Why?

One of my biggest fears with this internship is food. I am a picky eater, and I don't often try new things. My goal is to every Thursday is to try something new and see how I like it. Here you will be able to see what I tried and what I thought about it!

May 29

Jumex Mango Juice:

8/10

This was really good and a great pick-me-up after a long day of travelling. However, the smell and aftertaste can be off-putting. Nothing too wild to start off with, but I've never really eaten or drunk mango-flavored things.

June 5

Tia Rosa Tiras Doraditas (Golden Strips)

10/10

This treat was picked by a member of the concierge team here at CIMMYT. This was such a great treat to end the night with. It was crunchy, sweet, and had the slight taste of honey. They recommend that you dunk it in coffee or milk, and I could see the appeal. Sadly, it was too late for coffee, and there isn't any milk here. I will be getting this again with coffee next time!

June 12

Paste

9/10

A paste is a very popular Mexican snack in the State of Hidalgo and surrounding central Mexican regions. This snack can be filled with a variety of options, ranging from sweet to savory. (Sweet: milk and rice, Savory: Potatoes and onions). The paste I got was the Choriqueso. It is filled with chorizo, Oaxaca cheese, and cotija cheese. It was an excellent breakfast yesterday while driving. I wanted to try the rice and milk paste, but my stomach hurt from driving, so maybe next time!

June 19

Arroz con Leche

5/10

This is a Mexican dessert that consists of rice, milk, and cinnamon. Although the flavor wasn't the worst, it was too flowery for my taste. The thing that really threw me off, though, was the texture. I could not get over the way it felt in my mouth. This is not something I would probably have again, but I'm glad I tried it.

Last Saturday, I also tried cemitas (see under Experience Something New Saturdays), which I give an 8/10. The papola leaf was very strong, and I had to take it off. Other than that, it was good!

June 26

Chicken with Chile Sauce and Avocado

8/10

This was a great dinner after a couple of days of "eh" meals. The avocado was so refreshing, and the chile sauce wasn't that spicy. Now this isn't something too wild for me to try, but I chose it over the normal chicken that I would've gotten. I personally wanted more chile sauce, and the chicken was a bit dry. I'm glad I stepped out of my routine a bit and tried something new!

July 3rd

Cordon Bleu with Nopales?

0/10

Now, normally I enjoy Cordon Bleu, but this one came with a twist. Nopales are similar to green beans or okra. Now, in my first week in Mexico, I got Nopales thinking they were green beans, and I was very disappointed. Now imagine my surprise when I got to eat my dinner and ended up with Nopales in my mouth. Now, even with the Nopales, that is not what gives this dish such a low rating; the chicken was not cooked all the way through. Not my favorite thing, and I probably won't have it again. If the chicken was cooked, it would've gotten a 5 or 6/10.

July 10th

Pulparindo

4/10

It was so spicy! I thought this would be a fun little treat after a rough day, but my nose is running, and I was chugging milk. The candy is made from the pulp of the tamarind fruit, and is flavored with sugar, salt, and chili peppers, making it simultaneously tart, sweet, salty, and spicy. It wouldn't be bad if it weren't spicy, but there is an even spicier version!!!

July 17th

Arcoiris

9/10

This dessert is really popular here in Mexico and my friends kept telling me to try it. However, I was hesitant because one of the the main ingredients in coconut. However, I finally sucked it up and did it, and it was actually pretty good. It is made of a graham cracker-type base, marshmallows, and coconuts. The only problem with it is that it was super sweet, and I could only eat one in the pack. But, other than that, I can't complain.

July 24th

Enchiladas

9/10

So I will be fulling transparent. This isn't the first time I've tried these. I've had them a couple of times before but the first time I tried them I was nervous. CIMMYT food isn't outstanding... But these enchiladas are one of my favorite things they serve. It has a spicy red sauce, onions, chicken, and cheese. Today, they used sliced cheese instead of the fresh shredded stuff so that's why is doesn't get a 10/10. But it is really good.