Milpa Alta is a rural space of Mexico Metropolis crammed with cactus fields and plenty of do-it-yourself mole! Right here I’m sharing my expertise as a dietitian studying tips on how to harvest and cook dinner nopales, making contemporary corn tortillas and tasting many various kinds of mole.
Milpa Alta is the southernmost borough of Mexico Metropolis. It’s rural and strikes at a a lot slower tempo. This particular place is fertile floor for studying in regards to the three king crops of the nation and having fun with amazingly contemporary conventional meals. I took the Ruta de La Milpa expertise created and led by chef Jorge Córcega.
Whereas visiting, we had contemporary nopales tacos, cafe de olla, sopes with contemporary salsa, black bean tamales and mole and sipped refreshing bottomless agua de hibiscus (or Jamaica) all through the afternoon. In case you are not aware of any of these, I’ll clarify.
La ruta de la Milpa was enjoyable and academic. And the meals was easy and scrumptious. As a dietitian I used to be particularly curious in regards to the historical past and tradition – and the day answered lots of my questions and ignited new ones within the course of.
How far is Milpa Alta from the town heart?
We took a 60+ minute bus journey from the Roma Norte/Juarez space to succeed in Milpa Alta on a Wednesday morning. The infamous Mexico Metropolis site visitors will dictate how lengthy it’d take you.
However you will want to take a car. It’s a rural space that isn’t simply accessed by way of public transportation. Plus, you’ll need a automotive to actually expertise the great thing about the world, store the native shops and dine within the household run eating places at your individual tempo.
So right here’s a snippet of our day en Milpa Alta:
We began the day in a discipline of nopal with a heat mug of cafe de olla.
What’s cafe de olla?
Cafe de Olla interprets to “espresso from a pot” in Spanish.
This conventional Mexican espresso is made in an earthen clay pot (pictured above). The espresso is barely sweetened with piloncillo (akin to a wealthy darkish brown sugar or molasses) and spiced with cinnamon. From what I perceive the pot is a vital “ingredient” because it gives depth of taste. You may also discover recipes in the present day that embrace different spices together with clove, star anise or orange peel.
The cup of cafe de olla I sipped on the tour was barely candy, wealthy and balanced. Undoubtedly get a cup if you go on the tour – it’s the proper begin to the day particularly when it’s a bit chilly within the nopal discipline.
Harvesting, cleansing, cooking nopales
Nopales might be eaten contemporary (uncooked) or cooked. Use them in contemporary salads, griddled for tacos or add to soup or stew and extra.
Nopales are perishable. And as soon as contemporary nopales are are picked and the thorns eliminated, they need to be eaten inside about 48 hours. Earlier than prepping them, you’ll be able to retailer them within the fridge for longer however it’s a good suggestion to attend till you’re able to cook dinner or eat them to prep (take away the spiny needles).
Chef Cócega confirmed us tips on how to take away the thorns with a pointy knife (above). He provided however I left the prep to the chef. Largely as a result of I already had a thorn in my thumb from the harvest and didn’t need extra.
When getting ready them at dwelling, it’s a good suggestion to make use of a secure reducing board and a thick, clear kitchen towel to carry the small finish of the cactus leaf when you use a pointy knife to scrape right down to take away the prickly thorns.
As soon as that half is finished, you’re able to get pleasure from them in your favourite dishes.
These nopales have been cooked merely over the hearth on the comal (proven above) with oil. As soon as barely charred on either side, we sliced the nopales into huge strips and so they have been able to eat.
The nopales have been the star ingredient in our breakfast tacos. The tacos have been made with the nopal strips, contemporary cheese, and a spicy (to me) tomato salsa on contemporary corn tortillas.
Making contemporary corn tortillas
We additionally discovered tips on how to make contemporary corn tortillas, tamales and sopes from the heirloom corn grown, dried, nixtamilized and floor on the farm.
It’s a course of. However these have been the best-tasting tortillas I’ve had in life. The colours have been all pure from the completely different heirloom corn she crops and harvests on the farm.
We additionally made corn and black bean tamales and so they have been the perfect ones I’ve ever had. The tamales have been steamed in corn husks. Then we wrapped them placing a finger sized gap within the heart which was later used for spooning in mole. It was a heat, barely candy and savory meal that I’d return to the farm to expertise.
Along with these experiences, we additionally visited a neighborhood mole maker. Milpa Alta is well-known for it’s plentiful do-it-yourself moles. The household enterprise we visited is one in every of a number of within the city creating moles that many households and eating places use all through the town and nation. I introduced some again that I can’t wait to get pleasure from at dwelling.
The day closed with a beautiful lunch exterior. We had extra contemporary nopal sope starter, hen mole with Mexican rice, and a semi-sweet corn pudding made with pinole (roasted corn powder) and topped with toasted pumpkin seeds. It was a pleasing finish to the day all set to the tunes of Sade.
Extra in regards to the tour
I’ve been on a whole lot of farm and meals excursions. Ruta de la Milpa one was a terrific mix of palms on experiences, and historical past plus easy, scrumptious meals.
That is an all-day tour I’d say. You’ll be again to the town heart by early meal time (US) however you gained’t have an enormous urge for food – consider me.
The tour hosts are extremely educated and type. I paid for this expertise myself. They don’t know I’m scripting this.
Should you like meals, tradition and historical past, you’ll get pleasure from this expertise. Go. Be ready to get your palms just a little messy with masa. Take in the expertise.
