[upbeat music] and i got to tell y all, this place is one of the most unique cities in the u.s. because it s almost 70% latino. dale! and it also has one of the highest percentages of latin-owned businesses of any u.s. city. being here is like being in a latinx city in the middle of the u.s., and cubans were the first latinos to arrive and imprint their culture here. and since then, latinos from all over the world have made miami their home. in fact, if you were to buy a latin compass, the needle would point to miami. and i have tons of history here, too, y all. my show ghetto klown was done here at the jackie gleason theater. i even shot my directorial debut, critical thinking, right here. i spend so much time in miami, they think i m the fifth golden girl. and miami s got unpredictable weather, different cultures, opposing political views, and maybe most importantly, dueling espresso recipes. speaking of which, i m going to meet a few locals for some cafecito in a littl
- wow, these mountains. look at that! i feel so small. so we are arriving in monterrey. it s literally the land of mountains. that s what it means, king of mountains. i m in the state of nuevo león in northeast mexico. you see the mountains and the rocks. this terrain is not easy on the people. it s very, very tough living, and because of that, they ve had to be very innovative with their cuisine. i m eva longoria, 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. - the food of nuevo león is the food i grew up with. it s like every childhood memory is wrapped up in a flour tortilla for me. the chefs here are inventive and resourceful. - [speaking spanish] - transforming simple ingredients into mouthwatering classics. you guys need a tamale! and age-old recipes into culinary works of art. - one bite? look, go ahea
in this bewitching place, culinary wonders are conjured. there s 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 mexico s most iconic ingredients. have you ever seen such a rainbow of corn? it s the original string cheese. i m eva longoria, 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. nestled within three vast mountain ranges, oaxaca is so blessed with food riches. roasted chocolate. it s 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, you ve got to work hard for your dinner. oh, my god. i mean, really hard. god, i m sweating. wish me luck. [shouts] [steady music] since pre-hispanic t
every time i see this view, my heart skips a beat. we re here! tenochtitlan, mexico city. so many emotions, because there s so much history in this exact spot. it all started here in tenochtitlan, capital of the mighty aztec empire, until the spanish invaded 500 years ago and changed its name to mexico city. the amount of churches you can see from up here there s 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. seven in one block. that s called the spanish conquest. [sizzling] over time, new spices and ingredients started to appear, carried across continents by traders and travelers from faraway lands. i don t know the secret to happiness. all i know is, every time i eat mexican food, i m happy. - yeah. - [laughs] i m eva longoria, 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. mexico city is going through a major makeover, shedding it
it all started here in tenochtitlan, capital of the mighty aztec empire, until the spanish invaded 500 years ago and changed its name to mexico city. the amount of churches you can see from up here there s 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. seven in one block. that s called the spanish conquest. [sizzling] over time, new spices and ingredients started to appear, carried across continents by traders and travelers from faraway lands. i don t know the secret to happiness. all i know is, every time i eat mexican food, i m happy. - yeah. - [laughs] i m eva longoria, 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. mexico city is going through a major makeover, shedding its old reputation to emerge as one of the world s greatest food destinations. - i love that mexican food is now that. it s not only, like, taco tuesday. - native