer with lime and salt to something a little bit more exciting like the gomichela, which is a beer which is served with gummy sweets, designed to compliment the flavor. On the extreme end of the spectrum you find beers sold with the tomato flavored Clamato, which is served with shrimps inside the glass. There really is no limit to what they do with beers down here.

Maruchan

Instant noodles are not the highest quality of course but they taste good and they are super convenient. These aren’t however, something you expect to get when you are out and about, unless you are in Mexico. Across the streets of Mexico City I have found people showing the ultimate creativity and preparing these instant snacks for customers, and then topping them with some extra cheese and seasoning to make them taste that little bit better.

These are just some of the examples of the creativity which can be found in Mexico.