Oaxacan cuisine

Oaxacan cuisine is a regional cuisine of Mexico, centered on the city of Oaxaca, the capital of the state of the same name located in southern Mexico. Like the rest of Mexican cuisine, Oaxacan food is based on staples such as corn, beans and chile peppers, but there is a great variety of other ingredients and food preparations due to the influence of the state’s varied geography and indigenous cultures. Well known features of the cuisine include ingredients such as chocolate (often drunk in a hot preparation with spices and other flavorings), Oaxaca cheese, mezcal and grasshoppers (chapulines) with dishes such as tlayudas, Oaxacan style tamales and seven notable varieties of mole sauce. The cuisine has been praised and promoted by food experts such as Diana Kennedy and Rick Bayless and is part of the state’s appeal for tourists.

Oaxaca is one of Mexico's major gastronomic centers whose cuisine is known internationally Because of its mountain ranges, the state has a number of climates and cultures, which contributes to making the cuisine the most varied in Mexico. The state has coastal areas with seafood, the Central Valley region grows a wide variety of vegetables, and the area near Veracruz provides a year round supply of tropical fruits. It also has seventeen recognized indigenous groups, who contribute their own cooking traditions. The cooking of each region in the state is characterized by local ingredients and to some extent cooking methods. One example is that of the Triques, who are known for their pit barbecuing. However, despite its rich culinary tradition, Oaxaca is a poor state and many struggle to eat decently.

Oaxaca’s dietary staple is corn, which has been Mexico’s for over 7,000 years. Corn is generally dried and ground to create a dough, which is used for a number of dishes including entomatadas, empanadas and tamales. Tortillas are called blandas and are a part of nearly every meal. The main flavoring agent is the chili pepper, with varieties such amarillos, chilhuacles, chilcostles and costeños, but the most distinctive is the pasilla oaxaqueña chile. Distinctive herbs include hoja santa, often used in chicken, pork, and fish dishes as well as mole verde, along with epazote and a local herb called “pitonia.” Two well known aspects of the cuisine are the use of chocolate for drinking and various edible insects, especially grasshoppers called chapulines (see below). Lesser known regional specialties include ice cream flavored with rose petals, and squash flowers found in empanadas, quesadillas, soups and more.

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