This week, deciding what food to write about was tough because food is everywhere in Oaxaca. But my favorites are street food, mercados and homemade food in the countryside.
Walking down the street by my school, I am met with street carts that sell fruit, deserts, candies and aguas frescas. Agua fresca is brewed like a cold tea using fresh or dried fruit. My favorite agua fresca is agua de Jamaica aka hibiscus tea. It has a tangy bitterness that tastes strong, and most vendors don’t use a lot of sugar, so the natural flavor of the flower shines through. I was surprised that I like this flavor so much, as I rarely drink hibiscus in the States, but I'm happy to drink it here in Mexico because it's super-healthy and super-abundant here in Mexico! After the aguas frescas, women sell handmade quesadillas filled with meat, taco trucks, and tacos al canasta. I love running into people who sell tacos al canasta! These tacos are made at home with fillings such as potatoes, chorizo, pork and chicken. The vendors deep fry the tacos and place them in a basket lined with towels to keep them warm and in order for the paper to absorb the oil.
