San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato state, Mexico.
(ALFREDO ESTRELLA / AFP via Getty Images)
(CNN Spanish) -
Guanajuato smells like chili, xoconostle, mezcal.
The aromas, textures and colors of the traditional cuisine of Guanajuato represent a must for those who opt for gastronomic tourism and want to visit that state in the heart of Mexico.
For Guanajuato, their dishes are full of history, culture and mysticism.
"Since pre-Columbian times, the State of Guanajuato has been the cradle and witness of popular, civil and religious manifestations and traditions," says the website of the Government of the State of Guanajuato.
"In each of these rituals, food has played an essential role, in which Guanajuato has distinguished itself for its diversity in culinary art."
It should also be remembered that since 2010 traditional Mexican cuisine has been an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Unesco.
Mixed flavors
Multiple dishes of the traditional cuisine of Guanajuato were presented on August 22 at the Mestizo Gastronomic Festival.
Credit: Secretary of Tourism of the Government of the State of Guanajuato
As the state government says, "the gastronomic history of Guanajuato dates back to the ancient Chichimeca civilization, passing through the conquest of the Spanish, having the French invasion as a determining date and finding a reestablishment at the end of the Revolution."
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It is precisely on this basis of mixtures that multiple fairs and gastronomic festivals are held to preserve and promote the culinary heritage of the region.
For example, a few days ago, the Mestizo Gastronomic Festival took place in San José de Iturbide.
In this, traditional cooks presented typical flavors of the Otomí, Spanish and Chichimeca cultures with dishes such as zorra broth, beef carnitas and drunken chili peppers, among others.
Also famous are the mining enchiladas, the guacamayas and, obviously, the famous tortillas of the state, which are engraved with vegetable ink and ceremonial stamps.
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It is clear that the ingredients used in Guanajuato are diverse.
"Garambullo, strawberry, xoconostle and a great variety of cacti, are the ingredients that over the years have given unbeatable aroma, texture, color and flavors to delicious recipes that transcend preserving the seasoning of generations of Guanajuato that today put on high the gastronomic identity of the state ", affirms the state government.
In case you didn't know, the garambullo and xoconostle are part of the cactus family;
Its fruits color and flavor various traditional recipes in central Mexico.
To also discover signature food or street food, you can find more information here.
And if a mezcal 'beats' you ...
In addition to the Mezcal Route, in Guanajuato you can enjoy the Tequila Route, the Nopal Circuit, among others.
Credit: Government of the State of Guanajuato
The first permit for the production of mezcal in "New Spain (...) was granted by the Spanish colony to the Marqués de Berrios hacienda in the 18th century," says the Guanajuato government website.
At that time, the drink was known by the name of Creole distillate, "for its combination of the distillation technique brought by the Spanish and the wild agave of the region," he adds.
This is why the Mezcal Route is one of the tourist favorites in Guanajuato.
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Both in San Luis de la Paz and in San Felipe you will be able to know the different mezcales and the multiple species of agave that are grown in the area and pay special attention to the agave salmiana, which is endemic.
If you are looking for options to visit the mezcal haciendas in the region, "which have been producing mezcal for more than two centuries," you can check out some recommended by the state.
And if you want to go even further, remember that Guanajuato offers other routes such as the Tequila Route, the Wine Route, the Nopal Circuit, among others.
So the advice is simple: prepare your palate.
GuanajuatoMexico Route