Text and photos by Mary L. Peachin
Vol. 24, Vol. 4, January/February, 2020
A colorful parakeet nibbled bird seed from the palm of my hand. When his tasty treat was finished, he hopped back to his platform in front of his cage to pick up a folded piece of paper, folded with a written fortune for me. Fortune-telling birds are a traditional part of Mexican restaurant dining. It was fun, and after the first fortune is read, the bird’s handler occasionally asks, “Want to see the rest of your fortune? Just give me whatever money you think is right and he’ll pull another paper for you.”
Rough-hewn wooden tables situated on a stone courtyard in a 17th-century palace were surrounded by a canopy of tall trees draped with lights. A native woman prepared handmade tortillas that were served warm in baskets. We were being introduced to mezcal and other Mexican delicacies, which varied from the local Tucson Sonoran cuisine with which we are familiar. David, my husband, being a more adventurous eater drank his mezcal straight from a hand-carved gourd. I had a frozen mezcalita mixed with tamarindo that had a closer resemblance to a margarita.
We were fortunate to have the expertise of Christina Potters Link her name to her website https://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com/ author of Mexico Cooks! as we dined in the outdoor patio of Azul Historico. It was a jumping night with people still in costume from the day’s celebration of Dia de Los Muertos.
Our meal began with the traditional guacamole served with unique corn tortilla chips or “totopos” made in the restaurant. Typically served topped with crispy-fried grasshoppers, we passed on the “chapulines.” Entrees included organic Jamaican enchiladas made with native Michoacán corn tortillas stuffed with stewed jamaica flowers, a kind of hibiscus bathed in a creamy light spicy sauce, lightly spicy, topped with cream purple cabbage and cheese. We also enjoyed Oaxacan black mole enchiladas stuffed with shredded chicken, and a classical Yucatan Tikin Xic fish, a seasonal choice prepared with achiote, accompanied with ripe plaintain, avocado, tortilla strips and X-ni-pek sauce.
Desserts were unique and included a delicious tropical fruit mousse covered with a rich serving of whipped cream mixed with pulp and pieces of mamey then covered with a light chocolate and coffee sauce. Nicoatole Zapoteco is a corn dessert with a flan-like consistency. It is served with black sapote sauce.
Fully satiated, we looked forward to our next day tour with Christina Potters to visit one of Mexico City’s popular 24-hour local markets. The evening was a great start to five wonderful days in the country’s capital.