# Home Chef? Arrghh, can't find ingrediants in Mexico!



## Lipstickpaddy (Feb 12, 2015)

I'm a big home chef hobbyist and scratching my head at finding products found in Europe.

The most painful thing I cannot find:

Cooking Apples, otherwise known as Bramley Apples. Can't find them anywhere!

Others are:

Mascarpone Cheese
Ginger Biscuits
Digestive Biscuits
Whipping Cream
Indian Spices
Basmati Rice


When I discover more ingredients I can't find, I'll come back here to see if anyone can help.

Plus I'd love you to voice things you cannot find too, just to make me feel better as a home chef hobbyist who has the wind taken out of his post prestigious recipes.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

Maybe it's time for some new recipes made with Mexican ingredients!


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## joaquinx (Jul 3, 2010)

You live in Los Mochis and wonder why you can't find these ingredients? At least Basmati Rice can be found in Costco, that is if one is close by.


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

Sorry I can only help with one. Whipping cream is "crema para batir". This shouldn't be too hard to find, as it's used in some Mexican desserts.

(In Guatemala I would often add "para chantilly" but I'm not sure I've heard "chantilly" used in Mexico?)

I pretty sure there are Indian spices and basmati rice in Tepoztlan (which is where my Mexican home is - near Cuernavaca) because there are some Indian restaurants there and I know people in town who cook Indian food, but obviously that won't help you in Los Mochis. I imagine there are other cities you can find these ingredients as well, so if you travel around Mexico in the future you might be able to stock up on some of your "hard to finds".


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## Cristobal (Nov 25, 2014)

ojosazules11 said:


> Sorry I can only help with one. Whipping cream is "crema para batir". This shouldn't be too hard to find, as it's used in some Mexican desserts.
> 
> (In Guatemala I would often add "para chantilly" but I'm not sure I've heard "chantilly" used in Mexico?)
> 
> I pretty sure there are Indian spices and basmati rice in Tepoztlan (which is where my Mexican home is - near Cuernavaca) because there are some Indian restaurants there and I know people in town who cook Indian food, but obviously that won't help you in Los Mochis. I imagine there are other cities you can find these ingredients as well, so if you travel around Mexico in the future you might be able to stock up on some of your "hard to finds".


In Mexico "crema chantilly" usually refers to whipped cream and mostly the stuff you find in small tubs or aerosol containers. Whipping cream or heavy cream is what you said, "crema para batir" and there is a brand, Lyncott, that is found in Jalisco, Colima and the DF that I have seen. My wife uses it for cooking.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Biscuits this side of the pond are ‘cookies‘ in English and ‘galletas‘ in Spanish.
Rollybrook.com has a translation of foods and ingredients from American English to Spanish. It will help with your search, as will a trip to a larger metropolis. SuperLake, in Chapala could be a worthwhile visit.
Ginger biscuits are probably Ginger Snaps and I have no idea what a digestive biscuit might be. I digest them all.


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## chicois8 (Aug 8, 2009)

I usually use Granny Smith apples for baking and I see them in all the big mega stores.


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## maesonna (Jun 10, 2008)

Whipping cream is indeed _crema para batir_. Here (Mexico City) we have Lyncott brand available in all the main supermarkets. I don’t know if they have it where you live. There is also something called _Chantilly_, but here it’s a sort of generic brand name of an artificial cream (similar to Cool Whip), so it won’t be what you want.

Marscapone cheese: check out _queso doble crema_ to see if it would be an acceptable substitute.


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## Longford (May 25, 2012)

RVGRINGO said:


> Rollybrook.com has a translation of foods and ingredients from American English to Spanish. It will help with your search, as will a trip to a larger metropolis.


Mexican Spanish <> English Food Lexicon


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## dwwhiteside (Apr 17, 2013)

I am not sure I could find Mascarpone Cheese in the US. At lease I do not recall ever seeing it. But then again, I do not recall every specifically looking for it. However, I did find a substitute for it just by doing a Google search. As for digestive biscuits, in the US they are called Graham Crackers and you can probably find them under that name in Mexico.


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## Longford (May 25, 2012)

Lipstickpaddy said:


> I'm a big home chef hobbyist and scratching my head at finding products found in Europe.


Have you thought of making periodic, maybe twice-yearly, 'road trips' to either Mazatlan or Tucson ... to stock-up on difficult to find food items? Otherwise, as Isla suggests ... you may want to get yourself a copy of an English-language Mexican cookbook ... or utilize just the locally-available ingredients.


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## Longford (May 25, 2012)

dwwhiteside said:


> I am not sure I could find Mascarpone Cheese in the US. At lease I do not recall ever seeing it. But then again, I do not recall every specifically looking for it.


Marscarpone Cheese is easy to find in Chicago, in big box stores such as Wal-Mart, Sams Club and Costoc, and in many supermarkets ... so I'm going to assume it's pretty easy to find in much of the rest of the USA.

As for concocting a substitute for Marscapone Cheese, have a look at this:

Substitute For Mascarpone Cheese Recipe - Food.com


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## maesonna (Jun 10, 2008)

If a digestive biscuit is like a graham cracker, then the closest substitute is Galletas Kraker [sic] Bran or Hony [sic] Bran.


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## Longford (May 25, 2012)

maesonna said:


> If a digestive biscuit is like a graham cracker, then the closest substitute is Galletas Kraker [sic] Bran or Hony [sic] Bran.


Would you consider one of the brands of _Marias_ cookies in the same category?


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

dwwhiteside said:


> I am not sure I could find Mascarpone Cheese in the US. At lease I do not recall ever seeing it. But then again, I do not recall every specifically looking for it. However, I did find a substitute for it just by doing a Google search. As for digestive biscuits, in the US they are called Graham Crackers and you can probably find them under that name in Mexico.


I've always wondered what digestive biscuits were, an unappetizing name to be sure. Now that I know they are graham crackers, they don't sound so unappealing. Thanks for the information, dw!


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

Cristobal said:


> In Mexico "crema chantilly" usually refers to whipped cream and mostly the stuff you find in small tubs or aerosol containers. Whipping cream or heavy cream is what you said, "crema para batir" and there is a brand, Lyncott, that is found in Jalisco, Colima and the DF that I have seen. My wife uses it for cooking.





maesonna said:


> Whipping cream is indeed _crema para batir_. Here (Mexico City) we have Lyncott brand available in all the main supermarkets. I don’t know if they have it where you live. There is also something called _Chantilly_, but here it’s a sort of generic brand name of an artificial cream (similar to Cool Whip), so it won’t be what you want.


Thanks, Cristobal and maesonna. That's what I suspected. In Guatemala, whipped cream is referred to as "crema chantilly" (or "chantillí") - the real stuff, not the fake - so I sometimes say "crema para batir" or "crema para hacer chantillí" or even "crema para batir para hacer chantillí" just to be clear... or redundant ... 😋

Also just as an FYI for new Spanish speakers it's not pronounced Chantilly, it's "Shan-tee-EE" with accent on the last syllable. It's always been one of those words I have fun saying.


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

Isla Verde said:


> I've always wondered what digestive biscuits were, an unappetizing name to be sure. Now that I know they are graham crackers, they don't sound so unappealing. Thanks for the information, dw!


They aren't quite graham crackers, although graham crackers should make a reasonable substitute. They're common in Canada, as well, and I often have both grahams and digestives in my cupboard, along with Marias. My husband has to have some type of sweet cracker/cookie with his coffee to keep him happy.










2 other links for info:

The Foods of England - Digestive Biscuits

Digestive biscuit - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## Anonimo (Apr 8, 2012)

maesonna said:


> Whipping cream is indeed _crema para batir_. Here (Mexico City) we have Lyncott brand available in all the main supermarkets. I don’t know if they have it where you live. There is also something called _Chantilly_, but here it’s a sort of generic brand name of an artificial cream (similar to Cool Whip), so it won’t be what you want.
> 
> Marscapone cheese: check out _queso doble crema_ to see if it would be an acceptable substitute.


@ the OP:
Mascarpone cheese is sometimes available in Costco, at least in Morelia. Digestive biscuits are Graham Crackers. I don't know if they are to to be found in Mexico—but, WAIT!— Nabisco Honi Brans are nearly identical. Most everything I need is available here, with the exception of cornmeal. And don't anyone suggest sifting ground corn chicken feed as a substitute. It ain't.

(I didn't see that Maesonna had already answered some of the questions.)

Molasses is hard to find (treacle) but there is a product called Melado, which a friend buys in SMA. Or I can always boil piloncillo.

Bottom line is, that with time, and enough pesos, you can find just about any ingredient you desire.


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## Anonimo (Apr 8, 2012)

Longford said:


> Would you consider one of the brands of _Marias_ cookies in the same category?


]

Marias are akin to vanilla wafers. Like if you want to make Banana Pudding.


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## Cristobal (Nov 25, 2014)

My wife uses galletas Marias as a substitute for graham crackers when a graham cracker crust is used. I think they have a harder consistency than vanilla wafers. More like that of a graham cracker.


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## Anonimo (Apr 8, 2012)

Cristobal said:


> My wife uses galletas Marias as a substitute for graham crackers when a graham cracker crust is used. I think they have a harder consistency than vanilla wafers. More like that of a graham cracker.


Marias can be used for a crumb crust, but their taste is milder than a Graham Cracker.


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## maesonna (Jun 10, 2008)

I prefer the Kraker or Hony Bran crackers for a graham wafer crust. I think that Marias have a little more tendency to get soggy, but many people seem to have success with them.


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## jlms (May 15, 2008)

Apples are not a Mexican thing, we produce them but it isn't like in the UK where you have specific varieties for different things. An apple in Mexico is just an apple  So you'll have to find which one best adjusts to what you need and should expect that it may be difficult to find regularly.

Mascarpone Cheese: look for it in Italian delicatessen, it is not a Mexican produce.

Ginger Biscuits: galletas de jengibre, they are seen occasionally, specially around Cristmas, but ginger isn't a thing Mexicans are fond off.

Digestive Biscuits. Forget it. British Isles speciality.

Whipping Cream: you have been helped about this.

Indian Spices: you'll find them by their Spanish name, several of them are easy to find in any supermarket chain (azafran=saffron, comino=cumin, clavo=clove, ajonjoli=sesame seed) but you will struggle with the most exotic ones (garam masala and even curry powder for example).

Basmati Rice: similar to apples, in Mexico rice is rice, only people really interested in food will know about varieties from other countries, I never saw basmati rice until I moved to the UK.....


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## Anonimo (Apr 8, 2012)

*Eventually you'll find what you seek*



jlms said:


> Apples are not a Mexican thing, we produce them but it isn't like in the UK where you have specific varieties for different things. An apple in Mexico is just an apple  So you'll have to find which one best adjusts to what you need and should expect that it may be difficult to find regularly.
> 
> Mascarpone Cheese: look for it in Italian delicatessen, it is not a Mexican produce.
> 
> ...


Our supermarkets and mercado in Pátzcuaro (not a very big city!) have several varieties of apples. Maybe not the specific one the OP was seeking, but on my last visit to the mercado, I counted 5 varieties at one fruit stand alone.

Ginger biscuits: if you are a home baker, gingersnaps are one of the easiest cookies to make.

Ginger root is readily available in our mercado as well as at a fruit and vegetable store in Colonia Sta. María de Guido, Morelia. I imagine that it's findable elsewhere. While in Oaxaca last January, the Mercado de La Merced had heaps of ginger root for sale. I wonder what the Mexican customers are doing with it?

Digestive biscuits: Honi Bran galletas are about as close as you'll get, to my knowledge. A store specializing in imports might have the real deal.

Indian spices:
I will bet that at least the bare minimum of British type Indian spices are available in better supermarkets, such as Superama, or at epicurean shops such as Trico (at least at the main one, on Calzada Ventura Puente in Morelia). As Trico carries such exotic products such as tahini and pomegranate molasses, it is a fairly safe bet that they will have garam masala, etc.

There is an Indian Store in Mexico City (which I have not visited) that has all manner of stuff for Indian cooking. (The website says that it may have closed, but there are others.)

The bottom line is for me, that either one adapts to what's available, or, just keep looking, and eventually you'll find what you seek.


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## Anonimo (Apr 8, 2012)

I went to the Toyo Foods web site and browsed around. Toyo is an enterprise with stores in a number of Mexican cities. We are fortunate to have one in Morelia right in a neighborhood we know well. Toyo Foods sells mostly Japanese foods, but carries other Asian countries' foods. Here's the page on curry seasonings.


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## Anonimo (Apr 8, 2012)

I just stumbled across this easy mascarpone recipe. I haven't tried it.
Homemade Mascarpone Recipe | Leite's Culinaria


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

Anonimo said:


> I went to the Toyo Foods web site and browsed around. Toyo is an enterprise with stores in a number of Mexican cities. We are fortunate to have one in Morelia right in a neighborhood we know well. Toyo Foods sells mostly Japanese foods, but carries other Asian countries' foods. Here's the page on curry seasonings.


I have shopped at Toyo for years. It is a great source for lots of asian style ingredients. Mostly I buy sushi style rice, tofu and some kinds of hot sauce there, but occasionally I get other things.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

Isla Verde said:


> Maybe it's time for some new recipes made with Mexican ingredients!


I have heard this expression for many years: "Si usted no puede encontrar en la Ciudad de México no existe." [If you can´t find it in Mexico City it doesn´t exist]


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

we bought mascarpone in San Francisco without having to look for it.

Any idea where you can find zereshk (berberries) or somak in Mexico city? I have looked but no luck there. By the way I hear a lot about Toyo but I find their selection pretty dismal.

Wether you can find a product or not depends on the area you live in and what the demand is.
Many of the spices and some of the foods I need, I get in the medecinal section of the market in San Cristobal de las Casas but I find them in the grocery store in Ajijic, Jalisco.
Many of the plants and spices you cannot find in regular markets are often used for medecinal purposes for exemple artichokes are believed to be good for the liver and in some area are found in herbal sores. People in Chiapas make a tea with the leaves and drink it..That has to be so tannic that it makes your mouth poker for days...but that is what it is usd for.


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## Cristobal (Nov 25, 2014)

AlanMexicali said:


> I have heard this expression for many years: "Si usted no puede encontrar en la Ciudad de México no existe." [If you can´t find it in Mexico City it doesn´t exist]


What about the missing pronoun?


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## Anonimo (Apr 8, 2012)

> Any idea where you can find zereshk (berberries) or somak in Mexico city?


I'd ask at a middle eastern restaurant.
Or, if you want them badly enough, try Amazon.com


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

AlanMexicali said:


> I have heard this expression for many years: "Si usted no puede encontrar en la Ciudad de México no existe." [If you can´t find it in Mexico City it doesn´t exist]


Since the OP lives in Los Mochis, it would be rather inconvenient for her to do her food shopping (even occasionally) in Mexico City.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

I have already asked restaurateurs, they get theirs from the States and friends who visit, I do the same.


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## GARYJ65 (Feb 9, 2013)

That is really a problem, if you want to get ingredients to make fancy recipes from ...wherever it may be.
I get some ingredients wherever i can find them, and if not, the heck with the recipes!
If life gives you lemons, make lemonade!
There are plenty of recipes in Mexico to try out, otherwise, why living here and crave for food from the other side of the world?


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## Longford (May 25, 2012)

GARYJ65 said:


> There are plenty of recipes in Mexico to try out, otherwise, why living here and crave for food from the other side of the world?


One might ask Mexicans who've left for other countries, why they crave food from Mexico instead of adapting to the new culture/environment they've chosen. :confused2:

I don't interpret the OPs remarks/questions as suggesting she (assuming the individual is a female, and my apologies if this is a male writing) is looking for ingredients from her home country for everyday, every meal cooking. It might be that what's desired is for "comfort" purposes, occasionally. I think the urge is pretty universal amongst people who have traveled away.

When I was living in Mexico City I'd stop for a Burger King Whopper with Cheese, maybe once a month. It wasn't because I didn't enjoy food I ate in other restaurants or made at home with more locally-identified ingredients. It was because 1) I liked/missed the taste, and 2) it reminded me of "home."


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

I cannot imagine living my life without having variety or making dishes I love. I learned how to cook while in England living with Pakistanis, we have many Asians in the family and we enjoy eating Vietnamese, and Thai food and when I was young I had a Middle eastern boyfriend who was the best cook I know and I still enjoy making some of my favorite dishes.
I do cook Mexican dishes I have learned from friends but I cannot imagine sticking to one type of food every day.to each its own.
By the way there is nothing fancy to the food I like , it is just different to what you seem to enjoy. To each its own.
I made some rice with berberries for some friends from Oaxaca and they thought I had put chichi de gato the fruit from a local cactus there in the rice. They loved it so now I have to find chichi de gato to see if it could be a good substitute. any idea where I can find that localy?


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## GARYJ65 (Feb 9, 2013)

> When I was living in Mexico City I'd stop for a Burger King Whopper with Cheese, maybe once a month. It wasn't because I didn't enjoy food I ate in other restaurants or made at home with more locally-identified ingredients. It was because 1) I liked/missed the taste, and 2) it reminded me of "home."


And because you like junk food as well most probably


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

Right on Gary, Burger King has reopened in Paris and I had to have one there too...not because I do not like French food but as I was in a large mall coming out of a movie, it seemed like the right thing to eat.


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## maesonna (Jun 10, 2008)

Longford said:


> One might ask Mexicans who've left for other countries, why they crave food from Mexico instead of adapting to the new culture/environment they've chosen.


 It reminds me of some Mexican relatives who spent a year in Germany. On their return, when asked about the food, they made a comment about how impoverished German cuisine was, along the lines of, “I don’t know how those people cook! You can hardly find any ingredients.” It turned out that what they meant by that was that the only chiles available were canned poblanos, and hard to find. :eyebrows:


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

GARYJ65 said:


> And because you like junk food as well most probably


Of course, junk food isn't popular among Mexicans at all, right , Gary?


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## GARYJ65 (Feb 9, 2013)

Isla Verde said:


> Of course, junk food isn't popular among Mexicans at all, right , Gary?


I guess it is for some Mexicans. It is still junk food and it does not represent the taste of home


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

By the way the crema para batir is not crreme fraiche , it is thinner and not as sour. You need to mix buttermilk, sour cream and th Lyncott cream, to get something closer to creme fraiche. Good luck on getting buttermilk in some cities in Mexico.

The fact is that it is very difficult to duplicate flavors from back home as many premade products are different. There are many types of ginger cookies. I like the Speculos from Belgium but for someone from the States or from Great Britain it probably means something different.

You just have to make things up and sometimes you can come up with something better than the original.


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## Longford (May 25, 2012)

GARYJ65 said:


> And because you like junk food as well most probably


"junk food" isn't universally defined. I don't consider a hamburger as "junk food." 

Be that as it may ... I think I can recognize junk food when I see\eat it. 

Mexicans adore junk food and consume a heck of a lot of it. There are probably more Sabritas-type snacks sold/consumed per capita in Mexico than most other countries. Tacos might be considered junk food. Carnitas can be called junk food. Tortas and hamburgers and bacon-wrapped hot dogs bought from street trucks/vendors can be called junk food. The many iced fruit drink bars sold in small stores and by bicycle carts are junk food. The list of the junk foods Mexicans consume can go on, and on ... and on. 

And yes, no matter the country I find myself traveling through ... there _are_ some junk foods I enjoy. There's a time and place ... for everything. :eyebrows:


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## Cristobal (Nov 25, 2014)

That's why my daughter, born and raised in Mexico, and who now lives in Italy always fills a suitcase with all types of Mexican foods and spices that are unavailable in Milan. And gives us a list of the same types of things when we go to visit.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

Longford said:


> "junk food" isn't universally defined. I don't consider a hamburger as "junk food."
> 
> Be that as it may ... I think I can recognize junk food when I see\eat it.
> 
> ...



The statistics on "junk food" consumption are clearly pointing to it as one of the favorite foods of the poorer segment of the population, in general. They consume the most. Also when seeing what upper middle class and solid middle class families here in Mexico I have observed they in general do not consume much junk food and are not usually overweight.

Because there are a higher per capita segment of poorer Mexicans than where you are familiar with I feel that is what is going on here, with exceptions of course.

To be fair the parties where I attend junk food is served in abundance.
Not weddings or formal affairs, just parties.


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## Cristobal (Nov 25, 2014)

Longford said:


> "junk food" isn't universally defined. I don't consider a hamburger as "junk food."
> 
> Be that as it may ... I think I can recognize junk food when I see\eat it.
> 
> ...


Hold your horses, amigo. Most of what you mentioned is far from junk food.


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## Longford (May 25, 2012)

Cristobal said:


> Hold your horses, amigo. Most of what you mentioned is far from junk food.


As with the definition of "beauty", that of "junk food" is left to the eye (and in the case of food, the palate) of the beholder. When you can buy multiple tacos for less than the equivalent of US$1, I'll describe them as "junk food." But as I said up-thread, the term/description is not defined/accepted universally.


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## GARYJ65 (Feb 9, 2013)

Longford said:


> As with the definition of "beauty", that of "junk food" is left to the eye (and in the case of food, the palate) of the beholder. When you can buy multiple tacos for less than the equivalent of US$1, I'll describe them as "junk food." But as I said up-thread, the term/description is not defined/accepted universally.


Are you a nutritionist?


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## Cristobal (Nov 25, 2014)

Longford said:


> As with the definition of "beauty", that of "junk food" is left to the eye (and in the case of food, the palate) of the beholder. When you can buy multiple tacos for less than the equivalent of US$1, I'll describe them as "junk food." But as I said up-thread, the term/description is not defined/accepted universally.


Oh really? Now you decide the definition as being ambiguous and a matter of personal interpretation? Very typical response from you.

I have heard it defined as food with little nutritional value and lots of calories. The taco I had last night, carne asada (very lean beef) on a fresh tortilla made from nixtamal, served with frijoles de la olla (absolutely no fat) fresh made salsa de molcajete (roasted tomatos, serrano chiles, fresh white onion and cilantro) and slices of avocado, (deemed a source of "good" fat among other nutritional properties) hardly fits the description of junk food.


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

Cristobal said:


> Oh really? Now you decide the definition as being ambiguous and a matter of personal interpretation? Very typical response from you.
> 
> I have heard it defined as food with little nutritional value and lots of calories. The taco I had last night, carne asada (very lean beef) on a fresh tortilla made from nixtamal, served with frijoles de la olla (absolutely no fat) fresh made salsa de molcajete (roasted tomatos, serrano chiles, fresh white onion and cilantro) and slices of avocado, (deemed a source of "good" fat among other nutritional properties) hardly fits the description of junk food.


¡Ay, ay, ay! Cristóbal. My mouth is watering... My husband is currently in Mexico and I'm in Toronto. He keeps hinting that maybe I should come down for a quick getaway, and your description makes it that much more tempting. Although those would be some pretty expensive tacos if I factor in the airfare. 

Although I also enjoy an occasional burger, I'll take an order of Mexican tacos over Burger King any day, for both nutritional and flavour reasons.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

ojosazules11 said:


> Although I also enjoy an occasional burger, I'll take an order of Mexican tacos over Burger King any day, for both nutritional and flavour reasons.


Me too!


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

I think Cristobal ´s wife is a gourmet cook and I bet you that her tacos are wonderful not the type that would enter in the junk food category.
I think there is nothing wrong with junk food, most of the food we consume in France with the aperitif is junk food, What is wrong is the quantity consumed and also when it becomes your main source of food. Junk food is comfort food and can be delicious unfortunatly it can be additive if you do not watch it.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

citlali said:


> . . . Junk food is comfort food and can be delicious unfortunatly it can be additive if you do not watch it.


Addictive, indeed! That's why I never buy a large bag of potato chips (my favorite junk food) because I would consume its entire contents in a single evening.


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## Anonimo (Apr 8, 2012)

Isla Verde said:


> Me too!


Burger King is hardly the best example of a good burger. (Except, I will admit, we had a Cheese Whopper at the Burger King at GDL Airport, at 7:30 a.m., and it was very good.)


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

Anonimo said:


> Burger King is hardly the best example of a good burger. (Except, I will admit, we had a Cheese Whopper at the Burger King at GDL Airport, at 7:30 a.m., and it was very good.)


Burger King at the Guadalajara airport and the newer OXXO are the 2 places where you do not pay inflated prices for food there. I used to take flights in and out of GLD to and from San Luis Potosi about 3 or 4 times a year 4, 5 and 6 years ago from Mexicali where my car was parked in my carport. I often didn´t eat much and usually arrived there 3 or 4 hours early by bus from SLP. I would eat at the BK and watch the people coming out of International Arrivals. I sometimes saw some famous people there.  

The main problem with local places here cooking hamburgers is they are much too thin and always overcooked. Some are so overcooked they have the hardness of a ginger snap cookie. The chains franchized from NOB don´t do that but cost people about 2X the price. Even there the fries are usually just warm.


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## joaquinx (Jul 3, 2010)

Isla Verde said:


> Addictive, indeed! That's why I never buy a large bag of potato chips (my favorite junk food) because I would consume its entire contents in a single evening.


The large bags are considered by some as a "single-serving size."


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## Longford (May 25, 2012)

Anonimo said:


> Burger King is hardly the best example of a good burger. (Except, I will admit, we had a Cheese Whopper at the Burger King at GDL Airport, at 7:30 a.m., and it was very good.)


I don't recall anyone saying a Whopper with Cheese from Burger King was an example of a "good burger." :confused2: That having been said, Mexico isn't known as a country where good hamburgers are found, from what I've experienced and observed. So what's available in many of the fast food outlets surpass what I've seen sold elsewhere in the country.

I'll suggest that many of the tacos dispensed at sidewalk vendor locations (and some storefront restaurants) aren't examples of high-quality tacos imagined to be standard fare by some expats. But we know that many Mexicans, and some expats, do like the _mystery meat_, various organ meats, etc., and other ingredients used to construct many of the tacos. To my way of thinking such tacos certainly do qualify as junk food. Though, I don't expect some of the junk food addicts to agree. :heh:


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## joaquinx (Jul 3, 2010)

Longford said:


> Mexico isn't known as a country where good hamburgers are found, from what I've experienced and observed.


I'll cast my vote for Chili's as having the best burger.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

I like the burgers from LA Burgers in San Cristobal and Guadalajara and there is a place also in Guadalajara near Vallarta Avenue that has burgers I love. Both places have Mexican owners so I guess that makes them Mexican.
Talking about junk food, the GDL airpor also has Kispy Kream and those are also adictive and makes Guadalajara a great place to land or depart from!


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

citlali said:


> . . .
> Talking about junk food, the GDL airpor also has Kispy Kream and those are also adictive and makes Guadalajara a great place to land or depart from!


I've never liked Krispy Kreme donuts, too sweet and too light for my taste. However, I am fond of Dunkin' Donuts - lucky for my waistline that there aren't that many of them in my neighborhood.


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## Anonimo (Apr 8, 2012)

citlali said:


> I like the burgers from LA Burgers in San Cristobal and Guadalajara and there is a place also in Guadalajara near Vallarta Avenue that has burgers I love. Both places have Mexican owners so I guess that makes them Mexican.
> Talking about junk food, the GDL airpor also has Kispy Kream and those are also adictive and makes Guadalajara a great place to land or depart from!


Great combo: a Cheese Whopper followed by a Krispy Kreme donut.


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## Anonimo (Apr 8, 2012)

Isla Verde said:


> I've never liked Krispy Kreme donuts, too sweet and too light for my taste. However, I am fond of Dunkin' Donuts - lucky for my waistline that there aren't that many of them in my neighborhood.


DD, at least in Northern NJ, has gone downhill, IMO. And they aren't cheap.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

Anonimo said:


> DD, at least in Northern NJ, has gone downhill, IMO. And they aren't cheap.



I had a DD while visiting Philly a month ago, and it was great! Don't remember the price, though.


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## Longford (May 25, 2012)

Anonimo said:


> DD, at least in Northern NJ, has gone downhill, IMO. And they aren't cheap.


Prices probably depend upon exact location, but, in Chicago, Downtown Chicago where it's busy, my recollection is that the cost per donut is 95 cents or US$1 + tax. Quality of product and service depends largely on the franchise owner and the staff which he/she/it hired. Krispy Kreme expanded with retail stores rapidly and then, for the most part, failed and has been in a rebuilding mode ... I'm recalling. I've tried them and liked their airy-ness and sweetness ... but I don't donuts anymore and they were never something I went out of my way to buy (because after eating one I'd want to eat the entire dozen at one sitting!).

Many people really like Dunkin Donuts coffee (in the USA). They go out of their way to buy a cup, often passing-up a Starbucks to get to the Dunkin Donut shop. :confused2:

For a long time there was a Dunkin Donuts store on Calle Genova in Mexico City's Zona Rosa and I'd stop there on occasion, mostly in the a.m. coming from/going to a consulting assignment, for a 'donut hole or two' and a cup of tea. That store is now gone and has been replaced by another fast food outlet. Not to worry ... though ... the Burger King is next door to where Dunkin Donuts once was on that street!


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## GARYJ65 (Feb 9, 2013)

Longford said:


> I don't recall anyone saying a Whopper with Cheese from Burger King was an example of a "good burger." :confused2: That having been said, Mexico isn't known as a country where good hamburgers are found, from what I've experienced and observed. So what's available in many of the fast food outlets surpass what I've seen sold elsewhere in the country. I'll suggest that many of the tacos dispensed at sidewalk vendor locations (and some storefront restaurants) aren't examples of high-quality tacos imagined to be standard fare by some expats. But we know that many Mexicans, and some expats, do like the mystery meat, various organ meats, etc., and other ingredients used to construct many of the tacos. To my way of thinking such tacos certainly do qualify as junk food. Though, I don't expect some of the junk food addicts to agree. :heh:


You are a food expert now?


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## Longford (May 25, 2012)

GARYJ65 said:


> You are a food expert now?


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

Mexican owned restaurant here ..... they do cater to gringos


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## Longford (May 25, 2012)

Isla Verde said:


> I had a DD while visiting Philly a month ago, and it was great! Don't remember the price, though.


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## Rwrobb (Jul 13, 2014)

How about the Luther burger, A Krispy Kreme donut, cut in half as the bun with a hamburger patty cheese and fixings. Around 1500 calories. Your sugar and meat craving all in one package.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

Rwrobb said:


> How about the Luther burger, A Krispy Kreme donut, cut in half as the bun with a hamburger patty cheese and fixings. Around 1500 calories. Your sugar and meat craving all in one package.


Yuck! Just reading your post raised my bad cholesterol level about 100 points!


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## Longford (May 25, 2012)

Isla Verde said:


> Yuck! Just reading your post raised my bad cholesterol level about 100 points!


I was surprised to read, after just checking online, that the original Krispy Kreme donut, the clear glazed one, has only 190 calories and 0 Cholesterol. However, it does contain 11 grs. of fat (5 of which are Saturated Fat).

Now for the hamburger .... that's the cholesterol, fat and calorie gut-buster ... depending on the size and preparation.

As for my Whopper with Cheese: 730 calories, 396 from fat. 44 grs. of fat (15 gr. of it Saturated), 85 mg. of Cholesterol, 1260 mg. of Sodium ... OUCH! But, there's a redeeming 26 gr. of Protein. And these stats don't include the fries.

Maybe I should start eating Krispy Kreme's instead of Whoppers with cheese!


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## Hound Dog (Jan 18, 2009)

> Maybe I should start eating Krispy Kreme's instead of Whoppers with cheese!


Better yet, go to Terminal 1 at the Guadalajara airport where Burger King and Krispy Kreme franchises are right adjacent to each other with seating in between so you can have a Cheese Whopper and Krispy Kreme donut from the full variety of offerings there acccompanied by a soft drink or, if you wish, a Margarita from a close-by bar. In San Cristóbal de Las Casas there is no nearby Krispy Kreme but if you go to the Burger King on the Andador, you can enjoy your Cheee Whopper al fresco across the Street at the Revolution Bar with a Mojito while admiring blow-up photos on the walls of Che Guevara to whom the Cuba -oriented bar is dedicated.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

Thanks for the info, I usually have junior burger with cheese and no coke and no French fries so I make up that lack with a KK original donut...once or twic a year is not the end of the world. These things are bad if you eat them often and on regular basis but otherwise just enjoy yourself.

a junior whopper and a KK original equal 500 cal so you can have them on a diet!


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

When I first met my wife, she was managing several industrial cafeteria operations and stopped at KK every mornig to pick up several flats of doughnuts. In the early afternoon, she picked up receipts and left-over KK still in the large boxes. She would stop at my house and stack them on the coffee table. I would get home later and .........well, I missed a lot of properly balanced suppers.
I have lost count of my heart attacks, but now have 8 stents. I wonder........


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## Anonimo (Apr 8, 2012)

While reading a frend's blog, I just saw this link to the FB page of Lakshmi, an Indian store in Guadalajara.
Click


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## Longford (May 25, 2012)

Rwrobb said:


> How about the Luther burger, A Krispy Kreme donut, cut in half as the bun with a hamburger patty cheese and fixings. Around 1500 calories. Your sugar and meat craving all in one package.


Not exactly what you describe, but another variation ... the Krispy Kreme Burger, as featured in a New York Times article:


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## Hound Dog (Jan 18, 2009)

_


Anonimo said:



While reading a frend's blog, I just saw this link to the FB page of Lakshmi, an Indian store in Guadalajara.
Click

Click to expand...

_I noted, while reading through Lackshmi's FB page as posted by Anonimo, that, in response to potential clients in SLP, they will deliver by courier anywhere in the republic or so they state. That´s good to know especially when we are in Chiapas. I´ll be checking this place out the next time we go to Guadalajara from Lake Chapala. Thanks for the tip Anonimo.


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