like. wow. wow. [laughing] this was so good. to have this, like, culinary experience at this level at a market, it s pretty impressive. fabián s food embodies the perfect balance between tradition and innovation that so characterizes jalisco. i came here to jalisco not knowing what i would find, but i have discovered a forward-thinking state of original creators. jalisco helped define modern mexican culture, but jaliscans don t let their roots define them. they look to the future and transform their iconic heirlooms into unexpected delights.
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.
- on sundays, 400 tough guys and gals come here to compete, drink, and eat. but the charros role as emblems of mexican culture didn t happen by accident. oh. - this is a good place to see all the charrería. - oh, my god! - eso! - the story of jalisco s iconic charros has a unique place in mexican history. - during the spanish conquest, the only mexicans permitted to own horses were the ranch workers who managed the cattle. [cheers and applause]
[steady music] - hola. - hola, eva. welcome to lienzo charros de jalisco. - if jalisco is mexico, nowhere is this more evident than at guadalajara s lienzo charro, the cathedral of charrería mexico s national sport. jesús mora is the head honcho here. you look so handsome. - ay, ay, ay. - look at this! wow! - yes. - ¿traje de charro? - yes. - okay. but being tapatíos, these guys don t see themselves as ordinary cowboys. - in mexico, we have vaqueros. vaqueros is the same as cowboys. charro is, for me, a little bigger, a little higher - an art form.
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 guadalajara in her 25 years as a food writer. like, that s the best job ever. yeah.