Moving to Mexico

Four years ago we moved from Colorado to San Carlos, Mexico after falling in love with the area on a short visit earlier in that year. In the beginning it is fun to eat out and experience the local flavors but at some point life becomes real and it returns more to home cooking.
The markets here are very different from the massive supermarkets we were used to in the US - even in our small mountain town.

You walk in and the smells are sometimes overwhelming, whether it is the fish or meat, or whatever they are cooking or baking in the back. The produce is very colorful and frankly amazing! Of course not quite the selection we are used to up north and there are things we simply cannot find here (like kale, my new favorite vegetable) The prices are very reasonable, especially for things like avocados and bell peppers. At 29 pesos a kilo for avocados (5 large ones to a kilo) that is 45 cents each, definitely beats the $1.99 each I pay in Colorado!

Santa Rosa Market

Processed food is mostly imported and therefore expensive. The selection is a lot smaller than in US stores. I remember returning to Colorado and walking into the supermarket and being overwhelmed by the number of types of laundry detergent and bleach. Here, bleach is bleach and you may have a choice of 2 or 3 brands of detergent.

It would be very easy to buy the prepared meals at the markets, the burritos, tamales and casseroles for almost pennies but these are not the healthiest options for every day eating. The tortillas are made fresh every day and are addictive! Again, not an everyday option for me, especially since I have found out that wheat doesn't agree with me well. So bring on the veggies!
I like cooking from scratch and experimenting with different vegetable combinations and my husband is a great guinea pig as he loves to eat and gives good feedback.

In future blogs I will get into the fun and games of shopping, preparing and our way of eating here.
Stay tuned!