BajaNomad

Mexico set to become a gastronomic force

Whale-ista - 6-4-2015 at 10:00 PM

More on Mexico's cuisine...hmmm, what is "geometrical milk origami"?

Mexico set to become a gastronomic force

That Mexico has three restaurants rated among the top 50 in the world is recognition that Mexican cuisine is world class, says Tourism Secretary Claudia Ruiz Massieu.

Interviewed by Adela Micha of Grupo Imagen, Ruiz Massieu said she has no doubt that Mexico will become “the gastronomic force of the decade.”

The restaurants that made the Diners Club/San Pellegrino top-50 list were Pujol, No. 16; Quintonil, No. 35; and Biko, No. 37. All are located in the Polanco district of Mexico City.

“The three are restaurants that have a distinct offering of what is Mexican gastronomy,” said the tourism secretary, adding that the awards have a lot to do with how the world is coming to see Mexico.

She said Mexico will host the Latin American version of the awards event as part of a strategy to position the country as a culinary capital.

Another strategy is the inclusion of women in poor regions of the country into tourism value chains. Ruiz Massieu said meetings are planned with UN Women, an agency of the United Nations, to determine the means to incorporate such women into those value chains through Mexican cuisine.

“. . . women are the custodians of so many of our traditions . . .” she said.

The top-50 list of restaurants is based on a poll of 972 experts in gastronomy who form what is called the Diners Club Best Restaurants Academy. Each member casts seven votes for their favorite restaurants of the previous 18 months and the results are compiled by an independent firm.

The academy offered a written description of each of the winners; here are excerpts from what they had to say about those from Mexico.

At Pujol, chef and owner Enrique Olvera uses modern techniques and native ingredients to recreate ancient dishes and invent new ones showcasing unusual flavor combinations. Huitlacoche, or corn fungus, and powdered ants are among the ingredients.

Jorge Vallejo at Quintonil, who trained under Pujol’s Olvera, focuses on fresh seasonal ingredients, forgotten herbs and grains and indigenous produce. Many of the restaurant’s ingredients come from its own urban orchard, 30 meters away.

At Biko, French-born Mikel Alonso and Bruno Oteiza and Gerard Bellver from Spain fuse Basque flavors with Mexican ingredients that result in “a dazzling but fun repertoire,” such as foie gras candy floss and geometrical milk origami.

- See more at: http://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/mexico-set-to-become-a-gastr...

elgatoloco - 6-5-2015 at 05:53 AM

Geometrical milk origami indeed!

I googled it and your post came up as #8 on the list. :dudette:

Gastronomy is one of my many vices. :saint:

Never been to DF. Might have to check it out someday. We have eaten at #50, 72 & 80 :yes:

DENNIS - 6-5-2015 at 06:36 AM


"Mexico set to become a gastronomic force"
==================

Mexican food has bees a gas force with me for years. hahaha[awww..c'mon....you knew this was coming]

mtgoat666 - 6-5-2015 at 11:54 AM

yes,... perhaps mexico has some fancy food for the food snobs,... but it took so cal to perfect mexican food and create the 2 true pinnacles of mexican food: the carne asada burrito and nachos

[Edited on 6-5-2015 by mtgoat666]

SFandH - 6-5-2015 at 02:23 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Whale-ista  


Mexico set to become a gastronomic force



Just don't drink the water.

If you do, you may experience "gastronomic forces" of an unwanted kind. ;)

[Edited on 6-5-2015 by SFandH]

Bajahowodd - 6-5-2015 at 04:59 PM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666  
yes,... perhaps mexico has some fancy food for the food snobs,... but it took so cal to perfect mexican food and create the 2 true pinnacles of mexican food: the carne asada burrito and nachos

[Edited on 6-5-2015 by mtgoat666]


Can you really post that with a straight face? Nachos? Giving credit to Taco Bell?

I'm thinking that the authors of that article may be unaware of the wide variety of regional cuisine in Mexico. A few restaurants in the DF likely are catering to the international snob crowd.

DENNIS - 6-5-2015 at 07:01 PM



And, we have the new kid on the block....Baja Fusion....whatever that amounts to.

Hook - 6-5-2015 at 07:09 PM

Well, there is Mexican food and then there is gourmet, nouveau, fusion Mexican food, which is the type of food at restaurants that usually make these types of lists. They usually bear little resemblance to the traditional foods of each country.

I like these types of experimentations............but I have to agree with Goat. The best "traditional" Mexican food is not in Mexico; it's in SoCal.

I would disagree with those "pinnacles", though (is he being serious?). For me, it would be some type of enchiladas in a mole sauce, chile rellenos and some of the excellent caldos that make up Mexican cooking, including pozoles.

But the Mexican food I miss the most from SoCal is not a gourmet food at all. It's the simple tostada with stewed, seasoned chicken or carnitas, beans, cheese, guac, salsa and shredded iceberg lettuce. Over here in Sonora, tostadas are just the main ingredient........and that's pretty much it.

Whale-ista - 6-5-2015 at 07:43 PM

I thought this was interesting, and noteworthy for foodies, but hardly a common dining experience.

+Trying to define"Mexican food" is as impossible as defining "American cuisine." Too many regional varieties, styles, cultural influences...

And the food in DF is as eclectic as in NYC: high end chefs competing for international attention and developing a reputation among wealthy clientele. An interesting culture for a privileged few, much as high end fashion, luxury cars, and private jets.

mtgoat666 - 6-5-2015 at 08:33 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Bajahowodd  
Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666  
yes,... perhaps mexico has some fancy food for the food snobs,... but it took so cal to perfect mexican food and create the 2 true pinnacles of mexican food: the carne asada burrito and nachos

[Edited on 6-5-2015 by mtgoat666]


Can you really post that with a straight face? Nachos? Giving credit to Taco Bell?


Well, if you eat at Taco Bell, I suppose you would have a low opinion of nachos,...

Bajahowodd - 6-6-2015 at 04:52 PM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666  
Quote: Originally posted by Bajahowodd  
Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666  
yes,... perhaps mexico has some fancy food for the food snobs,... but it took so cal to perfect mexican food and create the 2 true pinnacles of mexican food: the carne asada burrito and nachos

[Edited on 6-5-2015 by mtgoat666]


Can you really post that with a straight face? Nachos? Giving credit to Taco Bell?


Well, if you eat at Taco Bell, I suppose you would have a low opinion of nachos,...


Haven't eaten at Taco Bell since they got rid of the fire pits. Must be 40 years.

Shout out Whale-ista for some very poignant comments.