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We had done some research before our trip and decided that we'd do a cookery course in Oaxaca. We decided to do the Casa Crespo Mexican food course.
We walked up the road to Casa Crespo, about 15 minutes, and arrived a few minutes early so we sat in the shade in the square outside. When we walked in everyone else was already there, the were 17 of us all together. The chef teaching us was called Oscar. In our group there were people from West Sussex, Glasgow, Amsterdam, Germany and America.
The first order of the day was to decide, between us, what we wanted to learn how to cook. The group decided upon, 2 salsas 1 green and 1 red (roasted tomatoes and chilli) guacamole, aztec soup, chicken with black mole, stuffed chillies, cured fish, dark chocolate ice cream and corn ice cream. Oscar is going to send us the recipes of all the things we made that I will add to my blog once he has sent them and link to them from here.
Once we had decided what we were to cook we went to the local market to get the fresh ingredients. The first place we stopped was just outside the market, Oscar explained that all the vendors inside the market got their produce from the large market out of town, while the vendors outside the market grew their own produce which was fresher, organic and of a higher quality. As we walked around the market Oscar explained what the ingredient were and how they are used in various situations and recipes. On the way back from the market we stopped off at place that had various machines this is where the locals go to have the grains ground/milled, their taco dough mixed so they didn't have to have the machines themselves at home.
Back at the kitchen we were shown and asked to help out with the different processes for making the food. We were shown how to strip the seeds of chillies (aka cleaning the chillies), how to roast the tomatoes, what ingredients go in the mole. We made our own corn tacos some plain and some with courgette flowers, which we then cooked on a huge flat hot plate.
Once all the food had been prepared we all sat down and ate together and told stories of our various travels. If you are ever in Oaxaca I can not recommend this activity highly enough. We learnt loads, had a great time, ate great food and met lovely people.
After the meal, Susan and I headed to the brewery I visited yesterday and had another IPA before heading back to the hotel. In the late afternoon early evening I went walking around Oaxaca and had some food, I didn't need a lot and ordered a pork taco, it arrived as 5 pork tacos, and a Margarita. Once I finished my Margarita I was brought another I said I didn't need another, he said but it's happy hour and I just said no it wasn't the best I'd had and I just did not want anymore.
Home to bed.
Colourful banners in a circular pattern above a street in Oaxaca