Eating Jewish in Mexico City (2009, home, neighborhoods)

[Baja Boomer]

Just a short post. I came across a funny, excellent article about Jewish cuisine in Mexico City that I think some of you might enjoy. Called "Where there's an OY there's a VEY", it addresses both kosher foods in the city and what being Jewish in Mexico means.

He starts his article off with this:

So they ask a Jewish boy from Manhattan to write about Jewish food in Mexico? What, you think I should be nice? They call those fluffy pillows from Wendy's Kosher Bakery bagels? The corned beef sandwich at Klein's has two measly slices of dry meat in it-two! The pickles are from a jar! And the prices! You could plotz!

Did I go into it with a bad attitude? You bet. But bubbeleh, I ended up learning something. So nu?

Not being Jewish myself, I found this article very interesting, and I began to wonder about the state of Jewish cooking in other parts of Mexico. Anyone have any insight on keeping kosher outside of Mexico City?

Anyhow, you'll find the article at http://www.insidemex.com/taste/food/...y-theres-a-vey

Enjoy!
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[Jill61]

The affable Clara Melameh, librarian at the Centro Cultural México-Israel in the Centro Histórico, is of Russian-Polish extraction like me. She claims to make the best gefilte fish in town. "Only there's no one left to eat it," she laments. "Nobody alive even knows what it is! My son went to live in Israel, and I'm divorced. I'm going to do all that work-for who?" Invite me, Clara!

Invite me, too!

Great article! Thanks for finding and sharing it.

It was very hard being Jewish in Puerto Vallarta. I'm pretty sure I was the only one!

[charolastra00]

I was actually surprised in Oaxaca. A good percentage of the study abroad students from both my program and others were Jewish and some host families were familiar with the customs. My host mom was not and was absolutely shocked when I fasted for Yom Kippur (but I got to learn all kinds of fun Spanish words to explain what I was doing!). She was very supportive and proceeded to make me the biggest dinner ever. I don't keep Kosher so it wasn't an issue for me, but two of the girls in my program (out of 18 of us total) keep Kosher style (as in the meat doesn't *have* to be Kosher but they won't eat pork, mix dairy and meat, etc) and they found it easier to just be vegetarians. One of the host dads was actually Jewish, but non-practicing. According to him, there used to be a small Jewish presence in the city but most people had left to Mexico City or the States for more opportunities. At least that was the enlightened response, my host aunt informed me that Jews wouldn't live in Oaxaca because it was too poor :P

In Oaxaca, there's an American expat who makes bagels on site at his cafe. They're not perfect, but they were acceptable. In Chiapas, I met an Israeli couple running a falafel joint in San Cristobal. We ended up having a bit of a chat and it seems as though they close up shop for the High Holy Days and head to Mexico City to celebrate.

Mexico City was a joy though... I spent a bit of time in Polanco because a good friend of mine works there and it was an easy meeting place before I went to his family's home in Las Lomas. I'll never forget getting a Kosher taco... I was well pleased.

[Baja Boomer]

...my host aunt informed me that Jews wouldn't live in Oaxaca because it was too poor :P

Stereotypes die hard, don't they?

Jill61: Explain gefilte fish for me. Being Swedish, I somehow equate it in my mind with the dreaded lutefisk and so I've never tried it (and never researched it either, obviously)-- but I'd bet they're nowhere near the same thing.

[majoun]

Originally Posted by charolastra00

I was actually surprised in Oaxaca. A good percentage of the study abroad students from both my program and others were Jewish and some host families were familiar with the customs. My host mom was not and was absolutely shocked when I fasted for Yom Kippur (but I got to learn all kinds of fun Spanish words to explain what I was doing!). She was very supportive and proceeded to make me the biggest dinner ever. I don't keep Kosher so it wasn't an issue for me, but two of the girls in my program (out of 18 of us total) keep Kosher style (as in the meat doesn't *have* to be Kosher but they won't eat pork, mix dairy and meat, etc) and they found it easier to just be vegetarians. One of the host dads was actually Jewish, but non-practicing. According to him, there used to be a small Jewish presence in the city but most people had left to Mexico City or the States for more opportunities. At least that was the enlightened response, my host aunt informed me that Jews wouldn't live in Oaxaca because it was too poor :P

In Oaxaca, there's an American expat who makes bagels on site at his cafe. They're not perfect, but they were acceptable. In Chiapas, I met an Israeli couple running a falafel joint in San Cristobal. We ended up having a bit of a chat and it seems as though they close up shop for the High Holy Days and head to Mexico City to celebrate.

Mexico City was a joy though... I spent a bit of time in Polanco because a good friend of mine works there and it was an easy meeting place before I went to his family's home in Las Lomas. I'll never forget getting a Kosher taco... I was well pleased.

I was under the impression nearly all of Mexico's Jewish population is in the Greater Mexico City area - DF and Edomex particularly. While it's debatable whether Cuernavaca is part of Greater Mexico City there are synagogues there. Guadalajara and Monterrey have tiny Jewish communities.

[Jill61]

Originally Posted by Baja Boomer

Jill61: Explain gefilte fish for me. Being Swedish, I somehow equate it in my mind with the dreaded lutefisk and so I've never tried it (and never researched it either, obviously)-- but I'd bet they're nowhere near the same thing.

Not even close! Gefilte fish can best be related to Swedish quenelles - they're basically poached fish patties - except they're served cold, and without the sauce. Though I suspect the texture is more like a frikadeller (the ingredients are basically all the same except with fish instead of meat), as opposed to what I imagine is the more "mousse-like" texture of quenelles (I've never had them).

Gefilte Fish
Quenelles
Frikadeller

You should try them sometime.

[Baja Boomer]

Thanks, Jill. That sounds like something reassuringly edible, as opposed to lutefisk. Since the trauma of experiencing lutefisk as a child I have balked at eating anything Swedish that had to do with fish unless it was smoked (they do smoke a good salmon), so I never tried quenelles or frikadellers, either, but I will give gefilte fish a try sometime.

[Jill61]

You're welcome! They might be an acquired taste, but I can assure you they are nowhere near as disgusting as lutefisk! My husband is Danish (not just in heritage, but born and raised) and he likes gefilte fish, even though he didn't grow up eating it like I did, so you never know, you might like it. It's traditionally eaten on matzoh with a dollop of horseradish sauce on it.

Enjoy!

P.S. I am also of Swedish heritage -- my great grandmother on my mother's side was born and raised there.

[Marino33]

I grew up in Mexico City in a neighborhood called Tecamachalco, known for it´s large Jewish population. Mexico City has the biggest concentration of Jews in Mexico, particularly in the Polanco area and some of the neighboring colonias (neighborhoods), including the one I mentioned.

In-and-around Polanco you can find anything from Kosher food to Jewish Scarfs to Haredi Orthodox men (born and raised in Mexico of course).

I´m not Jewish myself but became quite familiar with the Jewish traditions since a lot of my friends growing up were Jews.