born and bred in texas with mexican-american roots, which makes me a texican. i m exploring mexico to see how the people, their lands, and their past have shaped a culinary tradition as diverse as its 32 states. that s commitment. [laughs] jalisco has always been at the forefront of mexico s national culture. the rich tapestry of civilizations that make up mexico informs jalisco s identity and its gastronomic treasures, going all the way back to the aztecs. spiced up by invasion. but sliced and diced by a new generation of food pioneers. wow. whoo. but no culinary tour is ever complete. all: tequila, tequila! - without sampling the local beverage. in moderation, of course. [exhales deeply] ooh, ooh! [laughing] [steady music] jalisco s capital, guadalajara, is mexico s second city. it s vibrant and exciting, with t-shirt weather all year round. the locals proudly call themselves tapatíos, a nickname meaning triple the worth. you can see from the vibe here, guadalajarans
, and their past have shaped a culinary tradition as diverse as its 32 states. that s commitment. [laughs] jalisco has always been at the forefront of mexico s national culture. the rich tapestry of civilizations that make up mexico informs jalisco s identity and its gastronomic treasures, going all the way back to the aztecs. spiced up by invasion. but sliced and diced by a new generation of food pioneers. wow. whoo. but no culinary tour is ever complete. all: tequila, tequila! - without sampling the local beverage. in moderation, of course. [exhales deeply] ooh, ooh! [laughing] [steady music] jalisco s capital, guadalajara, is mexico s second city. it s vibrant and exciting, with t-shirt weather all year round. the locals proudly call themselves tapatíos, a nickname meaning triple the worth. you can see from the vibe here, guadalajarans are proud to be the face of contemporary mexico. - hola. - hola. ¿cómo estás? wendy perez has been eating her way through guadala
guadalajara is known as the pearl of the west. but there are no pearls without grit. the first stop is an unassuming area not far from the center mexicaltzingo. this is the city s most popular street food. it may look like a simple sandwich, but this drowned sub is so much more. i ve been waiting - buenas tardes. - i m so excited. and yet it s the main protein of the region. delicious pork pre-cooked for hours in bay leaves and garlic that s the main filling. but what steals the show here is a bread with an intriguing past. the bread here is very influenced
delicious pork pre-cooked for hours in bay leaves and garlic that s the main filling. but what steals the show here is a bread with an intriguing past. the bread here is very influenced by the french occupation when the french was here. when the french invaded in 1864, they tried to win over guadalajarans by teaching them new skills, like bread making. the story goes that a french sergeant, camille pirrotte, wanted to make french bread but didn t have any yeast. the warm, wet climate enabled him to make sourdough, giving rise to jalisco s unique birote bread, still loved today. and here s my favorite part of the story. drown the torta. the drowning? originally, the bread fell into this marvelous sauce
by accident, and that s how this legendary local dish is said to have been born. i think i ll have mine a little less spicy than the normal mexican. gracias. i don t know if i ve ever been this excited to eat anything. [laughs] mmm. i mean - [speaking spanish] - oh, my god. mmm. - sí. - the french brought the bread here. you guys have improved upon their recipe. [light music]