Tequila Country

The journey begins with a stop off at our favorite torta ahogada cafe. With full bellies, we headed toward Tequila country. Although agave, the plant that gives us Tequila, is grown in many parts of southwestern Mexico (and beyond) the beautifully sleek and cool-green colored plants seem to create an indefinite blanket across the landscape the closer you get to Tequila.

Before arriving at the town, we detoured to pay a visit to the Tres Mujeres tequila distillery, which makes a great series of all-natural tequilas. With the sleepy sun nearing the horizon we were only able to take a peek this time, but I have included some pictures of the distillery from this fall.

 

The agave plant is harvested at around 8 years old, when the piña, or the center of the agave plant, is full and ripe. At this time, the harvester slices off the leaves with a shovel, leaving the piña intact for steaming.

After steaming, the agave juice is extracted and fermented. From here, the agave is distilled to 35% alcohol and sent either for packaging as tequila blanco or for aging in oak barrels to become tequila reposado, añejo or super añejo.

The longer is has aged the more oak flavored and carmel-colored it will be. If you are new to buying tequila, note that regardless of the age, 100% agave is what you will want to find.



When we aren’t sipping tequila, we are enjoying a paloma (dove in English), which is said to be the original margarita. Incredibly refreshing and simple, it consists of tequila, fresh lime juice, grapefruit soda, water, and a little salt over a glassful of ice. There are also variations with orange soda and lemon-lime soda. I suggest mixing fresh grapefruit juice with carbonated water and agave syrup.

While we were in Tequila, we stocked up to make palomas on the beach.

John, chipper after a good night of camping.

Along with the tasty tequila available in the Tequila area, the countryside and city are also must-sees. After leaving Tres Mujeres, we ventured up the side of Volcán Tequila, which overlooks the city to find a camp spot. The mixture of flora in Mexico has always been interesting wherever we have camped. Here there were oaks, wild corn, papaya trees, and wild agave among other types of vegetation.

East side view, Nevada de Colima, Volcán Colima, west side view

Guadalajara is in the Sierra Nevada or the trans-mexican volcanic belt, which stretches from Gulf of Mexico near Veracruz to the pacific coast near Puerto Vallarta and contains the highest peaks of Mexico and several active and dormant volcanoes. Last month, we camped on the 6th tallest peak in Mexico, the inactive volcano- Nevado de Colima- at 14,009 feet.
We spent the morning gazing at is its sister volano, Volcán Colima, which is said to be one of the most active volcanoes in North America. The last two eruptions (in 2005) were apparently largest it has produced for decades, the latter being over 3 miles into the air. We were going to hike to the top of Nevado de Colima to get better view of Volcán Colima but at that time the guards had prohibited hiking beyond the guard station due to an increase in volcanic activity.



We simply didn’t have time to hike to the top of Volcán Tequila this trip but we did get some great views of the valley below and the countryside as we headed into town for breakfast.

Tequila was declared a UNESCO World Heritage location in 2006 and is one of the three Jaliscan pueblos mágicos, marked for its traditional culture and quaint setting. Likewise, we wanted to give my sister-in-law (who was visiting) a taste of a traditional Mexican breakfast: Chilaquiles and huevos, but we also split some mango juice (spiked with tequila of course in honor of our location).

Chilaquiles

 We had our first taste of this spicy salsa-bathed tortilla dish in one of the other pueblos mágicos called Mazamitla, and now seize any opportunity to have them. They are made by slicing corn tortillas into triangles, frying until crisp, cooking them in salsa- verde or rojo- until saturated but still with a little crunch, and then topping them with queso fresco. After this trip, we have been making chilaquiles almost everyday for breakfast.

 After breakfast, we wandered around the town exploring alleyways. 

Middle picture is courtesy of John Kratz

I caught a glimpse of scaffolding and vivid color through a hole in a building under remodel and stopped abruptly to peer in. A women noticed and smiling, told me I could just walk around the block and enter the building if I wanted to see it. I really glad she said something...




Before heading out of town, we stopped in at the main church. Inside, there is a memorial area dedicated to Saint Toribio Romo González, who was persecuted and killed by the Mexican government in 1928. He happened to be hiding out in a tequila factory at that time.

Well, that was our time in Tequila country. Next up: The mysterious: Los Toriles Ruins and La Playa Salvaje... 

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Great pre-semester trip

Well, this last week was an exciting and full one. Out to show my sister-in-law the wonderful things we love about Mexico, we ventured on a five-day viaje toward the Nayarit/Jalisco coastal beaches and back through colonial towns and lush landscapes. The stories from this trip could fill at least a half dozen posts so that is exactly what I am going to do! These will be the upcoming posts:

Day 1: Agave and Tequila Country 

Day 2: The mysterious: Los Toriles Ruins and La Playa Salvaje 

Day 3: I love the tropics: Fruit, beach towns, seafood

Day 4: Wildlife: The unpredictable and the unpredicted

Day 5: Death and honor in San Sebastian del Oeste

Yesterday, my second semester of college in Guadalajara began, so forgive me if I take some time getting this series out while I settle into my classes.

Tortas Ahogadas

I adore tomatoes. I adore all things with tomatoes. My husband, on the other hand, does not. He cringes watching me eat tomatoes in any raw form- especially tomato juice or my favorite, whole and alone. Nevertheless, while living here there has been one street-side tomato dish that has spawned a yearning in him: Tortas Ahogadas. 

The name indicates that it is a sandwich (torta) that is drowned (ahogada), which sounds rather odd, but then again, many extraordinary things are. However, a "drowned sandwich" is by far an understatement; torta ahogada is a deliciously messy, filled birote (a roll similar to a french roll), drenched with an irresistible tomato sauce and the pride and joy of Guadalajara cuisine. It is also topped with cabbage and lime-soaked onions and normally filled with beans and fried pork, but is also often available with shrimp or panela and avocado (the recipe below). It can be ordered fully ahogada which is completely submerged in the tomato and the picante sauce or media ahogada, which is dipped half-way in the picante sauce and then covered in the tomato sauce. The places I have been normally also serve it with the picante sauce on the side.

The history of tortas ahogadas
Supposedly in the early 1900s, a hungry worker came home and with nothing available other than a piece of bread, some beans, some pieces of cooked pork, and some tomato sauce, he concocted this dish. Years later, Señor Ignacio Saldaña “el Güerito” made it popular by opening a restaurant called “Tortas Ahogadas El Güero” in downtown Guadalajara, which is still open (and on my list of must-dos). Now, supposedly the dish can also be found in many parts of the state of Jalisco.

Geeky sidenote: Guadalajara is rumored to hold a Guinness Book of World Records for longest torta ahogada (2119 feet), which was earned September of 2010 as part of the celebrations of the bicentennial of the Mexican independence. Click here for more info.
 

After months of eating this wonderful dish, I finally got up the courage to make it myself. I ended up combining a number of recipes that I found online and the following is what I came up with for two servings, the way we like it--with all the fixings!

Toppings:

• Slice about a cup worth of green cabbage and a lime for garnish.

• Cebolla Desflemada (Limed-soaked onions): 
1. Slice about ⅓ c. of onion in long skinny strips. 
2. Juice a lime, covering the onions half way and set aside.

Salsa de jitomate (tomato sauce):

3/4 c. water
4-5  large roma tomatoes or whatever variation of tomato that is ripe and fresh, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, cut in large pieces
1 ½ tsp. of oregano
a few dashes of cumin
a couple dashes of clove
and salt to taste




Instructions:
1) Optional: Cook everything over medium heat until the onions are transparent.
2) Blend everything in a blender and set a side. 

Salsa Picante (very hot sauce):

2 handfuls of dried chiles de arbol or similar variety 

1 1/2 c. of water
2 tbs. of vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar)

1 clove of garlic
Instructions: 

1) Blend in a blender and set aside.

• Note: This will yield about 11/2 cup of hot sauce, which is great to have around but much more than you probably use for this dish. 

Torta de Panela y Aguacate:
2 birotes, if available
½  avocado, cut in slices
7 or 8 slices of fresh panela
¼ c. refried beans
Instructions:
1) Slice the rolls so they open well but are in one piece
2) Spread the refried beans on both faces of the bread
3) Fill with the panela and avocado

Assemblage:

1) Dip each sandwich in the hot sauce to your liking- half-way or fully, or you can put some on afterward if it is too hot for a dip. 

2) Pour some of the tomato sauce over each sandwich, leaving a small pool on the plate or bowl.
3) Top with a handful of cabbage.
4) Add the onions, lime, picante sauce and/or more tomato sauce, as desired.

Eating this dish:

We used to awkwardly eat this dish with a spoon because it is incredibly messy, but since the bread isn’t completely saturated, it can be kind of difficult--a battle of wills, sandwich against sandwich-lover. However, one day while I was warring with my stubborn (but delicious) torta, I looked over and noticed that my fellow Mexican tortas ahogadas eaters had surrendered to the dish and were eating it with their sauce-covered hands (the way it is traditionally eaten, I learned). I thought, “To hell with this spoon! Since when did I get too prim-and-proper to get my hands a little dirty in the name of food?!” Needless to say, suit your fancy, but you wouldn't get any odd looks for going tapatia style. 


Well, I hope you try this and love it!

Guanábana

This morning I tried fresh guanábana (soursop in English) for the first time! I am in love with this unusual and godly fruit. I first had it in a paleta, (a Mexican frozen dessert bar, typically made of fruit or icecream) at the paletería a few blocks away; it immediately became a contender to mango for my favorite fruit. The texture is soft, juicy, and creamy with subtle string-like fibers and large black seeds. The flavor has citrus, berry, and banana notes that leave your mouth in a state of bliss. We also blended it for a breakfast drink and I am freezing some for dessert.

Check out more about soursop in wikipedia

Cosas mexicanas

It will be five months tomorrow that my husband, John, and I have been living in Guadalajara, Mexico and everyday we have more amazing experiences exploring the food, countryside, and culture of this beautiful country. I will be posting about all things mexicano during our travels and explorations. As a food lover, many of the posts will be about our adventures in Mexican cuisine.
I hope you enjoy it!