Lunch at the Tuesday Market
Our first experience with the Tianguis de los Martes (Tuesday Market) in San Miguel de Allende was on our previous visit, a year ago. It’s a surprisingly large outdoor market where the locals go for clothing, food, and household goods. You can read about that first visit here.
There were many interesting food offerings at Tianguis, and we wanted to try them but were hesitant to do it on our own. So we asked our favorite SMA tour guide, Vail, to come with us to the market and help demystify the food.
The very first vendor we encountered had a pushcart stacked with quiote, the flower stalk of the agave plant. The stalk had been had been roasted until caramelized, and cut into thick slices. We chewed on some small pieces. It reminded me of sugar cane, which is also fibrous and juicy, but the quiote was softer and had a different flavor. I thought it tasted like molasses or roasted sweet potato. For Steve, it was more like sweet green beans. There were also chunks that came from the base of the agave leaf. I learned later that this sweet, chewy snack is an ancient one - indigenous people have been enjoying dulce de maguey (agave candy) for thousands of years!
The fresh produce all came from nearby farms. Many of the fruits and vegetables were familiar, but we also spotted garbanzos verdes (green chickpeas, also called guasanas), huitlacoche (corn mushrooms), and chapulines (toasted grasshoppers). Vendors toted buckets of local honey, and there was an impressive selection of dried peppers.
We were getting hungry, so we made our way to the section with antojitos (street snacks). We decided to try huaraches - not the sandals, but a similarly shaped dish. Masa dough was pressed into an oblong, flat shape using a wooden mold. Then the masa was cooked on a comal (griddle) or deep fried, and served with topping(s) - a protein of choice, queso fresco, and onions, salsa, cilantro, etc. Steve’s protein was desebrada (shredded beef), and mine was chicharrón prensado (pressed pork belly). I opted for al comal, which meant the cooked dough was pliable, and I could fold the huarache and eat it like a slice of pizza. Both huaraches were delicious! We also tried both flavors of agua del día (water of the day) - hibiscus and cucumber with lime. So refreshing!
We also tried a gordita, which was a thick masa patty split and stuffed with the filling of choice - the Mexican version of a pita sandwich. The gordita was slightly crispy, which was nice. And it was easier to hold than a huarache - if you don’t have a table, or you have to eat on the run, you’re better off with a gordita.
There was a third type of masa shell called a sope, which was like a thick tortilla with a pinched rim to hold the toppings. There was also a tempting array of bakery treats. But we were too full to taste anything more.
The atmosphere in this section of the market was festive. We sat at long shared tables, and live bands performed. Lunch for the three of us cost only 270 pesos, about US$15. It was fun to eat like a local amid the hustle and bustle of the Tuesday Market.
