Mexico City

MOLE! Mole truly is an expression of love. So many ingredients go into making this richly delicous sauce, which blend together in perfect harmony. Believe it or not, there is an entire world of mole beyond the one varietal we know in the US, each with distinct flavors, ingredients and colors. Mole comes from the Nahuatl word "sauce," and many families have their own special version that they pass down through the generations.

HUITLACHOCHE! The purple-blue pieces that you see mixed in with the melty cheese above are called "huitlacoche," a blue fungus that grows on corn. The US has spent millions of dollars trying to eradicate this "crop-killer". However, the fungus is incredibly nutrient rich and delicious! In Mexico, it is a delicacy, but in the US it is impossible to find. One man's trash is another man's... blue fungus treasure.

ESCAMOLES - "Mexican caviar" - aka "ant eggs." These tasty little buttery nuggets won me over. You can find them everywhere throughout Mexico City; from small random markets, to expensive Polanco restaurants. They can only be harvested during two months of the year - in March and April. They must be dug up a few meters from the ground near maguey plants,

ESQUITES Y ELOTES!

Pictured: Elotes before they have been smothered in mayo, cotija cheese, spices and lime juice: This is one of my favorite Mexican snacks! You can find them throughout Mexico City.

Esquites is a Mexican street corn served off the cob and in a cup, whereas elotes is street corn served on the cob. Both have cream and spices. Either way, the corn is covered in creamy mayo, mexican cheese, cayenne pepper and spices, and lime juice.