MEXICAN CARIBBEAN - WHAT TO EAT

Image by Riviera Maya Tourism Promotion Board

Good Eats in the Mexican Caribbean
You'd be hard-pressed not to find good eats around every corner, and with an abundance of local produce and seafood…it's just a matter of where and when. For more on Riviera Maya's cuisine and dining options, go to the Riviera Maya Tourism Promotion Board at rivieramaya.com.

Here you'll find the typical Mexican staples with a twist, such as:

• Tortillas - A Mexican staple, flat round corn or flour pancakes
• Enchiladas - Tortillas filled with different meats and served hot
• Flautas - Tortillas filled with meats and served hot and fried
• Tostadas - Tortillas served cold and fried topped with beans dried and mixed
• Chilaquiles - Tortillas served with eggs for breakfast 
• Tamales - meat or vegetables rolled in cornmeal and steamed in a corn husk
• Huevos motuleños - fried eggs with peas, ham and cheese
• Salbutes - fried tortilla topped with turkey, onion and avocado

Mayan Dishes to Try:

• Baked chicken (pollo pibil) or pork (cochinita pibil) in a zesty red sauce, that's sometimes served wrapped in a banana leaf
• Grilled pork steak (poc chuc) – A tangy Mayan dish made with a sour orange marinade
• Sopa de lima (or sopa de tortilla) - chicken soup with lime juice, sometimes has crushed fried or dried tortillas inside - a favorite local dish

RECIPES:

Guacamole

• 4-5 ripe avocados
• 3-4 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 large sweet onion
• 2 tbsp.  sliced jalapenos (to taste)
• Juice of 1 lime

Mash with  hand blender, add about 1/4 to 1/2 tsp cumin and let it sit for a bit as the flavor develops.

Margaritas

• 2 tbs freshly grated lime peel (takes about 4 limes)
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup lime juice
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup tequila
• 1/2 cup orange liqueur

Grate lime and put in 2 cups water--let steep for 30 minutes, squeeze lime juice to make 1/2 cup. Strain peel from water and add sugar, stir until dissolved. Add tequila and orange liqueur, stir all together. Salt rim if desired and pour over ice.

Mango Daquiri

• 4 oz good quality rum
• 12 oz mango juice
• 4 oz mango slices
• 1 envelope artificial sweetener to taste
• 1 oz instant milk

Add to blender with ice and blend until smooth.
(The sweetener makes the drink a little sweeter, and instant milk makes the drink creamier.)

For more on restaurants in the Riviera Maya area, check out LocoGringo.com and browse restaurants by town and read a brief description of the cuisine.