The New York Times just published 36 Hours in Puebla, Mexico by travel writer Freda Moon, who did a similar feature about Oaxaca a few months ago. Freda listed many of my favorite things to do, see, visit, shop for and eat. Puebla is unique. The city is a blend of Spanish colonial with Moorish-Moslem influences brought from Spain during the conquest. This is evident in both architecture and food. In the early 1900′s, the city became a favorite of German immigrants, one reason Volkswagen selected Puebla as a manufacturing and assembly site in the 1960′s.
Here are a few extra tidbits of WHAT TO DO AND SEE IN PUEBLA to supplement Freda’s list:
1. Pan de Zacatlan: Relleno de Queso. I stumbled upon this authentic European-style bakery walking from Talavera Uriarte to Talavera Celia and after a meditative moment at The Rosary Chapel in Santo Domingo Church.
The pastries here are amazing. Most are stuffed with sweetened queso fresco and taste like eating a cheesecake empañada. The shop sells fresh cheesecakes, cheese, the flan ranks a 9+ in my book, and it’s OMG for the Pan de Elote. I sampled just about everything and my eyes were bigger than my stomach. I had the empañada con queso for dinner during a rain-thunder-lightening storm so strong that I didn’t want to leave my comfortable hotel room. The rest of the goody bag came back to the U.S. with me. My son and I ate what was left for breakfast in Long Beach, California, the next day.
Pan de Zacatlan, 4 Oriente No. 402, Puebla, Pue., Mexico, tel (222) 246 5676, pandezacatlan@hotmail.com. Open every day, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday, Sundays and festivals, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
La Dueña, Pan de Zacatlan
Hungry for meat? Turn left out the door and a couple of doors down is a traditional restaurant serving lamb grilled on a spit with homemade pan Arabe (pita bread). These are all over town, a testimony to the influences of pre-Catholic Spain imported to Mexico.
2. Talavera Uriarte, 4 Poniente, No. 911. So much has been written about this venerable ceramics house that there’s not much left to say. Their customer service is impeccable, quality superb, and packing and shipping always reliable. Nothing ever arrives broken. Ask for Ana!
Maceta for my sister. Uriarte drilled a perfect drainage hole while I waited.
3. Talavera de las Americas, 7 Poniente 510 . Col. San Pedro Cholula, Cholula, Puebla. Tel. (222)261-0367. Their operation is a very small, family-owned business and they “bend over backwards” for the customer. It’s worth the visit to Cholula since the painting on the clay is very fine and detailed, the clay body is very light, and the work rivals it’s better known competitors at half the price! We have purchased here directly and enjoyed the experience.
4. Hotel Real Santander, 7 Oriente, No. 13, Puebla, two-blocks from the Zocalo. These are not rooms, they are spacious luxury suites with thick comforters and towels, and excellent beds, starting at 800 pesos a night in the off-season. Hotel Real Santander is a perfect, quiet hideaway between the Museo Amparo, the photography museum, and …
5. Across the street is La Quinta de San Antonio, my favorite antiques shop in Puebla. Contact owner Antonio Ramirex Priesca by email.
6. Churches on every corner, too numerous to list them all. When you get there, follow the city guide and map to explore. But, be certain to FIRST VISIT the Rosary Chapel at Santo Domingo Church. The gold and glitz dazzles.
Some of the sculpted heads here remind me of the interior carved wood and painted figures in the extraordinary indigenous church at Tonanzintla.
7. Talavera Celia. You can find this good quality DO4 Talavera ceramics at Celia’s Café. 5 Oriente 608, Centro Histórico Puebla, Puebla. C.P. 72000. Tel: 01 (222) 242 36 63, near the antiques district and weekend flea market.
A note on Talavera Ceramics: there are only 10 authorized DO4 makers of traditional talavera ceramics in Puebla, Mexico. More talavera is produced here than is Spain where the antique methods have almost died out. I list only the best quality talavera ceramics makers on this blog and you can be assured that they all produce DO4 highest quality. I would steer you away from buying from Talavera Armando — their customer service and shipping is poor and their products arrive broken.
On a personal note: I will usually book a flight in and out of Mexico City, take the ADO bus from Oaxaca to Puebla, spend a night or two, and capture the colonial charm that makes Puebla so special. Then, I will go to the Estrella Roja bus station on 4 Poniente to buy and board a luxury Saab Scania bus complete with WiFi heading to the Benito Juarez International Airport for my flight to the U.S.
Taste Oaxaca: Shop, Cook, Eat
Immerse yourself in the food culture of Oaxaca during this 7-day, 6-night eating, cooking workshop-tour, January 23-29. Oaxaca is known for her chocolate, mescal, organic maize (corn), fresh fruits and vegetables, abundant chiles, savory spices and family operated kitchens. Superb meals are around every street corner and in fine dining establishments. Hand to mouth. Market basket to kitchen. Pan to plate. We will explore it all.
Make this your perfect winter getaway! Limited to 6 people.
Come with us to enjoy meals in fine-dining restaurants. Sample some of the finest mezcal made in Oaxaca not available for export. Taste humble street and market food from trusted vendors. Participate in food shopping and tasting excursions to learn about local ingredients. Roll up your sleeves and make three of Oaxaca’s famous seven moles with cooking classes from noted chefs and local indigenous cooks.
Cooking classes include a complete multi-course menu, from soup or salad through dessert. Your experienced cooking instructors have recorded traditional recipes passed down through the generations from mother to daughter. You will receive complete recipes printed in English that you can adapt to available ingredients at home.
Taste Oaxaca is limited to 6 participants.
What Taste Oaxaca includes:
Day 1: Wednesday, January 23, arrive Oaxaca, overnight Oaxaca
Day 2: Thursday, January 24, market shopping and cooking class, afternoon on your own, fine-dining, overnight Oaxaca (B, L, D)
Day 3: Friday, January 25, eat Oaxaca style, explore organic market food stalls and bakery, mescal tasting reception and fine-dining, overnight Oaxaca (B, D)
Day 4: Saturday, January 26, on your own morning to explore with suggestions, meet for lunch at family operated comedor, travel to Teotitlan in late afternoon, check into to B&B, supper in Teotitlan (B, L, D)
Day 5: Sunday, January 27, Tlacolula market, lunch at local comedor or market stalls, return to B&B, afternoon cooking class followed by dinner (B, L, D)
Day 6: Monday, January 28, cooking class and lunch, free-time in afternoon, farewell dinner fiesta at local restaurant (B, L, D)
Day 7: Tuesday, January 29, depart after breakfast (B)
Cost: The base cost for the trip is $1,595.00 USD. Most travel programs of this type and length cost more than twice as much!
It does NOT include airfare, taxes, admissions to museums and archeological sites, gratuities, travel insurance, liquor/alcoholic beverages, some meals and some transportation not included in the itinerary.
You may wish to come early or stay later. We are happy to make these arrangements for you.
Lodging/Accommodations
In Oaxaca city, we will stay in a lovely upscale bed and breakfast featured in many travel articles and rated very highly.
In Teotitlan del Valle, we stay in a local bed and breakfast operated by three generations of women — grandmother, mother, daughter — all great cooks! The food is all handcrafted and delicious. Vegetarian options are available.Village accommodations are clean and basic. Shared baths are across the courtyard. (Bring flip-flops and flashlight.)
You will have the option of having a double room with shared bath (across the courtyard) for the base price of the trip. Single supplement with shared bath (add $200). Shared room with private bath (add $200). Single room with private bath (add $300). Please indicate your preference on the registration form.
Reservations, and Cancellations
A 50% deposit ($800) is required to guarantee your spot. The final payment for the balance due (including any supplemental costs) shall be postmarked by January 1, 2012. We request Payment with PayPal. We will be happy to send you an invoice.
If cancellation is necessary, please notify us in writing by email. After April 1, no refunds are possible; however, we will make every possible effort to fill your reserved space. If you cancel before April 1, we will refund 50% of your deposit. We strongly recommend that you take out trip cancellation, baggage, emergency evacuation and medical insurance before you begin your trip, since unforeseen circumstances are possible.
To register or for questions, contact: oaxacaculture@me.com
This workshop is produced by Norma Hawthorne, Oaxaca Cultural Navigator LLC. For more information, see: http://oaxacaculture.com
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Posted in Cultural Commentary, Dining and Lodging, Food & Recipes, Oaxaca Mexico art and culture, Oaxaca travel, Travel & Tourism, Workshops and Retreats
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