Postcard from Morelia, Mexico: Polishing off a few more meals

Above: Chiles capones filled with salsa de guacamole at La Guarecita de San Agustin

The first time we peeked into La Guarecita de San Agustin, I rejected it. Having lived in San Antonio for about four decades, the restaurant’s interior decor, waitress uniforms and even logo reminded me too much of some old-school, Tex-Mex restaurants from home. In other words, it gave me the impression it was designed to attract gringo tourists. But later, some friends wanted to try it, and we found it packed with locals.

A platter of plump fried charales caught from nearby Cuitzeo Lake as a starter improved my attitude. Then, La Guaracita introduced me to stuffed chiles capones (the featured photo), which I loved. Instead of a specific type of chile, the name is derived from “gallo capon,” a term for a rooster emasculated for fattening. For chiles, emasculation refers to reducing the heat factor by removing the inner ribs and seeds. The chiles in this case, I believe, were regional dried chilacas – pasillas – deeply rich in flavor but not overly spicy.

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Postcard from Morelia, Mexico: Vamos a comer

Gaspacho. Spelling the word with an “s” and not a “z” makes a world of difference in Morelia. Cubes of refreshing fruit with no tomatoes in the mix. Traditional gaspacho stands are found everywhere in the heart of the city, with locals more than willing to line up at their favorite ones. Although customized for the individual, don’t miss out experiencing estilo Moreliano with its contrasting flavors of tangy lime juice, cotija cheese and chile layered into the combination of regional fruit. Beware. It’s highly addictive.

With that ideal breakfast out of the way, time to head out for more substantial repasts at restaurants listed alphabetically. By chance, these first three spots are a bit off the main tourist grid but are all a walkable distance from the center.

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Postcard from Toulouse, France: Flavors with a different accent

Above: Vegetarian version of the generous planches found at Prosciutteria

When traveling and eating out every day, sometimes you crave breaking out of the regional mode. A wild abundance of vegetables was our goal when we ducked into Prosciutteria on Rue des Filatiers. We found ourselves well-rewarded with a vegetarian appetizer board, so abundant we shared and ordered nothing else. Well, aside from wine. Subsequently, we found their salads and bruschetone equally as fresh and good.

Rue des Filatiers was our neighborhood, so we tried several other casual spots there as well, all with fine street-side people-watching opportunities. We found ourselves grabbing amply filled empanadas to-go for cocktail-hour snacks from El Almacen – Empanadas. Miss Fish appeared to be brand new, or only recently reopened, and boasted a nice variety of seafood. It seems a place that should prove particularly popular with British travelers missing their fish and chips.

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