A trip down memory lane
Hello and welcome back!
This month, our journey takes us to Mexico as part of #aroundtheworldin80dishes and for me, that meant returning to one of my most vivid food memories from my recent Christmas trip to Michoacán. More specifically, the bustling markets of a little town called Quiroga.
It’s a place like many others at first glance: lively, busy, filled with vendors and the constant rhythm of daily life. But step into the market, and one thing immediately stands out above all else: the smell of carnitas.
What are carnitas?
Traditionally, pork is first seared, then slowly cooked in its own fat with aromatics like orange rind, onions and herbs until it becomes tender, juicy, and intensely flavorful.
I still remember walking through the market when suddenly I hear: “Joven, pruébale!” Before I could even react, a vendor had already handed me a tortilla piled with freshly shredded, juicy, carnitas. Who could refuse?
We ended up sitting at one of the little colorful market tables, sharing a real feast: a kilo’s worth of carnitas, fresh, warm corn tortillas, lime, salsa, avocado, onion – everything you need. Simple and perfect – a nearby stall also sold ice cold drinks to wash it all down. Back home, this was exactly the memory I wanted to bring back.
Of course, competing with the carnitas masters of Quiroga is a losing game, but that wasn’t really the point. What mattered was capturing a piece of that experience. Served with a refreshing agua fresca de limón y chía, I managed to bring a bit of our trip into our little Austrian kitchen.
While carnitas are famous as street food tacos, at home they are more traditionally served on a full plate, alongside what I like to call the holy trinity of Mexican sides: red rice, beans, and salsa. To showcase that side of the cuisine, I just served a bit of both, one plate with tacos, one with something closer to what you might find at a family table. Equally delicious, completely different vibe.
And of course we needed to complete the meal. With Dessert. For that, I went with a guaranteed favorite: Mexican-style churros with cajeta. Crispy, golden, coated in sugar, and dipped into rich caramel, the perfect way to end the meal.
Looking back at these photos now (a few days later), I can safely say, hardly a cuisine can compare to a proper Mexican meal. If you’re craving tacos now too, I highly recommend diving into Mexican cooking yourself. It’s different but approachable. My main inspiration came from the fantastic Mexico: The Bookbook by Margarita Carrillo Arronte, alongside a few great online sources, notably Maricruz Avalos’s blog. And as always – on to the next stop 🌍
Leave a Reply