Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Tasting an Odd Variety of Mexican Candy

One of the most notable differences of living in Playa is the assortment of available candy.  There are the traditional M&Ms and Snickers in wide abundance, but you will also discover a large selection of sweets that make one ponder and think really?  Although we have mostly stuck to eating traditional American goodies, we have plunged into a few of the Mexican versions.

In our welcome basket provided to our condo and villa renters we offer Tamborindos.  They are very delicious soft fruit candy made from the tamarind fruit and are covered in chili powder.  This is the favorite snack of my Mexican employee, Claudia, who can often be seen apologizing after raiding our stash.  I have also come to like Tamborindos, but since I refrain from eating candy due to self-imposed dietary restrictions, it is more of a rare splurge.

Unlike American candies which often are very sweet and are filled with peanut butter, Mexican ones are most always topped with hot chili powder and are more salty than sweet like jalapeno and corn flavored candy.  I can distinctly remember our first trip to a Mexican fair where they were serving Popsicles covered with chili sauce and chili powder. To say the least it was an eye opening experience. 

Part of the Mexican experience is trying all these different types of sweets.  I recall when we first came to Playa one of my Mayan Mexican housekeepers invited us over to a kid's birthday party.  In the gift bags given to all the attendees were a bunch of sweets I have never seen before like dulce de leche (milk candy), Salsaghetti (straws of spicy watermelon that look like spaghetti) or chamoy liquid candy (based on a Mexican condiment made from picked fruit).  In retrospect I should have tried them all rather than gifting them to my other employees.  Now that we've settled into life in Playa we should make more of an effort to try these different sweets.  Each Mexican holiday has its own different type of sweet, so it should be a fun cultural experience tasting the full gamut of goods!

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Tamarind candies

Tamborindo candies used in our welcome basket

The last evidence that I ate one

Lollipops with chili powder.  I haven't tried these yet.

 These are spicy and sweet liquid candy flavored like tamarind

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Saturday, July 3, 2010

Chicharrones - Tasting Fried Pork Skins

Chicharrones, or fried pork skins, comprise an integral part of the Mexican experience.  Although they are mainly eaten by children with some sort of spicy sauce, they are also a favorite treat for many adults.  I tried my first Chicharon the other day and I must say it met my expectations for greasiness and disgust.

One of our condo owners from Monterrey, Mexico was in town munching down on a bag of Chicharrones.  He offered me either the imitations made from fried flour or the real ones made from deep fried pig skin.  Although I was very hesitant I figured if I was going to try a Chicharron it might as well be authentic.  I put the small light brown, puffy treat into my mouth, and immediately I could taste warm fat.  It was absolutely disgusting.  As soon as it hit my taste buds my fingers went into my mouth and yanked it out.  Although I could have masked the taste with a red spicy sauce like Valentina's, there really was no point.  I didn't really want to eat it anyway.

As a child there was a short period when I enjoyed eating meat fat.  My grandmother on my Dad's side got me hooked.  I don't recall when or why I stopped, but eventually I outgrew this bad habit.  As an adult I can appreciate a good steak with nice fat marbling which adds to the flavor of the meat. However, eating straight fat not only tastes unsavory, it is also extremely unhealthy.

Many countries have unhealthy snacks.  In the US take fried twinkie for example. Many find them delicious but does that mean most anyone would like them?  I know that when my Mexican employees try US style cupcakes and cakes they say the frosting is way too sweet.  I guess when one is raised to like a particular taste or treat it can affect one's food predilections for life.

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Allan and Mauricio and a bag of Chicharrones

Chicharrones at a local restaurant

Demi

Demi

Mitzi

Mitzi

Mitzi and Demi

Mitzi and Demi

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