Blog: Oaxaca

What I Had for Dinner Tonight 16-Aug-2023

2023-08-16 by Pablo Morales

This post was written in en

What I Had for Dinner Tonight

A Traditional Oaxacan Dish

By Pablo Morales

Recent Trip

On my most recent trip to Oaxaca I brought back lots of delicious foods with me. One food item that always comes back with me is tlayudas.

This is a Tlayuda

Image without description

A tlayuda is a big tortilla tortilla that is a staple food in Oaxaca made out of corn and water. They are huge and twice the size of my head. These are no regular tortillas. This has been a food I've been eating since I was a young kid with my parents, grandparents, other relatives, and many friends. Even in moments of low funds, I have always been able to rely on these to meet my needs.

Often times the tlayuda itself is the plate which you eat on. What I mean by this that often times you don't use an actual plate on the table to hold your tlayuda but the tlayuda is your plate.

How It's Eaten?

There are many ways on how you eat one but here are the ways I eat them:

  • You rip the tlayuda piece by piece until there is no more
  • You can roll it up and just starting biting into it.

What's on this Tlayuda

This one is a simple Tlayuda. For the toppings, I used:

  • Tlayuda as the base
  • Homemade refried beans
  • Quesillo (Oaxacan String Cheese)
  • Chapulines (Grasshoppers). Yes, you read that correctly.

Why I Chose These Ingredients

I brought back plenty of these ingredients with me from Oaxaca since I don't get to have these often or it's hard to find around here. Even when i do find them here, it doesn't have the same taste or the ingredients are old. I'm trying to eat as much of them as fast as I can.

I love quesillo. Even though my body I don't agree with dairy much but quesillo is something that I never have a problem with. It probably the way it's cultured.

I also haven't had much of an appetite the last few days and I haven't been craving much meat either. The chapulines provide me a substantial amount of protein and nutrients. It's common in Oaxaca to go multiple meals without eating meat. There are times where I don't eat meat for weeks at a time

Keep Connected with My Roots

As a first generation Mexican-American and Oaxacan, food is important to me to help me stay connected with my culture.

My Final Days in Oaxaca

2023-08-08 by Pablo Morales

This post was written in en

My Final Days in Oaxaca

Tonight, will be my last full day in Oaxaca. I will return to the United States tomorrow. So many emotions are running through my head. I am sad that I have to return to my life back home. I enjoyed so many great moments with people by rekindling old relationships. I became a version of myself I usually don't see often in the States. I learned so many lessons I took at heart.

I you Oaxaca,

Pablo

Riding in the Taxi

The Mountains

My Soon To Be Goodbye

Audio: Enjoying La Plaza - Weekly Farmer's Market

2023-08-01 by Pablo Morales

This post was written in en

I'm trying audio blog posts. Enjoy!

Transcript I'm currently in rural Oaxaca in a small village. I'm currently at the weekly farmers market located in "La Plaza" or the town square. Every week there is so many good foods, fresh foods from many vendors.

Things I've eaten in Oaxaca in the last 48 hours 3

2023-07-27 by Pablo Morales

This post was written in en

Hello from rural Oaxaca! I've been eating so much food since I got here. There are so many foods I don't get to eat except when in Oaxaca. Food is a very important in my culture. Oaxacan food is probably the best cuisine out there! It is one of the most I might be a little biased, so don't judge me.

I'm definetly over indulging

Here are the things, I've eaten in the last 48 hours.

  • Tlayudas (Huge Tortillas)
  • Tortas
  • Ice Cream
    • Leche quemada (Burnt Milk/Cream)
  • Tasajo - A certain cut of meat
  • Tacos - Ingredients
    • Tlayudas
    • Tasajo
    • Quesillo (Our version of string cheese)
    • Salsa Verde
  • Paletas de ( Popsicle)
    • Limón (Lime)
    • Tuna (Prickly Pear)

If you want to know more about Oaxaca, please send me a webmention or email me at hello@lifeofpablo.com.

A well deserve detachment of the US Food diet

2023-07-24 by Pablo Morales

This post was written in en

I've noticed that my diet hasn't been the best in the last few weeks. I've been eating out a bit more than I would like. I hate to say but I've been busy building new things on the web, work projects, and life overall. I'm taking a well deserved holiday soon to a place special to me in Mexico. I've been thinking how I need to cleanse and detach myself from the US food culture. I want to stay away as far from chemicals and additives. Don't get me wrong these are found in all countries, especially in processed foods.

I'm excited to get some homemade food in Mexico. I'm excited for fresh ingredients from the farms and gardens in the village I am staying in. I feel that it's hard to know where your food is coming from when in the United States.

The goal is not to eat at any US-based chain fast food places or hamburgers, pizza - you know the common fast food culprits? This should be relatively easy because those are far away from the village I am staying in. Fast food has infiltrated even the most remote places. I want to indulge in so many authentic foods I don't get the chance to eat except when I am in Mexico. This is a change to reconnect with my roots, reform past relationships and find parts of me that United States culture has suppressed. Food is a good way to reconnect with lost parts of me. I will attach to good things and detach from bad things. At least for a while.