Topic: Food

I love empanadas. I have since I was a young girl and my mother used to make them for me. The fact that empanadas take on an almost entirely different form here in Mazatlan does nothing to dampen my enthusiasm for them.

A good nacho is a thing of beauty. A bad nacho is, well, common. And it's no different here in Mazatlan, since nachos are not a Mexican food. They are, in fact, a Tex-Mex creation. Legend has their birth in a small restaurant along the Rio Grande in the mid 1900s.

An ice-cold Pacifico and a Mazatlan sunset. There truly is nothing finer in this world. There is something magical about our local brew, and no where else on Earth does it taste as good. We used to drink Pacifico in Fort Worth, where it arrived world weary from it's travels across the border. It was a very fine beer even there, but here, at home, it is excellent. On a hot day when the sweat is trickling between your shoulder blades and into your bra, add a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lime, and its sublime.

We're starting to get into that time of year where cooking becomes a task too onerous to consider. Two days ago, the humidity shot up suddenly, making it feel 10 degrees warmer. It's still comfortable if you keep your activity level low, which for me is usually pretty easy. I am a web developer and spend 80% of my awake time sitting in front of my computer. But even low level activity is guaranteed to bring a good sweat, and going into the kitchen and firing up a couple of burners or the oven is a trip to the second ring of hell.

The first time we ate out here in Mazatlan, I thought we had the worst waiter that ever fell to Earth, and I was good and angry by the time we left the restaurant. Etiquette and social behavioral norms are different here than NOB. Not extremely different, but enough to cause you some problems, even doing something as simple as dining out.

One of the best parts of a vacation in Mazatlan is eating your way through the bounty of fresh, wonderful seafood and fish available here. First and foremost is the shrimp. Mazatlan is the shrimp capitol of the world. There are more ways to prepare shrimp here than I ever imagined possible. You could stay here a month and not eat shrimp the same way twice. But you shouldn't overlook the other wonderful options: scallops, lobster, oysters, clams, conch...all fresh and yummy.

The lime is a very overlooked fruit in the US. It's use is pretty much restricted to margaritas and Key Lime Pie. I certainly never kept limes in the house. They were expensive and would often shrivel up in the fridge before I got around to using them. But here in Mazatlan, the lime is as pervasive as the tomato, and I always have 15 or 20 around.

Getting fresh fish in this town is easy. Especially if you avoid the large grocery stores. There are numerous pescaderias and vendors that will sell you the daily catch. Even better, just stroll down to Fisherman's Beach when the boats come in (which they do three times a day), check out the catch, point, and start bargaining. You don't even have to know Spanish. But for us, it's even easier. We have a Fish Fairy.

With the temperature continuing to rise, (89.6°F in the house with 78% humidity,) I find myself less and less inclined to cook. But eating out all the time is expensive – or is it? We have found several places that serve up a superb meal for less than $6.00 US – for both of us combined, including drinks. Here's my list:

One of the things I love about Mazatlan is abundance of food available to you when out for an evening stroll. The carts are absent during the day, but as soon as the sun goes down, the streets mysteriously fill with food vendors like moon flowers blooming at dusk.

Not for the reasons most people think. I have no fear of armed marauders, highwaymen, con men, or the like. What I'm referring to is more insidious. I'm talking about the real danger in Mexico - Addiction! Spending time in Mexico can leave you battling a number of addictions.

I have heard many wonderful things about Mexican ice cream (helados). People have said how creamy, soft, and light it is. I have read forums by people trying madly to recreate it, trying to discover the secret. Some say it must be the brand of water they use; others think there is some secret freezing method. With all of the mystery and fascination, I was not prepared for what I found.