SWEET MEMORIES OF MEXICO

July 19, 2012 at 11:43 am · Filed under activities for cruisers, Cooking Classes in Cabo, Culinary Tourism, Mexican food, what to do in Cabo and tagged: ancient aztecs, cooking classes, cooking classes in Cabo, culinary tourism, fun things to do in Cabo, Mexican candies, traditional mexican dishes, traditional Mexican food

For a country with so few dessert options, Mexico has a serious sweet tooth.  Desserts are more varied on the tourist strip, but at the end of many a fine meal in Mexican restaurants I have asked for the dessert selection only to have the waiter respond with a great flourish, “Hay flannnn…’ trailing off that final consonant in a hopeful tone…

So flan it is for dessert, and if it’s well made, it rivals cheesecake as a finish and isn’t nearly as rich.  It’s actually a stroke of dessert genius as it tops off a spicy Mexican meal like nothing else could.

But about that sweet tooth.  If you’re ever in a traditional Mexican market, or even a decent Mexican supermarket, take a look at the candy aisle.  The selection above is pretty typical, candy for the eye as well as that aching tooth.  So what’s behind all that day-glo display?  Here’s a short list.

Obleas con cajeta (Goat’s milk caramel wafers) – a delectable treat  made of two paper-thin flour wafers filled with Mexico’s fabled goat’s milk caramel candy, cajeta, creating a sweet sandwich that won’t stick to your fingers.  Also available as chewy caramel candies.  Top brands: Coronado, Las Sevillanas (mini or medium) and Aldama.

De La Rosa’s Mazapan (marzipan) – is a delicious and traditional peanut confection delicious with a tall glass of milk, or crumbled as a topping to enhance other desserts.

Fruit rolls – These sweet fruity treats are very popular in Mexico, made from tropical fruits like coconut, mango and guava. Cocadas are deadly sweet coconut rolls.  Popular brands include: Productos Cihuapilli and Dulces Moreliates.

Spicy spoon suckers – Yep, it’s a spicy, salty, sweet and gooey candy sold  right on a spoon in our favorite traditional tropical  fruit flavors — tamarind and mango.

Pepitorias (seed brittle) – This is a sweet and delicious confection made of  ground sesame seeds sweetened with honey, coconut, pumpkin seeds and peanuts thrown in to guild the lily.  Las Trojes is a popular brand that manufactures these succulent treats:  Mixed seed brittle, coconut brittle, peanut brittle, sesame seed brittle and pumpkin seed brittle.  Yum!

Candy skulls – Celebrate the Day of the Dead and honor your departed loved ones with these crazy creative confections fashioned from sugar, chocolate or amaranth.  This much-loved Mexican tradition has been passed down through generations.

 …and this is a short list!  Take a tour through the candy aisle and start making your own sweet memories of Mexico! 

¡Provecho!

Donna

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