# Items in Mexico that I actually like better



## elchante (Dec 22, 2008)

Over the past few months, I've read with interest the thread on "What things are hard to find in Mexico" and it made me think of consumer goods and food that I purchase here in Mexico that I actually prefer. 

It may be that in a bit more than three years here my tastes have changed [literally]. But here's a short list of items of which I prefer the Mexican version:

Mustard. In the US, if I wanted yellow mustard, I always bought French's. While you can buy it here, much more common [and cheaper] where I live is McCormick. It has a bit more "kick" to it, and when I eat French's now, I feel like something is missing. 

Kermato. I buy this instead of Clamato. It's not that much cheaper, but it's so much richer. It makes for a decent Bloody Mary without having to add much of anything. 

Soft drinks [i.e. Coke, Pepsi, etc.; not the sugar free style]. I don't drink a lot of soft drinks, but when I do, these take me back to my childhood. I suspect it's because the Mexican versions use real sugar instead of one of the "oses" [you know, like dextrose]. 

The "little" bananas. Much more flavorful than the larger "Chiquita" style, bright yellow bananas that you find in the supermarkets in the US. 

Ice cream. Not only the ice cream that you buy at the ubiquitous ice cream shops, but the kind that you can find at your neighborhood abarrotes or tiendas. As with the soft drinks, I think it goes back to the fact that Mexican ice cream is made with real sugar, and additionally with whole milk. 

Any others of you that have found items in Mexico that you actually like better than those available where you come from?


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## Guest (Jul 6, 2011)

The wide varieties of yogurt, cheeses and chilis. And I don't think I can ever again eat so-called "Mexican" fast food in the US.


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## m55vette (May 21, 2010)

One of our favorite treats is the coconut ice cream at the ice cream parlor west of the plaza in Ajijic. Also roasted chicken tastes better, it is not the pale white chicken you see in US markets, it actually has flavor. And the fresh produce! Berries, vegetables all so fresh and ripe. Ready to eat. The small bananas you mentioned remind me of the "apple bananas" that used to grow in my backyard when I was a kid in Hawaii. Nice firm texture and a bit of a tart flavor. Love them! So much food that is not processed has such a fresher taste in Mexico.


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## sunnyvmx (Mar 14, 2010)

Here in Catemaco the seafood goes from sea to mercado every morning. Several restaurants have fish ponds where you can watch your fish netted, cleaned and cooked while you wait. Our favorite restaurant grills all meat, fish, fruit and veggies over a wood fire. For a seafood cocktele or salad you may have all or choose from shrimp, octopus, conch, two kinds of crab and oysters in a delectable sauce with onions and cilantro. Expert, affordable dental work with no forms filled out and paid in cash. Of course I had to spit in that porcelain bowl again and there was no fancy camera in my mouth so I had to look into a mirror to admire the new gold inlay.


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## mejico (Jul 8, 2011)

There is no other type of sugar besides "oses". 
"The suffix -ose is used in biochemistry to form the names of sugars."

Perhaps you've just found a different "ose" that you prefer. I would agree that Mexican-made sodas taste better. They certainly have a smoother, crisper finish, maybe because they're not made with high-fructose syrup.

And I second the preference for Mexican yogurt - wow that stuff is good!


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## elchante (Dec 22, 2008)

mejico, what i meant to say was that the ingredient listed on a lot of mexican products is "azucar," not dextrose or fructose. it just kind of plain and simple says sugar. 

and, oh, boy, do i agree about mexican yogurt! it may be that lots of groceries NOB now sell all the varieties we have down here, but i'm pretty sure they didn't when i left the US more than three years ago. now, admittedly, i DID shop in a small town in the US then, but i also shop in a small town in mexico now. but one of the obvious differences is how much space in a US supermarket is devoted to frozen and/or prepared goods and canned goods, compared to how little space is devoted to them here. 

in my comparatively small grocery store here in jocotepec, more than half the space in the dairy section is devoted to yogurt, and our frozen food section, discounting ice cream, is only two single coolers' wide. 

i sure would love to have the seafood selection that sunnvmx has....and i might if i went to the seafood market in Guad, albeit not quite as fresh. 

and, oh yeah, m55vette, the chicken is SO much better here....whether prepared for you or purchased at the local shops. it always amazes me how much better it tastes.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

*Chicken*



elchante said:


> mejico, what i meant to say was that the ingredient listed on a lot of mexican products is "azucar," not dextrose or fructose. it just kind of plain and simple says sugar.
> 
> and, oh, boy, do i agree about mexican yogurt! it may be that lots of groceries NOB now sell all the varieties we have down here, but i'm pretty sure they didn't when i left the US more than three years ago. now, admittedly, i DID shop in a small town in the US then, but i also shop in a small town in mexico now. but one of the obvious differences is how much space in a US supermarket is devoted to frozen and/or prepared goods and canned goods, compared to how little space is devoted to them here.
> 
> ...


Bachoco chicken [largest brand name] with the yellow skin we get in most supermarkets does no taste as good as US chicken, I feel, especially the tough skin on the legs. Tyson chicken products are frozen and very good, same as the US and even better [spices are different] I feel. I did see whole chickens and cut up parts that were not feed yellow seeds that were better tasting, I felt. I admit when roasted slowly or al carbon they all taste wonderful. The main feed having yellow seeds probably is why the yolks are a darker yellow also. In the US a dark yoke indicated the eggs are old and in Central Mexico no.

Also when driving around you will see these seeds on plants about 2 or more feet high in mid winter. Very pretty yellow fields, up close the seeds are grape sized and about 20 per flower. I don't know the name of it. It is not the small marigold seeds.


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## johnmex (Nov 30, 2010)

You guys are forgetting an important one...beer.


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## Mainecoons (Nov 25, 2010)

Yes, beer definitely.

We prefer Mexican beef. Properly prepared it is sufficiently tender, tastier and also does not have some of the bad stuff in it that U.S. beef does. 

Fruits and vegetables here are much better than we got NOB. We buy at the Tianquis once per week. The stuff is really fresh. And you can buy raspberries really cheap and fresh almost year round.

We get much better fish here too.

Now that we've figured out who has what, it is generally pretty easy to buy hardware and plumbing stuff, often considerably less than U.S. Home Depot. The tools are not so hot but I already have all of those and pick up the occasional replacement when we go to the U.S.

Paint is pretty mediocre and very expensive. You pay Behr Premium prices but you sure don't get premium paint. Brushes and other tools not so hot either, I buy those in the U.S. and bring them back.

Linens not so hot either. Again, it is easy to pick up the few replacements we need over time in the U.S.

We have found decent Mexican food item replacements for most U.S. condiments, soups, etc. We use very little canned stuff here as there is so much good fresh stuff available for cheap.


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## FHBOY (Jun 15, 2010)

*Yeah, but Coffee?*



johnmex said:


> You guys are forgetting an important one...beer.


Pacifico, Dos Equus, Tecate, - they are all real here, not the imported stuff!

Add to the list, real tacos, not the gigantic concoctions we get here NOB, fresh with sliced meat [porto?] from a rotating spit, fresh veggies, and avocado!.

And the chickens from the rotisserie stands, with papas and such...nothing like it.

The nacho platters have fresh guacamole, the salsa, well, yes the US has nothing like it - that's it - it is fresh, not as loaded with salt and every thing has a taste.

Bifstek - unbelievable! I've never had it so tender or cooked like it is.

Let's not talk about desserts - they will be the death of me  - the right balance of sweetness and light.

Oh, the breads in the supermarket - always fresh baked, the smells are enough to "kill".

I could go on and on, but

 How come I can't get a good cup of coffee? I don't like Starbucks, but would love a better cup of coffee in the restaurants. Based on all I have written...coffee seems a trivial part of it.

:clap2: Bring on the desserts!!!


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## dongringo (Dec 13, 2010)

I miss the off the wall cheeses like Limburger, sharp cheddar, provolone, munster, and chunks of Parmesan which are forbidden "fruits" in southern Veracruz. 

But I have now a litany of great Mexican cheeses, including the staple Manchego, most "queso fresco" for most cheese recipes, Chihuahua cheese which substitutes for a mild cheddar and makes great fondues, Oaxaca, especially when a little spicy, and small balls of mildly spicy cheese that I haven`t figured out the name for that are occasionally available from street vendors and taste like heaven.


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## itscoezy (May 19, 2011)

For me it's eggs. I hated eating eggs in Canada, especially the way my breath would smell after eating one. Here in Mexico I have to slow down on eating eggs. I could eat them at every meal they r so good and I dont have egg breath lol


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## cscscs007 (Jan 8, 2011)

Tortilla chips are much much better than in the US. I enjoy going to a restaurant and chatting over chips and salsa. Mmmm.


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## Ulev (Jul 9, 2011)

*LA Laaaaaaaa !*



cscscs007 said:


> Tortilla chips are much much better than in the US. I enjoy going to a restaurant and chatting over chips and salsa. Mmmm.


My experience has been for La La yogurt in all flavors, especially the prune...which I can't seem to find NOB. :lalala:
The fresh bread and buttered bread slices that I fry up or microwave.
Fresh fruit, of course. 
Last, but not least, Horchata ! :first:


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## sunnyvmx (Mar 14, 2010)

The feeling that each time I leave my casita I'm going to have an experience that's new, fun, challenging, curious, pleasurable and possibly an adventure. This is one of the reasons I left the U.S. to live in Mexico.


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## rckrckr (Jan 12, 2010)

mejico said:


> There is no other type of sugar besides "oses".
> "The suffix -ose is used in biochemistry to form the names of sugars."
> 
> Perhaps you've just found a different "ose" that you prefer. I would agree that Mexican-made sodas taste better. They certainly have a smoother, crisper finish, maybe because they're not made with high-fructose syrup.
> ...



Here's an old but related article about the appeal of Mexican Coke: Is Mexican Coke the real thing? | The San Diego Union-Tribune


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## telcoman (Feb 11, 2010)

Lime flavored potato chips (Not avail in Canada). I also like those japanese peanuts.


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## "Chill"lula (Jun 20, 2011)

Hamburgers... I know I never thought I would say this but Mexico can make some great burgers!

for 25 pesos I can get a double hamburger with manchego and american cheese along with bacon, ham, and pineapple!

NOWHERE in the US can you get that much for so small a price!


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## dongringo (Dec 13, 2010)

thank god to the US for hamburgers without pineapple


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## conorkilleen (Apr 28, 2010)

johnmex said:


> You guys are forgetting an important one...beer.


Victoria


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## Lsanchez124 (Apr 27, 2011)

rckrckr said:


> Here's an old but related article about the appeal of Mexican Coke: Is Mexican Coke the real thing? | The San Diego Union-Tribune


Great article, nothing beats coke like a Mexican coke!


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