Foodstuff: Gastronomica greatness

I recently hopped a couple of flights for my annual October out-of-town adventure, this time with international flair.

Destination: Mexico City.

My plus one and I were determined to eat through this culinary capital if it killed us. Mexico City is a lot of things, and “place for foodies” is high on the list.

I covered much ground, literally and figuratively, on this trip. So, for today, let’s talk tacos. I hadn’t been to Mexico City in more than 30 years, so everything was new. I love acclimating with an epicurean walking tour. Eater research uncovered a terrific company, Club Tengo Hambre, so I booked their “Insider’s Guide to Merced Market” for our first Mexican morning.

La Merced Market is in the central district of Mexico City and is a must for food lovers or anyone who wants to soak up the chaotic culture of the city center. I’d suggest a guide as it can get very overwhelming, very fast. This three-plus-hour taco tour included six stops (tacos, quesadillas, a mole tasting, and a bonus beer finale) and did not disappoint.

We started with a taco on the perimeter of the main market, filled with fresh Mexican sausage and a “choose-your-own-adventure” topping strategy, with beans, mashed potatoes, griddled onions, nopales, and salsas. The hits kept coming with a bisteca, Oaxacan cheese (so stretchy), and french fry(!) taco, known as a campechano; two, blue-corn quesadillas stuffed with more cheese, sausage, and squash blossoms; a tlacoyo (a Mexican dish of pre-Hispanic origin, reminding me of pupusa), and a mind-blowing mole tasting, hosted by Mexico City’s mole queen, a petite woman simply known by her first name, Balbi (like Mayor Torre but even better). I bought eight bags of mole paste and recommend you do the same. Have fun getting that through customs. We finished the tour with a Mexico City-style michelada (no clamato in sight, just lime juice), and I couldn’t eat for the rest of the day.

As with other food adventures I’ve had in the past, I promise I have a point here (other than making your mouth water). You can have your own taco fiesta without renewing your passport! This tortilla recipe, from the online cooking blog, “Love & Lemons,” is straightforward, and masa harina is easily found at any grocery store in our neck of the woods.

FRESH TORTILLAS*

Yields 12

1¾ c all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling

1 c masa harina

5T olive oil

¾ t salt

¾ c plus 2T very warm water

Combine flour and masa harina in a large bowl, and whisk until combined. And oil and mix until completely incorporated.

Dissolve salt in water, and pour ⅔ cup of it over the flour mixture. Mix with a fork (dough will be clumpy). Mix in the remaining water.

Scoop dough onto a lightly floured work surface, and knead until smooth. It should be a medium-stiff consistency, not soft like bread dough. Divide dough into 12 portions and roll each into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap; let rest for 30 minutes.

Heat a cast-iron skillet to medium.

Place a piece of parchment paper on each side of a tortilla press, and place a dough ball in the center of the bottom circle. Close the top, and press down hard to flatten. Alternatively, you can use a rolling pin to roll out rounds between two pieces of parchment paper.

Place each tortilla on the skillet for 30-45 seconds. Flip and cook for 30-45 seconds more. Don’t overcook; they will become crisp and less pliable for filling. Keep warm in a kitchen towel.

COOK’S NOTES

*Who am I kidding? Just buy the gold standard of tortillas at Tortilleria La Roca in Carbondale, and call it a day.

65,000 steps and likely the same number of calories later, I’ve returned to the Roaring Fork Valley and am missing my perpetual tasty taco fix, but I I will remember this vacation for a lifetime. I plan to make some tacos this week to soothe my soul. ¡Viva México!

Katherine Roberts is a mid-Valley based writer and marketing professional who wouldn’t be mad if someone brought her a daily pan de muerto between now and Día de los Muertos. She can be reached via her marketing and communications firm, Carington Creative, at katherine@caringtoncreative.com.