Mexico City, as seen from the top of the Torre Latinoamericana
I was recently in the States for an extended stay — that’s part of the reason why I wasn’t blogging so much. When I was on the plane coming home, for the first time I thought about Mexico City with the teensiest bit of dread. The thought scared me. Did this mean I didn’t want to live here anymore?
I pictured myself in the cab heading home from the Mexico City airport, bumping over the potholes, all the crumbling, graffiti-sprayed buildings lined up on the side of the highway. There would be trash in the medians, and the air would be thick and warm and slightly sewer-smelling. The U.S. didn’t smell like a sewer. Cities there were clean and had zoning laws.
When I eventually found myself in a cab headed back from the airport, at 10:30 p.m. on Sunday, Mexico City looked much cleaner than I’d remembered. In fact, it reminded me a lot of California. (I’ve been thinking about California a lot lately — I don’t know why.) There were street lights that worked, and palm trees, and twinkling lights in the hills, and windows that glowed on apartment buildings. People lived here. I lived here. The polite cab driver steered us down the Viaducto, through a few tunnels and past the Liverpool department store. Everything felt comfortable and right.
The next day, it was a stack of corn tortillas that made me feel like I was officially, truly happy to be home. They were from Superama (not my first pick, when it comes to tortillas), but they were warm and damp inside their paper wrapping. I dug into the stack like a girl who’d been shipwrecked for the past three weeks. One taquito de sal. Two. Three.
For lunch — yep, I had lunch after my corn-tortilla snack — I went a little crazy ordering tacos from El Faraón. Two al pastor, one rib eye, and an order of aguacate and nopales con queso. The sight of two voluptuous avocado halves sitting in their styrofoam container made my heart leap. I scraped some out with my knife and spread it inside my rib-eye taco, with a drizzle of red salsa.
It’s funny, because whenever I come home from an extended stay in the U.S. I find myself examining my thoughts, searching for some sort of sign that would tell me how much longer I want to stay in Mexico. My mind says at least two more years. But whenever I’m eating Mexican food after a long trip away, I don’t ever want to leave this place.
What are the foods you find yourself eating, and missing, when you come home after a long trip? What tastes like home to you?
I’ve only been here for 6 months and have yet to take an extended trip home. But be that as it may, I know what food I would miss! Enchiladas verde con pollo. I am addicted to this stuff! I would eat it twice a week if my husband would allow it. There is nothing like it in the states and I am a lover of Tex-Mex food! I’m aware that Tex-Mex is not Mexican food, but it’s the closest there is in Oklahoma and Florida!
Kim: Aren’t they fabulous? Enchiladas verdes are Crayton’s favorite. (Actually, I think suizas are his top fave, but verdes are a close second.) I’m more of a fan of a big bowl of tomatillo salsa, with a stack of warm corn tortillas. Now you’re making me hungry.
Welcome Back!
I completely know that feeling that you describe. The trepidation of coming back to DF after a stint in the US. I usually spend August back home in Portland, Oregon.
When I return to DF, I head straight for the quelite and chile relleno tacos from Tacos Hola!
When I land in Portland, I make a beeline for my favorite hole-in-the wall Thai place, then go get a pint of proper micro-brew.
Thanks Juliet! Mmm, Tacos Hola. Love their guacamole. I would eat any taco there, as long as it had guac on top. Even blood sausage! Maybe.
Feel you on the microbrew.
oh wow,
sounds so good! let me know if you did end up finding good mexican food in your recent trip to the U.S..
after reading this, i have to have some!
hope all is well! and welcome home!
Lovely post Lesley…I could identify with your experiences so much. Nice to know I’m not alone. I currently split my time in the US and the UK. Moving around frequently in the countries too. So I have things I CRAVE from all over. When I am in San FRancisco its the yucca fries from Pica Pica. When in Sedona its the Rueben sandwich. LA has me breathless with anticipation for the tamales from La Guera tamalera. I dash to the stores to get avocados (so creamy and near Nirvana) red lentil Ethopian wraps in Injera bread & bulk bin dried split pea soup. Now in the UK, it has to be masala dosa from Indian Summer in Brighton and coleslaw from Leons in London and popadoms, I LOVE the crunch and saltiness of them…I feel like these things ground me..the food makes it home. I guess this is why I always learn how to make decode the recipes and make them myself…not the same as being there with the smells of the towns and the vibe of the people but close..
Indialeigh: Ok, you’re officially making me hungry with your talk of Ethiopian wraps and pappadums. Yum. I love your line about “the food makes it home.” Totally how I feel.
What an evocative question! When I return to North Carolina from Oaxaca, what I yearn for is pollo con mole negro and REAL corn tortillas with melted quesillo and salsa fresca made on the comal. I have to recreate these tastes in my kitchen using the food I lovingly transport in my equipaje gigante! What a blessing that I can now go back and forth 3x a year. I tells me my soul belongs in Oaxaca. I don’t even care about replicating NC BBQ.
Yes, it’s all about the real corn tortillas. I’ve been a little hesitant about bringing cooked food back to the States with me — have you ever had any issues? Next time I’d love to bring some cheeses and tortillas.
Lovely post…just remember if a trip to New York City is in the future, please let me know.
Just to note that it’s worthwhile to distinguish between Mexico the country and Mexico the city. There are other Mexican cities that could satisfy your culinary yearnings without accosting you with pot holes, graffiti, pollution, and all the rest.
Hi Luisa: Agreed. But I’m a city girl. As much as I complain about the potholes and graffiti (and the taxi drivers who constantly want to screw me over), I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. There’s a certain energy here that I love.
Your post has left me starving for it all! Even the grit and crumble.
Thanks, Gilda. Sometimes it’s good to have a little grit in your life, no? Makes you more thankful for the tranquil times.
Welcome home.
Thanks Martin! It’s good to be back.
When I return home from a vacation I look forward to mother’s caldo de res and her chile rellenos (made with poblano chilies, of course). When in LA CA I have to have Peruvian food, Greek Food, Thai Food. Actually vacationing is all about eating foods I can’t find in my city. G-d I need to lose weight!
You know what’s really funny? As a Californian I always miss Mexican food. The whole time I lived in Chile we were desperate for a taco, any kind of taco.
There weren’t any Tex-Mex or Mexican places in Chile? I’m surprised. I thought the food would’ve trickled down that far — at least nachos and burritos.
Hi Lesley — I’m new to Mexico City – just moved here last week. I lived in Monterrey and Chile, and I love all the foods (except mole :)) of each country. I’m anxious to take a culinary tour with you. I used to have a catering business and have always enjoyed exploring all the options.
This move was hard, as we were told to leave Monterrey because of the violence and insecurity. I’m hoping to get connected soon and make life good here.
Have a great weekend, and I hope to meet you soon!
Kristin
Hi Kristin: Bienvenida! I’m sad to hear you don’t like mole. Maybe you need to try more varieties? Green mole is actually very suave, and in my experience a good first start for folks who think they don’t like any moles at all.
Anyway. I’ll get off my mole soapbox. If you need any tips on anything, just shoot me an email — it’s listed on the About page on this blog. Hope you enjoy your time here!
Beeing here in México I miss German Knödel / Klöse and Sauerkraut and Polish Pieroggi…
beeing in Germany I definitly miss aguacate, agua de jamaica, sopa azteca and tacos…
I really admire how you write so truthfully about your ambivalence about returning “home” to Mexico. Sometimes I don’t know how I feel living in my 3 countries. I do know that after a few months of being in India, I really miss cheese and good bread. When I arrive in Mexico after India, I can’t get enough of the taste of corn, especially the corny, salty crunch of tostadas which very much remind me of papadums!