Cuisine of the Costa Grande de Guerrero Mexico

The cuisine of the Costa Grande de Guerrero in Mexico, which extends from Acapulco all the way to the Michoacan border, centers unsurprisingly around the bounty from the sea. All the regular fare such as shrimp, oysters, lobster, whole and filleted red snapper and dorado (mahi-mahi) can be found in abundance in practically any restaurant in this area.

Seafood

More exotic variations of seafood are also commonly available in the region: cucarachas del mar*, caracol (sea snails), percebes (barnacles), pulpo enamorado (octopus in a tomato/chile/mayonnaise sauce) and our own regional tiritas de pescado, a dish similar to ceviche. Tiritas are thin strips of fish, often dorado or sailfish, that are “cooked” in lime juice (some people throw them quickly into boiling water for a few seconds first) and served with slivered fresh serrano or jalapeño peppers and red onion. These are eaten mounded on corn chips or crackers. Another excellent fish dish is pescado a la talla, whole fish split down the middle and opened up without separating the halves, rubbed or dribbled with a savory dressing or spicy sauce and placed on a rack over hot coals to cook until only just done and flaky. Serve with fresh tortillas and pico de gallo (a chunky salsamade of diced tomatoes, onions, chiles, and cilantro).

* Chitons are mollusks that live near the edge of the ocean in most of the world, but some species have been found in deep water. They creep along slowly on their muscular feet and cling to rocks. Chitons have shells made up of eight overlapping calcareous plates.

Chiton. (2007, February 21). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 15:46, February 23, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chiton&oldid=109782163

Pozole

Besides the seafood, another regional specialty is pozole, a hominy soup traditionally served on Thursdays and a common dish all across the states of Guerrero and Oaxaca. Pozole is served in clay pottery soup bowls, can be white or green, served with chicken or pork, and it always comes with a range of “fixings” that are added to the basic soup at the table. These include chopped onion and green chiles, dried oregano and powdered chile piquin (similar to cayenne pepper), sliced avocado, crumbly white cheese, limes, radishes, and crispy pork rinds. There are several restaurants in Zihuatanejo that specialize in pozole and serve it even on other days of the week. These spots often also serve other regional specialties such as tamales (filled with such mixtures as chicken in green sauce, squash blossoms and fresh cheese, and pork in adobo), crispy tacos, hearty chicken soup, and enchiladas.

Don’t forget to try the excellent organic coffees that come from the Guerrero hills in the area of Atoyac de Alvarez…