Esquites, Salbutes, and Tacos! Oh My!

One of the best things about going to a new place is getting to try new food and finding new favorites that you never even knew existed.  I remember I couldn’t wait to move here and eat fresh fish tacos on the beach and listen to the waves.  I didn’t really realize that there would be a whole new world of food for me to fall in love with.

Local food

Panuchos from El Faisan Y El Venado (one of the best places for Panuchos de Cochinita Pibil)

Salbutes, Panuchos, and Cochinita Pibil, these are some the most important words in my vocabulary right now.  The Yucatán Peninsula, where Cancun is located, is filled with rich culture complete with delicious food. Salbutes are my current favorite and I’m always trying to find a way to eat them as often as possible.  Masa is fried then topped with your choice of meat, Oaxaca cheese, hard boiled eggs and then you can add all the toppings and salsas you like.  Panuchos are essentially the same thing but the masa is filled with refried beans before fried.  Cochinita Pibil is pork that has been seasoned with achiote and other seasonings before being wrapped in a banana leaf and cooked underground. The meat is so tender it falls apart easily after it’s cooked and is usually eaten with pickled red onions, rice, and refried beans. Yum!

Street food

My first time trying an elote

The night time atmosphere here is unlike anything I have ever seen before.  There is always a smell of food in the air and people out and about, even families.  Being out at night is still one of my favorite things to do here.  Night time snacks include a variety of savory and sweet foods all easily edible on the go.  Esquites and elotes can be found all over town.  Corn on the cob (elote) or cut off the cob (esquites) are covered with a combination of lime juice, mayonaise, cheese, and chile. Marquesitas are another favorite for adults and kids alike.  Think of a crepe that has been cooked until crispy then filled with either Nutella, fruit, cheese, jam, or many more options. Raspados are another popular favorite in our family and perfect for a hot day in Cancun.  Shaved ice is topped with sweet flavored syrups or something spicier such as chamoy, a chile syrup popularly used on fruits, in beers, and of course, on food.

Tacos

Photo courtesy of Máspormás

How could we talk about food and not talk about tacos?! Al Pastor, chorizo con papa, carne, tinga, chuleta, suadero, tripa, cecina, chorizo, de guisado, de canasta, and even “gringas”. Tacos can be found at all hours of the night on most corners around town.  They can be made on the spot fresh with soft corn tortillas, previously made and stored in a basket (canasta) or with cheese on a flour tortilla (gringa).  You can choose from many fillings, toppings, and salsas but a good rule of thumb is: Go where the locals go and eat what the locals eat.

We are always discovering new food, new places to try new food, and new things about the foods we already love.  We even recently realized that many types of food here are essentially exactly the same (except for their shape) and have totally different names. Clearly we didn’t mention all of the wonderful food that Mexico, and Cancun have to offer. Do you have any favorites that we missed?  Share with us in the comments!