Cosying up to Mexico

Mexico feels more and more like home. This not only has to do with understanding and getting used to some processes and behaviours, but also with the finding of some things I definitely need to feel cosy.

For example I really missed tea. The form I know from Asia virtually doesn't exist here. European-style tea is very expensive. I knew I had to adapt to local habits in order to get something in good quality to a decent price. The problem was just: I didn't find any tea substitute. In the local markets you can get some infusiones (tisanes), but it's probably not a good idea to drink a pharmaceutical beverage in large quantities.

And then suddenly it hit me. So obvious! Agua de Jamaica! In literally every restaurant and bar here you get it: Brewed flor de jamaica (hibiscus sepals). Considered that hibiscus is the main ingredient in every fruit tea, this is an alternative by far superior to any bagged tea. And you get a huge bag of the sepals for just some cents. My beloved tea - here we go again!

Dried hibiscus sepals

To make the tea I obvisouly needed a huge pot. After having bought this most basic cooking utensil I finally could also make my own refried beans. The canned ones are not only much more expensive, but also soooo salty - couldn't stand it any longer. So now I just have to nuke a batch of my frozen refried beans (hot and savoury) with some chunks of frozen dominico banana (cold and sweet), season it with chile chipotle in adobo (spicy and salty) and a nice and steaming breakfast with a variety of textures, flavours and temperatures is ready within minutes. Talking of salt, I also found several shops close by, which sell habas fritas (fried fava beans) that are way less salty than the one on the market, so I can get my daily fix on snacks without my tongue dying from sodium.

Moreover I bought a steam-driven coffee maker. After my Mexican friend having brought me freshly ground coffee from Pueblo Mágico Cuetzalan, I could finally abandon the tongue offending instant sh**. The smell when opening my pantry - awesome!

And I also found a very nice coffee shop close to the university. They solely use the freshly harvested coffee from their own little coffee plantation.

Freshly ground coffee from the own plantation in a hand-made mug!

Café El Cascabel (lit. Café the Rattle)

J. (Mexico), C. (Texas), me.

 J., who studies engineering, is the roomie I most likely will move in together with.

They also offered an awesome vegetable quiche.

Today I also could do what I love most - discover tastes never had before. This time with Mamey Sapote, a fruit originating from Mexico.

Mamey Sapote

What should I say - it's so good. And really undescribable. A new taste - sweet, juicy, refreshing. Yes!

Last news for today: I can even trust sometimes in Mexican recommendations when it comes to restaurants. As so many told me that I had to go to Cus Cus Cus (which, interestingly enough despite it's name serves Italian fusion), we went yesterday.

F. (Mexico), and C. (Denmark)

Lettuce, caramelized cashews, goat's cheese, dried cranberries, and Granny Smith in a balsamic vinegar and honey reduction.

Carrots, asparagus, avocado, artichoke, cream cheese, and mozzarella - supposedly wrapped in "Arabic" bread, yet considerably differing from what I knew it to be from Germany's Turkish immigrants. Anyway - delish!

On the terrace with a view to Cholula's famous cathedral on the world's largest pyramid (when it comes to volume).

Cus Cus Cus is huge. Each floor is different, but always extremely nice.

This is inside the restaurant!

Although I wouldn't say it's the "best restaurant" in Cholula (as many Mexicans told me), it's really good. Who would have thought there are so many tasty vegetarian options in Mexico by just avoiding local cuisine ;-).