MEXICAN STREET BOTANAS

“Is street food in Mexico safe?”

How many times have I heard that question been asked, and you know what? I can’t really answer that.

Some people might say there is no way for this to be subjective, but, it is.

My answer mostly is: how strong is your stomach?

I am not necessarily a strong stomach Mexican, and believe me, it hurts me to accept this.

I can’t for my sake eat as much street food as I would like to. My stomach can’t handle it, but, have I ever introduced you to my sister and her boyfriend? Or, to my dad?

Really, it all depends how used you are to the “not so clean stuff” entering your stomach.

And, a lot of it also depends on your attitude towards it.

This is what I say to my passengers: “if you like what you see, TAKE IT. If you don’t and more than anything, it scares you, then, DO NOT TOUCH”.

What I CAN confirm to you is that if you are looking for the ultimate local experience in Mexico, experiencing street food is a must.

The street food experience is something to enjoy and go back home to talk about. If you won’t enjoy it, do not do it.

Street food requires people to WANT TO TASTE all that is new and foreign to them.

I bet you that 99% of the times, the flavors that you find in our street food, you have never come across.

And you know what else you have never come across either? The NAMES.

Here is for you a short list of the main “street botanas” that we Mexicans drool and stand in long lines for:

1. Los elotes y los esquites
2. Los cueritos
3. Raspados
4. Jicaletas
5. Dorilocos
6. Chicharrones y papas
7. Mango con chamoy (y toda la fruta)
8. Marquesitas
9. Los churros
10. Los cacahuates y las pepitas
11. Los dulces típicos.

FUN FACTS

Now, I do have to clarify something with you:

Street food includes all kinds of tacos, tortas, tamales, quesadillas and more.

So, why don’t I include them in the list?

Easy: those are NOT botanas.

All the “Vitamin T” as we call it, for a “regular Mexican” is a FULL meal.

People step out during lunch break and eat a Torta or 2 quesadillas or 3 tacos plus a coca cola for their lunch break. That my friends, is a meal.

Something else to know is, that many of us, when traveling or visiting family, make sure to include the “ultimate street botanas experience” in a full day.

And what does that mean?

I will explain with a personal example:

The ultimate street botana experience

If I ever go to Morelia, Michoacán, this is going to be how my botana day will look like:

Morning: I will take a BIG glass of water, a cup of tea and a very reliable omeprazole.

Then, I will go to the nearest famous market and have 2 corundas for breakfast.

Then, I will go walk around and in less than 2 hours probably I am ready for a good old gazpacho.

Later, once all that beautiful fruit is out my system, probably I will choose to snack on the crispy papitas on the street and will continue my walk around the beautiful city.

Most probably, a couple of hours later, I will feel the munchies again and may stop for a “pasta ice cream”.

As you can see, in this example, I have NOT stopped to sit down and most probably I have eaten much more than what has been mentioned.

Probably by 6 pm effect of the omeprazole is gone, and so, I might take another one or just go for a healthy soup to finish the day asking my stomach for forgiveness.

Still, there was no way for me to stop myself from indulging in the never disappointing “botana experience”.

Here I will make a parenthesis to apologize for not being able to provide any proof of my “eating like a pig” day. I guess being that I have done it since I am a child and it is just a cultural “thing”, I never expected to see this as something very interesting to share with you all.

Bummer.

Do you know how much material I would have by now?

What is all this about?

Well, I am super interested in sharing with you all that is REAL, and, there is no better way to know what Mexico is than through our food.

And, I am sure a lot of you foreigners pass us by in the long lines of the esquitero or look at us weird while munching on a jicaleta and wonder: “what the hell are they doing?”.

So, I thought I would share some insight, but, in my style.

I will be writing about all the botanas, but, with the bonus of talking to you about THE PEOPLE.

They will have a face and names and stories to tell.

Welcome to Mexico through its BOTANAS.

***** Please note that NONE of the photos is mine. ALL the photos have been taken from papá google.