What is ?Southern Mexican Style? Cooking?

In February, Boquete Gourmet is hosting two very talented local chefs, Sharon and Dave Langham, who will share their knowledge of Southern Mexican cuisine with 24 very fortunate Boquete residents.

When this “Cooking Southern Mexican Style” class was first offered, curiosity ensued. I was asked several times how the south of Mexico was different in their cuisine compared to the rest of Mexico.

Wikipedia explains that there are six regions of Mexico that differ greatly in their cooking styles. In the Yucatán, for instance, a unique, natural sweetness (instead of spiciness) exists in the widely used local produce along with an unusual love for achiote seasoning. In contrast, the Oaxacan region is known for its savory tamales, celebratory moles, and simple tlayudas while the mountainous regions of the West (Jalisco, etc.) are known for goat birria (goat in a spicy tomato-based sauce).



Central Mexico’s cuisine is largely influenced by the rest of the country, but has unique dishes such as barbacoa, pozole, menudo and carnitas.

Pueblos or villages have their own style, cooking more exotic dishes in the Aztec or Mayan fashion with ingredients ranging from iguana to rattlesnake, deer, spider monkey, and insects.

Southern Mexico, on the other hand, is known for its spicy vegetable and chicken-based dishes. This cuisine has a considerable Caribbean influence due to its location. Seafood is commonly prepared in areas that border the Pacific Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico, the latter having a famous reputation for its fish dishes, à la veracruzana. Southern Mexico is about as far away from Texas as you can get and still be in Mexico, and Sharon promises that her menu won’t be Tex-Mex style, for sure!



Now that we have all this knowledge, everyone is wondering what the menu will be for the Langham’s first class in Boquete. Sharon and Dave are excellent chefs, as visitors to the Tuesday Morning Market know very well. Their tamales, sauces and pates are very popular, making it sometimes difficult to find the exact dish you are wanting to serve, unless you come to the market early.

To learn more about this “trendy” cuisine, you will want to join one of Sharon and Dave’s upcoming classes offered in Boquete, beginning February 4 – 24. Please email boquetegourmet@gmail.com for more information on this spicy class.

Ole’

Cora