Two Tickets on the Hot Tamale Train

I've eaten so many great things since coming to Mexico four weeks ago, I only wish computer screens came with a scratch and sniff application. If you haven't had lunch yet, this abbreviated list of some of my culinary highlights may be a form of torture.

~Shrimp and bacon tacos from El Bacalao.

~The Red Cabbage restaurant's Chicken Mole Poblano and the amazing carrot chutney.

~Soft and chewy, cream-filled coconut doughnuts from the bakery on Basillo Badillo.

~Joe Jack's whole red snapper with its mound of roasted garlic and chilies--and that crazy-assed lime and brown butter sauce its finished with.

~The roasted rabbit in tomato sauce from Trattoria Michel.

~A chipotle chicken sandwich from The Coffee Cup.

~Fresh pineapple with lime and chili from the vendors on the beach.

~And of course an after-the-bar pit stop for BBQ'd pork and pineapple tacos at Tacos Pancho plus a cup of hibiscus water for rehydration.

I can go on and on and on.

I love the food in this town; from the grilled mahi mahi on the beach to the taco stands in the streets and the inexpensive restaurants everywhere. The best part is I have yet to even take a small bite out of the great food scene in Vallarta.

So far one of my favourite meals was a lunch Alfonso and I prepared at home last week. His niece who visited from Monterrey over New Years brough two bags of homemade tamales with her. If you're not familiar, tamales are a soft corn bread stuffed with any number of ingredients and wrapped in corn husks.

In our case some were filled with shredded seasoned pork while others revealed a pocket of spicy refried beans. Accompaning our mound of tamales was gaucamole and tortillas. We washed it all down with papaya water, a blend of fresh papaya, mandarin orange and water.

This meal was also very special because tamales are usually only enjoyed at parties or larger celebrations, prepared in large batches by mothers and grandmothers. To enjoy them for lunch on a Thursday afternoon is completely hedonistic.

Before I leave Mexico I'm going to find a grandmother who will teach me how to make tamales. That will be reason enough to celebrate.