So many of you are nearly fanatical--and rightfully so--about Mexico's artisan-made goods! The technique shown above, that incorporates hand-ground lacquers into beautiful designs and objects of all types, is famous in Michoacán. The very best examples are for sale for only two weeks a year. Let's go see!
In the "ABOUT" section listed on the front page of Mexico Cooks! (up there in the right-hand corner, where it's easy to miss), I make mention of the highly personalized tours I frequently give for small groups. Many of my readers have asked about planning a Mexico Cooks! tour for themselves and their friends. Today, I've succumbed to your requests for more information about making Mexico Cooks! tour happen.
Pulling into a Mexico City market with a truckload of newly cut cempazúchitl, pata de león, and nube--all flowers used during celebrations for Mexico's Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Come tour with Mexico Cooks! and we might be able to pull into the market right behind a truck like this.
Mexico Cooks! has been all over this enormous country since first living in Mexico more than 35 years ago. Over all of that time, we've found a lot of hidden wonders, places rarely mentioned in guidebooks. For example, a huge popsicle marks the entrance to this way-off-the-beaten-path town. Why? We can take you there to find out!
Food--street food, market food, and restaurant food--makes up the majority of Mexico Cooks!' tours. These are tacos al pastor (shepherd-style tacos), loved by everyone and allegedly invented in Mexico City. Just tell the pastorero (the guy who prepares these), "Cuatro con todo, por favor," (four with everything, please), and get ready for a mix of flavors that no other meal provides. Chances are you'll want more than four!
This pale and luminous tile moon mural graces a fountain that is a must-see in Mexico City--we have to go!
Minimum group size is two people, and I can accommodate up to seven tour participants for a day trip, a few-days' trip, or a longer adventure.
All of the tours that I offer include the following:
- my undivided attention for the duration of your tour
- personalized tours to meet your special interests
- extensive pre-planning to maximize your experience on tour
- my 100% bilingual (English/Spanish) guide service
- Cost of all meals taken as a group including Cristina's meal(s)
Not included in the cost of your tour:
- air transportation costs to/from and within Mexico
- ground transportation to/from airports and/or bus stations
- hotel accommodations and tips to hotel personnel
- alcoholic beverages with meals or on your own
- all food and all beverages consumed at non-tour meals or during "on your own" time
- gratuity to Cristina (if you choose) at close of tour
Huitlacoche, freshly cut and ready to purchase at one of Mexico's most fascinating markets. During the course of several years, clients and market vendors alike have discovered that when Mexico Cooks! takes a group to the market, the magic starts. Expect plenty of tasting opportunities, tips on how to choose the best Mexican ingredients in the town where you live, and Cristina's tips on preparing Mexican dishes.
Do you see six varieties of fresh chiles? Prepare to learn the differences among them at any of Mexico's markets.
The myriad wonders of Mexico are too many to count, and too many to see in an entire lifetime. If you've been here and want more, the "more" that most tourists never see, Mexico Cooks! will meet your needs. Traveling with Mexico Cooks!, you have the opportunity to tailor-make the tour you want. Nothing is pre-packaged. Mexico Cooks! bases its tours on your ideas, your wants, your needs.
Dear readers, what you see is ONE taco de carnitas, prepared by the vendor for my clients as a taste of his wares. A taste. Just seeing the photo makes my mouth water. When can we go?
Does an upscale restaurant meal better suit your style? We know the best places in Mexico City, the state of Michoacán, and the state of Oaxaca. You will be rolling your eyes with delight.
If you have particular interests (artisan villages and handwork, churches and cathedrals, city and country markets [with or without a cooking class!], traditional Mexican food and ingredients in all their regional varieties, restaurants small and large, special fiestas and religious celebrations, and small regional museums, to list a few), Mexico Cooks! can show you more than you've dreamed of finding.
During this market tour in Michoacán, my clients learned about and, for the first time, tasted a fruit they'd never seen before: the mamey. They loved it, and if this will be your first time trying it, so will you.
Many of Mexico Cooks!' tours are focused on Mexico's high-altitude Central Highlands, where the weather is nearly always temperate: balmy and sunny during the day and refreshingly cool during the evening hours. The best times for touring are mid-June through February. March through late May are often uncomfortably warm and dry for daytime touring. Come discover the cool joy of central Mexico in the summer.
During a Mexico City tour, we ran into Frida Kahlo--well, actually Frida Kallejera (uniquely-spelled street Frida)! If we're lucky on your tour, we'll see her again.
There's a market in Oaxaca that will just plain knock your socks off: colors, fragrances, sounds, the works, all are love at first sight. It's my favorite market in all of Mexico, and I suspect you'll feel the same way.
Just wait! With one turn of your head, you'll see the most unexpected things! There's no place like Mexico--and no tour like a Mexico Cooks! tour. Email me at [email protected] to start making your plans.
Buen viaje--Mexico Cooks! te espera! (Have a great trip--Mexico Cooks! is waiting for you!)
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