In this bewitching place, culinary wonders are conjured. Theres a lot of exciting chefs coming out of this region. And oaxaca is now a mecca for food lovers in the know. So good. The Gastronomic Wizards here. Wow. Can summon so many of mexicos most iconic ingredients. Have you ever seen such a rainbow of corn . Its the original string cheese. Im eva longoria, Born And Bred in texas with mexicanamerican roots, which makes me a texican. Im exploring mexico to see how the people, their lands, and their past have shaped a culinary tradition as diverse as its 32 states. Nestled within three vast mountain ranges, oaxaca is so blessed with food riches. Roasted chocolate. Its as if the gods themselves dined here. And for its ancient indigenous communities. [laughter] this land and its produce is sacred. But in these parts, youve got to work hard for your dinner. Oh, my god. I mean, really hard. God, im sweating. Wish me luck. [shouts] [steady music] since prehispanic times, Ancient Trade Routes bringing an abundance of amazing ingredients have snaked from South America into the belly of mexico via oaxaca. Today many of these food gems find their way to the mercado de abastos, a giant market on the edge of the state capital, oaxaca city. [sizzling] and in this warren of stalls. Hola. Hey, eva ive hunted down the pioneering chef who put oaxacan food on the map, alex ruiz. Uhhuh. This was your playground . [laughs] [laughs] mmhmm. Im sticking close to this guy. Get lost here, and you may never be found. Habaneros. Yes, habaneros. Oh, my god, look at this. This is the biggest piece of cheese ive ever seen. But oaxacas most famous ingredient, cacao, actually came here via those trade routes. Ooh, i smell chocolate. And chocolate went on to become a cornerstone of oaxacan gastronomy. If you want your chocolate fix, the mercado is still the place to come. But im not talking about anything as simple as a sugary snack. Hola, don chava. Oaxacas willy wonkas create bespoke chocolate mixes for their customers to use in cooking. Mmm. Bitter. It is bitter. Pure and raw. Alexs personal blend combines cinnamon with almonds and a sprinkle of sugar. Its the perfect alchemy for one of his legendary recipes, the luxurious sauce mole negro. This is it . [speaking spanish] machine. So were gonna grind this into a paste . Yes. The oil from the nuts turns the dry beans into a luscious paste. Smells incredible. Yes. Okay, lets see. Mmm. Mmm. But the aroma the aroma is. [inhales deeply] roasted chocolate. This chocolate is a direct connection to the indigenous ancestors of the oaxacans, who worshipped it as the food of the gods. Only for the kings. Only for the kings. Yeah. Mmhmm. [laughter] very nice. Its so pretty. So now we have our chocolate for the mole. Yeah [horn honks] alexs worldfamous restaurant, casa oaxaca, celebrates the glories of this regions produce. So theres no better place to try oaxacas famous mole negro. Is this everything that your mole has . Yes, correct. I mean, this is a very culturally mixed dish, mole. These 28 ingredients are a marriage of spanish imports, like limes and walnuts, with indigenous staples like chiles and, of course, chocolate. Okay. Muy bien. [light music] i love that everything just goes all together. The chiles off the comal. Rather than spicy heat, these charred, darkbrown chiles native to oaxaca add a rich smoky texture to the mole negro. Thats all you do is crush them in . Smells wonderful. [blender whirring] okay, here goes the mole. Chocolate chocolate. Want me to get it out . Yeah, yeah. There. Alexs custommade chocolate is the crowning ingredient. So smooth and silky. To this magnificently complex and sophisticated sauce. Okay. Please, eva. Okay. Mmm. Its super chocolatey. Yeah. So good. You like it . Yeah. Good. Oh, my god. I knew i was gonna get mole on my dress. [laughs] you now now im oaxacan. Now im a real oaxacan. You can marry in oaxaca. Si, senora. What better way to celebrate my new oaxacan citizenship than dinner on alexs Gorgeous Rooftop Terrace . Hey, eva. Oh, wow. Turkey . Spaniards . So they had poultry . The turkey is marinated with herbs and slowcooked, served with rice, some plantain, and a tamale. But the star of the show alexs velvety, chocolaty mole negro. Oh, thats delicious. Its the chocolate. Its the chiles. Its the nuts. Its all of those herbs. Its very herbal. Mmm. It tastes totally different now. This is so, so nice. What an honor to eat your mole negro. Oh, yes, our mole negro. So when did you Start Cooking . Five . No . [gasps] that made me cry. Vicenta. Salud, dona vicenta. Both ahi esta. [both laugh] salud. Plates. Plates. Plates. Theres somehow no better way to travel this place, than on a plate. And when you add price drop protection, expedia pays you back if your flight becomes cheaper. So you can taste your way, through every single plate and never wonder if you found a good deal. Because the good deal found you. The minute you drive off the lot. Or more. Thats why farmers new Car Replacement pays to replace it with a new one of the same make and model. Get a whole lot of something with farmers policy perks. Farmers mnemonic tech when you have auto glass damage, trust safelite. Well replace your windshield, and recalibrate your advanced safety system. So automatic Emergency Braking and lane Departure Warning work properly. Singers safelite repair, safelite replace. [bacon sizzles] [bacon sizzles] [electronic music plays] [bacon sizzles] [electronic music plays] woo come seek the royal caribbean. We are explorers of a new age, a new era, we are the pioneers of this new frontier, what a time to be alive. American families of four throw out an average of 400 a year of meat and poultry. Ziploc bags help protect meat against freezer burn. Ziploc. Unloc life. Sc johnson. [upbeat music] hi, eva. Hi. How are you . Great. Great meeting you. Oh, so nice to meet you. You too. Bienvenida. Welcome to the World Capital of quesillo. Oh, its my favorite cheese. Food writer omar alonso is passionate about oaxacas most famous export, a stringy cheese. Legend has it, it was created here in the sleepy town of reyes etla, where the locals christened it quesillo, meaning little cheese. So, yeah, quesillo is a very important part of our diet in oaxaca. In your sandwiches . Yeah. [dog barks] omar is taking me to meet one of the most distinguished Quesillo Makers in the region. Theres a difference between the industrialized one and the artisanal way . Yeah. Janet lopez cansecos family farm is one of the last in mexico to produce quesillo the traditional way. This is so e exciting. Ive never seen how quesillo is made. This is your lucky day. Uhhuh. Turning the curds into the stringy goodness we know and love takes handson attention from janet and her dad, juan. [laughter] they say that an ancestor of janets, a clueless teenager, took her eye off the curds and added boiling water in a panic to save the familys cheese. Oh. Oh, its happening. Its getting so creamy, smooth. La textura. From that crumbs. Yeah. To a solidified ooeygooey goodness. And so each batch is done by hand . Si. De mano . Wow. Of course, behind every great cheese, theres great milk. And for that, we have the spanish to thank, when they brought dairy cows to these valleys in the 16th century. But they never could have imagined what janets family would create with the milk. Is this cold water . Like a neverending scarf from a magicians hat, the cheese just keeps on coming. Mmm. Wow. [chuckles] have they got a rabbit in there, too . Okay. But how do you pack a firehose length of Delicious Cheese into your fridge . Okay, here we go. Youre going to have to roll with it, by hand, of course. So you salt it all the way through . Wow. Wow. I dont even want to attempt to try it. I mean, i can. Si, si, claro. Oh, my god. Oh, lord. My hands are clean. [playful music] [laughs] i feel like im making a baseball. [laughs] oh, god, im sweating. Thats my quesillo hey. Oh, my god. Look at his, though. Im just gonna say i did this one. Wow. Y mira. Mira, mira, mira. Its the original string cheese. Oh, wow. You can taste the milk. Mmm. It is super lactosey. [laughter] if youre lactose intolerant, dont eat this. You can make so much with quesillo. Even ice cream. Have you tried it . They make it in oaxaca. No. Its delicious and amazing. Mmmm. Oh, look at yours. My god. Respect to omar. I have never seen so much cheese gobbled so fast. Si. I always assumed it just came in this shape. [laughter] [light music] back in the city, i want to check out how this local cheese is celebrated at oaxacas hottest restaurants. Star chef Celia Florian loves innovating with traditional ingredients in her kitchen to create gastronomic magic. Hola. Un gran placer. Mucho gusto. Ay, mucho gusto. [chuckles] okay. Uhhuh. Yerba santa is a local herb that has flavors of anise, eucalyptus, and mint. And since prehispanic times, its also been used for medicinal purposes. Oh, my god. Have you guys eaten these . Theyre grasshoppers. Wow. Eating insects is a practice that dates Back Hundreds of years. See the little legs . And continues to this day. The creamy, fullfat quesillo is layered onto the yerba santa. Ah [chuckles] i feel like the whole purpose of chapulines is the crunch. So. [chuckles] i hope theyre crunchy. Like a toasted sandwich, its touched on the hotplate to help the quesillo stick to the leaf. Oh, you roll them up. Es un bocadillo. Little bite sizes. Wow. And these are edible flowers . Bueno. Beautiful. This plate is literally making me happy. Oh, thats a perfect bite right there. I think i have a little bit of everything. Crunchy. Mmm. Its such a balance of flavors. Si. Wow. Who would think to put cheese with grasshoppers with flowers . [laughs] celias exquisite dish honors oaxacas past while keeping an eye on the future. Ill never look at cheesy insects the same way again. This electric feels different. Because its powered by the most potent source of energy there is. You. This is the lexus variety of electrification. Inspired by, created for and powered by you. I have Type 2 Diabetes, but i manage it well. Its a little pill with a big story to tell. I take oncedaily jardiance, at each days staaart. As time went on it was easy to seee im lowering my a1c. Jardiance works 24 7 in your body to flush out some sugar and for adults with Type 2 Diabetes and known heart disease, jardiance can lower the risk of cardiovascular death, too. 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Wayfair, youve got just what i need [laidback music] some of oaxacas greatest Culinary Creations come from its indigenous communities, like the ancient zapotecs, who thrived here for 3,000 years with a Large Population in its isthmus region. Known as the waist of mexico, its where the atlantic and Pacific Coast are closest. These days, the proud guardians of zapotecan cuisine are the extraordinary muxes. And im lucky enough to be invited to lunch. Hola. Hola. Buen dia. Hola. Hola, eva. From a young age, muxes identify as a third gender, often displaying feminine attributes and wearing feminine clothes. Salud. If the food is as fabulous as the outfits, the eating is going to be good. Oh, my god. [laughter] okay. Si. Okay. Si. Historically, muxes adopted traditionally female roles within the family, becoming caregivers, needle workers, and, most importantly, cooks. Si. Very tropical, with the pineapple and the tomatoes and the onions. And then with this dense pork, i think its gonna be pretty amazing. [shouts] clearly, this is a dish worth risking thirddegree burns for. Oh, my god. It smells so good. Wow. Okay. I could walk home in that time. But dont worry. We dont have to wait that long. And now for the carbs in the kitchen. Rubich and victoria are whipping up a decadent potato side dish. Okay. Both mmm. [laughter] the Mashed Potato is combined with spring onion, carrot, egg, and mountains of butter and garlic. Uhhuh. [laughter] muxan culture has given a sense of freedom to zapotecs who dont conform to gender stereotypes. And today they are celebrated in the isthmus and beyond. Si, por favor. Oh, my god. Wow. This feels amazing, the texture of this cream. A ver. [laughter] wow. [upbeat music] muy bien. [light music] aw. And now im hungry for that stuffedpork dish. Time to fatten me up. Oh, my gosh, look at this. [sniffs] wow. Oh, my gosh. And i get a bone. [gasps] i mean, look at that juice. And this is the potato puree. Wow. It smells. [sniffs] so good. Oh, my gosh. [indistinct chatter] god. Its falling right off the bone, and its so soft, so flavorful. It has everything we put into it. It complements so well the pork with the cooked pineapple with this potato puree. Si. Perfect combination. Its been such a privilege for me to spend time with the muxes, whove cherished these incredible recipes and forged their own path in oaxacan culture. Im never leaving. Mmm. Salud. Muchas gracias. Muchas gracias, feli. Lowes knows the biggest savings are found at springfest. So hurry up and get top deals on the top brands online and instore. So you can make the most of the season on any budget. Backed by lowes price promise. I see irritated gums and weak enamel. Sensodyne Sensitivity Gum enamel relieves sensitivity, helps restore gum health, and rehardens enamel. Im a big advocate of recommending things that i know work. wheezing asthma isnt pretty. 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The minute you drive off the lot. Or more. Thats why farmers new Car Replacement pays to replace it with a new one of the same make and model. Get a whole lot of something with farmers policy perks. Farmers mnemonic an hours drive from oaxaca city lies the farming town of santa ana zegache, the unassuming epicenter of corn. Mmhmm. Mm. Amado ramirez leyva is my guide to this region, where corn has been worshipped for over 6,000 years and is still the beating heart of mexican cuisine. Cut us, and we bleed yellow. [soft music] [dog barks, animal bleats] hola. Soy eva. Hola. Okay. Amado was battling to keep oaxacas ancient species alive by working with corn farmers like ponciano mendez galvan. [chuckles] oh, my god, this colors beautiful. Look at this color. [gasps] velatobo. Pinto. Si. Have you ever seen such a rainbow of corn . The range of colors comes from growing crops at different altitudes and varying amounts of sunlight exposure. The darker heritage corns are often sweeter and more herbal than the yellow ones. So are these disappearing . Because all we ever see in the supermarkets is yellow. Mm. Mmhmm. Mmhmm. Tannins, yeah. ¿si . Si. This was me when i was little, yall. My dad would have me and my sisters peeling the corn. Thered be worms inside sometimes. That was a fun surprise. And we would have to fill all of these baskets, and we would go sell the corn, just the yellow ones. Sell it on the side of the road. Si. [laughter] unfortunately, ponciano takes me up on the offer. Oh, my god now ive got to keep up with the hardcore 82yearold as we clean the corn. Oh, yeah. This is a great workout. [chuckles] ¿ya esta . Ive sure worked up an appetite. And as luck would have it, poncianos wife, antonia, is making a traditional zapotec farmers breakfast. This oaxacan vegetable soup, sopa de guias, is like a vegan super fuel packed with nutrients. Its perfect to come back to after toiling in the fields since sunrise. The herb chepil is native to Central America and tastes like spinach and watercress. But the soup gets its name from guias shoots of squash and their leaves bursting with vitamins and minerals. Wow. I love a good vegetable soup. Im on fire si. [laughs] si. And added last, so they keep their delicate form, the squash flowers. Such a beautiful green. [indistinct chatter] poncianos hardworking family have gathered for breakfast. And the star of the meal is, of course, their beautiful corn. Its so good. Im so hungry. [gasps] wow. Oh, my god. Si. I love everything has lemon in mexico, even vegetable soup. Its wonderful eating this delicious simple food with the family who grew it on their land, just like their ancient ancestors did for thousands of years. I know corn is important to mexico, but i never knew it was endemic to oaxaca. Que nacio aqui. It was born here. 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Book now at bestwestern. Com [upbeat music] oh, look at these agave. Oaxaca is the land of the agave plant. And where theres agave, theres mezcal the smoky liquor this region is famed for. Ive always been more of a tequila girl myself, so im off to a palenque, an agave farm, for a little mezcal education in san baltazar chichicapam. And im excited because this palenque has a maestra mezcalera, which is a female master of mezcal. And its very rare in the mezcal industry. Tequila is only made from blue agave, while mezcal uses a variety of species. So, to see the field out here with all this diverse agave is pretty cool. Hot, arid plains are the perfect breeding ground, but you got to be patient. Some agave can take over 30 years to mature. Hola. Connoisseur sylvia philion champions traditional producers. A mezcal authority, three years ago, she discovered dona bertas artisanal spirit. What dona berta is doing now how we say it in oaxaca. Shaving the agave. And what type is this one . Both cuishe. This is a species that you can only find in oaxaca, actually. Okay. What shes doing is shes taking out all the leaves so we can have the heart of the agave. And this is the part thats gonna be cooked . Yes. [surf rock music] so this is a very important part of the process. This is where mezcal takes the smoky qualities and flavors and aromas. Mmhmm. And this is what differentiates mezcal from tequila, because tequila is not using an earth oven to cook the agave. Its using machinery to cook it. Mezcal maestra dona bertas earth oven is lined with rocks and heated by firewood. The agave hearts roast slowly, releasing their natural sugars and develop that distinctive smoky flavor. And how old is the technique . The earth oven is prehispanic. Actually, in many prehispanic cities around mexico, we find earth ovens. And the word mezcal comes from the prehispanic language from the aztecs. And mexcalli means cooked agave in an earth oven. Wow. [laughter] she doesnt trust me to put in a bigger one. [chuckles] si. To close up the holes, im gonna put it there. Mmhmm. [speaking spanish] [laughs] [speaking spanish] yay the hearts are then covered with crushed agave husk for the cooking process, which can take up to five days. Then youre gonna put some soil on top. I love seeing her boss everybody around. Si. Shes like, youre doing it wrong. [laughing] si. I feel like ive slipped back in time. Oaxacan families have been making alcohol from roasted agave for centuries, but the spanish brought copper stills, which took it to another level and helped create the Smooth Mezcal we know today. The Aztec Goddess Of Fertility and agave, mayahuel, watches over the familys production. And then to cover all religious bases. Oh, wow. And this is all her mezcal . Yes. So she keeps all the mezcal in the altar . The precious stash is stored under the watchful eyes of jesus. [chuckles] oh, wow. Because she worked harder and longer and faster. Yes. They didnt like that. They didnt like that. [laughs] oh, si. Ooh. And remember that cuishe is endemic to oaxaca. Okay. Gracias, dona berta. The mezcal has a light, floral, almost herbal taste. Dona berta has worked her magic, and im converted. Mmm. Thats really good. [laughter] orale. Salud. Woman why did we choose safelite . Were always working on a project. While loading up our suv, one extra push and. Crack so, we scheduled at safelite. Com. We were able to track our technician and knew exactly when hed arrive. We can keep working synth music woman safelite came to us. Tech hi, im kendrick. Woman replaced our windshield, and installed new wipers to protect our new glass. Thats service on our time. Singers safelite repair, safelite replace. American families of four throw out an average of 400 a year of meat and poultry. Ziploc bags help protect meat against freezer burn. Ziploc. Unloc life. Sc johnson. I have Type 2 Diabetes, but i manage it well. Its a little pill with a big story to tell. I take oncedaily jardiance, at each days staaart. As time went on it was easy to seee im lowering my a1c. Jardiance works 24 7 in your body to flush out some sugar and for adults with Type 2 Diabetes and known heart disease, jardiance can lower the risk of cardiovascular death, too. Jardiance may cause serious side effects including ketoacidosis that may be fatal, dehydration, that can lead to sudden worsening of kidney function, and Genital Yeast or urinary tract infections. A rare, lifethreatening bacterial infection in the skin of the perineum could occur. Stop taking jardiance and call your doctor right away if you have symptoms of this infection, ketoacidosis, or an allergic reaction, and dont take it if youre on dialysis. Taking jardiance with a sulfonylurea or insulin may cause low blood sugar. Jardiance is really swell, the little pill with a big story to tell. Lowes knows the first step to motivation is inspiration. So, weve got new everything. New flooring, new paint, new patio sets, new pillows. I can keep going if you want me to. You got this. And we got you. [light rock music] hola. Bien. Gracias. Mucho gusto. Si. God, look at the color. Mmhmm. Oaxacas varied altitude and climate means even simple produce is extraordinary. Rising star chef Thalia Barrios garcia has made the ingredients of her hometown the main draw of her hipster restaurants. Oh. Okay. These Juicy Rastrojo and bola tomatoes are grown among oak trees, which conserve water and enrich the black soil of mountains near thalias remote village. So tomatoes are from South America, but it was the mexicans that decided to eat them. [laughs] and plant them, grow them, put them in the kitchen. Si. I think a lot of people assume mmhmm. Okay. Wow. Si. [gasps] wow. Lots and lots of tomatoes. Oh, my god, these are beautiful. Si. Oh. Okay. These tomatoes are grown from seeds passed down from generation to generation over thousands of years. The sweeter ones grow in the valleys, where they soak up sun and water, while the mountain ones get less light and are slightly bitter. Mmm. I use probably, like, 20 of these a day, cause my husband loves tomatillo salsa. Si. Were making thalias iconic dish a simple tomato salad, oaxacan style. Have you seen a more perfect tomato . A warning, though once discovered, you will never go back to the ordinary supermarket tomato. Look at this. Oh, gosh, this is so beautiful, i dont want to mess it up. I dont even want to cut it, hes so pretty. The sweetness of this brightpurple beet puree balances the tomatos acidity. Theres barely any seeds in this purple one. Si. [light music] is this a vinaigrette . Si. Mmhmm. Okay. Mmhmm. Pero. Mmm, very refreshing. Oh, look at that. Look at this. Is that not the most beautiful combination of tomatoes youve ever seen . Mmm. Not only the taste i think my favorite is this red one. This is my favorite. [chuckles] ah, el morado. Si. A ver. Lets have the purple one. [gasps] oh, no, i think thats my favorite. [laughs] wow. You know what . It has the texture of a radish. Mmm. That herbal dressing with this beet puree, with the texture of the tomato, with the saltoh, my god. I think this is, like, the perfect dish. Mmhmm. Exactamente. Si. Oaxaca has been a culinary explosion in my head and in my mouth. It is on another level gastronomically. One of the best places ive been to in the world. Oaxacas full of so many indigenous cultures holding on to their traditions. They honor their past techniques and ingredients, but they dont live in the past. They have called the world to oaxaca cause they want to share everything with the world. And theyre doing it beautifully