Savor the Flavors of Mexico City!

Hello everyone,

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Despite how widely it’s celebrated here in the U.S., Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico’s Independence Day (that’s in September). Instead, it commemorates the Battle of Puebla, when a smaller Mexican army defeated French forces against the odds.

And here’s the part most people don’t realize:
Cinco de Mayo is not a major holiday across Mexico. It’s primarily observed in the state of Puebla, while in the U.S., it has evolved into a broader celebration of Mexican culture, food, and heritage.

So let’s celebrate it the right way… through the food!

A Taste of Mexico City

Last year’s Culinary Travels journey to Mexico City was unforgettable—layered with history, culture, and some of the best food in the world.

Here are just a few of the flavors we experienced:

Popular street tacos:
Think al pastor shaved straight from the trompo, topped with pineapple, onion, and cilantro—simple, smoky, and unforgettable. Of course we had to stop at the Michelin guide rated taco stand!
Mole:
A rich, complex sauce (often with 20+ ingredients) blending chiles, spices, nuts, and chocolate—deeply rooted in Mexican culinary history. Check out this incredible cooking class where we made WHITE mole. White mole is made for certain celebrations like weddings. We also made cornbread, salsa and had delicious hot chocolate!

Churros:
Crispy fried dough coated in cinnamon sugar, best enjoyed fresh and dipped in thick, decadent chocolate. It is best eaten warm!
Hot chocolate:
Traditional Mexican hot chocolate is frothy, spiced with cinnamon, and slightly bitter—nothing like the overly sweet versions we’re used to.
Cornbread (Pan de elote):
A moist, slightly sweet corn cake made from fresh corn—comforting and distinctly different from Southern cornbread.
Mexican wine:
A hidden gem. We explored wines from regions like Valle de Guadalupe—bold reds and crisp whites that surprise even seasoned wine lovers. The wines were paired with fine artisan Mexican chocolates.
Mezcal tasting:
Smoky, complex, and deeply artisanal. Each pour tells a story of region, agave, and tradition. There are a lot of similarities to winemaking especially as it relates to TERROIR! We did a Mezcal tasting during our taco tour. I enjoyed the Mezcal cocktails.
Michelin fine dining: We also dined at Pujol which is one of the top restaurants in Mexico. It was amazing to see how local ingredients were used with such creativity. AND the mole had been aged for 3360 days! It had very intense flavors.

This was a brief trip down memory lane of Culinary Travels Mexico City. It was a fun trip! For those of you who have not been on a Culinary Travels group trip, I hope this gives you an idea of what they are like! If you are interested in visiting Mexico City I would love to help you plan a trip there!

Until next time,

Nadeen