Mexico City’s Centro Histórico is where it all unfolds: centuries-old buildings decorated with saints carved in stone; churches that once housed cloistered nuns; family-run fondas dishing out home-style classics just as they have for more than a hundred years. Picture all of this against a bustling backdrop of thousands of people buying necessities for their daily lives. There’s a Centro that tour
ists visit, and then there’s the one we visit: an enclave south of Bellas Artes that has changed little since it was “modernized” in the 1930s. Corn mills and tortillerías still supply neighborhood families and nearby restaurants, churning out masa (corn meal) and fresh tortillas daily. On this walking tour we’ll not only eat, we’ll also learn about the history and preparation of each food item. Along with taking an up-close look at how tortillas are made, we’ll try light, flavorful seafood tostadas, which the city’s serious foodies claim to be the best in town. We’ll meander through the neighborhood and try flat, crisp masa patties called tlacoyos, stuffed with beans or cheese and topped with cactus, that are made on a grill propped up on the sidewalk. We’ll have an artisanal cheese-tasting at a covered market favored by local gourmets, where we’ll also learn from a tropical fruit vendor what separates a mamey from a chicozapote. We’ll end the tour with a taste of pulque, a native Mexican alcoholic beverage made from fermented maguey sap, whose history dates back to pre-Hispanic times. It’s a fitting end in a city where the Aztec influence still runs deep and centuries-old culinary traditions are as vital as ever. Still have questions? Please contact us at [email protected]. We also offer culinary walks in Athens, Barcelona, Istanbul, Rio and Shanghai. See at: http://www.culinarybackstreets.com/culinary-walks/mexico-city/
