La coqueta de Sinaloa

Jimena González Bernal| El Universal

00:10Domingo 16 de febrero de 2014

El Presidio Yadin Xolalpa

La edición de este año se llama “Litoral: la piel del mar”, un homenaje a cuatro carnavales: Río, Cuba, Venecia y Nueva Orleans.. (Foto: Instituto de Cultura, Turismo y Arte de Mazatlán )

Mazatlán tiene un no sé qué y más ahora que la ciudad se viste de pluma y lentejuela. Del 27 de febrero al 4 de marzo se vive el carnaval, considerado uno de los mejores del planeta y con él, el deseo de recorrer uno de los centros históricos más bonitos frente al mar

jimena.gonzalez@eluniversal.com.mx


Mazatlán tiene un no sé qué y más ahora que la ciudad se viste de pluma y lentejuela. Llega el carnaval, considerado uno de los mejores del planeta y con él, el deseo de recorrer uno de los centros históricos más bonitos frente al mar

Hace un par de años la revista Forbes le otorgó un lugar al Carnaval de Mazatlán dentro de los tres mejores del mundo, después de Río de Janeiro y Nueva Orleans.

Nos sentimos orgullosos de la "Tierra de Venados" y ahora queremos ir a contagiarnos de esa alegría que invade el Malecón.

La edición de este año se llama "Litoral: la piel del mar", un homenaje a cuatro carnavales: Río, Cuba, Venecia y Nueva Orleans.

Pero también el público podrá observar elementos de la mitología africana, según nos cuenta Raúl Rico González, director general del Instituto Municipal de Cultura, Turismo y Arte de Mazatlán. Es una invocación a los dioses representados por los cuatro elementos naturales: fuego, agua, aire y tierra.

En el Malecón ya se percibe una atmósfera festiva con la llegada de los tradicionales monigotes, desde Olas Altas hasta Paseo Claussen, que marcan la ruta del desfile.

Cada uno mide casi ocho metros de altura y representan personajes del tema de esta edición.
Las obras monumentales son del maestro Jorge González Neri, artista plástico y escenógrafo originario de Monterrey.

 Instituto de Cultura, Turismo y Arte de Mazatlán

En un evento de esta categoría no puede faltar el desfile de comparsas (una serie de coreografías) que abren camino a los carros alegóricos que miden entre 14 y 16 metros de altura y hasta 14 de largo.

Algo que distingue a Mazatlán del resto, es su espectáculo de juegos pirotécnicos a la orilla del mar, que recrea un episodio histórico de Mazatlán. En 2014 se conmemoran 150 años de la heroica defensa del puerto ante la invasión francesa. Para disfrutar de esta batalla naval, dos buques de la Marina lanzan fuegos artificiales sincronizados con luces y música a cargo del director artístico Jorge Márquez.

En el mar la cultura es más sabrosa

No todo es lentejuela y movimiento de cadera. El puerto también marca la diferencia al incluir una cartelera cultural para otorgar tres reconocimientos a las artes: el Premio de Pintura Antonio López Saenz; el Premio Mazatlán de Literatura, rechazado por Carlos Fuentes en 1972, como repudio ante la actitud del gobierno estatal contra el movimiento estudiantil de la Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa, y el de Poesía Clemencia Isuara, que se entrega durante la coronación de la reina de los Juegos Florales.

 Instituto de Cultura, Turismo y Arte de Mazatlán

 

Susana Zabaleta es una de las invitadas al programa de Veladas de las Artes.

¡Olé, Guapa! es un espectáculo de zarzuela que interpreta la cantante junto a la Orquesta Sinfónica Sinaloa de las Artes, bajo la dirección del maestro Enrique Patrón de Rueda. No te lo pierdas este 21 de febrero en el Teatro Ángela Peralta.

A esta misma orquesta la acompañara LE DIV4S, un grupo de sopranos italianas, en el Estadio Teodoro Mariscal, el 28 de febrero.

También se presentan en concierto Sasha, Benny y Erik el día 1, y Belinda el 3 de marzo.

Lo imperdible del Viejo Mazatlán

El Teatro Ángela Peralta es uno de los espacios culturales más hermosos del país y uno de los más activos. Por algo fue declarado Patrimonio Histórico de la Nación, en 1990. En cualquier época del año presenta ballet clásico y folklórico, recitales de música sinfónica y ópera.

Fue inaugurado en 1874 con una arquitectura parecida a los teatros románticos decimonónicos. Además cuenta con dos galerías de arte: Rubio y Ángela Peralta (servicios.mazatlan.gob.mx/tap).

Visitar el museo Casa Haas es como hacer un viaje al pasado mazatleco. Sus muros, techos y vigas siempre causan fascinación por su estilo neoclásico. Aquí se presentan conciertos, exposiciones, obras de teatro, muestras de cine y conferencias. www.culturamazatlan.com

El Museo Arqueológico ocupa un edificio del siglo XIX y principios del siglo XX. Aquí hay que explorar cinco salas que exhiben costumbres y objetos de los pueblos prehispánicos de tierras sinaloenses. http://www.inah.gob.mx/

Arte moderno y contemporáneo se exhibe en el Museo Arte, dividido en dos salas, una de exposiciones temporales y otra permanente, Antonio López Sáenz (en honor al artista plástico), donde se muestran obras de artistas mexicanos como Rufino Tamayo, Francisco Toledo y José Luis Cuevas (www.culturasinaloa.gob.mx).

Date una vuelta por la galería-restaurante Delirium. Su especialidad don los tacos y tortas gourmet. El lugar está decorado con obras a la venta. Cada semana hay propuestas diferentes. Además se presentan performance, instalaciones, arte objeto y obras que experimentan con tecnologías y multimedia.

El primer viernes de cada mes se programa el Artwalk, un recorrido gratuito y por cuenta del visitante para conocer los estudios, talleres, galerías y tiendas de arte de más de 50 artistas plásticos, nacionales e internacionales, instalados en el Viejo Mazatlán. Fechas próximas: 7 de marzo, 4 de abril y 2 de mayo (www.artwalkmazatlan.com).

Después, hay que hacer una parada obligada en la Plaza Machado, ímbolo del viejo Mazatlán.

Es el lugar ideal para pasar una rica tarde o una velada en sus restaurantes, cafés y bares. Lo rodean casonas restauradas del siglo XIX y principios del XX.

Todos los fines de semana cierran la circulación en este perímetro y entonces los restaurantes sacan las mesas a las calles, hay música viva de jazz o tambora al aire libre.

El Presidio es un restaurante de ambiente bohemio, que conserva la apariencia de una casona en ruinas, con el ladrillo rojo a la intemperie, conocida como Casa García. De cocina mexicana, creada por su chef y propietario Diego Becerra.

En el centro histórico, no sólo encontrarás vida cultural en exceso, sabores locales de mar y tierra y ambiente nocturno. A la hora del descanso esta zona se pinta sola.

Elige entre hoteles de cuatro estrellas de mucha tradición, hoteles boutique o los llamados bed & breakfast, muy íntimos, bonitos y cálidos, que incluyen el desayuno.

The Jonathon Boutique Hotel está enfrente del Teatro Ángela Peralta. Su restaurante-bar sirve cocina internacional y su terraza está abierta para disfrutar un trago.


 

Instituto de Cultura, Turismo y Arte de Mazatlán

 

Mexican kitchen: a gourmet guide to food in Mexico

lonelyplanet.com
by MAURICIO VELáZQUEZ DE LEóN·
09 November 2012
 

Mexicans love food, especially their own. Visit Mexico and you will soon get a sense of how important food is in their lives: ask where to find, say, the best carnitas (braised pork) in Mexico City, or the best mole (a type of chilli sauce) in Oaxaca, and you’re up for a passionate, lengthy and well-informed debate. (However, if you ask who the best cook they know is, they all will be in agreement: mi madre – ‘my mother’.)

Cooking class in Oaxaca by Karen Sandler. Creative Commons Attribution licence

 

What’s on the menu?

 

Mexican cuisine has little to do with what’s served in Mexican restaurants outside the country. For many visitors their first experience with real Mexican food is a surprise – there are no big hats, no flavoured margaritas or cheese nachos on the menu. Authentic Mexican food is fresh, simple and, frequently, locally grown – and most likely, somebody’s mother will be running the kitchen.

Mexican menus vary by region, but in most cases you can find food made with a few staples: corn, an array of dry and fresh chillies, and beans.

Contrary to popular belief, not all food in Mexico is spicy, at least not for the regular palate. Chillies are used as flavouring ingredients and to provide intensity in sauces, moles and pipiáns, and many appreciate their depth over their piquancy. But beware: many dishes do indeed have a kick, reaching daredevil levels in some cases. A good rule of thumb is that when chillies are cooked into dishes as sauces they tend to be on the mild side, but when they are prepared as salsas or relishes used as condiments, they can be really hot.

Chillies in Cozumel by Sarah Wu. Creative Commons Attribution licence

Other staples that give Mexican food its classic flavoring are spices like cinnamon, clove and cumin, and herbs such as thyme, oregano, and most importantly, cilantro (coriander) and epazote.

Epazote may be the unsung hero of Mexican cooking. This pungent-smelling herb (called pigweed or Jerusalem oak in the US) is used for flavouring beans, soups, stews and certain moles.

Eating on a whim

 

Antojitos are at the centre of Mexican cooking. The word antojo translates as ‘a whim, a sudden craving,’ but it’s not just a snack – you can have them as an entire meal, or a couple as appetizers (or yes, just one as a tentempíe, or ‘quick bite’). There are eight types of antojitos, all with the central component of corn masa (dough):

• Tacos: the quintessential culinary fare in Mexico can be made of any cooked meat, fish or vegetable wrapped in a tortilla, with a dash of salsa and garnished with onion and cilantro.
• Quesadillas: fold a tortilla with cheese, heat it on a griddle and you have a quesadilla. (Queso means cheese.) In restaurants and street stalls they’re stuffed pockets made with raw corn masa that is lightly fried or griddled until crisp. They can be stuffed with chorizo (spicy sausage) and cheese, squash blossoms, mushrooms with garlic, chicharrón (fried pork fat), beans, stewed chicken or meat.

Making quesadillas in Tepotzlan by William Neuheisel. Creative Commons Attribution licence

 

• Enchiladas: a group of three or four lightly fried tortillas filled with chicken, cheese or eggs and covered with a cooked salsa; usually a main dish.
• Tostadas: tortillas that have been baked or fried until they get crisp and are then cooled to hold a variety of toppings. Tostadas de pollo are a beautiful layering of beans, chicken, cream, shredded lettuce, onion, avocado and queso fresco (a fresh cheese).
• Sopes: small masa shells, two or three inches in diameter, that are shaped by hand and cooked on a griddle with a thin layer of beans, salsa and cheese; chorizo is also a common topping.
• Gorditas: round masa cakes that are baked until they puff. Sometimes gorditas are filled with a thin layer of fried black or pinto beans, or even fava beans.
• Chilaquiles: corn tortillas are cut in triangles and fried until crispy, then cooked in a tomatillo (chilaquiles verdes) or tomato salsa (chilaquiles rojos) to become soft, then topped with shredded cheese, sliced onions and Mexican crema. Typically served as breakfast.
• Tamales: made with masa mixed with lard, stuffed with stewed meat, fish or vegetables, wrapped and steamed. Every region in the country has its own, the most famous being the Oaxacan-style tamales with mole and wrapped in banana leaves and the Mexico City tamales with chicken and green tomatillo sauce wrapped in corn husks.

Mexican food in Cozumel by Sarah Wu. Creative Commons Attribution licence

Se "subió" al barco

Marcela Osuna
noroeste.com

09-01-2014

. Fotografía: Noroeste/Daniel Santana.

MAZATLÁN._

Junto con los activistas de Green Peace, en el barco Rainbow Warrior, llegó a Mazatlán el conocido chef mexicano Aquiles Chávez, el hombre de bigotes extravagantes y protagonista de los programas El Toque de Aquiles y Motochefs, que se transmiten por el canal Fox Life.

Su objetivo en esta misión, como cocinero mexicano, es promover el consumo de productos locales, sustentables y orgánicos, y manifestar su preocupación por el consumo de maíz transgénico, por eso, junto a otros colegas ha formado parte de campañas a favor del maíz orgánico o criollo y de la comida mexicana tradicional.

"Como cocinero mexicano que soy le doy importancia al consumo de productos locales, sustentables, comprar a los productores locales cosas de temporada; y considero que la entrada de productos transgénicos va en contra de la filosofía que profeso como miembro del Colectivo de Comida Mexicana en el que se promueve el consumo de productos sustentables", destacó.

Fue esta filosofía precisamente la que lo unió a Green Peace, pues comparten ideas y visiones comunes sobre este tema.

"Varios amigos cocineros mexicanos y yo, que pertenecemos al colectivo de comida mexicana, ya habíamos participado justamente con una campaña en contra del consumo de maiz trangénico; y ahora que se dio el caso de unirnos a la campaña del Rainbow Warriors de Green Peace en Mazatlán, en su tour por todo México. Estamos contentos porque parte de los puntos neurálgicos, es justamente evitar el consumo de maíz transgénico, así es que me invitaron y me subí al barco"

Empresario restaurantero

Aquiles lleva 20 años en la industria de la cocina y actualmente cuenta con tres restaurantes de comida mexicana del mar llamados La Fishería, esto en Houston, Playa del Carmen y próximamente en Villahermosa, Tabasco.

"Mi formación es como cocinero profesional, la televisión llegó a mí en 2009 y me ha gustado, me divierto mucho, me entretiene, me encanta y el concepto de mis restaurantes es comida mexicana del mar, muy despreocupada, nada pretenciosa, nada aburrida, nada exclusiva y muy sabrosa".

Le gustaría invertir en Mazatlán

Durante su estancia en Mazatlán, Aquiles vistió el mercado de mariscos de Las Changueras y el mercado municipal Pino Suárez.

"Me tocó visitar a Las Changueras, compré marisco y fue una experiencia muy chistosa, porque entramos a un restaurantito en el que te cocinan el marisco y entré, pero pedí permiso al don que cocina, le pedí chanza para hacer un caldo y me dijo: ¡hágalo! Y me quedó un caldo de mariscos para levantar muertos, también estuve en el mercado municipal Pino Suárez comprando las verduras.

Dijo que se va fascinado con la riqueza de producto fresco que hay en el puerto, donde incluso le gustaría invertir

"Estaría muy chido hacer algo en Mazatlán, me parece que es el lugar perfecto: producto fresquísimo, hay una cultura del marisco super chida, y nosotros ofreceríamos otra visión de hacer marisco, no a como se acostumbra a comer aquí, sería algo diferente pero sabroso. Estamos en busca de socios y quien le quiera entrar pues lo amarramos", dijo el Chef de 36 años con su estilo alivianado.

El sazón es un don Para Aquiles, quien creció en medio de una familia de buenos cocineros, la cocina es un arte y considera que un cocinero nace, no se hace.

"Un cocinero nace y con experiencia se perfecciona. Es como un músico, no se estudia para ser buen cocinero o músico, la escuela lo único que te aporta es la perfección, la técnica, el conocimiento. El sazón es un don con el cual nacemos, como José Alfredo Jiménez, fue un gran compositor y nunca estudió"

"Yo heredé el gusto por la cocina de mis abuelas, de mi madre, de mis tías, porque en mi casa siempre se ha comido bien, por ejemplo,los frijoles se hacen en olla de barro, el pescado tiene que ser fresco, en casa de mis papás se va al mercado, al súper solo se va para comprar el abarrote".

Sus proyectos en TV

Está por concluir la primera temporada de "Motochefs", programa en el que emprende, junto a un amigo cocinero, una travesía en moto desde Houston, Texas, hacia la Ciudad de México; además de seguir con el programa "El Toque de Aquiles", que a inicios de febrero grabará la segunda temporada a través de Fox Life.

En Canal 7

El Chef Aquiles estuvo en el programa Ritmo y Salud, conducido por Lucy Velarde, Hernán Raygoza y "Popín", en donde preparó unas tostadas de ceviche hecho a base de pulpo fresco, tostadas de maíz orgánico y verdura de la región.

EL CHEF

- Aquiles Chávez Jiménez

- 36 años

- Licenciado en Gastronomía en el Colegio Superior de Gastronomía, en la ciudad de México, Campus Condesa.

Mexican cuisine is in renaissance

Monday, 16 December 2013 00:10 
THE NEWS

Mexico’s traditional food has attracted more domestic and international interest since it was included on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2010, Catherine Good, a researcher with the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), said on Sunday.

Good’s comments were made at the “Sabores de Nuestro Saber” (“Flavors of Our Knowledge”) contest in Bogotá, which awards research into the culinary traditions of Latin America.

“The impact has been very big,” she said. “Now the whole world wants to know more about traditional culinary experiences at the personal, family and community level.”

According to Good, since its 2010 recognition by UNESCO, there is now a renewed interest in traditional food among Mexico’s urban population, who increasingly want to learn about how the ingredients they use every day are produced.

“There’s a great appreciation for the sophistication of cooking in rural areas, because it’s part of a pre-Hispanic cultural relationship that also incorporates elements from the colonial period,” she said. “Traditional cooking is a creative process in Mexican culture.”

She went on to say that there has been a rise in the number of students at culinary schools who specialize in Mexican food, including professionals in the tourism and communication sectors, which she added shows sufficient interest to deepen research in the country’s culinary traditions.

“In Mexico, chef training is traditionally designed to teach Italian, French, Chinese or Japanese cuisine, without showing interest in traditional Mexican food. This has changed,” she said, adding that Mexican cuisine is valued by all social sectors of the country, without political, ideological and religious distinctions.

Beyond an increase in domestic interest in Mexico’s culinary traditions, Good said that there is also increased interest abroad in the country’s food, which is usually misrepresented by Tex-Mex cooking instead of authentic Mexican food.

“The entire world has had a great interest since the UNESCO declaration,” she said, adding, “The UNESCO declaration has also driven other countries to value their own culinary traditions, to examine what they create in their own kitchens.”

Good said that the 2010 UNESCO declaration has boosted a movement across Latin America to recover the traditional cuisines of each country.

“We have a continental movement, and it’s therefore important for all of the countries of Latin America to work more closely together to understand and exchange experiences relating to each of our traditional cuisines.”

8 Tips that will Improve your Trip to Mexico

Written by churpa on December 5, 2013 

thepeoplesguidetomexico.com
 

1. Get off the beaten path. Even if you plan on spending your entire vacation in a tourist hot spot like Puerto Vallarta or Mazatlan, it’s easy enough to step off the tourist trail and experience authentic Mexico. Ask a cab driver to take you to his favorite taqueria, or just keep walking until Señor Frog recedes into the distance.

2. Pack a few nicer items of clothing. Mexico is a dressy country. When you’re invited to a fiesta or out on the town with the locals, show respect by ditching your flip-flops.

3. Talk to the locals. Even if your Spanish sucks, most people will appreciate your effort and your friendliness. This is also the best way to really get to know a place and discover the best food (always our #1 priority).

4. Order a torta. Don’t be afraid to eat at street stands, market stalls, and hole-in-the-wall joints. You will find the most authentic and certainly the cheapest food by eating at comedors and taquerias.

5. Leave your travelers checks and large US bills at home. No one accepts traveler’s checks and, due to a recent change in law, it’s harder to find places that will accept or change US dollars. ATM is now the best way to access money in Mexico. You may want to consider bringing a back-up card and stashing it in a separate bag.

6. Don’t walk around looking like you think you are going to get mugged or kidnapped at any moment. Paranoia is self-fulfilling. The more you act confident and friendly (within reason), the more people will accept that you know where you are and what you are doing.

7. If you’re traveling by bus, go high class. Unless you need to get dropped off at an obscure location that doesn’t have a major bus station (small towns are often only serviced by second class or regular first class lines), it’s worth a few extra dollars to get on one of Mexico’s super luxury liner buses: Primera Plus, ADO, or ETN, to name a few.

8. Smile. It sounds cheesy, but it works.

Está en su "punto"

Graba el actor Mauricio Castillo cápsulas en restaurantes locales para promocionar Mazatlán

Marcela Osuna

 

 

 06-12-2013

 

 

El actor Mauricio Castillo durante la grabación del programa "El Punto". Fotografía: Noroeste / Juvencio Villanueva.

MAZATLÁN._ El sabor culinario y los lugares turísticos de Mazatlán serán promocionados en los Estados de Durango, Torreón y próximamente en Guadalajara a través del programa El punto, conducido por el actor, comediante y productor Mauricio Castillo.

"Vamos a hacer una serie de programas para promocionar varios atractivos de Mazatlán, el programa se llama El Punto, que es como debe de estar la comida y como ahora está la ciudad, en "su punto", con muchas circunstancias buenas, como es la apertura de la carretera Mazatlán- Durango".

Vamos a estar grabando cápsulas hasta el día sábado, en donde daremos a conocer a la gente lo que es una comida familiar, comida para la tarde, para cenar, para el antro, para la cruda, vamos a cubrir todas las posibilidades que hay en la ciudad.

"No se tiene programado el día y la hora en que saldrá al aire, pero será a través de Ángora Ocho, queremos enganchar más audiencia para que se sume más gente".

"También queremos eventualmente ir a Durango y a Torreón para que los mazatlecos vean las opciones de comida y diversión que hay en estas ciudades", djo Castillo.

"Nuestro director general que es Johar Villarreal es quien está al frente de Ángora Ocho y vamos a estar seguido aquí en Mazatlán, espero que la gente no se aburra de mí, el programa va a tener todo mi humor", dijo el actor.

Cuatro miembros y una 'neta'

El actor adelantó que parte de los proyectos que tiene para el próximo año está el incluir a una de las conductoras del programa Netas Divinas al show en vivo de Miembros al aire que se llamará Cuatro miembros y una 'neta'.

"Va a estar espectacular el 2014 porque tenemos una sorpresa buenísima porque dentro del Show de Miembros incluirémos una mujer, seremos Cuatro miembros y una neta, una sola verdad", mencionó.

Dijo además que Ángora 8 estará al frente de 3 programas dentro de la barra nueva de Canal 5.

Arrancan en Barracrudas

El miercoles Mauricio Castillo y el equipo de Ángora 8 arrancó con las grabaciones del programa El Punto en el restaurante Barracrudas ubicado en el fraccionamiento Alameda.

Gov’t unveils tourism map

Friday, 15 November 2013 00:10
thenews.com.mx

 
Mexico State Gov. Eruviel Ávila Villegas unveiled a Strategic Tourism Development Map on Wednesday, dividing the state’s territory into nine tourism corridors that offer a wide variety of destinations, such as archaeological sites, natural areas, adventure expeditions and cultural and culinary attractions.

The nine tourist corridors in Mexico State, which Ávila Villegas said will make it easier to promote the state’s destinations and develop travel infrastructure, are Toluca and its Surroundings, Sanctuaries, Beauties of the Nevado, Monarch Butterfly, Mazahua Splendor, Otomí Heritage, Teotihuacán, Volcanoes and Shopping Circuit.

Ávila Villegas said Mexico State is a place with a great deal of potential to promote tourism and create jobs, adding that he trusted that all of the state’s economic and social sectors will close ranks and help attract more visitors from elsewhere in Mexico and from abroad.

“We have natural beauty, we have the same number of volcanoes as pyramids, we have forests, lakes, plateaus — a great variety of natural beauties in our state, hot areas and the Nevado de Toluca volcano, and so we’re in a special place to be able to invite and promote tourism here in our state,” he said.

The state government is also pushing for the Padre Tembleque Aqueduct in the Nopaltepec municipality, which dates back to the 16th Century, to be classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Ávila Villegas has signed an agreement with Tourism Secretary Claudia Ruiz Massieu and Mexico State Family Development Agency (DIF) President Isis Ávila Muñoz that will implement the National Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children and Adolescents in the state’s tourism industry, which is aimed at protecting minors from human trafficking, exploitation and sex tourism.

This agreement will require all of its signatory agencies to adhere to all of the sexual exploitation guidelines established by the federal government, Ávila Villegas said, as well as ensuring that local tourism industry operators also take appropriate measures to prevent sex tourism.

THE NEWS

“Be a Tourist in Your City” Promotion Begins November 13

by Maureen Dietrich on 7 Nov 13
mazmessenger.com
 

For the second year in a row, Canirac Mazatlán is offering its “Se Turista en tu Ciudad” promotion to entice locals and foreign residents to explore and enjoy the city’s restaurants.

To that end, beginning November 13, 25 restaurants are offering a 25 percent discount on regular menu items every Wednesday of the week for the next three months.

Foreign residents, said Ricardo Velarde Cárdenas of Canirac, can obtain one of the 1,000 special identification cards that will allow them to also take advantage of the restaurant discounts, although he did not specify where foreign residents can obtain the cards.

Participating restaurants are located in main entertainment areas of the city and include The Dug Out, El Capitano, Mil Amores, Jungle Juice, Coronita Centro and Ta’ Café.

(from Noroeste)

Vecinos Con Carino Day Pass Social at the Riu!

Vecinos Con Cariño will hold their 2nd Annual Day Pass
Social in the Riu Emerald Bay Hotel Sunday, Oct. 20th,
from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are $500 pesos per person
and include a breakfast buffet, or continental breakfast,
a lunch beffet and snacks and drinks.

Tickets are available from:

Victoria Huff - venus82000@yahoo.com
Helen James - james.helen383@gmail.com
Sue & Dave Parker - suedavidparker@yahoo.com
Arlene Johnson - ajpm411@gmail.com
Kimberly Brown - ktchrkb@yahoo.com
and the Mazatlan Membership Library in Centro

Reservations and Prepayment required by Oct. 18, 2013

*Please show your ticket at the Riu entrance, proceed
to reception where your ticket will exchanged for a
wristband beginning at 9:00 a.m.

Invitan a desayuno anual de la Cruz Roja

Aplicarán los recursos recaudados para remodelar la clínica local y adquirir una nueva ambulancia

 

Yesenia Zermeño

noroeste.com

10-10-2013

MAZATLÁN._ El próximo 16 de noviembre se llevará a cabo el desayuno anual de la Cruz Roja Mazatlán, recursos que se utilizarán para la remodelación del Hospital Lucila Medrano y la adquisición de una nueva ambulancia.

La coordinadora de las Damas Voluntarias, Esther Osuna de Maldonado, informó que se prevé la asistencia de mil 500 personas, al igual que el año pasado.

El Centro de Convenciones de Mazatlán será el escenario donde se desarrollará el evento, que incluye una rifa de regalos y el desfile de modas que presentará la tienda Liverpool, además de la Gran Expo Navideña, detalló.

"Es a partir de las 8:00 (horas) y el costo del boleto es de 220 pesos, quienes deseen participar en los stands de manualidades pueden hacerlo, están a tiempo, lo que buscamos es apoyar con la remodelación del hospital, que se da cada dos años, que abarca los pisos, paredes, cortinas, camillas", indicó.

Los interesados en echarle la mano al grupo de damas voluntarias y solidarizarse con la causa sólo deben de llamar al teléfono 985 1451 y solicitar sus boletos y se les harán llegar a domicilio, destacó.

La Cruz Roja Mazatlán cuenta con nueve ambulancias, pero ante la demanda se requiere de al menos otra ambulancia, por ende es necesario este tipo de eventos para obtener los recursos necesarios y adquirir este tipo de elementos, agregó.

"Están invitados todos los lectores, aún falta más de un mes, pueden ir juntando el dinero, nuestro teléfono está a su disposición, nosotros les llevamos a domicilio el boleto, ojalá nos puedan seguir apoyando".

BOLETO A DOMICILIO

Para asistir al desayuno anual de la Cruz Roja Mazatlán, el 16 de noviembre a las 8:00 en el Centro de Convenciones, solicite sus boletos al 985 1451 y se le harán llegar a domicilio. El costo es de 220 pesos.

The spirit of Mexico: Tastings spotlight complexity of tequila

Christine Delsol, Special to SFGate

Published 4:31 pm, Tuesday, August 27, 2013

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    Photo: Luis Garcia-Rivera
  Scenes from The Spirits of Mexico event, which offers tequila...
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  The Spirits of Mexico is a touring event, with the last leg taking place in San Diego. Photo: Luis Garcia-Rivera
  The Spirits of Mexico is a touring event, with the last leg taking...
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  The San Diego event draws about 2,500 tequila aficionados, and claims to be the oldest, largest and most comprehensive such event in North America. Photo: Luis Garcia-Rivera
  The San Diego event draws about 2,500 tequila aficionados, and...
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  It also offers numerous tasting opportunities. Photo: Luis Garcia-Rivera
  It also offers numerous tasting opportunities.
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  Scenes from The Spirits of Mexico event, which offers tequila tastings for numerous brands and includes seminars led by professionals who cover the history and culture of each spirit, teach proper tasting techniques and impart wisdom about current trends. Photo: Luis Garcia-Rivera
  Scenes from The Spirits of Mexico event, which offers tequila...
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  The tasting competition (by invitation only) that precedes the festival determines the awards, and trophies are announced during a dinner and live auction at Barra Barra Saloon in Old Town San Diego Friday night. Photo: Luis Garcia-Rivera
  The tasting competition (by invitation only) that precedes the...
• 
  Scenes from The Spirits of Mexico event, which offers tequila tastings for numerous brands and includes seminars led by professionals who cover the history and culture of each spirit, teach proper tasting techniques and impart wisdom about current trends. Photo: Luis Garcia-Rivera
  Scenes from The Spirits of Mexico event, which offers tequila...
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  Numerous tequilas on display for the tasting competition portion of the event. Photo: Luis Garcia-Rivera
  Numerous tequilas on display for the tasting competition portion of...
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  Judges use taste, smell and sight to decide which tequila should reign supreme at The Spirits of Mexio festival. Photo: Luis Garcia-Rivera
  Judges use taste, smell and sight to decide which tequila should...
• 
  Scenes from The Spirits of Mexico event, which offers tequila tastings for numerous brands and includes seminars led by professionals who cover the history and culture of each spirit, teach proper tasting techniques and impart wisdom about current trends. Photo: Luis Garcia-Rivera
  Scenes from The Spirits of Mexico event, which offers tequila...
• 
  Scenes from The Spirits of Mexico event, which offers tequila tastings for numerous brands and includes seminars led by professionals who cover the history and culture of each spirit, teach proper tasting techniques and impart wisdom about current trends. Photo: Luis Garcia-Rivera
  Scenes from The Spirits of Mexico event, which offers tequila...
• 
  Scenes from The Spirits of Mexico event, which offers tequila tastings for numerous brands and includes seminars led by professionals who cover the history and culture of each spirit, teach proper tasting techniques and impart wisdom about current trends. Photo: Luis Garcia-Rivera
  Scenes from The Spirits of Mexico event, which offers tequila...
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  The traditional Tequila Trail in Old Town San Diego presents signature dishes from local restaurants, along with selections of tequila, mezcal and other Mexican spirits. Photo: Luis Garcia-Rivera
  The traditional Tequila Trail in Old Town San Diego presents...

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Perhaps Mexico's most famous export, tequila has come a long way from its onetime frat-party niche where fortitude was measured by the number of shots, buffered by licks of salt and lime, you could down. Not so long ago, travelers were often surprised to encounter the wide variety and high quality of tequila they encountered in Mexico. In the right hands, the nectar of the blue agave actually is as refined and complex as any fine whiskey or wine.
Though Mexico strictly regulates tequila exports, more and more previously unknown brands have been making it north of the border — so many, in fact, that it's hard to know what to choose. There are a couple of constants: Always look for 100 percent blue agave (the name "tequila" can be applied to anything above 50 percent), and the older the spirit, the smoother and richer it will be. Beyond that, it's mostly personal preference.

Tasting festival

The Spirits of Mexico event, coming to San Diego Sept. 17-21, is one easy way to sample a wide variety of tequila brands, as well as a few mezcal and other spirits made in Mexico. Now celebrating its 10th year, the festival offers seminars led by professionals who cover the history and culture of each spirit, teach proper tasting techniques and impart wisdom about current trends. And of course, there are tastings. Lots of tastings.

The tasting competition (by invitation only) that precedes the festival determines the awards, and trophies are announced during a dinner and live auction at Barra Barra Saloon in Old Town San Diego Friday night. Top winners in 2012 were Crotalo Extra Añejo, best of show, and Siete Leguas, Corazon, El Jimador, Crotalo and Los Siete Misterios (Tobala Variety), best in their respective categories.

The Spirits of Mexico is a touring event, starting in New York in May, moving to Chicago in June, and winding up in San Diego. The final San Diego leg, which draws about 2,500 aficionados, claims to be the oldest, largest and most comprehensive such event in North America. A panoply of master distillers, blenders, mixologists, distributors and retailers present both world-renowned and emerging brands, and visitors will be able to tap the knowledge of prominent historians and authors. This year's festival promises more "meet, greet and taste" opportunities than ever, and is adding events that spotlight the spirit, as well as the spirits, of Mexico's history and culture.


Tequila 101

The kickoff event is the brand-new "Contemporary Cocktails/Ancient Cuisine" Cocktail Challenge at the Blind Burro in Downtown San Diego. Chefs will re-create dishes that the ancient Aztecs ate, as well as each dish's contemporary version, offering insight into how the Spanish influenced Mexico's ancient cuisine. Five finalists will pair their finest cocktail concoctions with cuisine re-created from what is known about what the Aztecs ate. At the same time, guests will taste mixologists' best efforts to create the festival's Cocktail of the Year.

A free "Art of Tequila" exhibition opens Wednesday, detailing the artistic passion lavished upon the hand-crafted bottles that distinguish Mexico's spirits from any other in the world. The exhibition focuses on the distinctly Mexican cultural themes that inspire the innovative, often whimsical and sometimes outlandish designs.

Thursday brings the traditional Tequila Trail in Old Town San Diego, presenting signature dishes from local restaurants, along with selections of tequila, mezcal and other Mexican spirits.

The main tasting event on Saturday, at the Information Center Plaza in Old Town San Diego, puts hundreds of styles of agave and other spirits produced in Mexico at visitors' disposal, with food created especially for the event.

Extra credit

Though The Spirits of Mexico will have enough tequila to keep any sane person fully occupied, the festival also offers a rare opportunity to sample Mexican wine, as well as some of the other spirits produced in Mexico that are rarely found in the United States, including:

Bacanora — Distilled for 400 years from agaves that grow in Sonora's Sierra Madres, bacanora was inexplicably outlawed at the onset of the Mexican revolution in 1915. That law was only repealed in 1992, and the state established standards and regulations for its production. The agaves are slowly roasted in underground pits, imparting mineral nuances to the liquor.

Mezcal — Though a generic name for all spirits distilled from the agave, it's more often associated with the maguey agave spirit produced primarily in Oaxaca and to a lesser extent in the states of San Luis Potosi, Michoacan, Jalisco, Durango, Morelos, Nuevo Leon, Tamaulipas and Zacatecas. It is usually produced in smaller batches, and the agave heart, or piña, is cooked in an underground pit lined with volcanic rock. The smoky flavor that results does not lend itself to mixing, so it is usually drunk in straight shots.

Raicilla — A fermented pre-Hispanic drink that has been prepared by traditional methods for 500 years, raicilla is based on wild agave plants, though agave is now cultivated for the purpose in the state of Jalisco. Long regarded as "moonshine," it is now regulated and produced legally in Jalisco. 

Sotol — Produced in northern Mexico from the Desert Spoon cactus (sotol in Spanish), sotol is distilled in much the same way mezcal is. Though common in Sonora, Chihuahua, Durango and Coahuila, commercial versions are extremely rare.

The Spirits of Mexico, Sept. 17-21, downtown and Old Town San Diego. Events $35-$95; combo tickets $88-$265. www.thespiritsofmexico.com, (619) 709-0555.

Food & Drink of Mexico

Frommers.com

It can't be a coincidence that on a map, Mexico looks like a giant cornucopia. All the Mexican food you've ever encountered at home has merely been skimmed off the top, leaving all of the interesting, lesser-known fruit at the intriguing bottom of the bounty. Yes, Mexicans eat beans, rice, and tacos, but they also eat complex dishes like the countless variations of mole, an intricate sauce that can contain 100 different ingredients and take up to 3 days to prepare; almejas rellenas, fresh clam baked in its shell with butter, ham, jalapeños, tomatoes, and onions; and pozole, a hearty pork or chicken soup served with radishes, cilantro, avocado, and fried pork rinds as garnish.

Despite a multitude of regional differences, some generalizations can help you navigate. Most Mexican food isn't spicy-hot or piquant when it arrives at the table (though there are exceptions). The picante flavor is added with chiles and salsas; you'll never see a table in Mexico without one or both of these condiments.

Mexicans don't drown their cooking in cheese and sour cream, a la Tex-Mex, and they use a greater variety of ingredients than most people expect. But the basis of Mexican food is simple -- tortillas, beans, chiles, squash, and tomatoes -- the same as it was centuries ago before the arrival of the Europeans.
A Debt of Gratitude

Lost among the laurels heaped upon the ancient Maya for their contributions to science, mathematics, architecture, astronomy, and writing is the wide array of foods these masters of agriculture introduced to the world. It's no exaggeration to say the Maya changed the world's eating habits in the 1500s. Just try to imagine life without:

• Chocolate -- The Maya's "food of the gods," made from the toasted, fermented seeds of the cacao tree, is arguably the New World's greatest gift to civilization. Though Cortez learned of chocolate from the Aztecs, the Maya ate it many centuries earlier and used cacao beans as currency.

• Vanilla -- The elixir from the world's only known edible orchid originally flavored Maya chocolate drinks. Southern Mexico's jungle is the only place the orchid grows wild, pollinated by native stingless bees that produce Maya honey. The prized Tahitian vanilla, from Mexican stock, must be hand-pollinated.

• Corn -- The Popul Vuh, the Maya creation myth, attributes humankind's very existence to this domesticated strain of wild grass, easily the most important food in the Americas. Thousands of years after corn became a dietary staple, the Maya started cultivating it around 2500 B.C. and abandoned their nomadic ways to settle in villages surrounded by cornfields.

• Chiles -- Chiles have been cultivated in the Americas for more than 6,000 years. Blame Christopher Columbus for calling them "peppers," but credit him for their worldwide reach. Southern Mexico's Capsicum annuum species, with its many cultivars, is crucial to nearly every fiery cuisine.

• Tomatoes -- Even the Italians had to make do without tomato sauce before Columbus set out for the New World. Precursors originated in Peru, but the tomato as we know it came from the Yucatán, where the Maya cultivated it long before the conquest.

• Black beans -- Archaeological digs indicate the black bean originated in southern Mexico and Central America more than 7,000 years ago. Still the favorite in and around the Yucatán, the black bean spread widely throughout Latin America, the Caribbean, and the southern United States.

• Avocado -- From its origins in southern Mexico, where it was used as an aphrodisiac, the avocado spread to the Rio Grande and central Peru before the Europeans found out about it.

• Papaya -- The large, woody, fast-growing herb -- commonly referred to as a tree -- was used to treat stomach ailments. After spreading from southern Mexico, it now grows in every tropical country.

The Staples

Tortillas -- Like the crusty baguette in France, a perfect tortilla can truly round out your meal. Flour tortillas, which were developed in northern Mexico and until recently were difficult to find south of Chihuahua, are arguably the most popular north of the border. However, the traditional corn tortilla, made from corn cooked in water and lime, ground into masa (a grainy dough), patted and pressed into thin cakes, and cooked on a hot griddle known as a comal, remains king in most of Mexico. Whether they're sopping up shrimp molcajetes in Jalisco or beans and rice in Oaxaca, Mexicans often use tortillas as an alternative to silverware, ripping off large pieces and using them to scoop up food.

Salsa -- You can usually tell whether you're going to like a restaurant based on its salsa alone -- if the cooks are inventive with tomatoes and spices, imagine what they can do with steak. Top marks go to places that bring out a tray with three or more choices, beginning with pico de gallo, the most simple and common variety of fresh cilantro, tomatoes, jalapeños, and onions. Another favorite is salsa chipotle, which gets its smoky taste from the chipotle chile. Salsa verde, made with tomatillos instead of regular red tomatoes, can be tangier and milder. Beyond these three, there are as many salsas as there are colors in the rainbow.

Tacos -- Whether it's tacos al pastor made with gyro-style spit-grilled meat in Mexico City, or beer-battered shrimp tacos in Ensenada, just about every region has its own take on this quintessential fast food. Anything folded or rolled into a tortilla -- sometimes two, either soft or fried -- is a taco. Flautas and quesadillas (except in Mexico City, where they are a different animal) are species of tacos.

Frijoles -- Most Mexican households eat beans daily. Pinto beans are predominant in northern Mexico, while black beans are the legumes of choice in the south. Mexicans add only a little onion and garlic and a pinch of herbs, as beans are meant to be a counterpoint to spicy foods. They also may appear at the end of a meal with a spoonful of sour cream. Fried leftover beans often appear asfrijoles refritos, a side dish commonly called "refried beans." In fact, they are fried just once; the prefix re means "well" (as in "thoroughly"), so a better translation may be "well-fried beans."

Tamales -- The ultimate take-out meal, tamales (singular: tamal) developed in pre-Hispanic Mexico and became more elaborate after the Spanish introduced pork and other ingredients. To make a tamal, you mix corn masa with lard, beat the batter, add a filling, wrap it, and cook it. Every region has its specialty; in some places, a single tamal is big enough to feed a family; in others, they are barely 3 inches long. The most popular rellenos (fillings) are pork and cheese, but they might be anything from fish to iguana, augmented by pumpkin, pineapple, rice, or peanuts, and tucked into a blanket of yellow, black, or purple masa. Tamales are usually steamed but may be baked or grilled; the jackets are most often dried corn husks or fresh corn or banana leaves but may be fashioned from palm, avocado, or chaya (a spinachlike vegetable) leaves.

Chiles -- Hardly a traditional dish in all of Mexico lacks chiles. Appearing in wondrous variety throughout Mexico, they bear different names depending on whether they are fresh or dried. Chiles range from blazing hot with little discernible taste to mild with a rich, complex flavor, and they can be pickled, smoked, stuffed, or stewed. Among the best-known are the pimiento, the large, harmless bell pepper familiar in the U.S.; the fist-sized poblano, ranging from mild to very hot; the short, torpedo-shaped serrano; the skinny and seriously fiery chile de árbol; the stubby, hot jalapeño; the chipotle, a dried and smoked jalapeño usually served in adobo (vinegar and garlic paste); and the tiny, five-alarm pequín.

If you suffer from misadventure by chile, a drink of milk, a bite of banana or cucumber, a spoonful of yogurt, or -- if all else fails -- a bottle of beer will help extinguish the fire.

Drinks

If you want bottled water, ask for agua natural or agua embotellada bottled water (con gas for carbonated, sin gas for still). Coca-Cola and Pepsi are nearly as entrenched in Mexico's drinking habits as tequila, and they taste the way they used to in the U.S., before the makers started adding corn syrup. These and other American refrescos outsell Mexican brands such as Manzana, a carbonated apple juice. If you like your soft drinks cold, specify frío, or you may get them clima (room temperature).

Better yet, treat yourself to licuados -- refreshing smoothies of fresh fruit (or juice), milk, and ice, sold all over Mexico. (A note of linguistic caution: In Spanish, the word for tuna, atún, is perilously similar to the word for a small cactus fruit, tuna. Make sure you know which one is going in your licuado.) Aguas frescas ("fresh waters") are lighter drinks made by adding a small amount of fresh fruit juice and sugar to water. Hibiscus, melon, tamarind, and lime are common, but rice, flowers, tuna, and other exotic ingredients find their way into these refreshments. And inexpensive, fresh-squeezed juices from every fruit you can name -- and a few you can't -- are one of Mexico's greatest pleasures.

Coffee, one of Mexico's most important exports, is generally good, but latte addicts beware: Tarted-up coffee isn't Mexico's style. Your basic choices are café Americano, the familiar gringo-style brew; espresso and occasionally cappuccino, served in cafes; and the widely popular café con leche, translated as "coffee with milk" but more accurately described as milk with coffee. Traditional hot drinks are hot chocolate, usually made with cinnamon and often some crushed almonds, and atole, made from cornmeal, milk, cinnamon, and puréed fresh fruit, often served for breakfast.

Mexico has a proud and lucrative beer-brewing tradition that comes from the German immigrants who arrived in the early 1800s. With the exception of Minerva beers out of Guadalajara, Jalisco, you'll be hard-pressed to find any variety beyond amber and light. You will, however, find a variety of beer concoctions, including the chelada, beer with lime juice and salt, and its sophisticated cousin, the michelada, which may contain hot sauce, Worcester sauce, salt, and lime. The names and recipes vary regionally, so if you're squeamish, ask your waiter.

Tequila's poorer cousins, pulque and mescal, originated with octli, an Aztec agave or maguey drink produced strictly for feasts. Mexicans drank pulque (now found mostly in central Mexico's pulquerías), made from fermented juice straight from the plant, for more 5,000 years, but it has recently given way to more refined -- and more palatable -- spirits. The Spanish learned to create serious fire power by roasting the agave hearts and then extracting, fermenting, and distilling the liquids. Thus were born tequila and mescal. Mescal, famous for the traditional worm at the bottom of the bottle, is more potent than pulque but easier to swallow. Mescal comes from various parts of Mexico and from different varieties of agave. It's available commercially, while pulque is found mostly in central Mexico's pulquerías. Tequila is a variety of mescal produced from the a. tequilana Weber species of agave in and around the area of Tequila, in the state of Jalisco. The tequila distilling process is more sophisticated than that of mescal. Once consigned to a stereotype in bad Westerns, the drink has lately acquired a sophisticated aura. A growing coterie of connoisseurs has spotlighted high-quality varieties and is making inroads on the knock-back-a-shot mentality in favor of sipping and swirling as you would with fine Scotch or French cognac.

Tequila Sun Rising -- You can tug on Superman's cape, you can spit into the wind, but don't ever mess with tequila in Mexico. Tequila lovers savor the subtle flavors of the agave spirit and prefer to take it like wine, sip by sip, over the course of an entire meal. They will likely gasp in horror if you throw back a shot of Jose Cuervo like a coed on spring break, and pity you when you wake with a monster hangover.

The makers of tequila -- all but one still based in Jalisco -- have formed an association to establish standards for labeling and denomination. The best tequilas are 100% agave, made with a set minimum of sugar to prime the fermentation process. These tequilas come in three categories, based on how they were stored: Blanco is white tequila aged very little, usually in steel vats; reposado(reposed) is aged in wooden casks for between 2 months and a year; añejo (aged) has been stored in oak barrels -- often reused whiskey barrels from the U.S. -- for at least a year. A good way to ease into the world of tequila appreciation is to order a bandera (flag), which consists of a shot of tequila and shots of lime and tomato juice. Each glass represents a color in the Mexican flag.

Tipping in Mexico

mexico.com


To tip or not to tip? You should tip. Just like in the U.S., most employees in the services sector in Mexico, especially the hospitality industry, depend heavily on tips. Their minimum wages are quite low, with some not even earning a wage at all, making tips especially important. Here are a few guidelines, listed in U.S. dollars, as the Mexican peso fluctuates quite a bit.

Naturally, larger tips are always appreciated, especially if you feel that the service you have received was truly outstanding.

At Restaurants
Before you tip in restaurants, bars, and even snack bars in large hotels, check your tab and see if a service charge has already been added to the total. Service charges are quite common. While you may want to tip an additional amount, it's best to know if the tip was already included in the bill.

Wait staff at restaurants: You should tip between 15 and 20 percent of the check, just as you would do in the U.S. Speaking of the check, Mexican restaurants don't rush your meal, and will only bring you your check after you have requested it, allowing you to linger at your table.

Bartenders: A good guideline to follow is $1 a drink or around 10 percent of the total bill if you are not paying per drink.

Bathroom attendant: At many upscale hotels and restaurants, there's a bathroom attendant to hand you a towel, smooth over your bad hair with some hairspray and give you an emergency Band-aid or some gum. You should tip the equivalent of 50 cents to $1.

For Transportion

Taxi drivers: Tips are not expected, but certainly appreciated. If the driver assists you with your luggage, tip 10 percent of the fare.

Drivers: If you hire a driver (could be a taxi driver or a driver associated with the hotel) to go on excursions, you should tip around $5 a day.

Gas station attendants: Tip the attendant who pumps your gas and cleans your windshield 50 cents to $1. Tip more if the attendant also checks your vehicle's tire pressure, oil levels, etc.

Car watching and parking assistance: Many parking lots outside of shopping centers and strip malls have attendants equipped with whistles who help you navigate out of your spot or locate a parking space. These attendants will also watch your car for you. When you return from your trip, tip them the equivalent of 50 cents to $1.

Valet parking: Tip $1 to $2 on top of the valet parking service charge when you pick up your vehicle.

At the hotel

Hotel guest room attendants (maids): You should tip the peso equivalent of between $3 and $5 a day. While many travelers like to leave the tip when they check out, it's best to leave a tip every day, as the rooms are not serviced by the same person every day. Be sure to leave the tip on the pillow or on the bed -- making it obvious that it's intended as a tip.

Bell hops at hotels: $1 per bag.

Concierge: If you are asking the concierge for directions or dinner recommendations, a small tip in the $2 range is appreciated. If the concierge makes substantial arrangements for you (getting you tickets to a sold-out show, arranging a hard-to-book tour), you might want to tip $5 to $10.

Other

Street vendors: If you buy something from a street vendor (gum, fruit cup, paper, etc.), leave a few peso coins or tell them to keep the change ("quédese con el cambio").

Luggage assistance at airport: $1 per bag.

Tour guides: At least 10 percent of the cost of the tour.

Typical food of Mazatlan, Mexico

pricetravel.com

Fishing is very important in Mazatlan, so you will find a great variety of dishes made of fresh seafood and unique shrimp specialties.
       

Mazatlan is known as the capital of shrimp, so here you can taste different dishes prepared with this ingredient. You can try shrimp ceviche, shrimp stuffed with bacon and cheese, tequila shrimp, shrimp soup, beer shrimp, among other delicacies.

Also, Mazatlan has an abundance of fish and other sea delights, and you can enjoy "pescado zarandeado," fish ceviche, and smoked marlin, typical specialties from Mazatlan.

Other typical dishes are "aguachile," which are shrimps or scallops served with red onion, cucumber, pepper, and lemon; "mariscada " or seafood platter; shrimp machaca, which is shredded and fried shrimp with onion, chili, and tomato; and shrimp cocktail.

But there is much more in Mazatlan than dishes with seafood and fish. "Chilorio" is a Mazatlan specialty prepared with shredded pork seasoned with "chile ancho" sauce and spices, served for breakfast. Sinaloa-style roast chicken is also very popular in several other places in Mexico, not only in Mazatlan, for its great flavor. "Mochomo" is another regional dish, made with a kind of beef jerky.

If you like sweet things, be sure to try the typical sweets of the region such as "jamoncillo," bars made of milk, sugar, and pecans; "pepitorias," a sweet with sesame, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, and honey or brown sugar; "torrejas," rice pudding, "cocadas," and mango sweets.

As a suggestion, to eat all these gastronomic delicacies of Mazatlan, restaurants such as Pastelería Panamá, Mariscos El Guamuchilito, and La Marina, are great and affordable options. Overall, the restaurants around Mercado Municipal or near the harbor, are a good place to eat, but if you're adventurous and you like fish as fresh as possible, the restaurants on Isla de la Piedra are one of the best choices.