Street Grunting Anyone?

Street Grunting... This term is not an original of mine. I got the idea out of the book "People's Guide to Mexico," which is an anecdotal introduction to Mexico. As they say, "Street grunting covers everything that doesn't have to be eaten while sitting at a table...It is an entire system that eliminates much of the hassle and time involved with ordering, menus, tips, and other restaurant rituals." It is a great way to eat out. It is cheap (usually you couldn't make it at home for the prices they charge.) We usually wander the streets or sit in the zocalo with our finds.

Now would be a great time to introduce the idea of streets vendors. After dark the streets are transformed. People drink beer in groups outside their homes. Plastic Sol tables and chairs are placed on the roads ( cars rarely drive on them anyways - at least here in Jalcomulco) and a large propane tank is attached to a variety of strange stoves. Temporary resturants appear each night. Those families that sell out of the main square (rather than their homes) often have a special bike or covered hot dog like stands. These people sell pretty much any sort of snacking food: hotdogs (fully loaded), hamburgers, tacos, empandas, corn, sweets, nuts, drinks, fruit, popcorn, pork rind chips, sherbert, potatoe fries, deep fried bananas and pastries. There are also people who wander or bike around town at various times of the day selling cheese, chicken (it's raw and not refrigerated), yogurt, and breads and sweets from the local bakery. They often have a large basket that is carried on their head. Jason has this theory that if you stay in the main square with a decent amount of money and enough time and patience you can get anything you want without even having to leave your bench...foods, drinks, souvenirs, tour bookings, bar/resturant recommendations and of course Spanish practice.

Since they sell things on an as needed basis people don't have menus. The more permanent places have signs or posters that show or have written what is offered. Other places you just have to guess or point to your neighbours and say I'll have one of those. Mexicans are known for not always have everything that would be describe on a menu. So it is better off sometimes to ask them what they do have.

Our favourite food place to visit is the panaderias or pasteleria. Pan is bread.... so it is a bakery and pastel is cake .... which refers more to pastries. Either way as you enter in you are greeted with delicious smells. In Jalcomulco the bakery prepares its' goodies for the afternoon, oddly enough 4 o'clock is the best time as they prepare only enough for that day or two. To purchase anything you grab a tray and a pair of tongs and select as much as you think is healthy. Let me tell you that margin has increased dramatically for us. Typically each item (cookies, a bun, muffins) is $0.10 to $0.30, a loaf of bread is $0.60. In San Cristobal you could get a slice of cake or pie for $1.50. Here things are more basic.

One of my most favourite food experinces happened in San Cristobal. We were watching a mariachi band in the park. It was beginning to get cold. We passed by a table that was lined with large drinking glasses. Each one had a spoon inside. The lady behind the table promptly asked us if we'd like ponche. After adding a few layers of clothes we got the hot drink. Jay got pineapple, which had sweet bread crumbled into it. Mine was a mixture with big chunks of fruit in it. You could get it for here or to go, hence all the cups. They just give 'em a rinse and then it is someone else's turn. What a great idea. The other event around here is going to Juan's. He's a local, who with his family prepares empanadas, tostadas and tacos out of their front room or on the street. We often go and hang out there as a big group. If he doesn't have any beer in the cooler you just walk down the street and buy your own.