G. M. Bashford’s Tourist Guide to Mexico was first published exactly seventy years ago in 1954. It was one of a spate of motoring book guides written after World War II as Americans began to hit the open road and drive south in search of sunshine and adventure.

How much has Mexico really changed in the past seventy years? The answer is: in some ways lots, and in other ways almost not at all.

The following extracts from Bashford’s book give the flavor of his anecdotal writing style, and of the subjects which occupied his attention.

Monterrey

“The trademark of the city is the 5,700-foot-high Cerro de la Silla (Saddle Mountain), which rises above the city and is seen from every direction. The thrifty Regiomontanos, as the people of Monterrey are called, tell a story about how the saddle in the mountain was formed. According to the legend, an ambitious mountain climber took an early morning stroll to the summit of what was then a cone-shaped mountain, to watch the sunrise. As he was about to return, a centavo piece fell from his pocket, and before he had finished digging for it, there were two peaks instead of one.”

Mazatlán

After naming five hotels (Belmar, Freeman, Central, Imperial and Morales), Bashford warns that:

“Existing hotels in Mazatlán are hopelessly inadequate. Check on arrival to see if new hotels have been completed.”

For local sightseeing, he explains that:

“Araña, calèches, surries or buggies, as you choose to call them, are for rent with driver at the Hotel Belmar and various other points in the city.”

And, if you think highway 15 is bad today, you should have driven it fifty years ago!

“The road south from Mazatlán is good, except for a few missing bridges. Motorists should be careful not to travel too fast, as some of these detours are unmarked, and may be come upon suddenly.

“About an hour out of Mazatlán the highway enters the state of Nayarit, and shortly afterwards the Acaponeta River is crossed – on a ferry. In case the ferry is not working, there is a ford about a mile upstream which can be crossed in dry weather. Two more rivers, the San Pedro and Santiago, remain to be crossed, both by ferry pending completion of the bridges. If the traffic is heavy, considerable time may be lost at the ferry crossings. At some of the ferries, passenger cars take precedence over trucks, which fact is stated on signs.”

Tequila and Beautiful Women

Bashford seems unsure of the true quality of tequila…

“When thoroughly fermented, it is consumed either straight, or with lemon and salt, taken alternately. A more agreeable possibility (not to be broached in the presence of the local folk) is to combine it with sugar, lemon, etc., in a tequila sour, and drink it as a cocktail. The consensus among all but the most rugged foreigners is that taken straight, as in Jalisco, it leaves much to be desired as a refreshment. If, however, it must be taken straight, the tipo almendrado (with almonds) is best.”

… but very sure about the most beautiful women in Mexico:

“Within Mexico, Guadalajara is famed as the land of the legendary wine, women and song, except that here they are called tequila, Tapatías, and mariachis. The Tapatías, who are always given preference even over the wine and song, are by reputation the most beautiful women of Mexico.”

Lake Chapala

After listing six hotels for Guadalajara – Morales (Calle Corona), Del Parque (Vallarta), Guadalajara (Colón), Fenix (López Cotilla; 25 pesos for a double), Roma (Juárez) and Clemen Courts on the Mexico City highway – Bashford sets off for Chapala.

“Chapala, a quaint town of 5,000 inhabitants located on the north shore of the largest lake in Mexico, is 30 miles south of Guadalajara on a high-speed highway.

“Due to the increasing demands for water on the Lerma River, and the shortage of rainfall in recent years, the level of Lake Chapala has decreased steadily for the past several years. In 1952 it was practically impossible to go boating or swimming on the lake.

“However Chapala is still a charming pueblo, and a better place for rest would be hard to find. There are two good hotels. Villa Monte Carlo is a first-class hotel a mile from town, well managed by Señora Martha Viteri de Morales. Rates are 15 to 45 pesos single, and 40 to 60 pesos double; meals are 20 pesos per person per day. There are four deluxe bungalows. The Hotel Nido, in town, is another good hotel, with rates 15 to 25 pesos single, and 25 to 50 pesos double; meals are 20 pesos per person per day.”

Ajijic just qualifies for a single paragraph.

“Ajijic is a picturesque pueblo a few miles west of Chapala on the lake, not quite so interesting as some stories would have you believe. It recently has become an artists’ colony. Some hand-painted and hand-loomed fabrics are made here by enterprising Americans. Inquire for locations at Posada Ajijic.”

Single paragraphs are also sufficient for Ocotlán and Jocotepec.

“Ocotlán, on the northeast corner of Lake Chapala, is another picturesque pueblo, as yet “undiscovered.” Every day goods are brought in canoes from other pueblos on the lake to trade in the market.”

“Jocotepec is at the western end of Lake Chapala, 40 miles from Guadalajara via the Mexico City Highway. Also may be reached by gravel road from Chapala.”

Puerto Vallarta

Bashford shows considerably more enthusiasm for various side-trips from Guadalajara and Chapala, including Puerto Vallarta,

“the most charming and least-known pueblo in Mexico. It is a fishing village of 4.800 people located on the Pacific Coast due west of Guadalajara. Its charm lies in the fact that until a few years ago it could be reached only be sea. Thus the people have not yet come to regard tourists as a necessary evil, as in some of the more frequented resorts. Here is found complete democracy: even the mayor can be seen sweeping the street in front of his house every morning!

“Although there are no architectural masterpieces in the town, some of the old buildings provide excellent material for good camera shots… There are no shops catering to tourists….”

San Miguel de Allende and Morelia

Elsewhere, Bashford mentions only three hotels in San Miguel de Allende:

“the Posada San Francisco on the zócalo (double 75 to 95 pesos American plan), the Colonial, one block to the west (30 pesos) and the Arias 4 blocks away on Mesones near the market (20 – 30 pesos; main attraction ping-pong).”

Morelia does not do much better. Four hotels are mentioned: “Virrey de Mendoza (Portal Matamoros 16 on the zócalo; 24-44 pesos a double), Valladolid (Portal Hidalgo 241 on the zócalo), Casino (Portal Hidalgo 229 on the zócalo) and Oseguera (Avenida Madero Oriente 24, a block from the zócalo).”

These hotels were far surpassed in Bashford’s estimation by the finest hotel in this region, the Balneario de San José Purúa (which sadly has long been closed). A road branches off highway 15 and leads to:

“San José Purúa, and one of the most spectacular views in Mexico. The pueblo is noted for its radioactive waters, and its fame has spread widely – cars from seven different countries have been seen in town at the same time. (Single 70 pesos, double 110 pesos, American plan).”

Road Conditions

When Bashford’s book was published, the Pan-American highway had still not been completed.

“The Tehuantepec-Tuxtla highway (immigration inspection at Juchitan) is nearly straight, and good time can be made. Two hours’ drive from Tehuantepec is Las Cruces, where a road turns right to Arriaga. This pueblo, on the railroad to Tapachula (Guatemalan point of entry), is the logical point of shipment for motorists who wish to send their cars to that country. It is still impossible to drive all the way, there being no highway connection between Ciudad Cuauhtemoc and the Guatemalan capital. Rail freight is about 300 pesos per car. The trip is scheduled to be made in 10 hours, but often takes as long as 20. There are no Pullman accommodations, and the trip is recommended only to the hardiest of travelers.”

The author frequently found roads that were less than perfect:

“The drive from Mexico City to Acapulco includes the best and the worst roads in Mexico. Two stretches of the new freeway are now open, but beyond Iguala (the southern half of the trip) the road is in a sorry state. Although Acapulco can be reached from Iguala in from 4 to 5 hours, the trip itself is unrewarding.

“Pending completion of the new highway beyond Iguala, 5 hours or more are necessary for the 160-mile trip to Acapulco, depending on the extent of the rains and the ambition of the maintenance crew assigned to the area.”

Acapulco

The resort of Acapulco was thriving:

“The original atmosphere of the old port exists no more. There are now broad paved streets, modern stores, and dozens of hotels, several of them large luxury establishments. The beaches are crowded with people, and it is necessary to look far for the proverbial native sleeping in his hammock beneath his sombrero or lazily drinking coconut milk. There are, of course, compensations for the lost atmosphere: comfortable hotels, lively night clubs, a country club and facilities for all known water sports. And the natural beauty of the place is such that no amount of modern construction could change it.”

San Cristobal de Las Casas

The city of San Cristobal de Las Casas fascinated the author:

“The social organization of the city is the most interesting in Mexico, each trade monopolizing a different section of the city, which has its own name, patron saint, and holidays. The distinct neighborhoods also usually represent a different tribe. For example, the Aztecs who came with Mazariego stayed to found the Barrio (district) Mexicano, and today are dedicated to weaving and dyeing. In the Barrio Cerrillo dwell the blacksmiths, in Barrio Guadalupe the toymakers, in San Ramon the potters, and in Santa Lucia the makers of fireworks! Around the first part of the seventeenth century a group of malcontents from Guatemala came to town and formed their own barrio: Cuxtitali.

“The greatest interest, however, is the market where can be seen Indians from a dozen distinct tribes, each with its own type of dress.”

Curious Attractions and Indian Distances

Tell it like it is! Bashford found an unexpected attraction at the Villa Granados hotel in Tehuacan, Puebla:

“Excellent cuisine. Attentive service by Señorita Amelia. Friendly atmosphere. The antics of Genaro, the gardener, are alone worth the price of the hotel. When he is not aware of an audience, he goes about his chores singing an unending repertoire of canciones rancheros, occasionally dancing with the hose, broom, or dog.”

But don’t ask how far it is…

“To the Mexican Indian, distance is directly related to time, and therefore of no importance. When enquiring distances in the country, be prepared to accept the answer in leagues (leguas). For the uninitiated, a legua is equal to two whoops and a holler, or not quite so far as up yonder.”

Veracruz

Bashford appears to have enjoyed Veracruz, which even then had a population of over 100,000, and tells a charming tale of social one-upmanship:

“In spite of the vicissitudes of the climate, the Veracruzanos are a merry people. Immigration from all over the world has left its mark on the city, and many of the inhabitants are darker or lighter than Mexicans elsewhere, depending on the origin of their forebears. Apart from music, the only fetish of the people is gold teeth. Every small boy dreams of the day when he will be rich enough to have his teeth capped with gold. And, if he is very successful, he will someday be rich enough to have a tooth pulled and a removable replacement made. Then he will stand in the plaza in the evening, listen to other marimbas and, as the fair maidens pass, remove his tooth, polish it, and ceremoniously replace it.”

Oaxaca

One of the most extravagant tales in Bashford tells how one particular cathedral bell in Oaxaca had to be tried for heresy:

“The Holy Office held proper and exhaustive hearings, and having found the bell guilty, condemned it to be struck throughout eternity. Charles V of Spain, in hearty approval of the sentence, hastened to make a gift to Oaxaca of a clock, complete with striking mechanism. Even today the clock may be seen on the cathedral tower, periodically chastising the guilty bell.”

The Yucatan

The Yucatán Peninsula (Cancún) was still undiscovered:

“One of the most fascinating and least visited of the Mexican archeological areas is the Yucatán Peninsula, located two and a half air hours south of New Orleans, and the same distance east of Mexico City. Before the advent of the airways the peninsula was isolated to all but ocean travelers or an occasional unfortunate who fell prey to the passenger agent of the wood-burning train that from time to time made its way there. Because of its geographic isolation from the rest of Mexico, Yucatán has grown up almost independently: historically, economically, and socially it is a nation apart.”

Reference:

• Bashford, G.M. (1954) Tourist Guide to Mexico. McGraw-Hill.

Did You Know Index
Quotations © Copyright 1954 by William L. Bashford, Jr.
Commentary © Copyright 2004 by Tony Burton. All rights reserved.

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We take the coastal road south as it winds through the tree-covered Sierra Madre del Sur mountains and past vistas of the blue waters of the Pacific far below, traveling to Zihuatanejo, pronounced Zi-Wat-En-Ay-O, as anyone who has ever heard the song of the same name knows. Often called Zihua for short, the name comes from either the Nahuatl word “Zihuatlan” meaning “land of women”or from the Purépecha for “water of the yellow mountain.”

Though it’s part of Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo—the fourth-largest city in Guerrero and the third most popular tourist mecca in Mexico after Cancun and Puerto Vallarta—somehow Zihua has retained the vibe of a small fishing village.

Arriving at the Playa Principal in the area of town known as El Centro fronting Bahia de Zihuantanejo, it’s all colorful small fishing boats bobbing in the water, cobblestone or brick streets, small family-owned shops, sandy feet, fishermen unloading the morning catch, coconut palms brought by Spanish explorers from the Philippines centuries ago, families picnicking, and pangas available for rent to cruise the bay and connect to nearby beaches.

What isn’t there is just as noticeable. There are no chain stores and no overabundance of tourists. Not that I have anything against tourists—after all I am one, but there’s that snobbish part of me that doesn’t want to jostle with a lot of people shouting tequila and looking for the closest Señor Frog.

No need to worry about that here. It’s all laid back charm, restaurants opening up to the beach, and a pleasant walkway called Paseo del Pescador that follows the water and crosses the river that flows from the bay.

It’s Saturday, so we head to the local farmers’ market Eco-Tianguis Sanka, a beachfront market open from 9.00 am to 2.00 pm where vendors sell fresh produce, regional food offerings, local artisan crafts and handmade goods, souvenirs, and plants. I wish I’d brought a cooler so I could take such prepared meals as chiles en nogada—meat stuffed poblano peppers in a walnut cream sauce topped with pomegranate seeds—and pozole de setas, champiñones, calabacita, and ejotes con su guarnición—a hearty hominy stew made with squash, corn, and mushrooms—back to my hotel room where I have a refrigerator and microwave.Being at the market with its bustling ambience, live music, people, pets, and lots of charm, is like being part of Zihua.

I’ve been here before and having discovered Boutique Sunset, where they sell great beach hats in an assortment of styles and colors, on my first trip, that’s where I go next. Each time I come to Zihua, I buy several because I don’t know when or if I’m coming back or if the store will still be there. But this is my third visit and remarkably the majority of the shops and restaurants I like remain. My friend Jeri asks if I want her to accompany me. She and her husband sailed along the Mexican coastline for years, mooring at various ports, and she speaks fluent Spanish, and knows how to negotiate, but the hats are so inexpensive that I feel badly about trying to get a lower price. After all, I know I’d pay four or five times as much in the U.S. for something similar.

But I do let her help me in the warren of shops nearby, with their variety of items, some folk art level, painstakingly painted, woven, embroidered, or assembled by hand. I spy a shell hanging lantern and I imagine it on my patio in the summer. Sure I have several similar ones already sitting in a box in my closet. Somehow what looks so right here just never seems to fit in once I arrive back north, in an environment where there’s snow and gray skies instead of sun. So maybe I won’t have Jeri negotiate that one. But then I see a collection of catrinas including one that’s a take-off on a Venetian gondola with the catrina being ferried by a skeleton (calaca) who is standing up in the bow. How could I not want to take that home with me? Of course, my husband up north isn’t that fond of these things but, oh well….

With shopping completed, we meet the rest of our group at La Sirena Gorda notable by its sign of a plump mermaid which is what the name means. Here we sit under large umbrellas, watching the bustle of the seafront and boats coming and going, sip their signature ginger margaritas and dine on an assortment of dishes. Each time we try something new: on this trip, it’s tacos de pescado al pastor—fresh fish marinated in achiote, pasilla and ancho chilies, pineapple, lemon, and orange juices, a tad of vinegar, chopped onion, oregano, paprika, salt, and pepper, pulpo tatemado—thickly cut and grilled octopus, ceviche, and try nuestro riquísimo, an elaborate molded rice dish with seafood and vegetables, topped with slices of fresh avocado.

Afterwards, a walk along Paseo del Pescador and a chance to escape the heat by visiting the Archaeological Museum of the Costa Grande. Its six rooms are filled with exhibits of utensils, ceramics, weapons, and other artifacts from such historic cultures as Olmec, Teotihuacan, Tarascan and Mexica.

Though its waters makes a pretty backdrop to the downtown, Playa Principal is less popular for swimming as it’s crowded with boat traffic, so we climb aboard a panga and head towards the mile-long Playa La Ropa, often described as Zihua’s best swimming beach. Ropa or clothes refers to a cargo of rich fabrics and luxury materials that washed ashore when the cargo of a seventeenth-century wreck floated to shore.

There are other beaches running along the curve of the bay (bahia) to explore as well, including Playa Contramar, Playa Madera and Playa Larga, and the intriguingly named Playa Las Gatas (Cats’ Beach), so called because of the cat sharks that once plied the waters here. But that will have to wait for another day.

The waters of La Ropa are clear and calm, and after a swim I lay out my towel. It’s time for a nap. It’s been a perfect day.

Related articles on MexConnect

• A Zihuatanejo Snorkeling Adventure
• The Cooking School At Zihuatanejo by Daniel Kennedy
• Pangas and piña coladas: a laid-back lunch on Isla de Ixtapa, Guerrero

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Photo Gallery: Pangas and piña coladas: a laid-back lunch on Isla de Ixtapa, Guerrero

Greg knows the old way—or so he says—but all I can see is an empty stretch of sand and water where the southern tip of Playa Quieta ends at a rocky outcropping of rocks jutting out into the Bahia de Palmar.

When I lived here, he explains, this is where we caught the pangas going to and from Isla de Ixtapa. Pangas are water taxis, propelled by outboard motors, that transport passengers the eight miles or so from the Ixtapa mainland to the island.

Of course, I think, Greg’s time here was years ago and now most tourists start this trip at the pier at Playa Linda, the main beach for swimming and snorkeling and the one where the crocodile sanctuary is located.

This is easier, Greg says, than going all the way into town. And indeed, if this is still a panga stop, it is just a short walk from the hotel where we’re all staying.

As I’m pointing out that there’s no signage (I’m still thinking like a city gal looking for a bus stop), the first panga arrives. As the motor is cut and it slows to a stop, I see even more boats coming up behind. Turning, I realize there are people along the shoreline towards us. It all makes me wonder if there’s a panga schedule that everyone knows but no one told me about.

It’s a wet embarkation, but then it is a beach after all.

I wade through the water to a waiting boatman who takes my bag and shoes and helps me up the ladder. Within 15 minutes of the engine starting back up, we dock at a jetty built of uneven stones edged by thick vegetation on one side and the sandy expanse of Playa Varadero on the other. The beach is crowded with restaurants, each covering a narrow strip of land stretching from Playa Varadero to Coral Beach, the volcanic stone-strewn cove on the other side of the island known for its excellent snorkeling. The restaurants all look somewhat alike to me—thatched roofs, plastic chairs surrounding metal tables and bars with large blenders buzzing almost constantly as ice and mangos, papayas and other fruits are pureed into margaritas and piña coladas.

We look hungrily at a tray of salt-rimmed margaritas, but we can’t stop. We’re on our way to Lili Cipriani. The name intrigues me, sounding like a Parisian café but it’s definitely a beach sort of place. Scattered around the large kitchen that takes center stage are busy workers shucking oysters from large net bags still dripping wet from the waters of the bay; others pat masa into round thin circles, flipping them onto large flat top griddles balanced above burning logs, while someone else stirs a large pot of beans suspended from a tripod over open flames.

All this old fashioned cookery isn’t just for show. There’s no electricity on the island, so propane and wood are shipped aboard pangas each morning, as are all other ingredients needed for a day’s worth of cooking. Everything that is but the seafood, which is hooked in the surrounding waters and then displayed on trays so diners can choose from such freshly caught items as lobster, shrimp, crabs, and red snapper. Pick out what you want, and it’s cooked the way you want it. Can’t really get much fresher than that!

Beyond the kitchen and the bar, Lili Cipriani is a one-stop shop—artisans sit in the shade, painting delicate patterns on the pottery sold in their store alongside sunscreen, sunglasses, and other beach necessities. Snorkeling equipment can be bought or rented. Massages, the real kind, are available upstairs. Vendors sell jewelry, ironwood carvings and exquisitely hand-embroidered blouses. Pass through here and you’re on Coral Beach but still at Lili Cipriani’s. Coral Beach is all jagged shoreline topped by huge stick cactus and the inky black outlines of volcanic rocks—a huge difference to the gentle waters of Playa Varadero where boats bob in the waters and families swim in the cove.

No matter which side you choose, it’s the ultimate in beach casual—sand for floors, the crash of waves sometimes covering the feet of diners whose tables are too near the shore, and bougainvillea flowers dropping onto tables and into beach bags. Indeed, this casualness extends to their seemingly inefficient way of keeping track of orders. It’s not that we don’t get the food we order, we do, but when we decide to migrate from one beach to the other and try to pay up, the server waves us off in a catch you later gesture. How do they know we aren’t going to board a panga and leave? It’s not like we’re the only people here, there must be at least a 100 or so diners and swimmers. I later learn the restaurant can accommodate about 300 or so.

Food and drinks are brought to us as they come out of the kitchen, but the servers never seem to write anything down. Cervezas are delivered to tables in large pails of ice. Empty beer bottles, turned upside down, are placed back in the pail, When only bottoms are showing, it’s taken away and the charges put on your bill. That is, if you can get a bill. Trying to check out, I go looking for our server and end up at the desk where Lili Pineda—the Lili of Lili Cipriani—is sitting.

It’s hot, my hair is frizzy, my beach cover up has a splash or two of hot sauce decorating it and I’m coated with a fine layer of salt and sand from swimming—my most strenuous activity because for the most part, I’ve just been eating and drinking.

Pineda is just the opposite—despite the crowds of diners and the whirlwind of her staff asking countless questions, she’s poised and calm. Her hair is immaculately coiffed, her make-up and nails perfect and she’s wearing—honestly—a tight fitting and very flattering dress and high heels. Her finishing touches are expensive gold earrings with matching bracelets and necklace. I am wearing a “pearl” necklace I bought on the beach the night before for $8. It seemed, at the time, like a great buy but of course it pales next to Lili’s jewelry.

Standing next to her, equally cool, and dressed in the same sophisticated style, is her daughter, Jessica Zamudio Pineda.

They are, of course, gracious, and yes, their English is much better than my Spanish. Our bill is quickly found, I pay and then decide I really really need an extra order of freshly shucked oysters to take with me.

But is there time? I ask, seeing my group gathering their beach gear, some already heading to the jetty where the next panga is due shortly—really I must find this mysterious panga schedule.

Beyond glamour, mother and daughter are amazingly efficient as well. Of course there’s time, they tell me and quickly my order is placed. A young man begins prying open oyster shells discarding the empty shells into a towering stack. Seeing me anxiously glancing at my group, Lili says something in a quiet voice and another shucker joins him. Within minutes I have my bag of oysters and am running through the sand where the panga waits.

• Contact Lili Cipriani Restaurant Bar by phone 755- 120-0404 or Facebook

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This is quick, easy, delicious, and best accompanied by plain white rice. Although the original recipe calls for lard, I much prefer olive or vegetable oil.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds medium size shrimp
• 3 tablespoons olive (not extra virgin) or vegetable oil
• 1 red onion, peeled and sliced into thin crescents (” lunitas“)
• 4 large cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 1 ½ pounds tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 3-4 canned chipotle chiles in adobo, chopped and seeds removed.
• 2 cups chicken broth, preferably homemade
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the tails intact if desired.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a deep 12″ skillet, add the shrimp and cook until just beginning to turn pink. The shrimp will not be cooked through. Remove them and set aside.

Without rinsing the skillet, add the remaining oil, sauté the onion and garlic until the onion is barely translucent, and add the tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes have released their juice, add the chiles and broth. Cook 5 minutes to reduce this sauce, and add the shrimp. Cook until they are just cooked through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If a more picante sauce is desired, add some of the adobo sauce that comes in the can of chiles. Serves 6.

Link to Source Article

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Ingredients:

For the broth:

• 2 ½ pounds bones from mild white fish, such as snapper or bass, with 1 or 2 heads
• juice of 1 lime
• 3 sprigs parsley
• 1 small onion, roughly chopped
• 2 large cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• water to cover

For the stew:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 large cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 whole fresh serrano or jalapeño chile, pierced with a fork
• 1 pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped (or use canned tomatoes)
• 2 sprigs each thyme and oregano
• reserved fish broth
• 1 ½ pounds snapper or other mild white fish fillets, cut into chunks
• green olives and chiles largos in vinagre to garnish

Preparation:

Place all broth ingredients in a large pot with water to cover, bring to a boil lower heat and simmer, covered for 1 hour.

Strain and reserve the broth, discarding solids.

Heat the oil, add the onion, garlic and serrano chile, and sauté until the onion begins to get translucent.

Add the tomato, herbs and reserved fish broth and bring to a boil. Add the fish chunks, lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Serve in bowls, garnished with green olives and chile largo. (These are canned, light colored chiles. If desired, substitute jalapenos in escabeche.) Serves 4.

Link to Source Article

Published or Updated on: February 1, 2007 by Karen Hursh Graber © 2008

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This recipe is adapted from La Cocina Familiar en el Estado de Guerrero, published by Editorial Océano. It is a typical regional game dish.

Ingredients:

• 4 quail, washed, dried and split down the middle
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 medium onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 4 guajillo chiles, seeded, deveined and soaked in hot water until soft
• 3 whole cloves
• 3 whole black peppercorns
• 3 whole allspice
• 2 cups chicken broth, preferably homemade
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

In a deep, 12″ skillet, brown the quails on both sides in hot oil. Remove and set aside.

Place the garlic, onion, chile and spices in a blender with ½ cup of the chicken broth and puree. Add the puree to the oil in the pan and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.

Add the quail and remaining broth to the pan, bring to a boil, cover and braise until the quail are cooked through.

Remove the quail from the pan and reduce further if a thicker sauce is desired. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Place 2 quail halves on each plate, with the sauce spooned over them. Serve with white rice, or a combination of white and wild rice. Serves 4.

Link to Source Article

Back to the Kitchen!

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Pumpkin seeds, the characteristic ingredient of green pipian, add an appetizing textural dimension to this pozole, and the poblano chiles and chard that are blended with them provide a bright combination of color and flavor.

Ingredients:

• One recipe Basic White Pozole
• 4 poblano chiles, seeds and stems removed
• 8 large Swiss chard leaves, roughly chopped
• 8 large romaine lettuce leaves, roughly chopped
• ¼ pounds pumpkin seeds without shells, lightly toasted on a comal, griddle, or dry pan
• 2 large garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 whole clove
• pinch cumin
• salt to taste
• 1 small head lettuce, shredded
• 5 limes, cut into quarters
• 4-5 serrano chiles, chopped
• a small bowl of oregano
• 20 4″ tortillas, fried until crisp

Preparation:

Cook Basic White Pozole according to recipe directions.

When the pozole corn and meat are almost tender, place the chiles, chard, lettuce leaves, pumpkin seeds, garlic, clove and cumin in a blender with enough of the pozole cooking water to move the blades. Blend until smooth.

Add the puree along with salt to taste, to the pozole. Continue cooking another few minutes to incorporate the flavors.

Serve with shredded lettuce, lime wedges, chopped serrano chiles, oregano and fried tortillas. Serves 10.

Link to Source Article

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Along the Costa Alegre, numerous restaurants serve filets of whatever fish is freshest, stuffed with different combinations of seafood. Shrimp is nearly always used, along with squid or octopus. The almond sauce is a reflection of the Spanish influence on Mexico’s cuisine.

Ingredients:

For the sauce:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 small white onion, chopped
• 1 ancho chile, soaked in hot water until soft, seeded and chopped
• 4 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped
• ½ cup blanched slivered almonds, lightly toasted
• ½ cup chicken or vegetable broth
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• salt to taste

For the fish:

• 3 tablespoons butter, plus extra for baking filets
• 4 cloves garlic
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 cup chopped raw shrimp
• ½ cup chopped cleaned squid or octopus
• ¼ cup finely chopped green onions
• salt and pepper to taste
• 6 firm white fish filets, such as snapper or grouper, 4-6 ounces each

Preparation:

Heat the oil in a medium size saucepan, add the garlic and onion and cook until the onion begins to soften. Add the chile and tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes render their their juice Add the broth and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool, place in blender with almonds and puree. Add salt to taste, cover and set sauce aside.

Melt the butter in a skillet, add the garlic and cook until it begins to soften. Add the shrimp and squid, and cook until the shrimp is opaque. Add the green onions and continue cooking for another minute. Add salt and pepper to taste. Allow stuffing to cool.

Place ¼ cup of stuffing on each filet and roll up. Place stuffed filets, seam-side down, on a lightly greased baking sheet. Arrange any remaining stuffing around the filets. Brush the tops of the filets with melted butter. Bake, uncovered, at 350º for 20-25 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Reheat the sauce if necessary. Place a filet on each plate and spoon the sauce on top. (Any remaining stuffing that has been baked with the fish can be arranged on top of filets before adding the sauce.) Serves 6.

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Fresh fish filets from Mexico’s Pacific coast are lightly marinated in tequila and lime juice, then grilled or sauteed and topped with a fresh salsa, for a delicious, low-fat entree. Acapulco style fish filetsgo well with a side dish of arroz blanco, Mexican-style white rice.

Ingredients

• 4 firm-fleshed fish filets,1″ thick (grouper, sea bass, shark, etc.)
• 1/3 cup tequila
• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1/2 white onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
• 4 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro

Place the filets in a shallow, non-reactive bowl.

Combine the tequila, lime juice, garlic, salt and olive oil.

Pour mixture over fish and marinate for 1/2 hour,

turning once after 15 minutes. Longer marinating is inadvisable, since the lime juice will begin to “cook” the fish.

Combine the tomatoes, onion, jalapeño and cilantro and set aside.

Heat the grill to high, or heat a small amount of olive oil in a pan.

Remove fish from the marinade, reserving extra marinade.

Grill or sautee for 3-4 minutes on each side.

Boil the remaining marinade.

Serve the fish with some of the marinade spooned over each piece and topped with the fresh salsa.

Serves 4.

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Sweat dripped down into a little pool at my stomach, which had been enjoying too many chilaquile breakfasts. The stifling heat and humidity of Zihuatanejo had stupefied my friend Kim and I into submission until we glimpsed a chalkboard scrawled with the words “Snorkeling Trip Today” in the Hotel Paraiso’s lobby.

We had gawped at the crocodiles in the fetid creek next-door, overpaid for sarongs at the “Artisans Market” down the beach, and drank our weight in piña coladas, having succumbed to the charms of our waiter Elias. A little exercise certainly seemed in order. We paid 25$ US each to Yohana in the lobby, and were directed to meet Pepe the dive director at 11:00.

The sun was almost directly overhead, and verging on SPF 50 requirements when a short, stocky man met us on the beach with snorkel gear. We had another passenger for the trip, Daniel, a French Canadian with a sideways smile and a bad haircut. I had great hopes for some good Spanish conversational practice with Pepe, but he was sullen and slurred his words together to the extent that I was asking, “Como?” with every other sentence. We splashed our way through the turquoise Pacific surf into an antiquated wooden dinghy, which reeked of fish remnants, and roared off in a blue-tinged haze.

After several futile attempts at chatting with Pepe, I turned attention to the ride. We journeyed south towards Manzanillo Beach, said to be the best snorkeling area in Zihuatanejo. The waters of the sandy Playa la Ropa, where most of the big hotels are located, are much too cloudy to see any fish save the occasional alarming sting ray ghosting along the bottom. Passing a stark white lighthouse which seemed rather incongruously plunked onto the southern point of Bahia Zihuatanejo, we were told that the hearty hike required to get there is rewarded with a fabulous sunset. It sounded way too taxing despite our desire to work off the tortilla casserole we’d been stuffing down daily at breakfast.

Our journey to Manzillo Beach took about half an hour. The sandy beach was nestled between two sets of rocky headlands. Pepe chucked a rusting anchor overboard – the pocked ocean bottom in this area is unfortunately a testament to the scores of dive boats anchoring – and donned a dive suit. This prompted nervous inquires about jellyfish (called malaguas, or bad waters – from the rain and fresh water overflows that lead to their proliferation), which Pepe laughed at. He said there were no jellyfish now; he only wore a suit because the water was “too cold” for him. Whew. We squeezed into snorkel fins and masks, and dove overboard.

My very first sensation was a curious prickling one, as if a million tiny needles were dancing on my skin. I promptly decided I was having an allergic reaction to the salt water and determined to ignore it. A large white blob drifted by. Then another. It didn’t take long to discover our folly in listening to Pepe. I thought longingly of my dive suit lounging back in the hotel room. There was nothing to be done but to grimly kick forward. The jellys weren’t anything close to man-of-wars, and they seemed to be congregating near the boat, so I took off for the rocks and was visually rewarded with the riot of color and movement that comprises reef life.

Nothing in nature is more perfect than tropical fish. Every tiny detail is exact, and their diversity breaks all artist taboos of color and shape juxtaposition. I couldn’t identify them by name, but bestowed upon them my personal nomenclature: cute little yellow ones, cute little electric blue ones, bigger black ones with yellow, bigger blue ones with yellow. Pepe dove down into the rocks and prodded a moray eel. Bright blobs of anemones shuddered at my touch. The undersea garden rewarded us with its exhibition of hundreds of different creatures, some mobile, some stationary.

We bobbed about the waves for an hour and a half. Then regretfully Kim and I dragged away from the reef back through Jellyfish Row, and ungracefully heaved ourselves into the boat. Daniel, who had spent all of about 10 minutes below, had obviously found the whole process too demanding, and was arduously tanning on the side bench. We munched on the overpriced, uninspired box lunch we had bought from the hotel’s kitchen, and noticed that our little paradise had become a bit crowded. While we were swimming below, a large catamaran had moored nearby and deployed an outsized, unruly contingent of tourists onto the reef. It was time for us to head back.

Our discomfort from the jellyfish stings seemed to amuse Pepe, much to my chagrin. He kept saying something that sounded like “ooreena”, while making hand gestures and laughing. I dredged up a memory of a Hawiian trip from some 12 years ago, wherein the guide had told us that the only remedies for jellyfish stings were vinegar and urine. Aha. We turned redder than our sunburns. The boat surged forward and we swamped some hapless swimmers on our way out of the bay.

Playa la Ropa shimmered in the afternoon sun. Elias was waiting for us on the beach, white teeth glistening and drink menu in hand. Obviously fearing that we had grown weak with hunger on our sojourn he stood ready to ply us with drinks and appetizers. We thanked Pepe, who gave a curt nod and strode off. Having no vinegar, we decided to forego the folk remedies for the jellyfish stings. It was back to the beach chairs for us, facing a tough afternoon of sizzling Zihuatanejo sun and soothing piña coladas.

WHEN TO GO:

Ocean breezes in Zihuatanejo keep the temperature at about 78 degrees Farenheit (25 C) year round. Temperatures in the 80s are common, but the mercury rarely rises above 90 (32 C). The months of June-September tend to be quite rainy. Bring a light sweater for outdoor evenings.

HOW TO GET THERE:

AeroMexico, Alaska Airlines, Continental, and Mexicana service Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa. Flight time from Los Angeles is approximately 4 hours, or 2.5 hours from Houston. Estrella de Oro bus line provides service from Mexico City and Acapulco – contact your travel agent for information or try www.estrelladeoro.com.mx (site is in Spanish only).

WHERE TO STAY:

Hotels in this area run the gamut from the luxurious La Casa Que Canta, which has private pool suites starting at $485/night, down the scale to the Hotel Paraiso, a beach bargain at $80/night for all rooms during the high season (mid-December through the end of April). Low season prices are usually 20-50% less. www.zihua.net and www.zihua-ixtapa.com are good starting points for information on accommodations, transportation, and activities.

SNORKELING TRIPS:

Playa Manzanillo has a nice reef area with lots of fish, and waters are usually calm enough for children. Most hotels offer their own scuba and snorkeling trips, but these are usually open to non-guests as well. It’s easy to hook up with a tour by finding a tour on the tourist circuit in downtown Zihuatanejo. Most are about $25/person, without lunch. Shop around for the best price if you have the time.

OTHER ACTIVITIES:

Zihuatanejo’s main beaches, Playa la Ropa, Playa Principal, and Playa las Gatas boast a range of sun-n-fun activities, including parasailing, banana boat rides, boogie boarding, deep-sea fishing, and sunset cruises. Seafood restaurants can be found along the beaches, and in downtown Zihuatanejo, approximately 1.5 miles from the major hotels of Playa la Ropa. A seafood dinner will probably cost less than $20/two, with drinks. The Artisans Market, right on Playa la Ropa has overpriced sarongs, silver, pottery, and blankets, for shoppers reluctant to leave the beach area. For more reasonable prices, head over to El Centro. Be sure to check out the handicraft shops at La Marina, next to the basketball court on the seafront, which offer handmade hammocks, woolen rugs, tablecloths, and embroidered cotton clothing.

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