Oaxaca – The Soul of Mexico

The state of Oaxaca (wa-ha-kah), bordered by the Pacific coast to the south, is an area of extensive valleys and mountain chains. It is located at the convergence of the Sierra Madre Oriental and the Sierra Madre del Sur mountain ranges, resulting in a rugged and mountainous terrain with a large temperate central valley.

Oaxaca has the largest ethnic population in the entire country and is home to sixteen ethnic communities, each with its own dialect or language, making it one of the most linguistically and culturally varied states in the country. Often referred to as the ‘Soul of Mexico’, this state has had a rich and colourful history. The ancient Zapotec and Mixtec Civilizations extended into the nearby and distant surroundings of the present-day Oaxaca city, the state capital.

This enchanting state was also the birthplace of Benito Juarez, a Zapotec Indian, originally a servant-boy to an affluent family, who eventually became the first President of independent Mexico. He is one of the most influential and revered personalities in Mexican history. Another President of the Republic to be born here was Porfirio Díaz, a (mixed-race)of Mixtec origin.

The cuisine of Oaxaca is famous throughout Mexico, mostly for its , and cheese and chocolate.

Famed for its seven , Oaxaca is called (Land of the 7 Moles). Yet, there are many more varieties of . The rich and smooth chocolate-based sauce with a variety of spices and (chillies) is extremely popular in this region with its most famous variety being the (black). is also available in markets as a readymade mix which has to be combined with chicken broth and a dash of oil and simmered with meat.

Oaxacan cheese is the famous string cheese used especially in (keh-sah-dee-yahs). It is a white, semi-hard cheese with a mozzarella-like string cheese texture and is available in several different shapes.

Chocolate is of special importance to the people of Oaxaca. Commonly considered the best chocolate in Mexico, Oaxacan chocolate is a completely divine indulgence till the last bit. It is made with a special blend of cocoa, ground almonds, cinnamon or vanilla and sugar. Usually prepared with hot water or milk, it is served in large coffee cups with a local sweet roll. In the traditional Aztec and Maya form, cayenne pepper is added to make it a spicy chocolate drink. It is common sight to see people buying large quantities of chocolate bars in the specialty shops and markets.

The traditional dishes of this region include the nutritious c(fried spicy grasshoppers); and the which arelarge crispy corn loaded with avocado, tomato, onions, and cheese.

The pre-Hispanic drink of Oaxaca is the (te-ha-teh), which is prepared by mixing together the finely ground paste of toasted maize flour, fermented cacao beans, seeds of the native fruit and (‘cocoa flower’). The paste is mixed well with water and served cold in a traditional cup called (hee-kah-rah).

While tequila is the most popular and renowned drink of Mexico, has gained its own identity as a distinctive, noteworthy spirit. It is produced throughout most of Mexico, but the best known comes from Oaxaca. This clear but deadly Oaxacan drink packs quite a punch and traditionally contains a worm in the bottle. The worm is the larva of one of the two moths that lives on the agave plant, maguey. The use of the worm is exclusive to . When a worm is included, the is known as (‘with worm’). But as a rule, top-quality does not contain worms. The reason for adding the worm to the bottle is obscure. But it is said that if the worm remains intact in the bottle, the percentage of alcohol in the spirit is high. So it serves as a proof of the high alcohol content. During parties, it is customary to pass the bottle around and the last person to finish the bottle has to eat the worm too. The maguey worm is considered a delicacy and can be found on restaurant menus throughout the country.

The state has an abundance of exotic fruits which include , , and . These are readily available in the market and used in making cool refreshers. , the fruit of the cactus has an unusual sweet taste to it and is very popular among while the large, avocado shaped brown fruit, , with the texture of an avocado has a taste which is a combination of pumpkin, sweet potato, and maraschino cherries. has a white pulp full of numerous large seeds which makes it somewhat difficult to eat and so is usually juiced rather than eaten directly.

I hope you enjoyed reading this post as much as I enjoyed writing it. You can read more about Oaxaca, my travel experiences there and at many other beautiful destinations in Mexico in my ebook Discovering Mexico

Click here to read the book synopsis and sample chapters and to know how you can buy a copy of my ebook.

If you’re interested in knowing all about Mexico, do check my three e-books Discovering Mexico, Mexico: The Country, Its History & The Maya World and A Guide To Mexican Cuisine which are available for sale on this blog.

And now, here’s Enrique Iglesias with a lovely romantic song : Finally Found YouEnjoy 🙂

Thanks for stopping by, I hope to see you again 🙂