Cost Of Food For Mexicans
Perspectives allow an RV'er to grasp the ins and outs of why Mexico is what it is. When a higher percentage of basic income is used for staples and consumables it explains why certain foods are not as common as they are north of the border.
It also allows for appreciation of luxury foods that manage to make it onto store shelves.
I always smile when I see those tiny jars of Best Foods mayonnaise. I barely can tolerate the taste of really cheap mayo and rejoice when I see things that reflect "Better to have a bit of good stuff than twice as much inferior grade food".
Mexicans love mayonnaise. It wasn't that many decades ago when only the cheapest brands of mayonnaise existed at taco stands. You can visualize the disgust on my friend's faces when I explained to them the new fad of adding concentrated highly processed lemon juice allowed the companies to produce cheaper tasting product masked with overpowering citrus. There are far fewer lemon mayo's now and Best Foods never yielded to the temptation.
Ketchup is another condiment that has met a strong resistance with the Mexican consumer. More and more people are demanding Heinz. A few months ago I snickered when I saw a lady pull a bottle of Heinz out of her purse and set it on the table of a chicken sinaloa style semi outdoor style place.
If you want to see a frown serve guacamole made with Fuerte rather than Hass avocado.
The Mexican persnickity taste buds are refreshing and comforting. This is a society that knows good food and is very reluctant to settle for less than the best they can get their hands on.
One of the small "wars" occurring is that of sweet American corn versus the traditional light yellow Mexican corn on the cob. The government is very reluctant (and in my opinion correct) to allow hybrid yellow corn seed into the country. American corn crossbreeds destroy the quality of corn masa -- which is near to being holy to Latin Americans. Yet when they bite into a huge ear of American corn most Mexican's eyes open wide.
"This is as flavorful and tender as American asparagus" a street vendor told me as he wiggled rubber-band bunches of stalks in front of my nose. I bought three bunches and then as Eduardo and Vanessa watched, steamed them then served the stalks with butter and (Best Foods) mayonnaise.
I am addicted to excellent frijoles de la olla, tamales de res and pollo (tamales de maize are too sweet for me), and tacos -- especially tacos al pastor.
But I sure would rather see USA corn farmers sell their product at reasonable prices to appreciate Mexicans rather than waste it trying to taint gasoline. Then there is the Made In Mexico butter issue...
