It was the bromance that kept a nation of couch dwellers
tuning back into Masterchef week in and week out back in 2012. While other contestants were barely able to plate up dishes on time, eventual series winner Andy Allen and finalist Ben Milbourne also found it within themselves to elevate their budding friendship to BFF status, spawning Facebook appreciation pages and this sort of thing on YouTube.
Eager to show off his new found Mexican knowledge, Andy gave us a list of things you can and should add to your Central American bucket list.
VISIT MERCADO SAN JUAN IN MEXICO CITY
Chilean poet-diplomat Pablo Neruda
once said that “Mexico is in its markets” and the man did not lie.
Mercado San Juan has stood, in one form or another, since the Spanish
conquest, and is the place to go whether you’re a professional chef, a
home cook or a couple of Aussie cooks looking to dig deep into the
Mexican appetite.
point out what half the produce is, although the best way to see it all
is to wander aimlessly for hours trying everything the market has to
offer. The selection of what is available is mind-blowing, with tens of
varieties of corn – critical to most Mexican dishes, dozens of types of
dried and fresh chillies, fresh seafood, butcher stalls that sell every
part of every edible animal. It’s all there.
have an extensive fresh produce selection but it also has the epitome of
fast food stands with families plating up tacos faster than you can
order. Ben and I had pretty much stepped straight off the plane into
Mercado San Juan, and ended the visit knee-deep in tequila with a
friendly group of local bankers sitting down for what turned out to be a
very long lunch. What a welcome!
OFF SHOR FISHING, PUERTO ESCONDIDO
Growing
up and now settled on the Australian East coast I’m no stranger to
fishing, and have experienced some good hauls with my old man before,
but this was something else.
our soundy/producer/grip Matty headed out onto the Pacific with a local
fisherman in not much more than a wooden dingy with a single outboard,
which was rolled down the sand on half a dozen logs. We were in search
of Mahi Mahi (Dolphin Fish) Sailfish, Tuna and Marlin which were meant
to be pretty standard in these parts of the ocean. The water was blue,
the sun was glistening – it was a picture perfect Mexican day.
minutes of dropping a line in and trailing the open blue water we got a
hit. Ten minutes later after a bit of weight training I pulled in our
first fish, a 2m sailfish, which our skipper called a baby. Next up
Benny pulled in an 8kg Mahi Mahi, then to finish off the day we had a
double hook up where we both reeled in a couple more dolphin fish. All
this in the space of half an hour and we were home by 10:30am.
never happens with Dad.
CHAMULA, CHIAPAS
The state of
Chiapas has one of the largest indigenous populations in Mexico, and the
local ethnic groups Tzotzil and Tzeltal are descendants of the Mayan
culture. It’s amazing to see such traditions mixing together with modern
society, making Chiapas such unique place to visit.
saw this on our itinerary I wasn’t overly enthused. We visited the
small town of Chamula, about 30 minutes drive from the larger, creative
and bustling town of San Cristobal del las Casas. Chamula’s Tzotzil
population are fiercely protective of their culture and traditions. The
main church sits in the town square surrounded by families and market
stalls, with tourists few and far between. Cameras are forbidden inside
the green and white church. As you step inside you notice the smell of
pine – due to an entire layer of pine needles covering the floor, with
families gathered together lighting candles on the ground and repeating
prayers together. It was an emotional eye-opener to see people still
living this way and turned out to be one of the most special moments we
all had on the trip.
MEZCAL
Slowly gaining a following
in Australia, mezcal is something we discovered, and then discovered,
then discovered again during our travels in Mexico. Made from maguey
which is the heart of the agave plant, mezcal is designed to be
‘kissed’, taking tiny, “enjoyable” sips. It’s often served by itself, in
a shot glass, but we enjoyed it also with orange wedges dusted in
either cinnamon or a chilli, salt and lime mix. It’s something you
definitely learn to appreciate, particularly with the help of the mezcal
appreciation course that we took while we were over there.
is not for a weak stomach though as to be considered legit mezcal it
has to be over 46% alcohol. Heading to a popular Mezcaleria is a must
for all who travel to Oaxaca.
Head to Andy’s YouTube channel every Thursday at 3pm to watch the rest of the series in weekly instalments.
Photos supplied.
