Guadalajara in San Diego. “Goat birria, carnitas, menudo and tortas ahogadas are dishes emblematic of Guadalajara and cannot be reproduced anywhere else.”

The secret for a good taco is in the
tortilla. There is nothing worse than
eating a taco with a cold or over-
cooked tortilla.

“
“—Ariosto Antonio Camacho
torta ahogada
Tortas ahogadas (drowned
sandwiches) are inexpensive,
unpretentious and delicious. This
sandwich was influenced by a
variation of the traditional Spanish
pincho. I remember in 1996, while
vacationing in Madrid, Spain, I had
a chance to eat a pincho. It was a
tasty crusty French-style roll filled
with pork sausage. I inevitably
compared it to the torta ahogada.
“To make the torta ahogada, you
must only use birote salado, a
variation of French bread,” says Perez
of Matsuri Koi Bistro. “The altitude
and climate of Guadalajara contribute
to making the bread strong enough
that it will not fall apart when dipped
in the traditional tomato sauce.”

chilaquiles

Chilaquiles are mainly eaten at breakfast. They can be made with a red or green chile sauce and are often accompanied by beef, chicken or pork. Sour cream is added to balance the acidity of the dish.

tacos al pastor Tacos al pastor is a common, delicious local taco variation. It is normal to see taco stands all around the city. The pork is usually marinated in a mixture of garlic, paprika, vinegar and other spices. This is probably one of the most guarded recipes in most taquerias. “The secret for a good taco is in the tortilla,” says Ariosto Antonio Camacho, executive chef of Galerias Ariosto in Los Cabos, Mexico. “There is nothing worse than eating a taco with a cold or overcooked tortilla.”

pozole

The history of this entree-type stew dates back to pre-Hispanic times. The dish is traditionally eaten during celebrations because of the complexity of the preparation. At one time, pozoles were made with what the most affluent people would discard—a pig’s head. The dish uses large grains of nixtamal, or raw corn, pre-soaked in a lime/water solution that removes the fibrous husks from each of the grains. A simpler version can be made with canned hominy, which simplifies the soaking time yet still provides a great product. The stew is served with finely chopped lettuce or cabbage, freshly chopped onion, avocado, radishes and lime juice. It is accompanied by a hot sauce.

did you know?

Guadalajara is the capital of the Mexican state Jalisco.

It is the second most populated city in the country.

The state of Jalisco, located on the country’s Pacific Coast, has a warm, semi-humid climate.

Guadalajara is located in the Atemajac Valley in the foothills of the Sierra Madre Occidental Mountains.

The city is known as the capital of tequila, mariachi and charreria (similar to a rodeo).

Mexico boasts a population of 113,724,226 (July 2011 est.).

The official currency is the Mexican peso.

Sources: Mexico Tourism Board; U.S. State Department

́

Luis Amado, CEPC, is department chair of Baking and Pastry Arts at The Culinary Institute of Michigan, Muskegon, Mich. A native of Guadalajara, he lived and worked in Mexico for 20 years.