While traveling the high seas on your Carnival cruise, you’ll soon stop at a popular tourist and holiday destination, well known for relaxing beaches and many interesting and exciting sites to visit. It is Mexico, which also offers some of the best cuisine you’ll ever taste. Real Mexican food is comprised of so much more than just tacos and burritos!
Of course, Carnival has plenty of enticing and delicious food options onboard, including a Mexican cantina. But while enjoying shore excursions or simply taking in the sights, you’ll quickly see good food is serious business in Mexico. Your cruise to Mexico will be a great chance to try some of their best dishes for yourself.
After you and your family spend a little bit of time walking down some of the streets, strolling through a market, or wandering into a local restaurant, you’ll inhale the tantalizing scents and aromas of dozens of Mexican dishes being prepared. From flavorful street food made with fresh, vibrant ingredients, to delectable renditions of classic comfort dishes, you’ll definitely want to avail yourself of these culinary delights while traveling in Mexico.
Tacos al pastor
This popular taco dish is a far cry from the tacos you might have tried anywhere else. The recipe is rooted in history and features thinly sliced pork, slow-roasted over a spit along with pineapple, coriander leaves, and onions, all served on a corn tortilla.
Note: Tacos al pastor means “in the style of the shepherd”.
Tostadas
Stale tortillas never go to waste as they can be used to make tostadas, which are essentially fried tortillas. These are typically served with cheese, meats, vegetables and a number of garnishes. A plate of tostadas can often be quite filling, so you may want to share!
Chilaquiles
Breakfast in Mexico is a big deal, usually the largest meal of the day. Chilaquiles, one of the most popular breakfast dishes, feature lightly-fried tortillas cut into smaller pieces. They are then topped with salsa and a bevy of breakfast foods such as eggs, cheeses, cream, or chicken, and served with a generous side of refried beans, also called frijoles.
Chiles en nogada
This dish is as patriotic as it is tasty. The ingredients come together to represent the colors of the Mexican flag and include a mouthwatering mixture of fruits, spices, and chopped meat. The mixture is stuffed into Poblano chiles (the green in the flag), which is then drizzled with a walnut-based cream sauce (the white) and pomegranate seeds sprinkled atop the dish represent the red color in the Mexican flag.
Pozole
This is a rich, spicy and extremely popular soup made from hominy corn. It is most often stewed overnight with a wide variety of herbs and spices, together with chicken, pork or vegetables. When ready to be served, it is accompanied by onions, radishes, limes, lettuce and chilies.
Enchiladas
There is a wide variety of enchiladas that can be found in Mexico. They are made with either a corn or flour tortilla and then stuffed with various ingredients, such as meat, seafood or vegetables. A chili sauce is often drizzled over the enchiladas and then topped with garnishes. Enchiladas are often consumed for breakfast in Mexico, though you can find them at any time.
Tamales
Tamales are a great example of Mexican street food, though you will find them in many restaurants as well. Consisting of steamed pockets of dough made from corn and stuffed with a variety of fillings, they are usually wrapped in cornhusks or banana leaves when steamed. The fillings range from chilies, vegetables, meats, fruits and cheeses.
Elote
At first glance, you might think corn on the cob or corn kernels served in a cup is nothing special, but if it’s being served in Mexico, you’d be wrong. Elote translates to corn on the cob, but in Mexico, it is often served with an abundance of spices and garnishes. These can include, lime, sour cream, salt, chili powder, cheese, and other ingredients.
It is also important to mention a few other dishes. Even though they don’t necessarily comprise a whole meal, you don’t want to miss out on these traditional Mexican dishes. Mole is a very rich sauce often used in Mexican cuisine made with different types of chili peppers and chocolate. Mole sauce is often served over a variety of meats.
Guacamole is also a great accompaniment to many Mexican dishes. A good Mexican guacamole will contain mashed avocados of course, along with onions, chili peppers, lemon juice and tomatoes.
Tasting and enjoying some of the fine Mexican food found at the different Mexican ports or onboard a Carnival cruise at the BlueIguana Cantina will definitely make your vacation all the more enjoyable. Your family will be talking about it for many months to come.
