 Published in the Pacific Pearl magazine March 2025
Who said it’s difficult to have a meat-free diet in Mexico? And why do most locals obey a meat-free month of March? Mazatlan’s markets are bursting with fresh produce for a bargain price. After Carnival locals are preparing lots of vegetarian dishes, because catholic tradition requires a non-red meat diet during Lent. A favorite vegetarian dish in Mexico is Chiles rellenos: Poblano pepper with cheese filling. But have you ever tried stuffed cauliflower or zucchini? Cauliflower isn’t an indigenous vegetable in Mexico. It was introduced by the courts of the French Archduke Maximilian who was emperor of Mexico between 1864 and 1867. These fritters can be eaten all year round, but especially during Lent. Ingredients:
Preparation: Cook the zucchinis and cauliflower separately until firm to the bite; add the milk to the cauliflower. Strain the vegetables and set aside. Puree the tomatoes, onion, garlic and water. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a saucepan and sauté the tomato puree for five minutes on a high heat. Add the bay leaf, salt and pepper to taste and simmer softly for another 8 minutes. Set aside until serving. Cut the top end of the zucchinis and hollow out a ‘canal’ in the middle. Fill with grated cheese and set aside. Press cheese into the cauliflower pieces and set aside. Whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form and fold in the egg yolks, one by one. Sprinkle the flour on a large flat plate and roll the vegetables in it. Heat oil in a large skillet on a high heat. Make sure there is at least 1 cm (0.5 inch) of oil in the bottom of the pan. Dip the vegetables into the whipped egg mixture until completely covered. Add two pieces at a time to the hot oil and fry until brown on all sides. Leave to drain on plate with paper towels. Heat the tomato sauce right before serving. Put the vegetable fritters in the sauce and heat up for five minutes. Served with cooked white rice. SERVES 6 PEOPLE. If you’re ready to learn more about Mazatlan’s culinary scene, make sure to check out www.flavorteller.com and save your seats for one of the Flavor Teller food tours.
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 Published in the Pacific Pearl February 2025
Mazatlan’s winter months might seem like summer to some. But for those of us who spend most of the year in tropical temperatures, February is the month of northern winds, Carnaval and hot chocolate or Atole corn custard. So what is our winter comfort food? You may have heard about Pozole (pork hominy soup) served at local diners, but do you know Asado a la plaza? Asado a la Plaza could be considered the middle brother of Sinaloa cuisine, forgotten between seafood and grilled fish, Machaca dried beef and shrimp tamales. However if there is one dish that represents Sinaloa, it’s this dish of fried meat and potatoes topped with vegetables and a rich bone broth which locals mothers prepare with much love. This satisfying dish highlights the region’s agricultural abundance: carrot, zucchini, onion, potato and tomato. Let’s cook like a local and make Asado a la Plaza with Doña Cuca Cardenas’ recipe. Ingredients (serves 8 people)
Meanwhile cut the zucchini in small cubes and boil in a pan with one cup of water until half cooked. Strain and leave to cool down in a bowl and sprinkle with vinegar. You can also use finely sliced lettuce as a topping. Wash the potatoes, prick 4-5 times with a fork and cook in the beef broth until half cooked. Remove from the broth to cool down. Peel the skin off, cut in small cubes and set aside. Pickled onion for Asado
Beef tomato broth
Heat vegetable oil in a skillet, fry the meat cubes and season with salt and pepper. Make sure to stir continuously until lightly fried. Remove from the oil and keep warm. Then fry the potato cubes in the same oil until golden. Divide the fried potatoes and meat between eight plates and top with zucchini or shredded lettuce, pickled onion and crumble Cotija cheese on top. Serve with tostadas and the hot beef tomato broth in small cups, so every person can add their broth. Note: you can use chicken or tuna instead of beef for this recipe. If you’re ready to learn more about Mazatlan’s culinary scene, make sure to check out www.flavorteller.com and save your seats for one of the Flavor Teller food tours.  Published in the Pacific Pearl magazine January 2025
First of all: feliz Año Nuevo, happy New Year! Most of us start the New Year with fresh plans of exercise and diet. In Mexico many dieticians incorporate nopales cactus leaves in their nutritional recommendations. But what are nopales, how do you prepare them and where can you buy them? Did you know that nopales have been part of the Mexican diet for thousands of years alongside corn and beans? The Opuntia cactus was domesticated 9000 years ago by the Chichimeca hunter-gatherer civilization in the central northern plains. From there it spread southwards and it was known in Nahuatl as Nohpalli which means tree with fruits. Currently there are over 100 different nopales varieties. Nopales have multiple uses: you can eat its flat oval-shaped leaves or its tuna cactus fruit and it is even used as a garden ‘fence’. In Mexico the nopal is more than just food. It is also an important national symbol. The Mexica tribe, who lived in the mythical city Aztlan, migrated around 1000 AD from northern Mexico in search of fertile soils to found their capital Tenochtitlan (currently Mexico-city). The indicated location would be where an eagle sits on a Nopal cactus devouring a snake. You can find this symbol in the center of the Mexican flag. A fun Spanish saying is that somebody with very Mexican features, is said to “have a nopal on his forehead”. So what are the health benefits of nopales? First of all nopales have few calories (15 kcal/100 g) and it is helpful for people with diabetes. Nopales are usually consumed cooked and mixed with a Pico de Gallo salad or in guacamole. Should you be worried about the cactus leaf thorns? Not at all: at local markets or supermarkets you can find thorn-less nopales. You will often see the vendors do this slow and meticulous labor of removing the thorns. Can you eat nopales raw? You won’t see anybody eat nopales like celery sticks, but it’s a common ingredient in our famous Jugo Verde (green juice). Let’s get the blender off the shelf and give it a try! Jugo Verde recipe (for 1 glass)
If you’re ready to learn more about Mazatlan’s culinary scene, make sure to check out www.flavorteller.com and save your seats for one of the Flavor Teller food tours.  Published in the Pacific Pearl magazine December 2024
In December Mexico is flooded with scents of cinnamon and piloncillo sugar, which comes from Buñuelos a traditional dessert that brightens up local homes around the holiday season. Buñuelos are fried pancakes that have a long cultural and culinary history in Mexico. You might see them stacked up at street vendors with their essential piloncillo syrup. You can enjoy them as a sweet treat or serve them at Christmas or New Year’s dinner. The origins of Buñuelos trace back around two thousand years to the Middle East, where they were consumed as fried dough balls with honey. Then they spread to Spain and transformed into Buñuelos. The Spanish Conquista and its cultural exchange, made it available in Mexico as early as the 16th century. Spanish Buñuelos de viento are stuffed with cream, while the Mexican Buñuelos look more like a fried wheat flour tortilla. Convents were the first places where Buñuelos were made. The famous Mexican nun Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz wrote a recipe book in the 17th century including three buñuelo recipes. Do you want to add a Mexican touch to your holiday celebration? Let’s get hands-on with Buñuelos. Ingredients:
Place the flour in a large bowl, create a hole in the middle and add the egg, sugar and butter. Mix with your fingertips until you get a crumbly texture. Add the anise water one tablespoon at a time and knead for 5 minutes until the dough has a smooth texture. Leave the dough to rest in a covered greased bowl for 30 minutes. Divide the dough in 12 balls. Roll the balls on floured surface to an 18 cm or 7 inch diameter. Stretch the dough as much as possible, using your hands, without tearing it. Meanwhile heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet. Add one buñuelo, fry for 15-20 seconds and turn over. Make sure to press it into the oil and fry an additional 30 seconds until it’s golden. Leave to drain on a plate with paper towels and fry the next. Sugar syrup:
To serve the buñuelos, pour some sugar syrup on top and serve warm or at room temperature. FOR 12 BUÑUELOS This holiday season, don’t miss the Buñuelos and have it with Mexican spiced coffee or hot chocolate. It doesn’t matter where you are in Mexico, Buñuelos are the perfect mix of tradition, culture and history. If you’re ready to learn more about Mazatlan’s culinary scene, make sure to check out www.flavorteller.com and save your seats for one of the Flavor Teller food tours.  Published in the Pacific Pearl magazine October 2024
How can you sum up Mexican spirituality? Nothing reveals more about the national understanding of death than Dia de Muertos (Day of the Dead). It is celebrated with colorful altars full of candles, flowers, sugar skulls and the long-awaited Pan de Muertos. The origins of Day of the Dead trace back to the pre-Hispanic civilizations who believed that the dead reside in the underworld or Mictlan. But on Dia de Muertos, which was originally celebrated in August, the dead can return to their homes. The Catholic conquistadores, hoping to assimilate the holiday through their favored tactic of cultural mixing or mestizaje, moved it to coincide with All Saints’ Day (November 1st) and All Souls Day (November 2nd). How is it celebrated? Many traditional communities still observe it as a religious and spiritual event. For them it might be called Noche de Muertos (Night of the Dead) because families spend the entire night at the graveyard with the departed. In Mazatlan it is a much more joyous affair involving a street parade ‘Callejoneada’, live music and skeleton ‘Catrina’ dancers. The center piece of the celebrations is the altar that is set up at home or at the cemetery. It’s decorated with orange marigold flowers, salt, water, candles and the favorite food of the deceased. Most people most look forward to Pan de Muerto, which is an orange-infused bread. Its dome shape reminds us of a skull with bones on the top. You can only find Pan de Muerto in the weeks running up to Dia de Muerto. Don’t worry if you’re not in town, because making Pan de Muerto isn’t as hard as it seems. The recipe was provided by the local La Guadalupana bakery who has been serving it since 1972. INGREDIENTS: 3 ½ cups white flour ½ cup water 1 cup butter 2 eggs + 1 egg for egg glaze 1 ¼ cup sugar 2 tbsp grated orange zest 2 tsp dry yeast 7 egg yolks ¼ tsp salt 2 tbsp aniseed tea (prepared) 3 tbsp orange blossom tea (prepared) PREPARATION: Heat the water until lukewarm. In a bowl mix two tablespoons of flour, ½ tablespoon sugar and the yeast and stir in the lukewarm water. Leave to rest until it has doubled its size. On a clean surface place the flour and create a hole in the middle. Add the remaining sugar, the orange zest, salt and butter. With one hand slowly mix the ingredients, while with the other hand you add the anise and orange blossom teas, two eggs and seven yolks. Knead until you get a manageable dough and continue the process for about 10 minutes. Add the yeast mixture to the dough and continue kneading until it gets a smooth consistency and it doesn’t stick to your hands. The dough is ready when you’re able to stretch it out and it doesn’t break. Place the dough in a glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Leave to rest in a warm place until it has doubled its size. Knead the dough again and separate some dough for decoration. Grease a baking tin and sprinkle with some flour. Make 10-cm or 4-inch sized balls and place them on the baking tin with space in between. Make small balls and strips with the separate dough. These will be the skull and bones to decorate the bread. Whisk the remaining egg and with a pastry brush attach the bones and the skull in the center. Leave the tray with dough balls to rest in a warm place until it has doubled its size, for about one hour. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C or 390°F for 15 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 170°C or 335°F for 20 minutes or until the bread is golden brown. Leave the Pan de Muerto rolls to cool down. Use a pastry brush to cover them with butter and sprinkle with abundant sugar. Pan de Muerto is best when eaten warm, but can be stored in an airtight container for a few days. If you’re ready to learn more about Day of the Dead and its culinary delicacies, make sure to book the limited seats for our seasonal Day of the Dead tour on www.flavorteller.com/bookatour. We will be heading out the last week of October only.  Published in the Pacific Pearl magazine July 2024
What does food and politics have in common? At first glance you would say ‘nothing’. But at Mazatlan’s seafood restaurants you will find an interesting dish that combines both. So what are Governor’s Tacos and who invented it? The history of this dish goes back to a famous seafood restaurant in Mazatlan “Los Arcos”. As the story goes in 1987 the then governor Francisco Labastida made a reservation at the restaurant. The owner of Los Arcos found out about the upcoming visit of this important politician, who already was a regular customer, and he was set on making Mr. Labastida’s visit memorable. Thinking of all the ways that he could surprise the governor, he remembered an anecdote that Mr. Labastida had told him about the delicious ‘machaca’ (Mexican beef jerky) tacos that his wife prepared. Immediately the owner and head chef of the restaurant started experimenting to find a recipe that they could show off. They came up with shrimp ‘machaca’ with cheese in a grilled corn tortilla. The governor asked what the name of this novel dish was and the owner spontaneously said ‘Taco Gobernador’. Nowadays you can find Taco Gobernador in most seafood restaurants in Mazatlan, where each has their own version. If you are craving this dish right now, but you are not in Mazatlan: don’t worry! Here is an easy recipe to make your own ‘Tacos Gobernador’ at home. Tacos Gobernador Ingredients: 10-12 corn tortillas 1 tbsp olive oil ¼ cup onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 cup Poblano or bell pepper, deseeded in strips 2 cups shrimp, peeled, cleaned and chopped Salt, pepper and oregano to taste 1 cup tomato, chopped 2 cups Chihuahua cheese or similar melting cheese Preparation: Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Add the onion, garlic and Poblano pepper strips and sauté for five minutes. Then add the shrimp and season with salt, pepper and oregano to taste. Stir continuously until the shrimp is browned. Finally add the chopped tomatoes and simmer for another five minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside. To assemble the Governor’s Tacos, heat the tortillas one by one in a ‘Comal’ tortilla pan or dry skillet. Add some grated cheese and leave to melt. Top off with a spoonful of the shrimp mixture and fold double to make a taco. Leave the taco on the comal or skillet until it’s crunchy, turning it over occasionally. Served with avocado slices and chopped cilantro. Buen Provecho! Enjoy your meal! If you’re ready to learn more about Mazatlan’s culinary scene, make sure to check out www.flavorteller.com and save your seats for one of the Flavor Teller food tours.  Published in the Pacific Pearl magazine may 2024
Mazatlan is a city where seafood and fish are on almost every menu. But once you’re home, it can be tough to keep up this famous ‘Seafood diet’. The Seafood diet is hailed as an essential component for a healthy lifestyle. But where to start? At Mazatlan’s fish shops there has been an abundance of Curvina (seabass) lately, which is great to make Veracruz-style fish. If you can’t find seabass, you can use red snapper instead. So what is Pescado a la Veracruzana? It’s a fusion of native Mexican peppers and tomatoes with unmistakable Spanish capers and olives. During the Spanish rule between 1621 and 1810, Veracruz was the main port between Mexico and Spain. Pescado a la Veracruzana is known to be a Mexican adaptation to the Basque Pescado a la Vizcaina and it was created as a meat-free dish during Lent. INGREDIENTS 1 tablespoon olive oil 4 cloves garlic, chopped ½ onion, diced 1 kilo tomatoes, chopped 1 bell pepper, cut in strips 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground pepper 2 bay leaves 1 teaspoon oregano 75 gr (2.5 oz) green olives, chopped 60 gr (2 oz) capers 6 seabass fillets (125gr or 4.5 oz each) 2 tablespoons butter Optional: pickled chili, for serving PREPARATION: Heat the oil in a big skillet and sauté the garlic and onion for 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil. Add the bell pepper and sauté for another 2 minutes while stirring. Season with salt and pepper, add the bay leaves and oregano and simmer for 8 minutes on a low heat. Then add the capers and olives and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. If needed, add salt and pepper and remove from the heat Heat the oven at 190°C (375°F) about 20 minutes before serving. Rinse the fish fillets, pat dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Melt the butter in a frying pan and fry the fillets until light brown on both sides. Place the fish fillets in a greased oven dish, serve the tomato sauce on top and cover with aluminum foil. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes. Decorate with pickled chili strips before serving. This dish is served with cooked white rice. Note: you can also use a whole seabass or snapper, but then you need to extend the baking time. Buen provecho! Enjoy your meal!  /Previously published in Pacific Pearl magazine April 2024)
Something fascinating happens every year during the week before Easter or Semana Santa. Mazatlan fills up with busloads of national tourists who flock to the beach, while locals also decide to do the same thing. The result is a tapestry of umbrellas covering every inch of available beach. It’s a lively scene with loud Banda music, coolers and plastic chairs. Once you’ve conquered your spot on the sand, you won’t want to give it up to get a bite to eat. Here are a few food hacks that locals use to survive and thrive at the beach during Semana Santa. Drink like a local It might not feel as hot and humid as during the summer months, but it’s important to drink enough fluids. Get a cooler to keep your beverages cold and it will work as a table at the same time. How to drink like a local? Obviously a family-style bottle of Pacifico beer is a must. These bottles have a funny nickname; they are called ‘Ballena’ which means whale. So next time you are at the convenience store, confidently say: “Una Ballena por favor”. If beer isn’t your thing, you might enjoy the local vanilla soda Tonicol or how about a traditional ‘Cebada’ (sweetened barley water)? Eat like a local The traditional food that many families bring to the beach, is not sandwich or fruit salad. You might already guess the answer: it is fish and seafood. You can find a mouthwatering variety of beach specialties like Tostiloco (think: walking taco with ceviche), oysters or fresh coconuts. What do locals prepare and always carry in their coolers? It’s mackerel ceviche or ceviche de sierra. You might not consider this humble fish as an option for ceviche. It’s prepared with ground mackerel, carrot, celery, onion and cilantro. You might think it is a carrot salad because of its distinctive orange color. Every family has their own way of making mackerel ceviche, but here is the base recipe. Mackerel ceviche (base recipe) 1 pound ground Mackerel 2 celery sticks 4 carrots ½ onion 1 pound limes Small bunch cilantro (diced) Pepper and salt to taste Ask the fish vendor to grind the mackerel as well as the celery sticks, carrots and onion. You can also use the food processor or cut everything in small pieces. Cut the lime in half and squeeze the lime juice in a bowl. Place the ground mackerel in a separate bowl and stir in the lime juice, salt and pepper. Make sure to mix well so the lime juice gets in contact with the fish. Leave to rest for 5 minutes. Drain the lime juice, pressing the fish. Now add the vegetables, add more salt and pepper to taste. Mackerel ceviche is served with corn tostadas or wheat toast Duro. (SERVES 4-6 PEOPLE) If you’re ready to learn more about Mazatlan’s culinary scene, make sure to book your seats for one of the Flavor Teller food tours. #flavortellerfoodtour #flavorteller #mazatlanfoodtour #foodtourmazatlan #ceviche #cevichedesierra  (Published in the Pacific Pearl magazine March 2023)
Carnaval has come and gone! After the banda has finally stopped playing and all the confetti has been cleaned off the streets, it’s time to gear up for Easter. Catholics in Mexico observe Lent for 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter. Usually Lent is a time to reflect and give up specific pleasures such as sweets, alcohol or social media. In Mexico there are specific food restrictions: no beef, pork or chicken on Fridays during Lent. However you’re allowed to eat fish and (drumroll…) bread pudding. You would say, bread pudding isn’t really meal, it’s more like dessert. Here’s the catch: during Lent the Mexican bread pudding or ‘Capirotada’ as it’s known, is served as a dish in itself. Ask any local to recommend the ‘best’ capirotada in town, the most likely answer is: “The one that my grandma/mom/aunt makes!” There are several ways to prepare Capirotada. But at its most basic it has four components: toasted bolillos (Mexican baguettes) drenched in piloncillo syrup with clove and cinnamon, fruits and cheese. Are you ready to make your own and cook like a local? INGREDIENTS: 20-25 slices baguette or bolillo, 1-2 days old 5 oz or 150 gr butter 10 corn tortillas, roasted (optional) 8oz or 250 gr grated cheese (Cotija or aged cheese) 7 oz or 200 gr raisins or dried plums 7 oz or 200 gr pecans, almonds or peanuts 2 bananas (regular or plantain) SYRUP: 150 grams piloncillo or caster sugar 3 cups water 1 cinnamon stick 3 cloves PREPARATION: First prepare the syrup: heat the water in a saucepan and add the sugar, cinnamon and cloves. Stir constantly to a light syrup. Remove from the heat. Toast the slices of bread until light brown and cover with butter. Heat the oven at 200°C or 390°F. Lightly grease an oven dish and cover the bottom and sides with the tortillas. Submerge the slices of bread in the syrup and cover a single layer in the oven dish. Sprinkle part of the cheese, raisins, nuts and sliced banana on top and cover with another layer of bread dipped in syrup. Continue until all ingredients are finished. Strain the remaining syrup and pour over the pudding. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes in the oven. Occasionally lift the foil and press smooth the surface with a wooden spoon. Lower the heat to 150°C or 300°F and bake for another 30 minutes. Serve the pudding lukewarm. SERVES 6 PEOPLE If you’re ready to learn more about Mazatlan’s culinary scene, make sure to book your seats for one of the Flavor Teller food tours. #flavortellerfoodtour #flavorteller #mazatlanfoodtour #capirotada #howtomakecapirotada  (Published in Pacific Pearl magazine February 2023)
You may have heard the phrase “Eat the seasons”, referring to consuming vegetables and fruits in the season that they are plentiful. But have you thought about applying this wisdom to other seasons, like Thanksgiving or Christmas season? We all know what food is traditionally served around those dates. In Mexico we also celebrate many religious festivities combined with a typical dish, like for instance Pan de Muertos around Day of the Dead on November 1st and 2nd or Chiles en Nogada (stuffed poblano pepper in walnut sauce) served in the weeks leading up to Mexico’s Independence Day on September 16th. In February we celebrate a lesser known religious holiday called Dia de la Candelaria. Now don’t feel bad if you’ve never heard about it. You could call it National Mexican Tamales Day. It’s celebrated on February 2nd, remembering the biblical story where baby Jesus was presented in the temple. Traditionally people would go to church with a baby Jesus figure to get it blessed. And then you would eat tamales. Nowadays few people keep up the religious part of the celebration, but many locals will buy tamales to share with their family. On Dia de la Candelaria the local tamales shops will sell 10 times more than their regular sales. A piece of advice: order your tamales a few days earlier. So what if you’re reading this after February 2nd? Don’t worry, no pasa nada! Any day is a good time to eat tamales. And there is a whole world of tamales that you can explore. Here are a few scrumptious options that you can find around Mazatlan. Tamal de elote Mazatlan’s best-selling tamales are sweet corn tamales. They are made with fresh corn grated off the cob, passed through a grinder and wrapped in corn husk. It’s a popular side dish on a traditional Sinaloa-style breakfast with Machaca shredded beef and poblano peppers in cream sauce. Tamal de camaron Do you prefer savory flavors? Then shrimp tamales are a local must-try. The corn dough or masa is mixed with a shrimp tomato broth to enhance the taste and the filling is typically peeled shrimp, potato and carrot. You might be able to find Tamales barbudos or ‘bearded’ tamales which are stuffed with unpeeled shrimp, resulting in a richer shrimp taste. You will have to get hands-on to peel and eat the shrimp. It’s all part of the food fun! Tamal Colorado or Nixcoco This is the legacy of indigenous tribes who roamed these regions before the arrival of the Spanish. Tamal Colorado is different from other tamales in two ways. First of all, it’s not prepared the same way. It’s cooked with a tree bark which gives it its bright-red color. And secondly it’s a tamal without a filling. It has a unique corn dough flavor. This is the rarest of all tamales around town. Keep your eyes peeled for these small red-colored tamales around the market and give them a try. Tamales oaxaqueños The world of tamales doesn’t end at the borders of Sinaloa. Every state in Mexico has their own regional varieties, like Corundas from Michoacan or Zacahuil from San Luis Potosí. In Mazatlan you can buy Oaxaca-style tamales which are wrapped in banana leaves instead of corn husk. The filling might be similar, but the banana leaves give a totally different flavor. You can find these tamales sold on street corners around the market. Now let’s commit to eating the seasons in Mexican foodie style! If you’re ready to learn more about Mazatlan’s culinary scene, make sure to book your seats for one of the Flavor Teller food tours. #flavortellerfoodtour #flavorteller #mazatlanfoodtour #tamalnixcoco #tamalcolorado #tamaldeelote |
Flavor TellerMaaike Hoekstra has lived in Mexico for over 15 years. She is passionate about Mexican culture and food. Here are the stories and recipes she finds along the way. Archives
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